Starfinder Downtime

Time between adventures

Not even the most battle-scarred and seasoned mercenary spends every day in combat. Most adventurers have a few days or weeks between jobs, and even if their schedule is packed, interplanetary travel and journeys through the Drift require time - time that can’t be spent fighting foes or exploring. The rules here detail what adventurers might be doing in the quiet times, between the excitement of exploration and the terror of combat.

1. Downtime is measured in days of 24 consecutive hours. It includes an 8-hour rest.
2. If you engage in any demanding adventuring, e.g. starship combat, overland movement, you do not gain the benefits of that day's downtime.
3. You can choose to Take 10 or Take 20 for a downtime activity, unless otherwise stated.
4. Some downtime activities benefit from 'multiday' bonuses. These days must be consecutive, without interruption.

List of Downtime Activities

Analyse Sample

With time and a material's physical sample, you can use scientific equipment to learn a great deal.

Rules

Activity

You must have a material or creature's sample weighing at least L bulk, and you must have access to it within a science lab (or similar) for a whole day. The GM might rule that certain things are too rare to be identified in this way.
Multiday: Do stuff for longer, this happens.

Results

You automatically use the Take 20 ability to identify a creature or material. If you do not have at least 1 rank in the appropriate skill, you automatically fail.

• Engineering: Hybrid item, technological item, Construct (technological).
• Mysticism: Hybrid item, magical item, Construct (magical), Dragon, Fey, Magical Beast, Outsider, Undead.
• Life Science: Aberration, Animal, Humanoid, Monstrous Humanoid, Ooze, Plant, Vermin.

Multiday: +1 circumstance bonus (maximum of +5) per additional day on the same target.

Build Shelter

You build a small, temporary shelter in order to mitigate adverse environmental effects.

Rules

Activity

You build a 10ft x 10ft shelter using nearby material. It can accommodate 1 Large object, or 2 Medium or Small objects (creatures count as objects for this purpose). At the end of the day, make a Survival DC20 check (you can't Take 20 on this check).

Results

Fail: The shelter lasts for 24 hours.
Success: The shelter lasts for a number of days equal to the amount you passed the check.

Days = [1d20] + modifiers - 20

The shelter protects against cold and heat environmental dangers, protects against the damage portion of dust storms and thunderstorms, and counts as a shelter for Survival checks. At the GM’s discretion, a well-built shelter might also provide other protections.

Carouse

You make the most of your downtime by spending credits and time out on the town or holed up in isolation, reveling in whatever hedonistic experiences or substances(link) you favour. This helps you shed the stress of an adventuring lifestyle...or prepares you for it.

Rules

Activity

Spend a number of credits equal to 100 × [PC's level] while in a settlement, or else consume an equivalent value of intoxicants while aboard a starship. Then, at the end of the day, attempt a fSav DC[10 + ½ character level].
Multiday: For each day within the last 7 days you have Caroused, suffer a -2 penalty to this check.

Results

Success: Gain RP+1 (if you are level 10+, RP+2) that disappears at the end of the day.
Failed by 5+: RP-1.

Convalesce

When you’re injured or suffering from certain afflictions, complete bed rest can help speed your recovery.

Rules

Activity

You don’t have to sleep for every minute of the 24-hour period, but you must refrain from movement, combat, spellcasting, skill use, conversation, and any other fairly demanding physical or mental task.

Results

These benefits can be increased by combining them with the 'long-term care' task of the Medicine skill.

• Heal HP[2 x character level].
• Ability Damage is reduced by 2 points on each AS.
• If you have reached the end of a poison's duration or have fulfilled its cure condition, the track moves one step towards 'healthy'.

Coordinate

You and your allies practice teamwork exercises, combat routines, and fundamental skills, building a rapport that pays dividends.

You will need at least 1 other creature also taking this downtime to benefit from this downtime.
Rules

Activity

You spend the day training with up to six creatures. Each must be using the coordinate downtime.

Results

The next day, when you grant a creature you trained with a bonus using the Aid Another, Covering Fire, or Harrying Fire actions, you increase that bonus by 1.
Multiday: When targeted by a Sense Motive check to 'discern secret message' sent to someone you Coordinated with, you inflict DC+1 per consecutive day you have spent coordinating with them.

Crack Technology

Sometimes it’s easier to make off with an entire device and break into it at your leisure than to do so under fire.

Rules

Activity

The GM might rule that certain devices are too powerful to be hacked or disabled this way.

