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Downtime / Downtime Activities

Scheme for an Upcoming Adventure

Source Ultimate Campaign pg. 87
You can use downtime to prepare for an upcoming adventure or event. For example, if you know you have to crash the baron’s fancy party in 2 days, you can spend downtime watching the baron’s manor, investigating what clothing the servants will wear, and finding out which important guests are attending. This works like spending capital to boost checks, except you must spend 1 day of downtime, and each Good, Influence, Labor, or Magic you spend toward this purpose gives you a +2 bonus on one skill check (maximum +6). As with the spend capital option, the GM decides if your approach is reasonable for the check you’re attempting. The bonus from this activity stacks with that from the spend capital to boost checks option (maximum +10 total). This bonus lasts for one check.

For example, by spending 1 day of downtime and 1 point of Goods, you gain an excellent understanding of the liveried servants’ uniforms and add 2 to your Disguise check to disguise yourself as one of them. By spending 1 day of downtime and 1 point of Influence, you learn what famous trapsmith constructed the baron’s vault and add 2 to your Disable Device check to open it.