I believe one more speed boost puts you at 75' (started at 40, 7 increases = 35; 1 from Gardam, 1 from Funfreemy, 2 from Jelly, 1 from Morvruul, 2 from Nikon. This seems like a good speed though. You're pretty sure that because of gearing and track layout, this is a bit of a breakpoint :)
A booming robot voice comes on the air. "Attention Racers! Please get to your places in the grid! The race will be starting in 5 minutes!" You hear the crowd cheering.
Laboni looks nervous "Guys, this is it... Do you think we have a chance?"
After you've set up the car on the grid, you move back to the pit crew area, you are able to connect the vid-game controls Laboni brought to the remote control unit.
Who is piloting? Who is taking which guns? Any particular strategy to how you're shooting in case we want to bot parts of it?
The grid lights flash green. The vehicles revving on the start line turns to whirring of gearboxes as the racers start. Electric shock and nets fill the air as the racers unload their weapons upon each other. A jolt shakes your screen as Ratrod's racer hits you with an energy blast -4 to piloting this turn.
Female Dwarf Mechanic 1 | SP 7/7, HP 12/12, RP 3/3 | EAC 14, KAC 16 | Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1 | Speed 20, Init +1 | Perc +5, SM +1 | Conditions: None
In general, my inclination is to shoot whoever is in the lead, excluding us. Unless it's Ratrod, in which case only hit him with the KAC gun and shoot second place with the EAC guns to avoid his boost.
I'd also be cool with spreading out our fire, like if we tried to shoot the front three racers.
For turn one, I think KAC weapon on Ratrod and one weapon on Nyizin and Orsis, since Lemgem might be doing something dumb because of Morvruul and Velocity is slower.
Morvruul would focus all his fire on Nyizin if he had the chance, at least until she is out of the race, so I suppose he would be the least disruptive as pilot.
@ GM Berggen - Are PCs allowed to Aid Another on Piloting (I have seen quite a bit of table variation)?
I believe you have two energy weapons and a kinetic weapon.
Aid another on piloting seems fine if the character is otherwise not doing anything. We'll consider it them standing behind the pilot and shouting. I'll be rolling piloting checks automatically to keep things moving.
Female Dwarf Mechanic 1 | SP 7/7, HP 12/12, RP 3/3 | EAC 14, KAC 16 | Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1 | Speed 20, Init +1 | Perc +5, SM +1 | Conditions: None
Jelly finds a perch on the junk piles to get a better view of the racetrack.
Aid Another Piloting:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14
She sees a particularly gnarly pothole right in the path of the Starfinder junkracer. "Hey Morvruul," she shouts, "avoid that big hole in the ground. Doesn't look like it'll be good for our acceleration."
Edit: I would let Gardam shoot multiple guns at the full attack penalty, so you'd be better off spreading the guns around.
I'll handle the piloting checks automatically.
Gardam finds his mark, hitting Lemgem. The electric blast must have shorted something out, because black smoke starts pouring out of her car.
Nikon grabs a controller, aiming the wrench cannon at Ratrod. A solid hit! Ratrod pulls the wrench out of the air inlet before he's able to get moving.
Funfreemy jumps on the other controller, firing wide at Orsis, but Orsis swerves out of the way and straight into Nyizin.
Morvruul meanwhile deflty weaves through potholes, and you can hear a shriek from Laboni through the headset.
Positions:
1st: Laboni - 750 ft
2nd: Velocity - 450 ft
3rd: Ratrod - 275 ft
4th: Nyizin - 0 ft
4th: Orsis - 0 ft
5th: Lemgem - BROKEN
Female Dwarf Mechanic 1 | SP 7/7, HP 12/12, RP 3/3 | EAC 14, KAC 16 | Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1 | Speed 20, Init +1 | Perc +5, SM +1 | Conditions: None
Jelly whoops from her perch when she sees Laboni pull out ahead, but when I assume she sees the other racers power up their weapons, she hollers, "Morvruul, we're gonna have to do some fancy maneuvering to mitigate any incoming attack. Serpentine patterns!"
Aid Another Piloting:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
I wonder if there are snakes where Morvruul comes from, Jelly thinks to herself, otherwise my advice might not make much sense.
"Fear not, Jelly." replies Morvruul. "I have things well in hand. And with a few to spare." The witchwyrd holds up his other arms, wiggling his fingers.
The air fills with another volley of fire. Funfreemy and Gardam shoot at velocity, but the android dodges and slides forward relentlessly. Nikon takes a shot at Ratrod, but the wrench cannon falls short.
Ratrod fires at Laboni but Velocity is making it hard for him to line up a shot.
Nyizin fires her electric blaster at you and her net cannon at Ratrod. Morvruul casually avoids the electric blasts and slams full throttle. Ratrod is slowed down by the net before his net-cutter comes online and chops it off.
Nyizin and Orsis move out of their collision, Orsis hard on the gas, Nyizin trailing behind.