1. Must have physical access to a tech workshop and the item during this time.
2. The target item's level must be no more than 2 higher than your character level. Computers have a level of [2 x tier].

Results

You automatically Take 20 on this check

• Hacking a computer: The check uses the 'hack system' task of the Computers skill. Countermeasures are automatically triggered, and you do not gain access to firewalls or anything behind them.
• Disabling a device: The check uses the Engineering skill. If you fail, you may try again. If you fail by 5+, something goes wrong (e.g. trap or explosive is triggered, intended sabotage is obvious without your knowledge).

Multiday: +1 circumstance bonus (maximum of +5) per additional day on the same target.

Drill

You practice a specific task, whether using holovid training materials, running through a computer simulation, or simply repeating a key motion hundreds of times, until its execution becomes muscle memory.

Rules

Activity

Choose a single task of a specific skill that takes 1 minute or less. If you are on a starship, you can instead choose a non-gunner starship crew action that doesn’t require a RP. At the end of the day, attempt a skill check appropriate to the chosen task or crew action (you can't Take 20)against DC[15 + (1.5 × your character level), or if a crew action against DC[15 + (1.5 × your starship’s tier).

Results

Success: The first time you attempt the chosen action, you can Take 10 even if stress or distractions would normally prevent you. If you exceed the DC by 10+, you can also Take 10 the second time you attempt the same task. The 'drill' effect lasts until the end of the day.

Entertain

You coordinate or conduct activities, performances, and other entertainment to help a group relax and pass the time.

Provides benefits to creatures using the 'lounge' downtime. If nobody is doing that, there isn't a benefit.
Rules

Activity

Choose up to 12 willing creatures who are using the 'lounge' downtime activity, then make a CHA-based Profession check DC[10 + 1 per creature you're entertaining + (1.5 x highest level/CR amongst creatures you're entertaining)]. (GM's discretion to allow other skills)

Results

Success: You entertain [1 + (amount exceeded DC)] creatures (GM's choice as to who). Those creatures gain double the tHP and double the saving throw boost (provided by lounge). If you successfully entertain all your chosen creatures, you also benefit from the 'lounge' downtime. Once a creature has benefited from the 'entertain' downtime, they are immune until the next day.

Explore Futures

You meditate on the mystical energies of the planes, scan alternate realities, write and run complex predictive algorithms, or otherwise gain insight into what the following day might bring. You can explore your own future or the possibilities awaiting someone else, but you must focus your predictions on a single creature you’re familiar with.

Rules

Activity

Choose a creature and make a Mysticism (or if you have access to a tier 5+ computer, Computers) check, DC[10 + (1.5 x target's level/CR)]. You can't Take 10 or Take 20 on this check.

Results

Success: The target can reroll one d20 roll. This effect expires the next day, and the target is immune until the next day.

Gather Supplies

You scrounge supplies from the local environment.

This generally possible only in wilderness. The GM may rule this as impossible in especially inhospitable areas.
Rules

Activity

Make a Survival DC10 check. You can't Take 20 on this check.
Multiday: For the first five days of using this downtime in the same area, you gain a +2 insight bonus to your next 'gather supplies' check in this area. On the sixth day onward, this bonus is fades away at a rate of -2 per day.

Results

Success: You gather enough food and water for yourself. Success +2: For each time you exceed the DC by 2, you can share this effect with another creature.

Hunt Bargains

You scour markets, either virtually or in person, bartering, comparing prices, and finding promotions or other discounts to hunt down the absolute best bargains on gear.

You must be in a settlement large enough to have a variety of businesses, or else have access to an online marketplace.
Rules

Activity

Choose a specific piece of equipment with an item level of at least [level/CR - 5]. Make a check, DC[20 + (1.5 x item level)]. You can't Take 20 on this check.

• If you are shopping in person, use Diplomacy.
• If you are shopping online, use Computers.

GM's discretion as to if this item is available.
Multiday:

• If you spend four days on this downtime, you can find level [level/CR - 4] items.
• If you spend four days on this downtime, you can find level [level/CR - 3] items.

Results

Success: You receive a -10% discount on that item.
Fail: You may purchase the item at its regular price.

Inoculate

When headed into an environment you know to be infectious, such as a settlement stricken by a plague or a toxic jungle, you can spend your downtime taking preventative measures.

