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DOWNTIME. COMPLETE LIST¶

It’s possible for the characters to start a campaign at 1^st level, dive into an epic story, and reach 10^th level and beyond in a short amount of game time. Although that pace works fine for many campaigns, some DMs prefer a campaign story with pauses built into it — times when adventurers are not going on adventures. The downtime rules given in this section can be used as alternatives to the approach in the Player’s Handbook and the Dungeon Master’s Guide, or you can use the material here to inspire the creation of your own options.

By engaging the characters in downtime activities that take weeks or even months to complete, you can give your campaign a longer time line — one in which events in the world play out over years. Wars begin and end, tyrants come and go, and royal lines rise and fall over the course of the story that you and the characters tell.

Downtime rules also provide ways for characters to spend — or be relieved of — the monetary treasure they amass on their adventures.

The system presented here consists of two elements. First, it introduces the concept of rivals. Second, it details a number of downtime activities that characters can undertake.

When minions come back from a mission, sometimes I send them shopping.

Shopping is this thing where minions give away their stuff to other people, and other people give them different stuff.

It’s so strange.

Rivals¶

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 also include good or neutral folk who are at odds with the characters, whether because they have opposing goals or they simply dislike one another. The cultist of Orcus whose plans the characters have foiled, the ambitious merchant prince who wants to rule the city with an iron fist, and the nosy high priest of Helm who is convinced the characters are up to no good are all examples of rivals.

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¶

In essence, a rival is a somewhat specialized NPC. You can use chapter 4 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide to build a new NPC for this purpose, or pick one from your current cast of supporting characters and embellish that NPC as described below.

It’s possible for the characters to have two or three rivals at a time, each with a separate agenda. At least one should be a villain, but the others might be neutral or good; 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.

Example Rivals¶

d20	Rival
1	Tax collector who is convinced the characters are dodging fees
2	Politician who is concerned that the characters are causing more trouble than they solve
3	High priest who worries the characters are diminishing the temple’s prestige
4	Wizard who blames the characters for some recent troubles
5	Rival adventuring party
6	Bard who loves a scandal enough to spark one
7	Childhood rival or member of a rival clan
8	Scorned sibling or parent
9	Merchant who blames the characters for any business woes
10	Newcomer out to make a mark on the world
11	Sibling or ally of defeated enemy
12	Official seeking to restore a tarnished reputation
13	Deadly foe disguised as a social rival
14	Fiend seeking to tempt the characters to evil
15	Spurned romantic interest
16	Political opportunist seeking a scapegoat
17	Traitorous noble looking to foment a revolution
18	Would-be tyrant who brooks no opposition
19	Exiled noble looking for revenge
20	Corrupt official worried that recent misdeeds will be revealed

To add the right amount of detail to a rival you want to create, give some thought to what that 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.

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, temples, or other groups? Make a list of the rival’s assets, and consider how they can be used.

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 later in this section, but these are more often efforts that are specific to the rival.

A rival’s action might be a direct attack, such as an assassination attempt, that you play out during a session. Or it might be a background activity that you describe as altering the campaign in some way. For example, a rival who wants to increase the prestige of the temple of a war god might hold a festival with drink, food, and gladiatorial games. Even if the characters aren’t directly involved, the event becomes the talk of the town.

Some elements of a rival’s 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 contingencies for taking advantage of such happenings. Downtime Activities

Downtime activities are tasks that usually take a workweek (5 days) or longer to perform. These tasks can include buying or creating magic items, pulling off crimes, and working at a job. A character selects a downtime activity from among those available and pays the cost of that activity in time and money. You, as DM, then follow the rules for the activity to resolve it, informing the player of the results and any complications that ensue.

Consider handling downtime away from the game table. For example, you could have the players pick their downtime activities at the end of a session, and then communicate about them by email or text, until you next see them in person.

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 gp spent on the search, up to a maximum bonus of +10. The monetary cost includes a wealthy lifestyle, for a buyer must impress potential business partners.

As shown on the Buying Magic Items table, the total of the check dictates which table in the Dungeon Master’s Guide to roll on to determine which items are on the market. Or you can roll for items from any table associated with a lower total on the Buying Magic Items table. As a further option to reflect the availability of items in your campaign, you can apply a −10 penalty for low magic campaigns or a +10 bonus for high magic campaigns. Furthermore, you can double magic item costs in low magic campaigns.

Using the Magic Item Price table, you then assign prices to the available items, based on their rarity. Halve the price of any consumable item, such as a potion or a scroll, when using the table to determine an asking price.

You have final say in determining which items are for sale and their final price, no matter what the tables say.

If the characters seek a specific magic item, first decide if it’s an item you want to allow in your game. If so, include the desired item among the items for sale on a check total of 10 or higher if the item is common, 15 or higher if it is uncommon, 20 or higher if it is rare, 25 or higher if it is very rare, and 30 or higher if it is legendary.

Buying Magic Items¶

Check Total	Items Acquired
1–5	Roll 1d6 times on Magic Item Table A.
6–10	Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table B.
11–15	Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table C.
16–20	Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table D.
21–25	Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table E.
26–30	Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table F.
31–35	Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table G.
36–40	Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table H.
41+	Roll 1d4 times on Magic Item Table I.

Magic Item Price¶

Rarity	Asking Price*
Common	(1d6 + 1) × 10 gp
Uncommon	1d6 × 100 gp
Rare	2d10 × 1,000 gp
Very rare	(1d4 + 1) × 10,000 gp
Legendary	2d6 × 25,000 gp

*Halved for a consumable item like a potion or scroll

Complications. The magic item trade is fraught with peril. The large sums of money involved and the power offered by magic items attract thieves, con artists, and other villains. If you want to make things more interesting for the characters, roll on the Magic Item Purchase Complications table or invent your own complication.

Magic Item Purchase Complications¶

d12	Complication
1	The item is a fake, planted by an enemy.*
2	The item is stolen by the party’s enemies.*
3	The item is cursed by a god.
4	The item’s original owner will kill to reclaim it; the party’s enemies spread news of its sale.*
5	The item is at the center of a dark prophecy.
6	The seller is murdered before the sale.*
7	The seller is a devil looking to make a bargain.
8	The item is the key to freeing an evil entity.
9	A third party bids on the item, doubling its price.*
10	The item is an enslaved, intelligent entity.
11	The item is tied to a cult.
12	The party’s enemies spread rumors that the item is an artifact of evil.*

*Might involve a rival

Carousing¶

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 tavern?

Resources. Carousing covers a workweek of fine food, strong drink, and socializing. A character can attempt to carouse among lower-, middle-, or upper-class folk. A character can carouse with the lower class for 10 gp to cover expenses, or 50 gp for the middle class. Carousing with the upper class requires 250 gp for the workweek and access to the local nobility.

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

Resolution. After a workweek of carousing, a character stands to make contacts within the selected social class. The character makes a Charisma (Persuasion) check using the Carousing table.

Carousing¶

Check Total	Result
1–5	Character has made a hostile contact.
6–10	Character has made no new contacts.
11–15	Character has made an allied contact.
16–20	Character has made two allied contacts.
21+	Character has made three allied contacts.

Contacts are NPCs who now share a bond with the character. Each one either owes the character a favor or has some reason to bear a grudge. A hostile contact works against the character, placing obstacles but stopping short of committing a crime or a violent act. 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, the town guard, and any other folk who normally frequent the cheapest taverns in town.

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

Upper-class contacts are nobles 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 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 at the Wretched Gorgon and a guard stationed at the western 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 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 characters 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. As a rule of thumb, a character has a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication for each workweek of carousing.

Lower-Class Carousing Complications¶

d8	Complication
1	A pickpocket lifts 1d10 × 5 gp from you.*
2	A bar brawl leaves you with a scar.*
3	You have fuzzy memories of doing something very, very illegal, but can’t remember exactly what.
4	You are banned from a tavern after some obnoxious behavior.*
5	After a few drinks, you swore in the town square to pursue a dangerous quest.
6	Surprise! You’re married.
7	Streaking naked through the streets seemed like a great idea at the time.
8	Everyone is calling you by some weird, embarrassing nickname, like Puddle Drinker or Bench Slayer, and no one will say why.*

*Might involve a rival

Middle-Class Carousing Complications¶

d8	Complication
1	You accidentally insulted a guild master, and only a public apology will let you do business with the guild again.*
2	You swore to complete some quest on behalf of a temple or a guild.
3	A social gaffe has made you the talk of the town.*
4	A particularly obnoxious person has taken an intense romantic interest in you.*
5	You have made a foe out of a local spellcaster.*
6	You have been recruited to help run a local festival, play, or similar event.
7	You made a drunken toast that scandalized the locals.
8	You spent an additional 100 gp trying to impress people.

*Might involve a rival

Upper-Class Carousing Complications¶

d8	Complication
1	A pushy noble family wants to marry off one of their scions to you.*
2	You tripped and fell during a dance, and people can’t stop talking about it.
3	You have agreed to take on a noble’s debts.
4	You have been challenged to a joust by a knight.*
5	You have made a foe out of a local noble.*
6	A boring noble insists you visit each day and listen to long, tedious theories of magic.
7	You have become the target of a variety of embarrassing rumors.*
8	You spent an additional 500 gp trying to impress people.

*Might involve a rival

Crafting an Item¶

A character who has the time, the money, and the needed tools can use downtime to craft armor, weapons, clothing, or other kinds of nonmagical gear.

Resources and Resolution. In addition to the appropriate tools for the item to be crafted, a character needs raw materials worth half of the item’s selling cost. To determine how many workweeks it takes to create an item, divide its gold piece cost by 50. A character can complete multiple items in a workweek if the items’ combined cost is 50 gp or lower. Items that cost more than 50 gp 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 particularly tiny item, like a ring, might allow only one or two workers, whereas a large, complex item might allow four or more workers.

A character needs to be proficient with the tools needed to craft an item and have access to the appropriate equipment. Everyone who collaborates needs to have the appropriate tool proficiency. You need to make any judgment calls regarding whether a character has the correct equipment. The following table provides some examples.

Proficiency	Items
Herbalism kit	Antitoxin, potion of healing
Leatherworker’s tools	Leather armor, boots
Smith’s tools	Armor, weapons
Weaver’s tools	Cloaks, robes

If all the above requirements are met, the result of the process is an item of the desired sort. A character can sell an item crafted in this way at its listed price.

Crafting Magic Items. Creating a magic 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 lore needed to create the item.

Potions of healing and spell scrolls are exceptions to the following rules. For more information, see “Brewing Potions of Healing” later in this section and the “Scribing a Spell Scroll” section, below.

To start with, a character needs a formula for a magic item in order to create it. The formula is like a recipe. It lists the materials needed and steps required to make the item.

An item invariably requires an exotic material to complete it. This material can range from the skin of a yeti to a vial of water taken from a whirlpool on the Elemental Plane of Water. Finding that material should take place as part of an adventure.

The Magic Item Ingredients table suggests the challenge rating of a creature that the characters need 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 the characters need access to.

Magic Item Ingredients¶

Item Rarity	CR Range
Common	1–3
Uncommon	4–8
Rare	9–12
Very rare	13–18
Legendary	19+

If appropriate, pick a monster or a location that is a thematic fit for the item to be crafted. For example, creating mariner’s armor might require the essence of a water weird . Crafting a staff of charming might require the cooperation of a specific arcanaloth , who will help only if the characters complete a task for it. Making a staff of power might hinge on acquiring a piece of an ancient stone that was once touched by the god of magic — a stone now guarded by a suspicious androsphinx .

In addition to facing a specific creature, creating an item comes with a gold piece cost covering other materials, tools, and so on, based on the item’s rarity. Those values, as well as the time a character needs to work in order to complete the item, are shown on the Magic Item Crafting Time and Cost table. Halve the listed price and creation time for any consumable items.

Magic Item Crafting Time and Cost¶

Item Rarity	Workweeks*	Cost*
Common	1	50 gp
Uncommon	2	200 gp
Rare	10	2,000 gp
Very rare	25	20,000 gp
Legendary	50	100,000 gp

*Halved for a consumable item like a potion or scroll

To complete a magic item, a character also needs whatever tool proficiency is appropriate, as for crafting a nonmagical object, or proficiency in the Arcana skill.

If all the above requirements are met, the result of the process is a magic item of the desired sort.

Complications. Most of the complications involved in creating something, especially a magic 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 a magic item: there’s a 10 percent chance for every five workweeks spent on crafting an item that a complication occurs. The Crafting Complications table provides examples of what might happen.

Crafting Complications¶

d6	Complication
1	Rumors swirl that what you’re working on is unstable and a threat to the community.*
2	Your tools are stolen, forcing you to buy new ones.*
3	A local wizard shows keen interest in your work and insists on observing you.
4	A powerful noble offers a hefty price for your work and is not interested in hearing no for an answer.*
5	A dwarf clan accuses you of stealing its secret lore to fuel your work.*
6	A competitor spreads rumors that your work is shoddy and prone to failure.*

*Might involve a rival

Brewing Potions of Healing. Potions of healing fall into a special category for item crafting, separate from other magic items. A character who has proficiency with the herbalism kit can create these potions. The times and costs for doing so are summarized on the Potion of Healing Creation table.

Potion of Healing Creation¶

Type	Time	Cost
Healing	1 day	25 gp
Greater healing	1 workweek	100 gp
Superior healing	3 workweeks	1,000 gp
Supreme healing	4 workweeks	10,000 gp

Crime¶

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 week and at least 25 gp gathering information on potential targets before committing the intended crime.

Resolution. The character must make a series of checks, with the DC for all the checks chosen by the character according to the amount of profit sought from the crime.

The chosen DC can be 10, 15, 20, or 25. Successful completion of the crime yields a number of gold pieces, as shown on the Loot Value table.

To attempt a crime, the character makes three checks: Dexterity (Stealth), Dexterity using thieves’ tools, and the player’s choice of Intelligence (Investigation), Wisdom (Perception), or Charisma (Deception).

If none of the checks are successful, the character is caught and jailed. The character must pay a fine equal to the profit the crime would have earned and must spend one week in jail for each 25 gp of the fine.

