Given the absence of concrete rules on ageing effects in 5e, I am interested in hearing what you do at your table. The characters in my campaign are still young, but there are enounters with ghosts, so there is a risk of advancing ageing quite rapidly.
I know it will be up to the individual tables to decide how to handle it, and I have looked at a table from 3.5e (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/description.htm#age) for inspiration, but also think that introducing a bit of randomness, variability, or even choice could be a viable option.
So for example, a sudden ageing of 10-40 years in a human would likely see some reduction in a physical ability - yet the suggested increases in e.g. wisdom or charisma seems to be more like they would be earned through the experience of ageing rather than a sudden acceleration of the body's age. But it feel like it would be harsh to drop the characters physical abilities.
Different races age at different rates. Some PCs might be immune to the effects of aging. I might suggest that the individual PC affected might fall in line with their lineage, as far as aging effects are concerned.
I took a look at the AD&D and 2e tables for aging effects and found much the same result that you've already pointed out. I would point out that the 5e system doesn't use ability score damage anywhere near as frequently as did previous editions. The omission of aging effects and stat drain were likely intentional. That said, it does leave (require) each table to decide how age effects PCs and their abilities. I would agree that this may be a good topic to talk to your players about, prior to the event taking place. Get a feel for how the table wants to handle this. Get a consensus, and start from there.
Lastly, I would point out that a Ghost's Horrifying Visage allows for the complete reversal within 24 Hrs. or the aging becomes permanent. I might lean on the idea of narrating the degredation of the PC over the course of the next few hours of in-game time to motivate the players to reverse this debilitation before it becomes a permanent fixture. Maybe don't set a hard mechanical change straight away, but work slowly towards the full implementation over the course of the following game day. After all, tacking on 40 years to an elf, dwarf or warforged is next to nothing, but to slap 40 years onto a human that is in their 20's or 30's almost sticks one of their feet in the grave.
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“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
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Hi all,
Given the absence of concrete rules on ageing effects in 5e, I am interested in hearing what you do at your table. The characters in my campaign are still young, but there are enounters with ghosts, so there is a risk of advancing ageing quite rapidly.
I know it will be up to the individual tables to decide how to handle it, and I have looked at a table from 3.5e (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/description.htm#age) for inspiration, but also think that introducing a bit of randomness, variability, or even choice could be a viable option.
So for example, a sudden ageing of 10-40 years in a human would likely see some reduction in a physical ability - yet the suggested increases in e.g. wisdom or charisma seems to be more like they would be earned through the experience of ageing rather than a sudden acceleration of the body's age. But it feel like it would be harsh to drop the characters physical abilities.
Different races age at different rates. Some PCs might be immune to the effects of aging. I might suggest that the individual PC affected might fall in line with their lineage, as far as aging effects are concerned.
I took a look at the AD&D and 2e tables for aging effects and found much the same result that you've already pointed out. I would point out that the 5e system doesn't use ability score damage anywhere near as frequently as did previous editions. The omission of aging effects and stat drain were likely intentional. That said, it does leave (require) each table to decide how age effects PCs and their abilities. I would agree that this may be a good topic to talk to your players about, prior to the event taking place. Get a feel for how the table wants to handle this. Get a consensus, and start from there.
Lastly, I would point out that a Ghost's Horrifying Visage allows for the complete reversal within 24 Hrs. or the aging becomes permanent. I might lean on the idea of narrating the degredation of the PC over the course of the next few hours of in-game time to motivate the players to reverse this debilitation before it becomes a permanent fixture. Maybe don't set a hard mechanical change straight away, but work slowly towards the full implementation over the course of the following game day. After all, tacking on 40 years to an elf, dwarf or warforged is next to nothing, but to slap 40 years onto a human that is in their 20's or 30's almost sticks one of their feet in the grave.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad