All Live Characters are considered to be active when they are not in an Episode or Scene. While we don't account for every important moment of a character's life, Downtime still represents development in a character's life. For the purposes of this game, a Downtime Report is the player's write-up on what their character plans to do between Episodes. Downtime Reports are bullet-point lists with each activity delineated.
A character has a number of Downtime actions in a period equal to their lowest attribute score. You can see a blank template of the Downtime Report here. Filing a Downtime Report is worth XP, as noted in Earning XP.
The first action in each Downtime Report is assumed to be spent doing enough Downtime missions to cover The Strangers' salaries and company costs. Players may forgo this default action, but there can be consequences.
Here are the general guidelines of what can go on a Downtime Report:
- Players should use Downtime Reports to indicate any character sheet improvements via training or other methods. Some skills will not require training in the first few levels, but many skills will require some sort of training to learn any levels. Training can involve education from a fellow PC or NPC. In many cases, training should also require some amount of RP. Note, RPing a scene for skill training will get your character more XP! Power development may or may not require training, depending on the character's paradigm. Characters may only improve one characteristic per Downtime.
- Downtime Actions are also used to request Downtime Scenes with NPCs (Downtime Scene requests with PCs should still be listed, but do not count toward your number of Downtime Actions). A request for a Downtime Scene with another character should include the general where, when, and why of the meeting. Once the Report is filed, you should work out a time with the other player when you can run the Scene, keeping in mind that characters can only be in One Scene At A Time. Also, remember to Always Include the GM on any emails. If you want to have a scene with an NPC, you don't need to work out a time to play, but you do need to be free to play in one yourself.
- Any equipment-related activity should go into a Downtime Report. If your character wishes to buy, sell, improve, or otherwise work with their gear, it should be in Downtime. Most acquisitions will not require a scene, but always need to be noted.
- If your character has a manufacturing/crafting skill, it should be used during Downtime. Different items will have different time demands (and are also determined by the crafting skill).
- You can also use a Downtime Action to declare a Character Goal. Goals can be anything from "I'm going to kill the Angel City boss of The Triad" to "I'm going to learn the Mana Burst spell." Accomplishing a Character Goal is worth earning XP. However, to be worth XP, a Character Goal should be challenging to achieve. Characters can have only one Character Goal active at a time.
- If there is something you wish to do during Downtime that isn't on this list, just email the GM and the details can be worked out.
