Downtime Activities Guide

These are activities player characters can partake in to hopefully gain something in return, be it gold, magic items, information or perhaps contacts.

Since there is mostly no time to do crafting during game time we use Downtime Points (DTP) to handle activities that characters would accomplish between adventures. You gain DTP at the end of a game session, depending on how long the session lasted.

See the Downtime Points page for more detailed information on DTP itself.

Requirements for each activity are detailed at the beginning of each section (hover over a requirement or click the link for more details). If you are unsure about anything feel free to ask Staff for any help you need.

Some of these activities can’t be done in Red Larch and therefore require travel into a major city, the activity will specify whether it requires a major city or not.

The following is an abridged list of possibilities for spending DTP. Full details can be found in Xanathar's Guide To Everything (pages 125-134).

Travel
Requirements Some activities can’t be done in Red Larch and therefore require travel to a major city detailed bellow. The activity will specify whether it requires a major city or not. The following table shows the required GP and DTP cost to travel to the following cities. If you wish to travel there and back you must double the shown cost Travel in adventures and games - If you find yourself in a place at the end of an adventure feel free to use what the city has to offer. While there are no DTP costs for travel in adventure sessions, you will need to find your own way back to Red Larch after your business is done. Be sure to mention which game provided you this travel when you log it, and consult the DM on travel time if it isn't listed bellow.
 * To be recorded in #downtime-log

Unlisted Travel Times - If you find you'd like to travel to a location not on the above list, feel free to consult Staff on calculating something for you to use, if it's used enough it may be added to the list above.

Magical means of Travel - Teleportation, magical steeds and the like are often available to players as they gain higher levels. Such means are acceptable forms of travel, provided your character has access to them. Be it an item, Spell, or an agreement with an NPC or other guild member. Just be sure to mention how your character travels in each post made in the #downtime-log

Buying Magic Items
Requirements You will go on the lookout for magic items in one of the major cities. The rarity of the items you find is determined by a Charisma (Persuasion), Intelligence (Investigation), or Insight (Wisdom) check. The amount and which items you find will be determined by dice roll as detailed in XGtE. Afterwards the price of the respective item is determined by a dice roll each. If you plan to gain any magic items this is the way to go. You cannot shop for a specific magic item.
 * Staff/DM supervision in #dm-supervised-rolls.
 * To be recorded in #downtime-log

Keep in mind that you may need high amounts of DTP and Gold Pieces if you want to reroll the outcome a couple of times to hit something you really want. A DM may allow you to roll on lower Tables at their discretion.

Complications for Magic Item Buying
Complications increase in the following fashion. For every week you buy a magic item(s) in the same DM supervised session, complications increase by 10%.

In addition, after you buy more exotic items, increase the complication chance by: Rare +10%, Very Rare +20%, Legendary +30%.

Complications should generally result in a Session (even if it's just 1 or 2 hours in length) to resolve, unless it's just paying more money, etc.

Carousing
Requirements You want to gain criminal contacts in Waterdeep? Or a wealthy business partner in Neverwinter? When you travel into a rural area it might be helpful to know somebody who was raised there. All this can be achieved by going out and having a drink with the right people.
 * Founder/Keeper supervision in #dm-supervised-rolls.
 * May require travel to a major city depending on the intention or goal
 * Minimum DTP cost is 5 DTP
 * Minimum GP cost is 10 GP

Supervised by a Keeper/Founder you can gain new contacts. Most of them will be friendly towards you and are willing to help you out. A resource that can prove to be extremely useful in the right situation. If you are a very uncharismatic or unlucky person though you might even make a hostile contact. Your new found NPC contacts will, however, not risk their life to help you neither will they commit a crime to hurt you. But if you need an informant or somebody who helps you get into parties, they will most certainly do you that favor.

The officials will keep track of the NPCs you gained but you should mark them down on your character sheet as well with a little description and reference when you gained them.

Crafting items
Requirements We use the crafting rules specified in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (p.128-130) for all non-magical items. Expertise with a crafting tool reduces the DTP-cost of non-magical items by 50%.
 * To be recorded in #downtime-log
 * Relevant Tool/Skill Proficiency
 * Magic Items may have special requirements detailed bellow

Magic Items
You can craft magic items up to and including Very Rare following the rules specified in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (p.129). In regard to this you may require specific components that are used in the crafting process. If you want to create a magic item make sure to talk to a DM in #find-a-game. They will help you set up the means to obtain said materials. This may include one or multiple quests.

