Guide to Wings & Shadows

INTRODUCTION: THE AIR AND THE VEIL

“The ground crunches and chews. It has teeth — roots, rocks, the frogs who wait to swallow me. But the air? The air is a feast. I have tasted rain mid-fall, the dust above a battlefield, the perfume of candles blown out too quickly. You cannot taste those if you keep your feet down where the worms dream.

So let us be honest: I am not here to tell you how to walk. I am here to tell you how to hover, how to dart like a swallow, how to nibble at the shadows until they taste of moonlight.

If you are reading this with your silly two feet and your sensible rules—I forgive you. But remember: you can learn to see the world sideways, upside-down, and never-quite-touching.”

Game Note: This guide assumes the 2024 ruleset for sorcerers, but whenever the Fey insist on tradition, I will warn you where older mechanics (2014) differ.

LESSON I: WINGS THAT DO NOT FAIL

Practical Notes:

• Flight Speed = Walking Speed. You can move in any direction, ignoring most terrain.
• Hover is the Gift. Being stunned or knocked prone does not send you plummeting—you simply stay in the air. This makes you far safer than most flyers.
• Opportunity Attacks Still Apply. If you leave an enemy’s reach, they can still swipe you. Always remember to Disengage if you’re slipping away.
• Vertical Advantage. Perch in rafters, hover above melee, or attack from angles no one else can. Think up and out, not just back.
• Carrying Others. You can lift a small ally, object, or even rescue a comrade. Just beware of encumbrance—your wings may hum, but they are not made for hauling stone.
• Roleplay Tip. Elia describes the air as food. Use this absurdity to flavor your play: “I hover because the air tastes sweeter here.”

BONUS LESSONS: THE WAY OF THE DART

Practical Notes:

• When Magic Fails. Darts are a simple ranged option when in antimagic fields, silence zones, or when slots run dry.
• Piercing Damage. Sometimes you need a different damage type — darts solve that.
• Poison Delivery. They’re ideal carriers for toxins, alchemical dusts, or Fey concoctions. (Encourage your DM to let you collect weird substances.)
• Concealable & Portable. Easy to carry and justify in roleplay. Flavor them as crystalline needles, thorn-tips, or stolen sewing pins from giant looms.
• Roleplay Tip. Elia should occasionally “taste” the dart point—to the horror of companions—before deciding if it is “spicy enough” to throw.

Quick Reference:

• No magic? → Darts.
• Need toxins? → Darts.
• Enemy resists your bursts? → Darts.
• Want whimsy? → Definitely darts.

LESSON II: HOW TO DANCE WITH GRAVITY

Practical Notes:

• Hover Means Safety. Unlike most flyers, you do not crash when restrained, stunned, or knocked prone. This is enormous—it makes you reliable in aerial combat.
• Prone While Flying. Normal flyers fall if made prone; you do not. Treat “prone” as a silly word mortals invented.
• Take the High Ground. Use rafters, branches, cliffs, ship masts. Elevation = safety + line of sight.
• Escape Vectors. Hovering mid-combat gives you the option to “step off the map” vertically. This can break melee swarms or ranged firing lines.
• Roleplay Tip. Elia often lands only when she forgets she’s flying—treat landing as an afterthought, not a rule.

LESSON III: HOW TO CARRY THE WORLD (BUT NOT TOO MUCH)

Practical Notes:

• Encumbrance Rules Apply. You can carry creatures/items within your Strength limits — but remember, wings don’t make you stronger.
• Best Uses.
• Rescue a small ally (pulling them out of melee).
• Lift small objects into advantageous positions (a lantern, an oil flask, a key).
• Deliver alchemical vials or darts mid-flight.
• Emergency Use. Carry unconscious allies out of danger—especially valuable since you won’t fall while stunned.
• Roleplay Tip. Play up the absurdity: Elia might insist on “taste-testing” whoever/whatever she carries. (“This dwarf tastes like coal smoke. This child tastes like fear.”)

