Entertainment and Downtime

Any campaign benefits when characters have time between adventures to engage in other activities. Allowing days, weeks, or months to pass between adventures stretches the campaign over a longer period of time and helps to manage the characters' level progression, preventing them from gaining too much power too quickly.

Allowing characters to pursue side interests between adventures also encourages players to become more invested in the campaign world(s). When a character owns a cantina in a city or spends time carousing with the locals, the character's player becomes more likely to respond to threats to the city and its inhabitants.

As your campaign progresses, your players' characters will not only become more powerful, but also more influential and invested in the world. They might be inclined to undertake projects that require more time between adventures, such as building and maintaining a stronghold. As the party gains levels, you can add more downtime between adventures to give characters the time they need to pursue such interests. Whereas days or weeks might pass between low-level adventures, the amount of downtime between higher-level adventures might be measured in months or years.

Downtime activities are tasks that usually take a workweek (five days of work plus two days of rest) or longer to perform. These tasks can include buying or creating enhanced items, criminal activities, general carousing, or simply working a job. A character selects a downtime activity from among those available, and you, as GM, then follow the rules for the activity to resolve it, informing the player of the results and any complications that ensue.

Resources#

Each activity has a resource requirement, typically comprised of money and time, though some may have greater requirements. The required amount of money and time to perform an activity varies, as described in the activity's resource description.

Resolution#

The Resolution portion of each activity's description tells you how to resolve it. Many activities require an ability check, so be sure to note the character's relevant ability modifiers. Follow the steps in the activity, and determine the results.

Most downtime activities require at least a workweek to complete. Some activities require days, weeks (7 days), or even months (30 days). A character must spend at least 8 hours of each day engaged in the downtime activity for that day to count toward the activity's completion.

For many downtime activities, the days of an activity don't need to be consecutive; you can spread them over a longer period of time than is required for the activity. But that period should be no more than twice as long as the required time, otherwise you risk introducing additional complications (see below), and possibly double the activity's costs to represent the inefficiency of the character's progress.

Complications#

The description of each activity includes a discussion of complications you can throw at the characters. The consequences of a complication might spawn entire adventures, introduce NPCs to vex the party, or give characters headaches and advantages in any number of other ways. One of the most common—and recurring—types of complications is the introduction of rivals.

Each of these sections has a table that offers possible complications. You can use a complication from the table, or invent your own complication.

Uptime#

While most downtime activities aren't suitable for enacting during a session due to the requisite time requirements, others are. For those activities suitable for engaging in during a session, uptime exists. Uptime rules cover what actions need to be taken. Uptime rules often use their own resources, Resolution, and complications.

Rivals are NPCs who oppose the characters and make their presence felt whenever the characters are engaging in downtime. A rival might be a villain you have featured in past adventures or plan to use in the future. Rivals can include more than just malicious entities—they might be unaligned folk who are at odds with the characters, whether because they have opposing goals or they simply dislike one another. A rival might be a third party the players inadvertently snubbed throughout their adventures, or simply a vindictive bystander who is convinced that the party is up to no good.

A rival's agenda changes over time. Though the characters engage in downtime only between adventures, their rivals rarely rest, continuing to spin plots and work against the characters even when the characters are off doing something else.

Creating a Rival#

It's possible for the characters to have one or more rivals at a time, each with a separate agenda. At least one should be a villain, while the others might not be nefarious characters; conflicts with those rivals might be social or political, rather than manifesting as direct attacks.

The best rivals have a connection with their adversaries on a personal level. Find links in the characters' backstories or the events of recent adventures that explain what sparked the rival's actions. The best trouble to put the characters in is trouble they created for themselves. You can find sample rival ties in the Example Rivals table to the right.

To add the right amount of detail to a rival you want to create, give some thought to what the NPC is trying to accomplish and what resources and methods the rival can bring to bear against the characters.

Goals#

An effective rival has a clear reason for interfering with the characters' lives. Think about what the rival wants, how and why the characters stand in the way, and how the conflict could be resolved. Ideally, a rival's goal directly involves the characters or something they care about.

Plans#

The foundation of a rival's presence in the campaign is the actions the rival takes or the events that occur as a result of that character's goals. Each time you resolve one or more workweeks of downtime, pick one of the ways a rival's plans might be advanced and introduce it into play.

Think about how a rival might operate in order to bring specific plans to fruition, and jot down three or four kinds of actions the rival might undertake. Some of these might be versions of the downtime activities described in the \-\-\- chapter, but these are more often efforts specific to that rival. These actions might be a direct attack, such as an assassination attempt, that you can play out during a session, or it might be a background activity that you describe as altering the campaign in some way. For instance, if the characters pursue a specific artifact, the rival might learn of the plans and attempt to retrieve it first.

Example Rivals#

Some elements of a rivals plans might involve events in the world that aren't under the rival's control. Whether such an event can be easily anticipated or not, the rival's plans might include contigencies for taking advantage of such happenings.

Assets#

Think about the resources the rival can marshal. Does the character have enough money to pay bribes or to hire a small gang of mercenaries? Does the rival hold sway over any guilds, factions, or other groups? Make a list of the rival's assets and how they can be used.

Example Rival: Brogg Chak#

The Chak clan is a small but powerful family of geonosians traders in the city, but years ago, they pulled up stakes and left overnight. Brogg Chak, the youngest scion, has now returned to restore his family's prestige.

In truth, the family fled because its members had been evading the city's requisite taxes. A corrupt official who was an ally informed the family that a raid on their business was going to be conducted, so they fled the city and began operating as smugglers. After climbing the ranks of their smuggling ring, Brogg—along with a small army of followers—has returned to claim his place among the elite of his former home city. He vows that he will succeed, or leave the city in ruins.

