Running a psuedo parody Star Wars story. While waiting on the failed promise of a starship combat tutorial video. I decided to crash course it and convert a monster at the same time. The creature in question obviously in mind is the aboleth. Being an aberration I felt it was perfect to become a void born creature. Now came to a couple of problems with conversion.
Primarily how to convert the pathfinder AC/touch/flat footed into the starfinder AC/TL scores. If I were to assume some number juggling, AC 19 and TL 20. Size wise I'd figure a large monstrous creature would translate to medium size in starship terms.
Secondly would be the mucus cloud and slime special abilities. While those would work in water, I'm guessing not so much in space. What would be good substitutes at least with appropriate space themed offensive special abilities for a void born aboleth? Radiation or EM?
Size wise I'd figure a large monstrous creature would translate to medium size in starship terms.
Err, not quite. A large creature is about 10 feet in length (up to 20, if you're feeling generous). A Tiny starship is between 20 and 60 feet in length, according to the Core Rulebook - a Medium ship is easily 10 - 30 times the length of a large creature.
As for creating creatures for starship combat, we don't have much of a guide. Your best bet is looking at the novaspawn for inspiration - basically build a ship at the tier you want and then flavor it as a living creature, with perhaps a custom ability thrown in.
Problem is if going off starship build I need tier 1. Novaspawn are tier 8. The aboleth is cr 7 which is about on par with my party give or take the drone or who's attending.
Problem is if going off starship build I need tier 1. Novaspawn are tier 8. The aboleth is cr 7 which is about on par with my party give or take the drone or who's attending.
If your party has a APL of 7, then an average difficulty enemy starship would be tier 5, not tier 1 (CRB pg. 326). Either way, I suggested that you use the Novespawn for inspiration, not as a template. If you need a space-enemy at a certain tier, build a ship at that tier, call it an Aboleth, and give it an interesting ability, perhaps a radiation beam that has a critical effect on the power core and a piloting DC to avoid, for example.
The Aboleth, assuming it has a projectile attack, could use some form of Graser attack, which has a radiation quality, but is a heavy weapon not meant for smaller ships. You could house rule a lighter one, though.
I'm thinking that he wants a lower tier ship because the party's ship may be under leveled, thus making a tier 5 ship too powerful.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/aberrations/aboleth/
No projectile attack per say. It's slime and mucus cloud abilities are basically AOE, and spell like abilities. 4x tentacles, basically a melee only creature.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/aberrations/aboleth/
No projectile attack per say. It's slime and mucus cloud abilities are basically AOE, and spell like abilities. 4x tentacles, basically a melee only creature.
No, I meant to say if he's giving the Aboleth a ranged attack, not if it has one in general, sorry.
Even if it doesn't have one in Pathfinder, you could still give it one and it'll be okay. Like the Oma, in Pathfinder it didn't have a projectile but in Starfinder it does :D
My problem is making Aboleth like the Oma, not a Novaspawn. The Oma has both monster and ship stats, Novaspawn while a biological ship only has ship stats. I still want to engage in melee because well.
https://youtu.be/2abtTgAPnsU
My little shoutout to a very famous steampunk work.
If that's what you want it to do, then you need to make 2 statblocks for it. While the two may seem mildly unrelated to each other, a creature in space must use a starship statblock to fight ships in space. Likewise a planetary monster must use a normal statblock to fight on "ground."
If I were to make a novaspawn that you fight on ground, I would make it a colossal aberration with a number of tentacle attacks, fire based AOEs (lines) and targeted projectile attacks. I don't know what they necessarily would make its CR.
Sorry, I kept saying "he" because I thought I was talking to someone else and not you, the OP, lol.
I can copy paste the traditional stats for ground just reverse the ACs for EAC and KAC. I think the problem I'm having is wording. Considering Oma (and leviathans from farscape) can be piloted and crewed; and novaspawn can be boarded (piloting might be questionable). I'm having a hard time with the wording here mainly because I don't intend of aboleth being boarded or piloted. It's meant to be a creature only, no boarding actions, no way to retroactively converted to a ship post mortem or wrangled/convinced to be a crew's ship. I envisioned it to be the monsters on the hand drawn maps like our historical maps or the void maps of 40K.
