[SFS - PbP Outpost III] 2-00 Fate of the Scoured God - GM bigboom (Inactive)

Game Master bigboom

Welcome everybody! Thank you for joining my table. This game starts March 30. More instructions coming soon!!!

Hi all! Just posting, so I can set up my avatar for this character. (First time doing a play by post with this character.)

Hi Bruf and hello everyone!!

Welcome to Outpost III and to this table of the season 2 SFS special, Fate of the Scoured God!!

Alrighty, in preparation, there are some items that I ask everyone to do:

Selene, thanks for putting up your info in the slides. I've got a question about the link to your character sheet in Google docs. When I try the link, I get an error: "Sorry, the file you have requested does not exist."

Can you double-check the share link? Thank you!!

Everyone else, if you can get yourself signed in on the slides, that would be great! We'll be starting up in approximately 2.5 days!!

At the moment, we've got two players who have not yet dotted in.

Fixed. Reformatted as a URL link.

Awesome! Thank you!!

School Bus Driver day job roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Hello folks, look forward to gaming with you.

Profession Mercenary Day Job: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

So the Virus has made things actually more difficult for me and work. I am an essential employee that has been really screwed over by this. I have never done PBP and I am nervous to start now with my life in upheaval. How hard will this be?

Hiya 2 coppers! I'm so glad to hear from you! And I'm simultaneously also sorry to hear that the virus has hit you so hard.

To be perfectly honest, I'd advise you drop out of the special. This is because the special has a lot going on within a short, fixed time frame. So it takes more commitment than a typical PBP game. This combined with your unfamiliarity of PBP and your current work situation will make it tough going.

If this were a regular scenario, I'd say no worries, I could help bot your character as needed and you could ease in despite the virus craziness. But with a special, I'd conservatively say it's possibly too much.

However, once this special is over, I'd be happy to GM any Starfinder scenario via PBP for you. Both to get you introduced into PBP and as a thank you for all the crazy work you gotta do in these crazy times!

How does that sound?

@2 Coppers, but don't get me wrong! If you'd like to press forward with joining this table, you're most definitely welcome! However, I will need you to finish the above-mentioned prep before April 1.

Everyone else, be aware that this special does not have a 4-player adjustment. But with 2 vesk soldiers, I think you'll be a tough group so I'm not worried about you guys. However, two points to keep in mind:

1) As mentioned, I have listed in the handouts the rules for the use of aid tokens. Assuming we're down to 4 players, I will attempt to request an aid token from the other GMs for every mission this team takes part in. I suggest you review the rules and take advantage of the aid token as much as possible to help offset the lakc of a 4-player adjustment.

2) Starship combat with 4 players is generally sub-optimal. Given a choice of starship versus non-starship missions, you may want to consider the impact of a 4-player team.

Speaking of which, let's talk a bit about starship combat in case it does come up. Can everyone now list out what starship roles your character is suited for? That'll give us some default starship assignments when/if it comes up!

I could always slot "Skitter Pal" as a Starship boon if that'll help.

As for Starship roles, she has +12 Diplomacy so that would be useful for Captain. +17 Mysticism for Mystic Officer (+13 without the library chip), while everything else is around +3.

Sarangari can be a passable Engineer with +9 but is best suited for gunning.

Twich is built for the nerdy stuff.

Well then it sounds like we have a nice blend of skills, cuz Bruf is a surprisingly good pilot (+18) for a bus driver. He's also a good gunner (+12), and if we get desperate I made sure to put a point into Computers (+2) and Engineering (+5) so he can always try aid if we get desperate.

Pilot: Bruf
Engineer/Science: Twich
Gunner: Sarangari
Magic Officer: Selene

Possibly one more if Selene slots the Skitterfriend boon.

Yep - I'll slot that.

Before I forget, as you guys probably noticed I accidentally posted the other day with the wrong avatar (Tiktik the ysoki mechanic). That is my default alias thanks to the Dead Suns pbp I've been playing in for a year or so now. I will try to keep a closer eye on that in the future, but just in case I forget again, Tiktik = Bruf.