This downtime requires access to a medical bay, medical lab, science lab, or equivalent facilities (e.g. Hospital).
Rules

Activity

Specific a single disease(link) or poison(link) other than radiation or radiation poisoning. At the end of the day, choose up to six willing/unconscious creatures you can touch (you can include yourself as one of these six), then make a Medicine check, DC[Save DC of poison(link)/disease(link) + 5] for each creature.

Results

Success: +4 Circumstance bonus vs the initial exposure to the specified affliction. This doesn't stack with bonuses provided by medicinals. This effect lasts for seven days.
Fail: Suffer a -2 penalty vs the initial exposure to the specified affliction. This effect lasts for seven days.

Lounge

One of the most common ways to pass the time while travelling or on days off, lounging can involve casual vidgames, light reading, watching corny holovids, playing card games, or engaging in a wide variety of restful leisure activities.

Requires at least good or luxurious crew quarters on a starship, efficiency or suite-level lodgings in a settlement, or similar facilities elsewhere. At the GM's discretion, you may be able to find somewhere to lounge for free.
Rules

Activity

Sit on your butt and rest. No check required.

Results

The next day, you gain tHP equal to ½ your level, and a +1 morale bonus to the first save you attempt. These effects last until the end of that day.

Maintain Equipment

You maintain a weapon or suit of armour, ensuring it functions at peak performance.

Requires access to a tech workshop or similar.
Rules

Activity

You spend all day carefully checking over a weapon or suit of apparel in question. No check is needed.

Results

Results last until the end of the next day.

• Weapon: The first time you make a critical hit with this weapon, it deals an additional +[½ item level] damage of the same type as normally inflicted to the first target hit.
• Armour: The first time you are critically hit while wearing this armour, the damage suffered is reduced by -[½ item level].

Maintain Readiness

You keep a watchful eye on your surroundings, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

Rules

Activity

If you are on foot, you take up a position where you can clearly see the surrounding area or make regular patrols. If you are in a starship, you are in either the Pilot or Captain's role.

Result

If you are interrupted by combat during this downtime, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to the initiative check (or Piloting check to determine turn order). This doesn't provide any benefit if you or your allies intentionally seek out combat.

Manage Course

While starship autopilot systems are fairly efficient navigators, you can shave off a bit of travel time with skilled micromanagement of a ship’s course, taking advantage of opportunities provided by the ever-shifting nature of the Drift or fluctuations on microgravity in normal space.

You must be in the Pilot role of a vehicle to take this downtime.
Rules

Activity

Make a Piloting DC[10 + DC of plotting course] check. You can't Take 20 on this check.

Result

Can't reduce travel time to less than [minimum travel time + downtime days].
Success: Reduce travel time by 6 hours.
Fail 5+: Add +6 hours to travel time.
Fail 10+: Add +6 hours to travel time, and suffer additional penalties as determined by GM.

Plan Route

You take extra time to research the pros and cons of different routes, whether across a planet or through the Drift.

Rules

Activity

You spend the day researching the most common routes to get to a known settlement. (At the GM's discretion, the destination might not be well-known enough).

Results

You gain a +4 circumstance bonus to your next Piloting check to navigate to the target location. This effect lasts until the end of that day.

Practise Profession

You spend time working professionally in a chosen field, performing tasks that help you ply your trade more effectively, build your audience or client base, and make connections with other professionals.

Multiday (1 week) only.
Rules TBD

TBD

Provide Long-term Care

You devote your day to caring for wounded (and living) creatures that are resting in your care.

Follows the rules for long-term care, requires a medical lab/bay.
Rules

Activity

You can care for up to six creatures. Make a Medicine DC30 check for each creature. You can't Take 20 on this check.
Multiday: If you provide long-term care to a single creature, you gain +1 circumstance bonus to all relevant skill checks per day (maximum +5). This bonus is lost if you provide care to another creature, or miss a day.

Results

Success: The target's HP and AS heal rates are doubled for the duration of this downtime.
Success +10: As above, but the heal rates are tripled instead.

Rebuild Drone

You spend the day either rebuilding a destroyed drone, or intensively modifying an existing one.

Requires you to have a drone, usually this is a result of the mechanic class.
Rules

If you are interrupted by anything other than a moment of conversation, you can continue immediately after the interruption but with an additional +12 hours of work.

Refit Vehicle

You spend the day uninstalling, reinstalling, and regular installing various hardware and software for a vehicle of your choice.

Rules

Unlike most downtimes, you can stop and restart this downtime as you like, without losing progress.

