D&D 5E D&D Next Q&A: How Downtime Interacts with Legacy, Healing & Backgrounds

[jodyjohnson]

http://community.wizards.com/dndnex...e_interacts_with_legacy,_healing__backgrounds

This week's Q&A.

 

[jodyjohnson]

Sounds like the downtime system will at least be a tangible starting point for managing downtime. I think I'd lean toward fiat based on the general system.

 

[GX.Sigma]

Cross-post:

I still don't like the idea that spell research is part of the "legacy" (high-level) system. I think spellcasters should be able to do that sort of thing (and experimenting with enchanting items, potion brewing, etc.) from a relatively low level. Melf was still a newbie exploring Greyhawk Castle when he created the Minute Meteors spell, you know.

It's awesome that class features can plug into the downtime system (and the exploration and interaction systems), but I wonder how that'll affect groups that don't want to use those systems (not that I'm one of those groups; the systems sound awesome).

I mean, if the Ranger has a feature that says you can never get lost in the wilderness, that still makes sense if you're not using the exploration rules. But if the Rogue has a feature that says you can get an extra downtime action as long as you use it for socializing, then that isn't going to mean anything for groups that don't use the downtime system.

 

[Blackwarder]

We're did they say that spell research is only part of the legacy system?

Warder

 

[Plaguescarred]

I like how downtime will provide a mechanical framework that allow class features, backgrounds, and so forth to unlock new things to do during downtime possibly accessing unique rewards. I could see a spy background passing downtime to find new contacts for exemple.

Again i like how downtime mechanic could allow rules module interaction like grievous wounds or even disease to use recuperating action to pass downtime to heal or shake off effects. I could see poison and curse also being healed from during downtime at certain cost for exemple.

If downtime can be used by characters to learn new proficiencies, languages, fields of lore between adventures, this could help them grow outside of the feat system and that is a good thing.

 

[TarionzCousin]

FYI: The new Ultimate Campaign from Paizo has a significant chunk of ideas/guidelines for downtime. At a glance, I think they would fit in with any system with minimal adjustments.

 

[GX.Sigma]

We're did they say that spell research is only part of the legacy system?

Warder

It's referenced part 1 of this Q&A, and in the L&L that introduced the legacy system. Though, from the way this Q&A talks about legacy, it seems like each piece is a separate optional rule. So maybe spell research won't be restricted to the "legacy tier."

 

[Dragoslav]

So Background traits can be given out to PCs like Alternative Rewards in 4e? I like the sound of that. All in all, the downtime system is probably the one thing they've talked about that I feel overwhelmingly positive about.

 

[DEFCON 1]

I mean, if the Ranger has a feature that says you can never get lost in the wilderness, that still makes sense if you're not using the exploration rules. But if the Rogue has a feature that says you can get an extra downtime action as long as you use it for socializing, then that isn't going to mean anything for groups that don't use the downtime system.

That depends entirely on how these features are written. You can write "The ranger can never get lost in the wilderness" as the thesis statement of the feature, and then beneath that it goes into the details that refer back to the exploration rules (which can/will be ignored by those players/games that aren't using the exploration rules). For those players/games... the thesis statement is enough. By the same token, you can write "The rogue is able to make quick and meaningful connections to NPCs when back in town" as the thesis statement of the rogue's feature... and then beneath that go into all the actual mechanics that deal with the Downtime actions. And for those players/games that don't use Downtime... the thesis statement is enough to tell them that when they improv town-based scenes, the rogue has an general edge over the other characters.

So basically... it's up to the DM to decide how he wishes to interpret "The ranger can never get lost in the wilderness" and "The rogue is able to make quick and meaningful connections to NPCs when back in town", in his game... without ever needing to use the actual game mechanics designed to go along with them.