Downtime & Investigations

Investigating a Mystery (AWW)

Espionage is an act that requires careful consideration. Beware that even your most subtle skills can reveal your presence by leaving behind conspicuous silence or absences! With that in mind, you are on the hunt, while simultaneously others are on the hunt for you. Every inquiry you make is another person your enemies can question to lead them back to you. But it’s also a big city, so with that in mind, here are some rules for navigating this cat-and-cat-and-cat-and-mouse game you play.

The rules for investigation itself are simple: Choose a location or NPC of which you already know the whereabouts,, and state how you’re investigating. Most often, you will roll either an Intelligence (Investigation) or a Charisma (Investigation) check, and ask your DM the question you are seeking to answer.

Depending on how you roll, you will get no answer, a broad answer, or an exact answer. There may be a brief scene where you and/or others roleplay the exchange, but the most important thing is the DM cannot lie. There may not be much elaboration, but the answer will be truthful, without intent to mislead you.

Staying hidden is more complex: Each character starts with a Hidden score of 30. Every time you venture into the city to track down leads, you open yourself up to discovery, and your enemies will get to roll their own investigation check to find you. You may oppose this roll with a Dexterity (Stealth) or Charisma (Stealth) check. If your enemies’ investigation check is higher than your stealth check, your Hidden score is reduced by an amount equal to the difference. You will not know the results of this opposed check, nor what your Hidden score is afterwards. Your Hidden score will increase by 5 every day you stay away from Aeori.

As for everything, there is a cost. Venturing into Aeori to Investigate will take a full work day and cost 1 gp— accounting for any food, stabling, other supplies, etc you’ll need while within the city. But money talks. You may spend more gold to increase your Investigation check, accounting for bribes, entry fees to exclusive areas, and purchasing goods and services relating to information gathering. For every 5 gp you spend, you gain a +1 bonus to your Investigation check, however, you will also incur a -1 penalty to your Stealth check, since a money trail is easier to track.

This downtime and related investigation will continue until you collectively decide to go on an adventure, quest, plot, machination, or scheme, OR until you are found out and pursued. But just because this can take as long as you want doesn’t mean the clock stops turning— and even a broken clock is right every once in a while. Tick Tock!

Carousing (XGtE)

You choose whether to spend time with the lower, middle, or upper class, costing 10, 50, and 250 gp per week respectively. If you want to spend time with the upper class, you'll either need access to the local nobility or be disguised with one. During the week you mingle, party, and socialize with members of that social class. At the end of the week, you gain a number of contacts within that class. Some examples are criminals in the lower class, soldiers in the middle class, and nobles in the upper class. This option is great for collecting allies and intel, especially if you are new to the area. If your character is a charismatic one who needs information, like a Bard or an Inquisitive Rogue,  it’s not a bad idea to carouse as much as you can

Crafting Non-Magical Items (PHB & XGtE)

If you have enough time, tools, and materials, you can finally put those tool proficiencies to use and create something. For everyday of downtime, you can craft up to 50 gp worth of items and spend half the cost in raw materials. If the item you are trying to craft exceeds 50 gp, you can make 50 gp of progress towards it per day, and if multiple people work on it, they each add an additional 5 gp of progress towards it. So if you have proficiency in smith's tools, you can spend 10 days to create a set of half plate armor (500 gp), or if you have a friend helping you, you can create the half plate in only 5 days. In addition, while you are crafting, you can maintain a modest lifestyle without paying the cost or a comfortable lifestyle for half the cost.

Doing this can be a good way of getting mileage out of your tool proficiency without waiting for an opportunity. Forge Clerics can create armor and Assassins can create poisons. Oftentimes it's better to create cheap and easy to make items as you will rarely have enough time to finish large projects like plate armor or a 1000 gp spyglass. If you don't want to pay the lifestyle cost and you have a tool proficiency, this is probably the best thing you can do.

Crafting Magical Items (DMG & XGtE)

Alternatively, if you're a spell caster with tool proficiencies, you can add a touch of magic to your items. Crafting a magical item is a long and complicated process. First the crafter needs to be able to cast spells, and if they're imbuing an item with a specific spell, they must be able to cast it. If the item requires a tool proficiency to make, like if you're making a magic sword, the crafter will need proficiency in said tools, like smith's tools. Second, the crafter will need a formula of the magical item. If the crafter is creating their own, home brewed item or the DM feels like it, the formula might not be needed. Third, you will need materials. Unlike non-magical items, magical items require specific materials that could take whole adventures to gather. Check with your DM to see what you need and how hard it is to gather.

Once you have all the requirements, you can finally start crafting.

The item you create is up to the player and the DM. You can choose from the magical items in the DMG or you can create a unique item if both the player and the DM are okay with it. This opens up a world of possibilities for the player and lets them add personalized magical items for their character. As with crafting non-magical items, you don't have to pay the cost for a modest lifestyle or pay half for a comfortable lifestyle.

Crime (XGtE)

For those rogues out there whose party won't let them be a kleptomaniac, they can spend their downtime getting a little extra coin. You can spend your downtime planning and executing a heist. First, you spend 25 gp and a workweek on intel. Then, you make a series of crime related checks, such as stealth for not getting caught and deception since you got caught. The amount of successful checks determines the outcome of the heist, ranging from being caught and jailed to making it out with a small fortune. However, crime isn't easy and your DM may choose to put in some consequences. The most common ones include police investigations or a bounty on the character's head. However, if you have a plan or you know you aren't going to be staying in the town for long, then committing some crime isn't so bad.

