View source for Age

{{Alrik handicraft|Alter}}
<noinclude>{{InfoboxRules
|german=Alter
|type=danger
}}</noinclude>
To model the effects of aging, different '''age''' groups must be determined for each race.

Race
Starting age by class type [1]

_
_
_
_
Lizardman
0 12+1d4
000 —
000 —
0 20+2d4
Elf
130+5d6
500+10d10
150+5d6
100+5d6
Gnome
0 60+5d4
300+3d12
100+2d12
0 80+5d4
Half-elf
0 22+3d4
0 40+2d4
0 30+2d8
0 22+3d8
Halfling
0 20+3d4
0 40+3d4
0 40+3d4
0 40+2d4
Half-ogre
0 15+1d4
0 20+1d4
000 —
000 —
Half-orc
0 13+1d4
0 20+1d4
000 —
0 20+2d4
Half-sea elf
0 22+3d4
0 40+2d4
000 —
0 22+3d8
Lokathah
0 12+1d4
000 —
000 —
0 17+2d6
Merman
0 15+1d4
0 20+1d4
0 24+2d8
0 20+1d4
Human
0 15+1d4
0 20+1d4
0 24+2d8
0 20+1d4
Sea elf
130+5d6
500+10d10
000 —
100+5d6
Dwarf
0 40+5d4
250+2d20
0 90+4d6
0 75+3d6
1. ↑ Warrior classes ; Priest classes ; Arcane classes ; Rogue classes
Race
Age group [1]

Young Adult
Mature
Middle Aged
Old
Venerable

Lizardman
13-16
17-44
45-80
81-120 (40)
121-250 (130)

Elf
101-175
176-550
551-875
876-1200 (325)
1201-1600 (400)

Gnome
51-90
91-300
301-450
451-600 (150)
601-750 (150)

Half-elf
24-40
41-100
101-175
176-250 (75)
251-325 (75)

Halfling
22-33
34-68
69-101
102-144 (43)
145-199 (55)

Half-ogre
12-18
19-40
41-80
81-110 (30)
111-140 (30)

Half-orc
12-15
16-30
31-45
46-60 (15)
61-80 (20)

Half-sea elf
24-40
41-100
101-175
176-250 (75)
251-325 (75)

Lokathah
11-14
15-32
33-50
51-70 (20)
71-99 (29)

Merman
14-20
21-40
41-60
61-90 (30)
91-120 (30)

Human
14-20
21-40
41-60
61-90 (30)
91-120 (30)

Sea elf
101-175
176-550
551-875
876-1200 (325)
1201-1600 (400)

Dwarf
35-50
51-150
151-250
251-350 (100)
351-450 (100)

1. ↑ Characters beyond the "Venerable" life stage are still considered venerable. For the "Old" and "Venerable" life stages, the interval length is given in parentheses, as it is important for calculating the maximum age.

If a character reaches the respective age group, their ability scores are modified as indicated, whereby the specified modifiers for all age groups reached are cumulative. The modifiers are usually given in whole numbers, so that even a fighter with exceptional strength of 18{{P}}[XX] will be reduced to 17 as a result of a −1 negative modifier (exceptions only apply to middle-aged characters).

{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
! Age Group !! [[STR]] !! [[DEX]] !! [[CON]] !! [[INT]] !! [[WIS]] 
|-
| align=left | '''Young Adult''' || ±0 || ±0 || +1 || ±0 || −1
|-
| align=left | '''Mature''' || +1 || ±0 || ±0 || ±0 || +1
|-
| align=left | '''Middle Aged''' || −1<ref>Fighters with exceptional strength halve their percentage value instead.</ref> || ±0 || −1 || +1 || +1
|-
| align=left | '''Old''' || −2 || −2 || −1 || ±0 || +1
|-
| align=left | '''Venerable''' || −1 || −1 || −1 || +1 || +1
|}
{{reflist}}

No modification can exceed the maximum ability scores of the race or fall below the minimum ability scores of the race or class. The exception thereto is wisdom, which is the only ability that can exceed the maximum value of the race through aging. Charisma does not change with age.
There are obviously children of every race, but they typically do not go on adventures and have not yet completed their education. They are therefore not relevant for the considerations presented here. How children should be represented in the game world is therefore up to the Game Master.

