How to fly

[Snowbluff]

I'm a fifth level Drow Storm Sorceress, and I am thinking about my future. Is there a way I can learn to fly continuously?

[Kurald Galain]

You could use the utility power Dominant Winds. I think there's also a few paragon paths that allow you to fly, if you don't mind multiclassing to e.g. avenger.

[Dimers]

One paragon path I like for flying is battlemind Storm Disciple -- thematically fitting for a storm sorceress, though poor stat-wise. (Still probably a better choice for stats than the Favored Soul avenger PP that Kurald is referring to.) Storm Disciple's 12th-level utility power gives flight for the duration of the encounter ... or until you get hit, at which point you featherfall down. If you combine that utility power with one or two daily flight items, you should be covered pretty well in combat, and you'll have all the noncombat flight utility you really need.

Constant flight in 4e heightens the possibility that your team's healing surges will be skewed over the course of an "adventuring day". Be aware that someone might run out of surges early on while you're still sittin' pretty because you spent the day out of reach. So Storm Disciple's one-hit-and-you're-out flight also appeals to me from that angle.

[Snowbluff]

You could use the utility power Dominant Winds. I think there's also a few paragon paths that allow you to fly, if you don't mind multiclassing to e.g. avenger.

Well, that makes my life easy, thanks.

One paragon path I like for flying is battlemind Storm Disciple -- thematically fitting for a storm sorceress, though poor stat-wise. (Still probably a better choice for stats than the Favored Soul avenger PP that Kurald is referring to.) Storm Disciple's 12th-level utility power gives flight for the duration of the encounter ... or until you get hit, at which point you featherfall down. If you combine that utility power with one or two daily flight items, you should be covered pretty well in combat, and you'll have all the noncombat flight utility you really need.

Constant flight in 4e heightens the possibility that your team's healing surges will be skewed over the course of an "adventuring day". Be aware that someone might run out of surges early on while you're still sittin' pretty because you spent the day out of reach. So Storm Disciple's one-hit-and-you're-out flight also appeals to me from that angle.

Well, I am multiclassed rogue right now. I was planning on going into daggermaster, as we're playing without errata and I have the empower crit implement proficiency.

My character, Drathrundrial, spends all of her time being better then everyone else. When she's not throwing people off of boats or pulling horses out from under people, she's kicking her team in the NADS.

[masteraleph]

Daggermaster's great...but if you're actually playing without errata and are actually trying to be better than everyone else- be a Lightning Fury, take Mark of storm, grab a Lightning or Thunderbolt weapon, and at level 16, drop a Flame Spiral, spinning them around you and getting both the Flame Spiral and Lightning Field damage. Then get a friend who can use forced movement to spin them around you multiple times- say, 6 squares triggering both Lightning Field and Flame Spiral damage. Then smack your DM over the head for playing without errata.

[Snowbluff]

Daggermaster's great...but if you're actually playing without errata and are actually trying to be better than everyone else- be a Lightning Fury, take Mark of storm, grab a Lightning or Thunderbolt weapon, and at level 16, drop a Flame Spiral, spinning them around you and getting both the Flame Spiral and Lightning Field damage. Then get a friend who can use forced movement to spin them around you multiple times- say, 6 squares triggering both Lightning Field and Flame Spiral damage.

How is Lightning Fury helping? Anyway, cooperating would be against my character and some of the other PCs' characters, too.

What about the combo did they errata?

Then smack your DM over the head for playing without errata.

Nah, Daggermaster isn't actually crazy.

[Inevitability]

If you're a Drow, the Bregan D'aerthe theme may be interesting. It gives you a limited flight power at first level, with the ability to sustain it once per day from level 5 on.

The theme has been released in an excerpt. Here's a link.

[Living_Dead_Guy]

There are a couple of other ways to fly at high heroic.

The ebony fly mount at level 9 I believe and the flying broom a couple of levels later. Reflavor them to fit your character.

[Epinephrine]

Nah, Daggermaster isn't actually crazy.

It is for a storm sorcerer.

[Snowbluff]

ebony fly mount

What's the source for this?

[Inevitability]

What's the source for this?

I believe Dragon Magazine.

[masteraleph]

How is Lightning Fury helping? Anyway, cooperating would be against my character and some of the other PCs' characters, too.

What about the combo did they errata?


Nah, Daggermaster isn't actually crazy.

