Immortality and Wizards

[Akisa]

So after becoming level 20 a Pathfinder wizard can select immortality as discovery, and with a rapid a character can start in their teenage year but most campaigns last than a year. So would a PC human wizard who starts at age 18, would still look 18 400 years later?

[TheBarbecueChip]

I would have to check the wording to be sure but my gut says Immortality does not equal Eternal Youth. Also if your character can go from level one to level twenty within one in game year I'd say something pretty crazy is going on, especially as a wizard who has tons of incentives to take breaks from active adventuring and go craft gear and magic items for months at a time, spending XP to do so........
*Disclaimer* Just my personal opinions don't have my books handy and I'm more of a 3.5 guy myself.

[Kraken]

Immortality does remove any existing hits that your physical ability scores have taken form aging. You could make a very plausible argument that because of the physical nature of the benefits, that your appearance changes to that of a person in the prime of their youth, but it's also just as plausible that if you already look old, that your current appearance wouldn't change, other than perhaps better muscle tone. Ultimately it's unclear, and being entirely cosmetic anyway, I would just let a player choose their appearance.

[Kelb_Panthera]

I would have to check the wording to be sure but my gut says Immortality does not equal Eternal Youth. Also if your character can go from level one to level twenty within one in game year I'd say something pretty crazy is going on, especially as a wizard who has tons of incentives to take breaks from active adventuring and go craft gear and magic items for months at a time, spending XP to do so........
*Disclaimer* Just my personal opinions don't have my books handy and I'm more of a 3.5 guy myself.

If the rate of experience gain is similar to 3e, you could -technically- go from level 1 to level 20 in a couple months or so.

13.4 encounters per level, 19 level ups from 1 to 20; makes 255 encounters. 255 encounters divided by 4 encounters per day makes 63.75 or two months and change.

It'd be one hell of a ride getting there though.

[Akisa]

If the rate of experience gain is similar to 3e, you could -technically- go from level 1 to level 20 in a couple months or so.

13.4 encounters per level, 19 level ups from 1 to 20; makes 255 encounters. 255 encounters divided by 4 encounters per day makes 63.75 or two months and change.

It'd be one hell of a ride getting there though.

And many adventure paths sometimes doesn't give a break and gives a sense of urgency.

[Coidzor]

At the end of the day it all boils down to sexism and speciesism.

Human men are encouraged to pick something respectable looking between middle-aged and the archetypical white-haired and sagacious longbeard that is practically synonymous with wizard.

Whereas women are encouraged to look like they're in an ageless sort of eternal 30-something or go full crone depending upon their particular style and madness quotient.

Elves, naturally, are going to Elf it up, and Dorfs are gonna Dorf.

In some ways Half-Orcs are the most free, as no one even *has* an image of a Half-Orc Wizard for the multiverse to pressure them towards.


If the rate of experience gain is similar to 3e, you could -technically- go from level 1 to level 20 in a couple months or so.

13.4 encounters per level, 19 level ups from 1 to 20; makes 255 encounters. 255 encounters divided by 4 encounters per day makes 63.75 or two months and change.

It'd be one hell of a ride getting there though.

The experience totals are different, and I can't recall the full extent of the changes in encounter calculation and experience, but I believe the Medium experience point/leveling progression track (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/character-advancement) is supposed to go at a rate that's roughly analogous to 3.5, so the fast track would be somewhere in the neighbourhood of 2/3 of that time if that's the case, so about 42.5 days or a little shy of a month and a half.

[RoboEmperor]

deleted. I mentioned a lot of TO stuff, which is no way helpful to the thread >.<

[Kelb_Panthera]

<removed by request>
OR

you just get anti-___ stuff, and kill the strongest creatures you can with it, if you're using a open-world setting. It'll take you only like a week.

That on the latter side of the "or" works okay though; high risk, high reward.

[RoboEmperor]

This is not a video game. Power-leveling is not a thing. That on the latter side of the "or" works okay though; high risk, high reward.

Ahhh! delete that quote! I realized it was a mistake to put in that sort of thing, and you quoted me before I deleted it D:

[TheBarbecueChip]

And many adventure paths sometimes doesn't give a break and gives a sense of urgency.

Zero down time over 20 levels? I understand that one doesn't get to the top of the spire of supreme EEEEEEvil and stop at the last door look around the room and the party and say "Ya know, I'm sorta feeling like a new staff. Can we pick this up in a few weeks after I make me a staff of fire? This staff of frost just ain't doin it for me" but come on! After defeating the High Cleric of EEEEEEvil it's kinda expected that the characters head back to town, rest up, and bask in the glory of a rescued world for a bit.

