Can the 5 years of aging caused by casting the wish spell be avoided or reversed?

Question

Casting the spell wish ages the caster 5 years. I know that to avoid the effects of aging the caster could acquire a new or younger body via possession, reincarnation, or cloning; become an undead so age is largely unimportant; or drink potions of longevity to stave off the effects of aging; or a variety of other workarounds. However, I want the caster of a wish spell to stay in the same body, cast wish, and just not age. Alternatively, I want an effect that actually reverses the caster's age while the caster remains in his original body.

Is there a way for the caster to stay in his original body and avoid or reverse the magical aging caused by a wish spell?

Answer 1

There are several means:

1. There is a priest spell in the tome of magic:

Priest 6th level: Age Creature (reversible)

The reverse of this spell, restore youth, permanently restores age that has been lost as a result of magic [...] reduces the age of the targeted creature by one year per level of the caster. [...] A subject cannot become younger than his actual age as a result of this spell.

2. In the Dragon Kings Dark Sun supplement:

And it specifically states the wish spell as an example...

Wizard 8th level: Protection from Time (abjuration)

When confronted with a magical aging effect (such as a wish spell [...]), the recipient gets a saving throw versus spell to avoid the effect [...]

This one is evil to the core (can even change one's alignment), but does the job.

Wizard 9th level: Vampiric Youthfulness (necromancy)

Once cast, the victim ages 10 years immediately. [...] The caster becomes one year younger.

Answer 2

There are several spells which can reverse the aging effects or prevent them. Reverse Lifeline, the reverse form of the 8th level spell wizard spell Accelerate Lifeline. Quoted from Wizard’s Spell Compendium.

The reverse of this spell, reverse lifeline, cannot bring back the dead, but it can reduce the age of the recipient by up to one year per level of the caster.

And the 7th level wizard spell Younger.

This obscure and dangerous spell makes the recipient up to one year younger per level of the caster (one year minimum), as decided by the caster. It can be cast only upon a willing recipient, negating the penalties of advancing age, and restoring a youthful appearance. It will not make a creature younger than a young adult.

In addition to the 9th level wizard spell Vampiric Youthfulness, 8th level wizard spell Protection From Time and 6th level priest spell Age Creature.

If you are willing to look at items that could serve your purpose there is the Elixir of Youth, quoted from the Encyclopedia Magica

Quaffing this rare and potent elixir reverses aging. Taking the full potion at once reduces the imbiber's age by 1d4+1 years. Taking just a sip first, instead of drinking it down, reduces the potency of the liquid, and drinking the lower potency liquid reduces age by only 1d3 years.

Or the Amulet of Perpetual Youth

This amulet glows with a faint, blue light. The wearer has temporary immunity to the effects of both natural and magical aging; the amulet grows older instead of the wearer. As the amulet ages, it gradually becomes dimmer. It can absorb 5d6 years of aging, at which time its light dims completely, its magic negated, and the wearer resumes normal aging.

Alternatively, you could cast Wish from a scroll to avoid the aging and penalties. Quoted from page 1068 in the section “Casting Scroll Effects” in the Encyclopedia Magica:

Spell components are unnecessary for a scroll reader, and no adverse effects associated with casting the spell are suffered- these requirements or penalties have been fulfilled or suffered by the creator of the scroll.