Aging with No Decline

[JCurwen3]

How would you build the ability to age but with no attribute loss or decline or change in appearance?

I'd like to build a race with this kind of aging.

Effectively, I'd want them to hit their aging thresholds, and then make the rolls appropriately, and then keep track of any losses, except not apply them to attributes, but marking them down anyway. When the total potential attribute loss for any one attribute would have reduced it to zero (and hence caused death), if they had not been otherwise exempt from age-related attribute loss, they'd die normally. In other words, a character with a totally normal human lifespan except for the decline part - they're healthy until they die in the same random and indeterminate age-based way any normal human would be (just not frail or looking old).

It clearly needs to be cheaper than normal Unaging (enough magical aging attacks, for instance, would take them down, and totally unaware of the attacks as well). Maybe (treating Aging as a Common thing, with Unaging as Immunity to Aging), Immunity to Physical Effects of Aging would be Occasional at [10], or, perhaps more simply and rules compliant, as a -66% limitation to Unaging?

[LemmingLord]

I don't find any age advantages are worth more than 5 pts.

Think about the campaign you are playing in. If it is unlikely for more than a year passing, call it (or any age advantages or disadvantages) a 0 pt feature.

If your long livedness means you have access to skills you wouldn't otherwise, pay UB costs as normal.

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Well, since you aren't reducing the stats, it looks like an improvement on Longevity, but since you are rolling against actual HT it's a limitation on Longevity.

So I'd call it a +0% modification to Longevity, worth the same 2 points.

[JCurwen3]

Originally Posted by LemmingLord

I don't find any age advantages are worth more than 5 pts.

Think about the campaign you are playing in. If it is unlikely for more than a year passing, call it (or any age advantages or disadvantages) a 0 pt feature.

If your long livedness means you have access to skills you wouldn't otherwise, pay UB costs as normal.

Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha

Well, since you aren't reducing the stats, it looks like an improvement on Longevity, but since you are rolling against actual HT it's a limitation on Longevity.

So I'd call it a +0% modification to Longevity, worth the same 2 points.

In the campaign I'm running, it's very possible for many many years to pass. It's already lasted about 20 in-game years. And we have rare-to-occasional backwards-in-time time travel where "back to the future" might sometimes include just sort of waiting around.

My problem with both above suggestions is that it doesn't take into account the 15 point cost of Unaging, nor does it take into account that this trait will not lead to improved longevity or long-livedness. Someone with this Unaging (Still Dies On Time, -??%) thing is still accumulating the penalties to attributes, they're just not visible and not applied, but the first aging check where they would have reduced an attribute to zero causes death. Hence there is no increased lifespan, no improved longevity. Just no signs or effects of aging until at one point death by aging gets them (at the same rate it gets everyone) but they leave a young looking corpse.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by JCurwen3

My problem with both above suggestions is that it doesn't take into account the 15 point cost of Unaging, nor does it take into account that this trait will not lead to improved longevity or long-livedness.

I do not think you have any version of Unaging here. However, if you are committed to Unaging(Dies of Old Age anyway) this is not less than a -80% Limit for a total of 3 pts.

If you like that better than 2pts for Longevity go with it.

[Ze'Manel Cunha]

Originally Posted by JCurwen3

-My problem with both above suggestions is that it doesn't take into account the 15 point cost of Unaging, nor does it take into account that this trait will not lead to improved longevity or long-livedness.

The lowest reduction of Unaging, at -80%, puts it at a cost of 3 points.

Originally Posted by JCurwen3

Hence there is no increased lifespan, no improved longevity.

Longevity also denotes improved function, your people don't suffer decrepitude, and don't die from being infirm, so you're significantly boosting their lifespans.

People don't die of old age because their stats go down to 0.

People die of old age because they suffer some injury or sickness and their reduced HT, especially as it drops below 7, keeps them from recovering from injury/disease and they go into a death spiral due to low HT.

[JCurwen3]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

I do not think you have any version of Unaging here. However, if you are committed to Unaging(Dies of Old Age anyway) this is not less than a -80% Limit for a total of 3 pts.

If you like that better than 2pts for Longevity go with it.

Originally Posted by Ze'Manel Cunha

The lowest reduction of Unaging, at -80%, puts it at a cost of 3 points.
Longevity also denotes improved function, your people don't suffer decrepitude, and don't die from being infirm, so you're significantly boosting their lifespans.

People don't die of old age because their stats go down to 0.

People die of old age because they suffer some injury or sickness and their reduced HT, especially as it drops below 7, keeps them from recovering from injury/disease and they go into a death spiral due to low HT.

Looking over all suggestions, and thinking Unaging isn't a bad place to start, I think I'd go with this. It makes sense to me. I'd also be happy to see it as a +50% enhancement to Longevity (raising it from 2 to 3 points).

[LemmingLord]

3 pts sounds about right to me for a longer spanning game.

Remember though, in long spanning games new characters can easily join in.. so it really isn't all that advantageous to have continuuity.

Oh no! My character's died of old age because twenty years pass!! I think i'll... Make another character!! :)

[sir_pudding]

I've used RPK's House Rules for "Flavor" traits for awhile now, without issue, YMMV.

[Not another shrubbery]

Originally Posted by JCurwen3

Looking over all suggestions, and thinking Unaging isn't a bad place to start, I think I'd go with this. It makes sense to me. I'd also be happy to see it as a +50% enhancement to Longevity (raising it from 2 to 3 points).

That seems sensible. Longevity or Unaging look like equally valid starting places to me.