If only one check is successful, the heist fails but the character escapes.

If two checks are successful, the heist is a partial success, netting the character half the payout.

If all three checks are successful, the character earns the full value of the loot.

Loot Value¶

DC	Value
10	50 gp, robbery of a struggling merchant
15	100 gp, robbery of a prosperous merchant
20	200 gp, robbery of a noble
25	1,000 gp, robbery of one of the richest figures in town

Complications. A life of crime is filled with complications. Roll on the Crime Complications table (or create a complication of your own) if the character succeeds on only one check. If the character’s rival is involved in crime or law enforcement, a complication ensues if the character succeeds on only two checks.

Crime Complications¶

d8	Complication
1	A bounty equal to your earnings is offered for information about your crime.*
2	An unknown person contacts you, threatening to reveal your crime if you don’t render a service.*
3	Your victim is financially ruined by your crime.
4	Someone who knows of your crime has been arrested on an unrelated matter.*
5	Your loot is a single, easily identified item that you can’t fence in this region.
6	You robbed someone who was under a local crime lord’s protection, and who now wants revenge.
7	Your victim calls in a favor from a guard, doubling the efforts to solve the case.
8	Your victim asks one of your adventuring companions to solve the crime.

*Might involve a rival

Gambling¶

Games of chance are a way to make a fortune — and perhaps a better way to lose one.

Resources. This activity requires one workweek of effort plus a stake of at least 10 gp, to a maximum of 1,000 gp or more, as you see fit.

Resolution. The character must make a series of checks, with a DC determined at random based on the quality of the competition that the character runs into. Part of the risk of gambling is that one never knows who might end up sitting across the table.

The character makes three checks: Wisdom (Insight), Charisma (Deception), and Charisma (Intimidation). If the character has proficiency with an appropriate gaming set, that tool proficiency can replace the relevant skill in any of the checks. The DC for each of the checks is 5 + 2d10; generate a separate DC for each one. Consult the Gambling Results table to see how the character did.

Gambling Results¶

Result	Value
0 successes	Lose all the money you bet, and accrue a debt equal to that amount.
1 success	Lose half the money you bet.
2 successes	Gain the amount you bet plus half again more.
3 successes	Gain double the amount you bet.

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 complication, examples of which are on the Gambling Complications table.

Gambling Complications¶

d6	Complication
1	You are accused of cheating. You decide whether you actually did cheat or were framed.*
2	The town guards raid the gambling hall and throw you in jail.*
3	A noble in town loses badly to you and loudly vows to get revenge.*
4	You won a sum from a low-ranking member of a thieves’ guild, and the guild wants its money back.
5	A local crime boss insists you start frequenting the boss’s gambling parlor and no others.
6	A high-stakes gambler comes to town and insists that you take part in a game.

*Might involve a rival

Pit Fighting¶

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 to that sort of activity.

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

Resolution. The character must make a series of checks, with a DC determined at random based on the quality of the opposition that the character runs into. A big part of the challenge in pit fighting lies in the unknown nature of a character’s opponents.

The character makes three checks: Strength (Athletics), Dexterity (Acrobatics), and a special Constitution check that has a bonus equal to a roll of the character’s largest Hit Die (this roll doesn’t spend that die). If desired, the character can replace one of these skill checks with an attack roll using one of the character’s weapons. The DC for each of the checks is 5 + 2d10; generate a separate DC for each one. Consult the Pit Fighting Results table to see how the character did.

Pit Fighting Results¶

Result	Value
0 successes	Lose your bouts, earning nothing.
1 success	Win 50 gp.
2 successes	Win 100 gp.
3 successes	Win 200 gp.

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 of a complication, examples of which are on the Pit Fighting Complications table.

Pit Fighting Complications¶

d6	Complication
1	An opponent swears to take revenge on you.*
2	A crime boss approaches you and offers to pay you to intentionally lose a few matches.*
3	You defeat a popular local champion, drawing the crowd’s ire.
4	You defeat a noble’s servant, drawing the wrath of the noble’s house.*
5	You are accused of cheating. Whether the allegation is true or not, your reputation is tarnished.*
6	You accidentally deliver a near-fatal wound to a foe.

*Might involve a rival

Relaxation¶

Sometimes the best thing to do between adventures is relax. Whether a character wants a hard-earned vacation or needs to recover from injuries, relaxation is the ideal option for adventurers who need a break. This option is also ideal for players who don’t want to make use of the downtime system.

Resources. Relaxation requires one week. A character needs to maintain at least a modest lifestyle while relaxing to gain the benefit of the activity.

Resolution. Characters who maintain at least a modest lifestyle while relaxing gain several benefits. While relaxing, a character gains advantage on saving throws to recover from long-acting diseases and poisons. In addition, at the end of the week, a character can end one effect that keeps the character from regaining hit points, or can restore one ability score that has been reduced to less than its normal value. This benefit cannot be used if the harmful effect was caused by a spell or some other magical effect with an ongoing duration.

Complications. Relaxation rarely comes with complications. If you want to make life complicated for the characters, introduce an action or an event connected to a rival.

Religious Service¶

Characters with a religious bent might want to spend downtime in service to a temple, either by attending rites or by proselytizing in the community. Someone who undertakes this activity has a chance of winning the favor of the temple’s leaders.

Resources. Performing religious service requires access to, and often attendance at, a temple whose beliefs and ethos align with the character’s. If such a place is available, the activity takes one workweek of time but involves no gold piece expenditure.

Resolution. At the end of the required time, the character chooses to make either an Intelligence (Religion) check or a Charisma (Persuasion) check. The total of the check determines the benefits of service, as shown on the Religious Service table.

Religious Service¶

Check Total	Result
1–10	No effect. Your efforts fail to make a lasting impression.
11–20	You earn one favor.
21+	You earn two favors.

A favor, in broad terms, is a promise of future assistance from a representative of the temple. It can be expended to ask the temple for help in dealing with a specific problem, for general political or social support, or to reduce the cost of cleric spellcasting by 50 percent. A favor could also take the form of a deity’s intervention, such as an omen, a vision, or a minor miracle provided at a key moment. This latter sort of favor is expended by the DM, who also determines its nature.

Favors earned need not be expended immediately, but only a certain number can be stored up. A character can have a maximum number of unused favors equal to 1 + the character’s Charisma modifier (minimum of one unused favor).

Complications. Temples can be labyrinths of political and social scheming. Even the best-intentioned sect can fall prone to rivalries. A character who serves a temple risks becoming embroiled in such struggles. Every workweek spent in religious service brings a 10 percent chance of a complication, examples of which are on the Religious Service Complications table.

Religious Service Complications¶

d6	Complication
1	You have offended a priest through your words or actions.*
2	Blasphemy is still blasphemy, even if you did it by accident.
3	A secret sect in the temple offers you membership.
4	Another temple tries to recruit you as a spy.*
5	The temple elders implore you to take up a holy quest.
6	You accidentally discover that an important person in the temple is a fiend worshiper.

*Might involve a rival

Research¶

Forewarned is forearmed. The research downtime activity allows a character to delve into lore concerning a monster, a location, a magic item, or some other particular topic.

Resources. Typically, a character needs access to a library or a sage to conduct research. Assuming such access is available, conducting research requires one workweek of effort and at least 50 gp spent on materials, bribes, gifts, and other expenses.

Resolution. The character declares the focus of the research — a specific person, place, or thing. After one workweek, the character makes an Intelligence check with a +1 bonus per 50 gp spent beyond the initial 50 gp, to a maximum of +6. In addition, a character who has access to a particularly well-stocked library or knowledgeable sages gains advantage on this check. Determine how much lore a character learns using the Research Outcomes table.

Research Outcomes¶

Check Total	Outcome
1–5	No effect.
6–10	You learn one piece of lore.
11–20	You learn two pieces of lore.
21+	You learn three pieces of lore.

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 password needed to enter a sealed dungeon level, the spells commonly prepared by an order of wizards, and so on.

As DM, 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.

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 sages to give bad advice, or steal key tomes needed to find the truth.

In addition, a character might run into other complications during research. Every workweek spent in research brings a 10 percent chance of a complication, examples of which are on the Research Complications table.

Research Complications¶

d6	Complication
1	You accidentally damage a rare book.
2	You offend a sage, who demands an extravagant gift.*
3	If you had known that book was cursed, you never would have opened it.
4	A sage becomes obsessed with convincing you of a number of strange theories about reality.*
5	Your actions cause you to be banned from a library until you make reparations.*
6	You uncovered useful lore, but only by promising to complete a dangerous task in return.

*Might involve a rival

Scribing a Spell Scroll¶

With time and patience, a spellcaster can transfer a spell to a scroll, creating a spell scroll.

Resources. Scribing a spell scroll takes an amount of time and money related to the level of the spell the character wants to scribe, as shown in the Spell Scroll Costs table. In addition, the character must have proficiency in the Arcana skill and must provide any material components required for the casting of the spell. Moreover, the character must have the spell prepared, or it must be among the character’s known spells, in order to scribe a scroll of that spell.

If the scribed spell is a cantrip, the version on the scroll works as if the caster were 1^st level.

Spell Scroll Costs¶

Spell Level	Time	Cost
Cantrip	1 day	15 gp
1^st	1 day	25 gp
2^nd	3 days	250 gp
3^rd	1 workweek	500 gp
4^th	2 workweeks	2,500 gp
5^th	4 workweeks	5,000 gp
6^th	8 workweeks	15,000 gp
7^th	16 workweeks	25,000 gp
8^th	32 workweeks	50,000 gp
9^th	48 workweeks	250,000 gp

Complications. Crafting a spell scroll is a solitary task, unlikely to attract much attention. The complications that arise are more likely to involve the preparation needed for the activity. Every workweek spent scribing brings a 10 percent chance of a complication, examples of which are on the Scribe a Scroll Complications table.

Scribe a Scroll Complications¶

d6	Complication
1	You bought up the last of the rare ink used to craft scrolls, angering a wizard in town.
2	The priest of a temple of good accuses you of trafficking in dark magic.*
3	A wizard eager to collect one of your spells in a book presses you to sell the scroll.
4	Due to a strange error in creating the scroll, it is instead a random spell of the same level.
5	The rare parchment you bought for your scroll has a barely visible map on it.
6	A thief attempts to break into your workroom.*

*Might involve a rival

Selling a Magic Item¶

Selling a magic item is by no means an easy task. Con artists and thieves are always looking out for an easy score, and there’s no guarantee that a character will receive a good offer even if a legitimate buyer is found.

Resources. A character can find a buyer for one magic item by spending one workweek and 25 gp, which is used to spread word of the desired sale. A character must pick one item at a time to sell.

Resolution. A character who wants to sell an item must make a Charisma (Persuasion) check to determine what kind of offer comes in. The character can always opt not to sell, instead forfeiting the workweek of effort and trying again later. Use the Magic Item Base Prices and Magic Item Offer tables to determine the sale price.

Magic Item Base Prices¶

Rarity	Base Price*
Common	100 gp
Uncommon	400 gp
Rare	4,000 gp
Very rare	40,000 gp
Legendary	200,000 gp

*Halved for a consumable item like a potion or scroll

Magic Item Offer¶

Check Total	Offer
1–10	50% of base price
11–20	100% of base price
21+	150% of base price

Complications. The main risk in selling a magic item lies in attracting thieves and anyone else who wants the item but doesn’t want to pay for it. Other folk might try to undermine a deal in order to bolster their own business or seek to discredit the character as a legitimate seller. Every workweek spent trying to sell an item brings a 10 percent chance of a complication, examples of which are on the Magic Item Sale Complications table.

Magic Item Sale Complications¶

d6	Complication
1	Your enemy secretly arranges to buy the item to use it against you.*
2	A thieves’ guild, alerted to the sale, attempts to steal your item.*
3	A foe circulates rumors that your item is a fake.*
4	A sorcerer claims your item as a birthright and demands you hand it over.
5	Your item’s previous owner, or surviving allies of the owner, vow to retake the item by force.
6	The buyer is murdered before the sale is finalized.*

*Might involve a rival

Training¶

Given enough free time and the services of an instructor, a character can learn a language or pick up proficiency with a tool.

Resources. Receiving training in a language or tool typically takes at least ten workweeks, but this time is reduced by a number of workweeks equal to the character’s Intelligence modifier (an Intelligence penalty doesn’t increase the time needed). Training costs 25 gp per workweek.

Complications. Complications that arise while training typically involve the teacher. Every ten workweeks spent in training brings a 10 percent chance of a complication, examples of which are on the Training Complications table.

Training Complications¶

d6	Complication
1	Your instructor disappears, forcing you to spend one workweek finding a new one.*
2	Your teacher instructs you in rare, archaic methods, which draw comments from others.
3	Your teacher is a spy sent to learn your plans.*
4	Your teacher is a wanted criminal.
5	Your teacher is a cruel taskmaster.
6	Your teacher asks for help dealing with a threat.

*Might involve a rival

Work¶

When all else fails, an adventurer can turn to an honest trade to earn a living. This activity represents a character’s attempt to find temporary work, the quality and wages of which are difficult to predict.

Resources. Performing a job requires one workweek of effort.

Resolution. To determine how much money a character earns, the character makes an ability check: Strength (Athletics), Dexterity (Acrobatics), Intelligence using a set of tools, Charisma (Performance), or Charisma using a musical instrument. Consult the Wages table to see how much money is generated according to the total of the check.

Wages¶

Check Total	Earnings
9 or lower	Poor lifestyle for the week
10–14	Modest lifestyle for the week
15–20	Comfortable lifestyle for the week
21+	Comfortable lifestyle for the week + 25 gp

Complications. Ordinary work is rarely filled with significant complications. Still, the Work Complications table can add some difficulties to a worker’s life. Each workweek of activity brings a 10 percent chance that a character encounters a complication.

