Balancing Imortality

[Sravoff]

I recently began to play the game "Planescape Torment", for the umteenth time.

I was wondering about giving one of my better "role players" the status of the "Nameless One". Basicaly an imortal man. Anytiem he dies, he returns to life. He loses his memories each timer he dies, and those keeps a journal.

So my question is any one have any good ideas about how to balance this out?

Thanks
-Sravoff

 

[Jack Simth]

Pricing this does depend on what you do when PC's perish in an unrecoverable (or at least, for the level) manner - e.g., the 9th level fighter who gets swallowed by a dragon, which is then forced to retreat; Raise Dead (and Ressurection, and Reincarnation) needs a body (or at least some portion of it), and there isn't one available, and nobody who can cast True Ressurection is handy.

If it's "roll up a new character", with the starting levels being X below where their previous character died, then coming back with no level loss every time is worth about a +X/2 LA (you never lose XP, so you gain abilities from it more slowly).

If it's "roll up a new character", with the starting level being some campaign-set thing that's always the same for everybody (e.g., 1st level, 5th level, 10th level, or 15th level), then this is a particularly pricy ability.

Likewise, it depends on how common an occurance death is. If it comes up a lot, then it should be pricier; if it comes up only a little, then it should be less pricy.

 

[genshou]

Allow characters to take a feat or two:

Ageless [General]
The sands of time flow around you, unable to change or degrade you.
Benefit: You no longer suffer penalties due to changing age categories. Bonuses still accrue normally. You are no longer bound by maximum age limits, and will never die of old age.
Special: Assigning prerequisites of any kind to this feat is something that should be done by the GM of each game. When it is possible to take this feat may depend on the nature of the campaign.

Immortal [General]
You are one of the great ones - the undying beings of the universe who are destined for the greatest of things.
Benefit: When an immortal character dies, they are raised as though by a resurrection spell. Depending on the nature of the campaign, characters may suffer level loss or Constitution loss, may suffer these temporarily until some condition is met, or some other penalties may apply. In some cases no penalty may apply. In all cases, the nature of this effect should be set in stone for all time for that particular character.
The resurrection takes one hour, after which the formerly deceased appears on the plane aligned with their ethical beliefs, at the location of their death, or some other specific place.
If a resurrection spell cannot meet the requirements to bring the character back, they remain dead until such requirements are met or another spell is used to meet those requirements.
Special: Assigning prerequisites of any kind to this feat is something that should be done by the GM of each game. When it is possible to take this feat may depend on the nature of the campaign.

 

[Sravoff]

Thanks, I wasn't quite sure how exactly this would pan out, but I like these ideas.

One more thing to mention is how imortality was gained. In the story, his mortality was taken from him, and he has a huge empty feeling...

So if that has any effects on the gaem rule info, which it prolly won't. Thats much more the role playing aspect...

Thanks again! I am gonna mull over these ideas some more..

-Sravoff