Downtime can be really good thing to add to your games. It allows characters to pursue things solo and a things outside of the main plot. This can lead to better character development, and allows some of the more passive players a chance to do something other than go along with the party.
While true, downtime isn't something that the PCs can just decide they're going to get. The standard model adventure is basically "the bad guys have a plot, the PCs are supposed to stop the plot". The PCs deciding to go do something else should not cause the bad guys' plot to suddenly freeze.
Now, it's certainly possible to incorporate downtime in that sort of adventure, but that's because the bad guys' plot is fairly slow (maybe an extra two weeks of prep time really don't matter) and might not even be practical to do much about without waiting (the cursed werewolf doesn't know it's a werewolf, so there may not be a practical way of finding it before the next full moon).
I know you said beyond the dragon raids. However, given the table to roll for dragon strikes, I'd suggest adding a daily roll during downtime. Perhaps increasing sweeps at Phandalin livestock is seriously souring the mood in town, where they are starting to talk about leaving/fleeing the city. Perhaps survivors from attacks elsewhere start arriving telling of the horrible attacks.
If the dragon makes it to Neverwinter or Lelion, it will likely attract the attention of other adventurers setting out to deal with it - suddenly there's competition!
It depends how hard you want to drive them out of downtime, but they could basically be risking their ability to complete the adventure. There could be kidnappings by the roaming orcs that you can insert, or similar events that will give them a moral imperative to get going.
It can of course also be a bit unfair to push the players too hard, but it sounds like it is basically waiting around for a single character's work for the two tendays. What will the other characters be doing? There will be living costs, but the opportunities for downtime activities are probably more limited if they are staying in Phandalin that time in a bigger city for example.
Ultimately, it is your choice as DM to either push them out of downtime or not - but if you are planning to play with the group beyond this adventure, it is also worth noting that you will be setting a precedent. So next time they want a break to get more spells, build something, there might be an expectation that this is always feasible.
That was sort of the idea, have the others do their own thing and get news from the surrounding area. See if they decide to abandon the project early to minimize damage.
Ultimately, it is your choice as DM to either push them out of downtime or not - but if you are planning to play with the group beyond this adventure, it is also worth noting that you will be setting a precedent. So next time they want a break to get more spells, build something, there might be an expectation that this is always feasible.
If I may just springboard off of here: if the intention is to push the players out of taking downtime, then it'd be better to just tell them above game that you'd prefer they finish the adventure first, rather than try and find an in-game way of accomplishing that; it could get very messy if you try to use an in-game solution for something that's best handled outside of the game.
(I'll also clarify that this is not the same as having a living world where the chips fall as they may. When players take a course of action and the world responds to that in a way the players didn't anticipate, that's to be expected. Trying to use in-game ways to push a preferred outcome...has potential for blowback.)
If I may just springboard off of here: if the intention is to push the players out of taking downtime, then it'd be better to just tell them above game that you'd prefer they finish the adventure first, rather than try and find an in-game way of accomplishing that; it could get very messy if you try to use an in-game solution for something that's best handled outside of the game.
I don't see if being something best handled outside of the game.
The players can choose to have their PCs continue the work, but the PCs will have to deal with the consequences of their delay in dealing with the Big Bad - makes for a good dilemma for the players to have to handle.
So I've been running Dragon of Icespire Peak and players have been enjoying and completed almost every quest. All the have left are the Woodland Manse and the dragon itself. However, they have elected to allot 2 weeks to the Artificer to craft a magic item to help in the endeavor. I did warn them that the world doesn't stop and there very well may be consequences for their actions. First time DM however, so what could be some consequences for "taking a break" near the climax of the story outside of more frequent dragon/orc raids?
If they haven't done the Manse yet, there's already a built-in repercussion for not clearing it out. Just adapt the Counterattack! section of that chapter
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
If I may just springboard off of here: if the intention is to push the players out of taking downtime, then it'd be better to just tell them above game that you'd prefer they finish the adventure first, rather than try and find an in-game way of accomplishing that; it could get very messy if you try to use an in-game solution for something that's best handled outside of the game.
Saying "suddenly cutting off and doing something else for two weeks has consequences" is just a decision about game style. Most published adventures don't have good advice for what happens if the PCs dawdle, so it makes life hard for the DM if the PCs decide to do so, but that doesn't mean it's an out of game issue.
I don't see if being something best handled outside of the game.
The players can choose to have their PCs continue the work, but the PCs will have to deal with the consequences of their delay in dealing with the Big Bad - makes for a good dilemma for the players to have to handle.
Saying "suddenly cutting off and doing something else for two weeks has consequences" is just a decision about game style. Most published adventures don't have good advice for what happens if the PCs dawdle, so it makes life hard for the DM if the PCs decide to do so, but that doesn't mean it's an out of game issue.