Work Complications¶

d6	Complication
1	A difficult customer or a fight with a coworker reduces the wages you earn by one category.*
2	Your employer’s financial difficulties result in your not being paid.*
3	A coworker with ties to an important family in town takes a dislike to you.*
4	Your employer is involved with a dark cult or a criminal enterprise.
5	A crime ring targets your business for extortion.*
6	You gain a reputation for laziness (unjustified or not, as you choose), giving you disadvantage on checks made for this downtime activity for the next six workweeks you devote to it.*

*Might involve a rival

Downtime Activities¶

The 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. When a character owns a tavern in a village or spends time carousing with the locals, that character’s player is more likely to respond to threats to the village 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.

More Downtime Activities¶

Chapter 8, “Adventuring” of the Player’s Handbook describes a few downtime activities to fill the void between adventures. Depending on the style of your campaign and the particular backgrounds and interests of the adventurers, you can make some or all of the following additional activities available as options.

Building a Stronghold¶

A character can spend time between adventures building a stronghold. Before work can begin, the character must acquire a plot of land. If the estate lies within a kingdom or similar domain, the character will need a royal charter (a legal document granting permission to oversee the estate in the name of the crown), a land grant (a legal document bequeathing custody of the land to the character for as long as he or she remains loyal to the crown), or a deed (a legal document that serves as proof of ownership). Land can also be acquired by inheritance or other means.

Royal charters and land grants are usually given by the crown as a reward for faithful service, although they can also be bought. Deeds can be bought or inherited. A small estate might sell for as little as 100 gp or as much as 1,000 gp. A large estate might cost 5,000 gp or more, if it can be bought at all.

Once the estate is secured, a character needs access to building materials and laborers. The Building a Stronghold table shows the cost of building the stronghold (including materials and labor) and the amount of time it takes, provided that the character is using downtime to oversee construction. Work can continue while the character is away, but each day the character is away adds 3 days to the construction time.

Building a Stronghold¶

Carousing¶

Characters can spend their downtime engaged in a variety of hedonistic activities such as attending parties, binge drinking, gambling, or anything else that helps them cope with the perils they face on their adventures.

A carousing character spends money as though maintaining a wealthy lifestyle (see chapter 5, “Equipment,” in the Player’s Handbook). At the end of the period spent carousing, the player rolls percentile dice and adds the character’s level, then compares the total to the Carousing table to determine what happens to the character, or you choose.

Carousing¶

d100 + Level	Result
01–10	You are jailed for 1d4 days at the end of the downtime period on charges of disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. You can pay a fine of 10 gp to avoid jail time, or you can try to resist arrest.
11–20	You regain consciousness in a strange place with no memory of how you got there, and you have been robbed of 3d6 × 5 gp.
21–30	You make an enemy. This person, business, or organization is now hostile to you. The DM determines the offended party. You decide how you offended them.
31–40	You are caught up in a whirlwind romance. Roll a d20. On a 1–5, the romance ends badly. On a 6–10, the romance ends amicably. On an 11–20, the romance is ongoing. You determine the identity of the love interest, subject to your DM’s approval. If the romance ends badly, you might gain a new flaw. If it ends well or is ongoing, your new love interest might represent a new bond.
41–80	You earn modest winnings from gambling and recuperate your lifestyle expenses for the time spent carousing.
81–90	You earn modest winnings from gambling. You recuperate your lifestyle expenses for the time spent carousing and gain 1d20 × 4 gp.
91 or higher	You make a small fortune gambling. You recuperate your lifestyle expenses for the time spent carousing and gain 4d6 × 10 gp. Your carousing becomes the stuff of local legend.

Crafting a Magic Item¶

Magic items are the DM’s purview, so you decide how they fall into the party’s possession. As an option, you can allow player characters to craft magic items.

The creation of a magic item is a lengthy, expensive task. To start, a character must have a formula that describes the construction of the item. The character must also be a spellcaster with spell slots and must be able to cast any spells that the item can produce. Moreover, the character must meet a level minimum determined by the item’s rarity, as shown in the Crafting Magic Items table. For example, a 3^rd-level character could create a wand of magic missiles (an uncommon item), as long as the character has spell slots and can cast magic missile. That same character could make a +1 weapon (another uncommon item), no particular spell required.

You can decide that certain items also require special materials or locations to be created. For example, a character might need alchemist’s supplies to brew a particular potion, or the formula for a flame tongue might require that the weapon be forged with lava.

Crafting Magic Items¶

Item Rarity	Creation Cost	Minimum Level
Common	100 gp	3^rd
Uncommon	500 gp	3^rd
Rare	5,000 gp	6^th
Very rare	50,000 gp	11^th
Legendary	500,000 gp	17^th

An item has a creation cost specified in the Crafting Magic Items table (half that cost for a consumable, such as a potion or scroll). A character engaged in the crafting of a magic item makes progress in 25 gp increments, spending that amount for each day of work until the total cost is paid. The character is assumed to work for 8 hours each of those days. Thus, creating an uncommon magic item takes 20 days and 500 gp. You are free to adjust the costs to better suit your campaign.

If a spell will be produced by the item being created, the creator must expend one spell slot of the spell’s level for each day of the creation process. The spell’s material components must also be at hand throughout the process. If the spell normally consumes those components, they are consumed by the creation process. If the item will be able to produce the spell only once, as with a spell scroll, the components are consumed only once by the process. Otherwise, the components are consumed once each day of the item’s creation.

Multiple characters can combine their efforts to create a magic item if each of them meets the level prerequisite. Each character can contribute spells, spell slots, and components, as long as everyone participates during the entire crafting process. Each character can contribute 25 gp worth of effort for each day spent helping to craft the item.

Normally, a character who undertakes this activity creates a magic item described in chapter 7, “Treasure.” At your discretion, you can allow players to design their own magic items, using the guidelines in chapter 9, “Dungeon Master’s Workshop.”

While crafting a magic item, a character can maintain a modest lifestyle without having to pay the 1 gp per day, or a comfortable lifestyle at half the normal cost (see chapter 5, “Equipment,” in the Player’s Handbook).

Gaining Renown¶

A character can spend downtime improving his or her renown within a particular organization (see “Renown” in chapter 1). Between adventures, a character undertakes minor tasks for the organization and socializes with its members. After pursuing these activities for a combined number of days equal to his or her current renown multiplied by 10, the character’s renown increases by 1.

Performing Sacred Rites¶

A pious character can spend time between adventures performing sacred rites in a temple affiliated with a god he or she reveres. Between rites, the character spends time in meditation and prayer.

A character who is a priest in the temple can lead these rites, which might include weddings, funerals, and ordinations. A layperson can offer sacrifices in a temple or assist a priest with a rite.

A character who spends at least 10 days performing sacred rites gains inspiration (described in chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook) at the start of each day for the next 2d6 days.

Running a Business¶

Adventurers can end up owning businesses that have nothing to do with delving into dungeons or saving the world. A character might inherit a smithy, or the party might be given a parcel of farmland or a tavern as a reward. If they hold on to the business, they might feel obliged to spend time between adventures maintaining the venture and making sure it runs smoothly.

A character rolls percentile dice and adds the number of days spent on this downtime activity (maximum 30), then compares the total to the Running a Business table to determine what happens.

If the character is required to pay a cost as a result of rolling on this table but fails to do so, the business begins to fail. For each unpaid debt incurred in this manner, the character takes a −10 penalty to subsequent rolls made on this table.

Running a Business¶

d100 + Days	Result
01–20	You must pay one and a half times the business’s maintenance cost for each of the days.
21–30	You must pay the business’s full maintenance cost for each of the days.
31–40	You must pay half the business’s maintenance cost for each of the days. Profits cover the other half.
41–60	The business covers its own maintenance cost for each of the days.
61–80	The business covers its own maintenance cost for each of the days. It earns a profit of 1d6 × 5 gp.
81–90	The business covers its own maintenance cost for each of the days. It earns a profit of 2d8 × 5 gp.
91 or higher	The business covers its own maintenance cost for each of the days. It earns a profit of 3d10 × 5 gp.

Selling Magic Items¶

Few people can afford to buy a magic 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 common, uncommon, rare, or very rare magic item that he or she wants to sell can spend downtime searching for a buyer. This downtime activity can be performed only in a city or another location where one can find wealthy individuals interested in buying magic items. Legendary magic items and priceless artifacts can’t be sold during downtime. Finding someone to buy such an item can be the substance of an adventure or quest.

For each salable item, the character makes 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 checks. On a failed check, no buyer for the item is found after a search that lasts 10 days. On a successful check, a buyer for the item is found after a number of days based on the item’s rarity, as shown in the Salable Magic Item table.

A character can attempt to find buyers for multiple magic 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 common magic item in 2 days and a buyer for an uncommon item in 5 days, but fails to find a buyer for a rare item up for grabs, the entire search takes 10 days.

For each item a character wishes to sell, the player rolls percentile dice and consults the Selling a Magic Item table, applying a modifier based on the item’s rarity, as shown in the Salable Magic Items table. The character also makes a Charisma (Persuasion) check and adds that check’s total to the roll. The subsequent total determines what a buyer offers to pay for the item.

You determine a buyer’s identity. Buyers sometimes procure rare and very rare items through proxies to ensure that their identities remain unknown. If the buyer is shady, it’s up to you whether the sale creates legal complications for the party later.

Salable Magic Items¶

| Rarity | Base Price | Days to
Find Buyer | d100 Roll
Modifier* | | — | — | — | — | | Common | 100 gp | 1d4 | +10 | | Uncommon | 500 gp | 1d6 | +0 | | Rare | 5,000 gp | 1d8 | −10 | | Very rare | 50,000 gp | 1d10 | −20 |

* Apply this modifier to rolls on the Selling a Magic Item table.

Selling a Magic Item¶

d100 + Mod.	You Find …
20 or lower	A buyer offering a tenth of the base price
21–40	A buyer offering a quarter of the base price, and a shady buyer offering half the base price
41–80	A buyer offering half the base price, and a shady buyer offering the full base price
81–90	A buyer offering the full base price
91 or higher	A shady buyer offering one and a half times the base price, no questions asked

Sowing Rumors¶

Swaying public opinion can be an effective way to bring down a villain or elevate a friend. Spreading rumors is an efficient, if underhanded, way to accomplish that goal. Well-placed rumors can increase the subject’s standing in a community or embroil someone in scandal. A rumor needs to be simple, concrete, and hard to disprove. An effective rumor also has to be believable, playing off what people want to believe about the person in question.

Sowing a rumor about an individual or organization requires a number of days depending on the size of the community, as shown in the Sowing Rumors table. In a town or city, the time spent must be continuous. If the character spreads a rumor for ten days, disappears on an adventure for another few days and then returns, the rumor fades away without the benefit of constant repetition.

Sowing Rumors¶

Settlement Size	Time Required
Village	2d6 days
Town	4d6 days
City	6d6 days

The character must spend 1 gp per day to cover the cost of drinks, social appearances, and the like. At the end of the time spent sowing the rumor, the character must make a DC 15 Charisma (Deception or Persuasion) check. If the check succeeds, the community’s prevailing attitude toward the subject shifts one step toward friendly or hostile, as the character wishes. If the check fails, the rumor gains no traction, and further attempts to propagate it fail.

Shifting a community’s general attitude toward a person or organization doesn’t affect everyone in the community. Individuals might hold to their own opinions, particularly if they have personal experience in dealing with the subject of the rumors.

Training to Gain Levels¶

As a variant rule, you can require characters to spend downtime training or studying before they gain the benefits of a new level. If you choose this option, once a character has earned enough experience points to attain a new level, he or she must train for a number of days before gaining any class features associated with the new level.

The training time required depends on the level to be gained, as shown on the Training to Gain Levels table. The training cost is for the total training time.

Training to Gain Levels¶

Level Attained	Training Time	Training Cost
2^nd–4^th	10 days	20 gp
5^th–10^th	20 days	40 gp
11^th–16^th	30 days	60 gp
17^th–20^th	40 days	80 gp

Creating Downtime Activities¶

Your players might be interested in pursuing downtime activities that aren’t covered in this chapter or in the Player’s Handbook. If you invent new downtime activities, remember the following:

An activity should never negate the need or desire for characters to go on adventures.
Activities that have a monetary cost associated with them provide opportunities for player characters to spend their hard-won treasure.
Activities that reveal new adventure hooks and previously unknown facts about your campaign can help you foreshadow future events and conflicts.
For an activity you expect a character to repeat with variable degrees of success, consider creating a random outcome table, modeled on the ones in this chapter.
If a character belongs to a class or has a proficiency or background that would make him or her well suited to a particular activity, consider granting a bonus to ability checks made by the character to complete that activity successfully.

Franchise Tasks and Downtime¶

As talked about in the Player’s Handbook and the Dungeon Master’s Guide, downtime activities allow players and DMs to make the breaks between adventures into a compelling part of the campaign. In between the highlights of slogging through dungeons, infiltrating death cults, and being generally heroic, characters can practice professions, engage in research, create special items, and indulge other activities beyond adventuring.

Because an Acquisitions Incorporated campaign is focused on the franchise, downtime is typically a big part of the game. (The adventure that makes up chapter 4 of this book, “The Orrery of the Wanderer,” sets up downtime options between adventure episodes as a key component of the campaign.) But an Acq Inc campaign offers even more robust options for characters who want to get things done outside adventuring time, because the heroes of an Acquisitions Incorporated campaign have something that most adventurers don’t — a well-paid (okay, an occasionally paid) staff.

In addition to the downtime activities characters undertake on their own, the hard-working subemployees and interns of a franchise can carry out orders and further the characters’ goals through research, crafting, social encounters, and so forth. This lets the players direct behind-the-scenes activities even as the characters focus on the more rarefied pursuits of killing monsters and taking their stuff. Before your party sets out for the Fortress of Eternal Peril, an intern can be sent to research that magic book found in a previous adventure. Your majordomo might spend time currying favor with nobles as a means of expanding the franchise’s reputation. And what could be more fun (for you) than to have the staff engage in a bit of dangerous criminal activity? If they’re successful, the franchise gets the profits! And if they get caught, who are these people you barely know?

