Downtime Actions

“The happy life is thought to be one of excellence; now an excellent life requires exertion, and does not consist of amusement. If Eudaimonia, or happiness, is activity in accordance with excellence, it is reasonable that it should in accordance with the highest excellence; and this will be that of the best thing in us.”

Aristotle, “Nichomachean Ethics", Datalinks

Actions taken in downtime are the primary method through which a character can influence the world in a substantial way.

Each player character participating in downtime has three actions they can take during the period between sessions. A reminder for Base Commanders - for those with this role, at least one of their actions must be a Base Commander Action in each period.

Players who have missed two or more consecutive sessions are unable to submit downtime actions.

The link for the form for submitting downtime actions can be found on the Useful Links page.

Checks

Downtime actions will typically involve one or more checks, and may involve multiple characters.

Each check will be attempted by one character at a time, starting with the highest skilled and continuing down the line until either the check has been successful, there has been a botch, or there are no characters remaining who can make the attempt. Other characters present may contribute cards to any checks being made and we will assume that they are doing so unless it has been explicitly said in their downtime form that they are not. This is particularly important to note as card expenditure does not refresh between downtime actions; therefore if a character is doing two actions in the downtime period which rely on the same proficiencies, they may wish to reserve some cards from the first action for use in the second.

If a character is seeking to sabotage an action, they must indicate how they are doing this and with which of their skills. Depending on their choices, one of their unhelpful cards will be added to either all attempts at one check, or the first attempt at each of the different checks. Characters who have a ‘Sabotage’ proficiency will be able to attempt this subtly, those without it are far more likely to be caught out.

Downtime Checks Example

Dave, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich are attempting to explore and survey a new area of land. Two or three checks will be needed; Scout or Explore to find the place, Survey to identify what is there, and a potential third check may be needed depending on what is found.

Check One: Finding and travelling to the land.

  • Dave and Mick have the Scout proficiency at levels 3 and 2, and Dozy has the Explore proficiency at level 2.

  • Dave is the highest skilled so attempts this check first, adding one of his Scout cards. Mick also adds a Scout card, and Dozy adds an Explore card.

  • Despite all the good cards, Dave draws two +0 cards for a failure (but not a botch - if he had botched, no further checks could be made)

  • Mick attempts the check next. He and Dozy are out of cards, but Dave adds his remaining Scout card.

  • Mick draws a +0 and +2, making this check a success.

  • If Mick had failed, Dozy could still have attempted the check but without the benefit of any cards being played in as no character had any left.

As the check was successful, the group manage to navigate to the place they want to survey and do not encounter any hardships along the way.

Check Two: Surveying

  • Beaky and Tich have the Survey skill, both at level 3.

  • Beaky goes first, and both he and Tich play into the check.

  • Beaky draws a +1 and +2, making this check a good success (defined as a total of 3+)

The surveyors map out the properties and resources available, and also find a supply pod dropped by the Unity! They open it and find a cache of energy pods which they split between the group.

No third check is required for this survey. If the surveying check had gone poorly, it is possible that they might have disturbed some native life and needed to make an additional check using proficiencies such as Animal, Xenobiology, Xenofungus or Exterminate.

Support

Support for downtime actions can be provided by NPCs. In the main these will be NPCs that a character has purchased through proficiencies such as Ally or Follower, or may be able to leverage through the I Know A Guy advantage. Purchased NPCs participating in this way will typically be able to provide the support of a single proficiency at mid-level, both making checks and contributing cards. They can each support a single downtime action per period.

It is also possible for PCs to seek the help of played NPCs they have met in session as well, who may have a stronger or more well-rounded skillset. Such help will almost always have a cost, which will be cheaper if the action fits with the NPC’s ideologies and goals, and more expensive if not.

However, a downtime form should never assume the help of a played NPC unless a bargain has been made for their help - and we will need a brief summary of that bargain so that we can confirm it with the relevant member of the crew.

Types of Downtime Action

General Activity

  • A character or group of characters with the appropriate proficiencies may explore an area to try and find new resources or knowledge.

    The first check will typically be a Scout or Explore check to see what is encountered or found along the way. If the location to be explored is not on the same landmass your characters start on, then Seafaring must be used instead.

    The second check will be Scout, Explore or Survey, to see what is found there. Only Survey can be used for establishing suitability for a base, but any of the three can be used for a general review of the land.

    A potential third check may be made depending on what is found. For example, if you find mindworms it might be an exterminate check.

    See the Exploration page for more details on what is possible.

  • If your character has influence with a faction or sub-faction group, they can work with that group to get temporary energy units or a reputation bonus.

