How to become immortal

[Melcar]

Hellow fellow Scriberinos...

I'm basically just looking for ways of becoming immortal or extending one's life definitely. I have been looking online, but I haven't found a lot.

Lichdom (including Arch Lich, Baelnorn, Demi), Dragon Ascendant, Reincarnate, being a destroyed undead and the receiving true resurrection, find the Ring of Winter, gain the Wedded to History feat, casting IoulaumÂ’s longevity...

I think that's what I got so far. What am I missing?

Thank you in advance.


PS: I know this have been asked many times before, so please bear with :)

[Evoker]

Apply the well-known Double Polymorph Any Object to turn yourself into any creature that doesn't age, or does not die of old age.
The first casting's duration is going to be short, but the second casting's duration will be permanent, because of the "same kingdom" "same class" "same or lower intelligence" and "same size" modifiers adding up to the greater than 9 required to make the change permanent.
Or, depending on what form you want to take, just go Polymorph into PAO, to pull it off with only one level 9 spell.

[Rhyltran]

Kissed by the ages ring would be the absolute easiest form of immortality.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

There're a ton of ways to become immortal (that is, do not age) in the game.

Become an elan, vampire, death knight, ghost, or other free-willed undead.

Swap bodies with an immortal creature via mind switch or other effect; especially good if you can build it yourself, such as a shapeshifting riverine golem, disguising yourself as a living creature (so nobody will think to hit you with disintegrates, rods of cancellation, umbral blots, or spheres of disintegration, as those're about the only things that can destroy you).

Occasionally body-swap with young adult creatures; even if they're not immortal, you'll always inhabit a young, virile body, no matter how old you are.

Dwell on a plane or demiplane with the timeless trait with regards to aging. Alternatively, get a device (nonmagical magic item) of acorn of far travel and use it on such a plane that also has the timeless trait with regards to magical (and similar) effects, such that the acorn of far travel effect never expires naturally.

Cast contingent reincarnate on yourself whenever you start getting old, then off yourself and reincarnate into a young adult body.

Get yourself a psychoactive skin of proteus. Now you're always metamorphosis'd into a young adult body -- at least, if you refresh the metamorphosis effect semi-frequently.

Ascend to divinity.

Use that epic spell that drains life-force from other creatures.

Get yourself nigh infinite feats and take that feat that adds years to your life.

Become an illithid savant and eat an immortal creature.

And this is barely scratching the surface of the possibilities.

[Evoker]

Actually, upon reading the divinity rules, it wouldn't be too hard to set up a cult of a few hundred people worshiping you in order to become a god, but your mileage may vary, check with your GM for details.

[Empyreal Dragon]

Immortality as far as old age or as far as literally cannot die?

[Maat Mons]

This is an odd coincidence. Earlier today I stumbled across the following on my computer.

Alchemist 20 (Eternal Youth): The alchemist has discovered a cure for aging, and from this point forward he takes no penalty to his physical ability scores from advanced age. If the alchemist is already taking such penalties, they are removed at this time.

Collegiate Arcanist 10: At 10th level, a collegiate arcanist no longer takes penalties for aging. This functions exactly like the druid ability of the same name.

Druid 5 (Reincarnated Druid): At 5th level, if a reincarnated druid is killed, she may automatically reincarnate (as the spell) 1 day later. The reincarnated druid appears in a safe location within 1 mile of her previous body. At will for the next 7 days, she can sense the presence of her remains as if using locate object as a spell-like ability. If she is killed during these 7 days, she remains dead and does not reincarnate. The many lives ability does not function if the reincarnated druid is slain by a death effect. A reincarnated druid cannot be raised from the dead or resurrected, though she can be reincarnated.

Druid 15: After attaining 15th level, a druid no longer takes ability score penalties for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any penalties she may have already incurred, however, remain in place. Bonuses still accrue, and the druid still dies of old age when her time is up.

Green Faith Acolyte 10: At 10th level, a Green Faith acolyte no longer takes penalties for aging. This functions exactly like the druid ability of the same name.

Monk 17: At 17th level, a monk no longer takes penalties to his ability scores for aging and cannot be magically aged. Any such penalties that he has already taken, however, remain in place. Age bonuses still accrue, and the monk still dies of old age when his time is up.

