Every year above the maximum age for the race the character must make a DC20 constitution save that does not take into account proficiency. Once a character fails that save roll a d12 to determine the month in which they start dying. This can be adapted to a different die roll depending on the calendar. On the first of the month they gain one level of exhaustion. On the next day they must make a DC15 constitution save. On a fail they gain a level of exhaustion and on a success the DC increases by 1. This carries on until the character dies. The levels of exhaustion can not be lessened except by an effect that reduces the characters age to below the maximum age for that race.
This seems needlessly complex for something that is unlikely to come up. The only situation where it's really relevant is if fighting a ghost, in which case I would just say if it ages you past the maximum for your race you die. 5e doesn't have progressive stat changes as you age like 2e, so you either die when you are magically aged or you don't.
I think this is great! Very helpful for the NPC I'm trying to write about–thanks!
No problem, only just remembered I wrote this but glad it could help someone out. Feel free to adapt it as there are quite a few points which could do with some tweaking
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Every year above the maximum age for the race the character must make a DC20 constitution save that does not take into account proficiency. Once a character fails that save roll a d12 to determine the month in which they start dying. This can be adapted to a different die roll depending on the calendar. On the first of the month they gain one level of exhaustion. On the next day they must make a DC15 constitution save. On a fail they gain a level of exhaustion and on a success the DC increases by 1. This carries on until the character dies. The levels of exhaustion can not be lessened except by an effect that reduces the characters age to below the maximum age for that race.
how is this for mechanics for old age??
This seems needlessly complex for something that is unlikely to come up. The only situation where it's really relevant is if fighting a ghost, in which case I would just say if it ages you past the maximum for your race you die. 5e doesn't have progressive stat changes as you age like 2e, so you either die when you are magically aged or you don't.
Fair enough
I think this is great! Very helpful for the NPC I'm trying to write about–thanks!
No problem, only just remembered I wrote this but glad it could help someone out. Feel free to adapt it as there are quite a few points which could do with some tweaking