Positions:
1st: Laboni - 1500 ft (+750)
2nd: Velocity - 900 ft (+450)
3rd: Ratrod - 550 ft (+275)
4th: Orsis - 500 ft (+500)
5th: Nyizin - 250 ft (+250)
Laboni's racer is blasting into the lead when it is pelted by fire from opponents. A blast from Ratrod's Magnet Gun, and Orsis's Mega Heat Lamp, and Velocity's Radio Blaster all rock Laboni's racer. The connection to the remote controls briefly drops. When the screen comes back online, Laboni's racer is stuck in a pile of junk.
Funfreemy's Electric blast finds its mark on Orsis, but Orsis seems to power through the blast.
Nyizin takes a turn a little wide lining up her shot on you and falls further behind.
All the other racers seem to have found their momentum and are gaining hard.
Positions:
1st: Laboni - 1500 ft (+0)
2nd: Velocity - 1350 ft (+450)
3rd: Ratrod - 1100 ft (+550)
4th: Orsis - 1000 ft (+500)
5th: Nyizin - 500 ft (+250)
Laboni and Velocity are in the lead, and take the brunt of all fire because of it.
Gardam and Jelly both fire the the Electric Blasters at Velocity, striking them squarely. Nyizin's Electric Blaster hits as well, Velocity's machine quietly stalls out for a moment before being rebooted.
Ratrod's Magnet Gun sticks another magnet on the back of your machine, but the EM shield is holding. Orsis's Mega Heat Lamp is too far away to affect your machine and Velocity's Radio Blaster bounces harmlessly off of a nearby junk pile. Morvruul punches it out of the junk pile, pulling away from the other racers.
Nyizin, Orsis, and Ratrod are all full speed in pursuit behind you.
Positions:
1st: Laboni - 2250 ft (+750)
2nd: Ratrod - 1650 ft (+550)
3rd: Orsis - 1500 ft (+500)
4th: Velocity - 1350 ft (+0)
5th: Nyizin - 1000 ft (+500)
The finish line comes into view at 3000 ft, just 750 ft away.
Female Dwarf Mechanic 1 | SP 7/7, HP 12/12, RP 3/3 | EAC 14, KAC 16 | Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1 | Speed 20, Init +1 | Perc +5, SM +1 | Conditions: None
When Jelly sees Laboni so close to the finish line, she's gets so excited she drops the gun remote and runs to the edge of the pit area for a better view. She yells, "One more push like that and we win! Steer true, Morvruul!"
Aid Another Piloting:1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
We have a chance of winning this turn if we make our piloting check, so we could have everyone aid piloting. Even if we don't get it, it'll take the other racers at least 3 turns to win, so we have the wiggle room to try something bold.
Male Kish Soldier 1 | HP: 12/12 SP: 7/7 Res 3/3 | EAC 13 | KAC 14 | Fort +2 Ref +3 Will +4 | Init +3 | Percep +2
Gardam, too, drops the gun remote and stands on the safety barrier. "LEFT! LEEEEEFT!" he yells, trying to aid Morvruul in dodging shots from the other competitors.
The forefront is a dangerous place for Laboni's racer and the hailstorm of fire continues. Orsis's Mega Heat Lamp begins overheating the radiator, and Velocity's Radio Blaster adds some static to the remote control. Nikon, Gardam, and Jelly all shout out helpful instructions, but the static makes it just barely too difficult for Morvruul and Laboni's racer clips a barrel on the edge of the track, slowing down significantly.
Funfreemy breaks the windshield on Ratrod's racer with the wrench cannon, but Ratrod doesn't slow down at all.
Nyizin unexpectedly drifts off course.
Velocity and Orsis are full speed in pursuit behind you.
Positions:
1st: Laboni - 2625 ft (+375)
2nd: Ratrod - 2200 ft (+550)
3rd: Orsis - 2000 ft (+500)
4th: Velocity - 1800 ft (+450)
5th: Nyizin - 1000 ft (+0)
Morvruul nails a perfect line through the finish line. Laboni's racer is the first to cross the line.
The Starfinders can meet Laboni at the winners podium. Before heading onto the podium with the other Starfinders Laboni says "Wow! You guys are amazing! This was so cool!"
Heading up onto the podium, Laboni gets a brief chance to speak. "This was such an amazing experience everyone. I want to thank the Starfinders for supporting me. I also want to thank Ratrod for making such this race such a great event. I'm sorry that I made fun of the junk races. I think all of the racers and pit crews here are incredibly talented. Ratrod, if it's okay with you, I'd love to come back to compete again."
Ratrod climbs up on stage next to Laboni, "Sure thing kid. I look forward to seeing what kinda junk you come up with in the future."
A few minutes after the race ends, you get a message on your communicator from Guidance congratulating you on your completion of your commencement.
You are able to return to the Lorespire Complex and meet with Guidance in person. Guidance appears this time in the form of a older korasha lashunta. "Congratulations on your successful completion of your first official missions as Starfinders. We're very happy to be welcoming new skilled agents such as yourself into the Starfinder Society. We're looking forward to seeing your careers as Starfinders."