==Unnatural aging==
Some monsters, such as ghosts, cause unnatural aging, as do various magical factors. The following magic reduces lifespan and causes the affected person to age as indicated. A potion of longevity or other magical means can reverse unnatural aging to a limited extent.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Magical Aging Causes !! Aging (years)
|-
| Imbibing a [[potion of speed]]
| align="center" | 1
|-
| Under a ''[[Haste]]'' spell 
| align="center" | 1
|-
| Casting ''[[Resurrection]]''<ref name="Spruchaltern" />
| align="center" | 3
|-
| Casting ''[[Limited Wish]]''<ref name="Spruchaltern" />
| align="center" | 1
|-
| Casting ''[[Alter Reality]]''<ref name="Spruchaltern">Casting one of these spells from a scroll will not cause unnatural aging. However, inscribing such a spell onto a scroll will cause unnatural aging!</ref>
| align=center | 3 
|-
| Casting ''[[Gate]]''<ref name="Spruchaltern"/>
| align=center | 5 
|-
| Casting ''[[Restoration]]''<ref name="Spruchaltern"/>
| align=center | 2
|-
| Casting ''[[Wish]]''<ref name="Spruchaltern"/>
| align=center | 3
|}
{{reflist}}

==Determination of the maximum age==
If the PC does not die from other causes, they will live to old age. The maximum age given for each race serves as a guideline to determine the exact age at which the character will die of old age using the following tables.
The baseline age is the lower or upper interval limit of the specified age group. The variable age limit is then rolled and added to or subtracted from the baseline age.

{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan=2 | d20
! colspan=2 | Baseline age
! rowspan=2 | Variable age limit
|-
! Age group !! Interval limit
|-
| {{nowrap|01-02}} || Old || lower || {{nowrap|+1d8 time spans}}
|-
| {{nowrap|03-05}} || Old || upper || {{nowrap|−1d4 time spans}}
|-
| {{nowrap|06-12}} || Venerable || lower || {{nowrap|+1d6 time spans}}
|-
| {{nowrap|13-18}} || Venerable || upper || {{nowrap|−(1d10−1) time spans}}
|-
| {{nowrap|19-20}} || Venerable || upper || {{nowrap|+(1d20−1) time spans}}
|}

Depending on the interval length of the determined age group, the time span of the variable age limit is determined as follows:

{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
! Interval length !! Time span !! Additional variation
|-
| <100 || Year || &mdash;
|-
| 100-250 || Decade || ±(1W10−1) Years
|-
| >250 || Score || ±(1W20−1) Years
|}

The additional variation is always given in years and is calculated in the same "direction" as the variable age limit. If the variable age limit is subtracted from the baseline age, the additional variation is also subtracted; if the variable age limit is added, the additional variation is also added.

{{Example|title=Alrik on his deathbed
|text=After a long life full of adventure and romance, Alrik feels that his body will soon fail him.

A 16 is rolled on the d20, so Alrik lives as a human until a baseline age of 120 years. To determine the variable age limit, a second roll is made on a d10. This shows a 3, so 2 years are subtracted from Alrik's baseline age.

Alrik passes away at the proud age of 118 surrounded by family and friends, who bid farewell to the hero who enriched their lives so much.

If Alrik had been a dwarf, however, the same dice results would give a base age of 450 years minus 2 decades, since the interval length of venerable dwarves is 100. Another d10 would also need to be rolled to determine the additional variation. So a result of 4 would mean that 3 more years should be abstracted, resulting in a maximum age of 427 years.}}

==Death from old age==
Death from old age is almost impossible to stop. Unless the character's lifespan is somehow extended, even a revived character will soon die again.
Unless a spell or magical item explicitly extends lifespan or is a wish, death from old age will not be averted. Once a character's actual maximum age is reached, then it is final.
Thus, characters who are confronted with death from old age will have to look for forms of immortality, either by becoming a lich or by living on in the loving memory of their children.