Downtime [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

Downtime [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
tommy_the_cat
02-22-05, 02:11 AM I'm a 16th level wizard with item creation feats, and the adventures keep coming non-stop. Not only am I unable to craft items, I can't even learn my two spells a level because they must be researched.

Does anyone know of any sort of extradimentional space that I could enter, with my party, where one year is equal to one day on the normal material plane (or somthing to that effect)? Even a one week to one day ratio would be helpful here.

Any other solutions to the problem?
rayan4d2
02-22-05, 02:22 AM There are no specific planes in the Manual of the Planes that offer what you seek, however the book does have series of random demiplane tables. One option is a 1 week to 1 normal day ratio, so it can assumed that there must be some demiplanes out there that has that function, but you would need to discuss the option with your DM.
Callista
02-22-05, 02:24 AM Yeah--just ask your DM for some downtime. He shouldn't say no, unless his campaign's on a strict timetable. (If it is--try suggesting having the lot of you stuck in just such a plane for a year or so, until one of you figures out a way out. There aren't planes that I know of with this trait--usually it's the other way around--but it's not beyond most cosmologies to include such a demiplane.)

Then RP your character getting really tired from adventuring so much... he wants to study, to put down what he's learned on paper, to exercise his new skills... and you take a year off in a nice little town somewhere, where the barbarian can booze it up and the bard can chat with the ladies and your wizard can create some items for the party.

Don't take too much advantage of it, though; you want your wizard to create items, but not to the point where it gets munchkiny.
PhaedrusXY
02-22-05, 02:56 AM The Far Realm has this kind of crazy time-warp stuff, but I don't think you want to spend extended periods there. :88E: :P Researching a specific demiplane is a good idea (or making one via Genesis, once you get 9th level spells, assuming your DM uses the version that lets you change the time trait).
tommy_the_cat
02-22-05, 01:11 PM Which book is Genisis from? That sounds like it could be a viable solution.

I think that my DM is running his campagin on a bit of a time schedule. . .that's why I was looking for an alternate plane. If I ignore the events that are transpiring in the material plane. . .well, just just leave it at this: They cannot be ignored.

I can talk to him, but I do not wish to disrupt his time line or plans he has set. At the same time, my character needs time to study and reflect; he is a scholar thirstyfor knowledge.
Nom
02-22-05, 06:09 PM I'm a 16th level wizard with item creation feats, and the adventures keep coming non-stop. Not only am I unable to craft items, I can't even learn my two spells a level because they must be researched.There's a meta-game problem here too.

Firstly, your two spells / level are supposed to be "free". They get researched during normal downtime (camping, maybe a weekend off), just as any other character researches / practices their abilities. If you are not getting these spells, your character is seriously weakened.

Add to this that copying a spell into a spellbook from an external source takes a day to understand the spell and another day to put it in the book (PH pg 179), then I don't understand how a wizard can function at all, since you obviously can't be getting any new spells.

Secondly, if your DM intended the adventure to be break-neck pace, he should have (1) warned you against playing a wizard and (2) warned you against taking item creation feats. It is unfair to allow the player to take feats that you know he will not have a chance to use.
Capt. Pixel
02-22-05, 07:08 PM I'm a 16th level wizard with item creation feats, and the adventures keep coming non-stop. Not only am I unable to craft items, I can't even learn my two spells a level because they must be researched.

Does anyone know of any sort of extradimentional space that I could enter, with my party, where one year is equal to one day on the normal material plane (or somthing to that effect)? Even a one week to one day ratio would be helpful here.

Any other solutions to the problem?

The Astral Plane has a 365,000 to 1 time elapse, but - it might be in the 'wrong' proportion for your issue.

I agree, those two spells should be 'freebies' that just come to you. :cool:
tommy_the_cat
02-23-05, 12:30 AM I was just reading the Manual of the Planes (now that I am near my books again) and what I'm looking for is flowing time - specifically, a plane where 1 year = 1 round.

