Which Alien Archive race are you going to play first and why?


General Discussion


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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

For me, I'm leaning quite heavily towards the barathu; their ability to morph their anatomy into what they need is pretty cool. Also, their ability to fly at will and gain double their strength modifier on melee attacks is almost as awesome as their background write up in Alien Archive and the Core Rulebook.


That double strength mod to attacks seems a tad broken don't ya think?


I've not gotten a copy yet, but to some races have an ECL on them? May explain an ability set like that.


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MagicA wrote:
That double strength mod to attacks seems a tad broken don't ya think?

Nah, they can only get it for one round out of every 1d4 rounds. It also takes a swift action, so no using full attacks with it. EDIT: I also noticed I said "melee attacks" earlier. I meant to say "melee damage."

The_Mad_Monarch wrote:
I've not gotten a copy yet, but to some races have an ECL on them? May explain an ability set like that.

It does say that your GM might declare certain playable races as being inappropriate, but aside from that, absolutely no limitations exist. By and large, they all seem relatively balanced to me.

Quote from the book:
...it’s always up to the GM to decide whether to allow player characters of these races. The GM can also opt to treat non-humanoid player races as humanoids for the purposes of spells and other abilities to offset some of these complications.

That being said, this thread is for discussing what you would play first and why, not for asking questions about the new book's content. If you want to do that, then I suggest checking out the Alien Archive product thread.

Acquisitives

Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

well... I've got a pretty good idea for a Space Goblin.

... and a stunning one for a ryphorian.

but there's plenty of stuff there (just downloaded it this morning. wonderful book on a first skim)


I'm actually super hyped about the Wrikreechee and Kalo, I have so many character ideas! Shame I'm relegated to forever DM...


Ravingdork wrote:
For me, I'm leaning quite heavily towards the barathu; their ability to morph their anatomy into what they need is pretty cool. Also, their ability to fly at will and gain double their strength modifier on melee attacks is almost as awesome as their background write up in Alien Archive and the Core Rulebook.

I am super curious to see how the barathu work mechanics wise. I am totally itching to make blasto the barathu.


Ravingdork wrote:
MagicA wrote:
That double strength mod to attacks seems a tad broken don't ya think?

Nah, they can only get it for one round out of every 1d4 rounds. It also takes a swift action, so no using full attacks with it. EDIT: I also noticed I said "melee attacks" earlier. I meant to say "melee damage."

The_Mad_Monarch wrote:
I've not gotten a copy yet, but to some races have an ECL on them? May explain an ability set like that.

It does say that your GM might declare certain playable races as being inappropriate, but aside from that, absolutely no limitations exist. By and large, they all seem relatively balanced to me.

** spoiler omitted **

That being said, this thread is for discussing what you would play first and why, not for asking questions about the new book's content. If you want to do that, then I suggest checking out the Alien Archive product thread.

The double strength mod if that is only to the strength mod itself and prevents a full attack is probably pretty balanced. Its strong at low levels but at higher levels your strength mod is going to be a smaller and smaller part of your overall damage you are doing.


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The Verthani (from Verces) has a racial ability that is virtually unusable. Their camouflage ability requires that no more than 25% of their body be covered in order for it to work. In a setting where everybody wears full armor, that ability is unlikely to be usable very often.


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David knott 242 wrote:

The Verthani (from Verces) has a racial ability that is virtually unusable. Their camouflage ability requires that no more than 25% of their body be covered in order for it to work. In a setting where everybody wears full armor, that ability is unlikely to be usable very often.

Can you wear custom clothing, like one could do for the climbing suckers augmentation, to make this feature work with light armor?


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Yeah, its easy enough to describe your clothing/armor as having minimal coverage at no additional cost. It's simply a stylistic/cultural choice. You can simply describe the exposed areas as being protected by invisible force fields.

There's a precedent for that with the armor in the Core Rulebook.

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

hard call, i am still mulling over this
though i am starmastering at the moment and not playing.
my 1st chance to actually play will be a starfinder society game at reaper con so will have to core race that one /


Ravingdork wrote:

Yeah, its easy enough to describe your clothing/armor as having minimal coverage at no additional cost. It's simply a stylistic/cultural choice. You can simply describe the exposed areas as being protected by invisible force fields.

There's a precedent for that with the armor in the Core Rulebook.

Yup given that there is armor that clearly uses force fields for their helmets and other parts for extra coverage I don't think it would be a huge stretch to get some armor made specifically for them that goes that route to let them use their racial.


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The stat block for this race has Second Skin as the armor type -- but that only looks like skin if it happens to be the same color as the wearer's skin, so it would not enable the Verthani racial ability to work. No transparent armor is described in the pages for this race.

Liberty's Edge

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David knott 242 wrote:

The stat block for this race has Second Skin as the armor type -- but that only looks like skin if it happens to be the same color as the wearer's skin, so it would not enable the Verthani racial ability to work. No transparent armor is described in the pages for this race.

sure but i would allow second skin to work with it, second skin is not going to break anything


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David knott 242 wrote:

No transparent armor is described in the pages for this race.

Probably because there doesn't really need to be.

Right now, you can just reflavor existing armors to have less armor and more force fields, to leave them with 75% skin exposure without the loss of any real protection.

However, the moment you add in such a device to the mechanics of the game...well, then those suddenly become the only armors that race can really wear, which limits the race even more (going from 50 good armor choices to only 2 or 3), and totally breaks the scaling armor system the developers put in place.

Radiant Oath

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How is this even a question?! I wanna play a skittermander! :D


There are a lot of interesting choices in Alien Archives.

Contemplatives, Haan, and Dragonkin are the first that spring to mind for me.

