post
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Past several holographic combat-simulation chambers and
an open sparring area, resides an office made of portable
prefabricated walls painted a dark maroon. Inside, the
augmented shirren, Zigvigix, sits behind a small desk plays a
vidgame involving matching different colored orbs. “Have you
tried this game yet?” they ask a few moments later after they
fail a level. “It’s called Congruenz, and it is most enjoyable! But
that’s not why I called you here, Starfinders.” They switch the
holodisplay to show the three-dimensional image of a desolate
planet. “As has become evident in the past few months, the
Starfinder Society lacks the means to protect itself should we
encounter a large threat, such as the threats within the Scoured
Stars.” Their antennae twitch. “Of course, we aren’t looking to
start any fights, but we want the galaxy to know we are ready
to finish them. As such, I believe that this planet, Elytrio, might
have the resources to aid us.
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A straggly, nearly emaciated looking verthani, slouches in a chair. Long limbs of his 7' frame sprawl out of the chair. Black eyes bulge from a face covered with a slowly changing pattern of colors.
He wears tight-fitting armour festooned with small tools hanging like fetishes from loops sewn into the armour. More tools protrude from pockets, and no doubt more are in his large backpack. The impression of an enthusiastic but disorganized mechanic is altered somewhat by the rifle that is also strapped to the pack.
He waves his left hand with a faint pneumatic hiss, to point at the holodisplay. "So we fly there and scope it out?"
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"The summons on my comm indiciated that I was to meet with Guidance." If the android is confused, her face does not show it. Indeed, it shows little in the way of expression. "Perhaps, there has been some sort of miscommunication." If the android is posing a question, the tone of her voice does not show it. Indeed, it shows little in the way of expression.
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Zigvigix pauses for a second. "Perhaps the world name jogs your memories." He looks at the Starfinders.
by an automated orbital-defense system. Later, a Starfinder team was sent to explore the planet and investigate a large energy
signature that turned out to be an inhabited city named Arkeost. The Starfinders made peaceful contact with those
that lived there: the descendants of survivors of a great nuclear war
that ravaged the planet.
people known as ghibranis. The husk ghibranis have sturdier frames and climb with ease, while the membrane ghibranis are slenderer and have wings that let them fly. The husk ghibranis eke out an existence in
the planet’s wastelands, while the membrane ghibranis live comfortably within a city protected by a force field, with robots providing for needs.
war, the leaders of Arkeost enacted a plan to create a false deity
named Mother Touloo to trick some of the survivors into leaving
the city. Without this plan, Arkeost would not have been able
to sustain its population for very long. The husk ghibranis are
the descendants of those who left the city and still worship
Mother Touloo to this day. The current membrane ghibranis had
no knowledge of this shameful history, and the two groups aren’t
hostile to one another. The Starfinder Society decided not to
divulge this information to any of Elytrio’s inhabitants.
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A cluster of sleek black computers rests against the
far wall of the meeting room. The Starfinder
Society emblem at the center of the server
cluster shines and begins projecting a
stream of holographic light. The light
takes the form of humanoid figure
bereft of any definition, standing
at the end of the meeting table
closest to the servers.
“Greetings, I am Guidance. I
have a new assignment for you.
Please observe.”
The projection gestures a
flicking hand to its side, and a
stream of data detailing an outpost
made of interconnected circular
chambers scrolls beside it. “One of the
Pact Worlds’ most prestigious organizations
recently discovered a dataset detailing
the location of an outpost abandoned over
two hundred years ago. The organization
has requested that the Starfinder Society
dispatch a team of agents to secure the site,
along with any remaining equipment or data. Your team will
travel to this outpost and retrieve as much information about
it as possible. You should also salvage any relevant equipment,
which the Society will take as part of its payment. If you have
questions, now is the time to present them.”
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What else do we know about the outpost?
modular outpost made by Veylen Enterprises. These outpost
models used to be quite common. However, the presence of
unfamiliar modifications is very possible.”
What organization hired the Society for this mission?
AbadarCorp: “AbadarCorp is the largest corporation in the Pact
Worlds and has many subsidiaries underneath it. The outpost
was one of many sponsored by AbadarCorp during the post-Drift
colonization rush.”
Why was the outpost abandoned?
