Ingenious Proficiency

Unless you are a spellcaster, Intelligence can be one of the least useful scores in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. To remedy that, your cunning mind unlocks the potential to learn more skills and knowledge than others.

When creating a character, you gain a number of points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of 0). Subtract 2 if your class is capable of casting spells based on your Intelligence. These points can be spent on the table below.

Option: Personality Profile

A Personality Profile is a tool for players who are uncertain about what action their character should take. Whenever you aren't sure how your character would act or react, you can decide with a die roll plus a modifier based on your character's personality traits.

You do not have to follow the result of a personality check if you don't like it. The DM may suggest a Personality check, but can't make you roll or abide to the result.

Combat

To use a combat action, your weapon must have one of the properties listed next to its name.

Dirty Fighting

If a creature missed with a melee attack against you before the start of your turn, or you're prone, you may use your bonus action and spend one of your attacks to make a 'dirty' melee attack against that creature, hindering its advance.

You make an attack roll and the target makes an opposed Wisdom (Insight or Perception) save. If you fail the opponent gains advantage on melee attacks against you until your next turn. If you succeed, you choose one effect:

• Your target must make a Strength saving throw vs your Attack Roll to avoid being grappled
• Your target must make a Dexterity saving throw vs your Attack Roll to avoid being Blinded or Suffocating until the end of its next turn
• Your target must make a Constitution saving throw vs your Attack Roll to avoid being Stunned until the end of
  its next turn, or falling prone.

Ammunition

The weapon can make a ranged attack, only if its user has units of Ammunition to fire from it.

Each time you attack with the weapon, you expend one unit of Ammunition. Drawing a unit of Ammunition from a quiver, case, or other container is part of the attack, but you need a free hand to load a one-handed weapon. At the end of the battle, you can recover half your expended Ammunition by taking a minute to Search the battlefield.

If you use a weapon that has the Ammunition property to make a melee attack, you treat the weapon as an Improvised Weapon. A sling must be loaded to deal any damage when used in this way.

Ensnaring

The weapon features chains, rope, or other parts that can entangle a combatant.

When you hit with a weapon attack, you may use your bonus action to attempt to grapple, disarm, or knock the target prone. This attempt uses your weapon attack modifier at disadvantage, instead of the Strength (Athletics) skill.

Finesse

The weapon lends itself to dexterous combat due to precise blades or heads, grips that offer enhanced control, exceptional balance, or some other dexterous feature.

When making an attack with a Finesse weapon, you may choose to use either your Strength or Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage rolls. You must use the same modifier for both rolls.

Finisher

The weapon is particularly adept at making the most of the advantageous situation, when an enemy is at your mercy.

When the weapon is used to attack a prone creature in the beaten state, roll an additional damage die on a hit.

Heavy

The weapon is larger and more weighty than a standard weapon, lending it unique advantages and challenges.

A Heavy weapon can be used to make only one attack per turn, unless it is being wielded by a character with a Strength score of 13 or more. A Heavy weapon uses a bonus action to draw or stow. Any attempt to disarm the wielder of a heavy weapon is made at disadvantage.

Light

The weapon is small and easy to handle, making it ideal for fighting with two weapons or for Small characters.

Loading

The weapon requires a more complicated process for readying a unit of ammunition and preparing an attack.

Because of the additional time required to load this weapon, you can fire only one unit of ammunition from it using an action, bonus action, or reaction. This limitation exists, regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make.

Nonlethal

The weapon is designed to incapacitate, or is otherwise capable of delivering a hit that does not kill the target.

You must declare a Nonlethal attack. Nonlethal damage dealt with this weapon, that reduces the target to zero hit points, immediately puts them in the unconscious state instead of killing them. The target is considered stable in this state.

All weapons may be used to deal Nonlethal strikes, but they deal Bludgeoning damage equal to 1 plus Strength instead of their typical value. Weapons with the Nonlethal property still deal their full damage. Improvised Weapons have this property, if they can deal Bludgeoning damage.

Parry

The weapon has some catching or deflecting feature, allowing it to be used to parry incoming attacks. When you use the Parry combat action, you may reroll the weapon die once. You must take the new value, even if it is lower.

Prone Fighting

The weapon is able to be used just as effectively while laying on the ground or while standing. When you are prone and attack with this weapon, you do not take disadvantage.

Range

The weapon can be used to make attacks from a distance beyond melee reach. A Ranged weapon has two numbers in parentheses after the Ammunition or Thrown property. The first number is the weapon's normal range in feet, and the second is the weapon's long range. When attacking a target beyond normal range, you take disadvantage on the attack roll. You can't attack a target beyond the weapon's long range.

Reach

The weapon has an extended length. This weapon adds 5 feet to your Reach when you attack with it, and when determining your Reach for attacks of opportunity with it.

Special

The weapon has some entirely unique property to it. The next page contains detailed descriptions of Special qualities and abilities which individual weapons may possess.

Status

The weapon is particularly potent in maximizing its unique damage type. When an attack roll with a Status weapon exceeds the AC of the target by 5 or more, it will inflict an additional Status effect based upon the type of damage dealt. A critical hit guarantees a Status effect as well.

Slashing weapons can inflict gaping wounds and profuse bleeding. Inflicting this status will cause the target to take an additional amount of necrotic damage, equal to your proficiency bonus. Objects, Constructs, and Elementals are immune to this damage.

Bludgeoning weapons can hit with a singularly bone-shaking blow, stunning the target. Inflicting this status causes the target's next attack roll to be made with disadvantage.

Piercing weapons can punch holes in defenses or otherwise leave a target more vulnerable. Inflicting piercing status allows the next attack roll against the target to be made with advantage.

Option: Fitting Armor

Cuirass armor components have restrictive designs tailored to specific body proportions, such as height and bulk. Typically, fitted armor is made by special order and requires an armorsmith to make it usable for other wearers.

There are three distinctive body proportions and the armor fitting depends on its previous wearer or is decided by rolling a 1d6: tall and lean (1-2), short and heavy (3-4), and broad and strong (5-6). If wearer and armor's fit differ by one proportion step, the wearer takes disadvantage to all attack rolls, Dexterity checks, and saving throws. If the wearer and armor's fit differ by two steps, it cannot be worn at all.

Concealed

This armor consists of protective reinforcement sewn into otherwise ordinary looking clothing. The wearer appears unarmored, unless an observer succeeds on a DC 15 Wisdom (Spot) check. If the observer has physical contact with the wearer, this check is made with advantage.