    Checks will be made based on appropriate proficiencies to determine any complications, rewards or consequences. Further checks may be made to mitigate complications or consequences.

  • A character can try to find out information about a person, faction, faction sub-group, facility or base. Planting rumours about any of the above is covered with the Propaganda Campaign action.

    Checks will be made based on a combination of Data Scan, Interrogate, Investigate,  Infiltrate, Propaganda, Profile and Cyberhack to determine levels of success and any consequences or complications.

    These checks may be contested if targeting a suitably defended subject.

  • Either upon request from an NPC or based on a plan from a PC, a character or group of characters may undertake a mission / quest.

    A variety of proficiencies may be needed to achieve various aims. Usually there will be approx. 3 different checks involved.

    If this is based on a PC plan, the player who is organising the mission must submit a quest form outlining what they hope to achieve and which skills they suggest should be appropriate for the plan.

    All players participating (including the organiser) should then reference that plan in their downtime form and note their own intended contributions or any variation from the plan they intend.

  • You will need to describe what your character is trying to achieve that does not fall into one of the other action types.

  • With the correct proficiencies and reputation a character can try and influence a group such as a base, a faction or a sub-faction group, to adopt or reject an ideology or course of action, or to plant information (true or otherwise).

    This is much easier if the character already has some degree of reputation with them, or if the group is already inclined towards the ideology or action in question, and can be much harder if they are very opposed. 

    Up to three checks will be made with different proficiencies based on what is being attempted; typically a blend of Influence, Broadcast, Presence, Incite, Propaganda - and potentially Cyberhack if targeting another faction, when combined with another appropriate proficiency such as Broadcast

    This action may result in reputation gains and/or losses in addition to any affirmative action prompted.

  • A character or group of characters with appropriate Probe proficiencies may attempt to attack a base.

    Doing so may require the character to spend one or more units of energy, and the check will be contested by the base’s Security rating.

    The initial types of Probe Action are:

    • Syphon Energy: Take up to 1 energy per Population of the base. 0 energy cost.
      The syphoned amount becomes 2 if the Base’s is in Unrest and 3 if the Base’s is in Revolt.

    • Infiltrate Datalinks: Gain information about Base activity and data on what is happening within. 0 energy cost.

    Additional types of Probe Actions may be available depending on what technologies have been deployed to the faction(s) of the character(s) involved. Check the Technology List page to see which Probe Actions are linked to which technologies. As these technologies become more prevalent, the actions will be listed here.

  • A character who is experiencing high levels of mental stress, or who has tolls which are stronger than they would like, may seek support from a PC or NPC with the Counselling proficiency. Doing so during downtime has a significantly greater impact than doing so in session as it represents years of therapy. If the support is being given by a PC they must also dedicate an action to this. 

    Checks for this will be made based on the counselling character’s proficiency.

    This action may also be used by those with Haven to try and reduce their mental trauma or toll level by spending time in their Haven location.

    Checks for this will be made based on the character’s haven proficiency.

  • A character who is being taught by somebody to grant a discount in the XP cost for a new or improved proficiency will need to put an action in to represent the time spent learning. Basic XP costs can be found on the Experience page.

    A character who is teaching and does NOT have the ‘Mentor’ proficiency will also need to put an action in to represent the time spent teaching.

    No checks are made as part of this action. The teaching will be assumed to be successful given it takes place over a period of years.

    Occasionally, a learning action may allow a character to gain an advantage. However this is not usually the case; the Refs will inform characters / factions who may gain access to an advantage in this way.

  • A character with the Command, Cyberhack, Defend or Leadership Proficiency may spend a downtime action dedicated to the defence of a Base. When that character does so they must select one of the following effects. The character must have the relevant Proficiency to select any of these options.

    System Admin (Cyberhack) - Increase the Security of the Base by 1 over the course of the downtime period. The Security rating will be increased by a value equal to your characters levels in Cyberhack during the corresponding downtime slot.

    Organise Defence (Command, Defend or Leadership) - Increase the Military of the Base by 1 over the course of the downtime period. The Military rating will be increased by a value equal to your characters levels in the above Proficiencies during the corresponding downtime slot.

    Oversee Facility (Defend) - Increase the difficulty of probe actions targeting this facility by the characters levels in the Defend Proficiency for the Downtime Period.

Construction and Base Improvement

  • Characters with both an ‘Expand’’ proficiency and the appropriate resources can establish a new base. A suitable site must have been determined through previous survey activities, and (assuming the base is intended to belong to the faction), appropriate permission must have been obtained from faction command. If the base is intended to be independent / rogue this does not apply, but will almost certainly result in a lot of faction reputation being lost. 