Goals#

Brogg wants to become the most respected and most important merchant in town—someone to whom even the governing body must yield.

Plans#

Brogg plans to discredit and ruin other merchants. His allies spy on his opponents, disrupting their trade routes, stealing their wares, and causing minor chaos. Brogg disrupts his own warehouses to avoid suspicion.

If Brogg's plan fails, he intends to use his forces to assassinate as much of the ruling body as possible, as well as his merchant peers.

Brogg's Plans#

Assets#

Brogg has a small fortune, some noteworthy skills in espionage, and a substantial following that is dedicated to him.

One of the galaxy's oldest professions, bounty hunting is a lucrative—but dangerous—activity that is held in great esteem by adventurers.

Resources#

Bounty hunting requires one workweek and at least 500 cr spent on materials, bribes, gifts, and other expenses. Spending more money increases your chance of successfully collecting your bounty, as shown in Resolution.

Resolution#

After one workweek, the character makes a Wisdom (Survival) check, with a +1 bonus per 500 cr spent beyond the initial 500 cr, up to a maximum bonus of +5. The character then consults the Bounty Hunting Roll Modifier table below.

Bounty Hunting Roll Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Bounty Hunting Results table, which is discussed below.

Once the player has determined their bounty hunting roll modifier, they then roll percentile dice and consult the Bounty Hunting Results table below.

Bounty Hunting Results#

Complications#

Bounty hunting is a dangerous profession that involves interaction with many seedy and nefarious characters, and targets rarely go willingly. Consequently, each workweek spent bounty hunting brings a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Bounty Hunting Complications#

Uptime#

Bounty hunting is another activity that many characters will find attractive, but it is better executed using the three pillars of adventuring. The GM can determine that complications arise, as appropriate.

Purchasing an enhanced item requires time and money to seek out and contact people willing to sell items. Even then, there is no guarantee a seller will have the items a character desires.

A character looking to purchase a standard, premium, prototype, advanced, or possibly legendary enhanced item can spend downtime searching for a seller. The downtime activity can be performed only in a city or another location where one can find individuals interested in parting with enhanced items. Artifact enhanced items can't be purchased during downtime. Finding such an item can be the substance of an adventure in and of itself.

Resources#

Finding enhanced items to purchase requires at least five days of effort and 1,000 cr in expenses. Spending more time and money increases your chance of finding a high-quality item, as shown in Resolution.

Resolution#

A character seeking to buy an enhanced item makes an Intelligence (Investigation) check to determine the rarity of the item found. The character gains a +1 bonus on the check for every five days beyond the first that are spent seeking a seller, and a +1 bonus for every additional 1,000 cr spent on the search, up to a maximum bonus of +10. The monetary cost includes a wealthy lifestyle, for a buyer must impresses potential business partners.

If the characters seek a specific enhanced item, have them make the check twice. If both checks succeed, they find a seller with the specific enhanced item. Otherwise, use the lower of the two rolls to determine what rarity item they find for sale.

The result of the check determines the rarity of the item for sale, as shown below in the Purchasable Enhanced Item table.

Purchasable Enhanced Items#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Buying an Enhanced Item table, which is discussed below.

Once a seller is found, the player rolls percentile dice and consults the Buying an Enhanced Item table below, applying a modifier based on the item's rarity, as shown in the Purchaseable Enhanced Items table.

You determine a seller's identity. Seller sometimes move prototype, advanced, and legendary items through proxies to ensure that their identities remain unknown.

As a further option to reflect the availability of enhanced items in your campaign, you can apply up to a -10 penalty for a scarce setting, or up to a +10 bonus for a setting where enhanced items are more common, when resolving the d100 roll for buying enhanced items, as appropriate.

Buying an Enhanced Item#

Complications#

The buying and selling of enhanced items is fraught with peril. The large sums of money involved and the power offered by enhanced items attract thieves, con artists, and other villains. If the characters encounter a shady seller, they have a 50 percent chance of triggering a complication. Otherwise, they have a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Buying Complications#

Uptime#

The GM can determine whether or not buying enhanced items can be performed during uptime.

Carousing is a default downtime activity for many characters. Between adventures, who doesn't want to relax with a few drinks and a group of friends at a cantina?

Resources#

Carousing covers a workweek of fine food, strong drink, and socializing. A character can attempt to carouse among lower-, middle-, or upper-class people. Carousing with the lower-, middle-, or upper-class costs 100, 500, or 2,500 cr for the workweek, respectively.

A character with an appropriate background, such as noble, can easily mingle with the upper class, but other characters can only do so if you judge that character has made sufficient contacts. Alternatively, a character might use a disguise kit to pass as a noble visiting from a distant city.

If the player elects to disguise themselves, they must make a Charisma (Deception) check instead of a Charisma (Persuasion) check during Resolution.

Resolution#

After a workweek of carousing, a character stands to make contacts within the selected social class. The character makes a Charisma (Persuasion) check, and consults the Carousing Roll Modifier table below:

Carousing Roll Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Carousing Results table, which is discussed below.

Once the player has determined their carousing roll modifier, they then roll percentile dice and consult the Carousing Results table below.

Carousing Results#

Contacts are NPCs who now share a bond with the character. Each one either owes the character a favor or has some reason to hold a grudge. A hostile contact works against the character, placing obstacles but stopping short of committing a crime or violent act, possibly even developing into a rival. Allied contacts are friends who will render aid to the character, but not at the risk of their lives.

Lower-class contacts include criminals, laborers, mercenaries, a guardsman, or any other folk who normally frequent the chepeast cantina in town.

Middle-class contacts include guild members, town officials, merchants, and other folk who frequent well-kept establishments.

Upper-class contacts are the nobles, elite, and their personal servants. Carousing with such folk covers formal banquets, state dinners, and the like.

