The time between adventures is a great chance to perform research, gaining insight into mysteries that have unfurled over the course of the campaign. Research can include poring over dusty tomes and crumbling scrolls in a library or buying drinks for the locals to pry rumors and gossip from their lips.
When you begin your research, the DM determines whether the information is available, how many days of downtime it will take to find it, and whether there are any restrictions on your research (such as needing to seek out a specific individual, tome, or location). The DM might also require you to make one or more ability checks, such as an Intelligence (Investigation) check to find clues pointing toward the information you seek, or a Charisma (Persuasion) check to secure someone's aid. Once those conditions are met, you learn the information if it is available.
For each day of research, you must spend 1 gp to cover your expenses. This cost is in addition to your normal lifestyle expenses.
This all seems to contradict Xanathar's details involving an upfront 50gp cost and a bare Intellect check at the end, increased by +1 100gp (which is a problem of its own since it says after the initial 100gp, when it just said right before the initial price was 50gp).
This gets even more complicated since I have the Researcher feature (and one other character with the Cloistered Scholar feature too). How would these interact with either the PHB and/or XGtE's versions of researching? Would they skip the check or have it with advantage since you'd automatically know where to go, or have access to the library and sages? Or is that all separate from the features, and its simply up in the air for the DM to decide?
XGtE specifically says that all DM rules are optional. The DM chooses whether to use those rules, including where they contradict the DMG. The DM also rules on how background features work in game and how they complement ability checks.
Where is it in the DMG? And yes obviously the rules are optional. DM always has ultimate say on what is used or in what way, but clarity in how these rules work by default, with how they interact with each other would be great for both the DM and player to understand, so that a decision might be made, instead of looking at it like its a confusing mess.
...clarity in how these rules work by default, with how they interact with each other would be great for both the DM and player to understand, so that a decision might be made, instead of looking at it like its a confusing mess.
The portion of the text it seems you are in need of is found in the first paragraph of the section titled "Downtime Revisited" in Xanathar's Guide to Everything (linked just in case you've purchased the digital version). Specifically where it says "The downtime rules given in this section can be used as alternatives to the approach in the Player’s Handbook and the Dungeon Master’s Guide, or you can use the material here to inspire the creation of your own options."
That should clear up the confusion of how they interact by clearly stating that they don't interact at all; you have two distinct options, one in the DMG, and a "we thought about it some more and came up with this other way of handling it" in Xanathar's Guide.
As to the question of how certain background features are meant to interact with this new research downtime activity... that's going to come down to DM interpretation unless something new is said via sage advice or errata.
Personally, I'd go with giving a character with the Researcher feature a +5 to their check for research so that they never get the "no effect" result - since their features basically says they already know things, and if not they know where to find it, so they shouldn't get to the point of making a research check (i.e. being in the right place to possibly find the information they are looking for) and end up not knowing.
For the Cloistered Scholar, I would focus on the "free and easy access to the majority of the library," and "professional courtesy" parts of the text, and give the character a noteworthy discount (skip the initial cost if they are doing researching in their "home" library, and cut it in half when visiting another library).
Thank you for the advice! I looked it up, and there it was about DM interpretation as you said. In some ways I'm sad there is no concrete interactions, but your own take on it definitely seems reasonable, so I referred it to the DM in my game, and also will use it in my own games as DM from now on.
This isn’t really a contradiction so much as two optional systems describing the same downtime activity at different levels of detail. The PHB gives a loose, narrative framework, while Xanathar’s offers a more structured, gold-and-check–based option that the DM can choose to use or modify.
Features like Researcher or Cloistered Scholar don’t override the downtime rules, but they reasonably reduce friction: the DM might waive certain checks, lower costs, shorten time, or guarantee access to sources. Ultimately, how they apply is intentionally left to DM discretion.
An important note about what people mean when they say a rule is optional. Typically what is being discussed is what assumptions the game is making, not what modifications a DM may be making to the game. When people say the XGTE downtime rules are optional, they're saying the game is not assuming you're using the rules just by having access to them.
As a counter example, the game assumes you're going to be using advantage/disadvantage or critical hits as written in the rules.
This hopefully makes it clearer what people mean by optional rules (and variant rules, which are like optional rules except they replace rules rather than adding to them)
Research: Topical Lore. When you issue the Research order to this facility, you commission the facility’s hireling to research a topic. The topic can be a legend, a known event or location, a person of significance, a type of creature, or a famous object. The work takes 7 days. When the research concludes, the hireling obtains up to three accurate pieces of information about the topic that were previously unknown to you and shares this knowledge with you the next time you speak with them. The DM determines what information you learn.
I mean, the original question was posted 2017, so probably safe to assume that 2024 bastion rules didn't apply to that campaign.
However, anyone looking to do research these days, a bastion/library is probably the most straightforward way to go. It doesn't cost anythign to research, there are no checks, you don't even have to be there, your hirelings can do it, and you learn up to 3 things per 7 days about the topic you researched
Bastions are from the 2024 DMG and have no bearing on the 2014 PHB's interaction with Xanathar's Guide to Everything Else.
They don't mention Bastions and appear to be referring to the 2014 phb
Yes. That is exactly my point. The two comments on Bastions have no bearing on the interaction with the 2014 PHB and Xanathar's Guide to Everything Else.
Bastions are from the 2024 DMG and have no bearing on the 2014 PHB's interaction with Xanathar's Guide to Everything Else.
They don't mention Bastions and appear to be referring to the 2014 phb
Yes. That is exactly my point. The two comments on Bastions have no bearing on the interaction with the 2014 PHB and Xanathar's Guide to Everything Else.
