5.8 Aerial Movement

Creatures with a fly speed or glide speed can move in midair. To use a fly or glide speed, a creature must not exceed its maximum carrying capacity (see Weight Limits).

While midair, land-based creatures are unsteady (-2 accuracy, Armor, Brawn, Ref), even if they have a fly or glide speed. This penalty does not apply to creatures who are native to the air, such as birds and monsters with a fly or glide speed but no walk speed. If you jump into the air intentionally, you don’t become unsteady until the end of your turn (see Jumping).

Falling and Catching Falls: If a flying or gliding creature becomes helpless (-8 Armor and Ref, can’t move) or chooses to fall, it falls like any other creature (see Falling Damage). Floating creatures do not fall in this way.

A flying or gliding creature can catch itself while falling as a move action. This consumes all of its available movement for the turn, but does not cause any falling damage. If it enters the air willingly, such as by jumping, starting to fly or glide does not require a move action or reduce its available movement.

All mundane flight abilities require air to push against, so they do not function in places without an atmosphere. Magical flight abilities function without air.

5.8.1 Gliding

A creature with a glide speed can move horizontally, but not vertically, in midair using normal movement abilities. At the end of each of its turns, it descends 10 feet. This descent does not count against its available movement during its turn.

In order to glide, a creature must be able to fall. Since floating creatures cannot fall, they also cannot glide. Gliding is impossible in areas without significant gravity, such as in space.

5.8.2 Flight

A creature with a fly speed can move both horizontally and vertically in midair using normal movement abilities.

Height Limit: Most abilities that grant a fly speed also have a height limit for the maximum height you can easily reach with that fly speed. This height measures your maximum distance above a supporting object. The object must be at least two size categories larger than you, and it must be free-standing and capable of supporting your weight. It can be up to 5 feet away from you horizontally, which allows you to fly up cliffs and similar structures. You can fly above surfaces like water as long as they are thick enough to support your weight.

You can use the soaring flight ability to fly above your maximum height with a fly speed.