Damage Reduction

After damage is calculated and damage resistance (if any) is applied, reduce the damage taken by the amount of Damage Reduction provided by all worn armor components.

Damage Resistance

After damage is calculated, halve the damage amount if your Mesolay component provides Damage Resistance to the same damage type.

Hide Armor

Hide Armor is made of stitched animal furs and cured leather, and can only be worn with supplemental Hide Armor components.

Noisy

This type of armor reduces your ability to move quietly, due to metal components striking against each other. When you wear noisy armor, you take disadvantage on any Dexterity (Stealth) checks that you make to move silently. Other situations, such as hiding without movement or magical silence, are up to the DM.

• Running. You must have minimum Strength of 2 above the armor requirement to run while wearing armor; or 3 to dash while wearing armor; or 4 to long or high jump.
• Standing from Prone. When using the Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) skill to stand, subtract 10 from your armor requirement and add the remaining value to the DC of the skill check (minimum of 0).
• Marching. You must have minimum Strength and Constitution of 1 above armor requirement to sustain a marching speed while wearing armor. Increase this requirement by 1 for every 2 hours of marching.
• Withstanding Hazards. When spending a long time in hot and humid weather or similar conditions, you must have Constitution score of 1 above armor requirement or suffer 1 level of Exhaustion every 3 hours until rest.
• Crossing Difficult Terrain. You must have minimum Strength of 3 above armor requirement to cross deep water, swamps and other terrain that could pose a major hazard to anyone wearing mail or plate.

Field Expertise

A Field Expertise is a narrow domain of knowledge and mastery that further refines the Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition basic skill system. It allows you to customize your character in a meaningful, way related to their background and training.

Athletics

Athletics is broken down into four expertises: Climbing, Jumping, Mining and Swimming.

Acrobatics

Acrobatics is broken down into five expertises: Balance, Diving, Escapology, Aerobatics and Tumbling.

Sleight of Hand

Sleight of Hand is broken down into three expertises: Concealment, Juggling and Pickpocketing.

Stealth

Stealth is broken down into two expertises: Camouflage and Tailing. While both are used for hiding in different situations (staying still vs moving) the usual rules for stealth still apply as per page 177 in the Player's Handbook.

New Skill: Endurance

Endurance is a completely new main skill based on Constitution. It is optional and can only be picked by characters that choose one or more of its expertises. The Barbarian, Druid, Fighter, Monk, and Paladin classes can add Endurance to the list of skills they can choose from. Endurance checks are made when your character needs to push their bodies beyond normal limits. Holding your breath, marching for days, going without sleep or food, and resisting the effects of alcohol are all times when one would roll an Endurance check.

Endurance can be broken down into three expertises: Environmental Adaptation, Pain Tolerance, and Running.

Pain Tolerance

Information is power, and to that end torturers consider information extraction an art. Pain Tolerance allows you to resist their craft. The DM should use Constitution, Endurance, or Pain Tolerance as the DC for Torture.

Distance Running

Sprinting short distances is fine, but sometimes heroes need to cover vast distances without rest. Distance Running allows you to maintain your pace. DMs should use Distance Running to allow players to cover greater distances overland than usual, with failure resulting in exhaustion.

Intelligence

Arcana

Arcana is broken down into five expertises: Abberation Lore, Construct Lore, Elemental Lore, Monstrosity Lore and Arcane Spell Lore.

Aberration Lore

Aberrations are the strange and unusual creatures of the far realms. Experts can spend decades learning about these creatures but often end up going insane from picking up forbidden knowledge.

Construct Lore

Wizards are often considered fragile or frail, their strength in the arcane leads them to have powerful bodyguards made of stone, iron, or flesh. These constructed guardians will fight to the death for their masters.

Elemental Lore

Airy assassins, powerful efreeti, and alien gem-eating mounds of rock, the elemental planes spit out all manner of unusual creature. But their long history and ties to the creation of existence make them a well studied group.

Monstrosity Lore

While natural creatures like wolves and bears are well known to all, there are rarer beings like hydras and centaurs that inhabit the lands. With unusual abilities like turning heroes to stone from a paralyzing gaze or dissolving metals with only a touch, it's the wise hero who knows about these beasts.

Arcane Spell Lore

A wizard pulls out a pinch of sulfur and bat guano. Woe to the hero who doesn't identify a fireball spell before experiencing it firsthand.

Lore

The lore skills defined below allow you to know lots about things in the world. Functionally they are all the same, although the information they provide is quite varied. Below is a guide on how DMs can set their DCs, using dragons as an example.

• Very Easy (DC 5) - Very common knowledge. Dragons are dangerous.
• Easy (DC 10) - Common knowledge. Dragons have breath weapons and fly.
• Moderate (DC 15) - Uncommon knowledge that most people don't know. The color of a dragon determines its breath weapon element, and they are usually resistant to the same element.
• Hard (DC 20) - Rare knowledge. Sometimes dragons are spellcasters, which is an innate ability they are born with.
• Very Hard (DC 25) - Very rare knowledge. Elder dragons are creatures of legend, with lairs that can end adventurers as easily as the dragon.

Obviously it's up to the DM to determine how rare information is for their world, but here is a good rule of thumb. Commoners know stuff DC 5-10. Educated individuals know 10-15. Scholars know things 15-20 and Experts (people who focus on that area of expertise) know things DC 20+

Regional Lore

How old is Waterdeep? What are the laws regarding open magic in Sembia? Who is the consulate from Thay in Damara? Only a fool would go into a country without knowing anything about it.

When picking this skill, select a region from the Lore Regions sidebar. You can take this skill multiple times, selecting one new region each time.

Humanoid Lore

Humans, Elves, Dwarves and the other races of the world have raised empires, toppled kingdoms, forged alliances, and broken them with each other.

Ancient Lore

Is that statue historically relevant to the people who made the dungeon you're in, or is it something that was added in a later age? Knowing who built things and why can give greater insight into how they can help you now.

Giant Lore

Uncertain which giant sitting in a circle is the leader? Can't tell a Storm and a Cloud giant apart? Perhaps picking up the Giant Lore skill would help your hero avoid these confusions.

Dragon Lore

Everyone thinks they know all about dragons, but the creatures are so prolific and create so many half-breeds that filtering fact from fiction is difficult. A smart hero would want to study them.

