Flying and paralyzation


Rules Questions


1 person marked this as FAQ candidate.

A creature is flying using a fly spell. Said creature becomes paralyzed. (Let's say by Ghoul touch from a spectral hand...or whatever). What happens? First, he stinks. :-) I assume it will come down to fly skill checks...concentration only is required. Anyone?

Sczarni

The fly spell says it requires only as much concentration as walking and that creatures may attack and cast spells normally. To me this suggests the spell is controlled mentally instead of any kind of physical action being needed to maneuver about in the air. Should the subject become paralyzed they obviously would not be able to attack or cast spells (unless they're still, silent, and require no materials) and would not be able to walk upon the ground but I see no reason they would not be able to move about in the air normally.

I'll do some more digging to see if I can find anything contradictory as I'm sure the others are doing now. :)


yeah, i mean the Fly spell isn't saying it's changing your physical form so that your physical form is actually letting you fly. flying still does use your DEX score (reduced to zero by Paralysis), so IS affected by that capacity for fine movement/spatial sensation, but DEX also necessarily involves your neuro-muscular system, so just because you are paralyzed doesn't mean your spatial senses don't work, and doesn't mean you can't use those to 'maintain' the peculiar balance of the Fly spell.

i was going to say that you would need to 'Hover' in place using the Fly skill, but I don't actually think you are prevented from moving via the Fly spell/non-winged flight, per my above explanation about the mental aspect of DEX. Paralyzed in fact specifically says " A winged creature flying in the air at the time that it becomes paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls." but says nothing about magical Flight, leading me to believe that magical flight isn't impeded at all, beyond the effect of Paralysis on DEX score.

of course, being Paralyzed you will continue to have other penalties, being Helpless, being open to Coup de Grace, etc.


Having a 0 DEX prevents use of the Fly skill...

So you have to keep moving at least at half speed to stay in the air.


alexd1976 wrote:

Having a 0 DEX prevents use of the Fly skill...

Source?


alexd1976 wrote:
Having a 0 DEX prevents use of the Fly skill...

Now official via FAQ:

Quote:

Flight and Magical Flight: Can a paralyzed or stunned creature keep flying with magical flight? Does a creature with magical flight not apply bonuses or penalties to Fly checks because it doesn’t have a “natural” fly speed? Does flying make a creature immune to being flat-footed?

No, any creature that loses all actions can’t take an action to attempt a Fly check to hover in place and thus automatically falls. That includes a paralyzed, stunned, or dazed creature. Magical flight doesn’t act any differently, even for paralysis, as it isn’t a purely mental action. A creature with 0 Dexterity can’t fly, and paralysis sets a creature’s Dexterity to 0. Despite the fact that the Fly skill mentions that bonuses and penalties from maneuverability apply to creatures with natural fly speeds, they apply for any fly speed. If they didn’t apply to creatures that gained flight artificially or through magic, then those maneuverabilities (like the listed good maneuverability for the fly spell) would have no game effect. Finally, the statement “You are not considered flat-footed while flying” means that flying (unlike balancing using Acrobatics or climbing) doesn’t automatically make you flat-footed or force you to lose your Dexterity bonus to AC; it doesn’t mean that flying makes you immune to being caught flat-footed.


So saying that a paralyzed creature can take mental actions, according to Paizo, means they can take NO actions.

Got it.

This FAQ also clears up whether or not you need to flap your arms to use the spell.

You do, apparently.

I better see that description enforced at every table from now on. :D

I hope everyone realizes that this FAQ also effectively prevents you from speaking (telepathically)-free actions aren't allowed.

You also can't use your mentally controlled Dominate Person spell, as you have to have a move action to use it... (does this mean you literally have to walk around to utter commands using the telepathic link this spell creates?).


Matthew Downie wrote:
alexd1976 wrote:

Having a 0 DEX prevents use of the Fly skill...

Source?

I'm not sure why I said that... it isn't true.

You can make Fly checks with a DEX of 0, you would just have a -5 to do it...

Does having a DEX of 0 make you Paralyzed maybe?

*shrugs*


"A character with a Dexterity score of 0 is incapable of moving and is effectively immobile (but not unconscious)."

Interestingly enough, they are conscious, still able to act... the only penalty is being unable to move...

That's from the section at the front of the book talking about the six stats, under ability score damage.

Of course, according to the recent FAQ regarding paralysis and the Fly spell, mental actions are removed from the equation completely if paralyzed.

So... a paralytic poison removes all ability to act. Including (but not limited to) even telepathic communication.

Odd.


alexd1976 wrote:
Of course, according to the recent FAQ regarding paralysis and the Fly spell, mental actions are removed from the equation completely if paralyzed.

That's not what they're saying. Hence "Magical flight doesn’t act any differently, even for paralysis, as it isn’t a purely mental action."


"No, any creature that loses all actions can’t take an action to attempt a Fly check to hover in place and thus automatically falls. That includes a paralyzed, stunned, or dazed creature."

Am I reading that wrong?

I mean, it's literally quoted right from the FAQ. That's what it says.

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