Squire James
Explorer
I think the main reason aging and immortality magic was left out was that it was not something they wanted the PC's to easily accomplish, even if they gain high levels. Actual life extension (as opposed to cheap substitutes like lichdom and reincarnation) is clearly an "epic level" ability, so I expect the Epic Handbook to have more details about such things.
Or they wanted to make sure DM's thought about the matter enough to invent their own rules rather than mindlessly accepting whatever the book says on the matter. In my campaign, I'm thinking of removing the negative level system and substituting 1 year of aging per level lost, with an immediate Fortitude save to resist the effect. That also avoids all that "Resistance spell at midnight" nonesense! I'm not sure how to judge Enervation and Energy Drain spells... my current thought is that Energy Drain ages and Enervation just grants temporary combat penalties.
In my campaign, the mechanism for youth magic is use of Wish spells. For unnatural aging, one Wish can remove it all (and a Limited Wish can remove 1 year). For natural aging, a Wish can halt aging for 1 year, or 2 Wishes cast successively can "turn back the clock" 1 year (Limited Wishes cannot act on natural aging). Then at least the mage has to trade in some XP to keep his life going... some evil guys would rather avoid all that nonesense and become a lich.
Then again, maybe those who use Wishes to extend their life become liches anyway, and just LOOK normal! I haven't decided if that's true yet, but it would be an interesting story element!
Or they wanted to make sure DM's thought about the matter enough to invent their own rules rather than mindlessly accepting whatever the book says on the matter. In my campaign, I'm thinking of removing the negative level system and substituting 1 year of aging per level lost, with an immediate Fortitude save to resist the effect. That also avoids all that "Resistance spell at midnight" nonesense! I'm not sure how to judge Enervation and Energy Drain spells... my current thought is that Energy Drain ages and Enervation just grants temporary combat penalties.
In my campaign, the mechanism for youth magic is use of Wish spells. For unnatural aging, one Wish can remove it all (and a Limited Wish can remove 1 year). For natural aging, a Wish can halt aging for 1 year, or 2 Wishes cast successively can "turn back the clock" 1 year (Limited Wishes cannot act on natural aging). Then at least the mage has to trade in some XP to keep his life going... some evil guys would rather avoid all that nonesense and become a lich.
Then again, maybe those who use Wishes to extend their life become liches anyway, and just LOOK normal! I haven't decided if that's true yet, but it would be an interesting story element!
