Age penalties

[MeklorIlavator]

Simply are they worth it, and too what extent?

I know that for casters it can be pretty good, but when do you call it quits, and what about races that already lower physical stats(like grey elves)?

Thanks to anyone who responds, I really just want to know your opinions.

[Ditto]

I like them just fine. I've played a middle aged and an old wizard before, and I like their stats just fine. You want to be careful about the physical stats, obviously - I would avoid Elves at all costs, you cannot afford losing Con. For the same reason, gnomes aren't bad. Halflings' saves bonuses are handy as well. Small races are handy because of the +1AC - when you lose Con/HPs, you need all the dodging you can get.

[clarkcd]

I find them to be a bit harsh. I use the age penalties as presented in D20 Modern instead. At each age category you lose 1 point from the physical and gain 1 point to the mental.

[the_tick_rules]

or just be a monk

[Logic]

On the issue of age categories, I think that the planetouched races should use the starting age of humans (for the default plane touched of course) and then use the Half-Elf's adjustments from then on. My reasoning? They have a significant portion of an outsider, a being that will never succumb to death from old age.

[Telonius]

The penalties can be tough. Generally, middle age is the oldest I ever want to play my character. If you're playing a primarily physical-based character like a Fighter, Ranger, or Barbarian, the aging mechanics will hurt these guys the worst. Paladin is hurt to a lesser extent, since the Charisma boost will actually help their class abilities.

While it might seem that Rogues get hosed just as badly as the rest of the melee types, I don't think this is necessarily the case. Rogues get their damage output from sneak attack, not strength. One of the key features of the class is the large amount of skillpoints - many of which go into wisdom or charisma-based skills. If you're focused on being a social Rogue (Diplomacy, Bluff...), aging can actually help you. You'll have be be even more careful about your HPs than before, but I consider it an even trade-off, given your likely role in the party.

For casters, the only thing you have to worry about is your Fort saves, ranged touch attacks, and HP levels. Monks don't have to worry after they're 17th level. Druids get it at 15th level, and they can always shift into something that has better physical stats even before then.

[anphorus]

You could always just play an Elan I suppose.

[Aximili]

I find them to be a bit harsh. I use the age penalties as presented in D20 Modern instead. At each age category you lose 1 point from the physical and gain 1 point to the mental.

That's too much of an advantage for those who depend on mental stats. Aging needs to have a strong effect on your body, otherwise every wizards/sorceror/druid would use it. I mean, +3 to all mental with -3 to all physical is a christmas present for them!

[Jasdoif]

That's too much of an advantage for those who depend on mental stats. Aging needs to have a strong effect on your body, otherwise every wizards/sorceror/druid would use it. I mean, +3 to all mental with -3 to all physical is a christmas present for them!

Actually it's -6 to all physical at venerable. Getting to middle age is -1 physical, +1 mental; to old age is -2 physical, +1 mental; and venerable is -3 physical, +1 mental. These all stack.

This can be a source of confusion since different D20 systems do this differently (for instance, D20 Modern does -1 physical, +1 mental at each step).

[Ashes]

Actually it's -6 to all physical at venerable. Getting to middle age is -1 physical, +1 mental; to old age is -2 physical, +1 mental; and venerable is -3 physical, +1 mental. These all stack.

This can be a source of confusion since different D20 systems do this differently (for instance, D20 Modern does -1 physical, +1 mental at each step).

That's not what he's saying. He's saying that it needs to be -6/+3 because otherwise Caster would always use it.

[Aximili]

Actually it's -6 to all physical at venerable. Getting to middle age is -1 physical, +1 mental; to old age is -2 physical, +1 mental; and venerable is -3 physical, +1 mental. These all stack.

This can be a source of confusion since different D20 systems do this differently (for instance, D20 Modern does -1 physical, +1 mental at each step).

That's exactly what I was saying. That the d20 modern way was too little, and that the one in the Player's Handbook should be kept.

[Jasdoif]

...now how did I manage to miss that part of it? My mistake, sorry. Looks I like I created my own source of confusion right there Only slightly less confusing then finding D20 Modern's aging rules at the bottom of the basic classes section of its SRD.

Back to the subject, do wizards and sorcerers really need the strength and dexerity scores, though? The aging rules are fine for reflecting age in a character's abilities, but they seem especially harsh to non-casting characters. Which might be realistic, but it's not a lot of fun.

I wonder how many liches underwent the process to lichdom in their venerable age to milk all the bonuses and negate the Constitution penalty....

[Quirinus_Obsidian]

"Back to the subject, do wizards and sorcerers really need the strength and dexerity scores, though? "

Dexterity is god for a caster because it helps with their AC (most light armor has a decent DEX bonus) and if they use ray spells it helps with the atttack bonus. Not all sorcs and wizzies are area effect blasters. I prefer ray spells to the mass blasting.