Summary
InDungeons & Dragons, every adventurer needs their rest. However, we’re not just talking about a Long Rest either. No, sometimes, after a grand adventure or a thrilling arc, the characters need a little bit of downtime. Whether it’s because of the pacing in the narrative orthe players just need a breakfrom the game for a week, there is a system for what adventurers get up in between quests known as Downtime.
There are all sorts of things you may get up to, from building a stronghold to spreading rumors. However, with there being different activities to choose from, what are the best ones? Well here are the absolute best Downtime Activities you should focus on if you get the chance to finally recover from that dungeon your party had to go through.
8Buy A Magic Item
Nothing Helps More Than Retail Therapy
It may sound simple, but let’s face it. It can be so rewarding to finally get out of that dungeon with a mountain full of gold in your Bag of Holding and finally get a chance to look over the powerful magical items that you could acquire.
Not to mention that this type of downtime activity is pretty easy to do, assuming that there is a city or some sort of civilization nearby that has magical items available to you. Nothing like a bit of retail therapy to get through the trauma of adventuring.
7Brewing Potions
Make Your Own Health Potions At Home
This activity is especially useful for all the Artificers out there. Potions are expensive to come by, and sometimes you may have just slayed a beast that has some unique venomous sacs or another type of body part that could be harvested for some good ingredients.
Rather than sell it, try and brew some potions instead. You may be able to craft up some handy health potions instead of having to buy them in bulk and spend the gold you just made just to help keep your party alive.
6Training
An Adventurer Never Rests
Probably the last thing your adventurer probably wants to do is more work during their downtime, it’s true. However, training can be incredibly useful. Whether it’slearning a new languageor proficiency with a set of tools, you can always learn something new.
The only downside to this is that training takes 250 days, and you have to spend 1gp per day of training. However, that only makes it all the more important to train whenever you can so you can rack up those day and eventually learn something new.
5Research
Always Good To Learn Ahead
Research is not only a great way to spend your time, especially if your character is more intellectually inclined, but your DM will probably love you because this is the perfect way to introduce a new adventure. But if you perhaps are already aware of what your party is going to do next, then this becomes an even more important part of your downtime.
You could learn about what kind of monster you might face, more about the history of the dungeon you may delve into, or just anything general that could come in handy in future quests.
4Work
A Bit Too Close To Real Life
Yeah, yeah, you want your downtime to be relaxing, presumably. But if you’re running a little low on gold, especially after spending it all on equipment for your next adventure, then working is a good way to make sure you don’t lose any more gold.
Each day you spend on downtime, you will have to spend on Lifestyle Expenses, which can differ depending on how nice your conditions are. By working, you can always maintain a modest lifestyle without spending any gold; for bards, you can perform and enjoy a wealthy lifestyle without spending any more of your gold.
3Crime
Plan A Heist In Your Downtime
Alright, so it’s not the safest option out there, but what adventurer has ever cared about being safe?Whether you’re a roguewith a dark past or just someone who wants to earn some gold and earn it fast, then you can look to do some crime.
Crime usually will have you spending gold and a workweek to plan a heist, which you can then execute for some rewards that are determinant to your Dungeon Master and just how successful your checks are. There’s always something good about being bad.
2Crafting
Put Those Tools To Good Use
However, you can still be a more productive member of society by crafting. There are systems in place for crafting your very own magical items (although be warned, it will be costly and time-consuming) or crafting simpler items, depending on your tool proficiency.
It’s a nice way to put such proficiencies to good use, whether it’s using smith’s tools to create some armor or carpenter’s tools to create some furniture (perhaps for your party’s new stronghold or to sell).
1Carousing
Live A Life Of Luxury
Of course, for the risk-takers in the party, if it’s not crime you want, then it can certainly be passion. Carousing is one of the most entertaining downtime activities, allowing players to spend 4gp and roll on a table to determine what happens to them.
This can result in anything from earning money to falling in love to getting in trouble with the law. Either way, it’s certainly one of the more adventurous activities that you can do.
