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View Full Version : Age Rules:Should I use them?



KaeltheAwesome
2009-11-29, 11:45 AM
I'm DMing a campaign soon and was looking through the player's character sheets. My wizard guy (who is fairly new to dnd, but thorough!) was pretty well done, but I wondered why is str was so low. I figured it was because they were doing random roll or a lower stat array, so I thought I would let em use 18 16 14 14 12 10 instead. When I tell him this, he replies that it is due to age (his wizard is 46)

While I like the idea of stats changing with age, I'm worried this will end up hurting him in the long run somehow.

should I use those rules?

Sstoopidtallkid
2009-11-29, 11:47 AM
Depends on his stat spread, but Wizards can go all the way to Venerable if built right. Often for casters, Age Categories are a boost, not a nerf. What did he roll, and how did he assign them? He may have had 5 odds or something.

Sir_Elderberry
2009-11-29, 11:48 AM
Don't worry about him dumping STR. He's a wizard; of course he's dumping STR. You should be more worried about the INT bonus he's after.

Edwin
2009-11-29, 11:51 AM
Don't worry about him dumping STR. He's a wizard; of course he's dumping STR. You should be more worried about the INT bonus he's after.

Yeah. You ought to be more worried about the fact that his low level save-or-suck spells would affect a Red Great Wyrm, rather than the fact he can't pick up a stick without keeling over.

That being said, I tend to use age categories. :smallsmile: Use, not abuse, though.

Rhiannon87
2009-11-29, 12:21 PM
He's only doing one age category up; that's hardly game breaking. If he was playing a 72 year old, then he'd almost certainly be going for the bonuses. This just sounds like a roleplay/character choice.

Edwin
2009-11-29, 12:22 PM
He's only doing one age category up; that's hardly game breaking. If he was playing a 72 year old, then he'd almost certainly be going for the bonuses. This just sounds like a roleplay/character choice.

Of course. It was merely preemptive advice. In case he encounters other old PC's in the future.

Tyndmyr
2009-11-29, 12:24 PM
Cranking it to venerable only gives you what, +3 int? And to do this, you're hurting dex and con, both of which are rather nice as a caster. The extra +1 to DCs isn't gamebreaking when compared against the lower AC, init, and loss of HP.

Especially at low level.

It's really not much of a concern unless dragonwrought kobold cheese is in play.

KaeltheAwesome
2009-11-29, 01:27 PM
Ya his stats were pretty low all around, even with the age bonus his Int was only 18. He was human as well, so he probably just picked an older age, saw the chart and went with it to be up to code on the rules so to speak.