Being the Official Discussion Forum for HYPERBOREA®, a role-playing game of swords, sorcery, and weird science-fantasy
Visit us at the HYPERBOREA web site!
1 of 1- gizmomathboy
- Warlord
Offline 
- From: Spiral Mountain Array
- Registered: 5/19/2014
- Posts: 1,322
Slow spell on flying griffin
This came up in on of ligedog's games that my youngest was in at last week's Gary Con.
What does a slow spell do to a flying griffin?
There was some discussion about their wing speed dropping such that they could no longer fly.
I think ligedog however ruled about what I would (this is my interpretation of what little I overheard).
I would rule their speed is cut in half per the spell description.
How would they react to this? Well, that's up to the DM and I think ligedog handled that better than I would have. That is, some sorta freaked out and glided to safety, and one continued on doing what it was gonna do.
Just something I hadn't thought about in the years I have been gaming.
What? Me worry?
- Ghul
- Dread Necromancer
Offline
- From: Isle of Ghul
- Registered: 3/01/2014
- Posts: 2,639
Re: Slow spell on flying griffin
I agree with that ruling. 
HYPERBOREA- A Role-Playing Game of Swords, Sorcery, and Weird Science-Fantasy
- Blackadder23
- The Thousand and First Eye
Offline
- Registered: 3/04/2014
- Posts: 1,551
Re: Slow spell on flying griffin
I also would rule that it simply cuts their flight speed in half. Griffins generally aren't depicted with wings large enough to realistically lift a muscular, solid-boned creature of their size anyway, so their flight must be at least partially magical.
The original intent of the slow spell clearly wasn't to be an instakill flying monster spell.
Michael Sipe 1979-2018
Rest in peace, brother.
- gizmomathboy
- Warlord
Offline
- From: Spiral Mountain Array
- Registered: 5/19/2014
- Posts: 1,322
Re: Slow spell on flying griffin
Yep, I was even thinking that griffins and the like probably get some of their flying from magic. However, I would still rule the same for non-magical winged creatures. Well, maybe not laden swallows regardless of origin. They're bastards and deserve to plummet to their death if they're trying to import coconuts.
What? Me worry?
- •
Thread Starter- lige
- Adventurer
Offline
- From: Savage Boreal Coast
- Registered: 4/28/2014
- Posts: 187
Re: Slow spell on flying griffin
I had definitely never seen it before! A good use of a spell and totally foiled the swoop, grab, and drop from great height tactics (the party was standing atop a structure halfway up a steep mountain) the griffons had been planning on.
- rhialto
- Sorcerer of the 21st Aeon
Offline
- From: Shenandoah Riverbank
- Registered: 3/03/2014
- Posts: 797
Re: Slow spell on flying griffin
Interesting player ploy, but I like the ruling, too: it halves movement rate and attack rate, and explicitly doesn't affect sorcery.
"It is all very well to point out that the man lacks facility; as he asserts, sheer force can overpower sophistication."
Jack Vance, Rhialto the Marvellous
© 2009-2024 North Wind Adventures, LLC. “HYPERBOREA” is a registered trademark of North Wind Adventures, LLC. “Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea,” “AS&SH,” and all other North Wind Adventures product names and their respective logos are trademarks of North Wind Adventures, LLC in the USA and other countries. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.