Appraising

Knowing the cut of a gem, the difficulty in casting a bronze statue, or the elegance of a wooden box, allows you to understand exactly how ripped off you're going to get from the merchants in town.

Bureaucracy

A hero gains understanding of the ins and outs of governments, politics, and those who pull the strings behind the scenes. Heroes who train in bureaucracy long for the safety of dungeons.

Celestial Lore

Angels are powerful creatures and it's an old hero's adage: don't anger anyone who can vaporize you in a beam of concentrated holy light.

Fiend Lore

Devils? Demons? It's inadvised to trust either, but knowing which one sticks to their word and which doesn't will save your life.

Undead Lore

A skeleton stands before you, a few strands of hair clinging to the dome of its skull. A quick check will tell you if you should rush a disposable guardian or if you're about to be disintegrated by a powerful lich.

Ceremony

Watching a priest perform a ritual in the center of town is something most wouldn't consider unusual. Those keen of eye and armed with the knowledge of the hidden rituals of Tamoachan would know something evil is afoot.

Divine Spell Lore

A priest raises their hands, calling out for a powerful being to lend them power. With your hefty knowledge of divine spells, you'll know if they're summoning a fiendish weasel or casting a magical darkness.

Prophecy Lore

Heroes deal with prophecies regularly, but it usually involves seeking out wise old mountain dwellers for their knowledge. Cut out the middle prophet by learning about them yourself.

Zeal

A priest needs to communicate with the followers of their God. Zeal allows them to pass religious messages along with their sermons, similar to Bards using the Perform skill with an audience.

Eavesdropping

Listening through a door, from a distance, or around a corner is not an easy task. Another one of those skills that urban adventurers find useful.

Guarding

You have an ever-watchful eye that can spot movement or any other irregularities around you. You keep a perfect watch, able to tell friend from foe and patiently guard your surroundings.

Tasting

Wow, you can really taste the poison! Every lord, king, or emperor will be glad they have royal tasters specially trained in picking out the dangers lurking within their food.

Find Water

It's recommended players take time to drink a few times in an adventuring day. In some of the more dangerous regions of the world that can be hard to do. Being trained to find water can help mitigate this risk.

Fire Mastery

Something even children are taught and one of the basics of survival, you know how to start, stop, or enlarge a fire. Also, you can easily determine how long a fire has been burning.

Deception

Deception is broken into five expertises: Acting, Boasting, Disguise, Fast Talking, and Mimicry.

Intimidation

Intimidation is broken into two expertises: Torture and Savagery.

Performance

Performance is broken down into seven expertises: Comedy, Dancing, Instrument Mastery, Pantomime, Oratory, Poetry, and Singing.

Bargaining

Honest merchants prefer a fair bargain versus a cunning tongue. The best deals are the ones which benefit everyone.

Debate

You might be right, and they might be wrong, but if you don't understand the best way to express that then you'll truly have your work cut out for you.

Etiquette

While your usual skills of persuasion will work with the commoners, nobles and gentry will require a much more refined touch. That's when it's time to break out your Etiquette skills to impress.

Leadership

Anyone can send a troupe of soldiers into battle. A leader will be there to inspire them to stay on the battlefield when the going gets tough, or to ignore their exhaustion when they're tired. The DM should set the DC based on how loyal that group is to the leader as well as what the leader is asking of that group.

Seduction

If you've got it, flaunt it. Of course there's no promise that you are what your target is looking for, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Provocation

Your cunning words cut deeper than your sword, and it is a fair reason to make anyone react angrily, violently, or emotionally against their best interests.

Severity 1: One Injury Token

(Roll 4d6, then divide by 2, rounding up)

Severity 2: Two Injury Tokens

Severity 3: Three Injury Tokens

Severity 4: Four Or More Injury Tokens

Injury Option: Overcoming Pain

When an injury requires a Constitution check to overcome nerve damage or lose your action and reaction until your next turn and you fail that roll, you may choose to exert yourself despite debilitating pain and dealing internal damage to your body.

If you choose so, you execute the action as normal, but take internal damage as shown on the table, below. You still can't use your reaction until your next turn.

Assets, Debts and Obligations

The new items, creatures, and so forth offered here are in addition to what you receive from your Background. Your character should not be able to liquidate these possessions and take off for an itinerant life.

New possessions are presented as packages that may also include debts and social obligations, as more ways to hook characters into the settlement’s social structure. Debts are given as per-month commitments, and end when the DM feels you’ve paid enough (months or year).

Contacts

This expansion also introduces Contacts as people who matter to your character. Your relationships with them might be positive, negative, or ambiguous. Multiple backgrounds may connect to the same characters, as a way to strengthen their sense of reality in the setting.

Some relationships have their starting state determined by a die roll. In some cases, it may make more sense to use the character’s Charisma modifier minus 1 to determine the nature of the relationship, or to decide on a result based on how the rest of the story has come together.

Example Background Assets

How to Use

Each background flavor has a list of traits associated with it. You can take as many or as few traits from the list as you want. Keep in mind that each trait has a cost—when you take it, you will have to give up something of equal value from your base background.

• If the trait gives you a skill, it will replace one of the skills you get from your base background.
• If a trait gives you a language or tool proficiency, it will replace either a language or a tool proficiency from your base background. You can replace a language with a tool proficiency and vice versa.
• If the trait gives you a background feature, it will replace the background feature you get from your base background.

Option: Two Background Features

Your DM can optionally allow everyone to take two background features, one from the base background and one from a Background Flavor. This rule may be suitable for epic campaigns where the player characters are larger than life and have accomplished more in their lives.

Animal Lover

You adore animals, and possibly care more about them than you do about other people. Your wealth of experience dealing with beasts combined with your enthusiasm for them lets you connect with them on a level the average person wouldn't understand.

Examples: a folk hero who grew up on the farm and became close to the livestock, a hermit who's only companion was their pet, a sage specializing in zoology.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

---

• Beast Handler. You have extensive experience with animals. Replace one skill with Animal Handling.
• Nature Admirer. You've studied the animal kingdom and other parts of nature as well. Replace one skill with Nature.
• Horse Rider. You know how to handle horses and other mounts or beasts of burden. Replace one language or tool proficiency with a proficiency in Vehicles (Land).
• Petkeeping. Replace your background feature with the Petkeeping feature.

Feature: Petkeeping

You are very familiar with how to take care of commonly domesticated animals, such as dogs, cats, cows, horses, and so on. You will know what is appropriate to feed them, how and how often to clean them, and everything else you might need to know to take care of them. You may be able to do the same for more exotic animals if your backstory suggests you should, at the DM's discretion.