“The exact reason remains unknown—and part of the reason you’re all
needed to investigate the site. Records indicate the
outpost confirmed its arrival and establishment
with the hiring organization, but since then there
have been limited communications. No reports
or responses have been received in over two
hundred years.”
What dangers might we encounter?
the outpost. You should prepare for
many possibilities, such as pirates, large
predators, hostile native cultures, or
supernatural events.”
Are there any sentient species
on the planet?
on the planet’s inhabitants, if any. As
always, endeavor for a peaceful first
contact, and keep the reputation of the
Starfinder Society and the Pact Worlds in mind.”
How do we get there?
whereas Pegasus starships are equipped with advanced
science labs and sensors. As always, to optimize the chances
of completing the assignment, it is recommended that
each Starfinder team choose a ship that covers any area of
weakness. However, the final decision is based on your personal
preference. Safe travels.”
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Twilight, a hologram that looks like a small quadruped pony with dark blue fur, a black mane & tail, and some sort of arcane symbol on her rump listens intently to the presentation. Her height while on four legs would only come up to a halfling's waist. She also wears a shoulder mounted laser pistol as well as saddlebags.
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Mech-Ro-Nancy makes inquiry regarding the hiring organization. Then, she inquires further, "Where did AbadarCorp discover the dataset detailing the location of the outpost?"
"Any indication as to why the dataset was not covered earlier? Do you have reason to believe that the information was intentionally hidden?" she asks further. "If so, do you have any speculation as to why any being or organization would wish to do so?"
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"Oh? They must have made a good impression if you decided to join the Starfinder Society." Lufti says to Twilight.
"I hope the settlers lived long, contented lives in their forgotten corner of the system. But if they were mauled and devoured by some unknown creatures, and we get to catalog them for the first time, that'd be just as good."
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Mech-Ro-Nancy makes inquiry regarding the hiring organization. Then, she inquires further, "Where did AbadarCorp discover the dataset detailing the location of the outpost?"
"Any indication as to why the dataset was not covered earlier? Do you have reason to believe that the information was intentionally hidden?" she asks further. "If so, do you have any speculation as to why any being or organization would wish to do so?"
"AbadarCorp did not relay that information but the Society has not had an issue with them as of late. Did you need anything before you set off?"
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"A little more speed is the thing. " Little slouches to the engineering station and throws a couple levers forward. "Good thing I rebuilt those power relays last night."
Having assumed a positioin in the enginnering station, Mecho-Ro-Nancy responds over the comms. "Time to put the rebuild to the test, then."
"If you manage to kill the creature, be sure to recover its remains. I would like to recycle them if at all possible." The android requests.
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"It thinks, we're edible. I'm going to turn away and try to outrun it."
Captain Actions
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 322
As a captain, you can take any of the following actions, depending on your character level, during any phase of combat.
Demand (Any Phase)
You can make a demand of a crew member to try to improve his performance. You grant a +4 bonus to one specific check by succeeding at an Intimidate check (DC = 15 + 1-1/2 times your starship’s tier). You must use this action before the associated check is rolled, and you can grant this bonus to an individual character only once per combat. Demand might result in negative consequences if used on NPCs, and you can’t make demands of yourself.
Encourage (Any Phase)
You can encourage another member of the crew to give her a bonus to her action. This works like aid another (see page 133), granting a +2 bonus to the check required by a crew action if you succeed at a DC 10 check using the same skill. Alternatively, you can grant this same bonus by succeeding at a DC 15 Diplomacy check. You can’t encourage yourself.
Taunt (Any Phase, Push)
You can use the communications system to broadcast a taunting message to the enemy vessel. You select an enemy vessel and a phase of combat (engineering, helm, or gunnery), and then attempt a Bluff or Intimidate check (DC = 15 + 1-1/2 × the enemy starship’s tier). If you are successful, each enemy character acting during the selected phase takes a –2 penalty to all checks for 1d4 rounds; the penalty increases to –4 if the enemy’s check is made as part of a push action. Once used against an enemy starship, regardless of the outcome, taunt can’t be used against that starship again during the same combat.