[Milo v3]

In some ways Half-Orcs are the most free, as no one even *has* an image of a Half-Orc Wizard for the multiverse to pressure them towards.

Faerun has at least one:
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120824143812/forgottenrealms/images/d/d7/Xanos_Messarmos.JPG

[Der_DWSage]

http://i2.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/004/590/OBJECTION!.jpg

That man is a Sorcerer/Barbarian, (http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Xanos_Messarmos) your honor! (And a massive prat, at that.)

[Milo v3]

http://i2.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/004/590/OBJECTION!.jpg

That man is a Sorcerer/Barbarian, (http://nwn.wikia.com/wiki/Xanos_Messarmos) your honor! (And a massive prat, at that.)

Weird, consider how crap he is with others + how high and mighty he was about magic I was sure he was a wizard rather than sorcerer.

[caimbuel]

If they don't die Rappan Attuk or another ubber dungeon could easily get someone from 1 to 20 in a year or less.

[Xerlith]

If the rate of experience gain is similar to 3e, you could -technically- go from level 1 to level 20 in a couple months or so.

13.4 encounters per level, 19 level ups from 1 to 20; makes 255 encounters. 255 encounters divided by 4 encounters per day makes 63.75 or two months and change.

It'd be one hell of a ride getting there though.

So that would mean that it takes... a bit of encounters to level up.

I'm sorry.

[Kelb_Panthera]

So that would mean that it takes... a bit of encounters to level up.

[COLOR="#FFFFFF"]I'm sorry.[COLOR]

As well you should be.

[Jack_Simth]

As well you should be.
Of course he should be! It'll come back and byte him pretty hard when he realizes you need a full eight bits to get 255 encounters.

[Akisa]

Of course he should be! It'll come back and byte him pretty hard when he realizes you need a full eight bits to get 255 encounters.

Full eight bits to get 255 encounters?

[Fallenreality]

Of course he should be! It'll come back and byte him pretty hard when he realizes you need a full eight bits to get 255 encounters.

This is why you take a break halfway through. I like my adventures measured in nibbles.

Takes longer though, then you're only doing 4 bits before you rest which is only 15 encounters. That means doing 68 bits worth of encounters rather than 8 if you stop every nibble, which means instead of 2 nibbles you're taking 17 nibbles! It's much easier to just take bytes than nibbles when it comes to encounters o.o....

@Akisa
It's a programming joke. there are 8 bits in a byte, and 8 bits can store values from 0 to 255 in binary. More programming humor, a nibble is the technical term for half a byte. A nibble, which is 4 bits, can only store values from 0-15 in binary which is where my joke is coming from.

This is due to using base two/binary, so the first bit is 0-1, the second then lets you store 0-3, adding a third on gives you 0-7, then 0-15, then 0-31, 0-63, 0-123, 0-255 (Don't know if you needed all the info on binary but hopefully someone who reads this thread will find it useful)

Edit:
For the original question: If you have a campaign that finishes that fast, then sure, no reason you can't have a forever 18 wizard. Keep in mind you still gain all the bonuses for aging, just none of the penalties.

[Arcanist]

At the end of the day it all boils down to sexism and speciesism.

Human men are encouraged to pick something respectable looking between middle-aged and the archetypical white-haired and sagacious longbeard that is practically synonymous with wizard.

Whereas women are encouraged to look like they're in an ageless sort of eternal 30-something or go full crone depending upon their particular style and madness quotient.

Are you implying that Minerva McGonagall isn't the hottest witch to teach Transfiguration? :smallconfused:

http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/7000000/Professor-Minerva-McGonagall-professor-mcgonagall-7083850-500-210.jpg


In some ways Half-Orcs are the most free, as no one even *has* an image of a Half-Orc Wizard for the multiverse to pressure them towards.

I do believe that this however is false. Simply put, because their being no image a Half-Orc Wizard or Sorcerer it implies that there are no Half-Orc Wizards or Sorcerers due to that minus 2 to Charisma and Intelligence. In a perfect world, there would no be ability modifiers, but unfortunately that world would make for a less interesting game.

The stereotype is that Half-Orcs make for poor Arcanist, Dwarves make for poor diplomats, Elves make for poor professional poison drinkers(?), and Halflings, especially the Strongheart variant, make for the best adventurers. While Humans are equally capable in all of these things, but can only really do one of these (or all of these by being a Generalist Wizard).

[Rubik]

In 3.5, with a bit of effort and planning (and lots of elephants), a wizard can go from zero to sixty one to epic in about two days -- not including the setup time, of course.

[atemu1234]

In 3.5, with a bit of effort and planning (and lots of elephants), a wizard can go from zero to sixty one to epic in about two days -- not including the setup time, of course.

This. Also, immortality would maintain your appearance, unless it doesn't stop aging penalties.

