Post by Dungeon Master on Nov 9, 2014 17:24:44 GMT -5
Downtime & Lifestyle
Downtime activities and lifestyle maintenance are done when you’re not adventuring. They help to define adventurers outside their normally extraordinary adventures, grant bonuses, and can have an impact on how others perceive them.
Recording Downtime
The DM will post below the dates that pass by between adventures. To record your downtime activity, post your activity and the total number of days used toward it in the adventure notes section. For example, if you wanted to train to learn the Gnomish language and you spent 10 days doing so, post as follows:
Capt. Dagfin
Lifestyle: Modest
Training: Gnomish (2 days).
After each quest's downtime is reported, or before the next quest if no downtime is reported, the DM will post results, a total of training days towards skills, and any other cumulative progress.
Keep in mind of where your character is on his downtime by checking the Ship's Log thread in the Campaign Resources forum. If your character is at sea, he won't be able to practice with a tutor to teach him Gnomish, unless they pay extra for the tutor to join them at sea (skilled Hirelings cost 2gp/day). The same goes for crafting. A captain would find it difficult to let a blacksmith practice his profession on a wooden ship, as the flames of a forge could put the whole ship at risk.
Recording Lifestyle Expenses
Whenever you engage in a downtime activity, you must pay your lifestyle expenses, as described in chapter 5 of the basic rules or Player’s Handbook. Simply deduct the cost from your gold on your character sheet, and make note of it in your post. It takes a while to increase your lifestyle, but it’s easy to reduce it. If you spend one or more downtime days maintaining a lower lifestyle than your current lifestyle, your lifestyle changes to that new lifestyle. If you spend 30 downtime days maintaining a higher lifestyle than your current lifestyle, your lifestyle changes to that new lifestyle.
Lifestyles will have in game ramifications. A character living a Wealthy lifestyle will be clean, well dressed, and accepted by high society. A character living Wretched lifestyle will be dirty, homeless, and avoided by everyone but those living the same lifestyle.
Activities
If you want your character to engage in a downtime activity between episodes or adventures, you have the following options available to you.
Building a Stronghold. You can spend time between adventures building a stronghold. Before work can begin, the character must acquire a plot of land. If the estate lies within a nation or claimed domain, the character will need a charter, land grant, or deed granted by the local authority. Charters and land grants are usually given by an authority as a reward, although they can also be bought. Deeds can be bought or inherited. A small estate might sell for as little as 100gp or as much as 1,000gp. A large estate might cost 5,000gp or more, if it can be bought at all. Once the land is secured building can begin. Consult the DM for details on acquiring land and beginning construction.
Carousing. You spend your downtime engaged in a variety of hedonistic activities such as attending parties, binge drinking, gambling, or anything else that helps you cope with the perils you face on your adventures. Spend money as though maintaining a wealthy lifestyle for each day carousing. The DM will roll percentile dice and add your character's level, then compare the total to the Carousing table to determine what happens to the you. Results range from winning a fortune gambling to jail time for drunk and disorderly conduct.
Crafting. You can craft nonmagical objects. You must be proficient with tools related to the object you are trying to create. You might also need access to special materials or locations necessary to create it. For every day you spend crafting, you can craft one or more items with a total market value not exceeding 5gp, and you must expend raw materials worth half the total value. If crafting something worth more than 5gp, you make 5gp worth of progress towards the item. Multiple characters can all work towards crafting an item if they are all proficient and working in the same place. Each day per character spent makes 5gp worth of progress towards completion of the item. While crafting, you can maintain a modest lifestyle for free, or a comfortable lifestyle at half cost.
Crafting a Magic Item. Creating a magic item is a lengthy, expensive task. To start, you must have a formula that describes the construction of the item. After acquiring a formula (either during play or during downtime, contact DM for details). you must also be a spellcaster able to cast any spells the item can produce. Multiple characters can combine their efforts to create a magic item if each of them participates during the entire crafting process. While crafting a magic item, you can maintain a modest lifestyle without having to pay the 1gp/day, or a comfortable lifestyle at half the normal cost.
Gaining Renown. If you are part of an organization, you can increase your renown and rank within the organization. Between adventures, a character undertakes minor tasks for the organization and sociallizes with its members. After pursuing these activities for a combined number of days equal to his or her current renown multiplied by 10, the character's renown increases by 1.