Healing Potions
All Healing Potions can be crafted with a Herbalism Kit for the following:

Poisons
All poisons can be crafted with the Poisoner’s Kit. Some however require a part from a specific creature to craft. You are allowed to request quests with a DM to obtain these creature parts and enable the crafting of said poisons. A list of Poisons can be found in the Dungeon Master Guide (p.257-258)

Spell Scrolls
Scrolls can be crafted with Arcana Proficiency and the relevant spell known by the crafter. Scrolls can be flavoured as well to be scribed on things such as wood, leather, metal, crystal ect. They are however not mechanically changed in any way. For example their durability and destructibility are unaffected as is their size, weight ect. The crafting of Spell scrolls follows the rules specified in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (p.133).

Armor & Weapons
Remember that if you choose to craft a magical piece of armour or a magical weapon that you will have to provide with the material cost of the mundane version of the respective armour/weapon. Alternatively you can choose to enchant an non-magical version of the item for just the Magic Item cost.

Artificers are a special case in this rule. To find out more contact a Staff member.

Enchanting an Existing Non-Magical Item
You may enhance an existing non-magical item you own for just the Magic Item cost.

Tuning Forks (Planeshift)
To allow characters of sufficient level to craft tuning forks for planar travel, here are a few options. Characters must know, be able to prepare, or have in their spellbook the Plane Shift spell. ==== A character may conduct specialized research as a downtime activity to learn the required information about a tuning fork. A character must make three successful Intelligence checks. A single check takes 1 workweek of DTP and 50gp. A character may spend additional GP or DTP as per the standard research activity to gain an additional bonus. The DC for the checks is listed below.

A character who has taken at least one long rest on a plane and actively said they are studying the plane to craft a tuning fork, may make an Arcana check, on a success they learn the necessary information to craft a tuning fork for that plane. If they fail the check, they may make another Arcana check for every additional long rest they spend on the plane. See the referring list for DCs.

A character may undertake a quest to acquire a tuning fork. The difficulty of the quest should be scaled to the corresponding difficulty of crafting such a tuning fork.

Characters may ask for retroactive Arcana checks for long rests they have taken on other planes to learn the requirements for crafting a tuning fork.

The Arcana or Downtime DC is set as follows: Material Plane DC 15, Shadowfell, Feywild & Transitive Planes DC 20, Inner Planes DC 25, Outer Planes, Positive and Negative Planes DC 30, Demiplanes and Other Obscure Planes up to DMs discretion.

Gambling
Requirements It is not gambling if you know that you will win.
 * Founder/Keeper supervision in #dm-supervised-rolls.
 * Travel to a major city
 * Minimum DTP cost is 5 DTP
 * Minimum GP cost is 10 GP
 * Max bet 10,000 GP

But since you’re rolling a die to determine the outcome, it is very much gambling. A supervising Keeper or Founder will determine DCs for you to beat in order to be able to gain up to double the amount of your stake. Proficiency with Gambling sets come in handy here. On the other hand, you may lose all of the money and suffer a debt of that amount or run into loan sharks. Insight, Deception, Intimidation. Can replace any with a gambling set roll. I guess it is a gamble after all.

Complications for Gambling
Complications should generally result in a Session (even if it's just 1 or 2 hours in length) to resolve, unless it's just paying more money, etc.

Learning Tools & Languages
Requirements With enough time, funds and dedication adventurers can learn almost every language there is to learn and master every tool there is to master. Another factor is that you always need a teacher. For the languages and tool proficiencies listed in the PHB you can find teachers in every major city. Keep in mind that as per XGtE (p. 134) you may reduce the necessary time and by that the money cost by an amount of workweeks equal to your Intelligence modifier when you learn a new language or a tool proficiency, but not improve proficiency to expertise.
 * To be recorded in #downtime-log
 * Travel to a major city or place of study with a relevant teacher

We allow PCs to learn rare languages as well. But if you want to croak with the Grung or have a chitterchatter with a Tlincalli you will need a teacher first. To find someone fitting please go to #find-a-game and request a DM to run an adventure that rewards you with the option to learn the language you wish for. If you accomplish the task you can learn the language for cost specified above.