Lightning Fury's F16 gives you another damage instance- maybe not as much in the way of modifiers, but still, it's there.

Both FS and Lightning Fury were errataed to once per turn. Your Wizard friend, with his slide 6 power, could have slid the enemy all the way around you- and each time the enemy entered a square, they'd take both damage sources. Alternatively, using an action point with some sorcerer power that slides would allow you to do it yourself.

[Snowbluff]

I believe Dragon Magazine.

Mrr. I'll have to dig, then.

Lightning Fury's F16 gives you another damage instance- maybe not as much in the way of modifiers, but still, it's there.

Both FS and Lightning Fury were errataed to once per turn. Your Wizard friend, with his slide 6 power, could have slid the enemy all the way around you- and each time the enemy entered a square, they'd take both damage sources. Alternatively, using an action point with some sorcerer power that slides would allow you to do it yourself.

Neat. Yeah, that's pretty cool.

[Living_Dead_Guy]

What's the source for this?

Ebony Fly: (AV, pg 181) Fly 10, Overland 15, and as usual, mind the ground speed of 4. Comes with "Aerial Agility" for that +1 to your defenses.

Also look into Opal Carp: (Dragon 381) Ignore the "Small Rider" section, the rules errata invalidates this, as Large is no longer a requirement. Swim 8, grants it's rider underwater breathing and a better version of Goblin Tactics with "Opal Glamer" - concealment against all ranged and area attacks, and if you are missed by any attack, you get to shift one square a free action. Best water mount by far.

Carry a Impenetrable Barding: (AV pg 123, lvl 1,11,21) Applied as Magical Barding, which means using this can still grant your mount an AC bonus, as well as the resist. Its been errataed to 5 per tier but if your not playing with errata its even better. No more worrying about your mount being killed.

[Lazarus Long]

Hello,

I am playing a 4e Storm Sorcereress who just hit 16th level.

Her Character Summary is posted below, but the main questions I have ......."How maintain the consistent ability to fly without falling or landing round-to-round?"

Here are the feats and powers most relevant to my question:

Dominant Winds
Sorcerer Utility 16

Silver winds curl out of nowhere and lift you or an ally briefly into the air.

At-Will Arcane
Move Action Close burst 5

Target: You or one ally in the burst

Effect: The target can fly a number of squares equal to your Dexterity modifier as a free action.

Published in Arcane Power, page(s) 36.

Stormrider
Paragon Tier
Prerequisite: 11th level, Genasi
Benefit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to speed when you are manifesting windsoul or watersoul. When flying, you hover.

Published in Forgotten Realms Player's Guide, page(s) 139.


Does this feat-power combo enable someone to stay aloft (and possibly hover round-to-round?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

- LL


====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Ambassador Ophelia Strauss, level 16
Genasi, Sorcerer, Elemental Tempest
Build: Storm Sorcerer
Spell Source Option: Storm Magic
Elemental Manifestation Option: Windsoul
Extra Manifestation Option: Watersoul
Inherent Bonuses
Pivotal Event - Possession (+2 to Arcana)
Theme: Windlord

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
STR 9, CON 18, DEX 18, INT 11, WIS 10, CHA 23

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
STR 8, CON 14, DEX 15, INT 8, WIS 9, CHA 19


AC: 29 Fort: 28 Ref: 28 Will: 32
HP: 105 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 26

TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +19, Athletics +14, Diplomacy +19, Intimidate +19

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +12, Bluff +14, Dungeoneering +8, Endurance +16, Heal +8, History +8, Insight +10, Nature +10, Perception +12, Religion +8, Stealth +12, Streetwise +14, Thievery +12

POWERS
Basic Attack: Melee Basic Attack
Basic Attack: Ranged Basic Attack
Windlord Attack: Wind Fury Assault
Genasi Racial Power: Windwalker
Genasi Racial Power: Swiftcurrent
Sorcerer Attack 1: Lightning Strike
Sorcerer Attack 1: Storm Walk
Sorcerer Utility 2: Rock Armor
Sorcerer Attack 3: Thundering Gust
Sorcerer Attack 5: Glacial Armor
Windlord Utility 6: Bend Light
Sorcerer Attack 7: Spark Form
Sorcerer Attack 9: Winds of Change
Sorcerer Utility 10: Narrow Escape
Elemental Tempest Attack 11: Tempest Burst
Elemental Tempest Utility 12: Absorb Elements
Sorcerer Attack 13: Primordial Storm
Sorcerer Attack 15: Prismatic Lightning
Sorcerer Utility 16: Dominant Winds

