Der_DWSage
2014-02-27, 06:25 AM
So, I'm wanting to run a campaign that focuses on using Downtime. (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/downtime) The only way of gathering cash is via the store the players run, as very, very few opponents will actually have a handy stash of loot for them to raid. If they're very lucky, there's going to be a human opponent with stuff, but even that's unlikely.
That said, the Downtime System seems...lacking in a number of ways, the most glaring of which is that it does not scale well. The second most glaring is that Magic is the only capital that seems worth investing in, and it's far and away the most effective currency.
With that in mind, I'd like those that have used the Downtime system in the past, or that think they can break the system I'm trying to use.
-Simulacrum does not exist in this world. Fabricate does, but only in the form of Wish and Lesser Wish.
-Diplomacy can get Influence or Labor, not all four types of capital.
-The only capital you can purchase with money is Goods. All others must be traded for.
-Magic cannot be used directly for crafting magic items. Instead, differing uses of it are tweaked.
-You are limited in space, due to building in a city. Until you have somehow proven yourself (IE, they level up to a certain point, trying to keep some semblance of WBL here) you do not have more than X amount of squares to build in. Build wisely.
-Prices of goods differ based on your Business Tier. Whether selling or buying, the price stays the same. (Yes, this breaks immersion slightly-but the truth of it is, something has to change with those prices, and I prefer to think of them getting better things as they become better businesspeople.)
-Goods are 20 GP, Influence is 30 GP, Labor is 20 GP, Magic is 50 GP.
-You can spend 2x the typical Labor of a building to decrease build time to 75%.
-Magic points can only be spent for Spell Research, Lore research, replacing a familiar, and copying spells to a spellbook.
-You can only spend influence to build rooms that require influence, or to gather information. You are not yet notable enough to get bonuses on Charisma Checks.
-Goods can be converted into mundane items that cost the same as the GP price of the goods.
-You do not take penalties for having low capital.
-Goods are 40 GP, Influence is 60 GP, Labor is 40 GP, Magic is 75 GP.
-You can spend 2x the typical Labor of a building to decrease build time to 66%, rather than 75%.
-Magic points can now be spent to create scrolls and potions.
-Influence can now be spent to give up to a +5 circumstance bonus on charisma-based checks.
-Goods can now be converted into mundane or masterwork items that cost the same or less than the GP value of the goods that went into them.
-If any type of capital falls below 100 units, you take a -10 penalty to checks to generate that particular capital that week.
-If your Influence Capital goes above 1000, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus on all charisma-based checks.
-If your Magic capital goes above 1000, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus on all knowledge(Arcana) and spellcraft checks.
-If your Goods capital goes above 1000, your GP checks are multiplied by 2 rather than divided by 10.
-If your Labor capital goes above 1000, you reduce the amount of time required to build rooms by 2, to a minimum of 1/2 of a day. (0 days for rooms that started at 0.)
-Goods are 80 GP, Influence is 120 GP, labor is 80 GP, Magic is 100 GP.
-You can spend 3x the typical labor of a building to decrease build time to 33%.
-Magic points can now be spent to produce wands, minor wondrous items, and weapon/armor bonuses no more expensive than 9,000 GP. (This is to keep them from putting the biggest and best enchantments on their buddy's sword, and more so they can go 'Well, maybe we should have a Ghostbane Sword for emergencies, or I guess some [Creature]-bane arrows would be nice...)
-Influence can now give up to a +10 circumstance bonus on charisma-based checks.
-Goods can now be converted into mundane and masterwork items of the same price, and can be converted into minor wondrous items.
-If your capital for anything falls below 500, you lose an additional point of that capital every week until you recover, and you take a -20 to generate that particular kind of capital.
-If your influence capital goes above 5000, you gain an additional +1 circumstance bonus on all charisma-based checks, and barring special circumstances, people in the city start with an attitude of Friendly.
-If your Magic capital goes above 5000, you gain an additional +1 circumstance bonus on all Knowledge(Arcana) and Spellcraft checks, and can craft magical items in half the regular amount of time.
-If your Goods capital goes above 5000, your GP checks are multiplied by 10 rather than being divided by 10.