Once a contact has helped or hindered a character, the character needs to carouse again to get back into the NPC's good graces. A contact provides help only once, not help for life. The contact remains friendly, which can influence roleplaying and how the characters interact with them, but doesn't come with a guarantee of help.

You can assign specific NPCs as contacts. You might decide that the barkeep in some wretched hovel and a guard stationed at a city gate are the character's allied contacts. Assigning specific NPCs gives the players concrete options. It brings the campaign to life and seeds the area with NPCs that the characters care about. On the other hand, it can prove difficult to track and might render a contact useless if that character doesn't come into play.

Alternatively, you can allow the player to make an NPC into a contact on the spot, after carousing. When the characters are in the same area in which they caroused, a player can expend an allied contact and designate an NPC they meet as a contact, assuming the NPC is of the correct social class based on how the character caroused. The player should provide a reasonable explanation for this relationship and work it into the game.

Using a mix of the two approaches is a good idea, since it gives you the added depth of specific contacts while giving players the freedom to ensure that the contacts they accumulate are useful.

The same process can apply to hostile contacts. You can give the character's a specific NPC they should avoid, or you might introduce one at an inopportune or dramatic moment.

At any time, a character can have a maximum number of unspecified allied contacts equal to 1 + the character's Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). Specific, named contacts don't count toward this limit—only ones that can be used at any time to declare an NPC as a contact.

Complications#

Characters who carouse risk bar brawls, accumulating a cloud of nasty rumors, and building a bad reputation around town. Every workweek spent carousing brings a 10 percent chance of a triggering a complication.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Uptime#

Players can actively engage in carousing using the following rules.

Resources#

Carousing covers fine food, strong drink, and socializing. A character can attempt to carouse among lower-, middle-, or upper-class people. Carousing with the lower-, middle-, or upper-class costs 20, 100, or 500 cr, respectively.

A character with an appropriate background, such as noble, can easily mingle with the upper class, but other characters can only do so if you judge that character has made sufficient contacts. Alternatively, a character might use a disguise kit to pass as a noble visiting from a distant city.

If the player elects to disguise themselves, they must make Charisma (Deception) or Charisma (disguise kit) checks instead of Charisma (Persuasion) checks during Resolution.

Resolution#

The character then makes five DC 20 Charisma (Persuasion) checks. Once you've resolved all five checks, consult the Carousing Results (Uptime) table below.

Carousing Results (Uptime)#

Complications#

Characters who carouse risk bar brawls, accumulating a cloud of nasty rumors, and building a bad reputation around town. For each failure during Resolution, you have a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Lower-Class Carousing Complications#

Middle-Class Carousing Complications#

Upper-Class Carousing Complications#

A character who has the time, money, and necessary tools can use downtime to craft all sorts of equipment.

Resources#

Unlike other downtime activities, crafting takes a varying amount of time based on the value of the item being crafted. Crafting requires the tools appropriate to the item being crafted, as shown in the Item Specific Tools table on page \-\-\-. The character also needs raw materials equal to half of the item's value. To determine how many days it takes to create an item, divide its value by 250. More experienced craftsmen can craft at a faster rate. A character can complete multiple items at a time if the items' combined value no greater than twice the craftsman's crafting rate. Items that cost more than 500 cr can be completed over longer periods of time, as long as the work in progress is stored in a safe location.

Multiple characters can combine their efforts. Divide the time needed to create an item by the number of characters working on it. Use your judgment when determining how many characters can collaborate on an item. A tiny item, like a hold-out, might allow only one or two workers, whereas a large, complex item, like a speeder, might allow four or more workers.

Crafting Enhanced Items#

Creating an enhanced item requires more than just time, effort, and materials. It is a long-term process that involves one or more adventures to track down rare materials and the knowledge needed to create the item. To start with, a character needs a blueprint for an enhanced item in order to create it. The blueprint is like a recipe; it lists the materials needed and steps required to make an item.

An item invariably requires a rare material to complete it. This material can range from a specific resource found only in the swamps of Dagobah, or the pearl of a krayt dragon. Finding the material should take place as part of an adventure.

The Enhanced Item Ingredients table below suggests the challenge rating of a creature the character needs to face to acquire the materials for an item. Note that facing a creature does not necessarily mean that the characters must collect items from its corpse. Rather, the creature might guard a location or a resource that character needs access to.

Enhanced Item Ingredients#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Crafting Results table, which is discussed below.

In addition to facing a specific creature, creating an item comes with a credit cost covering other materials, tools, and so on, equal to half the item's value. If all the above requirements are met, the character can attempt to craft the object.

Consider waiving the rare ingredients for item modifications and consumables of standard and premium rarity.

Resolution#

After collecting all the necessary resources and spending the requisite amount of time, a character potentially crafts the item(s). For each item being crafted, the character makes an Intelligence check with the appropriate artisan's tools, and consults the Crafting Roll Modifier table below. If multiple craftsmen worked on the item, use the ability scores and relevant proficiencies for the most skilled amongst them.

Crafting Roll Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Crafting Results table, which is discussed below.

For each item being crafted, the player rolls percentile dice and consults the Crafting Results table below, applying a modifier based on the item's rarity, as shown in the Enhanced Item Ingredients table above.

Crafting Results#

\*If the item required a rare material, you also used a reduced amount of that material.

Crafting Complications#

Most of the complications involved in creating something, especially an enhanced item, are linked to the difficulty in finding rare ingredients or components needed to complete the work. The complications a character might face as byproducts of the creation process are most interesting when the characters are working on an enhanced item. Every workweek spent crafting brings a 10 percent chance of a triggering a complication.

