Castamir's Flaxseed Station

Game Master Chris Marsh

Hi, everyone. I know the site is a bit finicky and likely to give random messages about site maintenance right now. If this happens to you, try refreshing the page, a few times if needed, and you should find that it does work out.

Question for GMs out there. Do you have one PBP event code that you use for all your games? Or do you set up a new event code for each game?

Question for GMs out there. Do you have one PBP event code that you use for all your games? Or do you set up a new event code for each game?

I do, though my modus operandi is changing with the new handling for the online region. I still curate a fair number of games, so I have "my PbP" for those, and the online region one for public games.

I created an event in 2016, for my first GMed game, and have never changed since.
I report tabletop, convention (unless they want me to use their event number), and online games with that one number.

I generally report all underneath the same code unless it is dealing with some sort of con or the now upcoming OSP.

Was one code, now with OSP I will have to change.

One Code to rule them all,
One Code to find them,
One Code to bring them all,
And in Zo's gameshow bind them!

The Pact World's most popular vid host adjusts his bow tie. "Sorry. Couldn't resist this dramatic moment." His jaw leers forward in a grin, before he exits stage left.

Star Daddy Thursty is seeking feedback on the SFS guide. If you have opinions on it, please take time to respond to the thread with your thoughts.

Hmm

Howdy all! A question:

As part of the latest Humble Bundle, I now have found myself in possession of the Starfinder rulebook. While my interest in aliens with lasers isn't amazingly high, my interest in fighter pilot antics is off the charts.

That in mind, I've been considering signing up for SFS (although if I understand correctly, it enforces single-craft-for-the-whole-party style space combat). While this doesn't let me pull kulbits in a nice, sleek Interceptor, I still wouldn't mind making a character whose focus is Piloting (Skill Focus and the whole shebang) and all things related to it.

Problem is, I'm not certain how saturated that market is. Am I the 49857347437th person who would have a character like this (and therefore there would be a lot of competition for the pilot's chair), or would my character's ability to outmaneuver any incoming fire be a welcome blessing?

Yes...and no. SFS makes it easy for someone to excel in multiple roles, so there is usually always a decent pilot in any given group. However, there are many other roles to play, so it's not like every group will have 3 pilots. In the last few tables I have run, there has been a pilot in each group, but only 1 had more than one in it.

Also, usually there is a little "okay who's playing what role" discussion before you embark, and you'll have the chance to make your pitch why you should be the pilot. Typically, "I have the highest bonus" is a good argument :)

The real concern for you should be more along the lines of "what do I do if I'm not in the pilot's chair?" There is relatively little space combat in SFS, and it's usually no more than 1/3 of any given scenario. So if the piloting is all you are interested in, perhaps there in another angle in the roleplaying or out-of-combat aspects that might entice you. Otherwise, I feel you may be disappointed with the little piloting you get to do, and your teammates will suffer from the out-of-work, half-drunk pilot that shuffles with them from NPC to NPC, trying to impress everyone they meet with stories of the halcyon days when pilots really meant something to the galaxy, you know?

If you are talking about characters playing here, on the Paizo PbP boards, you will mostly be playing with 5 other people, so it should not be a problem.
Personally, I've often seen a couple characters with good ranks in piloting in a team, but never two who went all out into that.
So I do not think you'd not be able to pilot.
Also, most have at least a couple skills they are okay in, for Space Combat, so can take another position.
Be sure to go for games with the Starship Combat tag (just ask if it has it).
You can look for campaigns too, in which you can co-create your own starship.
Have fun!
Fly safe...

I appreciate the response! Thorough!

Naturally, I'd be angling primarily for scenarios with a little starship symbol on 'em, but outside of that 1/3 or so, I'll make sure that I have some use, even if it's primarily "skill monkey" (since I've been eyeing the Operative class).

That said, I'm not going to pretend my character won't be waxing poetic about how it's really a shame that computers have taken half the fun out of carefully maneuvering behind an enemy pilot and watching their engines light up with impact from twin-mounted flakkers.

I'll probably be putting in an ace pilot in the near...-ish future then.