Oracle 20 (Enlightened Philosopher): Upon achieving 20th level, you achieve true enlightenment and become one with the universe. You receive a bonus on all saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier. You become immune to confusion, exhaustion, fatigue, nausea, and sickened effects. You can take 20 on all Knowledge skill checks. Should you die, you are reborn 3 days later as a living example of the summoning of your chosen philosophy (treat as the reincarnate spell).

Oracle 20 (Heavens): Upon achieving 20th level, your rapport with the heavens grants you perfect harmony with the universe. You receive a bonus on all saving throws equal to your Charisma modifier. You automatically stabilize if you are below 0 hit points, are immune to fear effects, and automatically confirm all critical hits. Should you die, you are reborn 3 days later in the form of a star child, who matures over the course of 7 days (treat as the reincarnate spell).

Oracle 20 (Shigenjo): Upon reaching 20th level, you achieve true enlightenment and becomes one with the celestial spirits. You gain the ability to speak with any creature that uses a language. For a number of days equal to your Wisdom score, you can ignore the negative effects of extreme weather, starvation, thirst, and exhaustion. If you die, your powerful connection to the celestial realm allows you to be reborn 3 days later (as reincarnate).

Oracle 20 (Time): Upon reaching 20th level, you become a true master of time and stop aging. You cannot be magically aged and no longer take penalties to your ability scores for aging. Age bonuses still accrue, and any aging penalties that you have already accrued remain in place. You cannot die of old age, but you can be killed or die through accident, disease, poison, or other external effects. In addition, you can cast time stop once per day as a spell-like ability.

Sorcerer 20 (Imperious Bloodline): At 20th level, you cease aging; no longer need to eat, drink, or sleep; and gain immunity to death effects and energy drain.

Wizard 20 (Immortality): You discover a cure for aging, and from this point forward you take no penalty to your physical ability scores from advanced age. If you are already taking such penalties, they are removed at this time. This is an extraordinary ability.

Shabti: Shabti do not age naturally and cannot die of old age. While some might come into being at age categories other than adulthood, they never leave their original age category. Spells and effects that cause aging affect a shabti as normal.

I'd long ago forgotten I ever had it.

[flappeercraft]

There is an actual Immortality Handbook (http://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=1179.0) posted on minmaxforum

[Melcar]

Apply the well-known Double Polymorph Any Object to turn yourself into any creature that doesn't age, or does not die of old age.
The first casting's duration is going to be short, but the second casting's duration will be permanent, because of the "same kingdom" "same class" "same or lower intelligence" and "same size" modifiers adding up to the greater than 9 required to make the change permanent.
Or, depending on what form you want to take, just go Polymorph into PAO, to pull it off with only one level 9 spell.

Any chance you could explain this in a bit more detail? I'm not sure I fully understand how this works... Like my current wizard has 42 int. I don't want to loose that!


Immortality as far as old age or as far as literally cannot die?

Not dying of old age. Preferably attainable as a high level wizard...


There is an actual Immortality Handbook (http://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=1179.0) posted on minmaxforum

Cool... I was unaware. Thanks!

EDIT: So the item Tasmia’s Heart, how does that function specifically. My wizard is middle-aged now, adorning this item would that make him a young adult again, or would he stay in his current age category? Also, what happens to his stats if he decreases an age category, would he loose him mental stat boosts? And lastly, what would Tasmia’s Heart cost, if you removed the Ring of Freedom of Movement and Helm of Underwater Action effect?

[Evoker]

Any chance you could explain this in a bit more detail? I'm not sure I fully understand how this works... Like my current wizard has 42 int. I don't want to loose that!

Unfortunately, PAO has a hit dice cap of 15, meaning you're almost surely going to lose your 42 int unless you find a creature with that high of int and 15 hit dice or less.

Polymorph doesn't change your int score, so you could Persistent Polymorph (One level of metamagic reduction makes this a 9th level spell) every twenty-four hours into something that doesn't age, effectively "age-locking" your true form. As an added bonus, you get to be whatever monster up to 15 HD you like, while keeping your spellcasting. On the downside, this has an ongoing cost of one 9th level spell slot per day.