Crafting Complications#

This is another great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Uptime#

Due to the required time involved in crafting, it is best suited to downtime. However, characters can work on items in small increments, such as during a short rest, provided they have their tools and their work readily available and unspoiled.

Experimenting#

If a character has resources and wants to experiment in crafting an item, using tools with which they are proficient, they can attempt to participate in this variant of this downtime activity.

Resources#

The character should first choose a rarity for which they want to experiment. If experimenting with enhanced items, they should have an appropriate rare material. The character needs raw materials equal to half the maximum value of that item's rarity, as shown in the Enhanced Item Value by Rarity table on page \-\-\-. If experimenting with artifact quality, the value should be assumed to be 1,000,000 cr. For instance, if experimenting with a premium quality item, the value should be treated as 5,000 cr.

Resolution#

Once experimenting is completed, the character should make an Intelligence check with the appropriate artisan's tools with disadvantage, and consult the Crafting Roll Modifier table. If the player fails to meet a DC, no item is crafted, but all materials are expended. The player should then roll percentile dice twice, taking the lesser value, and adding the appropriate modifier

from the Enhanced Item Ingredients table, and then consult the Crafting Results table. At the end of resolution, unless the character fails to meet a DC, they learn a blueprint for an item and craft the item. The GM can choose an item, or determine it randomly.

Complications#

Complications occur as normal during crafting.

Learning Blueprints#

Throughout their adventures, characters might discover blueprints that teach them the recipes to make specific items. If the character has the appropriate tools, they can spend 10 minutes studying the blueprint. If they do so, they must make an Intelligence check with those tools to attempt to learn the blueprint. The DC for the check is determined by the rarity of the item the blueprint is for, as shown below in the Blueprint Learning DC by Rarity table.

Blueprint Learning DC by Rarity#

On a success, the blueprint is learned. On a failure, the blueprint is not learned, and you must wait 24 hours before you can try again.

Reverse Engineering#

Many tools have the option to reverse engineer a crafted item to learn how to make it themselves. Over the course of 1 hour, which can be done during a short rest, a character can carefully disassemble an enhanced item. If they do so, they must make an Intelligence check with the appropriate tools. The DC for the check is determined by the rarity of the item being reverse engineered, as shown below in the Reverse Engineering DC by Rarity table.

Reverse Engineer DC by Rarity#

On a success, the item is broken down to half of its raw materials (any rare components are destroyed), and the blueprint for the item is learned. On a failure, the item is destroyed with no recoverable components, and the blueprint is not learned.

Sometimes it pays to be bad. This activity gives a character the chance to make some extra cash, at the risk of arrest.

Resources#

A character must spend one workweek and at least 250 cr gathering information on potential targets before committing the intended crime.

Resolution#

The character must make at least one, but up to three checks, and then consult the Crime Roll Modifier table below. If the character makes more than one check, they can choose the highest value amongst all checks made. However, for each check made beyond the first, the DC for each tier increases by 5. The player can choose to make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand), Dexterity (Stealth), Intelligence (forgery kit), Intelligence (security kit), or Intelligence (slicer's kit) check, as appropriate to the crime they attempt. Each check can only be made once.

Crime Roll Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Crime Results table, which is discussed below.

For instance, if the character makes a Dexterity (Stealth) check, and the result is 23, they can elect to keep that check, resulting in +15 crime roll modifier. If the character makes an Intelligence (security kit) check, and the result is a 6, however, they can choose to then make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check. If the result of that check is a 19, and the character elects to keep it, they receive a +5 crime roll modifier, since the DC for each tier increased by 5 after the first check. If the character elects to make three checks, with the results being 8, 9, and 17, however, they fail to meet a DC, since the DC for each tier increased by 5 for each subsequent check. In this instance, since they failed to meet a DC, they are caught and jailed.

Once the player has determined their crime roll modifier, they then roll percentile dice and consult the Crime Results table below.

Crime Results#

Complications#

A life of crime is filled with complications. A character committing a crime has a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication. They have an additional 10 percent chance of triggering a complication for each check made during Resolution beyond the first.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Crime Complications#

Uptime#

While crime is a very fun and engaging activity for a character to participate in, it is better executed using the three pillars of adventuring. The GM can determine that complications arise, as appropriate.

The galaxy is a vast place with many secrets to be uncovered. Between missions, many adventurers may want to spend their downtime engaging in espionage, uncovering the galaxies secrets.

Resources#

Espionage requires one workweek finding leads, bribing guards, and infiltrating clandestine locations. A character can attempt to spy on lower-, middle-, or upper-class people. Spying on lower-, middle-, or upper-class costs 100, 500, or 2,500 cr for the workweek, respectively.

Resolution#

The character must make at least one, but up to three checks, and then consult the Espionage Roll Modifier table below. If the character makes more than one check, they can choose the highest value amongst all checks made. However, for each check made beyond the first, the DC for each tier increases by 5. The player can choose to make a Charisma (Deception), Dexterity (Stealth), or Intelligence (slicer's kit) check. Each check can only be made once.

Espionage Roll Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Espionage Results table, which is discussed below.

For instance, if the character makes a Dexterity (Stealth) check, and the result is 21, they can elect to keep that check, resulting in +15 crime roll modifier. If the character makes an Intelligence (slicer's kit) check, and the result is a 3, however, they can choose to then make a Charisma (Deception) check. If the result of that check is a 17, and the character elects to keep it, they receive a +5 crime roll modifier, since the DC for each tier increased by 5 after the first check. If the character elects to make three checks, with the results being 4, 7, and 13, however, they fail to meet a DC, since the DC for each tier increased by 5 for each subsequent check. In this instance, since they failed to meet a DC, they are caught and jailed.

Once the player has determined their espionage roll modifier, they then roll percentile dice and consult the Espionage Results table below.

