Do Incapacitated Flying Creatures Fall? A Deep Dive into Aerial Movement and D&D 5e Rules
Yes, incapacitated flying creatures generally fall according to the rules of D&D 5e. However, the situation is nuanced and depends on several factors. This article will explore the specific conditions that cause a flying creature to fall, the exceptions to the rule, and clarify common questions regarding flight, incapacitation, and other related conditions.
The Core Rules: Flight, Movement, and Falling
The mechanics of flight in D&D 5e involve having a Fly Speed. This allows a creature to move through the air. While flying, a creature can stay aloft until it lands, falls, or dies. However, certain conditions can cause a flying creature to lose its aerial stability and descend rapidly.
The Crucial Role of Incapacitation
The core rule is that a flying creature will fall if it becomes incapacitated or restrained. The incapacitated condition means the creature can’t take actions or reactions. This disruption to its normal functions causes it to lose the ability to actively stay airborne and results in an immediate fall.
Exceptions to the Fall
There are crucial exceptions to the rule that all incapacitated flying creatures fall:
- The Hover Trait: Creatures with the hover trait can remain aloft even when incapacitated or restrained. This is a specific innate ability that negates the falling effect of incapacitation.
- Magical Support: A creature held aloft by magic, such as the effects of the fly spell, will not fall if incapacitated. The magic is what keeps them in the air, not their own physical capability.
It’s essential to differentiate between the various conditions that might impact a creature’s flight. For instance, while being prone and flying are not mutually exclusive, being knocked prone while flying can lead to a stall situation if the creature doesn’t have perfect maneuverability.
The Speed of Falling and Recovery
When a flying creature falls, it descends at a standard rate of 500 feet per round. However, if the fall continues past the initial 500 feet, the creature can attempt to arrest its descent. It can use half its movement speed to stop, similar to the action of standing up from a prone position.
Related Conditions that Impact Flight
It is important to understand other conditions and mechanics that influence flying creatures:
- Restrained: As mentioned above, restrained creatures always fall. Being restrained sets their speed to 0, preventing flight.
- Grappled: Grappling sets the creature’s speed to 0, resulting in them falling.
- Stunned: When stunned, a creature is incapacitated and would fall unless it has hover or is being magically held aloft.
- Prone while Flying: Being tripped is impossible for flying creatures. However, other means can make a creature prone. Getting knocked prone while flying is not common, and is best handled as a stall, requiring an appropriate check to recover.
- Levitate: A levitated flying creature that fails the save will stop flying and begin levitating, only being able to move by pushing or pulling against a fixed surface.
- Blocking: Flying creatures can only be blocked by other creatures with the fly speed or with reach.
- Advantage vs. Incapacitated: Attack rolls against an incapacitated creature have advantage. Incapacitated creatures are not necessarily easy targets in all ways though, as they are capable of making saving throws and resisting grappling.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to further clarify the rules and mechanics of flying creatures and their susceptibility to falling:
1. Can a flying creature be tripped?
While flying makes creatures immune to being tripped, they can be knocked prone through other means, such as spells or special abilities.
2. What happens if a flying creature is grappled?
A grappled flying creature’s speed becomes zero, and it will fall if not being carried or held by a magic effect.
3. Can you fall prone while flying?
Yes, being knocked prone while flying is possible, though it is not caused by being tripped. This will usually require a flying check or cause a stall unless the creature has perfect maneuverability.
4. Does being stunned cause a flying creature to fall?
Yes, because the stunned condition is a form of incapacitation, a stunned flying creature will fall unless it has the hover trait or is magically held aloft.
5. What happens if you cast levitate on a flying creature?
If a flying creature fails the save against levitate, it will stop flying and begin levitating, able to move only by pushing or pulling against fixed surfaces.
6. What happens to a flying creature if its speed is reduced to 0?
If a flying creature’s speed is reduced to zero, it will fall unless it is being held by magic or has the hover trait.
7. Can flying creatures block each other?
Yes, creatures with a fly speed can block other flying creatures. Creatures on the ground without a reach ability cannot.
8. Do flying creatures take damage when they fall?
Yes, flying creatures take fall damage like any other creature, unless a rule or special ability prevents it. The usual rule for falling damage applies: 1d6 per 10 feet fallen up to a maximum of 20d6.
9. Can a creature move while incapacitated?
Yes, movement is only restricted by speed and conditions like being restrained. Incapacitation affects only the ability to act or react.
10. Do incapacitated creatures fail saving throws?
No, incapacitated creatures can still make saving throws, though attack rolls against them have advantage.
11. Do flying creatures have advantage against prone creatures?
Not usually. They gain advantage if the prone creature is also incapacitated.
12. What’s the difference between incapacitated and restrained?
Being incapacitated means a creature cannot take actions or reactions. Being restrained means a creature’s speed is reduced to 0, attack rolls against the creature have advantage, its attack rolls have disadvantage, and it has disadvantage on Dexterity saving throws. A restrained creature is also always incapacitated.
13. Are flying creatures immune to being knocked prone?
No, they are immune to being tripped, but can be knocked prone by other means.
14. What animals never stop flying?
Some birds, like the common swift and great frigate bird, can fly for months without stopping.
15. Does a flying creature with the hover trait still fall while knocked prone?
No. A creature with the hover trait stays aloft, even when incapacitated or prone. If they were hovering near the ground when they were knocked prone, they will not take fall damage.
Conclusion
While the core rule is that incapacitated flying creatures will fall, understanding the nuances of conditions like hover, magical support, and other mechanics is crucial. These details can determine whether a creature plummets to the ground or remains safely airborne. By knowing these rules, players and Dungeon Masters can create more dynamic and realistic scenarios involving flight in their D&D 5e campaigns.