So, Outsiders don't eat or sleep?

[Remathilis]

Yesterday we began a D&D game in the Planescape setting. All of us converted out PCs. We have:

* Earth Genasi (outsider/native)
* Tiefling (outsider/native)
* 2 Githzerai (humanoid/extraplanar)
* Bariaur (outsider/exp)
* Rogue Modron (converted, Outsider/exp)

Now according to the SRD:

Outsider Type: An outsider is at least partially composed of the essence (but not necessarily the material) of some plane other than the Material Plane. Some creatures start out as some other type and become outsiders when they attain a higher (or lower) state of spiritual existence.
—Darkvision out to 60 feet.
—Unlike most other living creatures, an outsider does not have a dual nature—its soul and body form one unit. When an outsider is slain, no soul is set loose. Spells that restore souls to their bodies, such as raise dead, reincarnate, and resurrection, don’t work on an outsider. It takes a different magical effect, such as limited wish, wish, miracle, or true resurrection to restore it to life. An outsider with the native subtype can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be.
—Proficient with all simple and martial weapons and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
—Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types.
Outsiders not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor. Outsiders are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
—Outsiders breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish). Native outsiders breathe, eat, and sleep.

So does that mean our bariaur and our modron do not need to sleep, save to get their spells, and never have to eat? I can see it for demons and angels, but bariaurs?

Did i miss something?

 

[Sejs]

Did i miss something?

Nope, you got it right. If it's an issue, considder changing bariaurs' type to Monsterous Humanoid (Extraplanar). It all depends on how you see bariaurs - are they just centaurs but from another plane, or are they an intrinsic expression of the plane they're native to? Essentially, are they people from elsewhere, or are they spirits of the land?

 

[AuraSeer]

By the RAW you are correct, outsiders do not eat or sleep. If that bugs you, change the bariaur's type to Outsider (native), and consider it a planetouched centaur.

 

[werk]

—Outsiders breathe, but do not need to eat or sleep (although they can do so if they wish). Native outsiders breathe, eat, and sleep.

I read that a little bit differently.

I think this is speaking from a prime perspective, that is, outsiders on the material plane are true outsiders, no food/sleep. Outsiders that were born on the material plane would be native outsiders. I would treat an outsider, on it's home plane or plane of birth, as a native outsider with the restrictions above.

It explains why you don't need to feed or care for summoned outsiders (remember the vrock trapped in the summoning circle for thousands of years deep in that one dungeon) and also makes natives conform to the physical requirements of their native plane...as they should.

 

[azmodean]

I think this is speaking from a prime perspective, that is, outsiders on the material plane are true outsiders, no food/sleep. Outsiders that were born on the material plane would be native outsiders. I would treat an outsider, on it's home plane or plane of birth, as a native outsider with the restrictions above.

From the SRD:

Native Subtype: A subtype applied only to outsiders. These creatures have mortal ancestors or a strong connection to the Material Plane and can be raised, reincarnated, or resurrected just as other living creatures can be. Creatures with this subtype are native to the Material Plane (hence the subtype's name). Unlike true outsiders, native outsiders need to eat and sleep.

In other words, native outsiders are a specific exception to the outsider type, it is not relative to the plane the creature currently inhabits. Also it doesn't make much sense to say that a creature's metabolism alters just because it isn't on it's home plane.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

Instead of "native outsider," there should be "natural outsider" -- an outsider who is otherwise a normal creature, with all the need for sleep and food that implies.

But there isn't, so -- as many folks have already said -- the bariaur is a natural for all-time guard duty.

 

[reiella]

Instead of "native outsider," there should be "natural outsider" -- an outsider who is otherwise a normal creature, with all the need for sleep and food that implies.

But there isn't, so -- as many folks have already said -- the bariaur is a natural for all-time guard duty.

Maybe I'm dense, but why doesn't the (Extraplanar) tag work for this idea?

 

[ThirdWizard]

"Natural" would mean that they are born, live, die, reproduce, etc like normal living beings. Extraplanar just means that that entity is not on the Plane in which it is from. "Native" seems too tied to the Material Plane to me, origionating from FR I believe. It doesn't work too well in Planescape where many Native Outsiders are from varioius outer/inner planes and most have never been to the Material Plane. Outsiders arn't really born as far as I know, they simply... are...

 

[silentspace]

So does that mean our bariaur and our modron do not need to sleep, save to get their spells, and never have to eat? I can see it for demons and angels, but bariaurs?

Did i miss something?

Just to clarify, they don't need to sleep even to get their spells. To get their spells they need to rest. So they get to make spot checks and have no penalty on listen checks, but if they are interrupted by activity, its just like if they were sleeping as far as extra rest and the spell slots you can get back are concerned.

 

[Arkhandus]

Extraplanar is just a descriptor any creature gets when they're not on their home plane. All it really means is that they're subject to Dismissal and Banishment spells and effects at the time. Since the Extraplanar subtype is lost when on the creature's homeplane or a transitive plane, though, they can't be banished or dismissed in those places. Extraplanar is only a temporary subtype, but Native is a permanent one possessed by some outsiders, representing that they normally live on the Material Plane and are susceptible to mortal needs. I.E. Aasimar are mostly human with just a touch of celestial blood, so they are native to the Material Plane and need food, drink, and sleep. A Vrock can be stuck in the Material Plane for millenia trapped by a Binding or Magic Circle sort of thing, but still won't develop the Native subtype.

Quoting the SRD:

Extraplanar Subtype: A subtype applied to any creature when it is on a plane other than its native plane. A creature that travels the planes can gain or lose this subtype as it goes from plane to plane. Monster entries assume that encounters with creatures take place on the Material Plane, and every creature whose native plane is not the Material Plane has the extraplanar subtype (but would not have when on its home plane). Every extraplanar creature in this book has a home plane mentioned in its description. Creatures not labeled as extraplanar are natives of the Material Plane, and they gain the extraplanar subtype if they leave the Material Plane. No creature has the extraplanar subtype when it is on a transitive plane, such as the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, and the Plane of Shadow.