“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.”

A religious service can be anything from attending rites, proselytizing in the community or aiding the temple with various tasks (i.e. help construct a building, delivery goods to disciples, representing the church in certain matter). By performing these tasks, the character has a chance of winning the favor of the temples leaders.

    • A character can have a maximum number of unused favors equal to 1 + the character’s Charisma OR Intelligence modifier (minimum of one unused favor.)

To perform religious services, a character needs access to a temple whose beliefs and ethos align AND in good standing with the temple.

  • This activity takes 5 downtime days.
  • No gold is required for this activity.
  • Features, spells and items are allowed for this downtime activity.
Success Value Acquired
1-10 No effort. Character fails to make a lasting impression with the church.
11-20 You earn one favor.
21+ You earn two favor.

How to Do Religious Services Downtime

    1. State the gambling amount in #downtime-log with all features, spells and items prefaced BEFORE rolling. Refer to the example below.
    2. Make a choice of one of the following below to complete the service.
      • Religion (INT)
      • Persuasion (CHA)
    3. The total of the check determines the benefits of service.
    4. Roll for the chance of complication.
      • If the result is a 1 on a d10 or 1-10 on d100, refer to the complication section.

Downtime Example: Zera spends 5 days in religious service to the Mother of the Waters. Rolling the Persuasion check. (modest lifestyle)

Complications: Temples can be labyrinths of political and social scheming. Even the best-intentioned follower can fall prone to problems. For each workweek spent in religious service, there is a 10 percent chance of a complication. For more information, click here for the Hostiles & Rivals.

    • Hostile Contacts​ give -1 on every skill check involving downtime. Characters are required to spend these until no hostile contacts remaining.
    • Rival Contact give a permanent -1 to all checks involving the downtime performed by that character, until resolved.
D6 Complication Outcome
1 You have offended a priest through your words or actions. (Apology and donation of at least 50GP, to the church required.)
2 Blasphemy is still blasphemy, even if you did it by accident. (Hostile)
3 A secret sect in the temple offers you membership. (Religion invitation)
4 Another temple tries to recruit you as a spy to steal offerings. (Crime downtime, any DC)
5 The temple elders implore you to take up a holy quest. (TRP or minor session)
6
You accidentally discover that an important person in the temple is a fiend worshiper. (Rival)

Favors are defined in Xanathar’s as “a favor, in broad terms, is a promise of future assistance from a representative of the temple.”
The table below provides a list of possible favor exchanges, but a dungeon master may allow something else in sessions.

Examples of Possible Favor Exchanges
Provide guidance on a current quest (where to go, what they should look for, a contact to speak with)
Give directions, or a map of the current area.
Provide the players with an NPC contact for something they may need.
Give a low-level clerical scroll (up to Lv. 3)
Offer temple services at 50% off.
Offer to get them a discount at a local vendor who shares the faith.
Give access to a protected area (an archive, a locked tomb, a meeting with a diplomat)
Give an omen, vision, or minor miracle.