Downtime Actions

Downtime Actions

Each Patron gets 3 Downtime Actions. A Patron may only use the Downtime Actions of one character. (For example, if you have a Primary Character and a Secondary Character, you may only choose one to take Downtime Actions.)

Page 307 of the core rulebook goes into detail on Downtime Actions. These actions function as described in the book. The prescribed Downtime Actions detailed in the book include:

Crafting
Feeding
Investigation
Patrolling
Beyond Your Means

This list constitutes some of the most important Downtime Actions players will take in the month between games. There are many other things outside this list that players can do that may or may not require them to expend one of their precious Downtime Actions.

Skill Actions

Certain skills allow you to perform an additional action related directly to them. If you possess at least One Dot in these skills you may have the additional action:

Computer: Page 93; One Action (regardless of how many dots) as listed above but using a computer OR may cancel or observe 1 Downtime action spent by another character.
Science: Page 97: One Action (regardless of how many dots) PER SEPARATE SCIENCE, as listed above but only in relation to that particular science.

Skill Effects Without Extra Actions

Certain skills give you options for using your Downtime Actions without providing additional actions:

Craft: Page 93; You may use 2 Downtime Actions to increase RESOURCES by 1 Dot for 1 month, to a maximum of holding RESOURCES 5.
Medicine: Page 96; You may spend 1 Downtime Action studying a targets remains in a proper medical facility to determine a creature’s supernatural type (if any). Characters familiar with vampires can also determine Clan and Generation.
Performance: Page 96; You may spend 2 Downtime Actions to increase FAME by 1 Dot for 1 month to a maximum of holding FAME 5.
Security: Page 97; You may spend 1 Downtime Action to apply Security to another character’s HAVEN (this effect lasts for 1 calendar year).

Free Downtime Actions

Here is a list of things you can do in your Downtime without spending one of your three Actions:

• Downtime Scenes that do not require Storyteller narration.

• Private conversations between characters via email or in person.

• Downtime Clan / Coterie Meetings

• Utilizing Contacts for rumors and information.

• Accessing your Herd.

• Utilizing Influences and taking Influence Actions.

• Using your Resources (except Beyond Your Means).

• Managing your Retainers.

• Utilizing Allies.

• Learning an in-clan Discipline or a Discipline you have access to and do not require a teacher, such as having the Virtue Thaumaturgy Training. This does not make it an in-clan Discipline but you gain access without a teacher.

Other Downtime Actions

It is impossible to account for every action a player may conceive. It is possible that players may request to perform Downtime Actions that do not specifically fall under the prescribed Downtime Actions listed on page 307 of the core rulebook. This section describes how the Storyteller Team in Underground Theater Seattle intends to address these requests on the occasion they may occur.

Travel

Any character that travels out of Seattle for more than a 24 hour period must spend a Downtime Action to travel as per the Proxy Policy in the Underground Theater Seattle Document.

The following Cities are eligible as travel locations. A character can reasonably return from them within a 24-hour period. As result a player need not expend a Downtime Action to attend any games in these cities unless the player expressly states they are staying for more than 24 hours:

• Most cities in the Western United States as far south as San Diego, California, and as far East as Denver, Colorado, are easily accessible by flight. Generally any city you can get to in a 3-hour flight will likely be considered a city you can reach, attend a gathering/meeting and return home within 24 hours. Flying may, however, cost you Resources or other Background Traits deemed appropriate!

• Games that occur in Portland Oregon, Tacoma Washington, Olympia Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia, are considered close enough that players need not worry about spending Downtime Actions to travel to these cities without expending Resources as long as they intend to return within 24 hours. More cities may be added to this list if they form Underground Theater games.

Patrons may state that they could go greater distances within a 24-hour period. While the Storyteller team is willing to listen to these arguments based on distance and actions taken, it is important to note the Storytellers make all final rulings on travel requests.

Narrated Downtime Scenes

Some downtime scenes will be narrated by the storyteller and everyone will know that up front. In order to participate in one of these scenes, a Downtime Action will need to be spent by each participant. No exceptions. If you do not spend the Downtime Action the character may not participate in the scene. An example of a possible Narrated Downtime Scene might be a group of characters who plan to liberate an old Elysium site overtaken by a pack of Werewolves. (More information on Narrated Downtime Scenes will be available in a separate document.)

Learning a Discipline from another player

Learning a Discipline from another player requires you to spend 1 Downtime Action per power. Please see Page 112 in the core rulebook for details and clarification.

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