In the grand tapestry of existence, certain inevitabilities are universally accepted: the sun rises, the sun sets, and eventually, everyone shuffles off this mortal coil. This holds true for most sentient beings, both real and digital. However, within the pixelated confines of The Sims 4, the Grim Reaper`s grasp isn`t quite as absolute. While the majority of your digital denizens are indeed destined for the afterlife, a select few can, with sufficient effort and sometimes the acquisition of peculiar items or traits, achieve a state of perpetual existence. For those attached to their favorite Sims, perhaps that ambitious astronaut, the master chef, or simply the founding member of a sprawling legacy family, the idea of watching them age into dust is simply unacceptable. Fortunately, the game offers multiple pathways to cheat death, ranging from the alchemical arts to embracing the supernatural. Let`s explore the various methods available to ensure your cherished Sims can quite literally live forever, or at least reset the clock indefinitely.
The Alchemical Paths: Potions and Serums of Eternal Youth
One of the most straightforward methods to combat aging is through consumable items that rewind the biological clock. The simplest of these, available in the base game, is the Potion of Youth. Obtainable from the Aspiration rewards store for a modest sum of reward points (1500, to be precise), this potion instantly resets your Sim`s current age within their life stage. An adult Sim nearing their golden years will suddenly find themselves back at the very beginning of adulthood. While consistently buying these potions can deplete your reward points, they become significantly more viable when combined with duplication methods introduced in expansion packs.
The Age-Away Serum, found within the Get to Work expansion, serves a similar function, also resetting the Sim`s current age. This requires a Sim to follow the Scientist career track to its highest echelons, where they will eventually discover the recipe. Crafting it, however, is a decidedly extraterrestrial endeavor, necessitating ingredients like Quill Fruit and Xenopetrium found only on the alien planet Sixam. Accessing Sixam requires building either a rocket ship or an Electroflux Wormhole Generator, both projects tied to the Scientist career. Xenopetrium, specifically, is often acquired by sending alien crystals and metals found on Sixam to the Geo Council for analysis.
For those with a magical inclination (requiring the Realm of Magic expansion), the Potion of Rejuvenation offers yet another age-resetting option. Concocted in a cauldron by a spellcaster, this potion requires valerian root, alabaster, and lemon. While alabaster and lemon are common, valerian root is most reliably found near the greenhouse in the Magic Realm itself. Experimenting with the cauldron is key to discovering this recipe, often yielding ingredients along the way. The shop vendors in the Magic Realm are also happy to supply any missing components for a price.
Crucially, replicating these youth elixirs is possible. Spellcasters with the Realm of Magic pack can use the Copypasto spell, while Scientist Sims in Get to Work can utilize the Cloning Machine. Both methods allow for easy duplication of completed potions/serums or even their rare ingredients, making a continuous supply of age-resetters significantly less tedious.
The True Immortality: Supernatural Endowments
Unlike the age-resetting consumables, certain supernatural states grant inherent or perk-based freedom from death by old age. The most classic example is becoming a Vampire, introduced in the pack of the same name. Vampires simply do not age past the young adult stage. While they remain susceptible to accidental deaths (sunlight, garlic exposure for the careless), the relentless tick-tock of the biological clock ceases entirely. A rather morbid, yet perhaps practical, side effect of vampirism is the ability to momentarily numb emotions, which can be surprisingly useful for skipping the grief process when, say, the rest of your non-immortal family inevitably passes on. Efficiency, even in eternal sorrow.
Werewolves, introduced in the Werewolves expansion, also have a claim to eternal life, though it`s not automatic. Unlike vampires, they must earn it. Deep within the Werewolf skill tree lies the Immortal Werewolf perk. Acquiring this final ability prevents the werewolf Sim from aging, granting them the same immunity to time`s passage as their fanged counterparts, provided they dedicate themselves fully to their lycanthropic nature.
It`s worth noting that the Realm of Magic expansion offers another variant of true immortality with the Potion of Immortality. This potion doesn`t reset age but specifically prevents death from old age. This is the chosen path for those who envision their Sim becoming a truly ancient, wise (or perhaps eccentric) wizard, living through the centuries without reverting to a sprightly young adult. This powerful concoction requires mandrake, sage, morcubus, and a diamond – a mix of common flora and more elusive gems or metals found through digging or purchased from magic vendors.
The Quirky and the Dangerous: Niche Longevity Methods
Beyond potions and supernatural states, a few less conventional methods exist for extending, or potentially resetting, a Sim`s lifespan. One involves the notorious Cowplant. Found within the base game, this carnivorous botanical horror is perhaps best known for consuming unsuspecting Sims. However, should the Cowplant successfully eat a Sim and another Sim then milk it (a process that requires surprising bravery or perhaps sheer obliviousness), the resulting Essence of Life potion can be obtained. Drinking this adds a few days to a Sim`s lifespan. While it would be an incredibly precarious and frankly, murderous, strategy to rely solely on this for perpetual life, it serves as a macabre, if inefficient, form of age extension.
The Seasons expansion introduces a surprisingly elegant method tied to the Flower Arranging skill. Sims who master this craft can create excellent-quality flower arrangements. By scenting such an arrangement with a rare Orchid, the resulting creation gains the power to affect aging. Giving this special arrangement a whiff can reduce a Sim`s current age, potentially even resetting it to zero. Orchids themselves are tricky to acquire, typically requiring skillful grafting (a lily onto a snapdragon, or vice versa) or a perilous expedition to the peak of Mt. Komorebi (with the Snowy Retreat expansion), where a single plant can be found.
Finally, within the StrangerVille expansion, an unusual alliance offers a unique form of longevity. The Mother Plant, the ultimate adversary of the StrangerVille storyline, can actually be befriended. A Sim who builds a strong relationship with this colossal, rather alien, entity can request a daily boon. One of the potential boons granted by a friendly Mother Plant is an extension of the Sim`s lifespan, offering a consistent, if unconventional, way to delay the inevitable.
Whether through science, magic, the embrace of the monstrous, botanical expertise, or befriending a giant plant, the path to immortality in The Sims 4 is varied and often requires significant dedication (and sometimes, an expansion pack or two). So, choose your method, gather your ingredients, hone your skills, or make some unusual friends – your favorite Sim`s eternity awaits.
Callum Darby