Created this soldier as a backup character for when the DM kills my fun but unoptimized character and I want revenge. I like how much wisdom you can get in this build without sacrificing much for it.
Major Tom: Human LN Soldier 11
1: 13/16/10/10/14/10
5: 15/18/10/12/16/10
10:17/18/12/14/18/10
Theme: Ace Pilot
Fighting Style: Sharpshooter / Blitz
Gear Boost: Laser Accuracy / Bullet Blast / Powerful Explosive
Feats:
1: Weapon Focus: Longarms / Skill Synergy: Stealth & Perception
2: Versatile Focus
3: Spellbane
4: Improved Initiative
5: Skill Synergy: Sense Motive & Piloting
6: Adaptive Fighting
7: Enhanced Resistance: Fire
8: Improved Critical
9: Sky Jockey
10: Slippery Shooter
11: Great Fortitude
Skills: Max ranks in Acrobatics, Piloting, Stealth, Perception, Sense Motive, at level 5: Survival, at level 10: Medicine.
I ran out of good combat feats pretty quickly and would welcome suggestions (don't suggest Deadly Aim, I've seen the math on that, it's a trap).
I'm a little torn on the stat distribution, as putting 18 dex at creation is tempting, but I think I prefer then higher wis score for perception and sense motive. It gives the soldier some utility out of combat as the scout and lie detector. Will depend if the party has those roles covered by other characters.
For weapons, plan on buying the best laser longarm for primary, a good projectile rifle for FR enemies, and looting all useful heavy weapons for fun times.
At level 11, this character will have a very accurate triple full attack, a +14 to initiative, and saves of 10/9/11 (+2 vs spells). Out of combat they will be a top tier pilot, and a solid scout, tracker, and lie detector.
It's a very high wisdom for a class that doesn't need it, and has a high will save already... I'd suggest if you insist on this build, that you pick up Connection Inkling. I prefer a decent intelligence and Technomantic Dabbler, but to each their own.
It's a very high wisdom for a class that doesn't need it, and has a high will save already... I'd suggest if you insist on this build, that you pick up Connection Inkling. I prefer a decent intelligence and Technomantic Dabbler, but to each their own.
If I take something that gives me spells, I lose Spellbane, which is an amazing feat. Don't feel like trading +2 to saves vs spells for a level 1 spell and 2 cantrips.
Where else should I put the points? There's no real point pumping dex to 18 at creation unless the rest of the party is full of high mental stat characters. Cha is a terrible stat unless there's no other face, int just gets more skills which the soldier can't use because their skill list is garbage (hence why I get skill synergy twice) so that leaves wis, which gives me will saves, perception, and sense motive, all three of which are universally valuable.
Constitution? More stamina makes you harder to kill. Intelligence? More skill points.
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"It's a very high wisdom for a class that doesn't need it, and has a high will save already... I'd suggest if you insist on this build, that you pick up Connection Inkling. I prefer a decent intelligence and Technomantic Dabbler, but to each their own."
only time your wisdom is to high is when you need a 0 to make a will save. >_<
Hey you might need to make that perception check against the level 20 invisible rogue (operative?).
Constitution? More stamina makes you harder to kill. Intelligence? More skill points.
As I said already, skill points are mostly useless on a soldier, since even after getting skill synergy twice, there's only five valuable skills available. Survival and Medicine are taken when I increase my int because there's no better class skills to take, and I'm not going to put skill synergy in my build a third time.
Con is a waste in this game. As a soldier, I get 14 hp per level. One more point per con modifier is worth nothing. Con goes to no skills, so the only good thing it's doing is modifying fort saves, and I can just take Greater Fortitude if I don't think my already good fort save and spellbane is doing enough.
Right!
Let's not go with too many absolutes. One hit point is actually worth one hit point >_> and well I agree soldier has Alot of hp it's still a increase of 7% and no one has too many hp right? That said your toon
Yes technically one hp is one hp and thus isn't actually worthless, but you can absolutely have too much hp. Every hp you gain from con is two attribute points you didn't put somewhere else. You can max con and be a bit harder to kill, but you are trading out modifiers to skills for that very small bit of extra health. Personally I think almost every player would rather have better skills - translating to more active rolls with improved chances of success - than a few more passive hp that may never have any impact on the game. More fun, and more guaranteed value.
Why Enhanced Resistance: Fire over say DR? Just wanting to get your mind set. Also agree 16 Dex should be fine with full bab
The devs have already said the DR is a misprint and will be getting significantly nerfed come the first big errata pass. However, it sounds like they're leaving the energy resistance unchanged. Assuming that's the case, I'd rather have FR equal to my level than a small amount of DR. Fire damage is very common (lasers, plasma, several fire melee weapons, spells) and I suspect will continue it's trend from Pathfinder as the most common energy type. Thus FR seems like a strong survivability boost.