I thought that was your little child laborer. Hehe. I'll mark him inactive for this game.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. There's no child labor involved here. If anything, the kids boss around their pushover bus driver and bully him into bringing them on cool missions.

Now if I eventually pick up Field Trainee, then DCFS might get involved...

Everyone, just a reminder to indicate which boons you have slotted in the slides (currently slide #3). I see Selene's and Steelscales' boons on your sheets.

I don't see Bruf's and Twich's but if I'm mistaken, please do point me in the right direction!

Aid Token delivered. Enjoy!

No boosts yet.

Sorry I could have sworn I posted my boons on here already.

Ally - Elite hireling (good ole Tyler)

Starship - Defender of the Fleet: Finest Computers (this will upgrade the ship's computers from mononode to duonode / duonode to trinode / increase bonus by +1) - do we have our ship specs at this point?

Faction - Second Seekers (Luwazi)

Social - Inside Manufacturer: Zeizerer Munitions (GenCon 2018 Boon #7, which lets me slowly upgrade my weapons, currently boosting my Corona Artillery laser with +2 damage and +20% ammo capacity)

Personal - Scoured Stars Survivor (1/day I can reduce the RP cost to stabilize by 1 (min 0) and also immediately gain 1d6 HP/2 levels

Slotless - Welcome to SFS: Elixir of Renewal
Slotless - Starfinder Insignia (basically a concealed tier-1 datapad)
Slotless - Marked Field Agent (society subdermal graft)
Slotless - Copaxi Linguist
Slotless - Morlamaw Linguist
Slotless - Triunite Technotheurgy (reduces fame cost for basic purchase plan boon by 25%)

Plot stuff:
Journey to the Scoured Stars Segments #1, 3, 6, and 8
The Conspiracy Knows You (SFS 1-33 Data Breach)
Tip of the Conspiracy (SFS 1-14 Star Sugar Heartlove)

BTW I am not seeing where it says which style of aid token we have.

I can easily boost the Remote Assistance or Timely Inspiration versions since I have plenty of RPs. Likewise I have an excellent chance of boosting Allied Offensive with my +13 attack bonus.

There's no 'style' of token. When the party uses it, the user decides which specific benefit is received.

I'm not suggesting this party boost the token which gives it away. Rather, I'm suggesting this party use this token - probably allied offensive or first aid.

I was thinking of allied offensive

I apologize for disappearing for several days. On Wednesday morning, I showed up for what was going to be a quick doctor's visit, and it turned into surgery that day (my third surgery in less than a month). My posting may be slow for a few more days as I recover.

boons:
starship: hero of the stars
ally: dream whisperer
personal: scoured stars survivor
faction: dataphiles

Get better soon ...

No worries. Will continue botting you Twich! Take care and recover soon!!

Wow, that’s crazy, Twich! Thanks for letting us know. I really hope you are okay now and healing up well!

Hello all! You now have an Aid Token. It has been boosted for First Aid.

Woah, that was quick! Other GMs are definitely looking out for you guys! Note that when it has been boosted for First Aid, it doesn't mean you have to use it for first aid. You can still use any of the other aid token benefits. However, if you use the first aid benefit, you get the additional boosted benefit.

Thanks for the handy link! That is good to know for society play. And I have already saved the nice Starship role doc to my google drive. Very well consolidated!

I've got those and a few other useful links listed in my actual GM profile in the useful links section. Feel free to grab 'em for yourself!

So, which mission would you guys like to head off to next??

I love Starship combat, so I'd vote for Callion-1. Plus I really don't think we want to risk having to do it when the Jinsul fleet is there.

Callion-1 it is!

Here are the previously mentioned default positions...
Pilot: Bruf
Engineer/Science: Twich
Gunner: Sarangari
Magic Officer: Selene

One more with Selene's Skitterfriend boon. Which skitterfriend will it be?

And shall it be the Drake or Pegasus or an alternate hull that someone has access to?

