Rules Question: Creating a DEX Soldier with low STR Access to Heavy armor?


Rules Questions


Hi,
found out that my soldier with STR 10 is according to the feat description not allowed to use heavy weapons and armor.

Is the soldier exempted from this restriction because those are class skills?


Generally speaking, if a class gives you a specific feat, you don't need to qualify for it. In Pathfinder at least, I assume it still holds true in SF.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I'm pretty sure the soldier has to meet the same strength requirements as anyone else to avoid penalties with, say, heavy weapons. But as Sayt says, you get Heavy Armor Proficiency for free, so don't need to meet the strength prerequisites for it. And unlike heavy weapons, there aren't any penalties for having a low strength and *using* heavy armor.

So yeah, you're good to go!


Porridge wrote:

I'm pretty sure the soldier has to meet the same strength requirements as anyone else to avoid penalties with, say, heavy weapons. But as Sayt says, you get Heavy Armor Proficiency for free, so don't need to meet the strength prerequisites for it. And unlike heavy weapons, there aren't any penalties for having a low strength and *using* heavy armor.

So yeah, you're good to go!

Thanx to both of you :)


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Sayt wrote:
Generally speaking, if a class gives you a specific feat, you don't need to qualify for it. In Pathfinder at least, I assume it still holds true in SF.

I don't think that it is quite as cut and dried as it seems. The significant phrase here is this :

p.242 : "Most classes grant proficiency with light armor, and more melee oriented classes, such as soldiers, grant proficiency with heavy
armor."

Being "granted proficiency" is not the same as "gains the Heavy Armor Proficiency Feat."

So yes, a STR 10 Soldier *can* use heavy armor without problems, because he is granted proficiency.

However, if you get the actual feat (even if a class gives it to you), you *have* to qualify for it in order to use it (p. 152 'Prerequisites').

Case in point: The Armor Storm Soldier's 'Enhanced Tank' technique says: "You gain the Powered Armored Proficiency feat". If you want to *use* that feat, you must meet the prerequisites (including STR 13).

Compare that to the Guard Soldier's 'Guard's Protection" technique, which says: "In addition, you are now proficient with powered armor." No requirements necessary, because it isn't a feat.


Nope. If you don't meet the pre-reqs, you lose use of the feat. You still have it, but you can't use it until you meet the requirements.

p152- Prerequistes.
'A character must have each indicated ability score, feat, BAB, skill , class feature and other listed quality in order to select or use that feat'

So, no. Until you bump strength, you can't use it, even though you have it.


Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Voss wrote:

Nope. If you don't meet the pre-reqs, you lose use of the feat. You still have it, but you can't use it until you meet the requirements.

p152- Prerequistes.
'A character must have each indicated ability score, feat, BAB, skill , class feature and other listed quality in order to select or use that feat'

So, no. Until you bump strength, you can't use it, even though you have it.

Good find.

But now I'm questioning my assertion that Soldiers get the Heavy Armor Proficiency Feat; the beginning of the class section just says "you are proficient" with the relevant weapons and armor. If this proficiency isn't feat mediated (which is how it's looking to me right now), then the feat pre-requisites won't matter.

So I guess it's still looking to me like a Soldier with low strength can wear Heavy Armor without a problem... Is there something else I missed?

EDIT: Or exactly what Ithnaar said. :P

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