Franchise Tasks in the Campaign¶

By allowing franchise tasks to take place not just during downtime but while the characters are adventuring, it’s possible for players in an Acquisitions Incorporated game to try to push the pace of the campaign. Characters might try to avoid taking downtime of their own in favor of having franchise employees take care of all that boring not-adventuring stuff. But because an Acq Inc campaign makes great use of social encounters, research, and intrigue, players should be encouraged to not treat downtime as optional. Moreover, DMs can and will make use of rivalries and complications during franchise tasks to drag characters into that part of the game.

Between Adventures¶

Using the traditional approach to downtime, franchise tasks can be run at set break points during the campaign. When the characters return from adventuring, they take on some of the responsibility for bookkeeping, maintenance, long-term planning, and the like, making franchise staff available for other activities under the characters’ guidance. In this model, characters and staff run downtime simultaneously between sessions of adventuring. This follows the standard approach of using downtime to advance the timeline of the campaign.

Ongoing Activities¶

A more wide-open approach to franchise tasks sees the characters direct those activities at any point during the campaign, alongside traditional adventuring. During any game session, the players can decide to focus on what the franchise staff are up to by setting assignments, giving orders, and making checks to determine the success of franchise tasks. If those tasks tie strongly into the adventure, franchise tasks can effectively become a fourth pillar of an Acquisitions Incorporated game, alongside exploration, social interaction, and combat.

Selecting Franchise Tasks¶

Whether franchise tasks are undertaken during regular downtime or alongside other adventuring activities, a franchise’s rank puts a hard limit on the number of tasks the franchise’s staff can undertake. See the “Franchise Advancement” section earlier in this chapter. (This limit is only for franchise tasks undertaken by staff. The characters are free to undertake whatever downtime activities the DM allows, as normal.)

For each available franchise task slot, players can allocate one or more staff members to a chosen franchise task. Those tasks can include any of the downtime activities in the Player’s Handbook or the Dungeon Master’s Guide, the new and revised downtime activities in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, and the new activities in this section. When all of a franchise’s task slots are filled, one of those tasks must be completed before staff can be allocated to a new franchise task. (The one exception to this rule is the running a franchise activity, presented later in this section. That activity must be performed by a franchise, but does not require that specific characters or staff members be allocated to it.)

Staff allocated to a franchise task are no longer available for other needs, including other franchise tasks. Any costs or resources associated with a franchise task must be provided by the franchise (which is to say, by the characters).

For example, a rank 2 franchise can undertake two concurrent franchise tasks. If the characters are setting out to explore the Swamp of Lingering Malaise, they might order their majordomo to send messages to various noble families while they’re away, carrying out the sowing rumors activity from the Dungeon Master’s Guide. The task follows the regular rules for that downtime activity, but is carried out by the majordomo. At the same time, the characters might send out another staff member to engage in the explore territory activity (a new activity detailed below).

You can’t expect to get everything done yourself. Delegation is key. And the consequences for fumbling a simple task should be real, immediate, and serve as a lesson to others who serve you. No dessert for a tenday! That’ll teach ’em.

— Rosie Beestinger

Making Task Checks¶

When a franchise task requires an ability check, a staff member can use their own ability check modifier to determine success. (This modifier might depend on the staff member’s statistics, if an NPC, or it might be based on the franchise’s rank. See the “Franchise Advancement” section.) Alternatively, the staff member can use the check modifier of a character overseeing the task and giving the staff member direction. This can encourage the characters to develop closer relationships with franchise staff through roleplaying, and keeps the players involved in staff-focused franchise tasks.

Franchise Tasks as Narrative¶

Franchise tasks can be an exciting, story-rich part of a gaming session. Over time, franchise tasks and character downtime activities can expand the story of a franchise and add depth to the characterizations of its NPC staff members. The successes, failures, and complications of franchise tasks might even become pivotal moments in the campaign.

As with all aspects of an Acquisitions Incorporated campaign, franchise tasks are about creating narrative. As such, to make those tasks a part of the campaign story, the DM and the players can work together to break tasks down into distinct scenes using the following guidelines.

Establish Goals¶

When the characters select a franchise task, the players share their goals for that task with the DM. Having clear motives helps establish the stakes and provides ideas that the DM can weave into the campaign story. The DM might work up a narrative based on the players’ initial discussions, and might ask additional questions to help narrow down options.

As an example, consider a group of characters whose franchise headquarters is a submersible ship, and whose staff are largely former pirates. While the characters head out for a mission on the mainland, they direct the ship’s staff-member captain to surprise other vessels and liberate goods from them. The DM decides that such acts of piracy fit the shady business practice activity (introduced later in this section), and quickly sketches out a few ideas for the task.

Opening Scene¶

The DM describes the beginning of the task activity, setting the stage for the NPCs’ actions. For the submersible headquarters discussed above, the DM might begin to describe how the ship leaves port in search of easy prey. The captain and crew are in a good mood. There’s a storm in the area, but it doesn’t threaten the submersible. The DM might ask the players to describe a few undertakings the crew can engage in to pass the time, or might even ask players to temporarily take on the roles of one or more staff members, helping to bring those NPCs to life through roleplaying.

Ability Check Scenes¶

For each ability check required by a franchise task, the DM describes what’s happening, determines the applicable ability, and decides whether a skill or tool proficiency is appropriate (usually as suggested in the activity write-up). Whether the check is made by a staff member or the character who directed or set up the franchise task, a player makes the roll. The DM can encourage roleplaying by asking about what kind of guidance a character provided to the staff member, or what part of the staff member’s background makes them good at the task at hand. The DM then describes successive scenes based on checks and roleplaying as the crew members locate a likely target ship and commence their attack.

Concluding Scene¶

The DM determines the overall outcome for the franchise task, then narrates the outcome to wrap up that small part of the overall story. If the check for the activity indicates any degree of success, the DM describes how the franchise’s pirates manage to grab some valuable cargo, in addition to other benefits as noted in the write-up for the shady business practice activity. With treasure aboard, the ship is ready for the characters’ eventual return.

Ongoing Story¶

Rather than treating franchise tasks as isolated episodes, the DM can weave the story of one task into the next, and can tie franchise tasks into the overarching campaign. Doing so assigns importance to franchise tasks, and lets the players understand how the success or failure of those tasks might drive the campaign. Even after a specific franchise task has concluded, the DM can make notes for how that task might tie to future tasks. For the characters running the submersible franchise, the ship that fought off the franchise’s pirates might remember a few details about the franchise crew. Or perhaps the plundered vessel belongs to a franchise rival, or even a foreign dignitary the characters will eventually meet, setting up a future plot twist.

DOWNTIME ACTIVITIES

This section introduces the following new downtime activities, all of which can be used as franchise tasks in an Acquisitions Incorporated campaign: explore territory, franchise restructuring, headquarters modification, marketeering, philanthropic enterprise, running a franchise, scrutineering, shady business practice, schmoozing, team building.

Other downtime activities can be found in the following books:

Player’s Handbook (chapter 8): Crafting, practicing a profession, recuperating, research, training

Dungeon Master’s Guide (chapter 6): Building a stronghold, carousing, crafting a magic item, gaining renown, performing sacred rites, running a business, selling magic items, sowing rumors, training to gain levels

Xanathar’s Guide to Everything (chapter 2): Buying a magic item, carousing, crafting an item, crime, gambling, pit fighting, relaxation, religious service, research, scribing a spell scroll, selling a magic item, training, work

Complications and Rivals¶

The franchise and downtime activities introduced in this section all incorporate the idea that such activities can introduce ongoing complications to the campaign, and that anything a franchise’s characters or employees do might bring the franchise into conflict with rivals.

If you use Xanathar’s Guide to Everything in your games, you’re probably already familiar with complications and rivals as part of downtime, but you don’t need to own that book to make use of these ideas. Rather, just remember that an Acquisitions Incorporated campaign is always about story. Each time the characters engage in downtime or direct their staff in a franchise task, the players and the DM can think about how those tasks and activities might complicate the ongoing campaign narrative, and how the franchise’s enemies — or potential enemies — might get caught up in those complications.

When a complication or a rival comes into play during downtime or franchise activities, the DM determines the particulars. The activities presented at the end of this section all come with tables of possible complications, but the DM is free to come up with even more dastardly complications to suit the campaign.

Who’s Watching?¶

An easy way to focus on complications and rivals in a campaign is to think about who might be paying attention to a franchise’s activities. For example, a successful philanthropic enterprise (one of the new activities in this section) could draw the attention of a noble who begins to question the reputation and honesty of the characters running the franchise. Or the party might launch a marketeering campaign (another new activity), only to discover that their branding has an accidental resemblance to the logo of an assassins’ guild. Complications are an excellent way to develop rich interactions between the setting and the characters. In an Acquisitions Incorporated campaign, even the smallest actions can have unexpected (and, ideally, hilarious) consequences.

Rivals represent any of the factions and organizations that can come into play during an Acquisitions Incorporated campaign. Rivals don’t have to be villains or mortal enemies of the characters, though. Other Acq Inc franchises all compete with the characters’ franchise, seeking to expand their own reach and impress Head Office. Governments, merchants, guilds, religious institutions, and noble families can all take notice as a franchise grows in power. And outside the characters’ immediate sphere of influence, factions such as Dran Enterprises and the Six work dark plots that might make the characters targets for assimilation or destruction. (The plots of the Six and the operations of Dran Enterprises both play a part in the adventure “The Orrery of the Wanderer,” chapter 4 of this book.)

When a complication occurs during a downtime or franchise activity, the DM determines whether and how that complication connects to a rival. Certain complications might be caused by rivals, as when the orc army camping in the characters’ territory is revealed to have been invited there by a competing franchise. Other complications might draw a rival in, as when a greedy noble decides they want a piece of the franchise’s action.

Rival NPCs can be worked up using the rules in chapter 4, “Creating Nonplayer Characters” of the Dungeon Master’s Guide, incorporating schemes, methods, and weaknesses. If you use Xanathar’s Guide to Everything in your game, that book provides example rivals and talks about establishing a rival’s goals, assets, and plans. See also the “Factions and Rivals” section in chapter 3 of this book for an introduction to some of the rival organizations that might appear in an Acquisitions Incorporated campaign.

Complications as Story¶

Complications and rivals make excellent adventure seeds. Whenever a complication or rival draws the interest of the players, the DM can make a note of that for future development. As the campaign progresses, the agendas of rivals change over time, just as the characters’ goals and agendas change as a result of their franchise’s success (or their efforts to stave off failure).

The DM can decide how to invoke complications as the campaign story unfolds. Perhaps the characters were forced to slay an evil guard in a raid gone bad. Later, their majordomo engages in a little gambling as part of a franchise task … and finds the suspicious husband of the guard at their gaming table! Likewise, if a franchise has recently tangled with Dran Enterprises or opposed another Acq Inc franchise, the chance of a complication with either group likely goes up.

Downtime and Franchise Activities¶

In addition to the downtime activities found in other books, characters and their franchise staff can undertake the new activities presented in this section, either as regular downtime activities or as franchise tasks that can be undertaken at any time. These activities reflect the central role of the franchise in an Acquisitions Incorporated campaign.

The length of time required for these new downtime or franchise activities varies, from a number of days to one workweek (5 days) or more. All the normal rules for downtime must be followed by the character or NPC undertaking the downtime or franchise activity, including spending 8 hours each day engaged in that activity for the day to count toward the activity’s completion. The one exception to this rule is that any costs for a franchise activity are paid for by the characters, even if franchise staff are executing the task.

Some downtime and franchise activities alter a franchise’s monthly costs. See the “Franchise Advancement” section earlier in this chapter for how to determine a franchise’s base monthly costs, and see the “Running a Franchise” section below for more information on how that activity modifies the base cost.

Explore Territory¶

No matter how densely populated or remote and wild the territory in which a franchise is licensed to operate, that territory has secrets. Characters and franchise staff can explore their licensed territory in search of useful features, hidden lairs, resources, and creatures that can be engaged in beneficial service. (Or, you know, sold for parts. If you’re okay with that). Exploration can be done any number of times in a franchise’s territory, representing new areas being explored, new discoveries, or elements that have changed since the last exploration.

Resources. Exploring a portion of a licensed territory requires at least one workweek of effort and incurs 200 gp per franchise rank in expenses. Spending more time and money increases the chance that the expedition finds something of use to the franchise.

Resolution. A character or staff member directing the expedition makes a Wisdom (Survival) check to determine the outcome. This check gains a +2 bonus if a character with the cartographer or occultant position is part of the expedition, a +1 bonus for each workweek beyond the first that is spent exploring, and a +1 bonus for every additional 200 gp spent over the baseline expenses. A maximum bonus of +10 can be applied to this check. The total of the check determines the outcome, as shown on the Exploration Discoveries table.

Exploration Discoveries

Check Total	Discovery
1–5	Major threat*
6–10	Minor threat*
11–15	No discovery of note
16–20	Natural feature
21–25	New customers
26–30	Ally or useful monster
31+	Expanded benefit

*Might involve a rival

Major Threat. A result on the table indicating a major threat represents a discovery, event, or entity that might completely undo a franchise’s ability to do business — or destroy it altogether. Such threats might include the discovery of a massing orc tribe, or a dragon entering the area to raid the franchise’s trade routes. The franchise’s monthly costs increase by 50 percent until the threat is resolved, as determined by the DM.

Minor Threat. A minor threat to the franchise involves uncovering a danger that can disrupt the characters’ ability to conduct business effectively. Such threats might arise from stumbling upon the lair of a monster, learning of the machinations of a noble, or discovering a rival’s outpost. The franchise’s monthly costs increase by 25 percent until the threat is resolved, as determined by the DM.

Natural Feature. The expedition could locate timber, precious metals, or other valuable natural resources; a feature that serves as a lookout or offers defensive value; a location that can serve as a safe house; or the like. Valuable resources lower a franchise’s monthly costs by 25 percent for 1d4 + 1 months. Other natural features can offer material benefits in future gaming sessions. For example, a tall spire of rock could serve as a watchtower, allowing the franchise to gain advance warning of any large-scale forces moving through their territory. A cave network acting as a safe house could allow the franchise to conceal goods or people in times of trouble.