-If your Labor capital goes above 5000, you reduce the amount of time required to build a room by 4 days or hire a team by 2 days, to a minimum of 1/2 of a day. (0 days for things that started at 0.)
-Goods are 800 GP, Influence is 1200 GP, Labor is 800 GP, Magic is 1000 GP.
-Managers can be paid in any type of capital.
-You can spend 4x the typical labor of a building to decrease build time to 10%.
-Magic points can be spent to produce whatever you wish.
-Goods can be converted into magic items as well.
-You may have up to a +20 untyped bonus on Charisma checks by spending sufficient amounts of Influence.
-If your capital for any capital falls below 10000, you receive only tier 3 bonuses.
-If your Influence Capital goes above 25000, you gain an additional +2 circumstance bonus on all Charisma-based checks, and barring circumstances, everyone in the city starts as Helpful.
-If your Goods Capital goes above 25000, your GP checks are multiplied by 1000 rather than being divided by 10.
-If your Labor Capital goes above 25000, you reduce the amount of time required to build a room or hire a team by 8 days, to a minimum of 1/4th of a day.
-If your Magic Capital goes above 25000, you may craft magic items for 1/4 of base price by spending magic instead of GP to craft them, so long as the magic capital stays above 25000 by the end of crafting.
Wherever it says 'Lose xdx points of Capital' replace that with 'xdx% of your capital, to a maximum that the building can generate in a week if it puts all resources towards that capital.'
Anywhere it says 'Gain xdx points of Capital' or 'Gain 1 point of Capital,' replace that with 'xdx%' or 'gain a 10% bonus on your next [Capital] roll.'
Anything that requires a DC <20 check is instead a DC (Character level+10) check.
Anything that requires a DC >20 check is instead a DC (Character level+25) check.
Anything that gives money becomes a percentage of WBL.
Anything that gives a flat x bonus on the next roll is instead +(2x)% to the next roll, rounded up.
'Fussy Neighbor' remodeling (House Event) becomes 'For every 10 points of influence you own.'
Taxes occur once every month. You are required to pay 1% of every building's value.
Random items become 'Roll on Wondrous Item Chart for a level-appropriate item. 10% chance it is cursed.'
It was quite an effort to overhaul the system to make it scale with level, and I'm sure that there's still some holes I've missed. Anyone care to take a shot at poking at those holes with a sharp, pointy stick?
That said, the Downtime System seems...lacking in a number of ways, the most glaring of which is that it does not scale well. The second most glaring is that Magic is the only capital that seems worth investing in, and it's far and away the most effective currency.
With that in mind, I'd like those that have used the Downtime system in the past, or that think they can break the system I'm trying to use.
-Simulacrum does not exist in this world. Fabricate does, but only in the form of Wish and Lesser Wish.
-Diplomacy can get Influence or Labor, not all four types of capital.
-The only capital you can purchase with money is Goods. All others must be traded for.
-Magic cannot be used directly for crafting magic items. Instead, differing uses of it are tweaked.
-You are limited in space, due to building in a city. Until you have somehow proven yourself (IE, they level up to a certain point, trying to keep some semblance of WBL here) you do not have more than X amount of squares to build in. Build wisely.
-Prices of goods differ based on your Business Tier. Whether selling or buying, the price stays the same. (Yes, this breaks immersion slightly-but the truth of it is, something has to change with those prices, and I prefer to think of them getting better things as they become better businesspeople.)
-Goods are 20 GP, Influence is 30 GP, Labor is 20 GP, Magic is 50 GP.
-You can spend 2x the typical Labor of a building to decrease build time to 75%.
-Magic points can only be spent for Spell Research, Lore research, replacing a familiar, and copying spells to a spellbook.
-You can only spend influence to build rooms that require influence, or to gather information. You are not yet notable enough to get bonuses on Charisma Checks.
-Goods can be converted into mundane items that cost the same as the GP price of the goods.
-You do not take penalties for having low capital.
-Goods are 40 GP, Influence is 60 GP, Labor is 40 GP, Magic is 75 GP.
-You can spend 2x the typical Labor of a building to decrease build time to 66%, rather than 75%.
-Magic points can now be spent to create scrolls and potions.
-Influence can now be spent to give up to a +5 circumstance bonus on charisma-based checks.
-Goods can now be converted into mundane or masterwork items that cost the same or less than the GP value of the goods that went into them.
