Crafting a Masterpiece

A character can spend free time between adventures creating a piece of art. Whether the character’s medium is dance, painting, sculpture, epic poetry, or anything in between, crafting a masterpiece requires appropriate materials and time.
Craft masterpiece covers a workweek of advancing an art project. A character must spend one workweek and at least 100 gp working on the project, connecting with patrons, and securing resources necessary to continue the work of art.
Expression Points

After a workweek of crafting a masterpiece, a character makes a Charisma (Performance) check (or an ability check relevant to the tools used in making the art) using the Craft Masterpiece table to determine the number of expression points acquired that week. If a character has expression points when making this check, add the expression point total to the check.

Craft Masterpiece

Check Total

Result

1-5

After a series of missteps, you start to doubt your project. You lose 1 expression point. If you have no expression points when you roll this result, you have disadvantage on the next check you make to determine expression points.

6-10

Other responsibilities got in the way of creativity, and you made no significant progress. You gain no expression points this week.

11-15

You made solid progress on your masterpiece. You gain 1 expression point.

16-20

Your creativity was kindled, and you feel incredible about the work you did. You gain 2 expression points.

21+

You had a true flash of inspiration, and your project has radically changed for the better. You gain 3 expression points.

Expression points represent the character’s personal satisfaction with artistic pursuits and how much that satisfaction affects other creatures. A character can spend one or more expression points to use the following features.

Advantage (Costs 1 Expression Point).
The character has advantage on the next Charisma (Performance) check or ability check using tools related to the artistic pursuit.

Secure Patronage (Costs 1 or more Expression Points).
The character can attempt to secure a patron. When a character attempts to secure a patron, the character must make a Charisma (Performance or Persuasion) check, adding the amount of spent expression points to the check. The DC is equal to 10 + the number of patrons the character currently possesses. On a success, the character acquires a new patron. A character can have a total number of patrons equal to half the character’s level (minimum of 1). The character receives 50 gp per patron at the beginning of each week. If the character doesn’t spend at least one workweek performing the Create Masterpiece downtime activity every 30 days, the character loses one patron. The character continues to lose one additional patron for each week thereafter that the character doesn’t perform this downtime activity. A patron might have other demands of a character to continue being a patron, such as performing at the patron’s summer party or painting a portrait of the patron’s family free of charge. At the GM’s discretion, these activities can appease patrons and potentially win back a lost patron or substitute for a month of not performing this downtime activity.

Token of Admiration (Costs 2 Expression Points).
The character can call in a minor favor from a patron or admirer. Minor favors are small actions that can make life a little bit easier for an adventurer. The following are some examples of minor favors:

• Securing a performance, rehearsal, or studio space to use for one week
• Receiving a gift of a nonmagical object worth 500 gp or less
• Bribing guards to look the other way for a minor offense
• Securing an invitation to an exclusive event or gathering
• Getting access to rare or hard-to-find materials (but not necessarily covering the cost)

Complete Masterpiece (Costs 5 Expression Points).
The character can complete a masterpiece, provided the character hasn’t completed a masterpiece in the past year. Completing a masterpiece is an extraordinary achievement, and it can net the character great satisfaction or great profit. The character doesn’t need to roll for complications when spending expression points to finish a masterpiece. The character can choose whether to sell the masterpiece for 10,000 gp or to gain Inspiration (or some other boon determined by the GM) after every long rest for 100 days. The character must be in a populated settlement with wealthy individuals to sell a masterpiece.

Complications

Characters who spend their time creating a masterpiece take on the burdens and challenges common to creative work. A character has a 10 percent chance of triggering a complication for each workweek spent crafting a masterpiece. When a complication is triggered, the GM can create a complication or roll a d8 and consult the Crafter Masterpiece Complications table.

Craft Masterpiece Complications

d8

Complication

1

Your materials or resources are lost and must be replaced. Lose an additional 100 gp this week to cover expenses but gain 1 extra expression point this week for sticking with your project.

2

You’ve hit a creative block and can’t find a way to move forward. You can’t gain expression points this week.

3

You made a bad call and must rework a portion of your project from scratch. Lose 1 expression point.

4

A potential patron has come to view your work and insists on shadowing your every move.

5

A rival artist has just finished a masterpiece that is heartbreakingly similar to what you are working on. Lose 1 expression point.

6

Some passersby caught a glimpse of your work and were hypercritical. Their off-the-cuff opinions have been nagging at you.

7

Everything seems to be going wrong, and you’re starting to doubt your ability as an artist. You have disadvantage on the check to determine your expression points this week.

8

You received high praise and encouragement about your work from someone you admire. You have advantage on the check to determine your expression points this week.