You will be able to teach basic tricks to common tamed animals without any issue, assuming the animal can learn tricks and is not rowdy, aggressive, frightened, or otherwise unreceptive. For example, you can teach a dog to sit, stay or heel, or teach a horse to handle a rider and perform different gaits on command.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

d8	Personality Trait
1	When I'm mad, I literally growl.
2	I talk to people like they're animals.
3	I talk to animals like they're people.
4	The idea of eating meat disgusts me.
5	I have a bad habit of assuming that wild animals are harmless and won't attack me.
6	I always travel with at least one pet by my side. If I don't leave on a trip with a pet, I'll come back with one.
7	Wildlife conservation is a big deal for me.
8	I want to adopt every cute little critter I come across.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Charming Smile. Your beauty makes it easier to get what you want. Replace one skill with Persuasion.
• Aura of Grace. Your appearance makes people like to watch you more. Replace one skill with Performance.
• Makeup Artist. You have a lot of experience with clothing and makeup. Replace one language or tool proficiency with a proficiency in disguise kits.
• Enchanting Appearance. Replace your background feature with the Enchanting Appearance feature.

Feature: Enchanting Appearance

Your appearance means that people who aren't already aggressive or hostile towards you may treat you differently. They will be more willing to interact with you or give you special treatment, especially if they are inclined to be attracted to your gender.

However, your interactions are more likely to be misinterpreted as flirtatious. Those who are helping you may attempt to make romantic moves on you, and will be upset if you reject them. They may even become angry if they believe you were leading them on intentionally. Those who see your beauty as a threat, such as someone who likes or is married to a person you are "flirting" with, may treat you with hostility.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Animal Friends. For some reason, your blessing makes animals like you more. Replace one skill with Animal Handling.
• Esoteric Research. Your blessing has prompted you to learn more about the being that gave it to you. Replace one skill with either Religion or Arcana, depending on the nature of your blessing.
• Blessing of Speech. You were granted the language of the being who blessed you so that they could communicate with you. Replace one tool proficiency with an exotic language of your choice.
• Minor Blessing. Replace your background feature with the Minor Blessing feature.

Feature: Minor Blessing

The being that blessed you infused you with a small bit of magic so that you can prove you have their favor. Choose one small, harmless effect that could be generated by Prestidigitation, Thaumaturgy, or Druidcraft. You may use this effect at will as an action.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Changeling Skills. Replace one skill with any one skill that the race who raised you has as a racial feature.
• Changeling Education. Replace one language or tool proficiency with any one tool proficiency that the race who raised you learns as a racial feature.
• Native Language. Replace one language or tool proficiency with any one language that the race who raised knows as a racial feature.
• Multicultural. Replace your background feature with the Multicultural feature.

Feature: Multicultural

Growing up among a different race, you've had to compensate for your otherness by being very good with first impressions among them. Members of the race you were raised by are more likely to accept and trust you once you demonstrate literacy in their culture. They may be willing to share information, tips, and gossip with you that they would not normally disclose to an outsider. Members of your actual race may give you the same benefits, because they assume that you are already not an outsider by virtue of you physical features.

Suggested Characteristics

The personality traits of changelings vary wildly based on which race brought them up. When deciding your character's personality traits, ideals, bonds and flaws, consider the cultural values they were likely raised in given their adopted parents.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Bad Reputation. Scaring off other prisoners kept you out of fights. Replace one skill with Intimidation.
• Contraband. You often had to keep small items smuggled into the prison a secret from the guards. Replace one skill with Sleight of Hand.
• Passing Time. You and other inmates played a lot of simple games to keep from going insane with boredom. Replace one language or tool proficiency with a proficiency in dice sets.
• Prison Connections. Replace your background feature with the Prison Connections feature.

Feature: Prison Connections

While in prison, you made an alliance with a prison gang or other criminal organization. You have been given instructions on how to contact them on the outside in case you need their services. They will be able to get you information, help you avoid the authorities, supply you with contraband, and provide other illegal services of that nature.

Your actions in prison have earned you one free reasonable favor. After that is spent, taking advantage of your contact will either cost money or require you to do a favor for them in return.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Discerning Tongue. Your senses are finely tuned to pick out the quality and attributes of drinks. Replace one skill with Perception.
• Drunken Rage. Drinking so much has given you no reservations about letting your anger show through. Replace one skill with Intimidation.
• Passion for Brewing. You've dabbled in brewing alcohol yourself. Replace one language or tool proficiency with a proficiency in brewer's supplies.
• Alcohol Resistance. Replace your background feature with the Alcohol Resistance feature.

Feature: Alcohol Resistance

You can stomach a lot of alcohol before feeling its effects. It takes twice as much alcohol to get you drunk as it would normally take for someone of your size and race. Even when you do get drunk you rarely black out. You will remember most of what you did and witnessed while you were drunk.

Your ability to stomach so much alcohol can earn you respect in the right circles. While at a tavern, regulars who see you drink excessive amounts of alcohol and not pass out will gain respect for you, and might try to befriend you.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• One With the Pack. Animals are your kin, and you know how to relate to them. Replace one skill with Animal Handing.
• Raised by Nature. Your upbringing lets you survive in the wild like a wild beast. Replace one skill with Survival.
• Natural Remedies. Without doctors, you kept yourself alive with medicinal plants. Replace one language or tool proficiency with a proficiency in herbalism kits.
• Beast Reading. Replace your background feature with the Beast Reading feature.

Feature: Beast Reading

The body language of the type of animal that raised you is as easy for you to read as a person's body language. If you are interacting with an animal that is either the same species as the ones who raised you or a closely related species (such as any feline if you were raised by lions), you will be able to immediately understand their mood based on physical and auditory cues. You will also be able to communicate your own mood to them using body language and animalistic noises, as effectively as your body will allow.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Assimilation Efforts. You've studied this new land quite a bit to blend in better. Replace one skill with History.
• Unfamiliar Territory. Moving to a strange land with unfamiliar customs kept you on your toes. Replace one skill with Perception.
• Multilingual. Replace one tool proficiency with a language of your choice.
• Foreign Tongue. Replace your background feature with the Foreign Tongue feature.

Feature: Foreign Tongue

You speak a rare language that is a linguistic relative to another more familiar language you know, such as Common, Elvish or Dwarvish. Only people from your faraway homeland speak it. It is very unlikely that anyone outside of your home region will understand it or even recognize it, unless they have ties to that region, such as being a merchant that trades there or a diplomat who does business with them.

