While not everyone's happy about everything we've learned about Starfinder (everyone has different tastes after all), the great thing about pen and paper RPGs is that the GM is free to change anything they don't like.
So what will you change about Starfinder when you start playing? Will you tweak it better resemble your Golarion? Adapt it for your own setting? Use the mechanics for another published setting entirely (Star Wars, Warhammer 40k, etc.)? Share your plans and ideas here! Though please keep this thread to discussing how you're going to change Starfinder. We've got other threads for discussing opinions about the game.
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Honestly, I'm not gonna change it that much. I'll probably add in stuff like some kind of basic economy for Starships (if there is no price information whatsoever) and a few systems and whatnot to adventure in, but overall I'm pretty pleased with the way the setting is set up so far and look forward to seeing what I can do with it.
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Honestly, the more I learn about Starfinder, the less interested I am.
At first, I was very hyped.
But judging by the sharp downward trend in my expectations of the game, I might just end up playing D&D with the Spelljammer setting instead by the time the game releases.
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Probably the alter the race system, make the technomancer a prepared caster, make a difference between magic types, and change drift to be based on the shadowplane.
List will probably be bigger once I get the book.
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Considering I'm going to try to get a regular schedule of Starfinder Society I'm not going to change anything myself.
As for the adventurepath, I'm going to be a player in that, so no idea how/what the GM will be changing, but I doubt it'll be very much, as it currently stands we all like what this new system is bringing.
At the start I think I'll play it pretty vanilla just to see how it actually works before going in to start messing around.
I will be replacing length units with 'metrons' though (5 feet = 1 metron) and junking ability scores. Barely affects gameplay but I want dat streamlining.
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I agree with Azih, I want to run as written for a while before I start tinkering. There are many individual changes I don't like, but maybe they will fit together to make something good. The only way to know that is to try it 'by the book.'
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The first game I run is going to be an adaptation of Skull and Shackles in Space, so of course I'm going to need some kind of system to explain the party capturing ships. Besides that, I'll just have to wait and see how the book looks.
I'm thinking of introducing a custom spell point system. Maybe aracnist style prepared magic too. For the moat part I'll be trying to use Starfinder for other settings, which might include cast changes that I can't forsee.
I'm going to mod in the old TSR Star Frontiers races. I love the Dralasites and my group is older so they will get the references.
That's actually a product our creative team is discussing - but more "homage" than strict conversion.
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The main change I'm likely to make is to buff Strength and Charisma so that they, like the other four attributes, provide something of value to everyone. Right now, I'm thinking:
- Apply Strength modifier to HP gained per level
- Apply Charisma modifier to Resolve
So that would mean (with the bolded parts being bonuses that pretty much every character would benefit from, and given some educated guesses):
- Strength: Modifies HP/lvl, melee attack and damage, allows heavy weapon use
- Dexterity: Modifies AC, Reflex saves, ranged attacks
- Constitution: Modifies Stamina/lvl, Fort saves
- Intelligence: Modifies skill points/lvl, spells/lvl and DCs for some classes
- Wisdom: Modifies Will saves, spells/lvl and DCs for some classes
- Charisma: Modifies Resolve, spells/lvl and DCs for some classes
Now, it's true that these buffs would make Strength-based characters a bit more tanky, and Charisma-based characters a little free-er to spend resolve. But these kinds of buffs seem appropriate to me, and (at least at this stage) it's hard for me to see how this would do enough to upset class balance.
I don't have a huge amount of RPG experience in general, so I'm gonna play Starfinder by the book as much as is convenient through the first AP. A year from now, I may tweak things, but we'll see.
I'm not really going to be messing with the rules all that much, if at all. But as I said in the other thread I plan on ditching Starfinder's setting and reflavoring or removing races that are simply fantasy races in space.
Probably add Jedi. ^^
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Planning to ditch their setting and the Drift, remove the ratfolk and some of the races, and build my own setting. Though there's part of me that's having to resist putting Starcraft's Kaprulu sector right on the edge of known space... it's made harder by my wife having the rules for Starcraft in Alternity. >_<
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The major complaint for me is the way monsters are done. Honestly, getting around that might be as simple as using a lot of Pathfinder monsters, or making minor changes to make them less samey, or making a lot of NPCs via PC methods, something I assume you will be able to do.
