Undead and Aging Bonus/Penalties

[iwatt]

So I was creating a Lich BBEG for my game, when I started to question myself about the effects of aging. Mortals gain int/wis/cha as they age, while loosing str/dex/con.

This is due to the fact that experience teaches us, while the passage of time ravages the body.

But add an undead template like vampire and lich. The body stops aging or even is transformed. But the mental capacity is that of the original with an additional bonus.

So take the following cases:

A 30 year old wizard (int 18) becomes a lich (+2 Int). 2000, years pass. Does he gain the (+3 from venerable age)? what's his int? 23 or 20

Consider that the same wizard becoming a lich at age 95 (int 21=18+3(age)) has an int 23.

What is the rule according to the RAW?

Are we witnesses to a case of age discrimination?

 

[Lasher Dragon]

Check out the Libris Mortis for Evolved Undead.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

More generally speaking, however, any effect that ceases aging (like those gained by monks and druids) prevents the physical penalties while allowing the mental bonuses.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

More generally speaking, however, any effect that ceases aging (like those gained by monks and druids) prevents the physical penalties while allowing the mental bonuses.

This is my understanding as well.

The 2000 year old lich would definitely pick up all the venerable mental bonuses.

 

[iwatt]

This is my understanding as well.

The 2000 year old lich would definitely pick up all the venerable mental bonuses.

yeah that's what I think as well.

But then you have another issue: The young 2000 year old lich has the same mental stats as the old 2000 year old lich. But the "young" one has better physical stats since his transformation ocurred before the aging. Therfore, it is better to ebcome a Lich as soon as possible .

 

[Lasher Dragon]

My Pale Master plans on becoming a Lich just before his age would cause him any detriments.

 

[glass]

More generally speaking, however, any effect that ceases aging (like those gained by monks and druids) prevents the physical penalties while allowing the mental bonuses.

I'd have agreed with that, but that is not how the example of Arvandor's Grace (or something like that, the elf-friend PrC ability) in RotW worked. It said that metal ability score changes were delayed along with physical ones.

Admittedly, that is a case of aging being slowed rather than halted, butI would expect them to be the same.


glass.