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Bastions are one of the most unique ways you can flavor your character inDungeons & Dragons. Over the course of a long campaign, building and expanding upon your bastion with new special facilities, hirelings, and more can prove rewarding on both a roleplay and optimization level. But, how exactly do you level up your bastion?
There’s a variety of elements worth considering when it comes to improving your bastion. These range from the cost to run facilities, materials needed, ongoing player expenses, and more. It can seem daunting, but we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know to level up your bastion.
What Does Your Player Bastion Start With?
At level five, players earn a bastionthey can call their very own.These can look like anythingfroma blank patch of landthat the players can build uponor an already existing structure like a castle or a fort.
Whatever the description of your bastion,there are a few things bastions start with at level five.
When looking at special facilitiesto construct,make sure you are the appropriate levelfor each facilityand that you meet any additional prerequisitesfound in the facility’s description.
How To Improve And Add To Your Bastion
There aretwo different methods for adding on to your bastion. Theserules vary depending on the type of featureyou’re trying to add.
How To Add Basic Bastion Facilities
Toadd a basic bastion facility,players mustspend money and time doing so. However,they don’t need tobe physically at their bastionto do this;rather, their hirelings can take care of the physical labor needed.
When it comes to determining the time and money needed to add a basic facility,it all depends on the size of the facility.Use the below table, also found in the 2024 Dungeon Master’s Guide,to determine cost and time.
500 GP
20 days
1,000 GP
45 days
3,000 GP
125 days
How To Enlarge Basic Bastion Facilities
The process forenlarging a basic bastion facility is quite similar. Refer to the table below to determine the cost and time required for enlarging a preexisting facility.
25 days
2,000 GP
80 days
Adding or expanding basic facilities is purely cosmetic.There is no in-game benefit or tangible reward earned for adding or expanding these spacesin your bastion. But that doesn’t mean it can’t add great flavor to your bastion.
How To Add Special Bastion Facilities
As mentioned,each player bastion begins with two special facilitiesalready in tow. Unlike basic facilities,there is no way to purchase special facilities.
Rather,players earn more special facilitiesfor their bastionthrough their normal player progression. When players hit certain levels, they gain more special facilities,as shown in the table below.
5
2
9
4
13
17
6
How To Enlarge Special Bastion Facilities
The process forenlarging a special bastion facility is slightly different. Essentially, while special facilities can be expanded,you may only do so if the description of the facility allowsfor it.
For example,inthe description for the Arcane Study facility, no rules are givenfor enlarging it from roomy to vast. However,if a character’s bastion has an Archive,you’re able to expand the facility from Roomy to Vastby spending 2,000 GP.
All in all,there are six special facilities that can be enlarged. See the below table for reference.
Enlarging Benefit
Archive
You gain two additional reference books to add to your archive.
A vast barrack can accommodate up to 25 Bastion Defenders.
Garden
You gain one additional hireling and double the amount of garden types included in the space.
Pub
An expanded pub can have two magical beverages from the Pub Special list on tap at a time. You also gain three additional hirelings.
Gain two additional hirelings and three additional Artisan’s Tools.
How To Create A Bastion Map
What’s On Your Starting Bastion Map?
Creating a bastion mapis an important stepin leveling up your bastion.When you first get your bastionat level five,you should create a starting mapthat lays out your two starting basic facilities and your two starting special facilities.
Map your bastion by using a sheet of grid paper, in whicheach square on the grid represents five square feet. Depending on the size of the bastion facility, map out each space like so.
4 squares
16 squares
Vast
36 squares
Your twostartingbasic facilities have size limitations.One must be crampedandthe other must be roomy.Special facilities have their own starting size,which can be found in the special facility description.
From there,you can map out your bastion facilitiesandconnect them in any way you see fit.Architecturalelements likecorridors, stairways, closets, doors, and windowsare all considered free elementsthat you can add at any time to connect your bastion together.
Fornon-facility features likedefensive walls or turrets, work with your DMto determine cost and time needed to construct these. As an example, the 2024 DM’s Guide suggests ten days and 250 GP to construct 5 square feet ofdefensive walls in a player’s bastion.
How Do You Add To Your Bastion Map?
After you’ve laid out your starting bastion map,you can add new special and basic facilities as you level up and pay for them, respectively.Simply add each new space with the appropriate number of grid squares, and connect them via hallways, stairs, and corridors.
When expanding a pre-existing facility,simplyadd the deficit number of new squaresto your already existing roomor talk to your DM about moving the roomto another.
Draw your map in pencil, so that you can easily reconfigure rooms and hallways if needed.Consider any reconfigurations as part of the regular construction processfor adding new facilities,unless your DM says otherwise.
Sometimes,there’s nowhere to go but up. It’s also a good idea touse multiple sheets of grid paper to represent the different floorsof your bastion. This will help maintain continuity and also place fewer limitations on you as a player.
How To Use Roleplay To Level Up Your Bastion
Remember, the above rules are just that – rules. You shouldwork with your DM to find ways to roleplay bastion level ups. This can look like one of two things.
Design Bastion Hirelings
You should also feel free togive personalities and character descriptions for your bastion hirelings. This will help make your bastion feel like a real-living place with a life of its own.Here are some examplesof how to tailor hirelings to your bastion.
Describe Your Bastion Facilities
As you level up your bastion,jot down some physical descriptors for each room and facilityyou build. Don’t be afraid tomake the character of your bastion completely your own!
Additionally,your bastion doesn’t have to be a conventional structure.Don’t limit yourself to just a castle or a fort. Considersome unconventional bastion typesbelow.
