@Peter_Mork Do all items / spells that provide flight hold the target “aloft by magic”? If so, why do some items / spells provide hover?
hover basically means you don't need to consciously keep yourself aloft – some magic requires will, other types are more passive— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) April 11, 2016
@Peter_Mork Makes sense. The Fly spell doesn’t provide hover. So if you are knocked prone while under a Fly spell, you fall?
correct— Mike Mearls (@mikemearls) April 11, 2016
@mikemearls Might be worth UA clarification; page 191 of PH seems to state that a Fly spell prevents falling after being knocked prone.
— Peter Mork (@Peter_Mork) April 11, 2016
The Difference between Fly and Hover.
As I understand it, fly requires momentum. Your movement cannot drop to zero.
In real world mechanics a creature with the fly status would need to fly in circles or forward momentum to keep the aerodynamics of flight; While a hover creature like an Osprey or a levitation spell could climb or descend without moving forward for momentum.
In game rules does this mean that a creature with fly speed must move at least one square in its turn to maintain flight. And does that creature need to move at least one square horizontally in order to climb one vertical square: where a creature with hove can climb horizontally without moving horizontally.
I.E. A creature with 60 fly speed can move 30 feet up, if it moves 30 feet forward.
or 20 feet up, and 40 feet forward: Where a creature with 60 hover can move 60 feet up without moving horizontally at all.
Is this accurate?
@mikemearls
I know this is like 4 years old but conceptually, you are totally right.
I got in a huge argument with my friend’s over whether or not aaracrockra could fly in place, but in reality, no mundane creature using wings as a mode of flight without an enormous wingspan (Like an osprey as you say) can retain that Z level for more than 6 seconds without falling or moving forward. Unless you’re a hummingbird or fairy. Something really tiny that flaps incredibly fast.
Ofc their argument was “it’s a game with magic in it” as if this non-magical creature doesn’t still obey the laws of physics. That’s the stuff that takes me out of 5e.
Like a balor targeting a tiny creature mounted on a gargantuan creature’s back. There’s no way that balor could target the tiny creature without physically striking the gargantuan one and therefore targeting someone else. Mechanically, this is impossible. The balor simply hits you. It immediately takes me out of the game.