Looks pretty good to me, one thing I want to point out is that you're taking both improved initiative and blitz as your sfs. While more initiative is never bad you already have a very high initiative with your dex and either one. Also being 1st isn't as important as it was in Pathfinder as you and your enemies both soak more hits. You aren't likely to assassinate anyone or be assassinated in 1 turn anymore. So you might consider switching either the feat or your second sfs for another option.
As far as combat feats I think Improved Unarmed strike can come up as useful. You threaten squares when holding your longarm. Then could combine it with Stand Still (Again if you're just trying to fill up feats).
Plus if the story takes away all your normal weapons you always have a back up weapon.
Not fantastic but if you just want to get some extra feats that ones fun.
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Also add improved stand still, you're really looking at 3 feats, but it is an option worth considering especially since they are I'll combat feats.
You know you can put skill points into skills besides class skills... You just don't get the +3 bonus. So... More intelligence is still very useful in the skill point front.
Looks pretty good to me, one thing I want to point out is that you're taking both improved initiative and blitz as your sfs. While more initiative is never bad you already have a very high initiative with your dex and either one. Also being 1st isn't as important as it was in Pathfinder as you and your enemies both soak more hits. You aren't likely to assassinate anyone or be assassinated in 1 turn anymore. So you might consider switching either the feat or your second sfs for another option.
That's a fair point. I'm aware there's no real one-shot potential in Starfinder with conventional tactics, but I still don't think it's a bad idea to maximize your odds to go first. Enemies are flat-footed and thus easier to hit, and you get time to find cover before anyone can attack you.
Part of the reason I picked it was due to most of the level 1 styles being underwhelming. The only other one that tempted me was Guard, as it would give me +1 AC from improved dex and allow me to wear any light armor w/out worrying about armor penalties. Getting 10 movespeed and 4 initiative just sounded more fun, honestly.
As far as combat feats I think Improved Unarmed strike can come up as useful. You threaten squares when holding your longarm. Then could combine it with Stand Still (Again if you're just trying to fill up feats).
Plus if the story takes away all your normal weapons you always have a back up weapon.
Not fantastic but if you just want to get some extra feats that ones fun.
Reasonable. At the very least it's a feat worth putting into my adaptive fighting lineup. If the DM is a fan of gun control laws on civilized worlds, that gains a lot of value.
Also add improved stand still, you're really looking at 3 feats, but it is an option worth considering especially since they are I'll combat feats.
I looked at that chain, but I don't love it. It's almost unusable until you get the improved version (Stand Still you need to land an attack vs the enemy's AC+8, Improved bumps it to AC+4). While my strength score doesn't suck, it won't be close to the numbers of a melee-focused character. Plus, I don't really want enemies stuck standing next to me anyway.
You know you can put skill points into skills besides class skills... You just don't get the +3 bonus. So... More intelligence is still very useful in the skill point front.
Don't be condescending, of course I know you can put points into skills besides class skills. However, Starfinder has the highest skill DCs relative to the points you get per level of any D&D-like I've played. Most opposed checks are 15+1.5xCR, or even 20+1.5xCR. Difficult checks start at DC 20, and most have additional modifiers to increase DCs even further.
I'm guessing the devs wanted operatives and envoys to feel special about being able to reliably make skill checks, while ensuring even those classes never get to the auto-succeed point commonly hit in Pathfinder. Of course, that means if you're just throwing skill ranks into non-class skills with maybe a +2 modifier from the associated attribute, your success rate is going to be abysmal.
Unless it's a vital knowledge skill no one in the party has or intends to get (in which case your party sucks) I don't see much point investing in int for skill points to put into checks you're unlikely to make. I'd much rather boost a mental stat that improves a save and boosts two of the most rolled skills in the game.
Let's not go with too many absolutes. One hit point is actually worth one hit point >_> and well I agree soldier has Alot of hp it's still a increase of 7% and no one has too many hp right? That said your toonYes technically one hp is one hp and thus isn't actually worthless, but you can absolutely have too much hp. Every hp you gain from con is two attribute points you didn't put somewhere else. You can max con and be a bit harder to kill, but you are trading out modifiers to skills for that very small bit of extra health. Personally I think almost every player would rather have better skills - translating to more active rolls with improved chances of success - than a few more passive hp that may never have any impact on the game. More fun, and more guaranteed value.
On the con front: your constitution increases your stamina points specifically. As such, I would implore you to remember that your higher con mod effectively increases your character's built-in "healing" in addition to your your "max hp". Every +1 to your con mod translates to you regaining your level in hit points every time you take your ten minute rest.