Orders (Any Phase, Push)
At 6th level, you can grant an additional action to one member of the crew by spending 1 Resolve Point and succeeding at a difficult skill check at the beginning of the phase in which the crew member would normally act. The type of check depends on the role of the crew member targeted: a Computers check for a science officer, an Engineering check for an engineer, a gunnery check (see page 320) for a gunner, and a Piloting check for a pilot. The DC of this check is equal to 15 + 1-1/2 × your starship’s tier. If the check succeeds, the crew member can take two actions in her role this round (both when she would normally act), but she can’t take the same action twice. You can’t give yourself orders.
Moving Speech (Any Phase)
At 12th level, you can spend 1 Resolve Point and use your action to give a moving speech to the crew during one phase of combat with a successful Diplomacy check (DC = 20 + 1-1/2 × your starship’s tier). For the remainder of that phase, your allies can roll twice and take the better result when performing crew actions.
Engineer Actions
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 323
As an engineer, you can take any of the following actions, depending on your ranks in the Engineering skill. These actions can be taken only during the engineering phase. Unless otherwise noted, each action can be performed only once per round, no matter how many engineers are on a starship.
Divert (Engineering Phase)
You can divert auxiliary power into one of your starship’s systems, giving it a boost. This requires a successful Engineering check (DC = 10 + 1-1/2 × your starship’s tier), and the results depend on where you decide to send this extra power. If you send it to the engines, your starship’s speed increases by 2 this round. If you send it to the science equipment, all science officers receive a +2 bonus to their crew actions this round. If you send it to the starship’s weapons, treat each damage die that rolls a 1 this round as having rolled a 2 instead. If you send it to the shields, restore an amount of Shield Points equal to 5% of the PCU rating of the starship’s power core (see page 296), up to the shields’ maximum value. You can distribute the restored Shield Points across the shields’ four quadrants as you see fit.
Hold It Together (Engineering Phase)
You can hold one system together by constantly patching and modifying it. If you succeed at an Engineering check (DC = 15 + 1-1/2 × your starship’s tier), you can select one system; that system is treated as if its critical damage condition were two steps less severe for the rest of the round (wrecked becomes glitching, and a malfunctioning or glitching system functions as if it had taken no critical damage). This check isn’t modified by penalties from critical damage to the power core.
Patch (Engineering Phase)
You can patch a system to reduce the effects of a critical damage condition. The number of actions and the DC of the Engineering check required to patch a system depend on how badly the system is damaged, as indicated on the table on page 324. Multiple engineers can pool their actions in a single round to effect repairs more quickly, but each engineer must succeed at her Engineering check to contribute her action to the patch. The number of actions required can be reduced by 1 (to a minimum of 1 action) by increasing the DC by 5. If you succeed at this check, the severity of the critical damage is unchanged, but it is treated as one step less severe for the remainder of the combat, until 1 hour has passed, or until the system takes critical damage again (which removes the patch and applies the new severity). This action can be taken more than once per round, and this check is not modified by any critical damage to the core.
Critical Damage Condition Actions to Patch DC
Glitching 1 10 + 1-1/2 times your starship’s tier
Malfunctioning 2 15 + 1-1/2 times your starship’s tier
Wrecked 3 20 + 1-1/2 times your starship’s tier
Overpower (Engineering Phase, Push)
If you have at least 6 ranks in Engineering, you can spend 1 Resolve Point and attempt an Engineering check (DC = 15 + 1-1/2 × your starship’s tier) to squeeze more out of your ship’s systems. If you’re successful, this functions as the divert action, but you can send extra power to any three systems listed in that action. This action and the divert action can’t be taken in the same round.
Quick Fix (Engineering Phase)
If you have at least 12 ranks in Engineering, you can try to repair a system quickly by spending 1 Resolve Point and attempting an Engineering check (DC = 20 + 1-1/2 × your starship’s tier). If successful, you remove the critical damage condition from one system for 1 hour (allowing it to function as if it had taken no critical damage), after which time it must be repaired as normal.
Gunner Actions
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 324
As a gunner, you can take any of the actions below, depending on your character level. These actions can be taken only during the gunnery phase. Though each of a starship’s weapons can be fired only once per round, multiple gunners can take actions to fire different weapons in a single round. Actions that allow you to fire starship weapons use the rules for attacking on page 320.
Fire At Will (Gunnery Phase, Push)
You can fire any two starship weapons, regardless of their arc. Each attack is made at a –4 penalty.
Shoot (Gunnery Phase)
You can fire one of your starship’s weapons. If you use a turret weapon, you can target a ship in any arc.