Espionage Results#

Blackmail is information that can be used to coerce an activity from an NPC. Blackmail can come in a variety of forms, and the value of the blackmail varies depending on how important the subject of the information is and to whom it has value.

Lower-class blackmail includes the secrets of criminals, laborers, mercenaries, guardsmen; anyone you might find a cheap cantina.

Middle-class blackmail includes the secrets of faction members, town officials, merchants, and people who frequent well-kept establishments.

Upper-class blackmail covers the secrets of the nobles and elite.

Complications#

Espionage is fraught with peril. A character who engages in espionage has a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication. They have an additional 10 percent chance of triggering a complication for each check made during Resolution beyond the first.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Espionage Complications#

Uptime#

While spying is a very fun and engaging activity for a character to participate in, it is better executed using the three pillars of adventuring. The GM can determine that complications arise, as appropriate.

Games of chance are a great way to make a fortune, and a better way to lose one.

Resources#

This activity requires one workweek of effort, plus a stake of at least 100 cr to a maximum of 10,000 cr, or more as you see fit. Alternatively, you could allow characters to bet with things other than money.

Resolution#

The character must make at least one, but up to three checks, and then consult the Gambling Roll Modifier table below. If the character makes more than one check, they can choose the highest value amongst all checks made. However, for each check made beyond the first, the DC for each tier increases by 5. The player can choose to make a Charisma (Deception), Intelligence check with the appropriate gaming set, or Wisdom (Insight) check. If the character is not proficient in the gaming set, they can not make a Charisma (Deception) or Wisdom (Insight) check. Each check can only be made once.

Gambling Roll Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Gambling Results table, which is discussed below.

For instance, if the character makes an Intelligence (sabaac deck) check, and the result is an 18, they can elect to keep that check, resulting in a +10 gambling roll modifier. If the result of the check was only 4, however, they can choose to then make a Charisma (Deception) check. If the result of that check is a 22, and the character elects to keep it, they receive a +10 gambling roll modifier, since the DC for each tier increased by 5 after the first check. If the character makes an Intelligence (sabaac deck) check with a result of 8, a Charisma (Deception) check with a result of 13, and finally a Wisdom (Insight) check, with a result of 11, they fail to meet a DC, since the DC for each tier increased by 5 for each subsequent check. In this instance, they lose their entire stake, and accrue a debt equal to that amount. This debt can be paid immediately if the character has the requisite funds after losing their stake.

Once the player has determined their gambling roll modifier, they then roll percentile dice and consult the Gambling Results table below.

Gambling Results#

Complications#

Gambling tends to attract unsavory individuals. The potential complications involved come from run-ins with the law and associations with various criminals tied to the activity. Every workweek spent gambling brings a 10 percent chance of a triggering a complication. They have an additional 10 percent chance of triggering a complication for each check made during Resolution beyond the first.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Gambling Complications#

Variant: Gambling Spectator

Occasionally, rather than participate themselves, your characters might want to gamble on a game or event in which someone else is involved. In that case, the character can instead make a Wisdom (Insight) check. If they do so, they do not have the opportunity to make subsequent checks.

Uptime#

Players can actively engage in gambling using the following rules.

Resources#

This activity requires a stake of at least 20 cr to a maximum of 2,000 cr, or more as you see fit. Alternatively, you could allow characters to bet with things other than money.

Resolution#

The character must make five checks.

If playing against the house, the player makes a DC 20 Intelligence check with the appropriate gaming set. Once you've resolved all five checks, consult the Gambling Results (Uptime) table below.

If playing against an opponent, the player can choose to make a Charisma (Deception), Intelligence check with the appropriate gaming set, or Wisdom (Insight) check contested by the opponent. If there are multiple opponents, use the ability scores and relevant proficiencies for the most skilled amongst them. For each check the character makes, the opponent also makes a check, with an additional effect based on what choices were made.

• If the character chooses to make a Charisma (Deception) check, they have advantage on the check if the opponent makes an Intelligence (gaming set) check, and disadvantage on the check if the opponent makes a Wisdom (Insight) check. If the opponent also makes a Charisma (Deception) check, both checks are made normally.
• If the character chooses to make an Intelligence (gaming set) check, they have advantage on the check if the opponent makes a Wisdom (Insight) check, and disadvantage on the check if the opponent makes a Charisma (Deception) check. If the opponent also makes an Intelligence (gaming set) check, both checks are made normally.
• If the character chooses to make a Wisdom (Insight) check, they have advantage on the check if the opponent makes a Charisma (Deception) check, and disadvantage on the check if the opponent makes an Intelligence (gaming set) check. If the opponent also makes a Wisdom (Insight) check, both checks are made normally.

This advantage and disadvantage occurs for both the character and the opponent. For instance, if the character chooses to make a Charisma (Deception) check, and the opponent choose to make an Intelligence (gaming set) check, the character has advantage on their check, while the opponent has disadvantage on theirs. In the event of a tie, the character and opponent should reroll the contest. If the character is not proficient in the gaming set, they can not make a Charisma (Deception) or Wisdom (Insight) check. Once you've resolved all five checks, consult the Gambling Results (Uptime) table below.

When determining what action the opponent takes, the GM can choose or determine the choice randomly.

Gambling Results (Uptime)#

Complications#

Gambling tends to attract unsavory individuals. The potential complications involved come from run-ins with the law and associations with various criminals tied to the activity. For each success during Resolution, you have a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Gambling Complications (Uptime)#

Variant: Gambling Spectator

Occasionally, rather than participate themselves, your characters might want to gamble on a game or event in which someone else is involved. In that case, the character can instead make five Wisdom (Insight) check.

Often, traditional work doesn't appeal to adventurers, who crave a little more excitement, even during their offweeks. Those characters might prefer to engage in mercenary work.