The good news is that all great pilots also make great gunners, so you'll always have something to do. My advice is to build for the whole game. There are a lot of interesting operative specialties, and I've had fun building three of them.

★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★

This one is ♫ Na nana na nana Bat Elf! ♫ a detective icon crime fighter. My back story for Bat Elf is that she's an elf that went insane after losing her childhood to the Gap, and had a complete personality breakdown before she reenvisioned herself as Bat Elf. She's a released mental patient with her own crime fighting show and is followed around by Alfred, her android butler / cameraman / home health care aide.

I like Bat Elf because her crime fighting focus really fits in well with most Starfinder scenarios, and having key skills of culture and sense motive has been pretty useful. Plus I get to pull out all sorts of great bat gear! Yes, she pilots. But she also does lots of other things too.

"Miss Apastron, er, Bat Elf's therapy is coming along nicely!" Alfred nods with approval. "Come back tomorrow for another exciting adventure."

"Same Bat Time! Same Bat Channel!" Then Bat Elf shoots her grappler, and swings out of sight.

This one is ♫ Na nana na nana Bat Elf! ♫ .

The Ysoki hands over his card.

"Roquefort Camembert - Psychic Detective"

Came to Discussion to find a conversation about making the Junkyard Race easier to run in PbP...

Found a conversation about piloting, Bat Elf, and Cheese Rat Private Eye...

I love my PbP community! XD

Came to Discussion to find a conversation about making the Junkyard Race easier to run in PbP...

Found a conversation about piloting, Bat Elf, and Cheese Rat Private Eye...

I love my PbP community! XD

Agreed! As for your question...I shamelessly stole something from the GM that ran it for me a while back...

(Link) This map really helped us

As for the GM to give credit...sorry but I'm forgetting who the genius was at this time...

Edit: GM Fuzzfoot was who I stole it from.

... the out-of-work, half-drunk pilot that shuffles with them from NPC to NPC, trying to impress everyone they meet with stories of the halcyon days when pilots really meant something to the galaxy, you know?

Hey now, be nice. I resemble that remark!

"Whee! Another Pilot!" squeeks Gunnz.

"Of course, I really enjoy firing the big guns too. But lets face it, there is nothing quite like pulling max thrust as you corkscrew though a flight of incoming missiles to really Make You Feel Alive."

She pauses for a moments thought.

"Apart from a really good Strawberry Machine Cake Concert. Not that there are any bad ones."

"Pyksi Syfer, pilot of Mo. BS-1, reporting for duty."

I whipped this up faster than I thought I would! Her acrobatics turned out to be even crazier than I imagined. I'm eager to give this a try, so I'll be keeping an eye out for any recruitment posts with a starship on 'em... or anything that has a vehicle at all, really.

"Pyksi Syfer, pilot of Mo. BS-1, reporting for duty."

I whipped this up faster than I thought I would! Her acrobatics turned out to be even crazier than I imagined. I'm eager to give this a try, so I'll be keeping an eye out for any recruitment posts with a starship on 'em... or anything that has a vehicle at all, really.

'Welcome to the crew!' echoes in your head. 'While I personally have a hard enough time opening the airlock, it's quite nice to have such a friendly pilot along!'

Heaps of spots on for the pbp con coming up.

Otherwise I’ll probably open up a session or two but it looked like there was No demand at the moment with all those games running.

I have a backlog of scenarios to run.

"Pyksi Syfer, pilot of Mo. BS-1, reporting for duty."

I whipped this up faster than I thought I would! Her acrobatics turned out to be even crazier than I imagined. I'm eager to give this a try, so I'll be keeping an eye out for any recruitment posts with a starship on 'em... or anything that has a vehicle at all, really.

OUTPOST II SIGNUPS

"Oh, a new pilot?" Charli claps. "Great, follow the sign, and signup for a ship berth!"

As Shifty said, there's some space -- both literal and figurative -- left in Outpost convention, starting in March!

”It is an honor to meet all of you. By your leave.” She offers a short bow, then steps off to the registration console.

