Falling damage seems rather tame

[Kromm]

Catfall is vital . . . With it, a person jumping from 17 yards ("50 feet"), is treated as falling from only 12 yards. On a 10-HP person, that inflicts 3d damage if striking a hard surface (10 HP × 2 for the hard surface × 16 for the velocity from a 12-yard fall, divided by 100, is 3.2d, which rounds down to 3d), but damage is halved on a DX roll. The actual range is 1-9 points of damage, averaging 5, which isn't quite enough to cripple (that takes 6 HP for this character). For insurance, add DR 9 (Limited, Falling damage, -60%) [18]. The net 28-point cost is high, and Flight (Gliding, -50%) [20] might be better, though it isn't if you're building someone who has general DR 9+ in the first place. Also remember that if you're surprised, you don't get to use Flight, any more than a stunned person on foot gets to retreat from a surprise melee attack.

[Balor Patch]

Originally Posted by Terwin

You could also look a Jumping on B357 and let a character subtract their vertical standing jump height(with current encumbrance) from their fall if they are intentionally 'jumping down' (all of 20" for an average person, so not a lot of help)

Jumping down needs to be at least double jumping up. I've sat on a 10' roof and jumped on to grass without problem but couldn't dunk a basketball even on an 8' rim.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Kromm

Also remember that if you're surprised, you don't get to use Flight.

You do if your Flight was already active before the surprise occurred.

[Figleaf23]

Originally Posted by Kromm

... Also remember that if you're surprised, you don't get to use Flight, any more than a stunned person on foot gets to retreat from a surprise melee attack.

That doesn't sound right. Flight is a means of Movement, not a manoeuvre. If you're standing you don't fall over when you're surprised, so there's no particular reason for flyers to fall when surprised.

[Kromm]

To be clear: You cannot switch on Flight if you're stunned; that takes a Ready maneuver, and stunned people can only Do Nothing. Flight doesn't switch off if you're stunned. I didn't spell this out because I couldn't see a situation where you would fall out a window (the ongoing context of this discussion), not expect it, but have Flight "on." In the specific context where somebody with Flight is walking around on the ground and suddenly plummets in a way that causes mental stun, Flight won't be of much use . . . for the same reason why when someone reliant on ordinary walking movement is suddenly jumped and stunned, he doesn't get to retreat. By all means, if somebody routinely flies even when apparently walking, and suddenly takes a plunge, let Flight work.

[Figleaf23]

That still doesn't seem right. Do you need a Ready maneuver to switch on the ability to swim or to move in free fall?

[DangerousThing]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

That still doesn't seem right. Do you need a Ready maneuver to switch on the ability to swim or to move in free fall?

If you want to switch on flight reflexively, then it should be bought with the Reflexive enhancement, I would think.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

That still doesn't seem right. Do you need a Ready maneuver to switch on the ability to swim or to move in free fall?

The rules on activating advantages in GURPS generally encourage you to leave them on permanently. If you have flight, absent limitations that force you to deactivate it, just leave it on all the time, even when you're 'walking'.

[Otaku]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

That still doesn't seem right. Do you need a Ready maneuver to switch on the ability to swim or to move in free fall?

I am probably not the best to answer this, but we are talking about a situation where someone is standing (supported only by their own body and fact that there is something in the way of gravity pulling them down farther).

If you are a creature that naturally flies (like an ultra-tech robot that just hovers above the ground even when standing still), as long as you don't have a relevant limitation (like Low Ceiling or a form of Flight where you must keep a specific portion of your body facing the ground), then getting knocked out of a window is no different than getting knocked through an interior window.

If you fly (even full, self-powered flight) but you are not actively using that ability, similar to how you can't even tread water while stunned, you'll at least begin to fall when knocked out the window. Then again, it has been a while since I saw these rules; can you now run while mentally stunned?

[PseudoFenton]

Originally Posted by Anthony

just leave it on all the time, even when you're 'walking'.

This may well require Acting rolls if you're attempting to fool others into thinking that you are walking, rather than flying whilst whirling your legs close to the ground. Failure to do so does mean other people are going realise that defenestration is hardly a valid method of despatching you.

If the method of death has to be falling induced, due to some pesky destiny of some such, they'll instead aim to drop anvils, pianos, saves and other team mates on you, instead of pushing you off of things - I'd surmise.