Alternate Aging System [Archive] - Wizards Community

Alternate Aging System [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Yue Ryong
07-11-06, 11:01 AM I've been thinking about the bonuses to mental stats for long-lived creatures (Elves, Elans, Liches, etc.), and I can't seem to understand why it is they develop as much in 120+ years as a human develops in 20. I'm thinking of shifting the aging system for mental stats (physical stats stay the same), so that creatures gain +1 to mental stats for every 30 years of life above base age. Now, obviously this means that long-lived races gain larger benefits from this rule. Should I put a LA on long-leved creatures and how much?
Dunelord
07-11-06, 12:28 PM They age slower, in both the good and the bad ways. Namely it takes them longer to learn things that humans learn 'mature' we would say, or at least it does from things outside of normal adventureing.
Hozart
07-11-06, 08:53 PM Are you saying that you'll be giving the base elf +4 to Wis and Int (and maybe Cha too) because he's 120 years old? Or will this happen as the game goes on?
Rerecros
07-11-06, 09:43 PM I personally don't see why there should be any benefits to aging other than a greater time period to gain levels. Senility should cause Int to go down and seeing/hearing/common sense tends to drop to with aging so wisdom should drop too. And what is with bonus charisma scores, "nobody likes old people" (The Anger).
TheSkinnySkeleton
07-12-06, 08:18 AM I agree with the previous poster. Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma do not necessarily increase with age--they increase with experience. For every wise old man I have met IRL, I have met a slew of stubborn old people so completely set in their ways that they make no sense.

Instead, people of an older age have more time to increase their stats through continued life experience. Remember, not all XP comes from battle. It is perfectly possible for a human commoner merchant to advance in levels, earning XP from doing different things than killing monsters. And, as he gains experience, he also ages, eventually increases his ability scores as he sees fit.

However, if this were the case in the D&D world, every elderly elf would be level ten million. So, heh, do whatever you think works, lol....
Tequila_Sunrise
07-12-06, 02:05 PM I myself have houseruled out mental boosts due to aging, for the same reasons that have already been mentioned. But if you like the boosts, perhaps +1 LA per 30 years? Never again would a min/maxer play a venerable spellcaster!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Yue Ryong 07-11-06, 11:01 AM	I've been thinking about the bonuses to mental stats for long-lived creatures (Elves, Elans, Liches, etc.), and I can't seem to understand why it is they develop as much in 120+ years as a human develops in 20. I'm thinking of shifting the aging system for mental stats (physical stats stay the same), so that creatures gain +1 to mental stats for every 30 years of life above base age. Now, obviously this means that long-lived races gain larger benefits from this rule. Should I put a LA on long-leved creatures and how much?
Dunelord 07-11-06, 12:28 PM	They age slower, in both the good and the bad ways. Namely it takes them longer to learn things that humans learn 'mature' we would say, or at least it does from things outside of normal adventureing.
Hozart 07-11-06, 08:53 PM	Are you saying that you'll be giving the base elf +4 to Wis and Int (and maybe Cha too) because he's 120 years old? Or will this happen as the game goes on?
Rerecros 07-11-06, 09:43 PM	I personally don't see why there should be any benefits to aging other than a greater time period to gain levels. Senility should cause Int to go down and seeing/hearing/common sense tends to drop to with aging so wisdom should drop too. And what is with bonus charisma scores, "nobody likes old people" (The Anger).
TheSkinnySkeleton 07-12-06, 08:18 AM	I agree with the previous poster. Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma do not necessarily increase with age--they increase with experience. For every wise old man I have met IRL, I have met a slew of stubborn old people so completely set in their ways that they make no sense. Instead, people of an older age have more time to increase their stats through continued life experience. Remember, not all XP comes from battle. It is perfectly possible for a human commoner merchant to advance in levels, earning XP from doing different things than killing monsters. And, as he gains experience, he also ages, eventually increases his ability scores as he sees fit. However, if this were the case in the D&D world, every elderly elf would be level ten million. So, heh, do whatever you think works, lol....
Tequila_Sunrise 07-12-06, 02:05 PM	I myself have houseruled out mental boosts due to aging, for the same reasons that have already been mentioned. But if you like the boosts, perhaps +1 LA per 30 years? Never again would a min/maxer play a venerable spellcaster!