    The cost for building a new base is 3 each of Nutrients, Minerals and Energy.

    Several expand checks will be made to determine any complications. Further checks may be made to mitigate complications.

  • Characters with both a ‘Build’ proficiency (or access to a Build team) and the appropriate resources can build a facility in a base that they have gained permission to do so in - either through agreement with the Base Commander or by expending significant faction reputation to go above their head. This facility will then belong to the character unless otherwise agreed. 

    A build check will be made for each facility being built to determine if any complications arise during the process. Further checks may be made to mitigate complications.

  • Secret projects are grand endeavours which may substantially change the way a faction behaves or interacts with the world. Creation of a secret project works in a similar way to a mission but will also require the commitment of some resources, as well as permission from the relevant Base Commander or faction leadership. The action will usually require 3 checks. 

    Each secret project will have a different set of checks associated with it, and different resources needed to build it. The requirements for building a secret project will be made known to a faction once they have developed the technology that unlocks it. It will however not be possible to build the secret project until that technology has been deployed within that faction.

  • Each unit of infrastructure costs 4 minerals and 2 energy, and can only be built for a base which has room to accommodate additional infrastructure. 

    There is no check associated with the build, just the requirement to spend an action, the appropriate permission granted by the Base Commander or other faction leadership, and the resources required to do so.

  • Characters with both an ‘Expand’’ proficiency, the appropriate resources, and permission from the Base Commander, can expand the size of a base, allowing it to host one additional facility inside.

    The cost for expansion is dependent on how many previous expansions have been completed; the first expansion for a base costs 2 materials, the second costs 4, the third costs 8, etc.

    An expand check will be made for each such action to determine if any complications arise during the process. Further checks may be made to mitigate complications.


  • Characters with the ‘Terraforming’ proficiency are able to adjust the suitability of open land - usually near to a base but occasionally at longer distances - in preparation for base building activities.

    A terraforming check will be made for each such action to determine if any complications arise during the process. Further checks may be made to mitigate complications.

  • A character may work on the construction of a new military unit. Doing so requires the permission of the Base Commander.

    A check will be made based on Leadership or Command to see how well trained the new unit is.

    See the Military Units page for costs and schematics.

  • A group of characters may pool together any military units they have access to and attack or defend a base or other threat or location. 

    See the Military Units page for more information on how military campaigns work. 

  • A character with the ‘Train’ proficiency may attempt to improve the morale level of a military unit.

    A Train check will be made to see how well this succeeds and if any consequences arise. Further checks may be made to deal with consequences.

  • A character with the ‘Factory’ proficiency may take an action to upgrade a military unit. Doing so requires the permission of the base commander.

    A character with multiple levels of Factory may perform one upgrade per level in the proficiency in a single action.

    The cost for upgrading will be minerals equal to the difference in cost between the basic unit and the upgraded one. For example, upgrading a unit’s weapon from lasers to particle impactors will cost 2 minerals.

    A check will be made using the Factory proficiency to determine if any complications arise during the process. Further checks may be made to mitigate complications.

Military Endeavours

  • A group of characters with sufficient breakthroughs from the same development path may convert these breakthroughs into a technology. The number of breakthroughs required is based on both the level of the breakthrough and the level of the technology - see the Technology page for more detail on this.

    Every character who is contributing one or more breakthroughs to the development must be involved in the development action.

    While it is not necessary for breakthroughs to have been validated before being used to develop a technology, any invalid breakthroughs used during this process will increase the difficulty of success as outlined on the Technology page, and this may result in the overall development failing.

    Two checks will be made based on either Lab or Develop proficiencies to determine whether the development is successful and any complications involved. Further checks may be made to mitigate complications.

    An additional check may be made based on the Document proficiency, assuming any character present has it and is willing to use it, to publish the results of a successful development and earn some reputation for all those involved.

  • A character with the ‘Develop’ or ‘Broadcast’ proficiencies may take this action to  implement the technology within a faction. This is usually, but not always, their own faction.

    As described on the Reputation page, doing so may earn the character rewards based on the novelty and ubiquity of the technology being implemented.

    A single check based on the appropriate proficiency will be made to determine any complications. Further checks may be made to mitigate complications.

  • A character with the Study proficiency may spend an action to try and validate any untested breakthroughs - whether their own or those belonging to another character who has asked for them to be validated.

    A Study check will be made for each such breakthrough. If the check is failed, the breakthrough will not be confirmed as valid or invalid. If the check is botched, false information may be given.

Scientific Endeavours