Because this language is little known, you are able to keep private notes to yourself in it, as well as speak it in public without a high chance that someone will overhear and understand you.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Comedic Routine. When put in the spotlight, you can put on quite a funny show. Replace one skill with Performance.
• Slapstick. You're as good with physical comedy as you are with the verbal kind. Replace one skill with Acrobatics.
• Cross-Language Wordplay. You've upped your pun game by learning another language. Replace one tool proficiency with a language of your choice.
• Hilarious Failure. Replace your background feature with the Hilarious Failure feature.

Feature: Hilarious Failure

When you mess up, you have a way of looking so ridiculous that onlookers often can't help but laugh. If while out of combat you fail to perform some physical activity, such as picking up an object or jumping over something, you can choose to fail in a hilarious slapstick manner. Anyone around you who is not focused on something else will be temporarily distracted by this amusing display. If slapstick fits with someone's sense of humor, they will be distracted for even longer, and will grow more fond of you and your antics.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Stand Your Ground. Your stubborn confidence is good for convincing people you're right. Replace one skill with Persuasion.
• Self Care. Rejected by society, you can't rely on doctors to patch you up, so you have to do it yourself. Replace one skill with Medicine.
• Manifesto. You have written finely crafted declarations of what you stand for. Replace one language or tool proficiency with a proficiency in calligrapher's supplies.
• Champion of the Cause. Replace your background feature with the Champion of the Cause feature.

Feature: Champion of the Cause

There is a small group of believers in your cause who consider you to be a symbol of hope and look up to you as a hero for your sacrifices. They often do not have extensive resources, but they will support you at a modest lifestyle and will supply you with whatever help they reasonably can. They may even be receptive to doing things that will put themselves in mild danger, such as hiding you from the authorities and assisting you with illegal tasks.

This group will only help you if they continue to see you as a champion to their cause. If you do or say something that convinces them otherwise, you will lose their support.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Strange Visage. Your mutation puts people on edge. Replace one skill with Intimidation.
• Sideshow. You know how to use your mutation to make yourself an entertaining attraction. Replace one skill with Performance.
• Passing for Normal. You often have to disguise yourself to go unnoticed in public. Replace one language or tool proficiency with a proficiency in disguise kits.
• Freakish Display. Replace your background feature with the Freakish Display feature.

Feature: Freakish Display

Your mutation is strange enough on its own, but you have the ability to make it look even more unusual on command. For example, you may be able to make your skin or eyes glow, or bend your limbs in disgusting ways. When you choose to do this, you appear monstrous, and those around you may assume that you are more powerful than you first appeared.

Those who do not know you well and are easily frightened will be scared of you when you do this, and will comply with reasonable requests to make you go away. If you do this in front of someone who is confident in their ability to fight, they may decide you are a monster and attack you.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Parental Sense. You are always on the lookout to make sure your child stays out of trouble. Replace one skill with Perception.
• First Aid. Patching up boo-boos and treating colds is a part of childrearing. Replace one skill with Medicine.
• Cooking for the Family. Having to cook for more than just yourself has made you much better at it. Replace one language or tool proficiency with a proficiency in cook's utensils.
• Housekeeping. Replace your background feature with the Housekeeping feature.

Feature: Housekeeping

After spending years cleaning up after a slobbish, uncoordinated toddler, cleaning up after yourself and your party is a piece of cake. Whenever you leave a campsite or room you were staying in for a night, you leave it looking even nicer than you left it without a trace of anyone having stayed there, assuming you did no major damage to the space that you couldn't reasonably clean up. You can clean up any mess in half the time it would take anyone else, as long as you have proper supplies.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Distrust. You know how to spot when someone harbors hatred towards you. Replace one skill with Insight.
• Going Unnoticed. You try not to attract attention to yourself in public. Replace one skill with Stealth.
• Multilingual. Your people use another language to keep unfriendly outsiders from listening in on their conversations. Replace tool proficiency with one language of your choice.
• Community of Outsiders. Replace your background feature with the Community of Outsiders feature.

Feature: Community of Outsiders

Everyone seems to have an opinion on your people. Those who hate your group will treat you with hostility, and may deny you service or forbid your entry into certain areas.

You may not be accepted into society at large, but those who share your predicament and various sympathizers will accept you instead. Members of your persecuted group will be willing to support you (but not the rest of your party) at a modest lifestyle. If they own a business, they may also be willing to give you reasonable discounts on products and services. Others who passionately believe that the way your people are treated is wrong may give you the same benefits.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Natural Skill. You have an amazing amount of raw talent for a certain skill. Replace one skill with the skill listed with your talent on the talent table.
• Feigned Innocence. You act differently than most people your age, making it easy to fool others. Replace one skill with Deception.

• Natural Proficiency. You quickly picked up the tools used in the field you are talented in. Replace one language or tool proficiency with the language or tool proficiency listed with your talent on the talent table.
• Wise Beyond Your Years. Replace your background feature with the Wise Beyond Your Years feature.

Feature: Wise Beyond Your Years

While you are a capable adventurer, you are still a child. Pick an age that is less than the beginning of adulthood for your character's race.

Your young age makes your talents more impressive than they normally would be. Institutions related to the skill you are talented in will not take you seriously until you prove your skill, but after that they will be amazed by you and excited to have you around. Having a prodigy in their institution would help their prestige, so they would be willing to grant you admission and offer you benefits of membership more easily than they would with ordinary people.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Seduction. You have an easy time convincing people to sleep with you, or do other things. Replace one skill with Persuasion.
• Bodybuilding. You train hard to maintain an attractive physique. Replace one skill with Athletics.
• Shows of Affection. You win over your romantic targets with either handmade gifts or songs you wrote just for them. Replace one language or tool proficiency with any artisan's tool or musical instrument of your choice.
• Army of Broken Hearts. Replace your background feature with the Army of Broken Hearts feature.

Feature: Army of Broken Hearts

You have a handful of former partners who are desperate to get back with you. If you reestablish contact with one, they will be willing to do a significant but still reasonable favor for you in an attempt to win you over. They will not put themselves in danger or spend an excessive amount of money on the favor.

