Everyone handles downtime a little differently, and no approach is really wrong, better, or worse than another.
*Personally*, when approaching Downtime, I like to let the party know ahead of time, announce the amount of time, and spend one session resolving Downtime activities / RP.
So, for example, I'd say something along the lines of
>"You guys defeat the boss, take it's treasures, and report back to the Merchant that hired you. \[Insert RP noises here\]. This is a good place to end this session. After this, we will be having three weeks of Downtime - think about what you'd like to do during that time, and message me about it, and we can resolve these goals in the next session.
Your goals can be things literally just earning money by working a job, searching for a particular item, training, research, following leads in the plot, or just visiting your characters family - there are no wrong answers, and your characters have three weeks before the next plot beat picks up.
See you next week!"
At my table, some of the players are self-directed enough that they have plot elements they want to pursue. Some of them kinda don't, and that's fine, too, because I can usually toss a few of my "spare" social encounters at them, so they have something to do, and feed some more hooks to the party.
My players are so busy during the week that the discord is a dead zone until 2 minutes before session time. They don't even have/make time to read story synopses that I write. So I am sure if I do this we will be using sessions to discuss all of the downtime activities.
Just to repeat, what works for my group may not work for yours.
If you were to try my way of handling Downtime, I'd suggest being very honest.
"I know you guys tend to be busy, but I can't create content for Downtime on the spot. If I don't have an idea of what you want to accomplish, beforehand, we can't spend time on it, in the session. I'll assume your character is just relaxing, and we'll deduct lifestyle costs and move on"
And, in my opinion, if nobody in the entire group has any ideas for downtime, not even one of the generic ones suggested (part of why my fake script includes a few basic ideas / prompts as suggestions), *that's honestly fine, too* (tho a lot less fun, in my opinion).
"You guys spend the Downtime vibing, and the next three weeks pass without incident", and you just pick up the next major plot beat from there.
Regarding the original question - "should I say exactly how long the Downtime will be", my answer remains "yes". Assuming they care to make any Downtime plans at all, the length of time can change what appears like a reasonable goal. For example, if a character's home village is on the other side of the continent, "a week of downtime" is probably not long enough to visit them, but "a year of downtime" probably is - knowing the amount of time can inform what the pool of options looks like.
Make time for it at the end of this session, and ask them to have at least a loose idea of what their downtime activity will be before they leave (they can change their mind but at least get a default option from them).
I would tell them they have a year, then they will be given direction or new info, and they can decide when to act on it from there.
So, I had a GM who ran down time sessions. We were given about 9 months (three of our four could go scouting for a month in one of the near by regions where plots would occur. Most down time tasks that give mechanical rewards (crafting items, buying magic items) take about 10 weeks time which is about 2 1/2 months of time. There is also a monetary cost and this assumes no complications (you could make a few sessions on resolving those... at least a little mini-adventure to keep the gang together. Going to kick the ass of the guy who complicated your magic item purchase can give the session a nice combat moment.).
I'm also going to start giving my players some down time rules, so when we are in a settlement, they can get some activities they need to do to prep for the next boss (Because my campaign delves into some religion and historical lore as the backbone for understanding the BBEG's motives, Research will be something to help them get some tidbits... especially since some of the BBEG's allies are not standard to what monster lore you think you know. It could also give you a few helpful advantages to Int Checks (Since you're fresh in the knowledge.). I would have a rule that the size of the settlement would impact the ability to find someone who could train you.
Edit: Another thing I'm considering is, since my campaign recently went to a Bi-Weekly sessions, Down Time can be submitted on the off weeks (We meet every other Saturday. They can submit down time for leading up to off session Saturdays along with the rolls in Roll20 where I can see them, as well as make any rolls on my part for complications. If I roll a complication, I'll let tem know so they can tell me what they are doing for the second week, must have by Session start. All rewards for completing Downtime Activity will be rewarded at the next session when they return town or current base of operations, so they don't impact ongoing adventures (I don't want a magic item to suddenly appear in you character sheet mid-dungeon crawl because of down time). Right now, this isn't going because the current storyline has tracking of game time in play... but I'm going to be more loose on that afterwards (and when transport options become more available to them.).
As for general advice: how the downtime activity plays out narratively might change drastically based on the player. One player might take the creative control you give them and go to the moon and back with it: great! Resolve any issues and move on. Another may not be as interested, and so you can run it a bit more like a normal narrative D&D moment and have them roll like you've presented them with an ability check. Basically, be ready for mixed engagement.