Resources#

Working as a mercenary requires one week of downtime, as well as 100 credits to seek out an available job.

Resolution#

The character must make at least one, but up to three ability checks as appropriate to the contract they take. The GM might call for a Charisma (Intimidation) check if the character as working as an enforcer, a Strength (Athletics) check if working as a guard, or an Intelligence (Investigation) check if the character is working as a detective. If the character makes more than one check, they can choose the highest value amongst all checks made. However, for each check made beyond the first, the DC for each tier increases by 5.

Mercenary Contracting Roll Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Mercenary Contracting Results table, which is discussed below.

For instance, if the character makes a Charisma (Intimidation) check, and the result is 20, they can elect to keep that check, resulting in +15 mercenary contracting roll modifier. If the character makes an Intelligence (Investigation) check, and the result is a 4, however, they can choose to repeat the check. If the result of that check is a 16, and the character elects to keep it, they receive a +5 mercenary contracting roll modifier, since the DC for each tier increased by 5 after the first check. If the character elects to make three checks, with the results being 9, 10, and 18, however, they fail to meet a DC, since the DC for each tier increased by 5 for each subsequent check. In this instance, since they failed to meet a DC, they fail to find a job.

Once the player has determined their mercenary contracting roll modifier, they then roll percentile dice and consult the Mercenary Contract Results table below.

Mercenary Contracting Results#

Complications#

Mercenary work varies drastically in how eventful it can be. A character spending a week mercenary contracting has a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication. They have an additional 10 percent chance of triggering a complication for each check made during Resolution beyond the first.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Mercenary Contracting Complications#

Uptime#

While mercenary contracting is a common endeavor in any campaign, it is better executed using the three pillars of adventuring. The GM can determine that complications arise, as appropriate.

Pit fighting includes boxing, wrestling, and other nonlethal forms of combat in an organized setting with predetermined matches. If you want to introduce competitive fighting in a battle-to-the-death situation, the standard combat rules apply, rather than downtime.

Resources#

Engaging in this activity requires one workweek of effort from a character.

Resolution#

The character must make at least one, but up to three checks, and then consult the Pit Fighting Roll Modifier table below. If the character makes more than one check, they can choose the highest value amongst all checks made. However, for each check made beyond the first, the DC for each tier increases by 5. The player can choose to make a Dexterity (Acrobatics) or Strength (Athletics) check. Alternatively, the character can instead make an attack roll using one of the character's weapons. Each check can only be made once.

Pit Fighting Roll Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Pit Fighting Results table, which is discussed below.

For instance, if the character makes a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, and the result is an 27, they can elect to keep that check, resulting in a +20 pit fighting roll modifier. If the result of the check was only 9, however, they can choose to then make an attack roll with one of their weapons. If the result of that attack roll is a 24, and the character elects to keep it, they receive a +10 pit fighting roll modifier, since the DC for each tier increased by 5 after the first check. If the character makes an Strength (Athletics) check with a result of 11, a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check with a result of 14, and finally an attack roll with one of their weapons, with a result of 18, they fail to meet a DC, since the DC for each tier increased by 5 for each subsequent check. In this instance, they lose all of their bouts, and suffer one level of exhaustion.

Once the player has determined their pit fighting roll modifier, they then roll percentile dice and consult the Pit Fighting Results table below.

Pit Fighting Results#

Complications#

Characters involved in pit fighting must deal with their opponents, the people who bet on matches, and the matches' promoters. Every workweek spent pit fighting brings a 10 percent chance per success of triggering a complication. They have an additional 10 percent chance of triggering a complication for each check made during Resolution beyond the first.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Pit Fighting Complications#

Uptime#

While pit fighting is a very fun and engaging activity for a character to participate in, it should be executed using the normal rules of combat. For each round victory, a character should receive winning determined by the GM. The GM can also determine that complications arise, as appropriate.

On many worlds, racing is a popular local pastime. For the accomplished pilot, racing is a great way to make credits and a name for yourself. However, racing is not for the faint of heart.

Resources#

This activity requires one workweek of effort and a 250 cr entry fee. If the character does not own an appropriate vehicle, they can rent one for 1,000 cr.

Resolution#

The character must make at least one, but up to three checks, and then consult the Racing Roll Modifier table below. If the character makes more than one check, they can choose the highest value amongst all checks made. However, for each check made beyond the first, the DC for each tier increases by 5. The player can choose to make an Intelligence (mechanic's kit), Intelligence (Piloting), or Intelligence (Technology) check. If the character is not proficient in Piloting, they can not make an Intelligence (mechanic's kit) or Intelligence (Technology) check. Each check can only be made once.

Racing Roll Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Racing Results table, which is discussed below.

For instance, if the character makes an Intelligence (Piloting) check, and the result is a 17, they can elect to keep that check, resulting in a +10 racing roll modifier. If the result of the check was only 7, however, they can choose to then make a Intelligence (mechanic's kit) check. If the result of that check is a 24, and the character elects to keep it, they receive a +10 racing roll modifier, since the DC for each tier increased by 5 after the first check. If the character makes an Intelligence (Technology) check with a result of 9, an Intelligence (Piloting) check with a result of 9, and finally a Intelligence (mechanic's kit) check, with a result of 9, they fail to meet a DC, since the DC for each tier increased by 5 for each subsequent check. In this instance, they lose all of their races and crash their vehicle, requiring at least 1,000 cr in repairs to fix.

Once the player has determined their racing roll modifier, they then roll percentile dice and consult the Racing Results table below.