Where is the spell genisis from? Creating a demiplane seems like my best option here. . .
Nom
02-23-05, 09:02 AM I still think you'd do better to fix the meta-game problem and have a talk with your DM.

Besides, if you're not getting time to learn spells, how are you going to (1) research said demi-plane and (2) learn the spell required to enter it?
tommy_the_cat
02-23-05, 11:31 AM Good news! I'm learning spells. Those are freebies.

Besides, if you're not getting time to learn spells, how are you going to (1) research said demi-plane and (2) learn the spell required to enter it?
Good point, I hadn't thought of that. I suppose I will have to talk him into giving us some downtime.

Problem is, though, his thought process goes something like this - "I AM the DM. I cannot do wrong. My campaign is perfect, and if you wish to alter it in any way it is obviously because you are a min/maxer and don't appreciate the plot."
(Jordan, if you're reading this, you know it's true man.)

Well, of course that is an exaggeration, however I do have to agree with the basic thought to some extent. Think about what I would be requesting - "Please disrupt your planning so that I can craft myself some swag." However, I think there ought to be a medium we can reach. A little creative writing was never bad for a DM ;) and that's all it'd take.
sollmn
02-23-05, 02:08 PM You should also speak with the other players. There may be something that they want to do in downtime. If you have warrior and rogue types without casting, then you my have to bribe them to your side by promissing to make them some stuff too (with them paying you, of course, but at a significant discount).

If all the players want to take downtime, it will make it much easier for the DM to acquiesce to your desire.
krichaiushii
02-23-05, 09:10 PM I concur with the others - talk to the DM. But regardless of the outcome of this particular situation, you have learned a valuable gaming lesson.

Which is to check with the DM regarding potential downtime before starting a campaign and investing multiple levels' worth of feats in item creation feats.

If he was polite enough to warn you ahead of time, you might still be stuck on spells, but at least the feats wouldn't have been wasted.

Then again, I believe that Unearthed Arcana has an optional rule for crafting items by bits and pieces, instead of one lump sum of time. But being optional, it may be disallowed.
UltimateReality
02-23-05, 09:35 PM Problem is, though, his thought process goes something like this - "I AM the DM. I cannot do wrong. My campaign is perfect, and if you wish to alter it in any way it is obviously because you are a min/maxer and don't appreciate the plot."
(Jordan, if you're reading this, you know it's true man.)

Well, of course that is an exaggeration, however I do have to agree with the basic thought to some extent. Think about what I would be requesting - "Please disrupt your planning so that I can craft myself some swag." However, I think there ought to be a medium we can reach. A little creative writing was never bad for a DM ;) and that's all it'd take.Ya know, I may be the DM, and I may have carefully crafted plans, but I at least do my players the courtesy of making sure I've got some downtime padded between adventures. Maybe not enough for them to invent gunpowder and battlemechs, but enough to make an item or two, learn a few spells, spend all their cash, etc.

This sounds like one of those "whoopsies" that happens once and then gets rectified. It's always a good idea, assuming your DM isn't an evil vindictive bastard, to talk to them first about what you want to do with your character long and short term. That way they can iron out any kinks. ("Um, I'm not allowing Leadership, so no you can't have a legion of Keebler Elves, sorry") or work it into the story when appropriate ("oh look, there's a mission that takes you to the Fochlucan College just about when you wanted to take that prestige class....what a coincidence!")

