Alright, basically - after years and years of being interested in D&D myself and a few friends have finally decided to start having some games. We had our first one last week and sheesh, it was the most fun we've ever had playing a game of any sorts. So we're absolutely hooked!
This game we had last week, we just very quickly threw together some characters and backstories just so we could dive straight into the game. However, in early January we are going to start our first proper campaign. I've been spending a long time mulling over what I'd like my character to be - their personality, what drives them, etc etc. and I've decided that I'd like to create a human who (for various reasons) is striving for a way to achieve immortality.
Just to clarify, I mean immortality just in the 'won't age' sense, not somehow surviving a direct meteor impact or anything else.
So on to my question - I'm really not sure which class to pick that would both make this goal realistic and be thematically fitting for my character. Also, I do realise this is a long term goal and it won't happen for many, many games (if at all!), but I wanted to choose a class where it is at least a possibility.
First and foremost, I had wanted to be a Necromancer - not an evil, corpse raising loony, just a scholar with an intense interest (and fear) in death. But from what I gather, the only way a Necromancer can achieve this 'immortality' is through the use the 'clone' spell. Is this correct? This isn't ideal to me anyway, as cloning is more akin to what, uh, Voldemort does - rather than your character themselves not ageing.
So I was trying to find out about other classes. I really did want to stick to a spellcaster of some sorts, if not an actual Necromancer-Wizard, then a character that is at least Necromancer-ish. I saw an Undying Warlock ages slowly. And Druid's can too. Although.. that's just slowly. Plus Druids are a bit too naturey for my tastes.
SO I suppose my question is - Can a character achieve true immortality? Can a Necromancer specifically? What are some (or all) of the ways of going about this? Is it a realistic goal? etc. etc. I just want to learn about the subject!
Apologies for lots of writing, and thanks very much for reading!
If you mean "can my character achieve immortality through official rule-based means" then why not work towards becoming a lich or a vampire? There's also an item called the potion of longevity that can theoretically put you on that path too.
If you don't mind some homebrew wankery then how about an item that stops you from aging so long as you wear it? Maybe your character is working towards becoming a god or other supernatural entity without a definite lifespan.
''If you mean "can my character achieve immortality through official rule-based means" then why not work towards becoming a lich or a vampire? There's also an item called the [Tooltip Not Found] that can theoretically put you on that path too.
If you don't mind some homebrew wankery then how about an item that stops you from aging so long as you wear it? Maybe your character is working towards becoming a god or other supernatural entity without a definite lifespan.''
Thanks for replying! but hmmm - I mean, a lich or vampire is definitely an option! Although, uh, those are a bit 'evil'. My character really isn't an evil character at all, I'm sure she'd stretch to some very moral grey areas sometimes. But becoming a lich or vampire sounds like a little bit of a step too far. Are there no other ways to achieve immortality in the official rules?
As far as homebrew stuff, well, we're trying to keep as much to the official rules as possible. I certainly wouldn't want a homebrew rule just for my character anyway (or at least, only there for the purpose of my character).
Sorry. I tried to edit that but apparently the forums don't just let you remove the brackets.
Potion of Longevity.
hmm, alright! that's interesting. Certainly worth thinking about. I am kind of surprised there are not more ways to go about 'not ageing', or a similar effect though.
Sorry. I tried to edit that but apparently the forums don't just let you remove the brackets.
Potion of Longevity.
hmm, alright! that's interesting. Certainly worth thinking about. I am kind of surprised there are not more ways to go about 'not ageing', or a similar effect though.
That's a trope of fantasy in general. There's always some horrible, evil way to preserve your blighted existence, but aging is immutable.
Sorry. I tried to edit that but apparently the forums don't just let you remove the brackets.
Potion of Longevity.
hmm, alright! that's interesting. Certainly worth thinking about. I am kind of surprised there are not more ways to go about 'not ageing', or a similar effect though.
That's a trope of fantasy in general. There's always some horrible, evil way to preserve your blighted existence, but aging is immutable.
Ah that's a shame though! Alright, I suppose my character could still have that goal though, even if it is unobtainable, I mean, she wouldn't know that.