Also, I would lean away from skills if you already have other guys filling those niches. In particular, you could spend those two skill feats on heavy weapon proficiency and versatile weapon specialization.
Be the big beefy meat shield that you were born to be.
On the con front: your constitution increases your stamina points specifically. As such, I would implore you to remember that your higher con mod effectively increases your character's built-in "healing" in addition to your your "max hp". Every +1 to your con mod translates to you regaining your level in hit points every time you take your ten minute rest.
Also, I would lean away from skills if you already have other guys filling those niches. In particular, you could spend those two skill feats on heavy weapon proficiency and versatile weapon specialization.
Be the big beefy meat shield that you were born to be.
Umm...I'm building a sharpshooter soldier. As such, he's already proficient and specialized with all weapons, because soldier. I don't want to be a meat shield, I want to be a ranged damage dealer. Did you even read my build?
Even if I was building a melee soldier, I'd much rather have better modifiers to useful skills than a few more stam points added to my already considerable soldier health pool.
On the con front: your constitution increases your stamina points specifically. As such, I would implore you to remember that your higher con mod effectively increases your character's built-in "healing" in addition to your your "max hp". Every +1 to your con mod translates to you regaining your level in hit points every time you take your ten minute rest.
Also, I would lean away from skills if you already have other guys filling those niches. In particular, you could spend those two skill feats on heavy weapon proficiency and versatile weapon specialization.
Be the big beefy meat shield that you were born to be.
Umm...I'm building a sharpshooter soldier. As such, he's already proficient and specialized with all weapons, because soldier. I don't want to be a meat shield, I want to be a ranged damage dealer. Did you even read my build?
Even if I was building a melee soldier, I'd much rather have better modifiers to useful skills than a few more stam points added to my already considerable soldier health pool.
Oh man. For some reason I thought no one started with heavy weapons.
Regardless: I think you are overestimating your ability to be "useful" with your skills given the fact that so many classes give skill bonuses in this game. Does mystic? I know Solarian, Mechanic, Technomancer, Envoy, and Operative all do. Let all those guys be good at skills while you get to be good at murdering fools and not getting murdered. There are plenty of solid feats: extra resolve is nice, especially early on. You would be well served by side step and quick draw as well.
Oh man. For some reason I thought no one started with heavy weapons.
Regardless: I think you are overestimating your ability to be "useful" with your skills given the fact that so many classes give skill bonuses in this game. Does mystic? I know Solarian, Mechanic, Technomancer, Envoy, and Operative all do. Let all those guys be good at skills while you get to be good at murdering fools and not getting murdered. There are plenty of solid feats: extra resolve is nice, especially early on. You would be well served by side step and quick draw as well.
Why would I want Side Step of Quick Draw?
Side Step lets you take a guarded step when an opponent misses their melee attack, but you can't guarded step outside their threatened squares, and you can't take a guarded step on your next turn. What purpose does that serve for a ranged character?
Quick Draw lets you draw as a swift instead of part of a move. That was good in Pathfinder, because you could quickdraw then full attack. However, in Starfinder the full attack action consumes your entire turn. I don't see much appeal spending a feat to draw on a swift instead of as part of your move when either way you only have a standard action to attack. The only time I see it being actually helpful is if you're using multiple small weapons and want to draw two weapons in one turn.
As for skills, the more players who have high scores perception, sense motive, and stealth, the better the party is as a whole. Relying on one person to see things, detect lies, or scout stealthily means you're one bad roll from missing something important. And a high piloting skill gives you a fun roll in starship combat, instead of just being relegated to gunner.
Oh man. For some reason I thought no one started with heavy weapons.
Regardless: I think you are overestimating your ability to be "useful" with your skills given the fact that so many classes give skill bonuses in this game. Does mystic? I know Solarian, Mechanic, Technomancer, Envoy, and Operative all do. Let all those guys be good at skills while you get to be good at murdering fools and not getting murdered. There are plenty of solid feats: extra resolve is nice, especially early on. You would be well served by side step and quick draw as well.
Why would I want Side Step of Quick Draw?
Side Step lets you take a guarded step when an opponent misses their melee attack, but you can't guarded step outside their threatened squares, and you can't take a guarded step on your next turn. What purpose does that serve for a ranged character?
Getting soft cover from his allies, preventing soft cover for your allies trying to shoot him, granting or avoiding flanking.
I wasn't trying to be condescending. I literally didn't know if you knew that, since its a common mistake among new players, and your build is not exactly optimized. I made an assumption about your proficiency with the system. Regardless, some skills are still very worth it, if they are not based on opponent CR. Stealth, Mysticism, Engineering, Perception, Sleight of Hand, Culture, Medicine, Survival, Life Science and Physical Science are not CR based for their primary functions and are generally useful. I'd rather intelligence for a Soldier, since their primary weakness is skill points.
