[RPG] Can you increase the flying speed gained from the Winged Boots magic item by taking the Dash action

actionsdnd-5eflightmagic-itemsmovement

The description of the winged boots in D&D 5e says:

While you wear these boots, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed.

That's simple enough. If Richard the Rogue equips these, he has a flying speed of 30 feet. But, since Richard is a Rogue, he would like to use his Bonus Action to Dash, thereby increasing his movement, as the description of the Dash action says:

When you take the Dash action, you gain extra movement for the current turn.

Now, my questions are:

  • Does Richard now have a flying speed of 60 feet on his turn, because
    his movement allowance is 60 feet? Or can he only fly for 30 feet
    before having to walk the rest like a lowly peasant?

  • What happens when he is in midair after 30 ft of movement – can he
    not move further, or will he simply have to descend?

Let me describe a potential situation:

Richard the Rogue stands at the bottom of a wooden tower with several platforms 10 feet apart. His foe is on top of this tower, 50 feet above him. Richard wishes to use his Bonus Action to Dash, fly 50 feet up (so definitely fly more than his 30-foot walking speed), use his remaining movement to get in melee range to his foe, then use his Action to Attack them.

Can Richard do that? Or is his flying "allowance" limited to 30 feet, as that is his base walking speed?

Best Answer

No, but yes.

The Dash action does not increase your speed...

The Dash action grants you extra movement on the current turn equal to your speed, but does not increase your speed. So with a speed of 30 feet, you can move 60 feet total if you Dash, but your speed is still 30 feet. Because the Dash action does nothing to your speed, it also does nothing to your flying speed granted by the Winged Boots.

...But you can still use your additional movement to fly

Since the Dash action does nothing to your speed, nothing in the description of the Winged Boots would prevent you using extra movement granted in whatever way you want to, including flying.