Critcal age

[Perrryyy]

Yet another Klingon question:

What's the critical age for Klingons?

[Phoenix]

Given Kor, Koloth, and Kang...120-ish. Not as long as a Vulcan, but alot longer than Humans.

[Capt.Hunter]

Guess the RPG writers figured no Klingon PC would survive long enough to need it...

[Perrryyy]

Originally posted by Phoenix
Given Kor, Koloth, and Kang...120-ish. Not as long as a Vulcan, but alot longer than Humans.

I can use that!
Thanks Phoenix.

[qerlin]

With modern medical tech, I would think some of the critical ages are a bit low -- based more off of our time than the 23/24th C.

If you figure the critical ages as the natural point of inevitable decline for a particular race, I would figure modern medicine should give at least a few more decades before the critical age effects would kick in. I figure a few races have a thing about 'aging gracefully' or 'naturally'...

With access to good medicine,
Andorians -- 90 (Although I see Boreavists being in the natural life camp.)
Benzite -- 100
Betazoid -- 85
Betelgeusan -- 100
Bolian -- 70
Centauran -- 90
Cairn -- 75
Grazerite -- 120
Human -- 85
Klingons -- 100-130
Ktarian -- 65
Napean -- 85
Tellarite -- 100 (should be higher -- annoying, argumentative people NEVER die!)
Vulcan -- 150 (I figure them to be in the 'natural' camp...and they live long enough, anyway.)
Zakdorn -- 110
Zaldan -- 85

[tonyg]

THere is always the possiblity that the various cultures in TREK might have medical technolgy that could slow the aging process. There are several humans in TNG who are well over 100 years old and still quite functional, including Admiral McCoy (and Admiral Sulu if the Sulu mentioned in Voyager is Hikaur Sulu form TOS).

[Phantom]

Personally I think the critical ages are low. Admiral McCoy was 137 and with the exception of a bad hip seemed to have most of his facualties. Then you also have Cmdr Vaughn (unofficial I know) who is around 100 years and showing no signs of stopping. Just look how long we have increased the life span in the last 50 years, I belive it is by about 10-15 years (70 for women and 65 for men..average.) I think the critical ages definitly needs some looking at, at least for humans.

[qerlin]

I agree, phantom... I went low on the critical ages I posted here.

[tonyg]

Theroetically, sciensits beleive that it is possible to isolate the cuase of aging and halft the process. The effects of that would be enoumous, and not just the physical effects. The socio-political ramifications could be staggering. Even without deterioration due to aging, body partys would still wear out from use.

What does this mean for Star Trek?

[tonyg]

Rather than using the critical ages, maybe just slow the aging process. Older people in TREK tend to look old, but are still spy. Maybe suffering aging penalties at half or 1/3rd the nomal rate would work.

[Don Mappin]

Originally posted by qerlin
With modern medical tech, I would think some of the critical ages are a bit low -- based more off of our time than the 23/24th C.

If you figure the critical ages as the natural point of inevitable decline for a particular race, I would figure modern medicine should give at least a few more decades before the critical age effects would kick in.

You know some “modern day” Zakdorians I take it, then?

A quick note on critical ages (as they appear in the LUG Players’ Guide). Critical age is not the age where you become a bedridden person unable to make any worthwhile contributions about you. It is when characters start accumulating age-related Disadvantages. The first and second tiers of Disadvantages are very weak and don’t pose much of a hindrance.

The expectation is that characters that advance beyond their species’ critical age will spend XP to defray the newly acquired disadvantages. Spending 4 XP to buy off a one point Poor Chemoreception Disadvantage once every five years is not that excessive (IMO).

So, did Admiral McCoy at 135 accumulate a bunch of Disadvantages to get to that point? Sure, but he was no spring chicken, either (Data was assisting him walk down the corridor) and many of those Disadvantages could have been easily “bought off” by spending XP during play.

The point being that ignoring a character’s critical age (and associated Disadvantages) can have repercussions. The minor spending of a few XP every five years to combat those effects is not something that significantly should bother any player characters (who would easily earn that amount in two adventures).

With that said, there’s nothing stopping a Narrator from altering the critical age of species to fit his or her game.

[Owen E Oulton]

On the subject of critical age, I think it's helpful to look at that nebulous thing called "real life."

Critical age for modern-day Humans would be somewhere in the 30's. That's when fertility starts decreasing, men generally begin having some measure of prostate problems, women have to begin thinking about ovarian and breast cancer, stamina begins to decrease, presbyopia sets in, et cetera. It doesn't mean you're "old" ar about to fall apart, it just means that you begin to suffer the effects of aging.