New Customers. A new settlement is discovered in the territory, and the people there are eager to deal. These could be newcomers settling the area or a previously unnoticed village or group of farmsteads. The presence of new customers lowers franchise costs by 25 percent for 2d4 months before rivals catch wind of them.

Ally or Useful Monster. The dwelling of a useful ally, such as a sage or a former franchise member, is discovered. This ally can become a source of lore, providing insights into one or more campaign secrets — for a low, low fee of 100 gp times the franchise tier for each secret. The party can also make one-time use of the ally to lower franchise costs by 50 percent for 1d4 months, after which the ally departs.

The expedition could instead locate a monster that is either willing to help the party or can be tamed. The challenge rating of the monster is typically equal to franchise rank, and providing for the monster’s needs costs 100 gp per month. This monster could serve as a scout or spy, alerting the franchise to danger in its territory. Or it could serve as a mount or guardian and be based in the franchise headquarters. Such a monster remains with the franchise as long as its costs are covered and it is treated well.

Expanded Benefit. The DM chooses whether the expedition turns up a natural feature, new customers, or an ally or useful monster, then increases the benefit or reduces the cost of that discovery. Natural resources might be found in greater abundance, an ally might provide secrets for half the normal fee, a monster might be of a higher challenge rating than normal, and so on.

Complications. A result of 1–10 on the Exploration Discoveries table is its own complication, but the DM can add unexpected side effects to a successful result by choosing from or rolling on the Explore Territory Complications table.

Explore Territory Complications

d6	Complication
1	Within 1 month, the characters find legal documents indicating the beneficial element is owned by or sworn to serve someone else.*
2	One or more staff members go missing during the exploration activity. Their fate is a mystery the characters must resolve.*
3	The beneficial element has a nefarious past, bears a curse, or comes with a dark secret.
4	The beneficial element is short-lived, ending with little notice. Allies might suddenly leave, or a natural feature could be destroyed by a storm.
5	Outsiders are drawn to the beneficial element, getting in the way of the franchise’s operations.*
6	Bad luck seems to follow anyone interacting with the beneficial element.

*Might involve a rival

Franchise Restructuring¶

A growing franchise often needs fine-tuning to improve its operations and remain lean and capable. Efficiency measures, bold new paradigms, shiny business plans, internal audits, and inventory management can be key to new profits. The best plans often end up creating an auxiliary market for “how-to” books, such as Can’t-Miss Principles of Franchise Reinvisionary Strategery and What to Inquire about How to Acquire. In some campaigns, Head Office might periodically require this task to ensure that a franchise grows effectively.

Resources. Boldly restructuring a franchise requires at least two workweeks of effort. The franchise must also spend 100 gp per franchise rank in expenses. Spending more time and money increases the characters’ chance to effectively restructure their franchise.

Resolution. Characters or staff members in charge of the restructuring make two ability checks with a DC of 13 + franchise rank. First, a character or staff member must succeed at either an Intelligence (History) or Wisdom (Insight) check to select the right vision or identify the right areas to innovate. This check gains a +1 bonus for every character with the loremonger or hoardsperson position in the franchise, and an additional +1 bonus if the character making the check has one of those positions.

A character or staff member must then make a Charisma (Deception, Performance, or Persuasion) check to get all other characters and staff on board with the prescribed changes. This check gains a +1 bonus for each decisionist or secretarian in the franchise, and an additional +1 bonus if the character making the check has one of those positions.

All checks gain a +1 bonus for every two workweeks beyond the initial time that is spent undertaking this activity. Each check also gains a +1 bonus for every additional 100 gp spent over the baseline expenses. A maximum bonus of +10 can be applied to each check.

The total number of successes determines the outcome of the activity, as noted on the Franchise Restructuring table.

Franchise Restructuring

Successes	Benefit
0	The restructuring plan is a failure. The franchise’s monthly costs increase by 20 percent for 1 month.
1	The restructuring plan provides minor benefits. The franchise’s monthly costs decrease by 10 percent for 1d4 months.
2	The restructuring plan provides strong benefits. The franchise’s monthly costs decrease by 20 percent for 1d4 months.

Complications. A result of 0 successes typically indicates that the failed restructuring results in a complication. At the DM’s discretion, even a successful outcome might have unexpected side effects. The DM can choose a complication or roll on the Franchise Restructuring Complications table.

Franchise Restructuring Complications

d6	Complication
1	The restructuring plan has too many buzzwords and acronyms. The resulting confusion sees shipments or staff sent to dangerous locations. A side trek adventure is required to recover the lost goods or personnel.
2	The changes to the franchise alienate an important staff member, who takes one of the franchise’s best practices or secrets to a rival.*
3	The search for efficiency uncovers a previously unrecognized issue, such as corruption, problems with staff dynamics, or influence from a rival.*
4	An audit reveals that one of the staff members was a spy, feeding secrets to a rival. The spy escapes, possibly inspiring a side trek adventure to catch them.*
5	The restructuring efforts produce lingering chaos. The next two times a check is made for a downtime or franchise activity in the campaign, the check is made with disadvantage.
6	A staff member becomes outraged by the changes and secretly begins to undermine the franchise. The characters must uncover the culprit and decide how to deal with them.*

*Might involve a rival

Headquarters Modification¶

Major headquarters modifications are made as a regular part of franchise advancement (see “Franchise Advancement” earlier in this chapter). But it’s sometimes desirable to update a previous modification in ways that don’t provide any additional mechanical benefits.

Characters and franchise staff members can use this activity to modify an existing headquarters feature. This change is subject to DM approval, and is typically done within the same feature category, such as swapping one weapon option for another. In response to pressing need, the DM might allow a franchise to swap options between categories, such as losing a weapon option in favor of an arcane option. The DM can limit how often this activity is used.

Resources. Once a modification is approved, this activity requires the involvement of the franchise’s majordomo and at least one other character or staff member. This team must dedicate at least three workweeks to this activity, and the franchise must spend 1,000 gp per franchise rank to cover expenses. The DM might also require a side trek to gather necessary materials or hire specialist labor before the activity can be commenced.

Resolution. One character or the majordomo acts as the lead for this activity, making an Intelligence (Arcana or History) check to draft the modifications. A character or the majordomo must then make two ability checks to complete the modifications, using either Strength (Athletics) or an Intelligence check using appropriate tools. With DM approval, a different ability and skill appropriate for the modification can be substituted for any of the checks.

Each check receives a +1 bonus for every two staff participating who are skilled hirelings, and a +1 bonus if any participant has the cartographer, loremonger, or hoardsperson position. The number of successes is compared to the Headquarters Modification table.

Headquarters Modification

Successes	Benefit
0	The modification fails, and the franchise incurs cost overruns of 1,000 gp per franchise rank.
1	The modification fails, and the franchise incurs cost overruns of 500 gp per franchise rank. However, the cause of the failure is apparent, granting advantage on any future checks to perform the same modification.
2	The modification succeeds but incurs a cost overrun of 100 gp per franchise rank. The modification also has a minor drawback, as determined by the DM.
3	The modification succeeds with no cost overruns or drawbacks.

Complications. A result of 0 successes or 1 success automatically creates a complication. Other results might create a complication at the DM’s determination. The DM can select a complication or roll on the Headquarters Modification Complications table.

Headquarters Modification Complications

d6	Complication
1	An accident during the modification injures a franchise staff member. That NPC’s family demands compensation equal to 100 gp per franchise rank. It might be possible to instead appease the family by performing a service.
2	A spy makes a copy of the plans for the modification, learning its function and taking that information back to a rival organization.*
3	The modification was based on information originating with a rival. If the modification failed, the plans were intentionally faulty. If it succeeded, the characters detected the fault, but must decide how to respond to the attempted sabotage.*
4	A local official insists that permits were needed for the modification, and demands payment or a favor to make the problem go away.*
5	The work causes the franchise headquarters to develop a quirk, such as strange noises, unwelcome smells, weird vibrations while mobile, and the like. Resolving the problem might require consulting a sage or an expert in headquarters construction.
6	The modification work uncovers a previously unknown problem with the headquarters, such as a structural defect, a dormant monster, bodies interred in the foundations, a concealed cursed item, and so forth.

*Might involve a rival

THE MAGIC OF MARKETEERING

Marketeering¶

Every successful franchise knows that brands require constant management. Developing new markets, shaping catchy slogans, and surveying and engaging customers can all create new sources of revenue. Should you write and sell exciting chapbook serials based on the exploits of Omin, Jim, Môrgæn, and Viari? Should you sell a complex investment scheme to a city’s guild masters? Should you create a branded stage production based on your franchise’s exciting adventures, with a line of clothing to match? All those things and more are encompassed by the fine art of marketeering.

Resources. The players must first sketch out their marketeering plan and present it to the DM. A character or franchise staff member must spend at least one workweek to engage in marketeering, and must spend 100 gp per franchise rank in expenses. Spending more money increases the chance of the plan’s success.

Resolution. A marketeering effort requires three ability checks, representing drafting the campaign, launching the campaign, and managing its success. Any of the characters or staff members involved in the marketeering can make a check. The DM decides which abilities and skills are applicable, based on the marketeering plan. For example, a plan involving selling a new line of religious items might require an Intelligence (Religion) check to draft the idea and develop the products, a Charisma (Deception) check to convince local temples to promote the idea, and a Charisma (Persuasion) check to ensure the plan receives continued support.

Each check gains a +1 bonus for each additional 100 gp per franchise rank spent above the baseline expenses. When additional gold is spent, the character making the checks determines which checks the bonuses apply to. Additional gold can be spent at any point in the process, allowing the franchise to put more effort into subsequent checks if earlier checks are less than successful. If the character making the check has the obviator or secretarian position, they receive an additional +1 bonus to each check. A maximum bonus of +5 can be applied to each check.

The DC of each check is determined randomly, reflecting the always-unpredictable conditions of the market. The DM rolls 2d10 + 5 for the DC, generating a separate result for each check. The total number of successes determines the outcome of the activity, as noted on the Marketeering table.

Marketeering

Successes	Benefit
0	The marketeering plan fails. The franchise’s monthly costs increase by 20 percent for 1 month.
1	The marketeering plan provides no improvements or setbacks.
2	The marketeering plan provides moderate benefits. The franchise’s monthly costs decrease by 25 percent for 1 month.
3	The marketeering plan is a complete success. The franchise’s monthly costs decrease by 25 percent for 2 months.

Complications. A result of 0 successes or 1 success typically indicates that the marketeering plan incurs a complication. However, even a successful result can trigger a complication at the DM’s determination. The DM can choose a complication or roll on the Marketeering Complications table.

Marketeering Complications

d8	Complication
1	The marketeering plan attracts the attention of Head Office, where someone absolutely hates it. A NPC is sent to oversee the franchise “for a while,” with an outcome determined by the DM.*
2	Marketeering materials go missing right before launch, forcing the franchise to recreate them at the last minute. This might incur additional baseline costs or affect the reduction of franchise costs, as the DM determines.*
3	Just as the marketeering plan is released to the public, the characters realize that a competing group released a surprisingly similar plan just a tenday previous. Customers now think the franchise is copying its rival.*
4	The marketeering’s message alienates or offends a crucial demographic. Protests spring up, and the affected group demands reparations.
5	A local official or noble begins to look into claims of deceptive advertising tactics or questionable hiring practices related to the marketeering plan.*
6	The marketeering plan creates great interest — but unfortunately steers customers toward similar products or services offered by a competitor.*
7	The catchphrase or theme song of the marketeering campaign is a surprise hit, and everyone repeats it endlessly! Until they tire of it and begin blaming the franchise for mental trauma.
8	The marketeering plan is undermined by rumors of a problem with the product or service, causing it to be dangerous to anyone using it.*

*Might involve a rival

Philanthropic Enterprise¶

It can feel great to give to charity and help those in need. Pretending to care about others can also be a great way to earn favor with governments and nobility, gain tax write-offs, or win over customers. Head Office might suggest (or even require) that a franchise undertake this activity if it has recently gained negative publicity or been discovered to engage in shady activities.

Franchise members should select a philanthropic cause related to a nearby area, settlement, or group of people. Example causes include such efforts as picking up trash from roads or forests, improving schools, and raising funds for victims of a recent disaster. (That last one is an especially good idea if the disaster was caused by the franchise). Success benefits the franchise by helping the selected cause — or at least giving the appearance of having done so. Failure might worsen both the underlying issue and the franchise’s reputation.

Resources. The philanthropic exercise activity requires at least one workweek of effort, and incurs 50 gp per franchise rank in expenses.

Resolution. One character or staff member involved in the philanthropic enterprise makes an ability check determined by the DM. A Charisma check using the character’s choice of skill is often appropriate, but the DM might decide that a specific philanthropic approach requires a different ability and skill. A character with the documancer or occultant position gains a +1 bonus to the check. The total of the check determines the outcome, as shown on the Philanthropic Enterprise table.

Philanthropic Enterprise

Check Total	Result
1–5	The philanthropic enterprise is a disaster. The cause is left severely worse off, and literally everyone blames the franchise.
6–10	The cause shows no real improvement, and people are slow to accept the franchise’s claims of wanting to help.
11–15	The franchise is praised for its help in improving the chosen cause. Donations to the cause pour in, allowing the franchise to skim an honorarium of 200 gp.
16–20	The cause shows serious improvement, and the franchise is heralded for its actions. Donations to the cause pour in, allowing the franchise to skim a management fee of 500 gp.
21+	The cause shows remarkable improvement, and the franchise is credited for all but fully resolving the issue. Local officials provide a tax break, reducing the franchise’s monthly costs by 20 percent for 2 months.

Complications. A result of 1–5 on the Philanthropic Enterprise table automatically generates a complication. But the DM can decide that even success might have drawbacks, either choosing or rolling for a complication on the Philanthropic Enterprise Complications table.

People give away their money? For no reason? But how will they buy ale and arrows?