If your DM is an evil vindictive bastard, find a new DM. :P
PhaedrusXY
02-23-05, 11:36 PM Where is the spell genisis from? Creating a demiplane seems like my best option here. . .It's spelled Genesis, and it's been published in a few books and in a few different forms. There is one version of it in the Divine Spells section of the SRD, but it is only available to clerics with the Creation domain (or something like that). Earlier versions have been available as psionic powers (3.0 Psionics Handbook), and wizard/sorcerer spells. I don't remember which other books it was in, but I remember seeing a post about it that listed them. Do a search for Genesis. Some specifically disallowed changing the time trait, and some didn't (which implies you could change it, since they did disallow some other things).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
tommy_the_cat 02-22-05, 02:11 AM	I'm a 16th level wizard with item creation feats, and the adventures keep coming non-stop. Not only am I unable to craft items, I can't even learn my two spells a level because they must be researched. Does anyone know of any sort of extradimentional space that I could enter, with my party, where one year is equal to one day on the normal material plane (or somthing to that effect)? Even a one week to one day ratio would be helpful here. Any other solutions to the problem?
rayan4d2 02-22-05, 02:22 AM	There are no specific planes in the Manual of the Planes that offer what you seek, however the book does have series of random demiplane tables. One option is a 1 week to 1 normal day ratio, so it can assumed that there must be some demiplanes out there that has that function, but you would need to discuss the option with your DM.
Callista 02-22-05, 02:24 AM	Yeah--just ask your DM for some downtime. He shouldn't say no, unless his campaign's on a strict timetable. (If it is--try suggesting having the lot of you stuck in just such a plane for a year or so, until one of you figures out a way out. There aren't planes that I know of with this trait--usually it's the other way around--but it's not beyond most cosmologies to include such a demiplane.) Then RP your character getting really tired from adventuring so much... he wants to study, to put down what he's learned on paper, to exercise his new skills... and you take a year off in a nice little town somewhere, where the barbarian can booze it up and the bard can chat with the ladies and your wizard can create some items for the party. Don't take too much advantage of it, though; you want your wizard to create items, but not to the point where it gets munchkiny.
PhaedrusXY 02-22-05, 02:56 AM	The Far Realm has this kind of crazy time-warp stuff, but I don't think you want to spend extended periods there. :88E: :P Researching a specific demiplane is a good idea (or making one via Genesis, once you get 9th level spells, assuming your DM uses the version that lets you change the time trait).
tommy_the_cat 02-22-05, 01:11 PM	Which book is Genisis from? That sounds like it could be a viable solution. I think that my DM is running his campagin on a bit of a time schedule. . .that's why I was looking for an alternate plane. If I ignore the events that are transpiring in the material plane. . .well, just just leave it at this: They cannot be ignored. I can talk to him, but I do not wish to disrupt his time line or plans he has set. At the same time, my character needs time to study and reflect; he is a scholar thirstyfor knowledge.
Nom 02-22-05, 06:09 PM	I'm a 16th level wizard with item creation feats, and the adventures keep coming non-stop. Not only am I unable to craft items, I can't even learn my two spells a level because they must be researched.There's a meta-game problem here too. Firstly, your two spells / level are supposed to be "free". They get researched during normal downtime (camping, maybe a weekend off), just as any other character researches / practices their abilities. If you are not getting these spells, your character is seriously weakened. Add to this that copying a spell into a spellbook from an external source takes a day to understand the spell and another day to put it in the book (PH pg 179), then I don't understand how a wizard can function at all, since you obviously can't be getting any new spells. Secondly, if your DM intended the adventure to be break-neck pace, he should have (1) warned you against playing a wizard and (2) warned you against taking item creation feats. It is unfair to allow the player to take feats that you know he will not have a chance to use.
Capt. Pixel 02-22-05, 07:08 PM	I'm a 16th level wizard with item creation feats, and the adventures keep coming non-stop. Not only am I unable to craft items, I can't even learn my two spells a level because they must be researched. Does anyone know of any sort of extradimentional space that I could enter, with my party, where one year is equal to one day on the normal material plane (or somthing to that effect)? Even a one week to one day ratio would be helpful here. Any other solutions to the problem? The Astral Plane has a 365,000 to 1 time elapse, but - it might be in the 'wrong' proportion for your issue. I agree, those two spells should be 'freebies' that just come to you. :cool:
