How to be pretty much immortal without being a lich?

[cavalieredraghi]

I am having thoughts on this, and me and my roommate are discussing it. It may be a trick on how to be immortal without having to be a lich. The spell Clone, You create a soulless clone of the creature you chose, yourself, and when you die, your soul will transfer to that soulless clone. We think, it could possibly work since there are obvious a few prerequisites for the spell, what are everyone else thoughts on this? I am curious do you all think it could work.

[Ralanr]

I am having thoughts on this, and me and my roommate are discussing it. It may be a trick on how to be immortal without having to be a lich. The spell Clone, You create a soulless clone of the creature you chose, yourself, and when you die, your soul will transfer to that soulless clone. We think, it could possibly work since there are obvious a few prerequisites for the spell, what are everyone else thoughts on this? I am curious do you all think it could work.

I feel I've seen this exact thing in science fiction...but I can't place where.

I'd also like to say that vampirism probably leads to immortality. And rising to godhood probably helps with that (Though that is the most unlikely out of all of these)

[Giant2005]

I feel I've seen this exact thing in science fiction...but I can't place where.
The Asgard did it in Stargate but it didn't really work out that well for them.

[Camman1984]

Become a high level monk, go to sleep.

[FadeAssassin]

An 18th Level evlven Druid could easily live a riduculously long time. Not exactly immortal, but pretty damn near.

[Mrmox42]

Become a mummy. Keep away from fire and you will be around forever.

[MeeposFire]

Wait isn't this one of the standard uses of the clone spell?

I mean it does not work out well for the caster (there are several examples one of the best known is in FR) but it certainly works..in away.

One of the problems is that I think the clone only has your abilities/memories from when it was created so you would need to know beforehand when you were going to die or be willing to have a power loss.

This is not generally a problem for NPCs (which tend to use this trick more) since they tend to stay static in power.

[Inevitability]

Be a warforged, create a demiplane, move to it. Then spend a few millennia warding your demiplane against interplanar travel.

[SharkForce]

Wait isn't this one of the standard uses of the clone spell?

I mean it does not work out well for the caster (there are several examples one of the best known is in FR) but it certainly works..in away.

One of the problems is that I think the clone only has your abilities/memories from when it was created so you would need to know beforehand when you were going to die or be willing to have a power loss.

This is not generally a problem for NPCs (which tend to use this trick more) since they tend to stay static in power.

it worked like that in previous editions. in 5th edition, it works just fine. you can even clone yourself and have your clone be a younger physical age than you were at the time you made the clone, and there is nothing to even suggest that you would lose any memories or experience.

obviously it is still possible to kill you (though difficult if you have a collection of clones), but as far as old age is concerned, you have nothing to worry about so long as you have money (or wish spells).

[PeterM]

I feel I've seen this exact thing in science fiction...but I can't place where.


Cloned bodies and backed up memories are a fairly common way to cheat death in science fiction. It's not as good as an actual soul transfer, because you only get your memories up to the last time you backed them up, but I'm sure some stories have instantaneous transfer with no loss of memory. All it takes is sufficiently advanced technology.

The first example that comes to mind is the Eternal Emperor of the Sten books. He's been ruling for 3,000 years and is assumed to be unkillable. Not so. Every few centuries someone manages it, and his back up clone wakes up, waits for the empire to start dying without the knowledge only he can provide, then rides in to save the day.

In RPGs or close enough, Car Wars also has clone backups available so you don't lose your character. There was a short story where a guy's clone was activated after he was presumed dead, but he hadn't backed up in so long that a LOT had changed and he didn't fit in with his old friends. Then they went after the guy who had killed him, only to find out that, yeah, his last body wasn't dead at all, just imprisoned. That was awkward.

Does D&D have rules about Resurrecting a body whose soul has already inhabited a new form or is otherwise still in play?

[Madfellow]

Does D&D have rules about Resurrecting a body whose soul has already inhabited a new form or is otherwise still in play?

Resurrection doesn't work if the target's soul is anywhere other than one of the Outer Planes.

[SharkForce]

the clone spell in particular states that the old body is completely inert and cannot be raised.

[Easy_Lee]

Clone could work with one keeping a journal of one's activities for the clone to read when it wakes up.

Other than that, I suspect immortality in its various forms is something they're reserving for epic levels. In FE, we have characters like Drizzt whose abilities can be represented through various PHB-based builds (Drizzt is probably a Fighter with the Ranger's Hunter archetype, in my opinion). Then there are characters like Grandmaster Kane, whose powers go beyond what the PHB would allow. Kane has a form of immortality, having transcended the mortal coil even though he is an open hand monk. Even before that, he's been shown using the quivering palm without even having to touch his opponent (used on Artemis).