— Môrgæn

Philanthropic Enterprise Complications

d6	Complication
1	The selected cause is secretly the purview of a thieves’ guild or other criminal organization. The organization resents the franchise’s efforts and decides to undermine the characters’ future endeavors.*
2	A local reporter or official becomes convinced that the franchise’s efforts are all about the characters’ personal gain. The individual begins to monitor the franchise, and reports on any missteps.*
3	A group of individuals objects to the franchise’s efforts, believing that the problem underlying the selected cause is part of the natural order. The group actively tries to convince others of the terrible side effects (real or otherwise) of the franchise’s philanthropy.*
4	Another philanthropic group is already involved in the franchise’s cause. That group tries to cast the franchise’s efforts as ineffective and insincere.*
5	Hearing of the franchise’s good works, people who are affected by some other issue requiring philanthropic assistance show up at franchise headquarters in huge numbers.
6	Members of the franchise work with an established group to perform the philanthropic enterprise. But it soon becomes clear that the group is a sham — and that local officials are looking into their activities. The characters need to fix the situation, or risk being implicated in scandal by association.*

*Might involve a rival

Running a Franchise¶

Running a business is one of the downtime activities presented in the Dungeon Master’s Guide, but an Acquisitions Incorporated franchise is no mere business. This new downtime and franchise activity covers the many and varied duties necessary to keep a franchise running smoothly, and determines how well the characters and their staff manage those duties.

Resources. Unless the DM decides otherwise, this franchise task must be run at the end of each month of game time. Unlike other activities, results are determined for running a franchise even if specific characters and staff members are not allocated to the activity. However, allocating characters or staff members to running the franchise greatly improves the chances for a favorable outcome.

During any given month, the players decide how many days their characters and the franchise staff can dedicate to this activity. Characters and staff members cannot perform other activities while focused on this activity (as normal), and any days spent adventuring or engaged in other activities cannot be used for this activity.

Resolution. Percentile dice are rolled by a player nominated for this task by the group. The number of total days spent by all characters and staff members on this activity are added to the roll. That total is then compared to the Running a Franchise table to determine what happens for the month.

Running a Franchise

d100 + Days	Result
01–10	The franchise has a ruinous month. Declining sales and rising expenditures increase the franchise’s monthly cost by 150 percent.
11–20	The franchise suffers severe setbacks. Monthly cost increases by 125 percent.
21–30	The franchise struggles. Monthly cost increases by 100 percent.
31–40	The franchise performs poorly. Monthly cost increases by 50 percent.
41–50	The franchise operates normally. Monthly cost does not change.
51–60	The franchise sees strong sales and trims expenses. Monthly cost decreases by 50 percent.
61–70	The franchise improves operations and sales. Monthly cost decreases by 100 percent.
71–80	The franchise has an excellent month. Monthly cost decreases by 110 percent.
81–90	The franchise has a fantastic month. Monthly cost decreases by 125 percent.
91+	The franchise is a shining example to other Acquisitions Incorporated franchises. Monthly cost decreases by 150 percent.

Determining Monthly Cost. A franchise’s base monthly cost is a combination of the cost for the franchise’s headquarters and a multiplier for franchise rank. The fancier the headquarters, the more the upkeep. And the bigger the franchise, the more overhead it has. The “Franchise Advancement” section earlier in this chapter has more information on determining a franchise’s base monthly cost.

Whenever a downtime or franchise activity modifies a franchise’s costs for a given month, that increase or decrease is totaled up with all other increases and decreases. For example, a successful marketeering campaign might decrease the franchise’s monthly costs by 25 percent, but then a major threat as a result of exploring franchise territory increases monthly costs by 50 percent — a net increase of 25 percent.

Whenever the final result indicates that the franchise’s monthly costs have decreased 100 percent, profits and expenses exactly balance each other out, so that the franchise has no payment to make for that month. Whenever the final total is a decrease in monthly costs of more than 100 percent, this means the franchise has paid its expenses and earned a profit to boot. Calculate the profit based on the amount of the decrease above 100 percent. For example, a franchise whose monthly costs come out at a decrease of 150 percent earns a profit equal to 50 percent of the franchise’s base monthly cost.

Nonpayment Penalties. At the end of this activity, the franchise makes a payment to Head Office to cover its monthly costs. If it does not do so, the franchise begins to fail. See the rules for defaulting in the “Franchise Costs” section, earlier in this chapter. Regardless of what action Head Office takes, a franchise’s inability to pay its expenses should result in complications and story ramifications. Local folk and businesses start to demand that accounts be cleared. The general public might begin to reject the franchise’s products and services, worried about dealing with dodgy businesspeople.

Complications. A franchise automatically suffers a complication if the check for this activity was 30 or less. The DM might also impose a complication even when a franchise is doing well. The DM can choose a complication or roll on the Running a Franchise Complications table.

Running a Franchise Complications

d6	Complication
1	The franchise’s sales of products and services have attracted competition from a rival.*
2	Regardless of its success month to month, the franchise’s long-term planning is called into question. Head Office demands that the characters engage in either the franchise restructuring activity or the team building activity.
3	A person who insists they are in no way from Head Office suggests that the franchise should run the shady business practice activity. It really feels more like a demand than a suggestion.
4	Customers are turning away from the franchise. Until the characters can determine the cause, each subsequent check for the running a franchise activity takes a −5 penalty.*
5	A staff member finds signs of sabotage impacting the franchise’s operations.*
6	Staff members start demanding higher pay and threaten to go on strike.*

*Might involve a rival

Scrutineering¶

As a member of an Acquisitions Incorporated franchise, you scoff at those who limit their intelligence-gathering activities to mere research or sagery. The scrutineering activity covers basic research easily enough (finding a new profitable venture, learning what pleases Head Office, amassing lore about a site or monster, and so forth). But it can also expand across a much broader range of activities. You might engage (“kidnap” is such a harsh word) members of a rival group, learn the secrets of a stronghold known only to those who built it, assess an organization’s business model to determine its weaknesses, or lay rightful claim to any information that might benefit your franchise in some way.

Resources. The DM determines what resources are required for any particular scrutineering goal, including access to specific people or places. Once that access has been gained, this activity requires at least one workweek of effort and 100 gp per franchise rank spent on bribes, materials, and other expenses. Spending more money increases the chance for successful scrutineering.

Resolution. The character or staff member overseeing the activity makes an Intelligence check, and can make use of a skill appropriate to the scrutineering activity at the DM’s discretion. This check gains a +1 bonus per 100 gp spent beyond the baseline expenses. A character with the documancer position gains a +1 bonus to the check. A maximum bonus of +10 can be applied to this check. The total of the check determines the outcome, as shown on the Scrutineering table.

Scrutineering

Check Total	Outcome
1–5	No effect.
6–10	You learn one piece of lore.
11–20	You learn two pieces of lore.
21+	You learn three pieces of lore.

Each piece of lore you uncover through scrutineering might cover specific details about a creature or NPC, how to thwart the defenses of a stronghold or office, the rituals or magic items employed by a mystical order, and so forth. The DM makes the final decision regarding what information is revealed by scrutineering.

Complications. Whenever this activity is undertaken, the DM determines whether a complication is warranted. Even if the information you uncover with scrutineering is accurate, additional things you didn’t learn might complicate your understanding. Your attempts to uncover secret information might also be thwarted by those intent on keeping those secrets. The DM can choose a complication or roll on the Scrutineering Complications table.

Scrutineering Complications

d6	Complication
1	One of the pieces of information is false and was planted by a rival.*
2	A source of information decides to join a rival organization, becoming an asset for them.*
3	A source was a greedy information broker, who decides to also sell information about the franchise or Head Office to a rival organization.*
4	The target of the information becomes aware of the franchise’s scrutineering efforts, and resents them.*
5	Scrutineering attempts attract the attention of officials, nobles, or another faction or rival who were previously unaware of the franchise.*
6	The character or staff member leading the activity comes into contact with a magical effect whose removal might require a side trek adventure.

*Might involve a rival

Shady Business Practice¶

The quickest path to success often runs straight through the thickets of questionable legality. Franchises that can overcome the morally dubious aspects of certain enterprises — and can deal with the risk of being caught engaging in those enterprises — might wish to consider such time-honored practices as back-of-the-wagon discount sales, fly-by-night gambling halls, highway robbery, racketeering, and pyramid schemes. Shady business practices can also include corporate espionage against rivals and other Acq Inc franchises, including stealing goods or sabotaging commercial efforts.

A SUITABLY SHADY BUSINESS PRACTICE

Resources. An intended shady business practice is detailed by the players and approved by the DM. Any shady business practice requires at least two workweeks of effort, plus 50 gp per franchise rank in expenses to set up the scheme.

Resolution. A shady business practice requires three ability checks, reflecting the ongoing progress of the chosen scheme. Any of the characters or staff members involved in the shady business practice can make a check. The abilities and skills applicable for each check are determined by the DM, reflecting the selected scheme and the ongoing narrative. For example, an attempt to set up a fly-by-night casino might require an Intelligence (Investigation) check to case a town for a suitable location, a Wisdom or Charisma check making use of gaming set proficiency to run the operation, and a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check to get away with the profits. At the DM’s determination, each check gains a +1 bonus if the character making the check has a background appropriate to the shady activity.

The DC of each check is determined randomly, reflecting the risky nature of criminal enterprises. The DM rolls 2d10 + 5 for the DC, generating a separate result for each check. The total number of successes determines the outcome of the activity, as noted on the Shady Business Practice table.

Some outcomes of shady business provide an additional benefit, chosen by the DM and relating to the characters’ chosen enterprise. For example, a franchise engaged in corporate espionage might gain insight into a rival, while a franchise selling black-market goods might learn the name of a corrupt government official.

Why would I know anything about shady business practices? Why are you asking me? I’m sure I don’t know what you mean. Plausible deniability certainly is not an important business tip I’d recommend.

— Rosie Beestinger

Shady Business Practice

Successes	Benefit
0	All participants in the shady business practice are arrested, and the franchise is fined 250 gp per franchise rank.
1	The shady business practice is a borderline success, providing 50 gp in profits per franchise rank.
2	The shady business practice is a moderate success, providing 100 gp in profits per franchise rank. Additionally, the franchise gains a minor benefit related to the enterprise.
3	The shady business practice is a full success, providing 150 gp in profits per franchise rank. Additionally, the franchise gains a major benefit related to the enterprise.

Complications. Achieving 0 successes automatically generates a complication, but the DM might decide that any illicit enterprise runs the risk of unforeseen circumstances. The DM can choose a complication or roll on the Shady Business Practice Complications table.

Shady Business Practice Complications

d6	Complication
1	One of the franchise’s staff members is arrested in connection with the scheme — and is set to be interrogated about all the franchise’s activities.*
2	Characters or staff members meet a corrupt official or noble as a result of the scheme. This brash and flamboyant individual threatens to draw attention to any future shady enterprises.
3	A rival uncovers the shady scheme and threatens to expose it.*
4	A citizens group hears rumors about the franchise’s involvement in the shady scheme, and forms a watch organization to monitor the characters.
5	An NPC who participated in the scheme tries to blackmail the franchise, asking for payment or a favor to keep quiet.
6	A thieves’ guild or other criminal organization takes an interest in the scheme. They order the franchise to run this activity every month, and demand a 10 percent cut. While the franchise does so, all checks for shady business practice activities are made with advantage.*

*Might involve a rival

Schmoozing¶

The schmoozing activity is more than just random carousing, chatting people up at society parties, or pumping strangers for information over copious drinks. (Full disclosure: copious drinks are often still a part of the bigger schmoozing picture.) For characters in an Acquisitions Incorporated campaign, schmoozing is a carefully focused engagement of bargaining and influence, designed to harvest contacts important to a franchise’s interests.

Resources. Schmoozing covers at least one workweek of interactions. Characters or staff members undertaking this activity must look and play the part of the confident franchisee — dressing well, spending money, giving gifts to new friends, and so forth. Schmoozing with laborers and other working-class folk might incur expenses of 10 gp per franchise rank, with expenses escalating to 100 gp or more per franchise rank for schmoozing professionals and business rivals. Schmoozing at the highest level with nobles or ranking members of a faction might incur expenses of 250 gp or more per franchise rank as the character or staff member attempts to put on an impressive social display.

Resolution. The character or staff member engaging in schmoozing determines whether they want to establish relations with specific NPCs or with any general representative of a group. The character makes a Charisma (Persuasion) check to determine the effectiveness of their schmoozing, as noted on the Schmoozing table. A character with the obviator position gains a +1 bonus to the check. A character with a background related to those they attempt to schmooze gains a +1 bonus to the check (a criminal schmoozing other criminals, a guild artisan schmoozing a guild master, and so forth).

Schmoozing

Check Total	Result
1–5	The character’s failed schmoozing brings the franchise into disrepute. Any further checks made for the franchise to schmooze NPCs from the same group or organization are made with disadvantage.
6–10	The character becomes known to those they schmooze, but gains no immediate benefit. If the character undertakes this activity again within the same group or social circle, the next check to schmooze is made with advantage.
11–15	The character successfully establishes the desired contacts, and is treated as a confidante of those they schmoozed.
16–20	The character establishes the desired contacts and is treated as a trusted friend.
21+	The character establishes the desired contacts and gains a favor as a result of their schmoozing skill.

If contacts are successfully made, the DM determines which NPCs the franchise is able to ingratiate itself with, how long those relationships last, and what kinds of benefits the franchise might gain. Some schmoozed NPCs might provide only a single minor benefit to the franchise before realizing the one-sided nature of the relationship. Others might hang around wanting to help the franchise for years — whether the characters want them to or not.

Complications. A check of 5 or lower made to schmooze automatically triggers a complication. Because the stakes of schmoozing are often high, the DM might decide to have any successful schmooze attempt come with a potential downside. The DM can choose a complication or roll on the Schmoozing Complications table.