Performing Sacred Rites. You can spend time performing sacred rites in a place affiliated with a god you revere. Between rites, you spend time in meditation and prayer. A character who is a priest can lead these rites, which might include weddings, funerals, and ordinations. A layperson can offer sacrifices or assist a priest with a rite. If you spend at least 10 days performing sacred rites you gain inspiration at the start of each day for the next 2d6 days.
Practicing a Profession. You can work between adventures, allowing you to maintain a modest lifestyle for free per each day spent. If you are a member of an organization that provides employment, like a temple or guild, you earn enough to support a comfortable lifestyle per each day spent.
Recruiting. The time between adventures is a great chance to recruit hirelings. The size of the community you are currently in determines how many hirelings you recruit per day (Village 1d4, Town 1d6, City 1d8). State whether you are looking for unskilled or skilled labor, and what professions you are looking for. You must spend 1gp/day to cover the cost of drinks, social appearances and the like. At the end of the time spent recruiting, make a DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check. Success brings hirelings to come work for you, but you must then pay for their salary (2sp/day per unskilled hireling, 2gp/day per skilled hireling). Failure means nothing happens, and further attempts cannot be tried again in that community for 30 days.
Recuperating. If you’re affected by a debilitating injury, disease, or poison and you haven’t found a way to get rid of it by the end of an episode or an adventure, you can use downtime to attempt to shake it off. Make a DC 15 Constitution save. If you succeed you can end an effect that prevents you from regaining hitpoints or advantage on saving throws for 24hrs against one disease or poison currently affecting you. If you don’t succeed, you begin the next episode or adventure affected.
Researching. The time between adventures is a great chance to perform research, gaining insight into mysteries that have unfurled over the course of the campaign. Research can include poring over dusty tomes and crumbling scrolls in a library or buying drinks for the locals to pry rumors and gossip from their lips. Tell your DM what information you are looking for, how long you spend looking and where you do your research. You may be required to make skill checks to obtain the information. The DM will inform you of whether you succeed or fail. Each day of research costs 1gp to cover expenses in addition to your lifestyle cost.
Running a Business. Adventurers can end up owning businesses that have nothing to do with delving into dungeons or saving the world. If you purchase or inherit a business, you can spend time between adventures maintaining the venture and making sure it runs smoothly. The Dm will roll percentile dice and add the number of days spent on this activity, then compare it to the Running a Business table. Results range from paying maintenance costs to breaking even to making a profit. If you are required to pay a cost and fail to do so, the business begins to fail. For each unpaid debt incurred you take a -10 penalty to subsequent rolls made on the table.
Selling Magic Items. Few people can afford magic items, and fewer know how to find one. You can spend downtime searching for a buyer. This activity can only be performed in a city or other location where one can find wealthy individuals. This can't be used to sell Legendary items or Artifacts, which requires an adventure or quest. For each salable item, make a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find buyers. Another character can use his downtime to assist with the search, granting advantage on the check. Failure means no buyer is found after 10 days of searching. Success means a buyer is found. Your DM will tell you how much time it took to find the buyer and how much the buyer offers.
Sowing Rumors. Swaying public opinion can be an effective way to bring down a villain or elevate a friend. Spreading rumors is an efficient, if underhanded, way to accomplish that goal. Well-place rumors can increase standing in a community or embroil someone in scandal. Doing this requires a number of days depending on the size of the community (Village 2d6 days, Town 4d6, City 6d6). The time spent must be continuous, otherwise the rumor fades without a benefit. You must spend 1gp/day to cover the cost of drinks, social appearances and the like. At the end of the time spent sowing the rumor, make a DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check. Success causes the prevailing attitude to shift towards the target by 1 step towards friendly or hostile, as you wish. Failure means nothing happens, and further attempts against the target fail and cannot be done again in that community for 30 days.
Spellcasting Services. If you finish an episode or adventure, need a spell cast, and have access to spellcasters, you can spend one downtime day (and pay lifestyle expenses) to have an appropriate spell cast. Spellcasting services are available in settlements of town size or larger, and have a cost associated with them. Alternatively, another party member can provide the service. Both you and the spellcaster in your party spend one downtime day to have the spells cast. Anyone in the party can pay the cost for consumed material components for spells such as raise dead.
Training. You can spend downtime days to work toward learning a new language or set of tools. First you must find an instructor to teach you. If you don't have one already available you may need to spend downtime researching. Training in a new language or set of tools takes 250 days total and costs 1gp/day in addition to lifestyle costs.