Racing Results#

Complications#

Racing attracts many different kinds of individuals: from arrogant racers to manipulative managers, adoring fans to obsessive critics. The potential complications can vary from vehicular trouble to perceived slights. Every workweek spent racing brings a 10 percent chance of a triggering a complication. They have an additional 10 percent chance of triggering a complication for each check made during Resolution beyond the first.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Racing Complications#

Variant: Animal Racing

You may encounter an arena in which they race animals instead of vehicles. In this instance, you'll want to substitute Intelligence (Nature), Wisdom (Animal Handling), and Wisdom (Survival) for Intelligence (mechanic's kit), Intelligence (Piloting), and Intelligence (Technology), respectively.

Uptime#

Players can actively engage in racing using the following rules.

Resources#

This activity requires a 50 cr entry fee. If the character does not own an appropriate vehicle, they can rent one for 200 cr.

Resolution#

The character must make five checks.

If racing against a time, the player makes a DC 20 Intelligence (Piloting) check. Once you've resolved all five checks, consult the Racing Results (Uptime) table below.

If racing against an opponent, the player can choose to make an Intelligence (mechanic's kit), Intelligence (Piloting), or Intelligence (Technology) check contested by the opponent. If there are multiple opponents, use the ability scores and relevant proficiencies for the most skilled amongst them. For each check the character makes, the opponent also makes a check, with an additional effect based on what choices were made.

• If the character chooses to make an Intelligence (mechanic's kit) check, they have advantage on the check if the opponent makes an Intelligence (Piloting) check, and disadvantage on the check if the opponent makes an Intelligence (Technology) check. If the opponent also makes an Intelligence (mechanic's kit) check, both checks are made normally.
• If the character chooses to make an Intelligence (Piloting) check, they have advantage on the check if the opponent makes an Intelligence (Technology) check, and disadvantage on the check if the opponent makes an Intelligence (mechanic's kit) check. If the opponent also makes an Intelligence (Piloting) check, both checks are made normally.
• If the character chooses to make an Intelligence (Technology) check, they have advantage on the check if the opponent makes an Intelligence (mechanic's kit) check, and disadvantage on the check if the opponent makes an Intelligence (Piloting) check. If the opponent also makes an Intelligence (Technology) check, both checks are made normally.

This advantage and disadvantage occurs for both the character and the opponent. For instance, if the character chooses to make an Intelligence (mechanic's kit) check, and the opponent choose to make an Intelligence (Piloting) check, the character has advantage on their check, while the opponent has disadvantage on theirs. In the event of a tie, the character and opponent should reroll the contest. If the character is not proficient Piloting, they can not make an Intelligence (mechanic's kit) or Intelligence (Technology) check. Once you've resolved all five checks, consult the Racing Results (Uptime) table below.

When determining what action the opponent takes, the GM can choose or determine the choice randomly.

Racing Results (Uptime)#

Complications#

Racing attracts many different kinds of individuals: from arrogant racers to manipulative managers, adoring fans to obsessive critics. The potential complications can vary from vehicular trouble to perceived slights. For each success during Resolution, you have a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Racing Complications (Uptime)#

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. This activity allows a character to delve into lore concerning a monster, a location, an enhanced item, or some other specific topic.

Resources#

Typically, a character needs access to a library or some other academic institution to conduct research. Assuming such access is available, conducting research requires one workweek and at least 500 cr spent on materials, bribes, gifts, and other expenses. Spending more money increases your chances of finding noteworthy lore, as shown in Resolution.

Resolution#

The character declares the focus of the research—a specific person, place, or thing. After one workweek, the character makes an Intelligence (Lore) check, with a +1 bonus per 1,000 cr spent beyond the initial 500 cr, up to a maximum bonus of +5. The character then consults the Research Roll Modifier table below.

Research Roll Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Research Results table, which is discussed below.

Once the player has determined their research roll modifier, they then roll percentile dice and consult the Research Results table below.

Research Results#

Each piece of lore is the equivalent of one true statement about a person, place, or thing. Examples include knowledge of a creature's resistances, the method required to enter a sealed tomb, or the clandestine knowledge held by a specific person.

As GM, you are the final arbiter concerning exactly what a character learns. For a monster or an NPC, you can reveal elements of statistics or personality. For a location, you can reveal secrets about it, such as a hidden entrance, the answer to a riddle, or the nature of a creature that guards the place.

Alternatively, you can allow the player to determine what lore they've learned on the spot, after research. When the characters are in an area related to what was researched, a player can expend a lore to uncover something related to the location on hand, assuming it pertains to what was researched.

Using a mix of the two approaches is a good idea, since it gives you the added depth of specific lore while giving players the freedom to ensure that the lore they learn is useful.

At any time, a character can have a maximum number of unspecified lore equal to 1 + the character's Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). Specific, learned lore doesn't count toward this limit—only ones that can be used at any time to learn something related to the original subject of study.

Complications#

The greatest risk in research is uncovering false information. Not all lore is accurate or truthful, and a rival with a scholarly bent might try to lead the character astray, especially if the object of the research is known to the rival. The rival might plant false information, bribe scholars to give bad advice, or steal key information needed to find the truth.

Additionally, a character might run into other complications during research. Every workweek spent in research brings a 10 percent chance of a triggering a complication.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Research Complications#

Uptime#

Conducting research is generally a long-term activity, requiring time and devotion, best suited to downtime.

Few people can afford to buy an enhanced item, and fewer still know how to find one. Adventurers are exceptional in this regard due to the nature of their profession.

A character who comes into possession of a standard, premium, prototype, advanced, or possibly legendary enhanced item that he or she wants to sell can spend downtime searching for a buyer. The downtime activity can be performed only in a city or another location where one can find wealthy individuals interested in acquiring enhanced items. Artifact enhanced items can't be sold during downtime. Finding someone to buy such an item can be the substance of an adventure in and of itself.

Resources#

Finding a buyer for a standard, premium, prototype, advanced, or legendary enhanced item takes up to twenty days of effort, depending on the rarity of the enhanced item for sale, and costs 100 cr per day.

