D&D 3E/3.5 Immortal, from Book of Templates 3.5

[avin]

Hello guys,

I'm starting a new Planescape 3.5 campaign and one of the players wants to use the Immortal template, from Book of Templates 3.5.

I don't own this book but he sent me a summary of what it does. For +3 LA ig gives a lot of immunities, resistances and other goodies:

immunities: "ability damage and drain, disease, energy drain, fatigue, paralysis, poison, sleep spells and effects, starvation, and thirst. Immortals do not need to eat, breathe, drink, or sleep, but they may do any of these things if they wish"
"Resistances (Su): Immortals have resistance 10 to acid, cold, electricity, and fire."

I'm thinking it's a bit strong and afraid of using it in game, it doesn't seems balanced and it's not Wotc's...

Any of you has experience with this template? Is it overpower? Should I say "go" or should I say "get something else instead"?

 

[Tilenas]

That depends on how you want to run the campaign.
A character who doesn't need to eat, drink or breathe, who is immune or at least resistant to most special attacks and environmental hazards seems like a pretty boring thing to me. Where does he get his motivation from? He is, after all, immortal. Why is he putting this immortality at risk by going on adventures? Shouldn't he much rather be outliving the hell out of everyone? Doesn't that approach solve his problems?
Besides, in a campaign where surviving in a strange environment plays such a big role as in planescape, how do you, as the GM, ensure that the other players won't be bored to death by this immortal guy overcoming most hazards simply by being immune to them?
Nevermind the LA, this template has the power to drain all energy out of your campaign.

 

[Alzrius]

There are a few other things you'll need to know. First, the character's type changes to Outsider (probably with the Native subtype). Secondly, all of the character's Hit Dice are increased by one die type, to a maximum of d12 - this does apply to Hit Dice gained from class levels as well. He gets fast healing 3, Str +2, Con +2, Cha +4. There are a few other (albeit minor) bonuses as well.

The major thing to know about this template is the fluff background for it. This template is granted by a deity to a servant for truly exemplary service. What deity is granting this to the PC, and why? What tenets does the character need to follow in order to keep the template? Make sure your PC is living up to the ideals of his god if he wants to be Immortal.

That said, from a mechanical perspective, it does seem to be worth the +3 LA.

 

[avin]

You guys are right. This would probably destroy the campaign.

Thanks.

 

[freyar]

You guys are right. This would probably destroy the campaign.

Thanks.

One idea is to make the PC earn it: over a number of levels, he/she can complete some number of quests for the deity, maybe gaining parts of this template in place of 3 levels (something like monster or template classes in Savage Species or the old Savage Progressions articles on WotC's website). Might be a good motivation for the character.

 

[avin]

One idea is to make the PC earn it: over a number of levels, he/she can complete some number of quests for the deity, maybe gaining parts of this template in place of 3 levels (something like monster or template classes in Savage Species or the old Savage Progressions articles on WotC's website). Might be a good motivation for the character.

The other two players won't like it. The guy who wants to be immortal never played Planescape. I described Sigil as a place where Balors and Paladins run the same streets and alignments tend to tolerate far more than a FRCS campaign, for example...

He's gonna make a human or dwarf fighter now. Let's see what happens.

 

[Shin Okada]

Power-gaming wise, Warforged race (LA+0) has nearly as many immunities. And there are many templates which gives energy resistances with LA +2 or so (like Axiomatic template). So, the fluff and role-playing would be the main issue I guess.