[Rubik]

This. Also, immortality would maintain your appearance, unless it doesn't stop aging penalties.And even if it doesn't, shapeshifting is a thing. That, and Bestow Curse can add or drain age categories.

[Ssalarn]

And many adventure paths sometimes doesn't give a break and gives a sense of urgency.

Actually, most of the APs have substantial passage of time occuring in-game. Jade Regent involves nearly a year just traveling, Rise of the Runelords has weeks spent on the road and various other "passage of time" scenarios, Kingmaker is supposed to span years, Skull & Shackles has weeks pass before anything relevant happens... And few of those actually take the party all the way to 20.

Also of some note, 18 is nearly the youngest you can be as a wizard (22 would be the average). And if he started at 18 and took one year to get to level 20, he'd look 19 forever assuming he didn't visibly age :smalltongue:
I'd imagine it'd be a pretty rough-looking 19 after a year like that too.

[137beth]

At the end of the day it all boils down to sexism and speciesism.

Human men are encouraged to pick something respectable looking between middle-aged and the archetypical white-haired and sagacious longbeard that is practically synonymous with wizard.

Whereas women are encouraged to look like they're in an ageless sort of eternal 30-something or go full crone depending upon their particular style and madness quotient.

Elves, naturally, are going to Elf it up, and Dorfs are gonna Dorf.

In some ways Half-Orcs are the most free, as no one even *has* an image of a Half-Orc Wizard for the multiverse to pressure them towards.



The experience totals are different, and I can't recall the full extent of the changes in encounter calculation and experience, but I believe the Medium experience point/leveling progression track (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/character-advancement) is supposed to go at a rate that's roughly analogous to 3.5, so the fast track would be somewhere in the neighbourhood of 2/3 of that time if that's the case, so about 42.5 days or a little shy of a month and a half.
Medium xp track is closer to 20 encounters per level. The fast xp track is closer to 3.5.
Even with the medium xp track, though, it's still possible to advance from level 1 to 20 in less than a year, and expected in any campaign without long breaks.

[Raven777]

That Half-Orc Sorcerer/Barbarian should be happy he's not a Wizard! Wizards may have immortality built in as a class feature, but Sorcerers make much, much better undead. Take that, old bearded nerds, while we rock on witch Charisma fueled everything.

[Elricaltovilla]

I do believe that this however is false. Simply put, because their being no image a Half-Orc Wizard or Sorcerer it implies that there are no Half-Orc Wizards or Sorcerers due to that minus 2 to Charisma and Intelligence. In a perfect world, there would no be ability modifiers, but unfortunately that world would make for a less interesting game.

The stereotype is that Half-Orcs make for poor Arcanist, Dwarves make for poor diplomats, Elves make for poor professional poison drinkers(?), and Halflings, especially the Strongheart variant, make for the best adventurers. While Humans are equally capable in all of these things, but can only really do one of these (or all of these by being a Generalist Wizard).

This is pathfinder, Half-Orcs get a +2 to any one stat of their choice. Ain't no Int penalties for my Half-orcs no more!

[NightbringerGGZ]

Well if we can get back to the matter at hand real quick. The ability in question (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard/arcane-discoveries/arcane-discoveries-paizo/immortality) doesn't specifically mention your character's appearance, but the fact that you "discover a cure for aging" and that physical penalties are removed would imply that you don't have any further physical signs of aging.

It would also be logical to assume that certain aspects of what happens to your body as you age would be reversed too. I'd imagine you wouldn't have to worry about grey hairs or hair loss and physical conditions caused by the aging process. Things like skin damage from extended exposure to the sun would logically still apply though, that's caused by length of time exposing yourself to radiation after all. If you were skinny in your youth but put on a lot of weight due to laziness I'd imagine you'd still have those extra pounds too.

Of course, if you're a wizard why not just fix those problems with Youthful Appearance (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/y/youthful-appearance)?

[Ssalarn]

This is pathfinder, Half-Orcs get a +2 to any one stat of their choice. Ain't no Int penalties for my Half-orcs no more!

Weirdly, falchion wielding half-orc wizards were one of the more common character types in the last PFS group I played with... Right next to falchion wielding Orc Bloodline half-orc Sorcerers before that bloodline got banned.

[atemu1234]

Weirdly, falchion wielding half-orc wizards were one of the more common character types in the last PFS group I played with... Right next to falchion wielding Orc Bloodline half-orc Sorcerers before that bloodline got banned.

Why was it banned?

[Ssalarn]

Why was it banned?

I'm not entirely certain, I moved away and stopped playing PFS shortly thereafter. I think it was one of those niche protection things; Orc Bloodline sorcerers are generally better martials than martials by default.