Are elementals immortal?

[AzraelCorvo]

More specifically, I'm interested in whether or not a character who becomes an elemental through class features or other methods still ages normally. If elementals are immortal, it would only make sense for anybody who becomes one would also be immortal. I'm just not sure.

[DrMotives]

I'm not sure if there's much 3.x fluff on them, but absolutely in Planescape & 1e they were immortal beings. I don't see how an elemental would get geriatric, honestly. Is that walking mass of dirt & rock going to lose strength & vitality?

[Necroticplague]

All stuff that determines aging is determined by your race, not your type. A Human who has somehow acquired the Elemental type is still a Human, and still uses the Human aging table. The normal Elementals are immortal by dint of the fact an agin table was never created for them, and thus age categories can't be determined and applied.


I'm not sure if there's much 3.x fluff on them, but absolutely in Planescape & 1e they were immortal beings. I don't see how an elemental would get geriatric, honestly. Is that walking mass of dirt & rock going to lose strength & vitality?
An elemental could be made with a finite amount of energy when the plane forms it (thus, why elementals don't eat, sleep, or breathe; they have all the energy they need inside of them already). As it grows older, it's reserve of energy can start to run low, causing it to slow down, and eventually just be reduced to a pile of inert planar matter when it runs out.

[Krobar]

We've always played them as immortal, even when PCs become one. It has never caused a problem in a game. After all, when was the last time anyone played in a game in which PCs died of old age? In 35 years of D&D we've never had it happen. Also, it had no effect whatsoever on the balance of power that we've ever seen in our games.

[Goaty14]

and eventually just be reduced to a pile of inert planar matter when it runs out.

Somebody probably made a magic item out of that.

[Goaty14]

oops, somehow made a repost.

[hamishspence]

An elemental could be made with a finite amount of energy when the plane forms it (thus, why elementals don't eat, sleep, or breathe; they have all the energy they need inside of them already). As it grows older, it's reserve of energy can start to run low, causing it to slow down, and eventually just be reduced to a pile of inert planar matter when it runs out.

I was under the impression that it was the reverse - that the reason the biggest elementals in the MM are called Elder elementals is that they are older versions of standard elementals, and that they grow more powerful and larger with age.

Then of course you've got primal elementals from Epic Handbook - ones that have been around even longer.

[Mordaedil]

Technically it is because they've absorbed other lesser elementals and became larger, thus have more energy to last longer.

It helps if you stop thinking of them as mortal beings and more the stuff they are composed of.

[EldritchWeaver]

oops, somehow made a repost.

You can delete such posts yourself instead leaving such fragments in a thread.

[Thurbane]

While they don't have age categories, technically speaking I don;t believe they are immortal. The Elemental type states the following:


Traits
An elemental possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).

Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, and stunning.
Not subject to critical hits or flanking.
Unlike most other living creatures, an elemental does not have a dual nature—its soul and body form one unit. When an elemental is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don’t work on an elemental. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection, to restore it to life.
Proficient with natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with all simple weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) that it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Elementals not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Elementals are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
Elementals do not eat, sleep, or breathe.


Lack of (or immunity to) aging is not mentioned.

Compare to the following monster special quality:


Immortality (Ex): A silthilar does not age, nor can it be harmed by effects that cause magical aging.

...so while no age limit is given for most Elementals, I don't believe it's technically correct to say they are immortal.

FWIW, there is, however, this line of (fluff) text for the Stonechild race that seems to indicate that Elementals are not mortal:


Born of a union of mortal and elemental, a stonechild is a hardy entity grounded in soil and stone and gifted with incredible strength, fortitude, and a keen intellect.