Even then, actually seeing First Contact calmed me down a lot, and I actually agree with the majority of the other changes. (No more iterative attacks, no more numerical weapon bonuses, etc.)
Like Benjamin, I'm shooting around ideas with someone to make a new setting. I'm not super into what I've heard about the base Starfinder setting, so we're discussing the settings we like and what we'd want a space setting to look like if we're playing in it.
For one, I want Dwarves that had their home planet destroyed, like in-pieces destroyed, but Dwarves being Dwarves they stayed and turned their destroyed planet into a collection of asteroid fortresses. And maybe they're mining a special mineral created by their planet's destruction. Something that may stop a certain Dwarf who is now empowered by the light of a Yellow Sun...
But really I just want a setting where the classic core races have more stuff they're doing. I understand book limits and so forth, but I want my Dwarves in Asteroid Fortresses and Elves that are descended from Ancient Space Magic Gods.
No intention to mess with the system itself yet, mostly on board with the mechanics I've seen.
I suppose I need to know more about that ability score generation before I really judge it, but as of the moment I'm worried that 10 points is going to be the new 15 pointbuy (it sounds like it), and it won't be enough points for MAD characters. Or, more to the point, every level up to 5th is hell for mad characters before finally bumping up from the seemingly ludicrous amounts of ability scores you get at that level.
Speculation of course. Maybe there aren't classes that need as many ability scores to function. Maybe it's balanced around lower numbers (I read that was the case, or that there is at least less modifiers overall that you need to track), so maybe my concerns are unfounded. Maybe they have reduced prerequisite ability score requirements as well? I actually hope so, given stuff like how Two-Weapon Fighting is in Pathfinder.....
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While I have nothing against 1st level characters having ships (as a game design choice), I'll be having my players start on somebody else's and work their way up. Honestly, I'll probably always make ship acquisition a big deal. It's just how I roll. Still, it's nice to know that throwing a ship at the players isn't going to break player wealth progression or something. Options are good.
It's hard to say without seeing it, but my main concern is the mixing of genres - something I haven't been historically good at.
I suspect I'll emphasise the Sci-fi and minimise the fantasy elements. Having said that, Shadowrun remains one of my favourite games of all time, so I may find that Starfinder hits my sweet spot.
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Honestly, the more I learn about Starfinder, the less interested I am.
At first, I was very hyped.
But judging by the sharp downward trend in my expectations of the game, I might just end up playing D&D with the Spelljammer setting instead by the time the game releases.
I find these types of comments kind of unhelpful. You are on the boards for the game and add little to the conversation other than, "I don't like it and probably won't play when it comes out." Sounds like you checked out already.
Or you can come to the conversation and say, "I wish the game did this... Instead of that" Or "I heard/read about this feature and not a fan of it."
The book isn't even out yet. They have released very little in actual content. What could you possibility be against? I am dying for more information.
I might change the type of Vesk and Shirren you can play. Instead of only 1 type you could choose from 2 types. Vesk would come in the regular bulky type or a slender Salamander type. And the opposite for Shirren. A big bulky RhinoBeetle type. I would like to see more on the racial abilities though.
Setting
The setting I will change the swarm to demons/devils. Do a WOW legion esque campaign. Hell Knights will be key group.
Rules
I am not sure about stamina, hit point, and resolve. At first was going to leave alone. Now that certain creatures have resolve it sets up slight in balance. Creatures take hit point damage with no effect. Characters have to be careful hit point loss do to slower healing. * hour rest ect and have bleed into resolve that acts like negative hit points and fuel your abilities. If creatures are under the same healing rules that characters have with hit point loss it is all good. I. Hit Points heal at slower rate. Then all good. If creature hit point loss heals like stamina loss then, then there is an imbalance. Fix is have creature hit point loss heal same rate as characters hit point loss.
