Wanted to get some clarity on time passage and aging associated with the Astral Plane.
I know that a body does not age or need to eat/drink while they are physically in the Astral Plane (not via Astral Projection spell). I am trying to determine if the time spent on the Astral Plane catches up to the body immediately upon leaving the Astral Plane and returning to the Material Plane.
Example: Leaving the Astral Plane after being trapped for 20 years would mean that the character's body ages 20 years as soon as they return to the Material Plane.
The Dungeon Master’s Guide answers this question for you, if a bit indirectly: “Creatures on the Astral Plane don’t age or suffer from hunger or thirst. For this reason, humanoids that live on the Astral Plane (such as the githyanki) establish outposts on other planes, often the Material Plane, so their children can grow to maturity.”
They wouldn’t need outposts like that if age “caught up with you.” They’d just need a quick dip into the material plane and then back to the astral to age up. It would also make raiding into the material a nightmare for societies like the githyanki.
Of course there’s nothing stopping you from saying it works differently for everyone in your game, or differently for people not native to the astral. Nothing about the planes in the DMG is “rules.” It’s all setting fluff.
Just to also note, they also don't age when using the Astral Projection spell either.
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To an extent you probably still would need outposts , or you'd have a baby for the amount of time needed for them to mature and then after the dip a person with no memory or personality and less susceptible to uptaking the gith way of life.
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Wanted to get some clarity on time passage and aging associated with the Astral Plane.
I know that a body does not age or need to eat/drink while they are physically in the Astral Plane (not via Astral Projection spell). I am trying to determine if the time spent on the Astral Plane catches up to the body immediately upon leaving the Astral Plane and returning to the Material Plane.
Example: Leaving the Astral Plane after being trapped for 20 years would mean that the character's body ages 20 years as soon as they return to the Material Plane.
Asking for a potentially unlucky character.
Thanks for the input.
The rules don't cover this. Go with the option that is most interesting to your story.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
The Dungeon Master’s Guide answers this question for you, if a bit indirectly: “Creatures on the Astral Plane don’t age or suffer from hunger or thirst. For this reason, humanoids that live on the Astral Plane (such as the githyanki) establish outposts on other planes, often the Material Plane, so their children can grow to maturity.”
They wouldn’t need outposts like that if age “caught up with you.” They’d just need a quick dip into the material plane and then back to the astral to age up. It would also make raiding into the material a nightmare for societies like the githyanki.
Of course there’s nothing stopping you from saying it works differently for everyone in your game, or differently for people not native to the astral. Nothing about the planes in the DMG is “rules.” It’s all setting fluff.
Just to also note, they also don't age when using the Astral Projection spell either.
Click ✨ HERE ✨ For My Youtube Videos featuring Guides, Tips & Tricks for using D&D Beyond.
Need help with Homebrew? Check out ✨ this FAQ/Guide thread ✨ by IamSposta.
Makes a lot of sense. Most Githyanki would turn to dust as soon as they entered the Material Plane if that was the case.
One of the many things I love about D&D: more guidelines than actual rules
Thanks
To an extent you probably still would need outposts , or you'd have a baby for the amount of time needed for them to mature and then after the dip a person with no memory or personality and less susceptible to uptaking the gith way of life.