Schmoozing Complications

d6	Complication
1	A different group notices the character’s schmoozing attempts. Agents threaten to expose the franchise’s ulterior motives unless the characters perform a favor or pay a bribe.*
2	To win over a potential contact, the schmoozing character or staff member swore to participate in an initiation ritual from the contact’s group … without first learning the nature of that ritual.
3	A contact becomes convinced that the schmoozing character or staff member intends to leave the franchise and join the contact’s organization. It’s clear that they’ll become hurt or angry when they learn the truth.
4	In the attempt to win over a contact, it was necessary to reveal one of the franchise’s secrets.*
5	The character or staff member regrets giving a contact a personal item, a drop of blood, or a lock of hair. It seemed like a great idea at the time.*
6	Shortly after schmoozing, the character or staff member receives a love letter from a contact — whether that interest is reciprocated or not.*

*Involves a faction or rival

Team Building¶

The frenetic pace of adventuring and running a franchise sometimes covers up underlying issues. Has the party’s cleric accidentally started worshiping a dark god? Is the majordomo at odds with the occultant’s habit of displaying entrails in the great hall? Is the fighter questioning their life choices? The team building activity can help characters work through problems, settle differences, and adjust the work-life balance. In the end, everyone ends up with a healthier working relationship. Or at least that’s the plan.

At the DM’s determination, characters might be directed by Head Office to run this activity each time a new franchise rank is gained, or during times of exceptional chaos or uncertainty.

Resources. Team building requires the involvement of at least two characters, or a character and a staff member. Those individuals must dedicate at least one workweek to this activity, whose particulars are worked out by participating players and the DM. The team building exercise might be a trust-inspiring ropes course, an emotional “resolve your issues” workshop, a meeting with an NPC spiritual guide, or any other suitable endeavor. Setting up the exercise incurs expenses of from 50 gp to 250 gp per franchise rank, as determined by the DM.

Resolution. Each character or staff member participating in team building chooses another participant, then creates a negative story connection to a bond, ideal, or similar element of that participant’s backstory. The players come up with such connections for their own characters. The DM creates connections for franchise staff, either on their own or in consultation with the players. (Characters and staff members do not need to pair up. If everyone else in the franchise has a particular problem with one character, so be it.)

Each character and staff member then makes a Wisdom (Insight) check. With the DM’s approval, different ability checks and skills might be allowed if they relate to the specifics of the team building exercise. A participant has advantage on their check if the DM decides the story connection was particularly clever or well roleplayed. All checks gain a +1 bonus if one of the characters taking part in the activity is a decisionist.

Each check is compared to the Team Building table. The outcome of the check can help redefine the relationships between individual characters, and can establish the tone of roleplaying between characters and franchise staff. Some outcomes also involve a team building memory that provides a potent benefit (see below).

Team Building

Check Total	Benefit
1–5	The participant uncovers deep-seated issues between themself and their chosen partner. If this is a character, they have disadvantage on ability checks made in the presence of the partner until the character undertakes this activity again. If this is a staff member, they are traumatized and leave the franchise unless the characters can convince them to stay.
6–10	The participant did not benefit from the team building exercise, but avoided serious trauma.
11–15	The participant was able to work through one or more issues. If this is a character, they have advantage on the next check they make during a franchise or downtime activity.
16–20	The participant sees themself and their connection to the other participant in a whole new way. If this is a character, they have advantage on the next check they make during a franchise or downtime activity, and they gain a team building memory (see below).
21+	The participant has had an awakening, gaining a deep sense of who they can become and their connection to their partner. The character has advantage on the next check they make during a franchise or downtime activity, and gains two team building memories.

Team Building Memories. The most potent personal changes inspired by team building can last a lifetime. Or at least an encounter. A character who earns a team building memory gains an extraordinary ability that can be used once. As a bonus action, the character gains one effect of the enhance ability spell for 10 minutes (no concentration required).

A character can retain team building memories only from the most recent instance of this activity. If a character has unused team building memories and undertakes this activity again, those memories are lost.

Wait, we’re a team? I thought we were independent entities with temporarily aligned goals.

— Môrgæn

Complications. At the DM’s determination, every team building exercise has a chance of creating a complication as things get real, yo. The DM can choose a complication or roll on the Team Building Complications table.

Team Building Complications

d6	Complication
1	The team building activity is revealed to actually be a death trap, an island of doom, or a similar challenge. The DM determines whether this was an honest mix-up, the act of a disgruntled staff member, or the actions of a rival.*
2	Upon hearing what took place during the team building exercise, uninvolved staff members decide that the franchise is subjecting them to too much trauma. Some staff members might threaten to quit, or decide they want more benefits.
3	It’s revealed that the team building exercise was set up by a rival as an opportunity to ambush the participants, or to attack the franchise headquarters while the characters were away.*
4	The participants learn way too much about each other. Each character participating in the activity must select a bond, ideal, or similar background aspect from their partner and come up with a story explaining how this becomes a conflict for them.
5	Staff members who did not participate in the team building exercise feel left out, and morale drops at the franchise. The characters must find a way to raise staff spirits that does not involve running this activity again.
6	A staff member involved in the activity is secretly a member of a rival organization, or has been duped into doing that organization’s bidding. During the team building exercise, the rival organization plans to steal franchise secrets or destroy the participants’ morale.*

*Might involve a rival

Creating Magic Items¶

House Cannith has an enclave devoted solely to wand production. This facility is equipped with tools that amplify the Mark of Making and channel planar energies; the artisans also have access to a vast array of exotic woods and materials. You can also create a wand, but you’re starting from scratch and creating the tools you need. Essentially, when House Cannith creates magic items, it’s using factories; while your artificer is the equivalent of the tinkerer working in the garage. You can create magic items, and you can potentially create items that House Cannith can’t make… but it’s going to take you more time and gold than it takes for them. Here’s an overview of the process.

The Schema. The first step in creating a magic item is to acquire a schema for it. This is the equivalent of a recipe or a blueprint; it explains the process and components required to create the item. If you can obtain a schema—from House Cannith, the mystical library of Arcanix, the collection of an experienced artificer—you’re ready to move on. Otherwise, you can create a schema, but this takes time and skill. An arcane spellcaster uses Arcana to create schema. A divine caster uses Religion, while a druid or ranger relies on Nature. You must have a minimum skill bonus—your proficiency bonus plus your ability score bonus—in order to develop a schema. You must maintain the minimum skill bonus for the duration of your work, so an effect that increases an ability score for a few minutes won’t help you.

Schema Creation Requirements

Item Rarity	Work weeks	Minimum Skill
Common	3 days	+2
Uncommon	1	+4
Rare	3	+6
Very Rare	8	+8
Legendary	16	+10

This ability to develop a schema represents remarkable talent. It could take House Cannith years or decades to develop a particular schema; the fact that you can accomplish this in weeks reflects the idea that player characters are innovators. However, it is always up to the DM to decide if you can create a particular schema. The DM can always choose to exclude a particular magic item from a campaign.

Rare Components. Any magic item requires specialized materials—Eberron dragonshards, rare woods or metals, exotic herbs or other substances. While exotic, these things can be purchased or obtained in any major city. But creating a magic item from scratch often requires rarer components that can’t simply be purchased. You might need a flower from Thelanis, a feather from a couatl, or the scale of a dragon. More often than not, such this will require an adventure. You may not have to kill something to obtain what you need, but you’ll surely have to overcome a challenge. The Magic Item Ingredients table suggests how difficult that challenge could be.

Magic Item Ingredients

Item Rarity	CR Range
Common	1–3
Uncommon	4–8
Rare	9–12
Very Rare	13–18
Legendary	19+

It’s possible to find a rare component even when you’re not looking for one. You could discover an exotic Khyber crystal in the ruins of an artificer’s workshop. Time and study could yield suggestions as to what items could be made with the component; for example, that Khyber shard could be used to create an iron flask or dimensional shackles.

Creation. Once you have your schema and any rare components, you’re ready to begin. The DM can assign skills or tools that are required for this act of creation, so that it requires both proficiency and access to these tools. You must pay the basic costs of materials and services required to make the item. And you must spend a significant amount of time working on it; creating a legendary item can take a year of effort!

Magic Item Crafting Time and Cost

Item Rarity	Work weeks*	Cost*
Common	1	50 gp
Uncommon	2	200 gp
Rare	10	2,000 gp
Very Rare	25	20,000 gp
Legendary	20	100,000 gp

* Halved for a consumable item

The Magic Item Crafting Time and Cost table provides a basic framework, but various factors could reduce time or cost. Eberron dragonshards are a significant amount of the cost of materials. A remarkable dragonshard could reduce the cost of creating an item by 10 percent. A planar convergence could reduce the time or cost required to make an item with an effect tied to that plane. Ultimately, this is a story, and there are exceptions to every rule.

Complications. These rules for magic item creation are derived from the system presented in Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. This also offers the idea that the creation of a magic item is a complex procedure and that complications can arise. If you use this rule, there’s a 10 percent chance of a complication arising for every five workweeks spent on crafting the item. Xanathar’s Guide to Everything presents a number of possible complications. Here are few tied to Eberron.

Crafting Complications

d6	Complication
1	A Dragonmarked House takes an interest in your work. Do they view you as a threat, or are they impressed by your techniques? Do they want to buy the item, and what will happen if you refuse?
2	A mishap creates a temporary manifest zone.
3	You need to acquire an additional rare component.
4	The shifting balance of the planes interferes with your work; you must wait for the current planar alignment to change.
5	Your efforts draw the attention of one of the conspiracies of Eberron—such as the Chamber, the Aurum, the Emerald Claw, or the Lords of Dust.
6	Your item unexpectedly becomes sentient.

Crafting Rules: Crafting¶

When players have downtime between, or even in the middle of campaigns, it will be the case from time to time that they will want to use their skills to create something, either for themselves, or to sell and turn a profit while they wait out their next big adventure. The rules developed here are designed to provide a more comprehensive method for crafting items, be they magical or mundane, as well as provide the DM with some ability to more precisely gage the value of certain magical items they might provide to their players within their adventures.

What to Craft?¶

What is better for making a quarterstaff, Carpenter’s Tools or Woodcarver’s Tools? Ultimately the decision lies with the DM, but the following is a set of guidelines for what each set of tools can be used to do, and the table below indicates the relevant ability score to use in crafting checks with each set of tools.

It should be noted neither the tools nor the proficiency brings with it any structural requirements if they exist. A Smith will still need a forge to properly apply their craft.

Relevant Ability Score Alchemist’s Supplies Intelligence Brewer’s Supplies Wisdom Calligrapher’s Supplies Dexterity Carpenter’s Tools Strength Cartographer’s Tools Intelligence Cobbler’s Tools Dexterity Cook’s Utensils Wisdom Glassblower’s Tools Constitution Jeweler’s Tools Intelligence Leatherworker’s Tools Dexterity Mason’s Tools Strength Painter’s Tools Charisma Potter’s Tools Dexterity Smith’s Tools Strength Tinker’s Tools Dexterity Weaver’s Tools Dexterity Woodcarver’s Tools Dexterity

Crafting Rules: Crafting Items Once the daily cost, minimum crafting time, and standard value have been determined, the characters can begin crafting their new item. Characters must spend a minimum of 8 continuous hours for the time spent to count toward a crafting day. Multiple days do not have to be done consecutively for them to count however

At the end of each day spent crafting, players must mark off the daily cost, and make a crafting check. The modifier for this check is the same as the Work Rate calculated under Crafting Time. Once crafting is complete, take the average of all crafting rolls made on that item and compare it to the table below to determine the Quality and value multiplier.

Item Quality Average Quality Value Multiplier 0 - 4 Ruined 0x 4.01 - 12 Shoddy 0.1x 12.01 - 14 Poor 0.5x 14.01 - 17 Standard 1x 17.01 - 19 Superior 1.2x 19.01 - 21 Exceptional 1.5x 21+ Masterwork 2x Players can get an approximate feel for the Quality of their item during work to decide if they wish to continue working or finish the crafting process; however, the final Quality and Properties are unknown until after the crafting is complete.

Aren The Blacksmith Aren must spend 10 days working on his Dwarven Steel Greataxe. At the end of each day he makes a Crafting Check with a +6 modifier since he is using his +1 Smithing tools. Using this modifier he rolls the following: 10, 19, 15, 15, 24, 19, 17, 20, 13, 21. This averages to 17.3 making it Superior Quality. This increases the value of the Greataxe to 75 (standard value) x 1.2 (Superior Quality) = 90gp.Crafting Rules: Crafting Items Once the daily cost, minimum crafting time, and standard value have been determined, the characters can begin crafting their new item. Characters must spend a minimum of 8 continuous hours for the time spent to count toward a crafting day. Multiple days do not have to be done consecutively for them to count however

At the end of each day spent crafting, players must mark off the daily cost, and make a crafting check. The modifier for this check is the same as the Work Rate calculated under Crafting Time. Once crafting is complete, take the average of all crafting rolls made on that item and compare it to the table below to determine the Quality and value multiplier.

Item Quality Average Quality Value Multiplier 0 - 4 Ruined 0x 4.01 - 12 Shoddy 0.1x 12.01 - 14 Poor 0.5x 14.01 - 17 Standard 1x 17.01 - 19 Superior 1.2x 19.01 - 21 Exceptional 1.5x 21+ Masterwork 2x Players can get an approximate feel for the Quality of their item during work to decide if they wish to continue working or finish the crafting process; however, the final Quality and Properties are unknown until after the crafting is complete.

Aren The Blacksmith Aren must spend 10 days working on his Dwarven Steel Greataxe. At the end of each day he makes a Crafting Check with a +6 modifier since he is using his +1 Smithing tools. Using this modifier he rolls the following: 10, 19, 15, 15, 24, 19, 17, 20, 13, 21. This averages to 17.3 making it Superior Quality. This increases the value of the Greataxe to 75 (standard value) x 1.2 (Superior Quality) = 90gp.

Crafting Rules: Enchanting Items Enchanting items with magical powers and properties has great potential both as a future aid to the party, or as a great value to sell. Like most things with magic, the process of crafting enchanted items can complicate the crafting process considerably.

The high precision that must be had within the quality of the item, as well as the spellwork means that it is often teams of experts working together to create these powerful items.

Enchantement Tiers There are three tiers of enchantments when it comes to crafting these magical items. The table below details each of these tiers.