Research

You throw yourself into dedicated study of a single topic, diving into data sets or the local infosphere to learn as much as you can.

Rules

Activity

Choose a single, specific topic (that doesn't overlap with your 1st-level theme's knowledge): examples are a medium-sized corporation, a large settlement, a prominent individual, or criminal organisation. The GM has discretion on what qualifies. You must have access to a method of research containing information on the chosen topic: the most common example is an infosphere, but downloaded data sets are the next most common choice.

Results

You can attempt Culture-based checks to recall knowledge about the topic, even if you are untrained, and the DC is reduced by -2. This effect lasts for seven days, or until you research a new topic.

Retrain

Through an apprenticeship or period of self-instruction, you dedicate intense focus to mastering a new skill set...but at the cost of others you previously mastered.

Rules

The extent to which you can acquire new abilities in this manner is relatively limited; those who wish to make more extensive changes often invest in a mnemonic editor(link) instead.

Activity

Make a DC[10 + ½ your level] check using a skill which doesn't have the current maximum ranks. You can't Take 10 or Take 20 on this check.
Multiday: If you spend a full week, you may replace a feat. You choose which feat you lose, but the new feat can't have any prerequisite feats or skills.

Results

Success: You lose a rank in a random skill connected to the same AS (if none are connected, you lose from a completely random skill), and gain a rank in the chosen skill.
If this causes you to not fulfil the requirements for a feat, piece of equipment, etc... you lose the benefits of that feature until you again fulfil the prerequisites.

Secure Area

You secure a perimeter and set up camp for subsequent operations by shoring up weak positions, clearing out sight lines to vulnerable positions, and the like.

Rules

Activity

Choose a 50ft x 50ft area that you and your allies control.
Optional: Arm up to eight explosives in your possession, setting the detonator triggers to be trip wires or pressure plates (or similar, at the GM's discretion). You can't Take 20 on these check.

Results

The next day, you and your allies gain +2 circumstance bonus to initiative and Perception checks, while in the secured area.

Work Out

Whether through aerobic exercise, pumping iron, sparring, or otherwise putting yourself through the paces, you push your body to improve its performance.

Takes up 1 week.
Rules

Activity

Choose to work on your agility (i.e. Acrobatics) or sheer physical power (i.e. Athletics). At the end of the allotted time you make a fSav DC[10 + ½ your level (if you have access to an exercise-focused area, +2 circumstance)].

• If you are interrupted, you can resume this downtime within two days to maintain your progress.

Results

• Acrobatics success: Once per day, reroll a check to balance, escape, fly, or tumble. These results last for one week.
• Athletics success: Once per day, reroll a check to climb, jump, or swim. These results last for one week.
• Fail: As per success, but the results last for one day.

On a weeklong journey through the Drift , a given starship’s overcautious pilot might choose each day whether to maintain readiness or manage course, a diligent engineer might maintain equipment, and the captain might take several days to coordinate with their crew before using the rest to lounge.

Meanwhile, a war-weary, resource-starved party on a hostile alien world might take several days to convalesce, while their best medic endeavors to provide long-term care in hopes of speeding their recovery.

— Preface to Chapter 16: The Importance of Rest, of the Knights of Golarion field operations manual

Sorted by skill

• None: Convalesce; Coordinate; Drill; Lounge; Maintain Equipment; Maintain Readiness; Plan Route; Rebuild Drone; Refit Vehicle; Research; Retrain; Secure Area
• Fortitude Save: Carouse
• Reflex Save: None
• Willpower Save: None
• Acrobatics: Work Out
• Athletics: Work Out
• Bluff: None
• Computers: Crack Technology (computer Hunt Bargains
• Culture: None
• Diplomacy: Hunt Bargains
• Disguise: None
• Engineering: Analyse Sample (hybrid/tech items, tech-based constructs Crack Technology (device Secure Area
• Intimidate: None
• Life Science: Analyse Sample (aberrations, animals, humanoids, monstrous humanoids, oozes, plants, and vermin)
• Medicine: Inoculate; Provide Long-term Care
• Mysticism: Analyse Sample (hybrid/magical items, magic-based constructs, dragons, fey, magical beasts, outsiders, undead creatures Explore Futures
• Perception: None
• Physical Science: None
• Piloting: Manage Course
• Professions: Entertain (if CHA-based Practise Profession
• Sense Motive: None
• Sleight of Hand: None
• Stealth: None
• Survival: Build Shelter; Gather Supplies