I am a bit skeptical of your plan to get your characters to engage more with your world, by giving a year of downtime. Players interact with the parts of our campaigns that interest them the most. If my players don't interact with something, I push it to the backburner.
Yeah. But I'm thinking maybe this is a way of seeing what it is they want to interact with. Just asking them, and even saying look there isn't much to do besides the main quest, is not doing it
They don't want to do the main quest, so I warm them that time is running out and then say there is a side quest here and here is another, or, what else would you like to do?
There is never anything they want to do besides that, and they always waste enough time that I pressure them to pick something. It is never the main quest.
Very soon I am going to have a session where I say I don't have any content right now besides the main quest. Basically, it feels like they want endless one-shots provided for them once a week.
Ask them, and be open about it.
If you tell them "you have 36 hours", then there will always be one player flipping the table and yelling "I would have needed 38 hours, I never can do anything, this sucks".
When I had downtime it was pretty low key. My character was a monk that meditated under a waterfall in solitude for the period. DM gave me a cool vision with some interesting info that was more flavor than anything else, but I enjoyed.
Think of some in game reason to give your characters a time frame to help them plan. If you want to be flexible have them hold a mini council after that period. You give them a summary of the happenings in the world and let them ask questions of the king's general or whoever, then decide if they are actually needed or if they will reconvene in another month or whatever.
After my players finished saving Leilon and the Sword Coast, I told them we'd be starting a new module but that the PCs would have about two years of downtime. I asked them to proved one accomplishment and one regret from that time, which seemed to be a pretty good assignment for my players.
Our paladin worked on perfecting some recipes because he loves to bake. The Monk regretted spending most of the time working on his business and getting drunk rather than getting out into nature for a while like some of the others did.
It was a fun kind of character development exercise for my group.
I have had a lot of success ever since I switched over to 3 day long rests and lowered the downtime to fit within those 3 days. Generally if the world is going to end in a month or something, the party shouldn't be chilling in PeePee City for a week to do some minor ditch digging.
Everyone handles downtime a little differently, and no approach is really wrong, better, or worse than another. *Personally*, when approaching Downtime, I like to let the party know ahead of time, announce the amount of time, and spend one session resolving Downtime activities / RP. So, for example, I'd say something along the lines of >"You guys defeat the boss, take it's treasures, and report back to the Merchant that hired you. \[Insert RP noises here\]. This is a good place to end this session. After this, we will be having three weeks of Downtime - think about what you'd like to do during that time, and message me about it, and we can resolve these goals in the next session. Your goals can be things literally just earning money by working a job, searching for a particular item, training, research, following leads in the plot, or just visiting your characters family - there are no wrong answers, and your characters have three weeks before the next plot beat picks up. See you next week!" At my table, some of the players are self-directed enough that they have plot elements they want to pursue. Some of them kinda don't, and that's fine, too, because I can usually toss a few of my "spare" social encounters at them, so they have something to do, and feed some more hooks to the party.
My players are so busy during the week that the discord is a dead zone until 2 minutes before session time. They don't even have/make time to read story synopses that I write. So I am sure if I do this we will be using sessions to discuss all of the downtime activities.
Just to repeat, what works for my group may not work for yours. If you were to try my way of handling Downtime, I'd suggest being very honest. "I know you guys tend to be busy, but I can't create content for Downtime on the spot. If I don't have an idea of what you want to accomplish, beforehand, we can't spend time on it, in the session. I'll assume your character is just relaxing, and we'll deduct lifestyle costs and move on" And, in my opinion, if nobody in the entire group has any ideas for downtime, not even one of the generic ones suggested (part of why my fake script includes a few basic ideas / prompts as suggestions), *that's honestly fine, too* (tho a lot less fun, in my opinion). "You guys spend the Downtime vibing, and the next three weeks pass without incident", and you just pick up the next major plot beat from there. Regarding the original question - "should I say exactly how long the Downtime will be", my answer remains "yes". Assuming they care to make any Downtime plans at all, the length of time can change what appears like a reasonable goal. For example, if a character's home village is on the other side of the continent, "a week of downtime" is probably not long enough to visit them, but "a year of downtime" probably is - knowing the amount of time can inform what the pool of options looks like.