-If any type of capital falls below 100 units, you take a -10 penalty to checks to generate that particular capital that week.
-If your Influence Capital goes above 1000, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus on all charisma-based checks.
-If your Magic capital goes above 1000, you gain a +1 circumstance bonus on all knowledge(Arcana) and spellcraft checks.
-If your Goods capital goes above 1000, your GP checks are multiplied by 2 rather than divided by 10.
-If your Labor capital goes above 1000, you reduce the amount of time required to build rooms by 2, to a minimum of 1/2 of a day. (0 days for rooms that started at 0.)
-Goods are 80 GP, Influence is 120 GP, labor is 80 GP, Magic is 100 GP.
-You can spend 3x the typical labor of a building to decrease build time to 33%.
-Magic points can now be spent to produce wands, minor wondrous items, and weapon/armor bonuses no more expensive than 9,000 GP. (This is to keep them from putting the biggest and best enchantments on their buddy's sword, and more so they can go 'Well, maybe we should have a Ghostbane Sword for emergencies, or I guess some [Creature]-bane arrows would be nice...)
-Influence can now give up to a +10 circumstance bonus on charisma-based checks.
-Goods can now be converted into mundane and masterwork items of the same price, and can be converted into minor wondrous items.
-If your capital for anything falls below 500, you lose an additional point of that capital every week until you recover, and you take a -20 to generate that particular kind of capital.
-If your influence capital goes above 5000, you gain an additional +1 circumstance bonus on all charisma-based checks, and barring special circumstances, people in the city start with an attitude of Friendly.
-If your Magic capital goes above 5000, you gain an additional +1 circumstance bonus on all Knowledge(Arcana) and Spellcraft checks, and can craft magical items in half the regular amount of time.
-If your Goods capital goes above 5000, your GP checks are multiplied by 10 rather than being divided by 10.
-If your Labor capital goes above 5000, you reduce the amount of time required to build a room by 4 days or hire a team by 2 days, to a minimum of 1/2 of a day. (0 days for things that started at 0.)
-Goods are 800 GP, Influence is 1200 GP, Labor is 800 GP, Magic is 1000 GP.
-Managers can be paid in any type of capital.
-You can spend 4x the typical labor of a building to decrease build time to 10%.
-Magic points can be spent to produce whatever you wish.
-Goods can be converted into magic items as well.
-You may have up to a +20 untyped bonus on Charisma checks by spending sufficient amounts of Influence.
-If your capital for any capital falls below 10000, you receive only tier 3 bonuses.
-If your Influence Capital goes above 25000, you gain an additional +2 circumstance bonus on all Charisma-based checks, and barring circumstances, everyone in the city starts as Helpful.
-If your Goods Capital goes above 25000, your GP checks are multiplied by 1000 rather than being divided by 10.
-If your Labor Capital goes above 25000, you reduce the amount of time required to build a room or hire a team by 8 days, to a minimum of 1/4th of a day.
-If your Magic Capital goes above 25000, you may craft magic items for 1/4 of base price by spending magic instead of GP to craft them, so long as the magic capital stays above 25000 by the end of crafting.
Wherever it says 'Lose xdx points of Capital' replace that with 'xdx% of your capital, to a maximum that the building can generate in a week if it puts all resources towards that capital.'
Anywhere it says 'Gain xdx points of Capital' or 'Gain 1 point of Capital,' replace that with 'xdx%' or 'gain a 10% bonus on your next [Capital] roll.'
Anything that requires a DC <20 check is instead a DC (Character level+10) check.
Anything that requires a DC >20 check is instead a DC (Character level+25) check.
Anything that gives money becomes a percentage of WBL.
Anything that gives a flat x bonus on the next roll is instead +(2x)% to the next roll, rounded up.
'Fussy Neighbor' remodeling (House Event) becomes 'For every 10 points of influence you own.'
Taxes occur once every month. You are required to pay 1% of every building's value.
Random items become 'Roll on Wondrous Item Chart for a level-appropriate item. 10% chance it is cursed.'
It was quite an effort to overhaul the system to make it scale with level, and I'm sure that there's still some holes I've missed. Anyone care to take a shot at poking at those holes with a sharp, pointy stick?