[SF Adventure] To Defy the Dragon

Game Master cmlobue

Please fill out the >SLIDES< and >SIGN IN SHEET<

At the moment, there is an error on the RPG Chronicles page and you have to enter your level as 1. Hopefully that will be fixed by the time we finish. The sheet can go to any character of levels 9 - 12.

It can be applied to level 1 characters as well, but with reduced credits.
Also, as promised, he can move about the board freely. There is very little that can keep him from being in the exact square that he wants to be in every round during combat, including fear affects and the like, ie boosted will. Opportunity attacks are only a mild concern for him.
He doesn't have all the intelligence based skill though, but all the ones used for Starship combat.

It can be applied to level 1 characters as well, but with reduced credits.

That is true, but I at least want to apply this to my highest-level character. Worst case, I edit the credits manually before sending them out.

I know shiny new 10th level characters are a lot, so take your time, and feel free to discuss so the team doesn't have any glaring weaknesses. I'll start once everyone is ready.

I also need a bit of information about why you are headed to Genrovis. It's not exactly a tourist planet. Most likely, you are either from there or have been hired/inspired by someone who is. Either way, you know going in that resources are scarce due to a tyrannical leader, and a resistance has been organized, though they mostly focus on smuggling supplies.

You can also decide if you have been working together for a long time and are an experienced crew, or just the ragtag group the resistance managed to cobble together.

While Mordack is good, he is in it for himself just a little bit. Since the tyrants are hoarding resources, this is his chance to get rich and collect things. His plan is to rescue the people, but only give back half the resources that the tyrants are keeping to the people and keep the other half for himself and his team. Mordack knows the others a little, he's adventured with them once or twice. He knows not what they tyrants are keeping, he just hopes they are keeping something valuable and rare, and not something like coal and crops which is very common but a necessary resource for electric power or food.

Ooo. Exciting! Hello, all. therealthom here.

Telirix is an actual SFS character of mine, but he's only second level right now. I'm looking forward to previewing him as an experienced adventurer, and actually applying the chronicle to him when he reaches 9th level.

Tel is an Envoy9/Fighter1. He'll be rocking some powered armor and the heaviest weapon I can afford. Otherwise he's a pretty standard envoy. Good social skills, some tech. Tel is big on communication and teamwork.

I know shiny new 10th level characters are a lot, so take your time, and feel free to discuss so the team doesn't have any glaring weaknesses. I'll start once everyone is ready.

As much as I dislike rushing people, the sooner people get at least a rough draft of the character done, the sooner we can check this. Say everyone gets their characters done today. We can all be given an extra two days or so to look over party weaknesses and do edits. Say once all the characters are done we find that there are 3 untrained skills even with all 4 of us, or not enough healing or not enough front line, etc. One of us can edit the character to cover it. Like take life science and medicine as a skill by upping intelligence by 2 to 4 points in exchange for another stat and/or by subbing a skill that is covered 3 times.

Also, I should probably explain my 2 resistances. Piercing I got from the feat enhanced resistance. Fire I got from the Starwright archetype. You have a starwright’s kit containing tiny amounts of starmetal you can use once per day to infuse a single item. After 10 minutes of uninterrupted work, you grant the item the benefit from the chosen starmetal for 24 hours, as described below. For siccatite, choose cold (for a cold benefit) or hot (for a fire benefit). Unless I say otherwise, you can assume every day I'm siccatiteing my armor for fire resistance. Then I'll have to remove fire resistance from my profile if I use it for something else.

I sort of assumed I needed to use a pre-existing PFS character, which would be my SFS technomancer 10. What makes this scenario different, and/or are we NOT supposed to use existing PFS characters?

From the sanctining document:

Starfinder Adventures don’t assume the characters are members of the Starfinder Society. To Defy the Dragon is therefore offered outside of the standard Organized Play environment; characters don’t need to conform to the Organized Play requirements laid out in the Guide to Organized Play: Starfinder Society.

Players who play through To Defy the Dragon as well as GMs who run the adventure can apply the adventure’s Chronicle Sheet to any 9th- through 12th-level Starfinder Society Organized Play character. Players and GMs must decide which character to apply credit to when they receive the Chronicle Sheet.

Campaign mode is laid out in more detail in PF1 adventures, especially since many of them only require part of the game to be completed to get credit, but the gist is you play the game with any character and then a SFS character gets a chronicle when you're done.

There is nothing saying you can't use a Society character, but even if you do, it's more like a clone of them went through the experience, because you will level up twice (technically three times, but the last is after beating the final boss) during the adventure, but the chronicle only gives one level worth of rewards.

All I've got left is the math for my character.

But, I wanted to see how much money/equipment we start with.

Right. Normally I'd say "use the playtest rules", but those only go up to 8th, so I'll adapt. Let me know if you think this is not fair.

