Camp Actions
Camp Actions are things you can do during a Long Rest that make the most of your time - while adventurers need their beauty sleep (well, most of them), there's always a few spare hours during a Long Rest you can spend in one of the following ways to better prepare yourself for the harrowing times to come.
A long rest requires adventurers to bunk down doing minimal activity for 8 hours. Consequently, it can be generally divided into 4 segments, or watches. Watch 1 (hours 1-2), Watch 2 (hours 3-4), Watch 3 (hours 5-6), and Watch 4 (hours 7-8). An adventurer typically needs to sleep for 6 hours, and consequently can take one Camp Action in their free time during one of the four watches.
Elves, Warforged, and More
Some races have unique sleep requirements. They consequently spend less of their time sleeping or sleep in unique ways. They can take the "Take a Watch" action as many times as they have available time for after taking care of whatever other resting needs they have, but may take only one other Camp Action while gaining the benefits of a long rest, as these actions represent as much light activity as can generally bit fit into your rest schedule.
The available Camp Actions are as follows:
Take a Watch
Adventuring is dangerous, and adventurers often decide to long rest in strange places - sometimes it's best to set a watch. When an adventurer takes the "Take a Watch" action, they keep an alert watch for 2 hours during the night (selecting Watch 1, 2, 3, or 4). During that time they are fully alert to make Wisdom (Perception) checks and suffer no penalties to the Passive Perception.
Craft
An adventure that takes this action can make 2 hours of progress toward Crafting during a long rest. This progress is made at the end of the long rest. In order to take this action, the adventurer must have the related crafting tools on hand. For Blacksmithing or Alchemy crafting, this action requires a campfire or other similar heat source.
You can do this during any watch, but you are distracted by your activities, making any Wisdom (Perception) check at disadvantage and having a -5 on passive Perception.
Cook
A special form of the crafting Camp Action that can be taken with Cooking Utensils. A hearty meal sits better than any trail rations, even when it is cooked from the simplest of ingredients. You and all willing creatures (willing to eat your cooking) regain an additional hit die (up to their maximum).
If you have proficiency with Cooking Utensils, creatures regain additional hit dice equal to your Proficiency bonus, and gain 1d4 temporary hit points that lasts until they complete their next long rest for each hit die over their maximum they would have gained.
You can do this during any watch, but you are distracted by your activities, making any Wisdom (Perception) check at disadvantage and having a -5 on passive Perception. This action requires a campfire or other similar heat source.
Prepare
The life of an adventure has many challenges and it is only natural a cautious adventurer would want to prepare for them. Select one ability score to prepare for the upcoming day and perform an activity that hones it for the challenges ahead (you could prepare Strength or Dexterity through stretches or exercises, Intelligence through studying, Wisdom through meditation, etc).
After you complete the long rest, you gain a Preparation die, starting at as a d6. Each time you make an ability check related to your chosen ability score, roll the Preparation die and add it to the result. The Preparation die decreases by one step each time it is rolled until depleted (d6, d4, d2, depleted).
You can opt to do this during any watch, and by merit of being awake you will be more alert than sleeping, but you are distracted by your activities, and have a -5 penalty to Passive Perception, and make any Wisdom (Perception) check at disadvantage. This action requires a campfire or other similar heat source.
Slumber
Sometimes a hard day of adventuring deserves a little extra shut eye. Taking this Camp Action is more akin to a camp inaction, and you get the full recommended 8 hours of sleep. During this deep slumber, automatically fail Wisdom (Perception) checks and your passive Perception is 0, however you reduce any levels of Exhaustion by 2, and wake up well rested gaining 1 Inspiration.
Task
Sometimes you will have a task that requires your time, but does not fit into the above options. For example, copying spells to your spell book as a Wizard. When engaging in such a task, you can replace your Camp Action with making two hours of progress toward that task.
You can do this during any watch, but you are distracted by your activities, making any Wisdom (Perception) check at disadvantage and having a -5 on passive Perception. At your DM's discretion, this task may require light or heat.