Gambling (XGtE)

Unlike carousing in the DMG, gambling throws out all the other events and lets you deal purely with money. And if you have proficiency in any of the gaming sets, like dice or card sets, then this is your time to shine. Gambling requires a workweek and anywhere from 10 gp to 1000 gp. Xanthar's requires you to roll specific skills, but if your DM allows it, you can replace them with other skills such as sleight of hand, deception, or your various gaming set proficiencies. The results can range from crippling debt to winning up to three times your bet. Overall, if you're confident in lady luck or know the tricks of the trade, gambling is a fun way of earning money.

Performing Sacred Rights (DMG) / Religious Services (XGtE)

For all the paladins and clerics out there, you can spend your free time praising your god. If there is a temple near you that is affiliated with your god, you can spend your time performing sacred ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, and sacrifices. If you can do this for at least ten days, you'll be rewarded with inspiration every day for 2d6 days. On the flip side, Xanthar's allows you to gain a different type of advantage. If you spend a workweek doing the aforementioned ceremonies, you could gain favor from your god or the church. These can either be favors you can ask the church, help with spellcasting costs, or divine interventions from the god/DM themselves. So when the adventure does start, you'll have a leg up on whatever trouble you'll be facing that day. If you are a cleric or paladin or your character is just super religious, I would seriously consider doing this if you have ten days to spare.

Pit Fighting (XGtE)

Show of your inner macho man in the ring by pit fighting. Pit fights consist of organized, competitive, non-lethal fights, though your DM can choose to make them lethal. Your DM can choose to enact each of these fights, creating a separate combat encounter for each one, or roll with the rules given in Xanthar's. As with most of XGtE's downtime activities, you make a series of checks that determine the outcome at the end of the workweek, ranging from losing all your fights to gaining a small some of gp, which can either be decided from the table or your DM. The difference in gambling and other activities is the small amount of risk involved. Unlike committing crimes or gambling, you lose nothing if you fail all your rolls, so if you are a tough fighter looking to make coin, try pit fighting.

Practicing a Profession (PHB)

If you don't want to pay those pesky lifestyle expenses, you can go from action-packed adventuring to working a 9-5 job. Practicing a profession allows you to live a modest lifestyle without paying the cost as long as you keep working. If you are apart of a guild or group, like a thieves guild, you instead gain enough for a comfortable lifestyle. Finally, if your character is willing to put themselves out there and has a proficiency in performance, they can perform and maintain a wealthy lifestyle without paying the cost.

Recuperating (PHB) / Relaxing (XGtE)

Surprisingly, unlike the other differences, relaxing in both the PHB and XGtE give the same benefits. In order to relax, you must be able to maintain a modest lifestyle while you recuperate. For a whole week. You gain an advantage against any diseases and poisons affecting you, you end any effect that stops you from regaining health, and you can restore one ability score back to its original score if it had been decreased. All in all, if your character is injured or they just need to enjoy some R&R, recuperating is a good way of spending your downtime.

Researching (DMG/XGtE)

If you're playing a studious wizard or a cautious ranger, then you'll want to research so you'll be prepared for the troubles ahead. You spend your downtime researching a specific subject or topic that you state at the beginning of your research. Your DM can decide how long it takes to research the subject or you can spend a workweek according to Xanthar's, and they may require you to make some rolls. In addition, you must pay an extra amount on top of your lifestyle expenses, ranging from +1 gold per day in the DMG or 50 gp in the XGtE. At the end of the researching period, the DM will give information relating to your research, ranging from locations to lore to monster statistics. If you need more intel on what you're facing or the little metagamer inside you wants to get out, try researching for a bit. It never hurts to be prepared

Scribing Spell Scrolls (XGtE)

If you're worried about wasting your precious spell points, then you should try your hand at making spell scrolls. In order to make spell scrolls you need proficiency in arcana, the ability to cast spells, time, gold, and any material components needed for the spell. Scribing spell scrolls is one of the best ways spellcasters spending their downtime, since it allows them to create a sort of toolbox of spells without having to prepare them. Remember, casting a spell with a scroll is only a Bonus Action

Sowing Rumors (DMG)

If you want to channel your inner "Mean Girls" or you're just a charismatic guy seeking to cause some drama, spreading rumors is an option for you. You can spend your downtime and a little bit of extra gold to spread rumors about a specific person or organization. The bigger the place, the longer it takes for word to get around. The rumors can range from scandalous accusations that will tarnish a reputation to good deeds that will make them seem a little bit nicer. If you're playing a social campaign or just really dislike a person, sowing rumors is a fun way of ruining a person's public image.

Training (PHB/XGtE)

Self-improvement is important for everyone, including your character. Although the rules vary in both books, the same process is still there. First, you need to find a mentor or instructor to teach you how to do the skill. They can range from a war general teaching you how to use a certain weapon, a professor teaching you a language, or a wood elf teaching you how to survive in the wilds. By the book, you can only learn a new language or tool proficiency, but if you want to learn something other than that, you'll have to run it by your DM first. After you find your teacher, you can spend a number of days and gold learning the skill, and at the end of the process, you'll be proficient in the tool or language. If you want your character to speak a specific language, progress is doubled.

Remember, this is D&D. What you do with your downtime is up to you.

If you have it in mind to do something that doesn’t fit any of these. Fuck it! Let’s go!