Downtime Overview

Mystara of the Five Spheres D&D Downtime Learning a New Tool or Language

USES ONE OF THE DOWNTIME ACTIVITIES FOR THE DURATION

Downtime activity for learning another language, a set of tools or a different dialect of a language you already know. First, you must find an instructor willing to teach you. The DM determines how long it takes, and whether one or more ability checks are required.

After you spend the requisite amount of time and money, and pass the checks each week, you learn the new language with the dialect of the teacher (or the local where you learn it) or gain proficiency with the new tool. Learning another dialect of a language you already know takes less time and you learn to speak and understand the local nuance.

Check - Each week of training has an attribute check versus a DC based on the skills previously learnt to successfully complete it. A natural 1 caused the task to fail. A natural 20 reduces the time to learn by a week (minimum of one week). You can choose to succeed on a failure if you also take a complication.

It is up to the player to justify the attribute they are going to use and to describe their teachers as part of the training process, adding to the lore of the setting. The teacher will only train with that attribute. Settlement modifier might apply

Learning breakdown
• Requirements (What you need to make the check in session)
• Note - Can't be done while travelling
• Base Check DC = 10 + number of previous downtime skills learnt
• You have access to a Teacher who knows the Skill and is available. Add 5 to the DC if not available.
• To learn a skill with Expertise, add +10 to the check, and this is only available in tier 3 unless otherwise noted with a class or ability of the character.
• Time (What you need to make the check in session)
• 4 weeks (expertise training doubles the base time)
• Half if learning with an instructor
• Cost per Week (What you need to make the check in session)
• 25 gp
• Double if learning with an instructor
• Check (What you need to make the check in session, between sessions the d20 in the check is replaced by 10)
• Ability Check = d20 + ability bonus + Settlment Modifier + Lifestyle Modifier + Renown

Complications - Complications arise while training typically involve the teacher. This increases the cost of learning the spell by one week per point that the character missed the target number.

SPELL LEARNING COMPLICATIONS TABLE
d6 / Complications (* Might involve a rival)
1. Your teacher disappears, forcing you to find a new one. *
2. Your teacher is a spy sent to learn your plans. *
3. Your teacher is a cruel taskmaster.
4. Your teacher instructs you in rare, archaic methods, which draw comments from others.
5. Your teacher is a wanted for crimes.
6. Your teacher asks for help dealing with a threat before continuing.

Teach Skill - Instead of learning a skill you can choose to instead teach a skill you have learnt, gaining half the cost of the training each week. You can only teach skills you know. This might require approval of the local guilds or governments.

BECMI Rules

TBA - Will detail how the original game worked.

5th Edition D&D Rules

TBA - Will detail how 5th Edition worked.

Level Up Advanced 5th Edition D&D Rules

TBA - Will detail how Level Up worked.

GM Notes on Rules

Changed the learning breakdown to be at least a week, with the option to take longer to succeed at the check away from play.

Learning breakdown - New Language or Tool – 4 weeks, 25 gp per week Gain a dialect in a language you know – 1 week – 25 gp per week