Increasing the level of the spell you are using to enchant the items will increase the Enchantment tier. This in turn increases the cost of special materials involved in the embedding, as does the minimum crafting quality necessary to properly hold the enchantment.

Conversion Time Tier Spell Levels Material Cost Item Quality Basic 1-3 90 gp Superior Advanced 4-6 450 gp Exceptional Mastercraft 7-9 4,000 gp Masterwork If an item fails to meet the requisite Item Quality, then the enchantment will fail. The form of that failure is up to the DM. It could range from a complete failure resulting in a mundane item, or simply a temporary enchantment that slowly fades.

The daily enchantment cost does not add to the Crafting time.

Magical Proficiency In addition to someone proficient with tools for crafting the physical object, magical items need their crafter to be proficient with Arcana, Nature, or Religion depending on the type of magic used, as well as be capable of casting the spell which will empower the object.

Multiple people can be involved in the crafting of an item in order to meet all requisite proficiencies.

Enchanting Formulas There exists for every magical item an optimal method to lay an enchantment to ensure the stability and effectiveness of the spellwork. This prescription to ensure that the crafted item is imbued with the power of the enchantment is called an Enchanting formula.

Some formula are more common than others, though even the most common requires some inquiry and work to locate. Other formulas are known to only a single caster, waiting for the right student to learn its secret. Many others have simply been lost to time itself.

If a character doesn’t have a formula for an item they are crafting then the Spellwork DC increases by 4 to account for the trial-and-error approach to learning how to properly lay these enchantments (see Spellwork below).

If a character successfully crafts an item, then they can record their process thereby creating a formula for that magical item, and removing the penalty for any additional items. Note that each combination of spell and material requires a different formula. A formula to cast fly on a carpet, does not translate into a formula to cast fly into a ring.

Spellwork Each day that the item undergoes spellwork two things must occur. First, the requisite spell(s) must be cast on the object. The Caster must also make a Spell check in order to properly lay the spell across the object. If they are being assisted by someone who has proficiency in the material they can make this check with advantage.

For an item to be properly enchanted, the caster must have a number of successful Spellwork checks equal to or greater than the level of the spell being cast into the item. Crafting can be extended to meet this; however, the crafter must continue to work on the object during this time, making crafting rolls that will affect the final quality. The DC for these Spellwork checks are shown on the following table.

When you attempt to enchant an item with multiple spells you must make separate Spellwork checks for each spell, using the DC of each spells level individually.

At the end of crafting, casters can make one additional crafting check without expending the spell slot or components. This seals the item from further manipulation in order to seal in a successful enchantment. If the caster failed to pass the necessary number of Spellwork checks, the DM will decide the form of the failure. Mundane enchantments could show up as temporary effects with limited uses per day, or simply having the spell rejected from the now mundane item. More complicated enchantments could catastrophically fail, ripping the object apart in the process, or transporting it and anyone nearby into the Astral Sea.

The Enchanted Armory After retiring from adventuring, the wizard Yurial and his barbarian friend Dar decide to make a go at creating and selling magical weapons. Yurial was an 8^th level Wizard with a 16 Intelligence and Proficiency with Arcana. Dar was a 9^th level Barbarian with 18 Strength and Proficiency with Smith’s tools.

For their first project they decide they want to make a +1 Longsword. They will start simple with a regular 4 Steel weapon. Dar has a work rate of 8gp per day and a Longsword has a base price of 15gp meaning it will take him 2 days to finish the blade, and it will only cost 2gp in materials. Since Magic Weapon is a 2^nd level spell, Yurial only needs the materials for a Basic Enchantment (90 gp per day), and he will need to succeed on the check both days of its crafting or extend the work. Fortunately he also has a formula recovered from their adventuring days.

At the end of the first day, Dar pays his 1 gp for smithing materials and Yurial pays 90 gp for Spellwork materials. Dark makes a Crafting check and rolls a 15 with a +8 modifier for 23 (average 23). Yurial simultaneously casts Magic Weapon at 2^nd level and makes a Spellwork (Arcana) check and rolls an 11 with a +6 modifier for 17 (1 success).

At the end of the second day, Dar pays another 1 gp for smithing materials and Yurial pays 90 gp for Spellwork materials. Dar then makes his second Crafting Check, 12, +8 for 20 (average 21.5). Yurial also does his Spellwork and makes the Spellwork (Arcana) check, rolling an 8 +6 for 14 (fail).

After finishing up the third day, Yurial makes his final weaving of the spell, sealing it into the item and making one last Spellwork (Arcana) check rolling 12 + 6 = 18(2 successes). As the spell fades into the Masterwork steel blade, the enchantment takes hold.

As an uncommon magic weapon, they can sell their +1 Longsword for 200 - 300 gp after costing them a total of 182gp.

Crafting Rules: Properties The following properties of the crafting process should be determined by the players and DM’s before or during the crafting process, as these will affect the time and cost to produce an item, as well as how much that item might be worth if the players then decide to sell it.

Base Cost The first thing to assess when crafting a new item is the base cost for a simple standard version of that item. Examples of base costs for many items can be found in the Player’s Handbook and Dungeon Masters Guide. This base cost assumes a standard quality item made of common materials and with no special enhancements involved. A regular steel longsword is a standard item. A masterwork Mithral Plate Armor is not standard. The effects of different types of materials and quality of the crafting will provide different modifications to the either the cost (price to craft in gp and time) or the value (the worth of the finished product at market). The following table can provide general guidelines for the average costs for some common types of items. This table is not complete, nor is it meant to be a replacement for the listed prices of objects when given in an official publication.

The following table can provide general guidelines for the average costs for some common types of items. This table is not complete, nor is it meant to be a replacement for the listed prices of objects when given in an official publication.

Light Armor 20 gp Medium Armor 250 gp Heavy Armor 450 gp Simple Melee Weapon 17 sp Simple Ranged Weapon 13 gp Martial Melee Weapon 16 gp Martial Ranged Weapon 37 gp Robes/Cloaks/etc 15 gp Boots/Belts/Hats/etc 5 gp Helms/Bracers/etc 10 gp Wand/Staff 10 gp Rings 5 gp Instrument (Music) 18 gp Figurine 25 gp Material After determining a base cost for the item, the next step is to consider what materials it will be made out of. There are countless different materials that can be used for any number of projects, but overall they can be split into five distinct categories: common materials, uncommon materials, rare materials, very rare materials, and legendary materials.

Common materials are readily available materials, that are essential to a functioning society. Copper, Iron, Oak, cow hide, and granite are examples of such easy to find, and relatively cheap materials. The base price assumes common materials resulting in no modification to the value or time to craft an item. Uncommon materials are still available if you have the money. They are more difficult to prepare, and generally valued above simple common items which adds to the time and cost to craft with Uncommon items, but leads to greater value as well. Garnets, Dwarven Steel, Common Mithril, Silver, Iron-Oak, and Marble are all examples of Uncommon materials. Rare materials can sometimes be found from the occasional vendor for extreme prices, but most typically these materials require quests to go out and track them down. Many adventurers just starting out will take quests from Guilds in search of these rare items for their benefactors to turn into profitable creations. Such items include Gold, Rubies, Emeralds, Noble Mithril, Adamantine, and Wyvern hides. Very Rare materials cannot be found for sale. Those that have time guard their treasures carefully. Quests for such materials often require experienced adventurers capable of spending months fighting through monstrosities that now inhabit an ancient mine. Examples include legendary gemstones like the Star Ruby, Royal Mithril, or Dragon Hide. Legendary materials have a mythical status. Only the most powerful of adventurers are typically capable of locating and surviving the quest to retrieve such items. Such materials are often thought of as being priceless, and much of this class of material are remnants of Titans, and other Primordial beings scattered though the planes. The examples provided above are designed to give a rough guideline for what kinds of materials would belong to each category. Ultimately the rarity and properties of any materials in the campaign world is at the discretion of the DM.

The following table describes the cost per day of crafting for using each material, as well as a multiplier in the time required to craft the item, and a multiplier on the final value of the item when finished.

Conversion Time Material Daily Cost Time Multiplier Value Multiplier Common 1 gp 1x 1x Uncommon 5 gp 2x 2.5x Rare 30 gp 3x 15x Very Rare 200 gp 5x 100x Legendary 1000 gp 10x >500x For complex items that use different multiple tiers of materials on different parts of the item, it is up to the DM to decide how much of the item will be crafted from each tier and then average together their different properties to come up with the item specific daily cost, time multiplier, and value multiplier.

Crafting Time The last step before beginning the Crafting itself is to determine the work rate and the crafting time. The work rate, is also the crafting modifier and is given by

Prof. Bonus + Relevant Mod. + Crafting Bonus This number will be the modifier used in crafting checks (see below), and is the rate in gp/day that you are able to make progress on items.

To determine the crafting time you take the base cost divided by the work rate, and multiply the time modifier from the material, rounded up:

( Base Cost ÷ Work Rate ) × Time Modifier This number represents the minimum number of days required to finish the item. Players may continue working on at item for any amount of time after they meet this minimum requirement as long as they continue to pay the daily crafting costs and make crafting checks.

Aren The Blacksmith Aren is a retired adventurer that has decided to become a blacksmith using a set of +1 Smithy tools he found as an adventurer. He was a fairly strong (16 Strength) 3^rd level fighter when he retired and has since gained proficiency with blacksmithing tools. Aren’s work rate is: +2 (Prof) + 3 (Str Mod) + 1(Tools) = +6gp/day.

Aren has heard of a Barbarian adventurer soon to be arriving in town and wants to try and make a Greataxe out of Dwarven Steel to sell to the individual. With a base price of 30gp (PHB pg 149), it will take Aren 30gp/6gp/day x 2(Uncommon Materials) = 10 days to craft the Greataxe.

Crafting the Greataxe will cost Aren 10days x 5gp/day (Uncommon Materials) = 50gp minimum to craft the weapon. This Greataxe will have a Standard Value of 30gp (base) x 2.5(Uncommon Materials) = 75gp.

Staff Creation¶

An iconic item for Wizards, characteristic for Druids, and flavorful for many other spellcasters, characters are often excited and curious about having a personal staff. These rules serve as a baseline for custom staff creation, although it is entirely appropriate for any given world or narrative to have modifications.

Staff Creation Rules Creating a staff consists of three steps:

Acquiring the physical staff
Enchanting the staff to be magical
Imbuing the staff with spells

I. Acquiring the Physical Staff A magic-user’s staff is typically a prized item, one with no small amount of personal connection to its owner. As such, crafting one’s first staff is no small endeavor. The physical staff itself is typically acquired with a great deal of ardor, often by journeying to a significant location where the wood or other material can be carefully selected.

While there are no hard and fast requirements for what this process must entail, there is a typically a journey of some kind involved in the first step of staff creation. This quest should be of personal relevance to the spellcaster, and perhaps tied into other events in your campaign’s story.

II. Enchanting the Staff to be Magical Once the physical staff has been acquired, the initial enchantment rite must be performed to transmute the staff into a vessel for containing spells. The Staff Creation Table shows information on creating staves of varying quality (rarity), including the maximum spell level able to be stored in them, and the number of charges they can hold. In order to craft a staff of a given quality, a character must have spell slots equal to the Maximum Spell Level for that staff.

The enchantment rite must be performed in stages over several days, taking 1 hour each day to perform. It also requires the expenditure of a certain amount of diamond dust or, at the DM’s discretion, another suitable catalyst of equal value. The value of the catalyst and the time to perform this rite are given in the Staff Creation Table. In addition, by expending an additional amount of the catalyst, the crafter can add a bonus to attack and damage rolls with the weapon (when used as a quarterstaff) or to spell attack rolls (or both, for double the expenditure) up to the number indicated in the Maximum Bonus column, which also indicates the necessary expenditure for such a bonus.

When the rite is complete, the staff becomes magical, and can be used as a divine or arcane focus and wielded as a magic quarterstaff. A spellcaster attuned to the staff can also be imbue it with spells, and cast spells imbued within it.

III. Imbuing the Staff with Spells To imbue a staff with a spell, a spellcaster must perform a ritual, spending 1 hour per spell level of the spell to be imbued. At the conclusion of each hour of the ritual, which typically occurs over several days, the spellcaster must touch the staff, cast the spell, and make an Intelligence (Arcana) check with DC equal to 10 + the spell’s level. With a successful check, the effects of the spell do not occur, but are rather stored within the staff. With a failed check, the spell is lost.

At the conclusion of the ritual, the spell becomes imbued within the staff, and can be cast by any spellcaster attuned to the staff by expending charges equal to the spell level.

A staff may contain a total number of spell levels equal to three times the maximum spell level of the staff.

At the DM’s discretion, other rituals may be performed to imbue the staff with other properties appropriate to its quality, expending time and material components as needed.

Staff Quality (Rarity) Maximum Spell Level Charges (regained daily) Maximum Bonus (cost to add) Material Cost Time to Enchant Common 1 4 (1d4) - 100gp 4 days Uncommon 2 6 (1d6) +1 (100gp) 500gp 14 days Rare 5 10 (1d10) +2 (1,000gp) 5,000gp 30 days Very Rare 6 20 (2d8) +3 (10,000gp) 50,000gp 90 days Legendary 7 50 (4d8) +3 (10,000gp) 500,000gp 366 days

Arcane Schema¶

A schema differs from a spell in that a schema doesn’t pull the magic to create the effect - it the understanding needed to infuse the power of that Schema into an item but not to cast the spell itself. Therefore, you cannot cast the spell directly (but are able to create scrolls or wands with the spell’s ability imbued within it). Some Schema’s knowledge also allows you to research and create Formulae that have the prerequisite spell as a requirement for creation.

Schemas are not the same as a warlock’s, a cleric, sorcerer or even a wizard’s magic - being neither arcane or divine in nature, but are those spell’s underlying pattern, the most basic form of the magic’s effect. Effectively its a reverse engineering of a spell/enchantment into a workable Schema, this is the THEORY of the magic and its patterns, and isn’t spell in the strictess of terms. Again, The schema isn’t a spell - and only the most skilled of those skilled in Arcane can build a workable spell from a schema. (Doing so doesn’t remove or destroy the schema.)