Tech and cybernetic salvage easy fix. Have mechanics make skill check to salvage. Then sell based on item level or implant. Same skill check mechanic.
I have liked everything I have seen. Game has solid foundation. Even like the item level and weapon damage.
Dave2
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Tentative plans to use SF to run a Dragonstar campaign about a year after the game becomes available.
I might add a third caster class, Charisma based, with flavour options reminiscent of sorcerers, shamans, and psychics.
I might add a third caster class, Charisma based, with flavour options reminiscent of sorcerers, shamans, and psychics.
It might be easier to use he Mystic and just change it's caster attribute to Cha. Me personally I am loving the fact that there is only 2 casters being the mystic and technomancer. I am curious to actually see a spell list!
It will be similar to the mystic and exist alongside it. But it will have more appropriate class abilities instead of the healing and telepathy of a mystic.
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1. Change the way the drift works. Make the Pact Worlds a massive naval military power, kind of like Britain used to be (if it isn't already). If it only takes 1d6 days to get to Absalom Station from anywhere in the galaxy via the drift, the Pact Worlds will quickly be a major center for galactic trade...as well as a juicy target for any star empire with major ambitions.
2. Not everyone gets a drift capable ship, sorry. We don't need 16 year old humans who just got their license taking a joyride around Dead Man's Star while posting on interstellar social media. ;) But if they want to blast womp rats while flying their T-16 through some canyons, sure!
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I think either only members of the pact worlds have Drift technology, or other races simply don't know that Absalom Station exists.
I think either only members of the pact worlds have Drift technology, or other races simply don't know that Absalom Station exists.
Good point. Burgeoning Naval power then. Someone is going to wonder why they never see Pact World ships in hyperspace/shadow plane/warp speed. They must be using a different dimension to traverse the galaxy. The Azlanti Star Empire/Vesk/Swarm sure wouldn't mind to know how to take advantage of that. Even if they can't use the drift, better to kill a young space nation early than let it grow to be an economic threat (thus, a big navy).
I can see me using the default rules mostly with a few tweaks to the galactic map because I'd like the frontier to be a frontier. I'm pretty confident they will do a good job and my plan will be extraneous.
I'm tempted to houserule that Solarions get spellcasting akin to a Paladin- nothing more than 4th level spells, focused around martial combat.
Of course, this depends on what the solarion is like. My fear is that they'll be somewhat less powerful than other classes, but it's obvious I could be completely off base about that. So I'll be holding off until I actually know how the class works before making anything offficial in my campaign.
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I'm going to mod in the old TSR Star Frontiers races. I love the Dralasites and my group is older so they will get the references.That's actually a product our creative team is discussing - but more "homage" than strict conversion.
I think it would be completely do-able. There is no reason why an anthropomorphic ooze, a leggier bug and a darn dirty ape can't be race add-ons for Starfinder.
I wish I could be a part of that brainstorming session.
Good Luck.
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One thing I'll definitely change in games I run if further news of the game don't entirely kill off the remainders of my interest in the game is undo the retcon on Lashunta.
I think they were more interesting pre-retcon than post-retcon and it generally disturbs me when setting elements are changed like that willy-nilly.
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I'm tempted to houserule that Solarions get spellcasting akin to a Paladin- nothing more than 4th level spells, focused around martial combat.
It was mentioned somewhere that, while there is no direct stand-in for the Paladin in Starfinder, one could approximate it by building a Solider or a Solarian with the Phrenic Adept archetype. This leads me to think that Phrenic Adept is plug and play 4th level casting for any class, which should make it easier for ya (and if I'm wrong, the best way to add 4th level casting should be to write your own archetype anyhow, using the new generic archetype rules).
I'm tempted to houserule that Solarions get spellcasting akin to a Paladin- nothing more than 4th level spells, focused around martial combat.It was mentioned somewhere that, while there is no direct stand-in for the Paladin in Starfinder, one could approximate it by building a Solider or a Solarian with the Phrenic Adept archetype. This leads me to think that Phrenic Adept is plug and play 4th level casting for any class, which should make it easier for ya (and if I'm wrong, the best way to add 4th level casting should be to write your own archetype anyhow, using the new generic archetype rules).