TRANSITION: THE SKY IS YOUR STAGE

Game Note: With flight and hover mastered, Elia’s true danger begins when she mixes mobility with her sorcery — bursting stars, painting liars with Faerie Fire, and hiding herself in deeper darkness than the night itself.

LESSON IV: LIGHT THAT BETRAYS

Practical Notes:

• 20-Foot Cube. Think of it as splashing glowing ink across a room. Position it carefully to cover clusters of enemies.
• Party-Wide Advantage. Any creature that fails the save is lit up, and all allies gain advantage on attacks against them until your concentration breaks. Huge payoff, especially if your group has rogues or crit-fishers.
• Invisibility Counter. This is one of the best low-level ways to reveal invisible creatures. If you suspect a stalker, splash light.
• One-Time Save. Enemies only roll once; if they fail, they stay lit until the spell ends.
• Beware Collateral Glow. It affects allies too if they’re inside the cube. Solutions: cast from above, aim for enemy clusters, or coordinate positions first.
• Concentration. Competes with other strong options (like Darkness or Shadow Blade). Choose the spell that best supports your party’s needs in the moment.
• Roleplay Tip. Elia might lick her fingers and declare, “This liar tastes of lemon!” before casting — adding Fey absurdity to the tactical brilliance.

Quick Reference:

• Want the party to hit harder? → Faerie Fire.
• Need to reveal the unseen? → Faerie Fire.
• Want to humiliate liars? → Faerie Fire.

SIDEBAR: FLYING WITH LIGHT (AND SHADOW)

Practical Notes:

• Vertical Advantage with Faerie Fire. Cast it from above — you can catch enemies in the cube without hitting allies. Imagine sprinkling glowing ink over their heads.
• Darkness from the Sky. Cast the sphere on yourself while hovering 10–20 feet up. Melee attackers can’t reach you, ranged attackers can’t see you. You become a floating fortress of shadow.
• Control the Battlefield. From the air, you decide which clusters are painted in light and which zones are drowned in shadow. This is your Fey trick: not just casting spells, but curating the menu.
• Roleplay Tip. Elia might compare enemies to pastries: “These ones need sugar,” (Faerie Fire) and “These ones need burnt crust,” (Darkness).

LESSON V: THE COMFORT OF SHADOW

Practical Notes:

• Darkness as Control. It blinds enemies, shuts down ranged attackers, and creates zones of battlefield denial. Use it to break formations or protect allies retreating.
• Eyes of the Dark (Subclass Feature). By spending 2 sorcery points, you can see through your own magical darkness. Enemies remain blind while you fight unhindered. This makes you devastating in melee or while hurling spells.
• The Hover Fortress. Cast Darkness on yourself and hover 10–20 feet up. Most foes can’t reach you; ranged foes can’t see you. You become nearly untouchable unless they have blindsight, tremorsense, or Devil’s Sight.
• Escape and Reset. Drop Darkness to cover a retreat, block enemy vision, or let allies reposition. It’s both an offensive weapon and a defensive curtain.
• Allies Beware. Unless your party has special senses, they’re just as blind as your enemies inside your Darkness. Communicate before you use it.
• Concentration. Remember, Darkness requires concentration — you can’t run Faerie Fire or Shadow Blade at the same time. Choose based on what the fight needs most.
• Roleplay Tip. Elia might describe her Darkness as a taste test: “This one tastes like ash,” she says, licking her lips while her enemies panic in the void.

Quick Reference:

• Need to blind enemies? → Darkness.
• Want to duel unseen? → Eyes of the Dark + Darkness.
• Need to escape or reset? → Darkness.
• Want to terrify and confuse? → Darkness.

SIDEBAR: CHOOSING BETWEEN FIRELIGHT AND SHADOW

Practical Notes:

• Faerie Fire (Light):
• Best when allies need advantage on attacks.
• Reveals invisible enemies.
• Supports team damage output.
• Darkness (Shadow):
• Best when you need defense or control.
• Blinds ranged attackers.
• Creates space for retreat or solo dueling.
• How to Decide:
• Big cluster of foes + allies ready to strike → Faerie Fire.
• Surrounded, outnumbered, or ranged enemies dominating → Darkness.
• When in doubt, ask: “Do we want sugar for everyone, or ash for me?”