In the statblock of the Novaspawn it says that it has no crew (it performs all necessary actions itself) and it lists its expansion bays as "none." With that being the case, you're not boarding this monster.
Oma is a special case, since it has lore of it being crewed and piloted in the monster's description. It does say it has expansion bays to allow this, and it has the potential for starship weapons to be mounted on it.
One thing that mildly annoyed me is that they gave only the frame for an Oma and not an actual statblock for an Oma if encountered in space, considering its description. They probably should have gave both.
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I decided to throw together some stats for an Aboleth in space. I decided to give it "eye beams" as a form of attack, though not actually referred to as such in the statblock.
Note that the "Light Graser" isn't an actual weapon but I made it up. It's basically like a heavy graser except the radiation quality is a step lower and the range is still short. I wanted to give the aboleth a radiation based attack, as noted in your OP.
LE Tiny starship aberration
Speed 6; Maneuverability perfect (turn 0)
AC 16; TL 16
HP 30; DT n/a; CT 6
Shields Basic 40 (forward 10, port 10, starboard 10, aft 10)
Attack (Forward) light graser +6 (3d6), tentacles +6 (1d8)
Attack (Turret) gyrolaser +6 (1d8)
Offensive Abilities illusionary magic, tentacles
skills Computers +14, Engineering +12, Piloting +15
Power Core(s) Aboleth Heart(100 PCU); Drift Engine None;
Systems basic long-range sensors, mk 4 armor, mk 4 defences,
mk 2 duonode computer (tier 1), Expansion Bays none
Modifiers +2 any two checks per round, +2 Computers, +3 Piloting
Other abilities aboleth starship, starflight
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Aboleth Starship (Su)
Certain aboleths that have the ability to survive in the void of space use starship statistics when encountered in space. It has no crew, though it can still take engineer, gunner, pilot, and science officer actions using the skill bonuses listed above. Assume it has 2 ranks in the Computers, Engineering, and Piloting skills and a base attack bonus of +2.
Illusionary Magic (Su)
The aboleth uses its potent illusionary magic to fool onlookers of its actual position. The aboleth can spend 1 resolve point to move 1 hex and gain +4 to its AC against a single ship's attacks. It can choose to use this ability after the result of any attack roll against the aboleth is revealed.
Tentacles (Ex)
The long tentacles that flow from an aboleth's forward arc are strong enough to make tentacle attacks. An Aboleth can only make tentacle attacks against tiny starships that is in a hex adjacent to the aboleth and in its forward arc.
Few Aboleths have taken it upon themselves to use their magical capabilities to traverse the void of space. Their tentacles and eye beams allow them to cut through the hulls of smaller starships. Their magic helps shield themselves from harm, and their high intellect essentially functions as a powerful computer
.
I should have mentioned that I would like people, if they care enough, to mention if there is anything they don't like about my creation above. The wording can be better, of course, but that was something I threw together really quick.
Sure I could have used some sort of google document for it, but I'm only doing that if I decide to make a bunch of "creature starships."
Some ideas I had in mind was a capital ship mimic, space dragons, and possibly other conversions from Pathfinder. The intent is to make a bunch of creatures that not only have starship statistics but also having "ground" statistics, as well.
Me personally I try my best to figure out divergent evolution. Though wishing I haven't sold my copy of d20 Future, it had the conversion for void born creatures. Ironically it's prime example was a void troll (the most adaptable creature and the laziest for a write up). Rereading the book, you missed out on dominate monster.
I don't think dominate monster is really a thing in Starfinder since I can't seem to find it. Sure, upon direct conversion it should have it, but I left it out because I don't think they would give it that if it were in print.
Dominate monster seems especially powerful in Starfinder, honestly.
That's an awesome ship Aboleth Sauce987654321!
That's an awesome ship Aboleth Sauce987654321!
Thanks!
I started working on Aboleth (the standard critter) conversion. The Dominate Monster missing is kind of annoying in many ways, BUT I have so far decided that Aboleth will have resolve points and for spending a resolve point the Dominate Person can act on any creature with a mind (so mindless constructs, oozes, etc, won't be effected). And giving them the whole Holographic Image 1-6 as well.
Their physical stats are above what would be expected for a CR 7 creature as are their mental stats. I'm not sure if they should have a CR boost or not.