Other Activities: If you wish to do something not on this list, consult your DM.
Downtime activities and lifestyle maintenance are done when you’re not adventuring. They help to define adventurers outside their normally extraordinary adventures, grant bonuses, and can have an impact on how others perceive them.
Recording Downtime
The DM will post below the dates that pass by between adventures. To record your downtime activity, post your activity and the total number of days used toward it in the adventure notes section. For example, if you wanted to train to learn the Gnomish language and you spent 10 days doing so, post as follows:
Capt. Dagfin
Lifestyle: Modest
Training: Gnomish (2 days).
After each quest's downtime is reported, or before the next quest if no downtime is reported, the DM will post results, a total of training days towards skills, and any other cumulative progress.
Keep in mind of where your character is on his downtime by checking the Ship's Log thread in the Campaign Resources forum. If your character is at sea, he won't be able to practice with a tutor to teach him Gnomish, unless they pay extra for the tutor to join them at sea (skilled Hirelings cost 2gp/day). The same goes for crafting. A captain would find it difficult to let a blacksmith practice his profession on a wooden ship, as the flames of a forge could put the whole ship at risk.
Recording Lifestyle Expenses
Whenever you engage in a downtime activity, you must pay your lifestyle expenses, as described in chapter 5 of the basic rules or Player’s Handbook. Simply deduct the cost from your gold on your character sheet, and make note of it in your post. It takes a while to increase your lifestyle, but it’s easy to reduce it. If you spend one or more downtime days maintaining a lower lifestyle than your current lifestyle, your lifestyle changes to that new lifestyle. If you spend 30 downtime days maintaining a higher lifestyle than your current lifestyle, your lifestyle changes to that new lifestyle.
Lifestyles will have in game ramifications. A character living a Wealthy lifestyle will be clean, well dressed, and accepted by high society. A character living Wretched lifestyle will be dirty, homeless, and avoided by everyone but those living the same lifestyle.
Activities
If you want your character to engage in a downtime activity between episodes or adventures, you have the following options available to you.
Building a Stronghold. You can spend time between adventures building a stronghold. Before work can begin, the character must acquire a plot of land. If the estate lies within a nation or claimed domain, the character will need a charter, land grant, or deed granted by the local authority. Charters and land grants are usually given by an authority as a reward, although they can also be bought. Deeds can be bought or inherited. A small estate might sell for as little as 100gp or as much as 1,000gp. A large estate might cost 5,000gp or more, if it can be bought at all. Once the land is secured building can begin. Consult the DM for details on acquiring land and beginning construction.
Carousing. You spend your downtime engaged in a variety of hedonistic activities such as attending parties, binge drinking, gambling, or anything else that helps you cope with the perils you face on your adventures. Spend money as though maintaining a wealthy lifestyle for each day carousing. The DM will roll percentile dice and add your character's level, then compare the total to the Carousing table to determine what happens to the you. Results range from winning a fortune gambling to jail time for drunk and disorderly conduct.
Crafting. You can craft nonmagical objects. You must be proficient with tools related to the object you are trying to create. You might also need access to special materials or locations necessary to create it. For every day you spend crafting, you can craft one or more items with a total market value not exceeding 5gp, and you must expend raw materials worth half the total value. If crafting something worth more than 5gp, you make 5gp worth of progress towards the item. Multiple characters can all work towards crafting an item if they are all proficient and working in the same place. Each day per character spent makes 5gp worth of progress towards completion of the item. While crafting, you can maintain a modest lifestyle for free, or a comfortable lifestyle at half cost.
Crafting a Magic Item. Creating a magic item is a lengthy, expensive task. To start, you must have a formula that describes the construction of the item. After acquiring a formula (either during play or during downtime, contact DM for details). you must also be a spellcaster able to cast any spells the item can produce. Multiple characters can combine their efforts to create a magic item if each of them participates during the entire crafting process. While crafting a magic item, you can maintain a modest lifestyle without having to pay the 1gp/day, or a comfortable lifestyle at half the normal cost.
Gaining Renown. If you are part of an organization, you can increase your renown and rank within the organization. Between adventures, a character undertakes minor tasks for the organization and sociallizes with its members. After pursuing these activities for a combined number of days equal to his or her current renown multiplied by 10, the character's renown increases by 1.