Broadside (Gunnery Phase, Push)
At 6th level, you can expend 1 Resolve Point to fire all of the starship weapons mounted in one arc (including turret-mounted weapons). Each weapon can target any vessel in that arc. All of these attacks are made with a –2 penalty.
Precise Targeting (Gunnery Phase)
At 12th level, you can perform a very precise strike by spending 1 Resolve Point and firing one starship weapon at a single target. If the attack hits and the enemy ship’s shields on that quadrant are depleted before your attack, you deal critical damage to a random system. If the attack would normally cause critical damage, the normal critical damage applies as well (meaning your attack could potentially deal critical damage multiple times; determine which system is damaged as normal each time).
Pilot Actions
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 324
As a pilot, you can take the following actions, depending on your ranks in the Piloting skill. These actions can be taken only during the helm phase.
Fly (Helm Phase)
You move your starship up to its speed and can make any turns allowed by its maneuverability. This doesn’t require a skill check.
Maneuver (Helm Phase)
You move your starship up to its speed. You can also attempt a Piloting check (DC = 15 + 1-1/2 × your starship’s tier) to reduce your starship’s distance between turns by 1 (to a minimum of 0).
Stunt (Helm Phase, Push)
You can attempt any one of the stunts described on page 319. The DCs of the Piloting checks required and the results of success and failure are described in each stunt’s description.
Full Power (Helm Phase, Push)
If you have at least 6 ranks in Piloting, you can spend 1 Resolve Point to move your starship up to 1-1/2 times its speed. You can make turns during this movement, but you add 2 to your starship’s distance between turns.
Audacious Gambit (Helm Phase)
If you have at least 12 ranks in Piloting, you can spend 1 Resolve Point and attempt a Piloting check (DC = 20 + 1-1/2 × your starship’s tier) to pull off complex maneuvers. You can move your starship up to its speed, treating its distance between turns as if it were 2 lower (minimum 0). You can also fly through hexes occupied by enemy vessels without provoking free attacks. At the end of your starship’s movement, you can rotate your starship to face in any direction. If you fail the check, you instead move as if you had taken the fly action (but still lose the Resolve Point).
Science Officer Actions
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 324
As a science officer, you can take any of the following actions, depending on your ranks in the Computers skill. These actions can be taken only during the helm phase.
Balance (Helm Phase)
You can balance the shields, redirecting power from one quadrant to protect another. With a successful Computers check (DC = 10 + 1-1/2 × your starship’s tier), you can shift Shield Points (SP) from the shield in one quadrant to the shield in another quadrant, including to depleted shields (after rebalancing, every shield must have at least 10% of the total current SP). Alternatively, you can add up the SP from all the remaining shields and evenly distribute them to all four quadrants, putting any excess SP in the forward quadrant.
Scan (Helm Phase)
You can scan a starship with your sensors to learn information about it. This action requires your starship to have sensors (see page 300). You must attempt a Computers check, applying any modifiers from the starship’s sensors. You can attempt this check untrained. The DC for this check is equal to 5 + 1-1/2 × the tier of the starship being scanned + its bonus from defensive countermeasures (see page 298). If you succeed at this check, you learn the first unknown piece of information on the following list. For every 5 by which you exceed the check, you learn another unknown piece of information. Subsequent checks reveal new pieces of information, continuing down this list.
1. Basic Information: Living crew complement and ship classification, size, speed, and maneuverability.
2. Defenses: AC, TL, total and current Hull Points, total and current Shield Points in each quadrant, and core PCU value.
3. Weapon: Information about one weapon, including its firing arc and the damage it deals, starting with the weapon that uses the most PCU. Repeat this entry until all the starship’s weapons are revealed.
4. Load: Information about how the starship’s expansion bays are allocated and any cargo the starship might be carrying.
5. Other: Any remaining ship statistics.
Target System (Helm Phase, Push)
You can use your starship’s sensors to target a specific system on an enemy starship. This action requires your starship to have sensors. You must attempt a Computers check, applying any modifiers from the starship’s sensors. The DC equals 5 + 1-1/2 × the tier of the enemy starship + its bonus from defensive countermeasures (see page 298). If you succeed, choose one system (core, engines, life support, sensors, or weapons). The next attack made by your starship that hits the enemy ship scores a critical hit on a natural roll of 19 or 20. If that attack deals critical damage, it affects the chosen system. For any further critical damage resulting from the attack, determine which system is affected randomly as normal. Your starship’s sensors can target only one system on a specific enemy starship at a time, though this action can be used to concurrently target systems on multiple starships.