I had COMPLETELY forgotten about OutPost, since I wasn’t signing up for my Pathfinder characters this time. Thanks!

If anyone is looking for Junkrace maps, you are free to use MINE. Each "cell" in the track is 25'.

Have the Starfinder scenarios started dropping yet for Outpost?

Hmm

Have the Starfinder scenarios started dropping yet for Outpost?

Hmm

I thought the start date was March 11?

Not for me.

GM Hmm wrote:

Have the Starfinder scenarios started dropping yet for Outpost?

Hmm

I thought the start date was March 11?

It is Bilgrin. Hmm meant for the scenario support drops for the GM's. Paizo sends the scenarios during the conventions to the GM's running them so they have time to prepare. :)

I haven't received my support yet for 1-12.

Nope, not yet received.

I just got mine approximately an hour ago.

Mine has now dropped as well!

Just to add to what others are already confirming; my Outpost II scenario's have also arrived in my downloads.

Oh thank goodness.

Glad to hear it, folks.

Hmm

DM Bigrin wrote:

GM Hmm wrote:

Have the Starfinder scenarios started dropping yet for Outpost?

Hmm

I thought the start date was March 11?

It is Bilgrin. Hmm meant for the scenario support drops for the GM's. Paizo sends the scenarios during the conventions to the GM's running them so they have time to prepare. :)

Ooops. My newbishness at GMing for these things is showing :)

And mine too arrived last night.

Same, got mine overnight. Looks like we get a solid week for prep work. Could be worse!

Hey
trying to make a Tiefling character, not finding it
could I get some help?

Hey

trying to make a Tiefling character, not finding it
could I get some help?

ok, so I don't think they have converted tieflings just yet.

so, I ask you all
help me find some converted Tiefling character race base stats, or help me find conversion rules so that I can convert the tiefling race to Starfinder. or at the very least help me find an alternative to tieflings, at least stat wise, and racial order wise if possible.

Tieflings are found on pages 98-99 of Alien Archive 2. They are not available in SFS without a boon.

Alternatively, you can also find the rules for building tieflings (and aasimars) on Archives of Nethys.

Here

As Redelia said, though, you would need a boon to play either of those races for SFS.

Are you GMing SFS for Outpost II? The Online Region's convention boon this year is either Dragonkin or Planar Scion (aasimar or tiefling.) We will have the same boon as a GM reward for PBP Gameday VIII in the fall.

Hmm

no, just a player.

and as for the boon needed
what is this boon?

In Paizo's organized play programs, special boons are awarded that grant access for players to create characters of a race usually not allowed by the organized play rules. In SFS, these are frequently titled something like (Special Race X) Admittance. As HMM mentioned, this year, Paizo is giving out a boon to play as a Dragonkin or a Planar Scion to individuals who GM games at online conventions like the Outpost II convention beginning next week or the Gameday VIII convention happening in the fall. As far as I know, the only way you can gain one of these boons would be to GM at one of these conventions, or possibly for someone to trade one to you.

Hope that's helpful!

yes and no
IDK anyone that would have one
and I do have a 701 boon though if anyone wants it XD.

...

so if I can't play a Planar Scion
what is the closest thing to play to a tiefling allowed by SFS?

What about the Tiefling appeals to you? Tell me about what you want, and maybe we can help you capture the flavor. The races that are always available are currently core + legacy, but there are a plethora of themes that can evoke dark pasts.

Your 701 boon is not tradeable, alas. Everyone is allowed the welcome to starfinder boon for their first character.

Here's hoping we can find you something you want to play!
Hmm

Are you GMing SFS for Outpost II? The Online Region's convention boon this year is either Dragonkin or Planar Scion (aasimar or tiefling.) We will have the same boon as a GM reward for PBP Gameday VIII in the fall.

Hmm

Dragonkin? The fates are really conspiring to make me run a game...

Would I just have to run one during Gameday for the boon or would I have to run multiples?

Or play a wannabe Tiefling?
Some character with nice Charisma, and a good disguise skill, that tries to pass as Tiefling?