Aging and Immortality and does it Matter?

[LordEntrails]

Why wouldn't NPCs not have PC levels? I had hoped this nonsense of special snowflake PCs died with 4E.
And a 15th level wizard with clone is probably more easy to find than a 14th level transmuter, considering how powerful clone is.

Nonsense? Maybe to you. Play how you want.
But the default assumption in 5E is that NPCs do not have PC levels. Lots of people like that.
Play how you want, but please don't insult or belittle those who chose to play differently than you.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Why wouldn't NPCs not have PC levels? I had hoped this nonsense of special snowflake PCs died with 4E.
And a 15th level wizard with clone is probably more easy to find than a 14th level transmuter, considering how powerful clone is.

Just because every spellcaster can be represented as belonging to one of the character classes in the book (in some worlds), that still doesn't mean anyone else ever gets beyond level nine. Or level three.

 

[Cj Roberts]

for me it varies game by game.

 

[aco175]

Age seems to only come into play in my games when a new adventuring party is made of children of the last one 30 years later. The elf is still young and spry, but the humans are old or dead.

Similar to the Drizzt novels when they went to 4th and 5th editions and had to follow Drizzt since the others were dead, until they were reincarnated.

 

[Draegn]

In my world each race ages at the same rate until the late teens, then the aging process changes depending on the race. This is mostly a mechanic as to why the half races are generally rare or only existent for specific couplings. There are far more half orcs and the like than there are half elves.

 

[Jester David]

I was perusing Wizard Schools and noticed that Transmuters can restore youth. I notice that there is a caveat 'it doesn't extend the creature's lifespan.' Why is this a 14th level ability?

Stuff like this and the druid and monk's longevity is mostly flavour. It's there for the DM when making NPCs or feels magical and cool for the player.
And in most cases, there are other benefits gained at that level. Even the monk also gains a ki point, is immune to painful magical aging from ghosts, and no longer needs to eat or drink.

It's a 14th level ability because it feels high level. The effects of the magic seem extraordinary. Restoring youth seems like something kings and nobles would pay a fortune for, and doesn't seem like magic that should be available to any hedge wizard or low level caster.

 

[lowkey13]

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[Dausuul]

"Game-breaking?" No, at least not in the conventional understanding of what it means to break a game. Unless you're fighting ghosts, or taking years-long breaks between adventures, age and aging won't affect your adventuring capabilities in the least.

But the rules are more than just an engine for manufacturing a balanced play experience. They also shape our understanding of how magic operates in the world of D&D. Since magic doesn't exist in the real world, we have to rely on the rules to understand what it can and can't do in the D&D world; and one of the things D&D magic really struggles with is "extending lifespan."

There are some good world-building reasons for this. For one, it supports the common D&D trope of "ancient ruins full of the mysteries of a forgotten world." That trope is much less engaging if one of the PCs can say, "Oh, hey, my parents brought me to visit this place when I was a kid." For another, it explains why people are willing to delve into lichdom and vampirism and other forbidden powers to try and escape the advance of age. (Though the existence of the clone spell undercuts this argument a bit, at least as far as liches are concerned.) Finally, it explains why the world is not crammed with ancient mighty heroes.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

There are some good world-building reasons for this. For one, it supports the common D&D trope of "ancient ruins full of the mysteries of a forgotten world." That trope is much less engaging if one of the PCs can say, "Oh, hey, my parents brought me to visit this place when I was a kid." For another, it explains why people are willing to delve into lichdom and vampirism and other forbidden powers to try and escape the advance of age. (Though the existence of the clone spell undercuts this argument a bit, at least as far as liches are concerned.) Finally, it explains why the world is not crammed with ancient mighty heroes.

While I see your point, I don't buy this, personally. Elves live for 800+ years. And, in fact, the common trope for elves is they are reclusive and have very few civilizations that are often hidden or remote.

And I think it would be cool if a PC said, "Hey, I have a vague memory of coming here as a kid...it was 300 years ago! Which, of course, is perfectly legitimate for an elf or a dwarf. I think it would be just as cool as an immortal human who was there 1000 years ago, if it fit the character's back-story.

I do get the argument, "because it doesn't fit the setting" but I see many situations where it fits the setting.

[MENTION=6799753]lowkey13[/MENTION] RE: "So, the question is ... does it matter, or is it just "fluff."

Not exactly. I'm more curious why developers of all editions of D&D find it necessary to make a point of telling players that 'these powers don't actually extend your natural age.'

As someone already pointed out, extended age is a powerful story-telling device. Why make a point to tell players that only high level PCs have access to this device. Why can't a 5th level character have a powerful story? Obviously, it's always up to whoever is running the game but having the designers try to dictate your story tool-box is interesting - especially for something that has no actual mechanical advantage. And why only give that story device to a specific class.

*Note: ...I'm just curious on people's views and the discussion.

 

[lowkey13]

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