Immortal character

[Little Brother]

For the evil campaign(Which my group still hasn't gotten around to doing :smallmad::smallsigh:), I've changed my view somewhat, and think that a character focused on immortality by any cost would be interesting. Point in this: Character enjoys the pleasures of the flesh, thank you very much, and would rather not throw away his humanoidity. So, I'd like to get immortality as early as possible, and immortality that said character needs to work for, so not just Wedded to History and calling it good. So, I had two ways of doing this, and I'd like input to improve it:

Either Azurin Generic Expert 1/Thief of Life 10/Incarnate 9, frontloading a lot of incarnum feats to retrain away later.

Or:
Venerable human telepath 11/Thrallherd 1/Telepath +8(Telepath being replacable by any PrCs that advance manifesting fully. Idea is to combine thrallherd, dominate, and the Patsy mind switch trick to get the ideal physical body while getting crazy good mental stats. Thrallherd also has the benefits of giving me artificers for free, to milk all the XP out of, then kill and replace.

That said, if there are stronger builds/good PrCs to fix the builds, it'd be nice if someone told me.

Thanks.

[Gavinfoxx]

Have you read this?

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5996.0

[Thurbane]

Have you read this?

http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=5996.0
Speaking of which, I was reading that guide earlier today, and it makes mention multiple times about fey being immortal. I can find nothing in the text of the fey type that backs this up?

[Feytalist]

Speaking of which, I was reading that guide earlier today, and it makes mention multiple times about fey being immortal. I can find nothing in the text of the fey type that backs this up?

I might be misremembering, as I'm AFB at the moment, but playable fey races have no age advancement tables. Or at least a "N/A" in those tables. So no middle age, old, venerable, max age, hence immortal.

[Wings of Peace]

He finds out about Elans at level 20 and reverts back to level 1.

[Shadowleaf]

Speaking of which, I was reading that guide earlier today, and it makes mention multiple times about fey being immortal. I can find nothing in the text of the fey type that backs this up?Relevant to your interests. (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fey/20030411a)

[GreenSerpent]

Same as above, go for an Elan. Immortality is yours!
If you're in a no-psionics world then try a Yuan-Ti Abomination. The can live for 10000 years - not quite immortal, but getting close. Use the trick of that class that can steal years off someone else to extend your lifespan gigantically.

[Little Brother]

Being an elan also means you suck at life, since you now have no levels in anything. Plus, you'd have to appease some elder peoples, and sucking up to these people is sorta against his personality.

Gavin: I read it ages ago, and checked it again before posting, but the only things it had that were the way this thing should work out were Thief of Life, Mind Switch shenanigans, Steal Life, and I want it early as possible, so Psion is better than the only other thing I can think of, a Wizard with Steal Life.

[olentu]

Hmm off hand I recall the eldrich disciple prestige class may gain immortality as a capstone due to an abnormal wording on their timeless body feature.

[silver spectre]

Is elan spell to power erudite off the table?

[Slipperychicken]

I suggest talking with the DM about a mcguffin that makes people immortal. That way it won't lock down your build/race choices. Perhaps he learns the formula to a magic elixir which prolongs life, but it needs to be taken every day/week and requires human sacrifice or something equally grotesque. That would make things very interesting RP-wise, since his everlasting life would be consumed by a struggle to get his "fix". A lot of plot to be had from this, like doing what it takes to find the formula, to other people trying to steal the formula from him (jealousy, sanctity of death, trying to help people) or trying to stop his killing spree.

[Gavinfoxx]

Well, several of those options can be written into backstory, right? One of them just requires a spell to be cast on the character in question...

[Duncan_Ruadrik]

I remember in the Pathfinder campaign setting, there was a nation that had access to this rare desert orchid that once properly prepared, could be brewed into a potion of longevity. I think, stopped aging for 1d4 years? (it restored the drinker of the elixir to their young adult category: it doesn't stop aging, but does restore all your physical properties, and basically "resets" your age.) This nation would make its money primarily on the selling of said potions at auction, no more than half dozen a month or something. costs about 50k.