When epic levels are inevitably released, I'm sure we'll see more immortality and related.

[cavalieredraghi]

I also had a thought that once Wish could possibly make a person immortal though it would have additional costs behind it. My main line of thought behind this creation is becoming immortal without resorting to Undead, or pacts with demons or devils. Clone seems possible since it is not just the transfer of memory in 5e but the actual moving of your character's soul.

what my roommate invisioned was his warlock could pay a Wizard to cast the spell on himself a number of times and the vessel was stored with the demiplane spell or similar since that is a Warlock spell.

[Zyzzyva]

Bribe the DM for an amulet of totally Lawful Good non-lichy non-vampiric immortality.

...You're just jealous of my outside the box problem solving skills. :smallsigh:

[MeeposFire]

Clone could work with one keeping a journal of one's activities for the clone to read when it wakes up.

Other than that, I suspect immortality in its various forms is something they're reserving for epic levels. In FE, we have characters like Drizzt whose abilities can be represented through various PHB-based builds (Drizzt is probably a Fighter with the Ranger's Hunter archetype, in my opinion). Then there are characters like Grandmaster Kane, whose powers go beyond what the PHB would allow. Kane has a form of immortality, having transcended the mortal coil even though he is an open hand monk. Even before that, he's been shown using the quivering palm without even having to touch his opponent (used on Artemis).

When epic levels are inevitably released, I'm sure we'll see more immortality and related.

Sounds like the Nameless One though his journal was mostly tattooed on his skin.

By the wy his way to immortality is not a great idea.

[YossarianLives]

I have to agree that the best way of achieving immortality is playing a warforged and sealing yourself in a lead vault on your obscure demiplane.

[Giant2005]

I have to agree that the best way of achieving immortality is playing a warforged and sealing yourself in a lead vault on your obscure demiplane.

Drawing the Donjon cared from the Deck of Many Things works better - it is basically the same thing except comes in with some extra built-in protections.

[Mara]

Magic Jar.

Until it gets dispelled, you are immortal.

[SharkForce]

Clone could work with one keeping a journal of one's activities for the clone to read when it wakes up.

Other than that, I suspect immortality in its various forms is something they're reserving for epic levels. In FE, we have characters like Drizzt whose abilities can be represented through various PHB-based builds (Drizzt is probably a Fighter with the Ranger's Hunter archetype, in my opinion). Then there are characters like Grandmaster Kane, whose powers go beyond what the PHB would allow. Kane has a form of immortality, having transcended the mortal coil even though he is an open hand monk. Even before that, he's been shown using the quivering palm without even having to touch his opponent (used on Artemis).

When epic levels are inevitably released, I'm sure we'll see more immortality and related.

again, no journal required in 5e. it transfers your soul over and does not mention any lost experience, memories, or levels.

[soltatisoul]

I assume your running a home game and not AL for this so.. Check out this race, I think he's posted on these forums before but I can't recall.

http://richplayingitforward.blogspot.com/2014/10/5th-edition-monstrous-pcs-soulbound.html?m=1

[goto124]

Cloned bodies and backed up memories are a fairly common way to cheat death in science fiction. It's not as good as an actual soul transfer, because you only get your memories up to the last time you backed them up, but I'm sure some stories have instantaneous transfer with no loss of memory. All it takes is sufficiently advanced technology.

Sounds like save states in a computer game :D

[holygroundj]

That was the premise of the arnold schwartzeneger movie Sixth Day.

[maxweasel]

I feel I've seen this exact thing in science fiction...but I can't place where.

I'd also like to say that vampirism probably leads to immortality. And rising to godhood probably helps with that (Though that is the most unlikely out of all of these)

In the Star Wars: Darth Bane trilogy by Drew Karpyshyn a Sith Lord named Darth Andeddu discovered the ability to transfer his essence to other bodies. The Dark Jedi Set Harath figues out how to do do this as well from a holocron and ueses the skill along with cloning technology to live for centuries.

[Shining Wrath]

Annoy a Wizard who has Imprisonment prepared.

[Ardantis]

Dark Empire from Dark Horse comics had Emperor Palpatine outliving all his apprentices because he just kept transferring his consciousness from clone to clone to outrun the physical ravages of the dark side.

[Fyorl]

>Be elf
>Petition the Seldarine
>Become Baelnorn

They'd still be a lich so maybe it wouldn't count but Baelnorn retain their personality, alignment, memories, experiences, etc. and don't require a phylactery though they are still undead.

[jkat718]

I think there's an epic boon re: this.


Boon of Immortality: You stop aging. You are immune to any effect that would age you, and you can't die from old age.

Yep, sounds about right.