Skittermanders are pretty cool, but not my first choice.

Grand Lodge

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Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

Skittermander...no,no, dragonkin. No, no, a drow! A space drow! Um...I can't really decide, tbh, but probably any of the three above.


Seems that reptoids with their 1.5 specialization with claws that are not archaic seen sounds for a switch hitter build.


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Cathulhu wrote:

Seems that reptoids with their 1.5 specialization with claws that are not archaic seen sounds for a switch hitter build.

I thought so too, until I saw that their base 1d3 damage or whatever for an unarmed strike with their claws never scales.

Unless you take improved unarmed strike, I think.


So, it's basically identical to the Vesk natural weapons.


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Contemplative mystic with the mind breaker domain. This way I can be a floating brain guy crushing opponents with the power of my mind.


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kaid wrote:
Contemplative mystic with the mind breaker domain. This way I can be a floating brain guy crushing opponents with the power of my mind.

Right up until you run across a guy riding a Scooty-Puff Junior singing "I'm My Own Grandpa." ;-)


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J4RH34D wrote:
Cathulhu wrote:

Seems that reptoids with their 1.5 specialization with claws that are not archaic seen sounds for a switch hitter build.

I thought so too, until I saw that their base 1d3 damage or whatever for an unarmed strike with their claws never scales.

Unless you take improved unarmed strike, I think.

Based on them being reptoids I think it SCALES pretty well ;)


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David knott 242 wrote:
Their camouflage ability requires that no more than 25% of their body be covered in order for it to work.

Never heard of space-mail-bikini?


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The Drunken Dragon wrote:
Skittermander...no,no, dragonkin. No, no, a drow! A space drow! Um...I can't really decide, tbh, but probably any of the three above.

So a nefarious Space Drow with a skittermander major-domo and a shoulder-dragon?


A dragonkin solarion whose solar weapon takes the form of dragon claws could be fun.


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Rub-Eta wrote:
David knott 242 wrote:
Their camouflage ability requires that no more than 25% of their body be covered in order for it to work.
Never heard of space-mail-bikini?

Heard of it? Yes

Seen stats for it? No

Silver Crusade

I'll be making a Drow if my current character dies


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David knott 242 wrote:
Rub-Eta wrote:
David knott 242 wrote:
Their camouflage ability requires that no more than 25% of their body be covered in order for it to work.
Never heard of space-mail-bikini?

Heard of it? Yes

Seen stats for it? No

The Stationwear line of Light Armors can be literally any kind of clothing you want, so all I need ask is this: Is a bikini clothing? Personally I would think so, so you can have fully functional bikini armor with Stationwear.


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I will play a Pony, enough said... Seriously I would do that or create a space drow, Really haven't decided yet plus don't have the book ether.


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Considering the rest of my family will probably pick Skittermander, I'm going to make a Vesk "in charge" of Strike Team: Fluffy.


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Nuar Mercenary Soldier

Because Spehs Moo-rine is best Moo-rine!

*coughs*

Liberty's Edge

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captain yesterday wrote:
Considering the rest of my family will probably pick Skittermander, I'm going to make a Vesk "in charge" of Strike Team: Fluffy.

thats an epic idea


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It's kind of weird to think of something so instinctively helpful as potentially being violent.


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Any stats for a playable Eoxian/whatever they're called?

Shinigami02 wrote:
David knott 242 wrote:
Rub-Eta wrote:
David knott 242 wrote:
Their camouflage ability requires that no more than 25% of their body be covered in order for it to work.
Never heard of space-mail-bikini?

Heard of it? Yes

Seen stats for it? No

The Stationwear line of Light Armors can be literally any kind of clothing you want, so all I need ask is this: Is a bikini clothing? Personally I would think so, so you can have fully functional bikini armor with Stationwear.

You don't need separate stats for the space-mail bikini. It's apparently as protective as regular armor (why else would it be so popular among females to wear?).


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Stops waxing bikini lines, and chest.

This is the future, yo.

Chainmail bikinis aren't just for women anymore.


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Chainmail Bikinis work just like, like, half the armors in the game: All the space the bikini doesn't cover is covered by force fields.


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Exactly. I'd allow any light armor to work with that ability.

Acquisitives

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i have a really good idea for a nuar "paladin"

that being said, super pumped for both my future space goblin operative and triaxian soldier.

hopefully my group doesn't kill my ysoki technomancer next week when i can't be online for the game.

please don't kill him.


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From the pictures alone, I want to play a Barathu.


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bookrat wrote:
From the pictures alone, I want to play a Barathu.

They all kind of look alike though...


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Ravingdork wrote:
bookrat wrote:
From the pictures alone, I want to play a Barathu.
They all kind of look alike though...

You may not be able to see the differences among us, but I cannot understand how you humans have even formed a society. You cannot merge your minds; how do you form a greater collective or even understand each other at all?


A Reptoid solarion assassin?


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AS IF ANYONE NEEDS TO ASK!


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Star Captain Killjoy wrote:
AS IF ANYONE NEEDS TO ASK!

Which Alien Archive race are you going to play first and why?


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I am so.. SO tempted to make a skittermander and name him Experiment 626, also known as Stitch.

Which theme and class combo though, no clue. (Ace pilot?)

Bounty Hunter Operative would be... interesting.


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A barathu firing down upon his enemies from on high with a sniper rifle strikes me as being an especially powerful combo.

"You can call me 'Overwatch.'"

:D

Acquisitives

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

A barathu firing down upon his enemies from on high with a sniper rifle strikes me as being an especially powerful combo.

"You can call me 'Overwatch.'"

:D

or "God" from Navy SEALS

great movie.

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