Using this former contacts comes with a risk. If one is given reason to believe that you have no intention of getting together with them despite what you have been asking them, or if they find out you have been flirting with other people or worse, they will become extremely angry with you. They will refuse to help you further, and may set out to get revenge on you if they have the resources.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Social Graces. You know how to hold a good conversation. Replace one skill with Persuasion.
• Empathy. So much conversing has made you fluent in reading people. Replace one skill with Insight.
• Multilingual. You taught yourself a new language to help you make friends with even more people. Replace one tool proficiency with a language of your choice.
• Gossip. Replace your background feature with the Gossip feature.

Feature: Gossip

Your ability to make fast friends makes you great at seeking information. You can spend a day networking, hanging out in taverns and other gathering spaces to make new friends. When you do this, you can find out any gossip floating around related to a topic you are researching. The DM may decide that no one in the social circles you can access have the information you seek, if it is mostly known to powerful people who have successfully kept it secret.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Scraping By. You had what it took to barely stay alive in a nearly impossible situation. Replace one skill with Survival.
• Paranoia. You are constantly on the lookout for danger. Replace one skill with Perception.
• Protective Training. You have taken up a useful skill to make yourself feel safer. Replace one language or tool proficiency with any tool proficiency that would have helped you better survive the disaster you faced.
• Eyewitness. Replace your background feature with the Eyewitness feature.

Feature: Eyewitness

Very few people lived to tell the tale of what happened the day of the catastrophe, so you saw things during it that no one else alive did. It could be that you were the only one who saw the face of the person responsible, or that you saw the direction in which the attacking monster fled, or something else important. Whatever information you have, it is crucial to preventing such a tragedy from happening again. Discuss with your DM what you saw and how it will impact the campaign.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Worldly. In all the places you've been, you've soaked up a bit of the culture and history. Replace one skill with History.
• Urban Navigation. You know how to find what you need when you're in a new town or city. Replace one skill with Investigation.
• Vehicle Driver. So much long distance travel taught you how to handle vehicles well. Replace one language or tool proficiency with a proficiency in either Vehicles (Land) or Vehicles (Water).
• Well Traveled. Replace your background feature with the Well Traveled feature.

Feature: Well Traveled

You've traveled to most towns and cities in the area. If a large town or city is within 50 miles of your hometown and there is nothing stopping you from having visited there before, you will be familiar with the area. You will know where to find shops, inns, taverns, government buildings, and other major establishments. You may be familiar with other farther away cities at the DM's discretion.

You will also have a friendly contact in town that will be willing to share news and gossip about what's going on locally. They can give you recommendations for place to go, as well as advice on what establishments to avoid. You are not extremely close with this local, so they will not be willing to share sensitive information with you.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Background Traits

Choose as many of the following features as you want.

• Twisted Scowl. The warped face you make when you're angry makes people flinch. Replace one skill with Intimidation.
• Unnoticed. Your plain appearance draws little attention. Replace one skill with Stealth.
• Hobbies. Without many social prospects, you've turned to solo hobbies to entertain yourself. Replace one language or tool proficiency with one artisan's tool of your choice.
• Unapproachable. Replace your background feature with the Unapproachable feature.

Feature: Unapproachable

You don't look very welcoming, causing strangers to avoid talking to you. If you are in public while not hiding your appearance and you are not doing anything obviously suspicious, strangers will not pay any attention to you and will avoid watching you closely. You will not be approached by anyone who doesn't have business with you specifically.

When you are with your party, you can choose to make yourself loud and very visible to drive strangers away from your entire group in the same way you would if you were alone.

Suggested Characteristics

Consider using these personality traits in addition to those given by your main background.

Brawl Rules

During a brawl, each character has Max Hit Points equal to 10 plus three times its Constitution modifier (minimum of 10), and AC of 13 plus its Dexterity modifier.

Roll initiative as normal. The character with the highest initiative starts on the attacking side and can make a movement and one of the Attack actions listed below. The character with the lower initiative starts on the defending side, and can take up to one Reaction against the attacker. After the attacker finishes their turn, the two characters reverse their attacking and defending sides. If any combatant rolls a critical, he can do up to two Actions or two Reactions during their current turn.

After 6 rounds of brawl, brawlers must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, the character gains 1 level of Exhaustion. The saving throw is repeated after each next 3 rounds of brawl but the DC increases by 1.

Drunken Brawl

If you consume more mugs of ale or other strong alcohol than 1 plus your Constitution modifier (no less than 1), you are considered drunk.

Drunk brawlers suffer disadvantage to Attack and Reaction rolls, but deal double their Strength modifier as damage on a hit. Also, drunk brawlers deal lethal damage on the Attack die result of 19 or higher.

Attacking side

As the attacker, you can move up to your speed in any direction, and take one of the following actions:

Attack: You make a unarmed or improvised weapon attack using the statistics provided in the weapon table.

Charge: You run 15 foot straight to a target. The target must make a Strength saving throw against 13 plus your Strength modifier. On a failed save, the target is knocked prone.

Taunt: You taunt the creature, provoking it to attack. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw against your Charisma (Intimidation) check. On a failed save, the target cannot willingly move away from you, and must spend its following turn attacking you with disadvantage. You have advantage on your next attack roll against the target.

Grapple: You attempt to grapple the target. Use the Players Handbook rules for grappling.

Setup

To begin a chase, mark out a 'chase track'. The track has six or more sections on it, described as follows:

Front: This section marks the 'head' of the race, where all participants are generally trying to be. There should always be at least one participant here.

Point-Blank: The participants immediately behind the Front are described as being at Point-Blank range. Participants in this area may make melee weapon or spell attacks against participants in the Front, although this must involve making an attack roll with disadvantage. Participants who make this attack with a weapon with the 'reach' quality do not suffer from this disadvantage.

Short Range: This section is considered to be about 30 ft. behind the Front and Point-Blank sections for the sake of spells, weapons, and effects with a range.

Medium Range: Participants in Medium Range are an additional 60 ft. behind Short Range.

Long Range: Participants in Long Range are an additional 60 ft. behind Medium Range.

Beyond Range: Participants who lag more than 150 ft. behind the Front must make DC 15 Perception or Insight check to maintain a cue where the chase is heading to. The roll must be made each turn, and for each turn while in Beyond track the DC increases by 2. If the participants in the Front have changed directions, roll at disadvantage. If there are participants in the Medium or Long Range, the roll can be made with advantage. On a failure, the participant falls out of the chase. On success, you remain in the chase.

Participants within a single section are assumed to be within 5 ft. of each other.