[CIDE]

This thread comes to mind: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?324657-3-5-Unconventional-Immortality

Also, Depending on how DM's deal with Reincarnation keeping that on hand for constant use and/or Clone spell/Astral Seed Power you could likely live forever. Those require a bit of prep, though.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Greater bestow curse can propel the target to the next age category up the ladder, and it's explicitly capable of doing things of similar scale, so just reverse that. Now you're an age category younger.

[CIDE]

Greater bestow curse can propel the target to the next age category up the ladder, and it's explicitly capable of doing things of similar scale, so just reverse that. Now you're an age category younger.

Not that I disagree but that would require everyone to be on the same page and all be on board with going younger being "equal" to going older. Might be hard to justify to some people.

[Gusmo]

If you're a wizard this should be pretty straightforward. Cast PAO on a rock and turn it into a human. Restrain the human, then cast steal life (BoVD). Easy indefinite life extension.

[Rhyltran]

I still liked kissed by the ages. Get a ring value of 4000 or more. Cast kissed by the ages on ring. Never remove it. Easy immortality. No need to become a lich, drain people of life, deal with curses, etc. You just wear the ring. You lose the ring? You age as normal. Cast it on another ring.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

I still liked kissed by the ages. Get a ring value of 4000 or more. Cast kissed by the ages on ring. Never remove it. Easy immortality. No need to become a lich, drain people of life, deal with curses, etc. You just wear the ring. You lose the ring? You age as normal. Cast it on another ring.Toss it on something implantable, such as a dukar hand coral or a quori power link shard. You don't have to be able to use it, just have it on (or in) you.

[schreier]

There is an elixir of eternity in dungeon 112 on pg 80 too, that stops aging. It's a unique minor artifact.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

There is an elixir of eternity in dungeon 112 on pg 80 too, that stops aging. It's a unique minor artifact.And artifacts have no listed cost. Artifacts are also a listed spell component for the spell apocalypse from the sky. Spell component pouches contain all foci and spell components without listed costs (and costs under 1 gp).

Since the elixir of eternity qualifies as a spell component in a spell component pouch...

[el minster]

And artifacts have no listed cost. Artifacts are also a listed spell component for the spell apocalypse from the sky. Spell component pouches contain all foci and spell components without listed costs (and costs under 1 gp).

Since the elixir of eternity qualifies as a spell component in a spell component pouch...

OMG that is hilarious.

[magicalmagicman]

Any of the Savage Species race change rituals. A high level spellcaster can learn any ritual he wants when he levels up. Savage Species gives rules. Race Change into anything that is immortal. Warforged, Undead, etc.

Casting Wish can turn you into any race you want. Savage Species. It has an entire section about what happens when you cast Wish to change your race.

Necropolitan template turns you into an undead.


Apply the well-known Double Polymorph Any Object to turn yourself into any creature that doesn't age, or does not die of old age.
The first casting's duration is going to be short, but the second casting's duration will be permanent, because of the "same kingdom" "same class" "same or lower intelligence" and "same size" modifiers adding up to the greater than 9 required to make the change permanent.
Or, depending on what form you want to take, just go Polymorph into PAO, to pull it off with only one level 9 spell.

1. Nothing says your original form doesn't age as well.
2. Nothing says the spell duration is fixed. If the first form runs out all your modifiers change to match your original form which causes the permanent duration to become whatever it was for the first casting.
3. This method requires heavy DM leniency.

[47948201]

Toss it on something implantable, such as a dukar hand coral or a quori power link shard. You don't have to be able to use it, just have it on (or in) you.

(That's a really interesting idea, but doesn't the kissed by the ages spell remove the item's existing magical properties? So would the hand coral actually still be able to be implanted?)

[Melcar]

First of all thank you all for your answers - keep them coming!


If you're a wizard this should be pretty straightforward. Cast PAO on a rock and turn it into a human. Restrain the human, then cast steal life (BoVD). Easy indefinite life extension.

Firstly: on a scale from 1-9, 1 being LG and 9 being CE, where would such an action, as you describe above, fall? Like, does the rock become sentient... whats actually going to happen to the rock when it gets transmuted?


Secondly, I'm going to ittarate my previousl question, namely about the item Tasmia’s Heart:

If my wizard is middle-aged now, would adorning this item make him a young adult again, or would he stay in his current age category? Also, what happens to his stats if he decreases an age category, would he loose him mental stat boosts and regain his physical? And lastly, what would Tasmia’s Heart cost, if you removed the Ring of Freedom of Movement and Helm of Underwater Action effect?


