Clues vs Downtime

[ichabod]

So I am trying to figure out my next campaign. I would like downtime to be a part of that. However, I tend to make adventures where PCs find clues that lead them to other adventures. If they know where the possible adventures are, most of the players aren't going to want to do downtime. How do other GMs handle getting players from adventure to adventure with downtime in between?

1. Do they get clues during the downtime?
2. Do they need downtime to research the clues?
3. Do you force downtime somehow?
4. Do you have other ways to make the players aware of possible adventures?
5. Do you just avoid downtime since it doesn't seem to be what the players want?
6. Something else?

And please explain your answer so I can maybe get a clue. And note that I haven't got players yet. I'm planning on doing a sandbox (but not so much a hexcrawl) in a small town in the wilderness between two nations on the edge of war, with another nation across some dangerous mountains. But none of that is set in stone.

 

[Distracted DM]

You can always tell them "it's winter. you're not going anywhere in winter. 3 months downtime, here are all the fun things you can do- or you can just spend money on room and board and let the time pass."

I've done rumors, clues, or just above-table adventure pitches: "does anyone have any requests? Here are the adventures I'm interested in running. which ones seem cool?"
Depends on how you run your table!

 

[overgeeked]

Do they get clues during the downtime?
Do they need downtime to research the clues?

Both of these. If you end one adventure with a clue to another, have them use downtime to research the clue. Charging in blind is deadly. They need to know the location, what’s there, the terrain, the kinds of monsters, what’s guarding the treasure, etc. All great uses of downtime. Keep the initial clue vague so they have to research things. They hear a rumor of a powerful artifact up north. Any further info is locked behind downtime research.

Do you force downtime somehow?

As above. There’s also prepping for journeys. You can’t always find weeks worth of supplies for a party of adventurers at the drop of a hat. Seasonal and weather changes. Connections, obligations, and faction play all help push downtime. Bring back magical research so casters have to actually spend downtime researching their new spells rather than just ding and know them. Training to level also pushes downtime. Crafting rules, even if basic, push downtime. Putting the breaks on NPCs providing info also pushes downtime. Instead of an NPC just knowing something, they have to research it. They know enough to know where to look, but not so much they just know the answer.

You can also change the resting rules to push downtime. Gritty realism and safe haven resting are popular options.

Do you have other ways to make the players aware of possible adventures?

Secrets and Clues from Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master.

You can also have the players make proactive characters with goals in mind when you start play. Build your adventures around their goals and they’ll never stop pushing the game forward. It’s also a great way to lighten your load. You can also push for those goals to be gated behind stretches of downtime research as above. Anything that’s a version of I want to find, learn, make, create, etc is going to require large chunks of downtime.

Do you just avoid downtime since it doesn't seem to be what the players want?

Players want to achieve their goals. If their goals require downtime, they’re happy to do downtime. Just don’t bog it down with lots of mechanics or over-long narration. “A week has passed so mark off one week for any one ongoing project or research.” That’s more than enough.

 

[payn]

I dont really do downtime unless it has some value to the campaign specifically. For example, King Maker by Paizo naturally has downtime as the PCs go home to take care of their lands and such. It's up to the PCs when and how often, but neglecting downtime could lead to strife back home. Otherwise, my campaigns usually skip downtime, or have a reduced fade to black element. I have clues happen naturally as the PCs progress further into the campaign. They can always lean on benefactors, NPCs, taverns, etc.. for the clues they need to move forward.

To avoid aimless wandering and "what do we do?" questions, I think its ideal to have a meta-goal. For example, Pirates of Drinax is a sandbox campaign for Traveller where the PCs are tasked with empire building. How they go about it is up to them, but its not something achievable in one or two adventures and something they are always working towards. Helps keep a north star to guide them ever forward as the campaign progresses. The bonus, is I dont think you have to even have a solid path towards the end to start. In your example, the PCs could be a neutral group looking to end the war between the two nations. Adventures will be mysteries and battles of the on going war. The wrap up will be ending the war based on their actions.

 

[Wofano Wotanto]

What system are you using, or at least what genre? I don't want to assume fantasy when "sandbox around small town on a mountainous national border" could be lots of things from bog-standard D&D to interwar Mythos horror in Europe to some balkanized backwater world in Traveller.

 

[kenada]

So I am trying to figure out my next campaign. I would like downtime to be a part of that. However, I tend to make adventures where PCs find clues that lead them to other adventures. If they know where the possible adventures are, most of the players aren't going to want to do downtime. How do other GMs handle getting players from adventure to adventure with downtime in between?

1. Do they get clues during the downtime?
2. Do they need downtime to research the clues?
3. Do you force downtime somehow?
4. Do you have other ways to make the players aware of possible adventures?
5. Do you just avoid downtime since it doesn't seem to be what the players want?
6. Something else?

