Downtime At Sea
Although the current downtime rules as stated from Xanathar's are great for long term downtime activities, sometimes a party doesn't have weeks or months. However, when at sea where a party already have a crew, they might just have a day where they don't have to do anything, and the DM cannot guarantee a week of downtime without something happening.
In these cases where a character has at least 8 hours of free time where they are not actively traveling or completing tasks, consider using the following rules, which give characters something to do during their downtime at sea.
Bolster Ship
You take the time to bolster and prepare your vehicle for oncoming damage. To take this downtime activity you must use 5gp, or 50lbs, of wood. Then, make a Strength (Carpenter's Tools) check. On a 14 or higher, for the next day, your vehicle has resistance to the next instance of damage it takes.
If your total result was 17 or higher, you reduce the amount of wood used by 10lbs or 1gp. At 20, you reduce the amount of wood used by 20lbs or 2gp, at 23 you reduce the amount of wood used by 30lbs or 3gp, and at 26 you reduce the amount of wood used by 40lbs or 4gp.
Coordinate
In order to take this downtime activity, you must coordinate with at least one other creature. You and your allies practice teamwork exercises, combat routines, and fundamental skills throughout the day, building a combat rapport. Up to six creatures can train together this way, as long as each is taking the coordinate downtime activity.
For the following day, if you and one of your allies who coordinated together roll initiative without having the surprised condition, you both gain a +1 bonus to your initiative check. You cannot gain more than a +1 bonus from this downtime activity, regardless of the amount of allies you coordinated with.
Crack Lock
Sometimes it's much easier to pick a lock and break into a safe or chest if you are not in a dungeoneering environment or being hounded by enemies. Better lighting also does wonders!
You spend all day attempting a Dexterity (Thieves' Tool) check in an attempt to open a locked object you have access to. You gain a +5 bonus to your result from the careful time and precision taken from cracking a lock all day.
Learn A Language or Tool
You spend your downtime teaching or beginning to learn the basics of a language or tool. If you are teaching a language or tool, you can only teach an amount of creatures equal to 2 x your Intelligence modifier at a time. Both the teacher and the student must make a DC14 Intelligence check. If both a student and the teacher succeeds, the student gains a mark. After 70 successful marks, the student gains proficiency in the Tool or learns the language.
The total amount of marks needed to learn a language or gain proficiency in a tool are reduced by 10 times a student's Intelligence modifier. For example, a student with 18 Intelligence with a +4 modifier, only needs 30 marks to gain proficiency in a tool or learn a language.
Maintain Equipment
You spend the day maintaining your equipment for the upcoming day, either by sharpening or polishing your weapons or by polishing and detailing your armor.
Choose either a suit of armor, a shield, or a simple or martial weapon, then make a DC15 Strength (Smith's Tools) or a Dexterity (Leatherworker's Tools) check depending on the item as you spend your time repairing and maintaining the equipment.
On a success, for the following day the first time you score a critical hit with the weapon you maintained, you deal additional damage equal to your Proficiency bonus. If you maintained a suit of armor or shield, for the next day the first time you are dealt a critical hit, you reduce the damage taken by your Proficiency bonus.
Morale Boost
By singing jaunty tunes, playing games, starting sea shanties, or whatever other means you have at your disposal, you can attempt to improve the morale of those around you. Make a Charisma (Performance or Persuasion) check, then consult the Morale Boost with Crew or Morale Boost without a Crew table. You can only take this Downtime activity if the amount of creatures you are attempting to uplift are no greater than 2 times your level + your Charisma modifier.
Morale Boost with Crew
| Result | Outcome |
|---|---|
| 15 | The crew of your ship is improved in Morale, and their actions are more in sync! For the next day, the first time the ship rolls initiative, it gains a +2 bonus. |
| 20 | The crew of your ship is greatly improved in Morale, and their actions are more in sync! For the next day, the first time the ship rolls initiative, it gains a +4 bonus. |
| 25 | The crew of your ship is vastly improved in Morale, and their actions are more in sync! For the next day, the first time the ship rolls initiative, it gains a +5 bonus. |
Morale Boost without Crew
| Result | Outcome |
|---|---|
| 13 | You and your allies regain 2 additional hit dice at the end of your next long rest. |
| 15 | You and your allies regain 2 additional hit dice at the end of your next long rest, or for the next day, the first time the ship rolls initiative it gains a +2 bonus. |
| 20 | You and your allies regain 3 additional hit dice at the end of your next long rest, or for the next day, the first time the ship rolls initiative it gains a +3 bonus. |
| 25 | Choose one of the following; You and your allies regain 5 additional hit dice at the end of your next long rest, for the next day the first time the ship rolls initiative it gains a +5 bonus, or for the next day you and your allies gain Inspiration. |
Prepare Food
Having only rations during a seafaring or traveling journey can practically be insanity-inducing if they are not varied or extremely delicious, and hot cooked meals can greatly improve mood and health.