I tried to read about a player becoming a vampire, it's only mentioned briefly in the Monster Manual, right? It seemed (according the Monster Manual) that a player becoming a vampire isn't really intended in D&D i.e, it mentioned ''The character's alignment becomes lawful evil, and the DM might take control of the character until the vampirism is reversed''.
Is the Monster Manual the only place it's mentioned? Or is there somewhere that goes more in-depth about player-vampires? Again I would really prefer not to homebrew anything like 'for some reason my vampire character is not evil like every other one in existence'.
Never ever work toward becoming undead in 5th - Undead from the monster manual all hate the living. To the very last one. Liches require murdering people and destroying souls to keep going. No undead option exists for you to be able to play if you reach your goal - you are becoming an npc, and probably a villain / campaign boss.
That said - IF warforged become official - thats immortality from level 1, Want to be undead? Borrow older ebberon material and be a deathless - just use the warlock stats and bingo your playable ready, not a construct of metal and wood but flesh and bone.
Otherwise - Wizard - Necromancy 8th level spell - Clone - IMMORTALITY. (cue Rocky Horror music) In just 3 months you can make yourself a man (or woman) why be a liche? they suck now compared to being able to smoke drink and .... 'snuggle' yourself to death and come back with an 18 year old body to go do it all over again. Sure it takes cash but at that level? bwahaha easy.
Wizards man, dont overlook their retirement plan, its ballin'!
Never ever work toward becoming undead in 5th - Undead from the monster manual all hate the living. To the very last one. Liches require murdering people and destroying souls to keep going. No undead option exists for you to be able to play if you reach your goal - you are becoming an npc, and probably a villain / campaign boss.
That said - IF warforged become official - thats immortality from level 1, Want to be undead? Borrow older ebberon material and be a deathless - just use the warlock stats and bingo your playable ready, not a construct of metal and wood but flesh and bone.
Otherwise - Wizard - Necromancy 8th level spell - Clone - IMMORTALITY. (cue Rocky Horror music) In just 3 months you can make yourself a man (or woman) why be a liche? they suck now compared to being able to smoke drink and .... 'snuggle' yourself to death and come back with an 18 year old body to go do it all over again. Sure it takes cash but at that level? bwahaha easy.
Wizards man, dont overlook their retirement plan, its ballin'!
Yeah that's kind of what I was thinking about trying to 'become an actual undead' - to be honest it reaaaally didn't appeal to me, especially as I'm not playing an evil character.
I don't want to play a Warforged, however.. in what way are they not 'official'? I mean, on this website (d&d beyond) they're listed on the same page as the rest of the player races, albeit in a different book. How do you know if a race is official or not? :S
And yeah I mean, I did read about Clone and I DID like that idea - it just wasn't exactly what I was after. But if there's no other way, it would definitely suffice! Thanks very much for your reply!
As written wish wouldnt work for built in longevity/immortality unless your DM is kind, and dont ever try that wish with Djinni, becoming a statue or a rock sucks. Also beware wish burnout - if you dont use it to recreate an 8th level spell or lower it can lock you out from ever casting it again.
If your not happy with clone - and if not why not, mages need the love! Then Boons from dieties - A 20th level possibility as a reward from gods - that is totally core book legal
In regard to warforged legality- yeah its a bit of a pickle, currently the wayfarers guide to eberron and the races therein are 'playtesting but eventually the WGtE will be released as legal but the races as they are now may have been revised. Working out was is and isnt out of play test is as easy or hard as checking the bumf, often its mentioned near the start of the info... but not always.
Have fun but watch out, for moon druids never sleep! (and might be immortal)
As written wish wouldnt work for built in longevity/immortality unless your DM is kind, and dont ever try that wish with Djinni, becoming a statue or a rock sucks. Also beware wish burnout - if you dont use it to recreate an 8th level spell or lower it can lock you out from ever casting it again.
If your not happy with clone - and if not why not, mages need the love! Then Boons from dieties - A 20th level possibility as a reward from gods - that totally legal
In regard to warforged legality- yeah its a bit of a pickle, currently the wayfarers guide to eberron and the races therein are 'playtesting but eventually the WGtE will be released as legal but the races as they are now may have been revised. Working out was is and isnt out of play test is as easy or hard as checking the bumf, often its mentioned near the start of the info... but not always.