Roleplay Tip: Elia might lean into absurdity — before casting, she licks her finger and tests the “wind of the fight,” then declares: “Today tastes like sugar!” or “Ash for supper!”

LESSON VI: BLADE OF MOONLIGHT

Practical Notes:

• Shadow Blade (Spell). A concentration spell that summons a magical sword made of solidified shadow. Deals psychic damage, which many creatures are weak to and few resist.
• Dim Light Advantage. In dim light or darkness, you have advantage on attacks with it. Combine with your mobility to dart in, strike, and dart out.
• Hover Mobility. Being able to hover means you can fight in three dimensions — drop into melee, strike, and fly back up out of reach. Perfect duelist tactic.
• Great vs. Skirmishers. Shadow Blade turns you into a deadly melee threat against small, fast enemies like kobolds, goblins, or bandits who swarm casters.
• Concentration Conflict. You cannot run Faerie Fire or Darkness at the same time. Save Shadow Blade for fights where melee damage matters more than team buffs or denial.
• Roleplay Tip. Elia might lick the blade after summoning it, declaring: “Mmm, minty shadows!” while foes recoil in horror.

Quick Reference:

• Cornered by melee foes? → Shadow Blade.
• Want to duel with advantage in dim light? → Shadow Blade.
• Enemies weak to psychic damage? → Shadow Blade.

SIDEBAR: WHEN TO DRAW THE BLADE, WHEN TO STAY ALOFT

Practical Notes:

• Stay in the Air (Sorcerous Burst / Faerie Fire / Darkness):
• When you can feed the party with advantage (Vex the rogue loves glowing targets).
• When allies with reach (like Rue’s whip) are controlling the ground — let them have the dance floor.
• When ranged damage and control are safer than trading blows.
• Draw Shadow Blade (Go Melee):
• When small skirmishers slip past the front line and harass casters.
• When psychic damage is a strong option (many low-level foes are vulnerable).
• When you need to duel one-on-one and control the pace of a fight.
• Hover Trick. Even in melee, you can stab → hover back up out of reach, forcing enemies to waste turns or provoke opportunity attacks trying to follow.
• Roleplay Tip. Elia frames it like a menu: “Today the rogue eats sugar, the chain tastes the floor, and I… I taste shadows.”

LESSON VII: DEATH DOES NOT CLAIM ME (STRENGTH OF THE GRAVE)

Practical Notes:

• Strength of the Grave (Subclass Feature). When damage would reduce you to 0 HP, you can make a Charisma saving throw (DC = 5 + the damage taken). On a success, you drop to 1 HP instead.
• Limitations. Doesn’t work against radiant damage or critical hits — holy light and lucky strikes still punch through.
• One Use Per Long Rest. Don’t rely on it as your “plan A.” Think of it as a secret dessert — saved for when you’re truly desperate.
• Synergy. This makes risky play (diving into melee with Shadow Blade, hovering close to danger) a little safer, since you have a built-in “not yet” button.
• Roleplay Tip. Elia might theatrically announce: “The grave tastes bland today,” whenever the feature saves her, turning grim resilience into absurd Fey bravado.

Quick Reference:

• Facing death from one big hit? → Strength of the Grave may save you.
• Holy light or crits? → It won’t help — be cautious.
• Roleplay it? → Treat it as if Elia tasted death and found it unworthy.

SIDEBAR: ELIA AND HER FAVORITE FLAVORS (PARTY SYNERGY)

Practical Notes:

• With Vex (the Rogue):
• Faerie Fire is the best seasoning — giving Vex steady advantage for Sneak Attack.
• Hovering lets Elia mark enemies from angles Vex can exploit.
• Elia should prioritize glowing liars for Vex to carve.
• With Rue (chain whip, 10-foot reach):
• Let Rue control the ground while Elia controls the air.
• Darkness can create zones that funnel enemies into Rue’s long reach.
• If Rue locks down a foe, Elia can safely dart in with Shadow Blade for extra pressure.
• With Hunter (Blood Hunter):
• Elia’s Darkness synergizes with Hunter if he can fight blind or has special senses; if not, use Faerie Fire instead to highlight targets for him.
• Her mobility lets her peel skirmishers off Hunter, giving him room to channel blood magic safely.
• With the Party in General:
• Faerie Fire at the start of fights.
• Darkness when the field is chaotic and needs control.
• Shadow Blade only when allies can keep enemies occupied — otherwise stay aloft and sling bursts.