Instead of the starting 1,000 credits, they can select one 10th-level armor or weapon and one 9th-level armor or weapon. In addition, the player can spend up to 45,000 credits on other available equipment.

Nevermind, it is more beneficial to do it that way, I was thinking this, but that 45000 and 2 freebies is better.
Gaining Wealth
Table 11-5.

Also, just so I know when to do charging or replacing batteries. Of course it says in the corerulebook that all items that use a battery or charges or ammo, come with the ammo/battery all fully loaded. But, Do starships have recharging stations? If so, I pay half the batteries price to use them? It's okay, I held onto extra credits for these types of things and bought extra batteries just in case.
Just like to know cause if I spend 75% of my weapons charges and can't find a charging station, it might be more beneficial to just switch out the battery before next combat so that doesn't happen to me, and place used battery in something less urgent, like my laser drill.

From the sanctining document:

Quote:

Starfinder Adventures don’t assume the characters are members of the Starfinder Society. To Defy the Dragon is therefore offered outside of the standard Organized Play environment; characters don’t need to conform to the Organized Play requirements laid out in the Guide to Organized Play: Starfinder Society.

Players who play through To Defy the Dragon as well as GMs who run the adventure can apply the adventure’s Chronicle Sheet to any 9th- through 12th-level Starfinder Society Organized Play character. Players and GMs must decide which character to apply credit to when they receive the Chronicle Sheet.

Campaign mode is laid out in more detail in PF1 adventures, especially since many of them only require part of the game to be completed to get credit, but the gist is you play the game with any character and then a SFS character gets a chronicle when you're done.

There is nothing saying you can't use a Society character, but even if you do, it's more like a clone of them went through the experience, because you will level up twice (technically three times, but the last is after beating the final boss) during the adventure, but the chronicle only gives one level worth of rewards.

I see. I missed this from the original recruitment thread.

I don't mind though, and maybe my SFS character is fine to use anyway. However, should I build a clone of him with none of his current gear and just make his purchases from the same decision the other characters are getting built from? Whatever he happened to get from his scenarios may or may not match that.

Also, just so I know when to do charging or replacing batteries. Of course it says in the corerulebook that all items that use a battery or charges or ammo, come with the ammo/battery all fully loaded. But, Do starships have recharging stations? If so, I pay half the batteries price to use them? It's okay, I held onto extra credits for these types of things and bought extra batteries just in case.

Just like to know cause if I spend 75% of my weapons charges and can't find a charging station, it might be more beneficial to just switch out the battery before next combat so that doesn't happen to me, and place used battery in something less urgent, like my laser drill.

If you are on a starship and have the time, you can recharge your batteries. On your own ship (or if you have access to another somehow), it is free. Public stations charge for charging.

I don't mind though, and maybe my SFS character is fine to use anyway. However, should I build a clone of him with none of his current gear and just make his purchases from the same decision the other characters are getting built from? Whatever he happened to get from his scenarios may or may not match that.

That works for me.

Didn't realize how useful the species grafts where until I looked into them. All I wanted was a fear bonus, the other things are just extra. And as was able to get the same fear bonus for 820 less, by having a species graft instead of a cybernetics graft. Was also able to pick up electrolocation, so I can see if there are creatures through doors and around corners, assuming the floors or walls are metal, or less commonly, crystalline.

I do have a question about a single augmentation graft: Bulwark Graft Do I still get the full bonus of +2 ac to fight defensively and +4 to ac to use total defense action and an ally of mine gets half of that bonus. Or is it, I get half the ac bonus and my ally gets the other half?

Okay, so as 10th-level I should build with 66000 credits?

Here's the non PFS copy, without any purchases yet.

I'm open to slight adjustments, but just like the original he's focused on computers, engineering, the sciences and mysticism. He finds his spells useful but has also taken proficiency in longarms.

Instead of the starting 1,000 credits, they can select one 10th-level armor or weapon and one 9th-level armor or weapon. In addition, the player can spend up to 45,000 credits on other available equipment.

As pointed out, it's a bit more generous than the chart, but I don't mind players having a bit of a leg (or leg-analogue) up, especially since high-level and small party can lead to some tough situations.

Ok, I need to make one more decision and fill in my headers but otherwise, here's my protoype weapon mechanic.

I'm ready to go when everyone else is.

Ready whenever you are. I would suggest you make sure every skill has at least one character proficient.

Acrobatics: Mordack
Athletics: Mordack, Yargnod
Bluff:
Computers: Mordack, Sefel, Yargnod
Culture:
Diplomacy:
Disguise
Intimidate
Engineering: Mordack, Sefel, Yargnod
Life Science: Sefel
Medicine: Yargnod
Mysticism: Mordack, Sefel
Perception: Mordack, Sefel, Yargnod
Physical Sciece: Mordack, Sefel, Yargnod
Piloting: Mordack, Sefel, Yargnod
Sense Motive:
Stealth: Mordack
Survival: Mordack
Sleight of Hand: Sefel, Yargnod

Still waiting for Telirix to be level 10 as I only see a level 1 version, thus I didn't add his name in on what skills he has, then one or more of us can make adjustments to cover all the skills

Edit: Still don't know the answer to my question if anyone knows the answer about the Bulwark Graft.
Also, did anyone pick up a Null space chamber to store really large items we find? Or you know just has one because they are carrying well over 10 bulk.