Resolution#

For each salable item, the character must make a DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check to find buyers. Another character can use his or her downtime to assist with the search, granting advantage on the check.

On a failure, no buyer for the item is found after a search that lasts a number of days equal to the maximum for that item's rarity, as shown below in the Days to Find Buyer column of the Salable Enhanced Items table below. On a success, a buyer for the item is found after a number of days based on the item's rarity, as shown below in the Salable Enhanced Item table.

Salable Enhanced Items#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Selling an Enhanced Item table, which is discussed below.

A character can attempt to find buyers for multiple enhanced items at once. Although this requires multiple Intelligence (Investigation) checks, the searches are occurring simultaneously, and the results of multiple failures or successes aren't added together. For example, if the character finds a buyer for a standard enhanced item in 2 days and a buyer for a premium enhanced item in 5 days, but fails to find a buyer for a prototype enhanced item, the entire search takes 8 days.

For each item a character wishes to sell, the player rolls percentile dice and consults the Selling an Enhanced Item table below, applying a modifier based on the item's rarity, as shown in the Salable Enhanced Items table. The subsequent total determines what a buyer offers to pay for the item.

You determine a buyer's identity. Buyers sometimes procure prototype, advanced, and legendary items through proxies to ensure that their identities remain unknown.

As a further option to reflect the availability of enhanced items in your campaign, you can apply up to a -10 penalty for a scarce setting, or up to a +10 bonus for a setting where enhanced items are more common, when resolving the d100 roll for selling enhanced items, as appropriate.

Selling an Enhanced Item#

Complications#

The buying and selling of enhanced items is fraught with peril. The large sums of money involved and the power offered by enhanced items attract thieves, con artists, and other villains. If the characters encounter a shady buyer, they have a 50 percent chance of triggering a complication. Otherwise, they have a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Selling Complications#

Uptime#

The GM can determine whether or not selling enhanced items can be performed during uptime.

Given enough time, money, and the services of an instructor, a character can learn a language, pick up proficiency with a tool or kit, gain proficiency or even expertise in a skill, or possibly even earn a feat.

Resources#

Receiving training requires you first find a teacher who is willing and capable of teaching you. It then takes a varying amount of time and credits, depending on what you're training in. Costs are paid at the beginning of each workweek.

Language or Weapon#

Learning a new language or training in a new weapon takes 10 workweeks and costs 250 cr per workweek. During resolution, training in a language calls for an Intelligence check, while a weapon requires an attack roll with that weapon. If you are proficient in that saving throw, you add your proficiency bonus to the roll.

Tool Training, Proficiency, or Expertise#

Learning to use a new tool takes 5, 10, or 20 workweeks for training, proficiency, or expertise, respectively and costs the value of the tool in cr per workweek. During resolution, training in a new tool calls for an ability check appropriate to that tool, as determined by the GM. If you are proficient in that saving throw, you add your proficiency bonus to the roll.

Skill Training, Proficiency, or Expertise#

Learning a new skill takes 5, 10, or 20 workweeks and costs at least 250 cr, 500 cr, or 1,000 cr per workweek for training, proficiency, or expertise, respectively. During resolution, training in a new skill calls for an ability check with that skill's governing ability score. If you are proficient in that saving throw, you add your proficiency bonus to the roll.

Saving Throw Training or Proficiency#

Learning a new saving throw takes 10 or 20 workweeks and costs 750 cr or 1,500 cr per workweek for training or proficiency, respectively. During resolution, training in a new saving throw calls for an ability check with that saving throw's governing ability score.

Feat#

Learning a new feat takes 40 workweeks and costs at least 2,000 cr per workweek. During resolution, training in a new feat calls for an ability check appropriate to that feat, as determined by the GM. If you are proficient in that saving throw, you add your proficiency bonus to the roll.

Resolution#

At the end of each workweek, a character makes an ability check depending on their training, and then consults the Training Roll Modifier table.

Training Roll Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Training Results table, which is discussed below.

Once the player has determined their training roll modifier, they then roll percentile dice and consult the Training Results table below.

Training Results#

Complications#

Complications that arise while training typically involve the teacher. For every five workweeks spent in training, or for each failure during resolution, a character has a 10 percent chance of a complication. Examples of which are on the Training Complications table.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Training Complications#

Uptime#

Due to the required time involved in training, it is best suited to downtime.

When all else fails, an adventurer can turn to an honest trade to earn a living.

Resources#

Taking on a job requires one workweek of work.

Resolution#

The character must make an ability check as appropriate to the job they are trying to perform. The GM might call for a Strength (Athletics) check if the character is working with their hands, an Intelligence check with a set of tools if the character is working as a tradesman, a Charisma (Performance) check if the character is working in a speaking capacity, a Charisma check with a musical instrument if the character is performing in a venue, or any other check the GM deems appropriate. Once the character has made their chosen check, they should consult the Work Roll Modifier table below.

Work Roll Modifier#

The d100 Roll Modifier is added to the percentile dice rolled for the Work Results table, which is discussed below.

Work Results#

Complications#

Despite what should be an uneventful, satisfying week of simple work, complications can arise from this activity. A character spending a week working has a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication.

This is a great opportunity to create a rival to the party, or involve a previous rival.

Work Complications#

Uptime#

If you are the type who prefers to hoard their wealth and work for their dinner, you can engage in work during uptime.

Resources#

Taking on a job requires at least one hour of work.

Resolution#

Make an ability check appropriate to the work you are doing and consult the Work Results (Uptime) table below.

Work Results (Uptime)#

Complications#

You have a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication. If you fail to meet an ability check DC, you instead have a one-hundred percent chance of triggering a complication.