You spend your day preparing and creating meals from rations that are tasty! Make a Wisdom or Intelligence (Cook's Utensils) check. The amount of creatures that can gain the benefits from your cooking are equal to the result of your Wisdom or Intelligence check.
On a 15 or higher, the food was tasty, and all creatures that ate your food have advantage on saving throws made to resist contracting diseases for the next day.
On a 20 or higher, the food was absolutely delicious and ravishing, and creatures that ate your food gain the previous benefit as well as gaining inspiration for the next day.
Plot Course
You spend your time plotting a course, pouring over maps and your navigational tools. Make a Wisdom (Navigator's Tools) check, and consult the Plotting Course table.
Plotting Course Table
| Result | Outcome |
|---|---|
| 10 | The first Navigator's Tools check made for the next day has its DC decreased by 1. |
| 14 | The first Navigator's Tools check made for the next day has its DC decreased by 2. |
| 16 | The first Navigator's Tools check made for the next day has its DC decreased by 3. |
| 19 | The first Navigator's Tools check made for the next day has its DC decreased by 4. |
Recuperate
You spend the day recuperating your wounds, physical strains, as well as mentally centering yourself. Make a Constitution check and consult the Recuperation Table below.
Recuperation Table
| Result | Outcome |
|---|---|
| 5 | You regain hit dice equal to your proficiency bonus. |
| 15 | You gain all previous bonuses and you can attempt to remake a saving throw against a poison or nonmagical disease that is currently affecting you. |
| 17 | You gain all previous bonuses and your exhaustion level is reduced by 1. |
| 20 | You gain all previous bonuses and for the next day, you gain inspiration. |
Repair
You spend your time repairing and fixing up the ship. Make a Strength (Carpenter's Tools) check, and consult the Repair Table.
Repair Table
| Result | Outcome |
|---|---|
| 5 or less | You use 1gp worth of wood to repair 1hp, up to 10 hp per hour for as long as you take this downtime activity. |
| 15 | You use 1gp worth of wood to repair 1hp, up to 20 hp per hour for as long as you take this downtime activity. |
| 20 | You use 1gp worth of wood to repair 2hp, up to 40 hp per hour for as long as you take this downtime activity. |
Study Sample
You spend the day studying an object, an alchemical reagent, a plant, a book, or something else that you don't fully understand.
Make an Intelligence (Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion) check depending on the sample being studied. You then gain information on the sample as if you had rolled your result +5. The DM might rule that certain creatures or materials are too rare or unusual to be identified this way.
Furthermore, you can gain advantage on this check if you have appropriate tools or materials at your disposal to research or study the said sample, such as an Herbalism Kit for plants or a set of monstrous encyclopedias for a monster part.
Subsist
By taking this downtime activity, you spend your time fishing, and scavenging other edible materials such as mussels, kelp, or clams if you're able to.
Make a Survival (Wisdom) check, and consult the Subsisting Table below.
Subsisting Table
| Result | Outcome |
|---|---|
| 10 | 4 rations |
| 14 | 5 rations |
| 16 | 9 rations |
| 20 | 11 rations |
| 25 | 14 rations |
If you are playing with the Expanded Downtime Activities alternate rule of Mastery Feats, every time you roll a 15 or higher, make a mark. After 49 consecutive marks, you gain the Expert Survivalist Mastery feat. You can ignore up to 7 total results when making progress towards this feat that would normally force you to restart this process.
Take Watch
By taking this downtime activity, you allow yourself to actively take watch of your surroundings and grant you and your crew the ability to see incoming dangers sooner than you normally would.
Make a Wisdom (Perception) check with a +2 bonus. This check is consistent throughout the entirety of the day for the purposes of noticing anything of interest.
Work Out
You spend your time honing and training your physical body through aerobic exercise, pumping iron, sparring, or otherwise physically exerting yourself and your body to improve its performance.
Make either a DC20 Dexterity (Acrobatics) or a Strength (Athletics) check. On a success, for the next day, the first time you fail a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check, depending on the type of training performed, you can reroll the check and take either result.
Changelog
- Version 1.0
- Initial Release
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This homebrew was made by KoatheDM, and you can find more homebrew content on Patreon! I also have an Instagram account, Reddit account where I post and tease other homebrew content by the name of KoatheDM, and a Twitter where I also tease upcoming content! This document was made through GMbinder. Art by Grandfailure.