One of my PCs has a building and an activity in a Metropolis, they are essentially a magic guild and a magic shop run by two managers while he is away. Up to now we thought that a manager could have earned capital during his absence (using the downtime of the manager), but reading the manager chapter on the Ultimate Campaign I'm no more convinced of this. Quoting:
Skills: This indicates the main skills the manager has ranks in, allowing you or the GM to make skill checks for the manager if an event or encounter requires it. The manager might also have ranks in other skills that aren't relevant to employment duties. The managers here are examples; a specific manager you hire could have different class skills more closely suited to your business. A manager is typically a 3rd-level character with 3 ranks in the appropriate skills and the basic NPC ability score array, giving the manager a +7 or +8 for class skills and a +4 or +5 for non-class skills.
It seems that the manager can only roll for checks like the special events, but my player intend this as "it can also earn capital in my place".
Any help?
The sole downtime effects of a manager are:
Having a manager delays capital attrition (Upkeep phase step 3) from 1 every 7 days to 1 every 14 days. As long as the manager's pay is up to date, having a manager look after your business prevents business attrition.
The manager is also (possibly) capable of handling events and encounters, as described.
So, no, the manager does not get to make capital checks. However, the building/organisation does.
Earnings: This entry indicates what bonuses the room or team gives to its building's or organization's checks made to generate capital. Buildings and organizations act like characters in that they can attempt a check each day to earn capital performing skilled work (without costing you any downtime). You must pay for capital earned in this way as normal.
Ok, so actually the building can generate capital without the need of a manager, But in that case there's no skill modifier right? The building just sums up its bonus and make the check, did I understand correctly?
The building can generate capital, regardless of the presence of a manager or not (barring business attrition, of course). The manager has no effect at all on the skilled earnings check the building makes.
So, yes, you just add up the building's bonus and add that to the d20 roll to determine the building's earnings each day. The existence of a manager makes no difference to this check.
All a manager does is slow down capital attrition and actually prevents business attrition occurring.
Ok, thank you very much!