Grizzled Veteran and age penalties

[prufock]

I've been thinking about the "grizzled veteran" archetype, and how the age penalties are really a stick in the spokes for this type of character.

Take human for the example: up to age 34, you have no penalties, but 35-52 you have a total -1 to all physical stats, +1 to mental. At 53-69, it's -3 and +2. Above that it's -6 and +3.

Is there any way to get around this and build a viable martial character at higher age categories? I like the concept of an old dude who has seen it all coming out of retirement to fight the forces of evil one last time.

[Jarian]

Basically, you have to fight smarter, not harder. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125732) Your constitution will be garbage, but you can manage an Int/Wis/Cha focused martial type without losing out on accuracy or damage. You could use Faerie Mysteries Initiate to get around the Con-to-HP bit, but that feat tends to have books thrown forcibly at heads.

If you mean straight up brawling, then short of outright ignoring the penalties by one of various means, you're pretty much out of luck.

[prufock]

I should have thought of the X to Y thread! I'm not thinking straight-up brawling, but I'd like to remain a) mostly melee, with archery as a secondary and b) as mundane as I can and still be worthwhile.