At the start of the chase, the quarry should be put in Front. Other participants may go in the other sections of the chase track according to their positions away from the quarry.

All participants should then roll initiative as usual. If the chase is an extension of an existing fight scene, the participants should keep the initiative used during that fight.

Each participant should also calculate their Move DC. It is equal to 20 - (Speed / 5). For most participants this will be their normal speed, but if a participant has another speed (e.g. a fly speed or swim speed) they may use that value instead if it makes sense to do so in the situation.

For example, a Human Monk with a speed of 40 ft. will have a Move DC of 12, while an Ancient Blue Dragon chasing down an aerial opponent (and thus able to use their fly speed of 80 ft.) will have a Move DC of 4.

The minimum Move DC is 0. If a participant would have a Move DC lower than this, they instead have a Move DC of 0.

Mounted or Vehicle chase. The same rules apply, but multiply the distances and the Move DC divider (naturally /5) by 2 (for horses and carriage) or 4 (flying dragons).

Each Turn

At the start of every turn, the DM should check for chase complications using the Chase Complication Table given later. If a complication is rolled, it should affect the current participant only. This complication is resolved first.

Afterwards, if the participant still has actions and movement left, they should make a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against their Move DC. This is a Move Check. On a success, they remain in the section of the chase track that they are currently in. If they exceed the Move DC by 5 or more, they move one section forward. (If a player in Front would move one section forward, instead all other participants move one section backwards.)

If a participant wishes, they may make an action before making this check. They may make any action that is described in the 'Actions in Combat' section of the Player's Handbook, except for the Dash and Disengage actions. If the participant does this, they make the Move Check with disadvantage.

A participant may also take a bonus action before making the Move Check. If they have the ability to dash using this bonus action, and they choose to take it, they may make the Move Check with advantage.

If a player has used their movement and their action during their turn, they cannot succeed the check, and automatically fail.

Chase Complications

At the start of each turn, the Dungeon Master should roll 3d6, and consult the following table.

The complications are described as follows.

Entanglement. An entanglement might be either purposeful (like a net or rope trap), or accidental (like vines, or a clothesline covered in washing). Either way, it poses a severe risk to a player. Make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, you are restrained as if caught in a net. See chapter 5, "Equipment," of the Player's Handbook for rules on escaping a net.

Herd or Crowd. You must pass through a herd or group of animals or people that currently are not involved in the chase. Make a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, you take 1d4 piercing damage and 1d4 bludgeoning damage, and are knocked prone.

At the Dungeon Master's option (regardless of the result of the saving throw), the herd or crowd may join the chase. If this happens, the herd should be put onto the chase track in the same section as the participant they have just affected. The Dungeon Master should choose appropriate stats for this herd, and roll initiative accordingly.

Escalation

Periodically, your disease will try to attack your body and spread further. Each time the incubation period passes, make a Constitution saving throw to see if your disease changes — this is called an Escalation check:

Touch

Your blood, sweat, and spit are rife with sickness. Anyone who makes physical contact with you while you are contagious risks infection. Things you touch with your bare skin—door handles, cutlery, tools — also become contaminated and remain so for an hour.

To avoid making accidental contact when touching you, a character can try rolling a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw—if they succeed, they knew how to avoid touching the most likely spots of contamination. Wearing gloves and other protective gear can also help defend against contamination.

Air

As you breathe, cough, and sneeze, the air around you becomes thick with sickness. Anyone that comes within 5ft of you is at risk of infection. Additionally, if you spend an hour in an enclosed room, it becomes contaminated and remains so until an hour after you leave — proper ventilation and thorough cleaning can help prevent this.

By wearing a face mask, you can minimise the spread of your airborne sickness by trapping coughs and spittle. However, wearing a basic mask or holding your breathe offers no protection against infection — disease is still able to infect you via your eyes and skin.

Spreading Disease

Death

If you die from a disease, your corpse becomes a breeding ground for your sickness. Your body remains contagious for the next week.

Diagnosing Disease

Magic Strength

Not all magic is powerful enough to fight every disease. When you are using a spell or effect to treat a disease, compare the spell level to the DC of the disease to see if it will have any impact.

Creating a Disease

If you want to surprise your players with a sickness unique to your world, follow these steps to brew your own disease:

Bubonic Plague

Disease, Rare · DC 25 · ◷ 1 day · Touch

---

Often mistaken for influenza at first, swollen buboes fast begin to mark the body. Without immediate aid, this disease is almost certainly a death sentence.

Stage 1	Your body aches and you have a slight fever. You have -2 to all ability modifiers.
Stage 2	Painful buboes appear around your arm, groin, and neck. You have Disadvantage on all rolls.
Stage 3	Your fever is extremely hot. You fall into a coma.
Stage 4	Your internal organs begin to fail. You die.
Cured	Your body is scarred by the buboes.

Smallpox

Disease, Rare · DC 15 · ◷ 4 days · Touch, Air

---

Tiny spots that quickly become large, painful blisters across your entire body. Pox scars are a nasty reminder.

Stage 1	You have a slight fever and feel weak. You have -2 STR and -2 DEX.
Stage 2	You have a persistent headache and have flat, red spots on your face, hands, and forearms. You have -2 INT, -2 WIS, and -2 CON.
Stage 3	Your spots become large, painful, pus-filled blisters that burst when touched roughly. You have Disadvantage on all rolls.
Stage 4	Your fever is extremely hot. You fall in a coma.
Cured	You have severe scars from the pox. You are immune to smallpox for 10 years.

Weekly Lifestyle Expenses

Wretched. You live in inhumane conditions. With no place to call home, you shelter wherever you can, sneaking into barns, huddling in old crates, and relying on the good graces of people better off than you. A wretched lifestyle presents abundant dangers. Violence, disease, and hunger follow you wherever you go. Other wretched people covet your armor, weapons, and adventuring gear, which represent a fortune by their standards. You are beneath the notice of most people.

Every week spent in this lifestyle, there is 15% chance for a misfortune or tragic event in your life.

Poverty Misfortunes

Squalid. You live in a leaky stable, a mud-floored hut just outside town, or a vermin-infested boarding house in the worst part of town. You have shelter from the elements, but you live in a desperate and often violent environment, in places rife with disease, hunger, and misfortune.

You are beneath the notice of most people, and you have few legal protections. Most people at this lifestyle level have suffered some terrible setback. They might be disturbed, marked as exiles, or suffer from disease.

Every week spent in this lifestyle, there is 10% chance for a misfortune or tragic event in your life.

