Do fly spells (such as fly and overland fly) stack with mundane flight? For example, say a dragon with Fly 120 ft. (clumsy) casts the fly spell. Does that mean their fly speed is now Fly 120 ft. (good)?
I would say it is the best of (or worst of, if you insist on using the worse option)
But you of course use the DEX score, ranks, and Class Skill Bonus
and if there is a Racial bonus besides the maneuverability category.
RAI seems to indicate that Fly was never intended to be used on already flying creatures. Had it been, I'm sure there would have been some mention of the interaction (such as with the Half-Dragon template).
RAW, however, is...interesting. Since the fly speed and the flight dynamics (ascent, descent and maneuverability) are in a separate sentence, they can be seen as two separate things. This splits the speed and maneuverability. When two things that grant the same effect are in place, and there is no mention of how the two interact, the larger one overrides the smaller one. So your dragon's speed would not drop to 60 (or 40 with Overland Flight). Similarly, since the maneuverability of Fly is listed as Good, your dragon could replace his maneuverability with the better one. You would also gain the bonus to the Fly skill.
However...There is a big RAW issue.
Should the spell duration expire while the subject is still aloft, the magic fails slowly. The subject floats downward 60 feet per round for 1d6 rounds. If it reaches the ground in that amount of time, it lands safely. If not, it falls the rest of the distance, taking 1d6 points of damage per 10 feet of fall. Since dispelling a spell effectively ends it, the subject also descends safely in this way if the fly spell is dispelled, but not if it is negated by an antimagic field.
When the spell duration ends, your dragon begins to fall. No ifs, ands or buts. If it is more than 60 feet off the ground, it begins to plummet to the ground taking damage. Since it makes no provision for activating another means of flight. So, while your dragon may benefit from increased maneuverability, he is at threat of being sent to the ground by a well placed dispel or (worse) an anti-magic field.
Personal Opinion Follows
At my table, I would link the two sentences of fly speed and flight dynamics. As such, if you have another method of flight, you can either take its speed and maneuverability or those of the spell. Either way, you would gain the bonus to the Fly skill. Kind of a large price to pay if that's all you are taking from the spell though...
MY 2cp
I would allow the flight spell to work ,giving the dragon flight 120 clumsy, flight 60(or 40) Good.
The spell would allow the dragon to be more manuverable within the spell limits of speed. Once dispelled the dragon would begin to float down, but then could use it's move action, on it's next turn to fly away, (cancelling the float). The magic of the float is associated with the ability to move, IMO.
But then again I'm a strange DM.
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32
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I would allow the flight spell to work ,giving the dragon flight 120 clumsy, flight 60(or 40) Good.
This.
The dragon would retain its natural flight mode, but could 'borrow' greater manueverability from the flight spell, provided it was traveling less than 60 feet in that round. And a simple flap of the wings would send it alight again, so falling because it ran into an AntiMagic field is silly.
After all, a dragon in an anitmagic field is still a big damn dragon!!
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I would say you'd have to use either your natural flight OR the fly spell statistics, not a hybrid of them. They are using differing types of locomotion, with the fly spell using an arcane force and the dragon using large wings. I would say the arcane force only has an ability to stabilize movement (good) at the speed listed in the spell (40 or 60 depending on how you rule on the dragon)and would be ineffective at the dragons full rate of 120
I would say you'd have to use either your natural flight OR the fly spell statistics, not a hybrid of them. They are using differing types of locomotion, with the fly spell using an arcane force and the dragon using large wings.
I don't really buy that explanation. I just don't see why the dragon couldn't use its powerful wings to propel itself forward while using the magic of the spell to arrest his movement and maneuver.
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I would say you'd have to use either your natural flight OR the fly spell statistics, not a hybrid of them. They are using differing types of locomotion, with the fly spell using an arcane force and the dragon using large wings.I don't really buy that explanation. I just don't see why the dragon couldn't use its powerful wings to propel itself forward while using the magic of the spell to arrest his movement and maneuver.
I would say that this interpretation (alternate forms of locomotion) opens the door for some other scenarios that would need clarification if I was playing in that game.
For instance using this logic could I cast other spells or build a magical device that blows harder than the "arcane force" and use it like an afterburner? Can I cast Gust of Wind into a sail and go faster than the listed speed while flying?
None of that is "bad" I am just saying that one interpretation creates a nice linear experience (magical fly = uniform speed ) and one creates a more "complex" experience that would require more give and take on the part of the group (magical flight = contextual modifier).
I think there could be some fun stuff with the more complex variables if your group likes that kind of exercise. My 2 cp
I don't really buy that explanation. I just don't see why the dragon couldn't use its powerful wings to propel itself forward while using the magic of the spell to arrest his movement and maneuver.
The spell doesn't adjust current movements... regardless of any movements you may have it grants Fly 60 good (or 40 depending).
At least that's the way I read it.
Play it how you want... it's your game and IMO you're right however you rule it.
I would allow the flight spell to work ,giving the dragon flight 120 clumsy, flight 60(or 40) Good.This.
The dragon would retain its natural flight mode, but could 'borrow' greater manueverability from the flight spell, provided it was traveling less than 60 feet in that round [move action]. And a simple flap of the wings would send it alight again, so falling because it ran into an AntiMagic field is silly.
This sounds reasonable and how I would run it. I just clarified in bold that it isn't 'per round' but per move action(s) (incl. charges). Running out of normal flight movement doesn't make you plummet like a rock at the end of your actions, so having magic flight be dispelled but retaining a fly speed (whatever it is) shouldn't make you plummet to the ground, either.
And I can't really think of a reason why you could use your lower maneuverability but faster mundane flight for the first part of the movement, then use the high maneuverability, slower Fly spell for the portion that needs a good Fly check.