[Q] Aging effects...

[RigaMortus2]

In the SRD, it states...

With age, a character’s physical ability scores decrease and his or her mental ability scores increase (see Table: Aging Effects). The effects of each aging step are cumulative. However, none of a character’s ability scores can be reduced below 1 in this way.

and the effects are:

1. At middle age, -1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.
2. At old age, -2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.
3. At venerable age, -3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

So that means, if you were of venerable age, you would take a total of -6 to Str, Dex, Con and a +3 to Int, Wis, Cha? I always thought it was one for one (-3 physical, +3 menal). Is this a typo or accurate?

 

[irdeggman]

Its accurate - the penalties for aging are greater than the gains.

It was similar in previous editions too.

 

[frankthedm]

Its accurate - the penalties for aging are greater than the gains.

It was similar in previous editions too.

Yes. This is why very few PC races have boosts to mental stats. You don't need a new race for mental stat boosts, you have them in the PHB.

A Player is entitled to age their character as desired if they do not roll their starting age. You are free to take your wizard to venerable if you so want. There are reasons so many wizard minis had long white beards, besides Gandalf.

Age
You can choose or randomly generate your character’s age. If you choose it, it must be at least the minimum age for the character’s race and class (see Table: Random Starting Ages). Your character’s minimum starting age is the adulthood age of his or her race plus the number of dice indicated in the entry corresponding to the character’s race and class on Table: Random Starting Ages.

Alternatively, refer to Table: Random Starting Ages and roll dice to determine how old your character is.

Sadly, Living Grayhawk does not allow aging modifiers to abilty scores.