How would you simulate senility with the D&D rules?

[Piratecat]

As written, physical stats go down while mental stats go up. How would you simulate senility using the D&D rules... and how would you account for the fact that it's essentially a disease that can't necessarily be cured by remove disease?

Thanks!

 

[drnuncheon]

As written, physical stats go down while mental stats go up. How would you simulate senility using the D&D rules... and how would you account for the fact that it's essentially a disease that can't necessarily be cured by remove disease?

Maybe an alteration to the aging tables is best - when rolling for the maximum physical age, you also roll for the maximum mental age. If the max mental age is younger than the max physical age, the person starts losing points in Int, Wis and Cha every X years until the max physical age is reached. If the max physical age is younger than the max mental one, then they stay sharp right up until the end.

Since it's a change to the base stat, spells wouldn't cure/remove it (unless they affected the age).

A great concept might be an aging wizard who is slowly going senile, who realizes it, and is searching for ever more powerful magics to keep his mind going. (If he's relying on maximized and/or empowered fox's cunning then a dispel might be his worst fear...)

J

 

[Uzumaki]

Well, natural death can't be cured with a resurrection. I guess just don't give the mental stats a raise or at least not by as much. Otherwise, just RP them as forgetful of little things that anyone might forget, just more often. Suddenly interrupted routines, irritability, and general disorientation are also signs. Granted, this also describes most people at some times.

I want to be Forever Young.

 

[Celtavian]

Re

I would probably allow the player to roleplay being senile if it was general senility. Hopefully the player would have a frame of reference to do so. If the player did not, I would remind throughout the game that they have forgotten certain things...such as the last combat.

"I wonder what those giants we fought were guarding" says joel the cleric.

"Giants...what giants are you talking about?" says Rufus the senile fighter.

"Rufus, the giants we just fought...you slew one of them with your sword" says joel the cleric.

"I don't remember killing no giants..." Rufus says as a look of bewilderment crosses his face.

Joel shakes his head and sighs.


On the other hand, if you are talking severe senility such as the type of memory loss associated with Alzheimer's, then I might have the player make a Wisdom or Intelligence check every time they wanted to use a skill, remember to stop from striking a friend in battle, moving to the next foe after killing the first, casting a spell, using a magic item, and anything else that might require the player to remember what to do. The check would become more severe as the disease progressed.

 

[Drawmack]

Int checks.

3/4 of venerable you roll int checkes for difficult mental tasks, DC 15.

7/8 of venerable you roll int checks for above average mental tasks, DC 16

15/16 of venerable you rol int checks for average mental tasks, DC 17

Vernerable you roll int checks for all mental tasks DC 20

This is just off the cuff, the DCs might need played with a bit. You could also make it will checks as most people attempt to hide their senility.

 

[shilsen]

I'd just ask the player to roleplay it. If he wasn't a decent roleplayer (not a problem in PCat's group) or wanted a specific mechanic, something along the lines of Drawmack's suggestion looks good.

Hmm - in retrospect I could have written "What Celtavian said". Must be getting senile.

 

[am181d]

Well, since not everyone becomes senile when they become older (my grandmother is in her 80's and sharp as a tack) I'd just take it on a case by case basis.

For NPC's, just make the mods if they seem appropriate. (Though I'm not sure agree that Cure Disease would be an inappropriate remedy. Thing of an aging monarch, whose wits are kept keen by the repeated incantations of his court magician.)

I'd assume the PC's are immune to this sort of effect, unless they want to roleplay it, in which case you should let them handle it however they feel comfortable.

A negative example:

Player: Ooh! Can I play a senile old wizard!

DM: Okay!

Later...

Player: [in character] I... uh... I call upon the power of that big ball of... um... fire...

DM: Sorry, you forget how to cast that spell...

Player jumps across table and strangles DM.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Re: Re: How would you simulate senility with the D&D rules?

You know, he asked for how to simulate it under the D&D rules -- I'm sure Piratecat and his group can do the roleplay.

Maybe an alteration to the aging tables is best - when rolling for the maximum physical age, you also roll for the maximum mental age. If the max mental age is younger than the max physical age, the person starts losing points in Int, Wis and Cha every X years until the max physical age is reached. If the max physical age is younger than the max mental one, then they stay sharp right up until the end.

Since it's a change to the base stat, spells wouldn't cure/remove it (unless they affected the age).

Rather than come up with my own mechanic, I'll submit this -- though I might put in a chance that no all three stats go down.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Re: Re: How would you simulate senility with the D&D rules?

Maybe an alteration to the aging tables is best - when rolling for the maximum physical age, you also roll for the maximum mental age. If the max mental age is younger than the max physical age, the person starts losing points in Int, Wis and Cha every X years until the max physical age is reached. If the max physical age is younger than the max mental one, then they stay sharp right up until the end.

Since it's a change to the base stat, spells wouldn't cure/remove it (unless they affected the age).

A great concept might be an aging wizard who is slowly going senile, who realizes it, and is searching for ever more powerful magics to keep his mind going. (If he's relying on maximized and/or empowered fox's cunning then a dispel might be his worst fear...)

J

I like the max mental age but not the reduction in intelligence. When a senile person is in control of their faculties they are generally just as smart as they normally are.

The proper way to do this would be to assign intelligence check DC's every time the character tries to do this. The worse the senility the higher the DC. This though would be a very timeconsuming process and I am not sure it would be worth the effort.

The best choice might be to just have the player in question roleplay it out.

Now you wouldnt be making Velendo or Ioun become senile now would you? The idea that characters with access to 9th level spells becoming senile is just too fun and scary to imagine.

Also I would say that Wish or Miracle would offset this at least short term. The two spells do allow you to live longer than your normal lifespan would allow.

 

[Piratecat]

This is actually for an NPC in Of Sound Mind 2.

The int check idea makes sense, but that surely is a lot of die rolling. The max mental age might be the best technique; it's a one-time check, and then penalties can be added from there. Hrmmm.

Any other ideas?