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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition) Starfinder RPG

Rules Index | GM Screen | Player's Guide
Battlecry! / How to Have a War

Downtime

Source Battlecry! pg. 203
Even the bloodiest wars don’t see constant battle after battle. Armies need time to march from place to place and, unless magic is involved, orders from high command aren’t always transmitted instantaneously to the leaders in the field. Soldiers need time to rest and recuperate or train for hardships to come. In each of these cases, characters involved in war might find themselves facing stretches of downtime. The following downtime activities might be flavored to match a war-focused campaign.

Earning Income: If the PCs are on a military’s payroll, they already see a steady income and will likely not need to perform jobs to gain extra cash, and they won’t have to worry about their cost of living. However, enterprising characters can still have a side hustle. A fighter could do a fellow soldier a favor and pick up their shift in the kitchen or cleaning latrines. A rogue could find ways to smuggle luxury items from a nearby city to the lower ranks. A druid could hire out their animal companion to move equipment between camps.

Long-Term Rest: Battlefields are dangerous and dirty. PCs returning from a mission may have suffered grievous wounds or caught some nasty disease. Most military camps will have a medic to assist with their recovery, though a PC might want to rely on another PC’s expertise (or magic). In either case, such healing takes time.

Retraining: Soldiers must always be at their best, and physical training is paramount to most militaries. When not directly fighting, a regiment might run for several miles or perform calisthenics as morning exercise. Such activity could serve as a background for PCs who wish to retrain feats, skills, and class features. Perhaps a wizard wants to increase their proficiency in Athletics in preparation for a long march. A barbarian might want to be able to better intimidate a large group of people in preparation for a siege. A bard might want to replace a spell in their repertoire that focuses more on dealing damage than healing.

Shopping and Crafting: A good army’s quartermaster should provide their soldiers with everything they need, but sometimes they can offer a little extra... for a price. PCs might also be campaigning near a friendly city, allowing them to purchase items as normal, though occasionally they might see a steep increase in prices due to low supply. Alternatively, an established military camp might provide a PC with tools or a workshop, usually in the form of a portable smithy, for them to be able to craft their own items.