Thank you in advance!

[47948201]

About Tasmia's Heart, I would guess that you can't age-down with it.

doubling the number of years in each remaining age category of the character’s life, as well as her maximum age
Emphasis mine. For a middle-aged wizard, young adulthood is not a "remaining age category". This seems to imply that it slows down the aging you have yet to do, but has no effect on the years that have already passed.

As for what happens if you removed the item after leaving it on for a few years... That, I don't know.

[Gusmo]

Firstly: on a scale from 1-9, 1 being LG and 9 being CE, where would such an action, as you describe above, fall? Like, does the rock become sentient... whats actually going to happen to the rock when it gets transmuted?


There's no easy way to answer this question. On some level it's not much different than raising animals for slaughter, which would probably be a 5 (TN). However, it's not a normalized practice and you're defying nature, which probably takes it down below neutral. But for what purpose? If extending your life allows you to play some irreplaceable and important role in the world, if your role is Good, then perhaps that tilts the scale of this particular scenario in that direction. Also, while you can't necessarily guarantee any particular source of people who don't have long left, the plain reality of the world is that there are more than enough dying people in the world, such as condemned criminals and those with terminal illnesses with high morbidity. If it makes a difference, it's plausible to seek out donors in the form of you being the executioner to the condemned, or offering euthanasia to those in a high morbidity/low mortality scenario. Or I guess you could become a vigilante and actively seek out evil people for the purposes of this spell. Vigilantism is definitely chaotic, and possibly chaotic good if you're ridding the world of rapists and other wretched people. You take away their chances of redemption, though.

[Melcar]

There's no easy way to answer this question. On some level it's not much different than raising animals for slaughter, which would probably be a 5 (TN). However, it's not a normalized practice and you're defying nature, which probably takes it down below neutral. But for what purpose? If extending your life allows you to play some irreplaceable and important role in the world, if your role is Good, then perhaps that tilts the scale of this particular scenario in that direction. Also, while you can't necessarily guarantee any particular source of people who don't have long left, the plain reality of the world is that there are more than enough dying people in the world, such as condemned criminals and those with terminal illnesses with high morbidity. If it makes a difference, it's plausible to seek out donors in the form of you being the executioner to the condemned, or offering euthanasia to those in a high morbidity/low mortality scenario. Or I guess you could become a vigilante and actively seek out evil people for the purposes of this spell. Vigilantism is definitely chaotic, and possibly chaotic good if you're ridding the world of rapists and other wretched people. You take away their chances of redemption, though.

Thats some good points.

Another thing that comes to mind is weather or not the rock, turned to human or other humanoid is even alive... do we know in what state a rock has when it is transformed? Steal Life needs a live humanoid, so would PAO create life if used on a rock?

[Gusmo]

Thats some good points.

Another thing that comes to mind is weather or not the rock, turned to human or other humanoid is even alive... do we know in what state a rock has when it is transformed? Steal Life needs a live humanoid, so would PAO create life if used on a rock?

An explicit example within the spell is that turning a pebble into a human has a 20 minute duration. The simplest interpretation is that this is just an ordinary human. As far as I can tell, no other language of the spell contradicts this. Absent specific language that it's a corpse, statue, or any number of other possibilities, I'd say this clearly works. It's not overpowered compared to other 'something from nothing' magic uses or unlimited use magical items and abilities. If I were a DM who didn't want it to work, instead going to the labor of working out some twisted interpretation that fits my goal (a practice I see far too often), I'd just use rule 0 and make clear extra requirements on Steal Life. Namely, you can't steal more life than someone has remaining, so pebble humans could only grant 20 minutes.

Each point drained from someone grants a whole week, though. Any given human is going to give more than extra year if you kill them. And you're an adventurer, surely you're going to kill at least one person every year? Make a ritual out of it or something. You may as well make use of your enemies to the fullest!

It's also worth pointing out that you can stop short of killing someone with the spell, and their ability scores can then be healed. Perhaps you could buy the services of a willing victim? The are so many merchant uses of magic that you could sure find many willing to sell you a year of life in exchange for divination, weather control, or any number of other services that only cost you some spell slots.