I would really love if the Phrenic Adept would grant 4 grades of spells, I certainly hope so
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One thing I'll definitely change in games I run if further news of the game don't entirely kill off the remainders of my interest in the game is undo the retcon on Lashunta.
I think they were more interesting pre-retcon than post-retcon and it generally disturbs me when setting elements are changed like that willy-nilly.
Why are people so hung up on this? For all we know, Pathfinder Lashunta just have a strict cultural tradition of females becoming Damaya and males becoming Korasha. In the future, as their society progressed, these antiquated gender roles dissolved, being replaced with the current system allowing adolescents to choose which they develop into, regardless of sex or gender.
Maybe there are already male Damaya and female Korasha on Castrovel, but they're rare outcasts, seen as shameful by a prejudiced society?
Absolutely nothing about the "new" Lashunta lore has to contradict anything already stated, and the new interpretation does away with a very tired sexist trope. Hell, I'd love to see Pathfinder's Lashunta perhaps start to challenge the Korasha/Damaya divide along gender lines. Maybe we'll see Lashunta who transition between "subspecies", not unlike how transgender people on Golarion (and Earth, too) use different methods to bring their bodies more in line with their identities.
Edit: I found developer Crystal Frasier's official statement on the subject, which gives us the canon mechanics of this change. There's a little more to it than my off the cuff guess, but it's the same general idea.
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One thing I'll definitely change in games I run if further news of the game don't entirely kill off the remainders of my interest in the game is undo the retcon on Lashunta.
I think they were more interesting pre-retcon than post-retcon and it generally disturbs me when setting elements are changed like that willy-nilly.
Why are people so hung up on this? For all we know, Pathfinder Lashunta just have a strict cultural tradition of females becoming Damaya and males becoming Korasha. In the future, as their society progressed, these antiquated gender roles dissolved, being replaced with the current system allowing adolescents to choose which they develop into, regardless of sex or gender.
Maybe there are already male Damaya and female Korasha on Castrovel, but they're rare outcasts, seen as shameful by a prejudiced society?
Absolutely nothing about the "new" Lashunta lore has to contradict anything already stated, and the new interpretation does away with a very tired sexist trope. Hell, I'd love to see Pathfinder's Lashunta perhaps start to challenge the Korasha/Damaya divide along gender lines. Maybe we'll see Lashunta who transition between "subspecies", not unlike how transgender people on Golarion (and Earth, too) use different methods to bring their bodies more in line with their identities.
Edit: I found developer Crystal Frasier's official statement on the subject, which gives us the canon mechanics of this change. There's a little more to it than my off the cuff guess, but it's the same general idea.
This has nothing to do with gender roles. Please do not conflate real life and fantasy, it's bloody annoying.
Comments like this one:I think there are some who don't accept gender roles are antiquated.
are pretty much personal insults instead of any attempts at constructive discussion. That kind of approach annoys me a lot, especially since I am a female software engineering student myself, quite far from any "traditional roles".
The point is that a race had an interesting defining trait that made it unique and that is being torn away from them with a retcon. Nothing more, nothing less.| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Fiction, even fantasy fiction, does not exist in isolation from the culture that spawned it.
Not everything has to be a perfect reflection of our society. It's fine if a fantasy culture has different values from our own.
Moreover, different fantasy cultures having different value is what makes them stand separate and be interesting.Each fantasy society having different norms and values makes for a far richer and more interesting setting than everyone being the same.
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At the start I think I'll play it pretty vanilla just to see how it actually works before going in to start messing around.
I will be replacing length units with 'metrons' though (5 feet = 1 metron) and junking ability scores. Barely affects gameplay but I want dat streamlining.
If you do this, I strongly recommend 5 feet = 2 metrons (or heck, actual meters is close to that conversion) instead of 1, since this allows you to make straight squares cost 2 and diagonal squares cost 3 with no fractions. We tried that for a while and it worked much better for flow, but it also changed the units, so it didn't stick.