Outsiders and lifespans

[Buufreak]

This might have been asked in one of the many afroakuma threads, but do outsiders such and angels and demons have longevity? Can they die of old age? The thought occurred based on demons making deals for anything other than souls, such as years off lifespans. What purpose could it serve? Or could it be something like tenure, where after x years as y rank, you get assessed for an up/downgrade. Just some thoughts, opinions as to gaming potential and rule citations are always welcome and appreciated!

[Troacctid]

It varies from race to race, but yes, outsiders can age. Planar Handbook p18 gives the age categories and maximum ages for several outsider races.

[Jack_Simth]

This might have been asked in one of the many afroakuma threads, but do outsiders such and angels and demons have longevity? Can they die of old age? The thought occurred based on demons making deals for anything other than souls, such as years off lifespans. What purpose could it serve? Or could it be something like tenure, where after x years as y rank, you get assessed for an up/downgrade. Just some thoughts, opinions as to gaming potential and rule citations are always welcome and appreciated!For the most part, it's a world-building fluff thing. Yes, there's nine specific outsiders listed as having aging effects in the Planar Handbook... but generally, they don't have aging tables, so whether or not they age at all is strictly up to the DM. Game lore generally has most outsiders as agless ancient creatures... but whether or not they actually are? Well, that's the DMs call, as it isn't really specified. Of course, it's also not specified for, say, owlbears, but they're usually considered to be fully mortal creatures.

[Jowgen]

Exemplar Outsiders (as in Fiends, Celestials et al) are generally immortal in some kind of way that at least also strongly implies agelessness.

According to the Fiendish Codices, both Tanar'ri and Batezu killed outside their home planes reform in their home planes after some time. Furthermore, they both "evolve" into a higher type of Fiend with time, culminating in Balor and Pit Fiend (provided they avoid constant demotion or other destruction). At no point is old age ever alluded to as a means of dying. Really, I think it's pretty air-tight to assume that these things just won't die of getting old.

The Demodands of Carceri work in an interesting way in that, if one dies, another one is born immediately; keeping their numbers perfectly constant. I believe the same thing happens with Modrons and other Mechanus exemplars, which actually makes for an interesting similarity. The Slaad... I'm a bit fuzzy on the detail, in that while I do recall them having that birthing stone thing, but I don't think it reincarnates them in any way.

As always, there is next to nothing on Celestials. All I know is that the manual of the planes entry on celestia mentions that Lantern Archons can evolve into more glorious Celestials, which implies they have their own version of the Fiendish ladder-climbing thing.

Bottom line, there is nothing to suggest that "True" outsiders age and much to suggest they don't. Native outsider races have plenty of examples of aging though. I believe the basis distinction should lie in whether or not the outsider in question has a dual nature. If souls are eternal, than something whose body and soul are the same thing should have an eternal body.