Performing Sacred Rites. You can spend time performing sacred rites in a place affiliated with a god you revere. Between rites, you spend time in meditation and prayer. A character who is a priest can lead these rites, which might include weddings, funerals, and ordinations. A layperson can offer sacrifices or assist a priest with a rite. If you spend at least 10 days performing sacred rites you gain inspiration at the start of each day for the next 2d6 days.
Practicing a Profession. You can work between adventures, allowing you to maintain a modest lifestyle for free per each day spent. If you are a member of an organization that provides employment, like a temple or guild, you earn enough to support a comfortable lifestyle per each day spent.
Recruiting. The time between adventures is a great chance to recruit hirelings. The size of the community you are currently in determines how many hirelings you recruit per day (Village 1d4, Town 1d6, City 1d8). State whether you are looking for unskilled or skilled labor, and what professions you are looking for. You must spend 1gp/day to cover the cost of drinks, social appearances and the like. At the end of the time spent recruiting, make a DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check. Success brings hirelings to come work for you, but you must then pay for their salary (2sp/day per unskilled hireling, 2gp/day per skilled hireling). Failure means nothing happens, and further attempts cannot be tried again in that community for 30 days.
Recuperating. If you’re affected by a debilitating injury, disease, or poison and you haven’t found a way to get rid of it by the end of an episode or an adventure, you can use downtime to attempt to shake it off. Make a DC 15 Constitution save. If you succeed you can end an effect that prevents you from regaining hitpoints or advantage on saving throws for 24hrs against one disease or poison currently affecting you. If you don’t succeed, you begin the next episode or adventure affected.
Researching. The time between adventures is a great chance to perform research, gaining insight into mysteries that have unfurled over the course of the campaign. Research can include poring over dusty tomes and crumbling scrolls in a library or buying drinks for the locals to pry rumors and gossip from their lips. Tell your DM what information you are looking for, how long you spend looking and where you do your research. You may be required to make skill checks to obtain the information. The DM will inform you of whether you succeed or fail. Each day of research costs 1gp to cover expenses in addition to your lifestyle cost.
Running a Business. Adventurers can end up owning businesses that have nothing to do with delving into dungeons or saving the world. If you purchase or inherit a business, you can spend time between adventures maintaining the venture and making sure it runs smoothly. The Dm will roll percentile dice and add the number of days spent on this activity, then compare it to the Running a Business table. Results range from paying maintenance costs to breaking even to making a profit. If you are required to pay a cost and fail to do so, the business begins to fail. For each unpaid debt incurred you take a -10 penalty to subsequent rolls made on the table.
Selling Magic Items. Few people can afford magic items, and fewer know how to find one. You can spend downtime searching for a buyer. This activity can only be performed in a city or other location where one can find wealthy individuals. This can't be used to sell Legendary items or Artifacts, which requires an adventure or quest. For each salable item, make a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find buyers. Another character can use his downtime to assist with the search, granting advantage on the check. Failure means no buyer is found after 10 days of searching. Success means a buyer is found. Your DM will tell you how much time it took to find the buyer and how much the buyer offers.
Sowing Rumors. Swaying public opinion can be an effective way to bring down a villain or elevate a friend. Spreading rumors is an efficient, if underhanded, way to accomplish that goal. Well-place rumors can increase standing in a community or embroil someone in scandal. Doing this requires a number of days depending on the size of the community (Village 2d6 days, Town 4d6, City 6d6). The time spent must be continuous, otherwise the rumor fades without a benefit. You must spend 1gp/day to cover the cost of drinks, social appearances and the like. At the end of the time spent sowing the rumor, make a DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check. Success causes the prevailing attitude to shift towards the target by 1 step towards friendly or hostile, as you wish. Failure means nothing happens, and further attempts against the target fail and cannot be done again in that community for 30 days.
Spellcasting Services. If you finish an episode or adventure, need a spell cast, and have access to spellcasters, you can spend one downtime day (and pay lifestyle expenses) to have an appropriate spell cast. Spellcasting services are available in settlements of town size or larger, and have a cost associated with them. Alternatively, another party member can provide the service. Both you and the spellcaster in your party spend one downtime day to have the spells cast. Anyone in the party can pay the cost for consumed material components for spells such as raise dead.
Training. You can spend downtime days to work toward learning a new language or set of tools. First you must find an instructor to teach you. If you don't have one already available you may need to spend downtime researching. Training in a new language or set of tools takes 250 days total and costs 1gp/day in addition to lifestyle costs.
Other Activities: If you wish to do something not on this list, consult your DM.