And please explain your answer so I can maybe get a clue. And note that I haven't got players yet. I'm planning on doing a sandbox (but not so much a hexcrawl) in a small town in the wilderness between two nations on the edge of war, with another nation across some dangerous mountains. But none of that is set in stone.

Even if you’re (probably) running something else, you may want check out Worlds Without Number. It has a number of useful and system-independent tools and advice for running an adventure-driven sandbox game.

In my homebrew system, downtime is an important part of play. It’s the only way (other than potions) to recover MP. It’s the easiest way to recover stress and HP. It’s also when you engage in certain activities (such as the previously mentioned recovery options, crafting, info gathering, research, etc). I’ve posted a number of recaps in the five words commentary thread, which includes some sessions with downtime.

However, my homebrew system is not designed for adventure-driven campaigns. It’s designed for exploration-driven ones where the GM is responsible for providing adversity and support for the PCs who determine the overall direction of the campaign based on what they decide to do. It’s (somewhat) compatible with adventures designed for B/X, so I may grab one to save some work, but I don’t generally try to lead them to the adventure.

 

[Tonguez]

I have a standard rule that any expedition (adventure) takes a month after which there is downtime.

I also like using Downtime as a spendable resource (imc I use Influence which can be spent to get favours from NPC (its a combo of 3.5 Wealth and Leadership scores). Also Downtime is a great time to give clues to the PCs (rumours heard while carousing, being approached about a magic item, receiving an invitation to the Provost Merchants annual ball, going to buy stuff and being told that the towns supplies are three weeks overdue etc) - some of the most fun encounters and adventure seeds occur in Downtime.

 

[ichabod]

What system are you using, or at least what genre? I don't want to assume fantasy when "sandbox around small town on a mountainous national border" could be lots of things from bog-standard D&D to interwar Mythos horror in Europe to some balkanized backwater world in Traveller.

5E, high fantasy homebrew world, and I'm thinking of making them more powerful by sort of giving them ASIs and feats.

 

[aco175]

I am trying to introduce something in my game with downtime and building a home base. I'm giving out cards with increased abilities if the PC builds a stronghold and attracts followers. I'm not sure how the players will take to it though and part of me is thinking that it will end up being a checkbox to spend gold and have a lab or temple built. Another checkbox to get a follower and such.

One of the cards I made is for the necromancer that allows his undead to have 2 more hit dice if he has a lab and at least one follower. If the players like it, I want to allow for more when they have a greater lab and at least 10 followers.

 

[Lanefan]

So I am trying to figure out my next campaign. I would like downtime to be a part of that. However, I tend to make adventures where PCs find clues that lead them to other adventures. If they know where the possible adventures are, most of the players aren't going to want to do downtime. How do other GMs handle getting players from adventure to adventure with downtime in between?

1. Do they get clues during the downtime?
2. Do they need downtime to research the clues?
3. Do you force downtime somehow?
4. Do you have other ways to make the players aware of possible adventures?
5. Do you just avoid downtime since it doesn't seem to be what the players want?
6. Something else?

And please explain your answer so I can maybe get a clue. And note that I haven't got players yet. I'm planning on doing a sandbox (but not so much a hexcrawl) in a small town in the wilderness between two nations on the edge of war, with another nation across some dangerous mountains. But none of that is set in stone.

From a later post I see you're using 5e, so...

You can hard-force downtime by making them have to train in order to level up. With 5e's stupid-fast level advancement, though, this might not be as workable as it is in a slower-advancing system.

You can soft-force downtime by not having any clues appear until after they've been in town a while.

Or, you can have it that the clues appear whenever but the event they point to won't happen for x-amount of in-game time e.g. they find out "The answer lies behind the Thanguil Door"; but when they research the Door, they learn it only opens at the darkest hour of midwinter; it's now early October and it's less than two weeks travel to get to the Door's location. The risk here is that they'll decide to spend the intervening time adventuring; not much you can do about that other than conveniently not have there be any adventuring for them to do.

Another thing you can do, but there's no guarantee it'll work, is to encourage downtime activities such as building a home base by having them find items in their adventures that would be very useful at a home base but aren't much good in the field. Examples: a big heavy scrying and-or long-range travel device; or something big and useful but unique enough they'll want to keep it hidden so nobody tries to steal it (or the monarch doesn't try to claim it); or magic items specifically geared toward home-base use e.g. a flag that when flown above a structure provides some sort of always-on defense or protection to that structure, and so on.

Or, you can have a character (or whole party, even) somehow get the same effect as if they'd pulled the "Throne" card from a Deck of Many Things: they gain a keep and maybe a title to go with it. This could be a magical effect, or a reward from a grateful patron or noble, or whatever; but the character(s) have to be tied to the keep somehow lest they just sell it or give it away. And bang - now they have a home base that they have to keep up, staff, and can expand or alter as desired.

However, a caution: 5e as a system fights against all of this by a) not having any useful rules for things like stronghold building (though one of the expansion books may have waved at such, I'm not sure) and b) not featuring downtime activities in the PH as things characters can do.