tommy_the_cat 02-23-05, 12:30 AM	I was just reading the Manual of the Planes (now that I am near my books again) and what I'm looking for is flowing time - specifically, a plane where 1 year = 1 round. Where is the spell genisis from? Creating a demiplane seems like my best option here. . .
Nom 02-23-05, 09:02 AM	I still think you'd do better to fix the meta-game problem and have a talk with your DM. Besides, if you're not getting time to learn spells, how are you going to (1) research said demi-plane and (2) learn the spell required to enter it?
tommy_the_cat 02-23-05, 11:31 AM	Good news! I'm learning spells. Those are freebies. Besides, if you're not getting time to learn spells, how are you going to (1) research said demi-plane and (2) learn the spell required to enter it? Good point, I hadn't thought of that. I suppose I will have to talk him into giving us some downtime. Problem is, though, his thought process goes something like this - "I AM the DM. I cannot do wrong. My campaign is perfect, and if you wish to alter it in any way it is obviously because you are a min/maxer and don't appreciate the plot." (Jordan, if you're reading this, you know it's true man.) Well, of course that is an exaggeration, however I do have to agree with the basic thought to some extent. Think about what I would be requesting - "Please disrupt your planning so that I can craft myself some swag." However, I think there ought to be a medium we can reach. A little creative writing was never bad for a DM ;) and that's all it'd take.
sollmn 02-23-05, 02:08 PM	You should also speak with the other players. There may be something that they want to do in downtime. If you have warrior and rogue types without casting, then you my have to bribe them to your side by promissing to make them some stuff too (with them paying you, of course, but at a significant discount). If all the players want to take downtime, it will make it much easier for the DM to acquiesce to your desire.
krichaiushii 02-23-05, 09:10 PM	I concur with the others - talk to the DM. But regardless of the outcome of this particular situation, you have learned a valuable gaming lesson. Which is to check with the DM regarding potential downtime before starting a campaign and investing multiple levels' worth of feats in item creation feats. If he was polite enough to warn you ahead of time, you might still be stuck on spells, but at least the feats wouldn't have been wasted. Then again, I believe that Unearthed Arcana has an optional rule for crafting items by bits and pieces, instead of one lump sum of time. But being optional, it may be disallowed.
UltimateReality 02-23-05, 09:35 PM	Problem is, though, his thought process goes something like this - "I AM the DM. I cannot do wrong. My campaign is perfect, and if you wish to alter it in any way it is obviously because you are a min/maxer and don't appreciate the plot." (Jordan, if you're reading this, you know it's true man.) Well, of course that is an exaggeration, however I do have to agree with the basic thought to some extent. Think about what I would be requesting - "Please disrupt your planning so that I can craft myself some swag." However, I think there ought to be a medium we can reach. A little creative writing was never bad for a DM ;) and that's all it'd take.Ya know, I may be the DM, and I may have carefully crafted plans, but I at least do my players the courtesy of making sure I've got some downtime padded between adventures. Maybe not enough for them to invent gunpowder and battlemechs, but enough to make an item or two, learn a few spells, spend all their cash, etc. This sounds like one of those "whoopsies" that happens once and then gets rectified. It's always a good idea, assuming your DM isn't an evil vindictive bastard, to talk to them first about what you want to do with your character long and short term. That way they can iron out any kinks. ("Um, I'm not allowing Leadership, so no you can't have a legion of Keebler Elves, sorry") or work it into the story when appropriate ("oh look, there's a mission that takes you to the Fochlucan College just about when you wanted to take that prestige class....what a coincidence!") If your DM is an evil vindictive bastard, find a new DM. :P
PhaedrusXY 02-23-05, 11:36 PM	Where is the spell genisis from? Creating a demiplane seems like my best option here. . .It's spelled Genesis, and it's been published in a few books and in a few different forms. There is one version of it in the Divine Spells section of the SRD, but it is only available to clerics with the Creation domain (or something like that). Earlier versions have been available as psionic powers (3.0 Psionics Handbook), and wizard/sorcerer spells. I don't remember which other books it was in, but I remember seeing a post about it that listed them. Do a search for Genesis. Some specifically disallowed changing the time trait, and some didn't (which implies you could change it, since they did disallow some other things).