Pit fighting
Requirements Queue eye of the tiger and brace your knuckles because you’re down in the fighting pits. A supervising Keeper or Founder will determine DCs for you to beat with ability checks that focus on your character’s physical prowess. If you are able to succeed you may win up to 200 GP. But mind you that there is a lot of adrenaline in these fights and the business around them, so you may have to deal with complications afterwards.
 * Founder/Keeper supervision in #dm-supervised-rolls.
 * Travel to a major city
 * Minimum DTP cost is 5 DTP

Relaxation
Requirements Adventuring is a stressful experience. Which means sometimes your character will just need some time to unwind. This helps with most ongoing healing processes and the curing of diseases. In any case it will keep your character from suffering from occupational burnout.
 * Minimum DTP cost is 5 DTP

Religious Service
Requirements Is your character on good terms with the gods? Then you might consider doing their servants in the material plane a solid to gain some favors in return. You will need to seek out a temple that aligns with your characters believes and let a Keeper or Founder determine the outcome of an ability check that you make at the end of the required time. Up to two favors can be gained this way. Favors can be expended to ask the temple for political or social support or to reduce the cost of a cleric spellcasting by 50%.
 * Founder/Keeper supervision in #dm-supervised-rolls.
 * May require travel based on the intention or goal
 * Minimum DTP cost is 5 DTP

Research
Requirements Knowledge is power and you can’t have enough power when it comes to go on an adventure with your fellow guildmates. Researching with your character will require a Keeper or Founder and in cases where you want to gain knowledge for a specific session the relevant DM of said session. Going from your characters intelligence you will be making a ability check at the end of the week that you may modify by investing up to 600 GP. With that check you may learn up to three pieces of lore that either the relevant DM, Keeper or Founder will unveil to you.
 * Founder/Keeper supervision in #dm-supervised-rolls.
 * May require travel based on the intention or goal
 * Minimum DTP cost is 1 DTP
 * Minimum GP cost is 10 GP

Selling Magic Items
Requirements Mundane items can be bought/sold in Red Larch. In both instances we refer you to the prices detailed in the PHB half for selling. Every transaction/trades with NPCs are recorded in #downtime-log. Trades with other PCs go in #trade-log.
 * Founder/Keeper supervision in #dm-supervised-rolls.
 * Requires travel to a major city
 * Minimum DTP cost is 5 DTP
 * Minimum GP cost is 100 GP

Complications for Magic Item Selling
Complications increase in the following fashion. For every check you make to look for a buyer or sell magic items in the same DM supervised session, complications increase by 10%.

In addition, after you sell more exotic items, increase the complication chance by: Rare +10%, Very Rare +20%. Legendary and Artifact auto comp.

Complications should generally result in a Session (even if it's just 1 or 2 hours in length) to resolve, unless it's just paying more money, etc.

Working:
Requirements  Those who are exceptional at their craft or trade can work during their downtime to earn a good wage in many cities of the land.
 * Founder/Keeper supervision in #dm-supervised-rolls.
 * May require travel based on the work
 * Minimum DTP cost is 5 DTP

Resources. This activity requires one workweek of effort.

Resolution. The character must make a series of checks, with a DC determined at random based on the challenges of finding buyers and sellers  for goods, the quality of the work completed, and more. The DC for each check is rolled by a Founder or DM. Consult the DC table to determine the roll.

To determine how much money a character earns, the character makes three ability checks: Intelligence (Investigation) or Wisdom (Insight), Relevant ability using a set of tools or Charisma using a musical instrument, and Charisma (Persuasion). However, the DM is allowed to swap out any of these checks for something more appropriate pending the type of work and/or strengths of the character.

Consult the Wages table to see how much money is generated according to the total of the check.

Tiers. Not anyone can afford to hire famous adventurers to do their everyday work for them and the wages should represent that. Your wage increases the higher standing you have.

On the other hand, paying as much as they do for a certain service your clients expect better of you than of a regular worker they pick up on the streets. Therefore the DC increases in higher tiers as well.

Naturally a character can decide to work at lower tiers if they are high enough level to be able to choose. (e.g. a level 16 character working in Tier 2 instead of Tier 3) Tier DCs Wages

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Tier 4 (Legendary Tier: Higher Risk, Higher Reward) Complications. While working for higher tier clients gets you more money, ultimately people in that circle could be fickle, changeable and unreasonable. The chance for complications stays 10% for all tiers except legendary tier. However, DMs should keep in mind the tier they are working with when determining a suitable complication, as in, raise the difficulty or the consequences of them accordingly.