Have fun but watch out, for moon druids never sleep! (and might be immortal)
Thanks so much! That's all really interesting information. I'm glad you've mentioned that about Eberron too because I was this close to making a Changeling character.
(Is the Eberron book the only playtesting one on the 'races' page? How about the Ravnican races, or Tortles? I mean, how do you know?)
Regarding the boons from deities, I haven't read about those yet.. where can I find information about that stuff, somewhere in the Player's Handbook? Are they Cleric specific?
Create a Necromancy school. The students/employees cast True Resurrection on you when you die. Take experimental drugs that make you younger but can kill you; live forever.
If you pick an Elf or another long lived race and play a Druid, at 18th level Timeless Body let's Druids age 1 year for every 10 years that passes. It's not really immortality because you will eventually die of old age, but "well over 700 years" times 10 is a pretty long lifespan!
Monks have an almost identical ability, but the way theirs is worded it makes it seem as if their lifespan doesn't change because it says that Monks can still die of old age.
If you pick an Elf or another long lived race and play a Druid, at 18th level Timeless Body let's Druids age 1 year for every 10 years that passes. It's not really immortality because you will eventually die of old age, but "well over 700 years" times 10 is a pretty long lifespan!
Monks have an almost identical ability, but the way theirs is worded it makes it seem as if their lifespan doesn't change because it says that Monks can still die of old age.
Ah, I should have said right at the beginning that I really am set on creating a human character. Also, mm, I did read about Timeless Body - the Undying Warlock's have a similar ability. However, ageing slowly just isn't the same as not ageing at all!
Honestly I really did expect there would be a fairly, uh 'easy' way to accomplish this. In that I mean, perhaps the character would have to work hard for it etc etc, but it would be certainly possible. It seems I was pretty wrong about that! I think the 'Clone' spell is the closest to the 'feel' of what I'm trying to accomplish after all, maybe with the Timeless Body too =)
Remember, if this isn't adventurers league. Your dm can add/change/adjust whatever they want. No reason you couldn't be a researcher forced to go adventuring for an artifact that grants immortality as the core plot/end goal of a home game.
Remember, if this isn't adventurers league. Your dm can add/change/adjust whatever they want. No reason you couldn't be a researcher forced to go adventuring for an artifact that grants immortality as the core plot/end goal of a home game.
This is definitely true! However, since I'm pretty much just starting out playing D&D properly - I'm not so keen on having any of the rules adjusted just to fit my liking. Maybe in the future when I'm more confident in everything though =) Thanks for the reply!
Remember, if this isn't adventurers league. Your dm can add/change/adjust whatever they want. No reason you couldn't be a researcher forced to go adventuring for an artifact that grants immortality as the core plot/end goal of a home game.
This is definitely true! However, since I'm pretty much just starting out playing D&D properly - I'm not so keen on having any of the rules adjusted just to fit my liking. Maybe in the future when I'm more confident in everything though =) Thanks for the reply!
There is literally no rule that says "There is no path to immortality." It's difficult based on current things listed in game, but nothing prevents research, quests or the like. That this the province of the DM in question, and perhaps to a particular campaign. So there is no "improper" way to do this; but it does require some discussion.
As for what class? Any. A warrior can quest for the Fountain of youth as easily as a Necromancer pours over tomes to unlocking secrets, or a cleric looking for divine ascension or a rogue stealing an apple from a deities garden. All that matters is that you talk to the DM, and the DM is agreeable with supporting a story. After all, it does no good to have rules, if that isn't the direction the DM wants to go.
So the answer is "What's the story you want to tell?"
Of course, I'm also reminded of Planescape: Torment and the nameless one search to END his immortality. Do you really want to live forever? :)
First post here so firstly, hey y'all!
Alright, basically - after years and years of being interested in D&D myself and a few friends have finally decided to start having some games. We had our first one last week and sheesh, it was the most fun we've ever had playing a game of any sorts. So we're absolutely hooked!