Lock On (Helm Phase, Push)
If you have at least 6 ranks in Computers, you can lock your starship’s targeting system on to one enemy vessel. You must spend 1 Resolve Point and attempt a Computers check. The DC equals 5 + 1-1/2 × the tier of the target starship + its bonus from defensive countermeasures (see page 298). If you succeed, your starship’s gunners gain a +2 bonus to gunnery checks against the target for the rest of the round. This action can be taken only once per round.
Improve Countermeasures (Helm Phase)
If you have at least 12 ranks in Computers, you can try to foil enemy targeting arrays and incoming projectiles by spending 1 Resolve Point and attempting a Computers check. The DC equals 5 + 1-1/2 × the tier of the target starship + its bonus from defensive countermeasures (see page 298). If you’re successful, gunners aboard the target starship roll twice and take the worse result for gunnery checks during this round (including checks for tracking weapons).
Minor Crew Actions
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 326
Minor crew actions are computer-aided actions that allow a starship limited functionality if it doesn’t have the necessary crew to fill all the roles (for instance, the lone crew member aboard a Tiny starship might always be the pilot but may need to fire one of the vessel’s weapons in an emergency). You can take one minor crew action per round regardless of your current role, but only if no other action was performed this round for the role associated with that minor crew action. A minor crew action can be performed only once per round and doesn’t count as your action.
Glide (Helm Phase, Minor)
You move the starship at half its normal speed. The starship can take turns during this movement, but the starship’s distance between turns increases by 2. You can add your ranks in the Piloting skill to the starship’s AC and TL for this round. You can only take this action if no other pilot actions have been taken during the helm phase (including glide).
Snap Shot (Gunnery Phase, Minor)
You can fire one of your starship’s weapons with a –2 penalty to the gunnery check. You can take this action only if no other gunner actions have been taken during the gunnery phase (including snap shot).
Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 317
Like combat between characters, starship combat occurs over a number of rounds until one side flees, surrenders, or is otherwise defeated. Unlike rounds in combat between characters, a round of starship combat doesn’t correlate to a specific amount of time. Each round of starship combat is divided up into three phases, resolved in order. Each character aboard a starship typically acts in only one of these phases, depending on her role on the starship.
1. Engineering
The engineers on all ships (if present) each take an action to repair the starships’ systems or give them a boost. These actions occur simultaneously, so they can be resolved in any order.
2. Helm
Each starship’s pilot attempts a Piloting check. The pilot with the lowest result must move his starship first, followed by the next lowest, until all starships have moved. This check is repeated each round during the helm phase, so the order of movement can change from round to round. If a starship has no one in the pilot role, that starship acts as if its pilot had rolled a 0. If there is a tie, the pilot with fewer ranks in the Piloting skill must move his starship first. If there is still a tie, the two pilots in question should each roll another Piloting check and compare the results; the pilot with the lowest result moves first.
As they move their starships, pilots can attempt additional skill checks to perform dangerous maneuvers or push their vessels beyond their specifications.
Also during this phase, any character taking on the role of science officer can use the starship’s systems to scan vessels or target foes. Science officers must act immediately before or after their starship’s pilot, but they can jointly decide the order they act.
3. Gunnery
During the gunnery phase, gunners fire their starships’ weapons. Starships fire in the same order in which their pilots acted during that round’s helm phase, but the effects of damage are not taken into account until the end of the phase, meaning that all starships can fire, even if they take enough damage to be disabled or destroyed during this phase.
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"It's closing too fast. We can't outrun it. But naybe I can fake it out. Hang on!"
Little throws the ship into a series of quick zig-zags hoping the creature can't maneuver as well as the Pegasus.
The ship moves up to its speed and can turn as normal, but it
gains a +2 circumstance bonus to its AC and TL until the start
of the next round. To perform this stunt, you must succeed at a
Piloting check (DC = 10 + 1.5 × your starship’s tier). If you fail, the
starship moves as normal. If you fail the check by 5 or more, the
starship moves as normal, but it also takes a –2 penalty to its AC
and TL until the start of the next round.