Bastions are from the 2024 DMG and have no bearing on the 2014 PHB's interaction with Xanathar's Guide to Everything Else.
They don't mention Bastions and appear to be referring to the 2014 phb
Yes. That is exactly my point. The two comments on Bastions have no bearing on the interaction with the 2014 PHB and Xanathar's Guide to Everything Else.
When I ctrl F Bastion I only get your comment...?
Posts 8 and 9 from SunIsGettingRealLow96589 are about bastions.
Bastions are from the 2024 DMG and have no bearing on the 2014 PHB's interaction with Xanathar's Guide to Everything Else.
They don't mention Bastions and appear to be referring to the 2014 phb
Yes. That is exactly my point. The two comments on Bastions have no bearing on the interaction with the 2014 PHB and Xanathar's Guide to Everything Else.
When I ctrl F Bastion I only get your comment...?
Posts 8 and 9 from SunIsGettingRealLow96589 are about bastions.
That explains it, thanks for clarifying and sorry for the confusion
The original states:
The time between adventures is a great chance to perform research, gaining insight into mysteries that have unfurled over the course of the campaign. Research can include poring over dusty tomes and crumbling scrolls in a library or buying drinks for the locals to pry rumors and gossip from their lips.
When you begin your research, the DM determines whether the information is available, how many days of downtime it will take to find it, and whether there are any restrictions on your research (such as needing to seek out a specific individual, tome, or location). The DM might also require you to make one or more ability checks, such as an Intelligence (Investigation) check to find clues pointing toward the information you seek, or a Charisma (Persuasion) check to secure someone's aid. Once those conditions are met, you learn the information if it is available.
For each day of research, you must spend 1 gp to cover your expenses. This cost is in addition to your normal lifestyle expenses.
This all seems to contradict Xanathar's details involving an upfront 50gp cost and a bare Intellect check at the end, increased by +1 100gp (which is a problem of its own since it says after the initial 100gp, when it just said right before the initial price was 50gp).
This gets even more complicated since I have the Researcher feature (and one other character with the Cloistered Scholar feature too). How would these interact with either the PHB and/or XGtE's versions of researching? Would they skip the check or have it with advantage since you'd automatically know where to go, or have access to the library and sages? Or is that all separate from the features, and its simply up in the air for the DM to decide?
XGtE specifically says that all DM rules are optional. The DM chooses whether to use those rules, including where they contradict the DMG. The DM also rules on how background features work in game and how they complement ability checks.
Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.
Where is it in the DMG? And yes obviously the rules are optional. DM always has ultimate say on what is used or in what way, but clarity in how these rules work by default, with how they interact with each other would be great for both the DM and player to understand, so that a decision might be made, instead of looking at it like its a confusing mess.
Thank you for the advice! I looked it up, and there it was about DM interpretation as you said. In some ways I'm sad there is no concrete interactions, but your own take on it definitely seems reasonable, so I referred it to the DM in my game, and also will use it in my own games as DM from now on.
This isn’t really a contradiction so much as two optional systems describing the same downtime activity at different levels of detail. The PHB gives a loose, narrative framework, while Xanathar’s offers a more structured, gold-and-check–based option that the DM can choose to use or modify.
Features like Researcher or Cloistered Scholar don’t override the downtime rules, but they reasonably reduce friction: the DM might waive certain checks, lower costs, shorten time, or guarantee access to sources. Ultimately, how they apply is intentionally left to DM discretion.
An important note about what people mean when they say a rule is optional. Typically what is being discussed is what assumptions the game is making, not what modifications a DM may be making to the game. When people say the XGTE downtime rules are optional, they're saying the game is not assuming you're using the rules just by having access to them.
As a counter example, the game assumes you're going to be using advantage/disadvantage or critical hits as written in the rules.
This hopefully makes it clearer what people mean by optional rules (and variant rules, which are like optional rules except they replace rules rather than adding to them)
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
At level 5, you can start building bastions. The specific bastion facility for research is "library"
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/dmg-2024/bastions#Library
Library
Level 5 Bastion Facility
Research: Topical Lore. When you issue the Research order to this facility, you commission the facility’s hireling to research a topic. The topic can be a legend, a known event or location, a person of significance, a type of creature, or a famous object. The work takes 7 days. When the research concludes, the hireling obtains up to three accurate pieces of information about the topic that were previously unknown to you and shares this knowledge with you the next time you speak with them. The DM determines what information you learn.
"special facilities can’t be bought; a character gains them through level advancement."
Bastions are from the 2024 DMG and have no bearing on the 2014 PHB's interaction with Xanathar's Guide to Everything Else.
How to add Tooltips.
My houserulings.
They don't mention Bastions and appear to be referring to the 2014 phb
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
I mean, the original question was posted 2017, so probably safe to assume that 2024 bastion rules didn't apply to that campaign.
However, anyone looking to do research these days, a bastion/library is probably the most straightforward way to go. It doesn't cost anythign to research, there are no checks, you don't even have to be there, your hirelings can do it, and you learn up to 3 things per 7 days about the topic you researched
Yes. That is exactly my point. The two comments on Bastions have no bearing on the interaction with the 2014 PHB and Xanathar's Guide to Everything Else.
How to add Tooltips.
My houserulings.
When I ctrl F Bastion I only get your comment...?
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
Posts 8 and 9 from SunIsGettingRealLow96589 are about bastions.
pronouns: he/she/they
good grief. are we still arguing whether we can mention "bastions" in a thread about "research downtime"?
That explains it, thanks for clarifying and sorry for the confusion
Find my D&D Beyond articles here