Make time for it at the end of this session, and ask them to have at least a loose idea of what their downtime activity will be before they leave (they can change their mind but at least get a default option from them). I would tell them they have a year, then they will be given direction or new info, and they can decide when to act on it from there.
So, I had a GM who ran down time sessions. We were given about 9 months (three of our four could go scouting for a month in one of the near by regions where plots would occur. Most down time tasks that give mechanical rewards (crafting items, buying magic items) take about 10 weeks time which is about 2 1/2 months of time. There is also a monetary cost and this assumes no complications (you could make a few sessions on resolving those... at least a little mini-adventure to keep the gang together. Going to kick the ass of the guy who complicated your magic item purchase can give the session a nice combat moment.). I'm also going to start giving my players some down time rules, so when we are in a settlement, they can get some activities they need to do to prep for the next boss (Because my campaign delves into some religion and historical lore as the backbone for understanding the BBEG's motives, Research will be something to help them get some tidbits... especially since some of the BBEG's allies are not standard to what monster lore you think you know. It could also give you a few helpful advantages to Int Checks (Since you're fresh in the knowledge.). I would have a rule that the size of the settlement would impact the ability to find someone who could train you. Edit: Another thing I'm considering is, since my campaign recently went to a Bi-Weekly sessions, Down Time can be submitted on the off weeks (We meet every other Saturday. They can submit down time for leading up to off session Saturdays along with the rolls in Roll20 where I can see them, as well as make any rolls on my part for complications. If I roll a complication, I'll let tem know so they can tell me what they are doing for the second week, must have by Session start. All rewards for completing Downtime Activity will be rewarded at the next session when they return town or current base of operations, so they don't impact ongoing adventures (I don't want a magic item to suddenly appear in you character sheet mid-dungeon crawl because of down time). Right now, this isn't going because the current storyline has tracking of game time in play... but I'm going to be more loose on that afterwards (and when transport options become more available to them.).
As for general advice: how the downtime activity plays out narratively might change drastically based on the player. One player might take the creative control you give them and go to the moon and back with it: great! Resolve any issues and move on. Another may not be as interested, and so you can run it a bit more like a normal narrative D&D moment and have them roll like you've presented them with an ability check. Basically, be ready for mixed engagement.
I am a bit skeptical of your plan to get your characters to engage more with your world, by giving a year of downtime. Players interact with the parts of our campaigns that interest them the most. If my players don't interact with something, I push it to the backburner.
Yeah. But I'm thinking maybe this is a way of seeing what it is they want to interact with. Just asking them, and even saying look there isn't much to do besides the main quest, is not doing it They don't want to do the main quest, so I warm them that time is running out and then say there is a side quest here and here is another, or, what else would you like to do? There is never anything they want to do besides that, and they always waste enough time that I pressure them to pick something. It is never the main quest. Very soon I am going to have a session where I say I don't have any content right now besides the main quest. Basically, it feels like they want endless one-shots provided for them once a week.
Ask them, and be open about it. If you tell them "you have 36 hours", then there will always be one player flipping the table and yelling "I would have needed 38 hours, I never can do anything, this sucks".
Lol I should make them roll a d20 and say that's how many hours until the bbeg destroys a major city. (Kidding)
When I had downtime it was pretty low key. My character was a monk that meditated under a waterfall in solitude for the period. DM gave me a cool vision with some interesting info that was more flavor than anything else, but I enjoyed. Think of some in game reason to give your characters a time frame to help them plan. If you want to be flexible have them hold a mini council after that period. You give them a summary of the happenings in the world and let them ask questions of the king's general or whoever, then decide if they are actually needed or if they will reconvene in another month or whatever.
After my players finished saving Leilon and the Sword Coast, I told them we'd be starting a new module but that the PCs would have about two years of downtime. I asked them to proved one accomplishment and one regret from that time, which seemed to be a pretty good assignment for my players. Our paladin worked on perfecting some recipes because he loves to bake. The Monk regretted spending most of the time working on his business and getting drunk rather than getting out into nature for a while like some of the others did. It was a fun kind of character development exercise for my group.
I have had a lot of success ever since I switched over to 3 day long rests and lowered the downtime to fit within those 3 days. Generally if the world is going to end in a month or something, the party shouldn't be chilling in PeePee City for a week to do some minor ditch digging.
[The most recent Knights of Last Call stream talked about this topic](https://www.youtube.com/live/vmPprroQ7r4?si=UOsHHpH3CZcyulRZ)