I had a swashbuckler type character that was obsessed with finding the orchid, and the recipe for the potions, stories of which he had heard while sailing about the world. he planned on gaining immortality through repeated crafting of this potion, and drinking one every year or two forever.

Too bad that campaign got dropped... though the basic premise is still valid.

[Flickerdart]

You're already going psionic, so just replace five of those Telepath levels with Body Leech. You lose another ML, but in exchange you get a very handy safeguard in the unlikely event that someone manages to kill you.

[Little Brother]

Is elan spell to power erudite off the table?Guys, again, Elan/Wedded to History/Background stuff/etc aren't what I'm going for. I am looking for a guy who has to work for his immortality, not just sit on it like a lich or elan. That said, I wouldn't object to using the Kissed by the Ages ring, but I'd want some use for it beyond immortality.

And, if I was going StP, I'd pull my Magic Erudite(Ardent/StP Erudite/Cerebremancer), anyways. That just feels a tad too cheesy for my tastes. I'd rather just play a t1-2 even character with some texture.

So, can a ToL keep up with tier 1-2? Or should I just go with the Telepath? Or is there a better option?

And, no, backstory stuff(Unless backed up by hard crunch, like a ring of Kissed by the Ages or something) won't work, nor will MacGuffin/DM fiat.

[Calanon]

I am looking for a guy who has to work for his immortality, not just sit on it like a lich or elan.

Lichs actually work on there transcendence into an undead immortality... Fluff wise a Lich will actually die if they fail the procedure... :smallconfused: OR are driven into a state of raw insanity from the sheer shock of there flesh rotting off there bones... Most information on become a Lich neglects this on purpose. Lichdom is not for the faint of heart

Elans also work towards there immortality as well seeing as how it is given to them via again a painful procedure in which they may or may not die, from this procedure they run the risk of dying a painful death...

[motoko's ghost]

Would becoming an outsider work? I'm pretty sure they're immortal.
If you wanted to work at it(i.e not just start as a tiefling or something) use the godtrap ritual from dragon magazine to gain the half-fiend template. It would be the focus of a campaign miniarc, as you have to kidnap several powerful outsiders, but it should work.

[Duncan_Ruadrik]

Would becoming an outsider work? I'm pretty sure they're immortal.
If you wanted to work at it(i.e not just start as a tiefling or something) use the godtrap ritual from dragon magazine to gain the half-fiend template. It would be the focus of a campaign miniarc, as you have to kidnap several powerful outsiders, but it should work.

Not all outsiders are immortal. For example, Tieflings (an example you mentioned) have a lifespan of about 150 years, if I recall correctly.

[motoko's ghost]

Not all outsiders are immortal. For example, Tieflings (an example you mentioned) have a lifespan of about 150 years, if I recall correctly.
Ok, but what about say a half-fiend grey elf, In the campaign I'm running I NEED her to be immortal or else all **** will break loose (shes the only one stopping a CR26 fiend from going nuts and killing everything:smalleek:)

[Flickerdart]

Ok, but what about say a half-fiend grey elf, In the campaign I'm running I NEED her to be immortal or else all **** will break loose (shes the only one stopping a CR26 fiend from going nuts and killing everything:smalleek:)
Half-fiends don't have an age table that I know of, so unless one of the Fiendish Codices covers it, you're free to make up whatever.

[Mato]

Timeless Fountain (EB:SoX) costs 5k and prevents aging for an entire year and as long as you revist the site no matter your race or class you are immortal.

Combine with a Scroll of Steal Life (BoVD) and you can actually age backwards each year which can make up delays in getting to the fountain. All for a total cost 8k and a pheasant's life.

[DoctorGlock]

Alternately go psion uncarnate, though you'd need to use ardent to make it work (I suppose an earth spell STP erudite with the other boosters could copy the 9s even with lost ML). You work at it- you slowly cast aside your transient meat bag and become a being of pure mind. Without the flesh there is no age.

[Demonic_Spoon]

Have you considered Cloud Anchorite?


Being an elan also means you suck at life, since you now have no levels in anything.

