Idea: Someone works a Forge for 8 hours a day for a week. (56 hours total). After all that physical labor, they gain one point of Strength. Would cap at 14 (They also get Smiting tool Proficiency after their first week, just fyi)
Thoughts? Should the cap be lower? Should the time investment be higher?
Ever go to the gym? It takes a lot more than 1 week to see gains. But really no matter what, I’d say no. Getting an asi for downtime just seems too powerful. Particularly just a week. I guess you can train to get a skill proficiency. But that takes something like a year of downtime, and it gives you a third of a feat. So getting half of one for a week is crazy strong.
There is some advice in Xanathar's (https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/xgte/downtime-revisited#Training) about training during downtime. Whilst it only covers tools and languages, the overall progress rate (10 weeks) is a good indicator of how long something can take.
I say that you should implement it. Make it longer to get points because for realism and difficulty. Have you’ve ever been sore? I would say that if they choose to train it they get disadvantage in checks made with that ability. Also I feel like the higher the score is the harder it is to increase it.
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I'd say certain things are expected - but not explicitely stated - by class. Fighters work out, wizards read books, rogues do yoga. As stereotype as that is, it serves as an example.
If your wizard or rogue wants to switch focus from books or yoga, to strength, by all means. But you can't be both, so if you neglect your standard training for something else, well, it's a trade-off. 1 str for 1 int or dex.
So that's essentially a 'no - not at this table, you don't.'
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Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
On the one hand I think the idea is fine, especially if this is the sort of campaign where time is of the essence (as it often is in D&D). The BBEG is not sitting in their lair waiting for the player characters to meet them in fair combat, but rather continuing their plans. The world does not wait for PCs, and in that sense I'd say if the PC wants to risk the BBEG becoming more powerful for a single ability score increase... fine. The BBEG threat level has moved another minute closer to midnight on the doomsday clock.
On the other hand, as others have said, the character is probably working out to stay in shape to perform their adventuring. During downtime it's assumed characters are maintaining their weapons, armour and clothing, staying nourished and going to the toilet. In addition to that they're probably doing what they need to in order to walk as long and fight as hard as they do in the adventuring day, carrying all their equipment (assuming they're using backpacks and moving on foot). That itself is gruelling but does not by itself grant any strength bonuses.
Either way, I would not say 56 hours is enough time to raise a single attribute by one point. I would increase the time to - and beyond - what is recommended in Xanathar's Guide to Everything's Training tab: 10 workweeks minus INT modifier. At the end of those workweeks they'll get their proficiency, but if they want the ASI they'll have to stick at it for a while longer.
Zero is the most important number in D&D: Session Zero sets the boundaries and the tone; Rule Zero dictates the Dungeon Master (DM) is the final arbiter; and Zero D&D is better than Bad D&D.
"Let us speak plainly now, and in earnest, for words mean little without the weight of conviction."
Problem with increasing things like Strength, it often comes at the expense of Dexterity (to a degree). If you let people use a week of downtime to get 1STR, what's to stop them from hitting the gym for 5 weeks and getting +5. Now things are starting to get OP. I feel like it's a slippery slope that's ripe for abuse and wouldn't touch it.
Heroes work out during their down time. They can train other attributes than strength though. So, I would allow after several weeks character to reassign point from other ability to strength. It is likely they do not have time to keep up with other stuff. Getting extra points is covered in level progression and working as blacksmith during downtime would explain why the character got his points in strength and not intelligence for example.
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So, l had a idea, and wanted some feedback.
Idea: Someone works a Forge for 8 hours a day for a week. (56 hours total). After all that physical labor, they gain one point of Strength. Would cap at 14 (They also get Smiting tool Proficiency after their first week, just fyi)
Thoughts? Should the cap be lower? Should the time investment be higher?
Ever go to the gym? It takes a lot more than 1 week to see gains.
But really no matter what, I’d say no. Getting an asi for downtime just seems too powerful. Particularly just a week. I guess you can train to get a skill proficiency. But that takes something like a year of downtime, and it gives you a third of a feat. So getting half of one for a week is crazy strong.
There is some advice in Xanathar's (https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/xgte/downtime-revisited#Training) about training during downtime. Whilst it only covers tools and languages, the overall progress rate (10 weeks) is a good indicator of how long something can take.
I say that you should implement it. Make it longer to get points because for realism and difficulty. Have you’ve ever been sore? I would say that if they choose to train it they get disadvantage in checks made with that ability. Also I feel like the higher the score is the harder it is to increase it.
What Am I?
Professional Voice Actor, Dungeon Master, Player
What Is My Stuff?
Homebrew: (currently privated)
Campaigns: A.W.W, The Astral Symphony, Detroit, Vampiric (k)Nights, Tales of Moved Sands.
Characters: Ben Alick, Travis Marmo, Trevor, Lucian Belmont, Aiden Nevogross
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I'd say certain things are expected - but not explicitely stated - by class. Fighters work out, wizards read books, rogues do yoga. As stereotype as that is, it serves as an example.
If your wizard or rogue wants to switch focus from books or yoga, to strength, by all means. But you can't be both, so if you neglect your standard training for something else, well, it's a trade-off. 1 str for 1 int or dex.
So that's essentially a 'no - not at this table, you don't.'
Blanket disclaimer: I only ever state opinion. But I can sound terribly dogmatic - so if you feel I'm trying to tell you what to think, I'm really not, I swear. I'm telling you what I think, that's all.
On the one hand I think the idea is fine, especially if this is the sort of campaign where time is of the essence (as it often is in D&D). The BBEG is not sitting in their lair waiting for the player characters to meet them in fair combat, but rather continuing their plans. The world does not wait for PCs, and in that sense I'd say if the PC wants to risk the BBEG becoming more powerful for a single ability score increase... fine. The BBEG threat level has moved another minute closer to midnight on the doomsday clock.
On the other hand, as others have said, the character is probably working out to stay in shape to perform their adventuring. During downtime it's assumed characters are maintaining their weapons, armour and clothing, staying nourished and going to the toilet. In addition to that they're probably doing what they need to in order to walk as long and fight as hard as they do in the adventuring day, carrying all their equipment (assuming they're using backpacks and moving on foot). That itself is gruelling but does not by itself grant any strength bonuses.
Either way, I would not say 56 hours is enough time to raise a single attribute by one point. I would increase the time to - and beyond - what is recommended in Xanathar's Guide to Everything's Training tab: 10 workweeks minus INT modifier. At the end of those workweeks they'll get their proficiency, but if they want the ASI they'll have to stick at it for a while longer.
Zero is the most important number in D&D: Session Zero sets the boundaries and the tone; Rule Zero dictates the Dungeon Master (DM) is the final arbiter; and Zero D&D is better than Bad D&D.
"Let us speak plainly now, and in earnest, for words mean little without the weight of conviction."
- The Assemblage of Houses, World of Warcraft
Problem with increasing things like Strength, it often comes at the expense of Dexterity (to a degree). If you let people use a week of downtime to get 1STR, what's to stop them from hitting the gym for 5 weeks and getting +5. Now things are starting to get OP. I feel like it's a slippery slope that's ripe for abuse and wouldn't touch it.
Heroes work out during their down time. They can train other attributes than strength though. So, I would allow after several weeks character to reassign point from other ability to strength. It is likely they do not have time to keep up with other stuff. Getting extra points is covered in level progression and working as blacksmith during downtime would explain why the character got his points in strength and not intelligence for example.