I decided to take out the Bulwark item, need the credits for other things.
Also was able to get my Null Space Chamber, just had to give up something else. Needed to store all my heavy stuff, well really just a multiverse mirror that has a bulk of 10.

As pointed out, it's a bit more generous than the chart, but I don't mind players having a bit of a leg (or leg-analogue) up, especially since high-level and small party can lead to some tough situations.

Ah, sorry for missing that and thank you.

Weapon: aphelion laser rifle (9)
Armor: specialist grave mantle (10)

Other: null space chamber (probably mk 2), system-wide comm unit, possibly a computer rig.... still deciding on some other bits.

First cut at 10th level Telirix. I've got skill points left to spend.

Haven't bought gear yet, but plan on powered armor, heavy weapon, etc.

Just missing Bluff and Disguise now. You are a very honest group.

I can swap sleight of hand for disguise. I have Disguise Self as a spell like ability from my species, anyway.

I just don't have a charisma bonus and it's not a class skill so I'm just going to have a flat 10 most of the time. Maybe I'll look at some augmentations for the skill.

I've very seldom had opportunity to use disguise in a published scenario.

I've got skill points left, and am happy to cover Bluff.

It looks like we are pretty much ready then, and my mirror can cover any skill at least once.
Also, the item doesn't say it can only be used once per day, just once per person per day. As long as you have a minute, feel free to borrow it and that skill lasts 24 hours or until you use it once, just beware of the nat 20 or next real skill you are trained.
Mirro

I'll drop my last skill points in bluff then, unless -- gmlobue, do we need piloting skill to drive the mechs?

Can actually buy gear tomorrow (SAt night)

It never hurts to have Piloting.

For the most part, mechs use your skill bonus for whatever action they are taking, though, like starships, you can use Piloting ranks in place of BAB for attacks.

Purely because of what I've been watching lately I vote that we name our Pegasus either Seiya, Koga or Sui Sei Ken.

So, I'm feeling a little lost about ship combat roles. Does anyone have hard preferences?

Sefel has fairly high computers (+22) and engineering (+19), so he tends to go with science or engineering.

Nope, I can fit any role, except diplomacy.

Tel's likely to be 2nd best at everything except captain, but with a crew of 4 other functions might be more essential. FOr reference, Tel's relevant stats are:

Bluff +16, Computers +12, Diplomacy +16, Engineering +14, Intimidate +13, Piloting +15

Keep in mind that you can switch roles from round to round and not all roles are useful in every round but here's my suggestion -

Mordack-Pilot
Sefel-Science
Yognard-Engineer
Telirix-Gunner/Captain

Sefel and Yognard can swap to guns on any round they don't have another task. If we're really working tightly together and there's no tasks for either of them to do, Telirix can captain and Sefel and Yognard can fire the guns.

I'm good with Pilot, I'm also open for suggestions as to what stunts to do or where to move if people shout them out, maybe somebody sees a better positioning strategy than I do.

Lasers on their heads! Awesome!

Mordack, it's your turn in the helm phase.

It seems like the main purpose of the little guys isn't to wear down your shields and your hull since they rarely hit, but to block your path. In order words I'm in a position where I have to stay in place and evade or do a maneuver to go anywhere. And doing an maneuver means you can't evade.

Did we move straight ahead into this hex? If so can't we turn, then move?

Seems we've got BLUE glitching, so maybe we can focus fire on the other swarm.

I've got another game where I'm rolling just as badly. It's so frustrating.

Anyone sick of starship combat (or this one specifically), I have good news and bad news for you...

I thought that one was going our way right up until the end there.

Anyway... I am going out of town on vacation starting tomorrow and not returning until Monday night. I likely won't read the forums in that time and even more likely won't post, but will try to catch up on everything by Tuesday. If you are in multiple games with me, prepare to read this portion of this message multiple times...

If combat breaks out, Yargnod will stay back and use Justifier, Calibrating and Overcharging it as necessary.

FYI: After tonight I'll be away in nature all day tomorrow, but then back Sunday mid-afternoon'ish.

How did our engines go from glitching and everything else be at normal, to everything being totaled, everything went 4 steps in 1 turn. It seems Paizo rigged this combat for us to lose.

You literally can't win the fight. The big guy nukes you when either your side or theirs takes a certain amount of damage. It makes sense, because that's the final boss (and you can win the rematch), but it is not the best introduction to a story.