Use a memory bottle.

[ExemplarofAvg]

Warforged, I'm not sure if they age or not. But I'm sure they could fake enjoying the pleasures of the flesh that you want. Alternatively. Elf? Uldra? Umm, Timeless Body?

[Demonic_Spoon]

With timeless body you still die from old age, you're just protected from the other negative effects of old age.

[Little Brother]

Have you considered Cloud Anchorite?Haven't seen it. What source?

Use a memory bottle.Don't think it'd work, and thought bottles are basically banned in our group, anyways.

Warforged, I'm not sure if they age or not. But I'm sure they could fake enjoying the pleasures of the flesh that you want. Alternatively. Elf? Uldra? Umm, Timeless Body?Elves just have a long lifespan, not an infinite one. No idea what an Uldra is. And there's:

With timeless body you still die from old age, you're just protected from the other negative effects of old age.

[umbergod]

dunno if it was mentioned, but there is a spell in the bovd that if cast on a full moon leeches weeks of life from your target, effectively making you weeks younger. I had a plan to do that to be effectively ageless

[Gavinfoxx]

Spend a, you know, story arc of active play getting someone to cast Kissed by the Ages. Not as a part of the backstory, but something you seek for with a quest and such.

[Hirax]

I'm a big fan of reincarnate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/reincarnate.htm). If you were a human or grey elf, you don't lose your skill points, feats or int bonus, for instance. It's a free way to shuffle physcial stat bonuses, basically, unless you're playing a race that has worthwhile EX or SU abilities, such as illumians.

The spell says you become an adult regardless of your previous age, so as soon as you hit venerable, you can terminate yourself and have someone reincarnate you to wind back the clock. Messy, but it works.

[Gavinfoxx]

I'm a big fan of reincarnate (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/reincarnate.htm).

Personally, I prefer Last Breath.

[Little Brother]

Personally, I'm more of a fan of Thrallherd+Patsy Mind Switch trick, if we're using temporary fixes like Reincarnate. That said, the above(Or the Reincarnate/Last Breath(Source, by the way?)) would work nicely with the Steal Life spell(BoVD, P106) Umber pointed out.

[Gavinfoxx]

Last Breath is in Spell Compendium. I was assuming you were familiar all the combos in the immortality handbook, it's described in there?

[Demonic_Spoon]

Haven't seen it. What source?

No idea what an Uldra is. And there's:

Cloud Anchorite is from Frostburn, page 52, their level 10 capstone makes them immortal and immune to altitude sickness. Uldra is from the same source but are like elves in that they just have a long lifespan, not a infinite one.

[Little Brother]

Last Breath is in Spell Compendium. I was assuming you were familiar all the combos in the immortality handbook, it's described in there?I read it, I never got around to memorizing it. Just the spells, races, and items, I just didn't look up the actual spell. Wasn't enough data in the PrC section to be worth memorizing, IMO.

Cloud Anchorite is from Frostburn, page 52, their level 10 capstone makes them immortal and immune to altitude sickness. Uldra is from the same source but are like elves in that they just have a long lifespan, not a infinite one.The issue with that is that I really dislike investing 10 levels into a not awesome class, fluffwise or power.

[Slipperychicken]

Would Polymorphing into something that doesn't age work?

[Shadowleaf]

Would Polymorphing into something that doesn't age work?Until you revert back, sure. Polymorphing most hours of the day would also cause you to age very very slowly.

[DoctorGlock]

If you have access to the dragonlance age of the twins splat, there was a spell in there called reverse river's ravages or something similar which un-aged you by 2 years/cl.

[Thurbane]

Uldra and Dusklings have listed maximum age categories. Kiloren age normally up to Old category, but then do not get any older.

[The-Mage-King]

I'm a fan of Wedded to History, myself.

[hushblade]

Doesn't savage species allow you to wish for a race change? Wish to be an elan, don't be anything cha dependent or just eat that -2 penalty.

