Resolving Activities
The description of each activity 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 a workweek (5 days) to complete. Some activities require days,
weeks (7 days), or 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.
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 of time should be no more than twice as
long as the required time; otherwise you should introduce extra 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 the characters headaches or advantages in any number of other ways.
Each of these sections has a table that offers possible complications. You can roll to determine a
complication randomly, pick one from the table, or devise one of your own, and then share it
with the player.
Example Downtime Activities
The following activities are suitable for any character who can afford to pursue them. As DM,
you have the final say on which activities are available to the characters. The activities you allow
might depend on the nature of the area where the characters are located. For example, you might
disallow the creation of magic items or decide that the characters are in a town that is too isolated
from major markets for them to buy such items.
Buying a Magic Item
Purchasing a magic 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.
Resources. Finding magic items to purchase requires at least one workweek of effort and 100 gp
in expenses. Spending more time and money increases your chance of finding a high-quality
item.
Resolution. A character seeking to buy a magic item makes a Charisma (Persuasion) check to
determine the quality of the seller found. The character gains a +1 bonus on the check for every
workweek beyond the first that is spent seeking a seller and a +1 bonus for every additional 100