This game we had last week, we just very quickly threw together some characters and backstories just so we could dive straight into the game. However, in early January we are going to start our first proper campaign. I've been spending a long time mulling over what I'd like my character to be - their personality, what drives them, etc etc. and I've decided that I'd like to create a human who (for various reasons) is striving for a way to achieve immortality.
Just to clarify, I mean immortality just in the 'won't age' sense, not somehow surviving a direct meteor impact or anything else.
So on to my question - I'm really not sure which class to pick that would both make this goal realistic and be thematically fitting for my character. Also, I do realise this is a long term goal and it won't happen for many, many games (if at all!), but I wanted to choose a class where it is at least a possibility.
First and foremost, I had wanted to be a Necromancer - not an evil, corpse raising loony, just a scholar with an intense interest (and fear) in death. But from what I gather, the only way a Necromancer can achieve this 'immortality' is through the use the 'clone' spell. Is this correct? This isn't ideal to me anyway, as cloning is more akin to what, uh, Voldemort does - rather than your character themselves not ageing.
So I was trying to find out about other classes. I really did want to stick to a spellcaster of some sorts, if not an actual Necromancer-Wizard, then a character that is at least Necromancer-ish. I saw an Undying Warlock ages slowly. And Druid's can too. Although.. that's just slowly. Plus Druids are a bit too naturey for my tastes.
SO I suppose my question is - Can a character achieve true immortality? Can a Necromancer specifically? What are some (or all) of the ways of going about this? Is it a realistic goal? etc. etc. I just want to learn about the subject!
Apologies for lots of writing, and thanks very much for reading!
If you mean "can my character achieve immortality through official rule-based means" then why not work towards becoming a lich or a vampire? There's also an item called the potion of longevity that can theoretically put you on that path too.
If you don't mind some homebrew wankery then how about an item that stops you from aging so long as you wear it? Maybe your character is working towards becoming a god or other supernatural entity without a definite lifespan.
"The Epic Level Handbook wasn't that bad, guys.
Guys, pls."
Sorry. I tried to edit that but apparently the forums don't just let you remove the brackets.
Potion of Longevity.
"The Epic Level Handbook wasn't that bad, guys.
Guys, pls."
hmm, alright! that's interesting. Certainly worth thinking about. I am kind of surprised there are not more ways to go about 'not ageing', or a similar effect though.
That's a trope of fantasy in general. There's always some horrible, evil way to preserve your blighted existence, but aging is immutable.
"The Epic Level Handbook wasn't that bad, guys.
Guys, pls."
Ah that's a shame though! Alright, I suppose my character could still have that goal though, even if it is unobtainable, I mean, she wouldn't know that.
I tried to read about a player becoming a vampire, it's only mentioned briefly in the Monster Manual, right? It seemed (according the Monster Manual) that a player becoming a vampire isn't really intended in D&D i.e, it mentioned ''The character's alignment becomes lawful evil, and the DM might take control of the character until the vampirism is reversed''.
Is the Monster Manual the only place it's mentioned? Or is there somewhere that goes more in-depth about player-vampires? Again I would really prefer not to homebrew anything like 'for some reason my vampire character is not evil like every other one in existence'.
Never ever work toward becoming undead in 5th - Undead from the monster manual all hate the living. To the very last one. Liches require murdering people and destroying souls to keep going. No undead option exists for you to be able to play if you reach your goal - you are becoming an npc, and probably a villain / campaign boss.
That said - IF warforged become official - thats immortality from level 1, Want to be undead? Borrow older ebberon material and be a deathless - just use the warlock stats and bingo your playable ready, not a construct of metal and wood but flesh and bone.
Otherwise - Wizard - Necromancy 8th level spell - Clone - IMMORTALITY. (cue Rocky Horror music) In just 3 months you can make yourself a man (or woman) why be a liche? they suck now compared to being able to smoke drink and .... 'snuggle' yourself to death and come back with an 18 year old body to go do it all over again. Sure it takes cash but at that level? bwahaha easy.
Wizards man, dont overlook their retirement plan, its ballin'!
Wish spell could work.
Yeah that's kind of what I was thinking about trying to 'become an actual undead' - to be honest it reaaaally didn't appeal to me, especially as I'm not playing an evil character.
