Unearthed Arcana Unearthed Arcana Explores Downtime Activities

This is EXACTLY what I wanted and EXACTLY what the game needed.

Then there's this: "For more information, see “Brewing Potions of Healing” in this section on crafting and “Scribing a Spell Scroll” on page Error! Bookmark not defined." (p. 7)

 

[tmanbeaubien]

I think this is good fodder for adventure. I have used a variation of the "quest required" idea for high level magic items for quite a few years, so that's pretty familiar for my group.

I find that downtime activities are easily set up away from the table and fleshed out by email and such, so that the key rolls and activities can be played out at the table for maximum payoff on all the buildup you've done with one or more players. But then, I also tell my players that a few weeks or months have passed since they got back from that dungeon if they don't have any pressing concerns. Then I can let them write the story by merely asking, "what are you doing in the meantime?"

 

[R_Chance]

"Dungeon Life" released a video about this one already with explanation by Mearls and Crawford that's interesting IMO.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZgQLjILm48

Thanks for the link. The interview was good. Short, but to the point, providing a background for the UA article. Nice.

 

[dave2008]

I think these are a needed expansion and I agree there ares some flaws - make sure to respond to the survey when it is up! Hopefully we can help improve them before they become the real deal.

 

[Bacon Bits]

Prices on scribing scrolls seems a bit ridiculous. Rare magic items are 2,000 gp. Very rare, 20,000 gp. Legendary, 100,000 gp. 4th and 5th level scrolls are rare and are... 2,500 gp to 5,000 gp? Twice as much? 6th, 7th, and 8th level scrolls are very rare and are 15,000 gp to 50,000 gp? Up to 2.5x as much? 9th level scrolls are legendary and cost 250,000 gp? Are you kidding me? Sure, I can hear you saying, "But you can create a wish scroll!" That may be true, but you can create a ring of three wishes and a luck blade for the price of creating a scroll of wish. And, yeah, it takes 10 times longer for only 6 times the output, but you can combine efforts on items! Also, a wand of fireballs is rare and costs 2,000 gp. A scroll with a single fireball spell is 500 gp! For that matter, a staff of healing is 2,000 gp, but a potion of supreme healing is 10,000 gp?

I quite like the idea that for permanent items you need to go on a minor downtime quest of some sort, but the prices are wonky, and the time involved really makes me question the commonality of magic items.


It also feels like they've kind of picked from a grab bag for the we-promise-it's-not-a-skill-challenge options. Pit Fighting seems particularly strange: "The character makes three checks: Strength (Athletics), Dexterity (Acrobatics), and Wisdom (Insight)." Wait, Insight? ♫ One of these things is not like the others! ♫ Apparently we're doing boxing, wrestling, and... poker? Sure, there might be a fight in the first event that involves Deception and Insight, but exactly one fight every time? I'm just not buying it. Why should pit fighting or street fighting benefit from Insight, while actual combat doesn't? I prefer the Crime version which gives the player several choices.


I'm also confused about Work. A day laborer, a skilled craftsman, and a performer all earn the same wages?

 

[Queer Venger]

Probably one of my top 3 UA.

 

[The Human Target]

Those little charts you roll on do not have remotely enough options.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Clearly, with some of these complaints (no offense, people) they are going to need to explicitly point out that the three skill checks are DM guidelines and any three that make sense to the DM will do.

(Same goes for the little charts. Guidelines. Roll, pick from, or make up something *along these lines*)

I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice for the real rules to have more examples. It absolutely would be a good idea. But these are good for our purposes here.

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[guachi]

I'll add that, while I like the UA, I still object to calling it "down time" as if it's lesser than other stuff.

To me, it's just role playing. It's just as important, useful, valuable, and fun as killing monsters and taking their stuff.

 

[The Human Target]

Clearly, with some of these complaints (no offense, people) they are going to need to explicitly point out that the three skill checks are DM guidelines and any three that make sense to the DM will do.

(Same goes for the little charts. Guidelines. Roll, pick from, or make up something *along these lines*)

I'm not saying it wouldn't be nice for the real rules to have more examples. It absolutely would be a good idea. But these are good for our purposes here.

Sent from my LG-D852 using EN World mobile app

I would much rather have none of these superfluous subsystems and use all those words spent on them to give me cool ideas to use.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I'll add that, while I like the UA, I still object to calling it "down time" as if it's lesser than other stuff.

To me, it's just role playing. It's just as important, useful, valuable, and fun as killing monsters and taking their stuff.

I think they just mean it in a sense that it is less actively stressful (dangerous) than Adventuring. I don't think it implies any lack of worthiness.

Just downright relaxing by comparison!

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