I generally prefer the Pegasus for its far greater mobility. But if anyone has the Sunrise Maiden from Dead Suns, that'd kick ass. Sadly I have my Dead Suns chronicles on a different character. Either way I will be upgrading the computers with my boon.

AID TOKEN w/Allied Offensive boost!

The dashing pilot ace, Patterson LXII, sees a fellow Starfinder in need and coordinates the attack, bringing his spark knife to bear against the enemy!

I usually vote Pegasus and it ends up being the Drake. Now I was thinking Drake and it looks like it's going to be a Pegasus - but yes, we're in a stern chase so Pegasus makes sense, unless someone has something better.

And it's Ayoka from 2-03 Withering World that's here. (Been tempted to make her as a PC)

Skitter Pal (Starship): Thanks to your efforts, the Starfinder Society managed to befriend the skittermander starship engineer Ayoka and convince her to leave the Cult of the Devourer. When this boon is slotted and there are fewer than six crew members on a starship, Ayoka can take on the engineer crew role on the ship. Her skill bonus in her role is equal your character level + 3. Ayoka is considered to have ranks in the associated skill equal to your character level for determining what actions she can take. Ayoka can perform only skill checks while acting a starship crew member aboard the ship, and she cannot accompany the PCs or aid them in other ways—she’s just too dedicated to fixing the ship!

Sorry I've been slow lately. My job has had a bunch of craziness going on. I'll be quicker to post now I think.

All good and no worries. I'll continue to bot as needed!

A courier ship zips past and drops of a parcel full of things that might be able to aid you in our mission

Aid token, we got it with a boosted knowledge (engineering) which we didn't use and boosted it with remote assistance for starship combat

Hey guys, since we're in the middle of an encounter where a token has already been used, it'll probably be a while before we can use this one. Therefore, I'm thinking it'll be more efficient if the party boosts this token then passes it on. Any objections? And if not, anyone want to give it any specific boost roll here in the discussion thread?

Sounds good to me.

I see no reason why not.

Alrighty, I'll move the token along!

Steelscales attempt to boost for allied offensive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

I think you'll soon be wrapping this mission up, so I'd like to get any feedback on preferences for the next mission!!

Agillae-2 or Agillae-4. Any votes either way? Bear in mind that the jinsul fleet is still at Agillae-4.

Seems like avoiding the fleet is worth it, if possible.

As has been announced, a new mission has been unlocked! That mission is on the current slide #4.

I'll default to Agillae-2 for the next mission unless someone expresses a preference for the new Bastiar-8 mission!

Hmm, I have never played where you don't get to know what critical damage you inflict. I don't doubt you are correct, just used to table play where the players roll for crit effect and obviously get to know the result and strategize from there. Either way it is moot assuming we scan them again this turn. BTW, I have really enjoyed the challenge in this Starship combat. I suspect that most GMs I've had in the past have not understood the tactics involved in it as well as you obviously do. It is usually just chasing each others tails and shooting until someone gets blown up. I am a huge fan of tactical games (X-Com, Battletech, X-wing, Batman Miniature Game, etc.) so this has been super satisfying, and makes me think that we've been "doing it wrong" in the past. I look forward to trying out some of these new strategies at the next game I play. Either way, I should probably mention that I have moved us on the map.

Lastly, @Twich, Selene, and Steelscales, I apologize for being kinda bossy throughout this scene. I really hope I haven't detracted from anyone else's fun. I promise to take more of a backseat and give everybody else a chance to shine after this.

Yah, I've found Starfinder starship combat can be pretty nuanced when the rules are looked at closely. However, it tends to be a lot of things to track during table play which slows things down. So it's easier to keep track of everything in PBP where there is less time pressure. But PBP is a slow medium so PBP starship combat runs the risk of feeling dragged out and repetitive, which is why I try to ensure at least one round finishes per day.

I like the concept of starship combat in RPGs but I think it's hard to balance a good amount of satisfying tactics versus getting too slowed down by the details. However, I've only had experience with two (kinda three) starship combat systems so I'm no expert.

But anyways, I'm glad you've had fun with this starship combat mission!