I don't want to play a Warforged, however.. in what way are they not 'official'? I mean, on this website (d&d beyond) they're listed on the same page as the rest of the player races, albeit in a different book. How do you know if a race is official or not? :S
And yeah I mean, I did read about Clone and I DID like that idea - it just wasn't exactly what I was after. But if there's no other way, it would definitely suffice! Thanks very much for your reply!
Ohhhh! I hadn't thought of that! I need to research Wish now because I've actually no idea what it does, I've just heard it in passing...
As written wish wouldnt work for built in longevity/immortality unless your DM is kind, and dont ever try that wish with Djinni, becoming a statue or a rock sucks. Also beware wish burnout - if you dont use it to recreate an 8th level spell or lower it can lock you out from ever casting it again.
If your not happy with clone - and if not why not, mages need the love! Then Boons from dieties - A 20th level possibility as a reward from gods - that is totally core book legal
In regard to warforged legality- yeah its a bit of a pickle, currently the wayfarers guide to eberron and the races therein are 'playtesting but eventually the WGtE will be released as legal but the races as they are now may have been revised. Working out was is and isnt out of play test is as easy or hard as checking the bumf, often its mentioned near the start of the info... but not always.
Have fun but watch out, for moon druids never sleep! (and might be immortal)
#edited to put down a rogue spelling rebellion
Thanks so much! That's all really interesting information. I'm glad you've mentioned that about Eberron too because I was this close to making a Changeling character.
(Is the Eberron book the only playtesting one on the 'races' page? How about the Ravnican races, or Tortles? I mean, how do you know?)
Regarding the boons from deities, I haven't read about those yet.. where can I find information about that stuff, somewhere in the Player's Handbook? Are they Cleric specific?
Thanks again for replying!
You guys are racist against undead!
Vampires need love too!
Liches rise up!
"The Epic Level Handbook wasn't that bad, guys.
Guys, pls."
Create a Necromancy school. The students/employees cast True Resurrection on you when you die. Take experimental drugs that make you younger but can kill you; live forever.
I stole my pfp from this person: https://mobile.twitter.com/xelart1/status/1177312449575432193
If you pick an Elf or another long lived race and play a Druid, at 18th level Timeless Body let's Druids age 1 year for every 10 years that passes. It's not really immortality because you will eventually die of old age, but "well over 700 years" times 10 is a pretty long lifespan!
Monks have an almost identical ability, but the way theirs is worded it makes it seem as if their lifespan doesn't change because it says that Monks can still die of old age.
Professional computer geek
Ah, I should have said right at the beginning that I really am set on creating a human character. Also, mm, I did read about Timeless Body - the Undying Warlock's have a similar ability. However, ageing slowly just isn't the same as not ageing at all!
Honestly I really did expect there would be a fairly, uh 'easy' way to accomplish this. In that I mean, perhaps the character would have to work hard for it etc etc, but it would be certainly possible. It seems I was pretty wrong about that! I think the 'Clone' spell is the closest to the 'feel' of what I'm trying to accomplish after all, maybe with the Timeless Body too =)
Remember, if this isn't adventurers league. Your dm can add/change/adjust whatever they want. No reason you couldn't be a researcher forced to go adventuring for an artifact that grants immortality as the core plot/end goal of a home game.
This is definitely true! However, since I'm pretty much just starting out playing D&D properly - I'm not so keen on having any of the rules adjusted just to fit my liking. Maybe in the future when I'm more confident in everything though =) Thanks for the reply!
Warforged?
There is literally no rule that says "There is no path to immortality." It's difficult based on current things listed in game, but nothing prevents research, quests or the like. That this the province of the DM in question, and perhaps to a particular campaign. So there is no "improper" way to do this; but it does require some discussion.
As for what class? Any. A warrior can quest for the Fountain of youth as easily as a Necromancer pours over tomes to unlocking secrets, or a cleric looking for divine ascension or a rogue stealing an apple from a deities garden. All that matters is that you talk to the DM, and the DM is agreeable with supporting a story. After all, it does no good to have rules, if that isn't the direction the DM wants to go.
So the answer is "What's the story you want to tell?"
Of course, I'm also reminded of Planescape: Torment and the nameless one search to END his immortality. Do you really want to live forever? :)