GM Dinketry and the Dead Suns AP (Inactive)

Game Master dinketry

You guys got to level 2 before us! Congrats!

The word "level" is overused in this game.

If that's all it took to upgrade my character, we'd have just taken the lift to level 20 and cut out a lot of hardship!

Boons.

Let me check my stash and see what I want to use!

Tattoo of the Starfinder would be good right?

That's the one I picked. :)

Just one boon per character (for now).

Boo working the weekend. Getting caught up on my games now.

A boon? Did I miss something? My Welcome to Starfinder boon is on my face-to-face character -701.

If you have a boon, you may apply it now. If you don't, you don't have one and we will weep for you.

Tattoo of the Starfinder would be good right?

Soo, as we're playing in Campaign Mode...

The "Welcome to SFS" boon that has the tattoo on it can only be applied to your -701 character, correct? Also, that is actually a "Slotless Boon."

Of course, we're not playing with those actual characters, so how do you want to account for Boons and their usage?

If Diamaante the character in this adventure was to use the effects of the tattoo, it shouldn't actually cross off the tattoo on her actual -701 character, right?

I intend to apply credit for playing this to my -702 character, so it doesn't seem right that I'd use that particular boon for this game.

With that said, and it may be useless, how about I go with...

Light Plasma Cannon Upgrade (Starship Boon) - Select one light weapon onboard your starship. Replace this weapon with a light plasma cannon. This new weapon must go in the same arc as the replaced weapon. The modifications are somewhat jury-rigged, and as a result, all gunnery checks using this weapon take a -1 penalty.

Ah, cool, no problem.

I recognise this character isn't actually the -701 character that you'll be getting the SFS credit towards (for those of you using this as your -701 SFS character), but I wouldn't want you to be using the 'Welcome to Starfinder Boon' for both this character and another character that you're playing in other SFS games at the same time.

If you have another boon that you'd like to apply, this would be the time to do so. If you don't have another boon and you don't mind using the 'Welcome to Starfinder' boon on this character, then you may do so. If neither of these applies, then neither may be applied.

And you're correct, Jaxom: once Diamaante's -701 sister character is out there in SFS land (after she's earned her SFS credit from the 1st book of this series), then the 'Welcome to Starfinder' boon may be used on that character.

Clear as Ryphorian mud? Good.

gtg!

Am I ok with my Light Plasma Upgrade Boon then, which I have applied to my -702 character?

Yup.

I hope Idar isn't passing up a potential clue here, but I'm assuming 'Mama Fats' is not quite so literal.

Got me, I can't diplomacy my way out of a paper bag so I'm stuck with Culture (which has nothing) and beating some kids up. We'll see!

If we can't find it on our own, I can try to gather information again.

I like how Castrovel is basically Australia in space. Everything wants to kill you!

Even the elves!

Got me, I can't diplomacy my way out of a paper bag so I'm stuck with Culture (which has nothing) and beating some kids up. We'll see!

I suspect there will be more shooting than beating.

Wait. That's worse.

Seeing how usel-...not useful Idar is outside of combat, I'm sort of at a crossroads with him.

Basically, I don't believe the combat build I've chosen is going to be effective enough to justify Idar's non-combat options. Sniper rifles and light armor are sub-optimal choices for a soldier.

I need to make a decision, and before second level so I can rebuild freely.

Option 1) Path tweak.

Change Theme from Outlaw to Mercenary and move on to assault rifles instead of sniper rifles. Shift skill points out of Stealth and Survival.

Option 2) Major rebuild.

Rebuild Idar as a Ghost Operative. Get enough skill points to offset the Int penalty and contribute more outside of combat. Lose some HP and useful weapon proficiencies. Become a worse Gunner unless I invest in Piloting.

Option 1 seems the most straightforward, but I wanted the team's (and GM's) opinion.

I’m not smart enough on Soldiery stuff to make an intelligent suggestion, but as a general rule, expending so many resources to be phenomenal in one aspect of an RPG, will tend to leave one feeling useless in other aspects of it.

I suspect that is what you’re experiencing. Throw down a Skill Synergy Feat, and a couple skill points, and suddenly you’ve got some social skills.

I personally think sniper rifles are less than optimal (for one thing there are so few of them as you level) but I'm sure there's a rules lawyer that can correct me and show they're amamzing.

Either way would work for me, personally I think operatives are amazing especially since I like skill monkeys.

On the other hand it's a lot easier to get power armor on soldiers.

I think it really comes down to how much out of combat utility you want.

I’m not smart enough on Soldiery stuff to make an intelligent suggestion, but as a general rule, expending so many resources to be phenomenal in one aspect of an RPG, will tend to leave one feeling useless in other aspects of it.

That's not quite my problem - If I were all-in on wearing power armor and toting a heavy weapon, then it would make sense to have few out-of-combat options.

It's more like I feel that Idar has all of a soldier's limitations (limited skill points, class benefits all combat-related) while not actually using all of its benefits. The more time I have to look at the soldier chassis, the more I realize it isn't meant for the 'find a nice piece of cover and pick off the bad guys one-by-one' thing I had imagined. It's more 'kick in the door with a spray of bullets' thing. (This hasn't caught up to Idar yet - his equipment is nominal for his level - but it will at higher level.)

To make a Pathfinder analogy, it's like I'm realizing that I've made a Fighter specialized in the Crossbow.

Join me...join me on the dark side.

Could be worse, you could be a Harsk =P

As for sniper rifles... I've read some discussions about fun uses for technomancers shooting their spells through them, but that's the only real excitement I've seen for them.

