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<blockquote data-quote="AtomicPope" data-source="post: 6599619" data-attributes="member: 64790">When we completely the Starter Set, my character (Starter Set Archer that became a Battlemaster instead of Champion) and his new Barbarian companion (formerly a Halfling Rogue, now an Orc Barbarian) set out to rebuild Thundertree.&nbsp; The basic idea was to reward us with something (tool proficiencies, contacts, status) for taking a few years off from adventuring and fulfilling our background stories.&nbsp; The DM gave me proficiency with Mason's Tools, as I closely worked with the Dwarves because I already spoke Dwarven.&nbsp; The Barbarian got a magic axe called Hew from the mines (does max damage to plants).&nbsp; He used it to clear a path in the forest for a road that I graded.&nbsp; He was able to bring wealth to his tribe through trade and tolls giving him a &quot;folk hero status&quot; with his tribe. The Wizard studied as a Sage and was given a few &quot;spell levels&quot; he could be spells with for his book, or something like that.You could ask your players &quot;what do you want to accomplish back home?&quot;&nbsp; If they give you something that is story related, like the Bard is doing on an onstage production of &quot;Eye of the Vecna&quot; you could give him proficiency in the Disguise Kit.&nbsp; Once a player is rewarded then the others will perk up and now they'll have incentives to turn their character's down time into a real story.&nbsp; You, as a DM, set the &quot;story time&quot;.&nbsp; So think of what you want to transpire (a new empire rises or an old empire falls) and have the characters grow into their downtime roles.&nbsp; The Bard's troupe heads to the capital and their &quot;Eye of Vecna&quot; play becomes a major production every week for the next year or so.Allowing the players time to grow and grow apart gives you, as a DM, the character and background-driven motivations for the players to start adventuring again.&nbsp; Downtime allows the players to create something they care about.&nbsp; Tragedy is only tragic when it hurts.&nbsp; The players must need to feel their comfort or safety is threatened to make them care about adventuring and fighting.&nbsp; If something happens to a loved one, a business partner, or danger looms on the horizon, now the players have skin in the game.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="AtomicPope, post: 6599619, member: 64790"] When we completely the Starter Set, my character (Starter Set Archer that became a Battlemaster instead of Champion) and his new Barbarian companion (formerly a Halfling Rogue, now an Orc Barbarian) set out to rebuild Thundertree. The basic idea was to reward us with something (tool proficiencies, contacts, status) for taking a few years off from adventuring and fulfilling our background stories. The DM gave me proficiency with Mason's Tools, as I closely worked with the Dwarves because I already spoke Dwarven. The Barbarian got a magic axe called Hew from the mines (does max damage to plants). He used it to clear a path in the forest for a road that I graded. He was able to bring wealth to his tribe through trade and tolls giving him a "folk hero status" with his tribe. The Wizard studied as a Sage and was given a few "spell levels" he could be spells with for his book, or something like that. You could ask your players "what do you want to accomplish back home?" If they give you something that is story related, like the Bard is doing on an onstage production of "Eye of the Vecna" you could give him proficiency in the Disguise Kit. Once a player is rewarded then the others will perk up and now they'll have incentives to turn their character's down time into a real story. You, as a DM, set the "story time". So think of what you want to transpire (a new empire rises or an old empire falls) and have the characters grow into their downtime roles. The Bard's troupe heads to the capital and their "Eye of Vecna" play becomes a major production every week for the next year or so. Allowing the players time to grow and grow apart gives you, as a DM, the character and background-driven motivations for the players to start adventuring again. Downtime allows the players to create something they care about. Tragedy is only tragic when it hurts. The players must need to feel their comfort or safety is threatened to make them care about adventuring and fighting. If something happens to a loved one, a business partner, or danger looms on the horizon, now the players have skin in the game. [/QUOTE]

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