[Slipperychicken]

Libris Mortis
Any living humanoid or monstrous humanoid can petition for
consideration to undergo the Ritual of Crucimigration, which
(if successful) enables the creature to become a necropolitan.
The petition for consideration requires a fee of 3,000 gp and a
written plea.

A character focused on "Immortality by any cost" will be very satisfied if all he needs to do is send a letter with 3,000gp attached. You can keep all those fleshy pleasures, too, just a little paler/colder than before. if you're that concerned, pick up a continuous item of Prestidigitation (1,000gp), and you'll look good as new. Also, Merry Christmas.

[Cruiser1]

My favorite method of immortality is to destroy some epic flux slime (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/obstacles.htm#fluxSlime), and get hit with the 5% chance of "reverse aging". That keeps you from dying of old age, and also quickly restores your youth if you're older when you apply the method. Works with any character, however periodically you need to pay a cost or do something that makes you older, to avoid turning into a baby and disappearing! This assumes that only natural aging is reversed, where if the DM rules that costs that "make you older" or "advance you to the next age category" also now go in reverse, you don't gain anything.

[Andreaz]

Being an elan also means you suck at life, since you now have no levels in anything. Plus, you'd have to appease some elder peoples, and sucking up to these people is sorta against his personality.

Gavin: I read it ages ago, and checked it again before posting, but the only things it had that were the way this thing should work out were Thief of Life, Mind Switch shenanigans, Steal Life, and I want it early as possible, so Psion is better than the only other thing I can think of, a Wizard with Steal Life.

Uh? Once you become an elan there's absolutely nothing to restrict your behavior. You go do whatever you want.

[Andreaz]

I'm a fan of Wedded to History, myself.

Delicious little feat, it is.

[Analytica]

Though Elan default fluff talks about that transformation council, what's to say they even exists in your setting? Even if they do, you might have discovered the same process independently, and transformed yourself through psionic mastery, meditation and/or sitting for a thousand years on a lotus flower/alchemical processes/etc.

[The-Mage-King]

Delicious little feat, it is.

Indeed. A Phrenic Human Factotum with Wedded to History (or even just a normal Human factotum) can be a wonderful thing to play.

[Analytica]

Indeed. A Phrenic Human Factotum with Wedded to History (or even just a normal Human factotum) can be a wonderful thing to play.

"Why, I'm brilliant! All Time Lords are!"

[Crafty Cultist]

There is a spell in the book of vile darkness (Steal life, I think) that causes ability damage. However, if it is used during a full moon, the caster becomes one week younger for every point of ability drain they inflict with it.

[Andreaz]

Though Elan default fluff talks about that transformation council, what's to say they even exists in your setting? Even if they do, you might have discovered the same process independently, and transformed yourself through psionic mastery, meditation and/or sitting for a thousand years on a lotus flower/alchemical processes/etc.

It exists, but it restricts your character no more than the society fluff written in elf, dwarf or halfling races.

[Analytica]

It exists, but it restricts your character no more than the society fluff written in elf, dwarf or halfling races.

I know nothing of the OP's setting, but in a lot of settings, there's really no native psionic support, or if there is, it's as an afterthought with guidelines to the DM on how, if they want to, they could go about integrating XPH materials into it. Forgotten Realms elans are survivors of psionic Jhamdaath, transformed by its fall. Eberron elans are created by the Inspired imprisoning traitorous quori into human hosts as punishment. To my knowledge, there are no elans in Golarion as of the Inner Sea World Guide, but if the DM wants to use the PF Dreamscarred material in it, they can make up some suitable backstory. I would say there's decent precedent to shape this inclusion as you want when world-building, or suggesting world-building choices to the DM.

[Nizaris]

"Why, I'm brilliant! All Time Lords are!"

Funny, the Elan Factorum/Artificer I'm playing in my campaign agrees.

I vote for either Wedded to History, requires DM's permission, or Elan. No maximum age category or just not aging is a wonderful thing. The great thing about Elans is that they're abberations, meaning reincarnate doesn't have a chart (make it up yourself) and they are not barred from using it (like outsiders, elementals...) That means you'll likely come back as an Elan, ideally ginger.