Oh man. For some reason I thought no one started with heavy weapons.
Regardless: I think you are overestimating your ability to be "useful" with your skills given the fact that so many classes give skill bonuses in this game. Does mystic? I know Solarian, Mechanic, Technomancer, Envoy, and Operative all do. Let all those guys be good at skills while you get to be good at murdering fools and not getting murdered. There are plenty of solid feats: extra resolve is nice, especially early on. You would be well served by side step and quick draw as well.
Why would I want Side Step of Quick Draw?
Side Step lets you take a guarded step when an opponent misses their melee attack, but you can't guarded step outside their threatened squares, and you can't take a guarded step on your next turn. What purpose does that serve for a ranged character?
Quick Draw lets you draw as a swift instead of part of a move. That was good in Pathfinder, because you could quickdraw then full attack. However, in Starfinder the full attack action consumes your entire turn. I don't see much appeal spending a feat to draw on a swift instead of as part of your move when either way you only have a standard action to attack. The only time I see it being actually helpful is if you're using multiple small weapons and want to draw two weapons in one turn.
As for skills, the more players who have high scores perception, sense motive, and stealth, the better the party is as a whole. Relying on one person to see things, detect lies, or scout stealthily means you're one bad roll from missing something important. And a high piloting skill gives you a fun roll in starship combat, instead of just being relegated to gunner.
If I am not mistaken, quick draw lets you switch weapons and attack, right? it lets you stow the weapon as a swift and then draw as part of a move action. It pays to have a few different weapons to attack different defenses, deal different damage types, and handle different ranges.
If I am not mistaken, quick draw lets you switch weapons and attack, right? it lets you stow the weapon as a swift and then draw as part of a move action. It pays to have a few different weapons to attack different defenses, deal different damage...
Nothing in the feat description mentions stowing as a swift, just drawing as a swift, drawing thrown weapons in a full attack action, and drawing a hidden weapon as a move. I checked the basic rules for drawing and stowing weapons, and there's nothing stating that if you can draw as a swift, you can stow as a swift too.
And even if it did allow that, dropping an item is still a free action. Unless you're in a weird situation where you're afraid of losing any gear you drop, dropping a weapon as a free and drawing as part of a move still gets you the same action economy as using Quick Draw.
If I am not mistaken, quick draw lets you switch weapons and attack, right? it lets you stow the weapon as a swift and then draw as part of a move action. It pays to have a few different weapons to attack different defenses, deal different damage...Nothing in the feat description mentions stowing as a swift, just drawing as a swift, drawing thrown weapons in a full attack action, and drawing a hidden weapon as a move. I checked the basic rules for drawing and stowing weapons, and there's nothing stating that if you can draw as a swift, you can stow as a swift too.
And even if it did allow that, dropping an item is still a free action. Unless you're in a weird situation where you're afraid of losing any gear you drop, dropping a weapon as a free and drawing as part of a move still gets you the same action economy as using Quick Draw.
I am not sure if that situation is "weird", really. Like: sometimes you will want to move after dropping a weapon and also want to switch back to the weapon you dropped. Then again, that is less of a problem for Five-Shotgun-Jack; everyone loves that guy. Even then, there are times when you don't want to drop your doomcannon on the ground where any goblin might get his grubby little hands on it.
In the mid to late game, there is also a lot of potential for aerial shenanigans and zero gravity/space shenanigans are a risk from the jump.
Also, no swift action sheathing just means you use your move action to sheath and then your swift action to draw.
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I feel like as a soldier the most useful thing you can do with your skill points is to put a rank into every skill so you can assist with anything. Every other class gets skill bonuses to the point that even in a three person party, you won't have the best modifier on any skill rolls. That's my experience playing a soldier so far anyway.
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I feel like as a soldier the most useful thing you can do with your skill points is to put a rank into every skill so you can assist with anything. Every other class gets skill bonuses to the point that even in a three person party, you won't have the best modifier on any skill rolls. That's my experience playing a soldier so far anyway.
A single Feat invested in Skill Focus and you're on par until level 11 and only slightly behind thereafter. Especially with a skill you have a racial bonus in.
And it's not like you're short on Feats.
Now, being on par beyond one or two skills isn't gonna happen, but then nobody much except Operatives and eventually Envoys gets much more than that.
The beauty of the soldier class is that because you do get so many feats and you get to chose your primary stat you can do at least one other thing pretty well if you want to. You can have some attribute points left over to put into a secondary stat and use feats to add versatility to you character. No you will never be as good as another class in something that is their specialty, but you can be ok at a lot of different things. And this will get even better as more and more feats are released.