I think there's been a misunderstanding. Having consequences is perfectly fine; I've said as much in my posts that if the players take a course of action and the world responds to it, that's perfectly reasonable. If however the DM's goal is to actively pushthe players into abandoning their downtime after initially okaying it, then that's a different matter altogether that's best handled with a frank conversation.
I think there's been a misunderstanding. Having consequences is perfectly fine; I've said as much in my posts that if the players take a course of action and the world responds to it, that's perfectly reasonable. If however the DM's goal is to actively pushthe players into abandoning their downtime after initially okaying it, then that's a different matter altogether that's best handled with a frank conversation.
Those concerns don't really seem applicable to this situation though
However, they have elected to allot 2 weeks to the Artificer to craft a magic item to help in the endeavor. I did warn them that the world doesn't stop and there very well may be consequences for their actions.
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Those concerns don't really seem applicable to this situation though
It may well be the case that I'm reading too much into things, in which case my bad. And even if I'm not, the OP is still free to do as they like; it is after all their game, not mine. I only really bring it up because this quote:
That was sort of the idea, have the others do their own thing and get news from the surrounding area. See if they decide to abandon the project early to minimize damage.
...made me think they may want another approach to consider.
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While true, downtime isn't something that the PCs can just decide they're going to get. The standard model adventure is basically "the bad guys have a plot, the PCs are supposed to stop the plot". The PCs deciding to go do something else should not cause the bad guys' plot to suddenly freeze.
Now, it's certainly possible to incorporate downtime in that sort of adventure, but that's because the bad guys' plot is fairly slow (maybe an extra two weeks of prep time really don't matter) and might not even be practical to do much about without waiting (the cursed werewolf doesn't know it's a werewolf, so there may not be a practical way of finding it before the next full moon).
I know you said beyond the dragon raids. However, given the table to roll for dragon strikes, I'd suggest adding a daily roll during downtime. Perhaps increasing sweeps at Phandalin livestock is seriously souring the mood in town, where they are starting to talk about leaving/fleeing the city. Perhaps survivors from attacks elsewhere start arriving telling of the horrible attacks.
If the dragon makes it to Neverwinter or Lelion, it will likely attract the attention of other adventurers setting out to deal with it - suddenly there's competition!
It depends how hard you want to drive them out of downtime, but they could basically be risking their ability to complete the adventure. There could be kidnappings by the roaming orcs that you can insert, or similar events that will give them a moral imperative to get going.
It can of course also be a bit unfair to push the players too hard, but it sounds like it is basically waiting around for a single character's work for the two tendays. What will the other characters be doing? There will be living costs, but the opportunities for downtime activities are probably more limited if they are staying in Phandalin that time in a bigger city for example.
Ultimately, it is your choice as DM to either push them out of downtime or not - but if you are planning to play with the group beyond this adventure, it is also worth noting that you will be setting a precedent. So next time they want a break to get more spells, build something, there might be an expectation that this is always feasible.
If I may just springboard off of here: if the intention is to push the players out of taking downtime, then it'd be better to just tell them above game that you'd prefer they finish the adventure first, rather than try and find an in-game way of accomplishing that; it could get very messy if you try to use an in-game solution for something that's best handled outside of the game.
(I'll also clarify that this is not the same as having a living world where the chips fall as they may. When players take a course of action and the world responds to that in a way the players didn't anticipate, that's to be expected. Trying to use in-game ways to push a preferred outcome...has potential for blowback.)
I don't see if being something best handled outside of the game.
The players can choose to have their PCs continue the work, but the PCs will have to deal with the consequences of their delay in dealing with the Big Bad - makes for a good dilemma for the players to have to handle.
If they haven't done the Manse yet, there's already a built-in repercussion for not clearing it out. Just adapt the Counterattack! section of that chapter
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Saying "suddenly cutting off and doing something else for two weeks has consequences" is just a decision about game style. Most published adventures don't have good advice for what happens if the PCs dawdle, so it makes life hard for the DM if the PCs decide to do so, but that doesn't mean it's an out of game issue.
I think there's been a misunderstanding. Having consequences is perfectly fine; I've said as much in my posts that if the players take a course of action and the world responds to it, that's perfectly reasonable. If however the DM's goal is to actively push the players into abandoning their downtime after initially okaying it, then that's a different matter altogether that's best handled with a frank conversation.
Those concerns don't really seem applicable to this situation though
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
It may well be the case that I'm reading too much into things, in which case my bad. And even if I'm not, the OP is still free to do as they like; it is after all their game, not mine. I only really bring it up because this quote:
...made me think they may want another approach to consider.