Resources

Finding magic items to purchase requires one workweek of effort and 100 gp minimum in expenses. Spending more time and money increases your chance of finding a high-quality item.

Resolution

A character seeking to buy a magic item makes a Charisma (Persuasion) check to determine the quality of seller found. The character gains a +1 bonus for every workweek beyond the first spent seeking a seller and a +1 bonus for every 100 gp spent on the search. The total bonus for time and money spent can’t be greater than +10.

As shown on the Buying Magic Items table, the total of the check dictates which table in the Dungeon Master’s Guide to roll on to determine which items are on the market.

Using the Magic Item Price table, you then assign prices to the available items, based on their rarity. Halve the price of any consumable item—such as a potion or a scroll—when using the table to determine an asking price.

You have final say in determining which items are for sale and their final price, no matter what the tables say.

If the characters seek a specific magic item, first decide if it’s an item you want to allow in the game. If so, include the item among the offerings if it appears on a table that the result allows you to roll on.

Complications

The magic item trade is fraught with dangers. The large sums of money involved, and the power offered by a magic item, attract thieves, con artists, and other villains. If you want to make things more interesting for the characters, roll on the Magic Item Purchase Complications table or invent your own complication.

Resources

Carousing covers a workweek of fine food, strong drink, and socializing. A character can attempt to carouse among lower-, middle-, or upper-class folk. A character can carouse with the lower class for 25 gp to cover expenses, or 100 gp for the middle class. Carousing with the upper class requires 500 gp for the workweek and access to the local nobility.

Resolution

After a workweek of carousing, a character stands to make contacts within the selected social class. The character makes a Charisma (Persuasion) check using the Carousing table.

Drunkenness

Assassination (Stealth, Attack Roll)

Blackmail (Intimidation, Persuasion)

Distribution (Stealth, Sleight of Hand)

Forgery (Perception, Forgery Kit)

Con Job (Deception, Persuasion)

Pimping (Insight, Intimidation)

Bully The Weak (Intimidation, Attack Roll)

Crime Complications

Gain Renown

Many clubs, societies and other organizations allow you to curry their favour in return for special benefits and abilities. After meeting a specific requirement like completing an objective set by the group you may cement your relationship with them by spending downtime performing simple tasks, carrying out business or socializing.

After meeting the requirement listed to achieve the next renown rank in your organization, you must gain a number Renown points equal to the new rank to reach the higher rank. For example, if you were rank 4 in a society, you would need to gain 5 Renown points to reach the next rank.

Gain Renown Complications

Resources

This activity requires one workweek of effort from a character, plus the character must risk at least 100 gp, to a maximum of 1,000 gp, unless you decide that gambling is a big enough business to support larger wagers.

Resolution

The player must make a series of checks, with a DC determined at random based on the quality of the opposition that the character runs into. Part of the risk of gambling is that you never know who might end up sitting across the table from you.

The character makes three checks: Wisdom (Insight), Charisma (Deception), and Charisma (Intimidation). The DC is 5 + 2d10, generating a separate DC for each check. Consult the Gambling Results table to see how the character does.

Cheating

In gambling, cheating is part of the game as long as you don't get caught. You may attempt to cheat at games with loaded dice, hidden ace, counting marked cards or any other way.

Every time you cheat during a week of downtime, you must roll Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) and Charisma (Deception) against DC 8 + 5 for each cheat attempt during the same week of downtime. If you get two successes, roll 2d4 and add the result to your next Gambling check. If you get only one success, roll and add 1d4 instead. If you get no successes, you're caught. Your Gambling downtime is cancelled and you lose your investment. DM may rule that your character learns a painful lesson, that may have him harmed, imprisoned, or driven out of the current settlement.

Other characters may Help the cheater and grant him advantage on the cheater roll but if he is caught, they suffer the same treatment.

Complications

Gambling tends to draw a variety of unsavory characters. The potential complications involved in it come from run-ins with the law and various criminals tied to it.

Mustering (Level 1-4)

Sacred Rites Complications

Pit Fighting Complications

Profession Approach

Player must make number or ability score checks based on the intensity of his work week against DC 12. Every success improves the odds of earning more and getting inspired for a personal project. Exceptional success (beating the DC by 10 or more) gives advantage to the next check. Critical success counts as two successes.

The downtime activity ends when you accumulate three failures. Critical failure counts as two failures. If you make two failures in a row, you gain 1 level of Exhaustion after this downtime activity.

Profession Practice Complications

Preparations

A player can only prepare to meet one enemy or circumstance, and may have a number of unexpended prepration points no higher than 1 + their Intelligence modifier (minimum of 1). If you prepare to meet a new enemy or circumstance any preparation points you gained prepraring for the old enemy are lost.

Resources

Finding a dealer of illegal goods requires extensive inquiries and bribes before they track down the goods they seek.

Unless the character has allied contacts among the local criminal underground, he must spend 25 gp gathering information and then make a Intelligence (Investigation) roll against DC equal to the local Protection Level. if it is successful, a contact is found and maintained until the contact is not caught or put of business.

Resolution

Depending on the location where illegal goods need to be purchased, all skill checks are made against a Risk DC value.

Negotiation

To reach out and negotiate with a dealer, player must make three skill checks: Intelligence (Investigation), Charisma (Persuasion) and Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) against DC equal to the Protection Level of the location. If player has already done business with the dealer during previous downtime, he can make one of the skill checks at advantage.

Illegal Goods Complications

• At the end of a long or full rest
• When you suffer a wound from taking damage
• When you become unconscious or start dying.

Research Goals

After a long rest you may choose an area of study. Each area of study has research levels with increasingly complex and involving activities, and requires access to specimen or objects of study. You start from the first level and may proceed up to a level equal to your Intelligence modifier.

On each research level, you must spend 1 hour studying and memorizing the matter, and then attempt an Analysis Check on what you have learned. If the analysis is solid, you can proceed to the next research level and repeat the process until you reach the limit of your Intelligence.

Analysis Checks

After every hour of researching, you must make one analysis check. Making the check requires another hour to review your notes and an Intelligence check plus the Research Level you've reached. The DM may allow to add your proficiency to the roll if you have a field expertise related to the research (see Field Expertise, p. 15). You may use a party member’s field expertise bonus if they consent to help you for the hour you spend analyzing.

If you have access to a library (or a similar source of collected knowledge regarding the topic of your research) during this hour you can make the check with advantage.

Research Complication