How about Envoy, with a Soldier dip? Get all of the Soldier feats, and the first level stuff from your fighting style. Say at level 2 you’d be 1/1, and then keep going Envoy. At 4th you get Weapon Spec for Envoy, at 5th take Versatile Specialization, so it applies to all of the Soldier Weapons too.

I’m considering such a build for my -701 character. Heck, I might dip Soldier at 5th for Jaxom, and my Mystic. It’s a powerful dip.

Or Soldier with an Envoy dip? Get Skill Expertise on 2 skills for a 1 level dip, and more class skills.

I think Option 1 fits better with how I have viewed Idar to date. I still think keeping his pariah background is good. I prize roleplaying and character development in my games, so a complete rebuild would be difficult, but ultimately, it is your call.

I was leaning toward Option 1 myself - it's the minimal change, it ensures that Idar can still hit which is as central to my conception of him as anything else, it avoids messing with the party balance (i.e. not leaving Telion alone as a 'frontliner' and not stepping on August's toes.), and it avoids any retroactive gear changes.

So, going forward Idar will be a little more 'overwhelming firepower' and a little bit less 'a single perfect shot'.

I was leaning toward Option 1 myself - it's the minimal change, it ensures that Idar can still hit which is as central to my conception of him as anything else, it avoids messing with the party balance (i.e. not leaving Telion alone as a 'frontliner' and not stepping on August's toes.), and it avoids any retroactive gear changes.

So, going forward Idar will be a little more 'overwhelming firepower' and a little bit less 'a single perfect shot'.

I have updated Idar's character sheet. Changes:

Theme Outlaw Mercenary (Point buy has been adjusted so that stats are unchanged.)
Skills Stealth -> Intimidate
Feat Deadly Aim -> Far shot

I also removed the R2E he gave to that beggar.

Idar, could you send me your updated character sheet to we.be.dunedinpfs@gmail.com? Thanks!

Sent. It is also linked from Idar's profile.

Received!

The note said Mama Fats could help us find safety from whatever killed Kreel. Or at least, from whatever he thought might kill him when he wrote the note.

Should we ask for a safe house?

Oh man. I spent the day assembling furniture and finally sat down to update my games and today's exchange was fantastic. I actually laughed out loud and my wife and roommate requested an explanation.

Sorry if that seemed a little more forceful but August used to be state security so getting jerked around by an underling manning what I, the player, think is a front isn't really in his nature.

I guess we all now know how August likes his eggs prepared.

I will note that rolling for role playing effectiveness is my least favorite thing in RPG's - if you act out a great, menacing speech or a brilliant appeal to decency but you rolled a one that means you failed and if you can say something mealy-mouthed and ineffective but you rolled a 20 you're golden.

But you need mechanics so rolling it is!

I will note that rolling for role playing effectiveness is my least favorite thing in RPG's - if you act out a great, menacing speech or a brilliant appeal to decency but you rolled a one that means you failed and if you can say something mealy-mouthed and ineffective but you rolled a 20 you're golden.

But you need mechanics so rolling it is!

Roll it up big guy!

Don't worry - your hard-boiled speech was super effective. I give loads of bonuses for excellent RP. I'm simply using your Intimidate check roll to determine if the halfling needs new pants or not.

I think that interstellar travel has distinct effects on your body and mind that need some form of a game mechanic to take into account, hence the surreptitious fortitude rolls that I made for you guys. Plus, it's nighttime and you guys have been taking on loads of new information today. You can spend the resolve point to press on through the night, but I think that's another use of the resolve points system that hasn't been explored/explained as of yet - temporary buffering of conditions.

Call it a house rule if you like, but I think that - for certain conditions - you should be able to spend a resolve point to buffer or resolve that condition. Hell, you already get that option for the "dying" condition; why not all of them? I think more severe conditions - think 'nauseated' vs 'sickened' - would require more resolve points to resolve, but I think that that could be discussed.

I also think that there are some conditions that could not be affected by resolve points - like 'prone' - but I think I'm open to discussing it.

Thoughts? Worries? Random insults?

Drift-lag?

Thoughts? Worries? Random insults?

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries!

Er, I mean, that sounds fine to me. I'm okay with either continuing or resting, depending on what the group's majority wants to do.

I think resting is prudent. We have hotel rooms, it has been a long day, everyone probably needs to eat, and the party legitimately has something to wait on, even if they don't know what it is.

They can go to Steel Fletchings or pick a fight with the Downside Kings in the morning.

Sounds fine to me.

As a player, I'm fine with it.

August however desperately wants to rent a dummy hotel room the next time he's on station.

Maybe two dummy hotel rooms.

A reaction cannon sounds like it would be useful against big monsters, but in practice it's only 1 extra damage on average than the hunting rifle Idar already has.

Picking up some grenades or other surprises might be useful, though. Is Idar the only one with Grenade proficiency?

Is Idar the only one with Grenade proficiency?

For now!

What? No waffles for August???

Sometimes he just thinks about them.

So our only real clue lead us to a bodega on level 21, where we placed some kind of order, and then made a halfling crap himself in fear.

While we wait to see if that order ever materializes, we're chasing what is probably a red herring, but hey, at least a lot of people gather at casinos and drink alcohol and maybe we'll luck into overhearing something useful. Heck, maybe all the dwarves in the Armada know each other and Curney himself knew Kreel.

What should we do if nothing materializes by the time we leave the casino?

Visit the Downside Kings and Diplomacy/Intimidate/beat some answers out of them?

Go back to Mama Fats to ask about our order? Or just to beat some answers out of the gang members?

Go buy some weapons, before doing one of the above, so we're better prepared when things go south?

Something else?