Old Age And The Game

[Water Bob]

I'm just thinking out loud, here. Speculating. Chime in if you have a thought on this.

I sometimes consider how the game would handle older characters. The way the level progression system is designed, the character keeps improving the more experience he gets. Well, we all know that, at some point, we humans start slowing down a bit. As we get older, things don't work as well as they used to. (I'm talking from experience, here!)

So, how would we put that in the game?

An 80 year old fighter, for example, should not be able to kick the tar out of his 25 year old former self. Experience, Age, and Wisdom is one thing, but ability counts for a lot.

So....just how does a 12 level warrior deteriorate?

Thoughts?

 

[Ahnehnois]

It's an interesting question. D&D has historically done a really weak job of trying to cover age (both young and old).

For the old, it's ridiculous to say that a venerable fighter could beat up a young adult fighter a couple of levels lower. However, you can't just start taking away class abilities either; people gain wisdom with age, and memory (particularly procedural memory) often remains for a lifetime.

In some ways, this is a symptom of the larger problem with the d20 system architecture that the effects of skill far outweigh those of ability.

I don't see a really good solution. In practice, this is one of those things that the DM usually handles arbitrarily.

 

[Neoiceshroom]

I'm just thinking out loud, here. Speculating. Chime in if you have a thought on this.

I sometimes consider how the game would handle older characters. The way the level progression system is designed, the character keeps improving the more experience he gets. Well, we all know that, at some point, we humans start slowing down a bit. As we get older, things don't work as well as they used to. (I'm talking from experience, here!)

So, how would we put that in the game?

An 80 year old fighter, for example, should not be able to kick the tar out of his 25 year old former self. Experience, Age, and Wisdom is one thing, but ability counts for a lot.

So....just how does a 12 level warrior deteriorate?

Thoughts?

The only shining exception to this common sense notion I can think of are characters whom stop their bodies from aging or breaking down from the effects of entropy via various means.

For example, what about monks, whose bodies are so perfect that they cease to suffer any physical penalties from aging, yet continue to gain the adjustments to their mental scores from aging and growing wiser.

Also, what about epic characters who take the epic feat that allows them to stop aging and become effectively immortal? What about mortals who achieve godhood?

Just my rambling thoughts.

 

[Water Bob]

Two thoughts to add:

First, It seems that aging should be effected by character class. An 60 year old scholar/or mage could still have a sharp mind and be quite skilled--even better than he was at age 20.

But, that would not ring true for a fighter. Age is his enemy.

There could be old age penalties for physical classes but maybe bonuses or slighter penalties for more mental classes.

Alternatively, you could leave the class alone but penalize the physical aspects of the character (Lower stats, penalize attacks, etc).



Another thought is to bring in the Commoner class. The character could get a saving throw that he has to make every year after a certain point, and when that throw is eventually failed, the character can no longer advance in his current class (and that needs to deteriorate eventually) but he can advance as a multi-class Commoner.

Just a thought.

 

[Neoiceshroom]

I have a rule about "experience" in my Cosmos. Experience is basically the energy of sentience, or force of will. It is a living energy that ebbs and flows like the tides. If a character retires from adventuring, as the weeks turn into months, months turn into years and times of peace and prosperity rob them of their combat prowess, they actually lose experience at a fixed rate.

Continuing to practice one's art, will mitigate the rate at which experience decays, but all mortal creatures eventually succumb to Entropy and the peaceful slumber of Death.

The way I calculate it is, each month the character in question goes without adventuring they lose half as much as experience is required to reduce their effective character level by one. For example a 20th level fighter who has retired from adventuring, and has been retired for two whole months without practicing his fighting skills to keep them sharp, will drop to level 19.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

However, you can't just start taking away class abilities either

Why not?

Jackie Stewart can't drive as well as Michael Schumacher or Danica Patrick. Robert Plant can't hit the same notes he did in 1972- and doesn't even try. While he came back briefly once before, George Foreman would not dare step in a ring now.

And mental acuity starts declining naturally in our 30s...and that's without the effects of concussions, vices and diseases. Not only that, what you learned 20 years ago may have been supplanted by more refined knowledge.

"What a drag it is getting old."


Of course, how many characters live into old age as active adventurers? The game's own assumptions are about PCs starting as teens or young adults, and living into middle age.

Perhaps accessing this "lost skills" would require an appropriate skill check at the beginning of the encounter.

To paraphrase another song, this way, the venerable king may not be as good as he once was, but he may be as good once as he ever was.

 

[the Jester]

Traditionally, D&D has dealt with aging via penalties to physical ability scores.

In fact, in 3e, I once had a 1st level party have to take out an ogre, and I made it viable by applying old age penalties to the ogre.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Traditionally, D&D has dealt with aging via penalties to physical ability scores.

...while simultaneously boosting mental stats. Something I used to great effect when building a Clc/Sorc/M-T/GeoM who was 36 years old.

 

[Vegepygmy]

I sometimes consider how the game would handle older characters. The way the level progression system is designed, the character keeps improving the more experience he gets. Well, we all know that, at some point, we humans start slowing down a bit. As we get older, things don't work as well as they used to. (I'm talking from experience, here!)

So, how would we put that in the game?

You mean, aside from Table 6-5: Aging Effects?

 

[Neoiceshroom]

You mean, aside from Table 6-5: Aging Effects?

I've often wondered, how would one stat out a senile old character? A character who has grown so old that they literally begin to lose their mind?

I imagine it'd be a penalty to intelligence, wisdom & charisma. Thoughts anyone?

Also, I'd imagine they'd be prone to random fits of confusion where the character acts randomly in combat.