Roleplay Tip. Elia narrates synergy as cooking:

• “The rogue needs cheese — sprinkle light!”
• “The chain needs spice — pour shadow!”
• “The hunter needs broth — let him simmer.”

SIDEBAR: HOW TO HANDLE SWARMS

Practical Notes:

• Burning Hands. Perfect for clearing swarms of weak enemies (kobolds, rats, insects). Position yourself above and angle the cone downward.
• Sorcerous Burst. Exploding dice let you pick off multiple weaklings at range — one lucky chain can scatter a whole swarm.
• Flight Advantage. Stay aloft to avoid being surrounded. Drop AoE damage from above.
• Shadow Blade. Only worth it if swarmed by higher-HP melee (bandits, skirmishers). Strike once, then retreat upward.
• Roleplay Tip. Elia might describe swarms as “too salty” or “overcooked stew,” and insist she’s doing everyone a favor by burning them.

SIDEBAR: HOW TO FACE A BOSS

Practical Notes:

• Faerie Fire First. Giving your whole party advantage against a high-AC foe is one of the best contributions you can make.
• Darkness Fortress. If the boss relies on ranged attacks or sight, hovering in Darkness can neuter them.
• Shadow Blade Duel. Only if you can safely dart in/out or if the boss is vulnerable to psychic. Otherwise, keep your distance.
• Sorcerous Burst Spam. Reliable single-target damage that can spike on lucky rolls. Use Empowered Spell to smooth out damage.
• Survivability. Expect bosses to hit hard. Save Strength of the Grave for that one blow that would drop you — don’t waste it on minions.
• Party Role. Your job isn’t to out-damage the frontline — it’s to tilt the math in your party’s favor (advantage, denial, mobility).
• Roleplay Tip. Elia might nibble at the boss’s aura — “Mmm, tastes like despair. Needs pepper.” — as she decides how to season the battlefield.

LESSON VIII: THE WORLD IS A BANQUET (EXPLORATION & UTILITY)

PERSUASION, INTIMIDATION, PERCEPTION

• Persuasion. Elia’s Fey charm lets her talk circles around mortals. Lean into whimsy: persuasion checks can be absurd, playful, or unsettling.
• Intimidation. Shadows + Fey unpredictability = menace. Combine with Darkness or hovering overhead to intimidate in non-combat scenes.
• Perception. High passive Perception means Elia notices hidden things. Flavor it as “tasting the air” or “sniffing the colors.”

DANCING LIGHTS

• Distract guards or lure foes.
• Light up dark areas without committing a torch.
• Roleplay tool: Elia reshapes lights into absurd fey patterns.

INFESTATION

• Cantrip for disruption — forces movement (random direction) on failed save.
• Great for shoving enemies off ledges or into hazards.
• Roleplay tool: Elia might claim she “tasted sour air” before summoning bugs.

DRUIDCRAFT

• Predict the weather — useful for travel planning.
• Create small natural effects (whispers in leaves, drifting petals, glowing spores).
• Add Fey flair to exploration scenes.

DETECT MAGIC

• Essential for uncovering traps, enchantments, and cursed items.
• Costs a spell slot for Elia (not a ritual caster!) — use sparingly unless home-ruled.
• Pro Tip: If you want the “always on” feel of ritual casters, coordinate with a wizard, cleric, or bard who can ritual cast it.

ROLEPLAY TIP

Elia’s absurdity shines outside combat — she's encouraged to narrate her “tasting” the world as a way of perceiving it. Whether she’s licking the air to sense magic, chewing on flower petals to predict the weather, or staring at a liar’s aura until it “tastes wrong,” the table will remember her.