FEATS
Level 1: Staff Expertise
Level 2: Arcane Familiar
Level 4: Tempest Magic
Level 6: Unarmored Agility
Level 8: Extra Manifestation
Level 10: Superior Fortitude
Level 11: Superior Will
Level 12: Superior Reflexes
Level 14: Quick Recovery
Level 16: Stormrider

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit
Dagger
Fine Clothing -- Black Dress with Silver Trim
Filter mask
Sunrod
Map case
Lyre
Periapt of Proof against Poison +1 x1
Arcane Signet Ring
Spirit of Storm (heroic tier)
Crowbar
Ring of Concealment
Identification Papers with Portrait
Belt of Endurance (heroic tier) x1
Potion of Vitality
Diadem of Acuity x1
Diplomatic Papers -- Ambassador Ophelia Strauss
Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing)
Speak with Nature
Fine Clothing -- Red and White Dress
Cloaked Quarterstaff +3 x1
Golden Circlet with Beautiful Emerald Headstone
Ring of Brotherhood x1
Fine Clothing -- Silver Dress with White Trim
Runic Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing) +4 x1
====== End ======

[Highfeather]

Hello,

I am playing a 4e Storm Sorcereress who just hit 16th level.

Her Character Summary is posted below, but the main questions I have ......."How maintain the consistent ability to fly without falling or landing round-to-round?"

Here are the feats and powers most relevant to my question:

Dominant Winds
Sorcerer Utility 16

Silver winds curl out of nowhere and lift you or an ally briefly into the air.

At-Will Arcane
Move Action Close burst 5

Target: You or one ally in the burst

Effect: The target can fly a number of squares equal to your Dexterity modifier as a free action.

Published in Arcane Power, page(s) 36.

Stormrider
Paragon Tier
Prerequisite: 11th level, Genasi
Benefit: You gain a +1 feat bonus to speed when you are manifesting windsoul or watersoul. When flying, you hover.

Published in Forgotten Realms Player's Guide, page(s) 139.


Does this feat-power combo enable someone to stay aloft (and possibly hover round-to-round?

Thanks for any help you can provide!

- LL

A myriad of questions about why someone would allow an array with a starting 19 and 3 stats below 10 aside, I should be able to at least offer a bit of help here.

Firstly, the combo as you described would not work. 'Hover' is a defined ingame term and simply means that a creature can remain in the air when stunned. That's it. If you want to stay in the air, really the only thing that helps is a fly speed without a significant altitude limit.

On the racial side, the races with flight speeds are Draconians and Pixies, though the former must land at the end of their turn, and Pixies can only end their turn 1 square from the ground.
A flying mount is an obvious and easy way. Additionally, the Avenger's Favored Soul PP gives you a full on fly speed of 6 without restrictions (aside from not being able to wear heavy armor). The Battlemind's Storm Disciple PP has an U12 that gives you encounter long flight speed that lasts as long as you do not get hit with an attack. Easily suffices out of combat, but you'll get shot down quickly enough when fighting.

There's some Epic-tier items that could also help, but aside from that I think that options like Dominant Winds and Windwalker (which can become at-will via the Desert Voice PP) which let you fly temporarily at-will is all you're going to get. Which I can understand from a gameplay perspective: being able to be out of range for most attacks and still hit people back is not likely to be a fun thing for both the DM (who will need to introduce specific enemies to counter you) as well as your party, who are suddenly taking a lot more heat from monsters.

[Lazarus Long]

A myriad of questions about why someone would allow an array with a starting 19 and 3 stats below 10 aside, I should be able to at least offer a bit of help here.

Firstly, the combo as you described would not work. 'Hover' is a defined ingame term and simply means that a creature can remain in the air when stunned. That's it. If you want to stay in the air, really the only thing that helps is a fly speed without a significant altitude limit.

My character's abilities got scrambled when she started out as a human but was turned into a genasi by an experiment gone awry. Yeah it's not ideal, but it was in-game decisions.

Anyway, thanks for your comments. I just wanted to find someone to back up my DM's side and you did just that. I can now think of other ways to build that character.

Cheers,

Lazarus

[darkdragoon]

Both it and the "greater" version from MME are level 20 while the Broom of Flying is somewhat earlier at level 15.