[Template] Eternal Creature

[Fax Celestis]

Eternal is a template that can be applied to any non-undead creature.

Creating an Eternal Creature
Size and Type
An eternal creature's size and type remain the same.

HD
An eternal creature receives an additional HP per die.

Speed
An eternal creature's speed does not change.

AC
An eternal creature's natural armor class improves by +6. Creatures without an existing natural armor bonus gain one of +6.

Attack
An eternal creature's attacks do not change.

Damage
An eternal creature's damage does not change.

Special Attacks
An eternal creature is infused with temporal magicks, some of which rubs off on those it attacks. Creatures touched by an eternal creature must make a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + eternal creature's HD + eternal creature's Con mod) or contract Senescent Blight (see below).

Special Qualities
Timeless Body (Ex)
An eternal creature gains Timeless Body (as the monk class feature).

Spell Resistance
An eternal creature gains Spell Resistance equal to its HD + 15. Creatures with existing spell resistance use their own spell resistance if it is better; otherwise, they use the Spell Resistance gained by this template.

Damage Reduction
An eternal creature gains DR 10/-.

Ageless (Ex)
An eternal creature has no maximum age, but still advances in age categories as normal.

Abilities
Int +4, Wis +6, Cha +2. Non-intelligent creatures that gain this template gain intelligence and are considered eligible for feats, skills, and classes as normal.

Skills
An eternal creature gains a +4 competence bonus on all intelligence-based skills. It is also considered trained for these skills and can use them even if it has no ranks in the relevant skill.

Feats
An eternal creature does not gain or lose any feats.

Environment
Same as the base creature.

Organization
Same as the base creature.

CR
+4

Treasure
Double normal.

Alignment
Usually one step closer to Neutral.

Advancement
By class.

Level Adjustment
-

Senescent Blight
Senescent Blight is a supernatural disease contracted by creatures struck by an eternal creature. Any creature who contracts this disease ages at an accelerated rate, aging 1d4 years per three hours. Creatures who advance an age category due to this disease gain all of the penalties and none of the benefits. Those who exceed their maximum age range must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 20 + eternal creature's HD + eternal creature's Con mod) or immediately die of old age.

A creature receives an additional saving throw against Senescent Blight every 24 hours. A successful save prevents the effects for 24 hours; three successive successes end the disease. A lesser restoration spell prevents aging for six hours, while remove curse prevents it for three. Only a heal, restoration, limited wish or stronger spell can remove Senescent Blight prematurely.

Creatures who currently are afflicted with Senescent Blight are still contagious and pass it on to those they touch, even if they have successfully prevented the effects for a short duration.

Creatures with the Timeless Body class feature are immune to the effects of Senescent Blight.

[Fizban]

I'm curious, Eternal implies to me that it should live forever. Difference of personal definition I guess?

Anyway, looks fine to me, though it has little else besides the disease. Less fluff than most of your creatures. Oh, and I didn't recognize you for a few days with that new avatar.

[Fax Celestis]

Heh. Thanks. I'm still thinking it needs a preventative age thing, but then Eternal dragons would never get bigger.

[Avicenex]

CR +4 seems a little hefty. It grants a few attribute bonuses, a very nasty disease, improved toughness (effectivly) and some fluff. CR +2, or CR +1 (6 HD or less), +2 (7-14 HD), +3 (15 or more HD) seems more reasonable there.

Also, you might want to have it only affect living creatures. As it is, you could apply this template to a construct, which doesn't really make sense...

And yeah, add an prevent-aging ability, otherwise it isn't very eternal.

[Fax Celestis]

Made some changes. Eternal creatures no longer have a max age and receive DR now.

As for the CR, the disease alone could be very very debilitating for low-leveled characters.

...and now I want to make an Eternal Guardian Caryatid Column.

[Ivius]

How does one become Eternal?

[Caduceus]

That's a pretty good question, actually. Is it an acquired template, like afflicted lycanthropy or vampirism? Or is it not, like the woodling or the natural lycanthrope?

[Fax Celestis]

I didn't bother to come up with a method of assumption since it has an LA of "-", but I'll see what I can come up with.

[EvilElitest]

how do you cure that disease? And some fluff please.
from,
EE

[Fax Celestis]

A successful save prevents the effects for 24 hours; three successive successes end the disease. A lesser restoration spell prevents aging for six hours, while remove curse prevents it for three. Only a heal, restoration, limited wish or stronger spell can remove Senescent Blight prematurely.

That's how you cure the disease.

As for fluff, this template is really so general that fluff is hard to tack onto it.

[Krellen]

This template would work great in my campaign world. It's even got some natural fluff that works with it. While specifics of course vary by campaign world, how about some fluff like this:

Life did not start with the creation of the world. In time immemorible, before the world was forged and mortal life set foot upon it, the armies of the Dragon Gods clashed in the great Void of Creation. These beings were once mortal, but were changed by the warping of the planes that created the world as we know it today. These are the eternals, forever timeless and unaging, remaining ever as they were before the world was formed. Their very presence warps the fabric of creation itself, so much that their mere touch can catapult a man ahead to his very death - when he, too, finally becomes timeless.

[marjan]

One suggestion:
Lose the fortitude save for death from old age if the aging effect cannot be reversed (the DC is still pretty unbeatable, but just in case). It doesn't make much sense that someone who can live normaly 100 years now can effectively has 130 years if he pass his save.