Aging Overhaul (3.5e Variant Rule)

Author: Leziad (talk) Date Created: 13 June 2011 Status: Finished Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Ageing Overhaul

Introduction

A subject barely touched in DnD, character getting older (or younger with magic). Most campaign will never see a character starting as a young adult and die of old age... unless there is liberal uses of time skips. However many campaign will see a old veteran, a grizzled warrior or a old wizard. The problem is that the rules for old ages suck, not because it abusable or counter-intuitive... just because it sloppy design. Handing out ability modifier for no good reason is bad for the game, especially for something as trivial as a character age.

Rule Mechanics

Table: Ageing Effect

Age	Bonus	Penalty
Young Adult	None	None
Middle Aged	Experienced	Worn Out
Old	Wise	Worn Out
Venerable	A Life of Experience, Wise	Fragile

Experienced (Ex): You had your share of experience, you gain a +2 bonus to one skill of your choice.

Worn Out (Ex): You are no longer as lively as you once were, you take a -2 penalty on fortitude save against effect that would make you fatigued.

Wise (Ex): While you are no longer as skilled as you once were, you had plenty of time to think and about your actions and experence. You gain a +1 bonus on all wisdom-based skill and ability check.

A Life of Experience (Ex): You have a whole life of experience behind you, that grant you a +1 skill point per level (applied retroactively).

Fragile (Ex): You are very fragile, you gain one less hit points per level and take take a -2 penalty to fortitude save.

Max Age

You no longer magically die at a random age, instead a venerable creature must make a fortitude save (DC 10 + half the number of years you are into the venerable age) at the end of each year. If ythe creature fail as many save as her constitution modifier she fall ill and will die within the year. A greater restoration spell remove the illness and save the creature (although if he fail another yearly save he will fall ill again).

Notes: The DM may want to change the rate and progression of the fortitude save for long-living races such as elves. I recommend to change "years" for "decade" for long-lived race

Magically Aged

Should an effect cause you to age significantly faster and you end up one or more age category than you were you gain all penalties from your new age category, but you retain the bonus of your old.

Rejuvenation

More common, an effect cause you to get younger. It effectively kickass so you retain bonuses from your former age category but gain the penalty of your new age category. As far as this rule is concerned you cannot be rejuvenated beyond young adult.

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