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Votes for which ship?
I'm indifferent as to which ship we bring. But my preference is the Drake if Ratatat is piloting and the Pegasus if someone else is piloting.
My thinking is that the Drake has no port or starboard weapons. I'm thinking with Ratatat's piloting skill, we may be able to win initiative more often and can bring the Drake's fore or aft to face the enemy more often. But with lower piloting scores, we may or may not be able to win initiative as much, in which case having port and starboard weapons available will be handy whether we win or lose initiative.
Just my opinion... I'm okay either way.
Starship skills
I'm not entirely sure if the skills for everyone listed above are correct. I've transcribed/deduced these from everyone's character sheets so please correct me if I have anything listed incorrectly.
Here are my couple of suggested set ups. Spanner is the only one with computer skills but on rounds where science isn't needed, Spanner can take an engineering action instead?
Pilot: Harrowed Jack +8
Science: Spanner +10
Engineer: Dariox +6
Captain: Xochitl +7 Diplomacy
Guns: THE Umbral Dawn +8
Guns: Ratatat +9
Pilot: Ratatat +12
Science: Spanner +10
Engineer: Harrowed Jack +8
Captain: Dariox +8 Diplomacy
Guns: THE Umbral Dawn +8
Guns: Xochitl +4
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Good work analyzing everyone's skills and coming up with a good set up. It looks like you also assigned nodes...I think the second set up is good. I do tend to think the Drake is better...I think I've only seen one or two scenarios where the Pegasus's better computer systems and less aggressive appearance are even factored in.
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Barring anything being called as as specifically useful, I'm looking at slotting the following...
Ally: Honorbound Allies (Honorbound, Captain Yuluzak)
Faction: Champion Second Seekers (Luwazi Elsebo)
Personal: Scoured Stars Survivor (Reduce RP to stabilize by 1. When used gain 1d6 HP per 2 character levels)
Promotional:
Social: Honorary Spider (+1 Intimidate)
Starship:
Slotless: Society Shepherd
I have options for the starship. Any preference? I'm thinking engines maybe?
--Finest Computers: You can improve the computers onboard your starship by one step; from a mononode to a duonode, or from a duonode to a trinode. Alternatively, you can upgrade the computer's bonus by 1 while this boon is slotted (to a maximum of +8)
--Finest Engines: You can increase the speed of your th5rusters by one step. For example, T6 thrusters become T8 thrusters. You cannot use this boon to upgrade beyond the fastest thrusters commonly available for your size of starship (so you cannot upgrade past T14, S12, M12, L10, H10, G8, or C8 Thrusters.)
--Finest Weapons: Each of the weapons on your starship is the best available in the Starfinder Fleet. When you roll damage, you can reroll any damage dice with a result of 1 on the die; you must keep the second result.
--Rugged Hull: Increase Critical Threshold by 1
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Good work analyzing everyone's skills and coming up with a good set up. It looks like you also assigned nodes...I think the second set up is good. I do tend to think the Drake is better...I think I've only seen one or two scenarios where the Pegasus's better computer systems and less aggressive appearance are even factored in.
Ah okay, so your OOC vote is actually for the Drake. I'm happy to go with that as well.
Nope, I haven't assigned the nodes yet. We get three to assign and unless anyone objects, I'd suggest they go to piloting and the two gunners, giving us:
Pilot: Ratatat +13
Science: Spanner +10
Engineer: Harrowed Jack +8
Captain: Dariox +8 Diplomacy
Guns: THE Umbral Dawn +9
Guns: Xochitl +5
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Xo, if I understand it correctly, finest engines will provide 2 speed but maneuverability stays the same, right? If so, then my vote is for finest weapons.
Looks like you are correct there and no additional piloting boost either. I'm inclined to agree with you as the Drake already as a trinode as well.
The Pegasus could go computer for a trinode, or 12 speed with a -1 modifier...
That in mind, I'm going to 100% concur with Ratatat for Drake with Weapons. Everytime I look into the starship stuff...I learn something new. :-P
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Sorry, I was waiting to see what Tier you were in.
I added Slides 6 & 7 with the Tier 4 Drake & Pegasus.
The Pegasus can advance 10 hexes per move action.
It can swivel 1 side of a hex for each hex it moves "forward" (the 1 turn).
The Drake advances 8 hexes per move action.
It needs to move "forward" 2 hexes before swivelling 1 side of a hex (2 turn).
Unless I am mistaken in my analysis...
re. Boons
With access to a starship, the PCs should be encouraged to slot any starship boons they may have, but there are no specific boons relevant to this scenario.
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I think the maneuverability is one step worse for the Drake also...so two moves between turns. Also, unless I'm missing something, without the nodes my gunnery should only be +7.
Ah yes. I must've miscounted somewhere. With the nodes then:
Pilot: Ratatat +13
Science: Spanner +10
Engineer: Harrowed Jack +8
Captain: Dariox +8 Diplomacy
Guns: THE Umbral Dawn +8
Guns: Xochitl +5
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Ah yes. I must've miscounted somewhere. With the nodes then:Pilot: Ratatat +13
Science: Spanner +10
Engineer: Harrowed Jack +8
Captain: Dariox +8 Diplomacy
Guns: THE Umbral Dawn +8
Guns: Xochitl +5
Unfortunately, "Jack" is not trained in Engineering or Computers. Given the skills of the other crew, looks like he best serves as cargo. ; )
He can Pilot, though not as well as others and he can fire a gun, though not as well as others.
