NPC & faction downtime

NPCs and factions also do things when the PCs have downtime. The GM advances their project clocks and chooses a downtime maneuver or two for each faction that they’re interested in at the moment. Choose any maneuver that makes sense for that faction to pursue. For example:

• Seize a claim or increase hold, make an enemy vulnerable, or reduce the hold of a vulnerable enemy.
• Gather information on the PCs (may be opposed by a PC roll) or another subject.
• Achieve a short-term goal they’re in position to accomplish.
• Acquire a new asset.
• Call in a favor from another faction.
• Employ political pressure or threats to force someone’s hand.

GM: Choose downtime maneuvers and advance clocks for the factions you’re interested in right now. Don’t worry about the rest. Later, when you turn your attention to a faction you’ve ignored for a while, go ahead and give them several downtime phases and project clock ticks to “catch up” to current events.

If you’re not sure how far to progress a faction’s clock, make a fortune roll using their Tier as the base trait, modified up or down depending on the opposition or circumstances. Tick 1 segment for a 1-3 result, 2 segments for a 4/5 result, 3 segments for a 6 result, or 5 segments for a critical result.

When factions do things that are known in the criminal underworld, tell the players about it through one of their friends or contacts or vice purveyors. These rumors and bits of gossip can lead to future scores and opportunities for the PCs.

Downtime Activities Summary

Add +1d to your roll if a friend or contact helps with your downtime activity.

Acquire Asset

Roll the crew’s Tier. The result indicates the quality of the asset:

• Critical: Tier +2.
• 6: Tier +1.
• 4/5: Tier.
• 1-3: Tier -1.

Some items require a minimum quality result to acquire. To raise the result beyond critical, you may spend 2 coin per +1 Tier bonus.

Long-term Project

Work on a long-term project, if you have the means.

Mark segments on the clock according to your result:

• Critical: Five ticks.
• 6: Three ticks.
• 4/5: Two ticks.
• 1-3: One tick.

Recover

Get treatment to tick your healing clock (like a long-term project). When you fill a clock, each harm is reduced by one level.

Reduce Heat

Say how you reduce heat on the crew and roll your action. Reduce heat according to the result level:

• Critical: Clear five heat.
• 6: Clear three heat.
• 4/5: Clear two heat.
• 1-3: Clear one heat.

Train

Mark 1 xp (in an attribute or your playbook). Add +1 xp if you have the appropriate crew upgrade. You may train a given xp track once per downtime.

Vice

Visit your vice purveyor to relieve stress. Roll dice equal to your lowest attribute. Clear stress equal to your highest die result. If you clear more stress levels than you had marked, you overindulge (see below). If you do not or cannot indulge your vice during downtime, you take stress equal to your trauma.

Overindulge: You made a bad call because of your vice—in acquiring it or while under its influence. What did you do?

• Attract Trouble: Maybe an enemy has tracked you to your vice purveyor and you let your guard down. Select or roll an additional entanglement.
• Brag: Maybe you brag about your exploits. The crew takes +2 heat.
• Lost: Play a different character until this one returns from their bender.
• Tapped. Your current purveyor cuts you off. Find a new source for the indulgence of your vice.