As Captain, he can Demand and Taunt fairly well, but is not at all inspiring.
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Did you mean something like:
Pilot: Ratatat +12
Science: Spanner +10
Engineer: Dariox +6
Captain: Xochitl +10 Diplomacy
Guns: THE Umbral Dawn +8
Guns: Harrowed Jack +4
Yup, looks good! And when we start taking damage, Spanner can double up with Dariox in engineering.
Pilot: Ratatat +12 (+13 with node)
Science: Spanner +10
Engineer: Dariox +6
Captain: Xochitl +10 Diplomacy
Guns: THE Umbral Dawn +7 (+8 with node)
Guns: Harrowed Jack +4 (+5 with node)
And if Xo consistently encourages Jack, then Jack will be shooting with a total of +7 total, which is not too shabby!
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As a player (not speaking at all as a DM, so no hints or spoilers here) I always vote for the Pegasus, or any faster more manoeuvrable vessel, since my feeling is that it is more important to be able to position oneself than anything else (the Pegasus also has a bigger bonus to Piloting for init').
So it was interesting and instructive to see your reasons for the Drake.
And, of course, we'll see how the fight goes )))
Victory to the Starfinders!
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No problem at all for pointing that out!
When I read the page you indicated, it rang a bell, and I think I used it the very first time I played - adding the piloting rank to AC (but maybe not...), but I know I forgot about it for sure, and never saw it used since! (((
So I'll amend you ACs.
On the other hand, re. the enemy ship, the problem is that SFS was super clear in that you cannot analyze stats in scenarios and reconstruct bonuses and stuff.
My personal feeling is that since PFS was super bad w. their scenarios and had mistakes everywhere, they took the lazy route now, stating you cannot retro-engineer things, thus mistakes are now creative writing!
To make things easier for the PCs, erring on your side, I'll not add Odrakor's ranks.
I changed your AC/TL, adding your 3 (ranks) and removed the damage to the shields.
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I would like to take GM fiat, and change the rules re. init', because of ramming.
If you (Starfinders) win the init', then you might be rammed, since the enemy moves first (and can maybe move and ram you).
If you (Starfinders) lose the init', then you move first, and get away from the enemy ship, even if their intent was to ram you, thus giving you an advantage.
It seems to go against the intent of the init' rules.
So, if you are okay, I think I'd do the following rule for this combat:
Lowest init' must state intended move (for example: enemy has lower init', they state they will try to ram)
Highest init': can decide if they let enemy move first, or if they move first
Not sure ramming is so good (only 1 attack) that it is worth changing the rules.
It is mainly that it seems strange to win the init', and not be able to avoid being rammed if you'd want to (the lower init' moving first is intended, I imagine, to benefit the higher init', since all other combat is ranged).
Any thoughts?
(I am doing this to give you a helping hand, which I find logical, so no problem junking this idea if not good for you)
NOTE: Ratatat has the initiative in round 4
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I'm fine with the rule adjustment and I totally understand the logic behind it - it gives us a bit more flexibility. In order to keep our weapons trained on their ship though, I'm not sure how often we'll exercise the option but we'll see! Thank you!!
Now if only there were some way to improve our rolls....
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I think you might be unnecessarily complicating the ramming prow by having it attack during the PILOTING phase. If you treat the ram like any other gun and make the attacks during the GUNNERY phase, which is at the end of the round, then it makes a lot more sense. It will only be able to use this attack when it beats the players at the PILOTING check so that they have to move first, and then manages to catch up with them.
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The thing is that it not described like that, as I posted in the info' you got.
Repeated here:
If a ship with a ramming prow ends it movement adjacent to an enemy ship in its forward arc, or if an enemy ship enters its space on the forward side, the Susumu’s Sword can ram that ship.
So not about positions at end of movement phase.
It seems it can even ram a ship that passes by with a successful FlyBy attack (which "only" negates the free attack) if the entry was via forward.|
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You're the GM, so its up to you to adjudicate it how you'd like. My opinion is that you're taking the 'ends its movement adjacent' line too literally. Honestly, the writing could be a little clearer, but my interpretation would be that this would be after everyone moved. Since the Gunnery phase happens after the piloting turn, this would make the ram operate very similar to weapons. Interpreting it this way means that it is making an attack in the middle of the Piloting phase, which is a big departure from how the normal rules work.
If you treat it as close to a normal weapon as possible and just have it go off during the Gunnery phase, then it seems to work as intended and actually gives the players a decent chance to out-maneuver them.
I usually try to go for rule decisions that stay as close to the core rules as possible. Even if you don't think its written this way, it seems like a smaller deviation than completely changing how initiative works to accommodate it. But you're the GM, I won't argue it anymore.
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No problem at all re. you having picked up gear you didn't say you did.
I find it's always wonky in PbP (either one guy RPs grabbing everything - and then sharing - or else no one takes anything 'cause they wait for others who might need the stuff more).
So:
Spanner has the pistol Ratatat mentioned.
If any want other things from previous loot, go ahead.
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"Jack", that "Active conditions: flat-footed (-2 AC)" you have up beside your avatar, that's just something left over (your necrografts don't make you perma-flat foot do they?).
Correct. It is an uncorrected remnant from an earlier game. I have now corrected it.
The necrografts don't make him perma-flat foot, but they do tend to make him over confident!