GM Bret’s PBP Gameday XIII SFS1 #6-99 The End Awakens Tier 3-4

Game Master BretI

Bonkers finds himself near a window/firing port and is surprised by a flying swarm bug right outside.
He yelps, points his needle pistol at it and...
owie! (Needler pistol): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Piercing damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Watches as the dart doesn't even make it out of the firing port and ricochets around the compartment a time or two...

lol. Don't feel so band now, that would have been a fail for most everything. :)

Dofon has settled onto the top of the vehicle and built itself a machine gun nest. Any swarm component that comes into view gets liberally sprayed with bullets.

Attack attack attack!: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

Calmly the embri mows down the horde, but it seems endless.

Bonkers isn’t able to effectively defend against the incoming swarm, but Dofon does a good job of shooting them before they can land.

Earned boons:

Escape Step 1

Modified chase scene.

To defeat an obstacle, the group must accrue three successful checks. Each character can attempt either a skill check or a check to aid another character each round. Once the group has enough successes you move on to the next obstacle. Any character that has not done a check yet can begin working on the next obstacle.

The less rounds you take, the better you are doing.

Obstacle 2— Fend off the Swarm: Characters who succeed at a ranged attack roll against AC 20 can fend off Swarm components with their own weapons. Characters who succeed at a DC 17 Acrobatics or Athletics check can tussle with the few small Swarm components that manage to land on top of the vehicle.

Round 1

Bolded have not done a check yet.

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

Round 2

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

1 successes on this obstacle.

Grognard remembers doing this before, about 10 minutes from now. He replicates the motions he already did in the future hoping for a similar result. He's pretty sure that the swarm stragglers will land... there!

Acrobatics (Paradox): 5 + 12 = 17

New Paradox: 1d20 ⇒ 16

Chip isn't especially well-suited for this task.

Which is exactly why he brings a combat drone. "Push 'em back!"

Checker Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Grognard is able to evict some of the swarm who make it to the vehicle.

Chip is having trouble shooting them as they come in. Tough to crack their shells!

Earned boons:

Escape Step 1

Modified chase scene.

To defeat an obstacle, the group must accrue three successful checks. Each character can attempt either a skill check or a check to aid another character each round. Once the group has enough successes you move on to the next obstacle. Any character that has not done a check yet can begin working on the next obstacle.

The less rounds you take, the better you are doing.

Obstacle 2— Fend off the Swarm: Characters who succeed at a ranged attack roll against AC 20 can fend off Swarm components with their own weapons. Characters who succeed at a DC 17 Acrobatics or Athletics check can tussle with the few small Swarm components that manage to land on top of the vehicle.

Round 1

Bolded have not done a check yet.

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

Round 2

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

2 successes on this obstacle.

The barrel of the machine gun keeps getting hotter and hotter as Dofon tries to keep up with the swarms of swarm components. "I am having some difficulty deciding on which quadrant to suppress, and I would humbly ask for more firepower up here."

Current firepower: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22

The swarm is living up to its name, but fortunately there is still ammo.

We may wish to use the Checkpoint Boon if the next skill set is bad for us.

Dofon is successful in killing some of the incoming swarm.

It is a team effort, but you manage to fend off the swarm.

Looks like rough travel ahead. This could get bumpy!

Earned boons:

Escape Step 1

Modified chase scene.

To defeat an obstacle, the group must accrue three successful checks. Each character can attempt either a skill check or a check to aid another character each round. Once the group has enough successes you move on to the next obstacle. Any character that has not done a check yet can begin working on the next obstacle.

The less rounds you take, the better you are doing.

Obstacle 3— Unstable Terrain: One of you may attempt a DC 17 Piloting check to navigate the rocky terrain. Others can help with a DC 20 Computers, Engineering or Physical Sciences check to keep the vehicle running efficiently.

Round 1

Bolded have not done a check yet.

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

Round 2

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

0 successes on this obstacle.

If this is the last bit in step one shall we use the Boon from step one to skip it?

This obstacle feels like something we can solve with a busload of science & technical people and Burn or Grognard on the wheel. It also doesn't feel like the last step, but that's only a guess.
I suppose I'll bot Kuozar once more. Also Burn, based on the Discussion page.

There are six (6) obstacles.
Also you must choose to use Checkpoint after seeing the skills but before anyone attempts to roll on them.

Kuozar has some problems trying to turn the engine while Burnham takes a wrong turn into a pit.

Kuozar figures out what they did wrong and fixes it.

Earned boons:

Escape Step 1

Modified chase scene.
Also, you need to make the decision after seeing the skills but before anyone attempts them.

To defeat an obstacle, the group must accrue three successful checks. Each character can attempt either a skill check or a check to aid another character each round. Once the group has enough successes you move on to the next obstacle. Any character that has not done a check yet can begin working on the next obstacle.

The less rounds you take, the better you are doing.

Obstacle 3— Unstable Terrain: One of you may attempt a DC 17 Piloting check to navigate the rocky terrain. Others can help with a DC 20 Computers, Engineering or Physical Sciences check to keep the vehicle running efficiently.

Round 2

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

1 successes on this obstacle.

The clank of a spanner on metal is heard.
"If one thinks about it, this engine is very similar to the one that drives us intelligent beings."
CLANG!

engineering: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30
"Ah, see!""

My bad, I read it as only usable in this first part..

Checkpoint is only useable in this first part. If you haven’t used it by the time you reach the last obstacle, I will automatically apply it to the last obstacle.

Bonkers does some fine tuning on the transmission to try and make it feel less like a rodeo ride.

Earned boons:

Escape Step 1

Modified chase scene.

To defeat an obstacle, the group must accrue three successful checks. Each character can attempt either a skill check or a check to aid another character each round. Once the group has enough successes you move on to the next obstacle. Any character that has not done a check yet can begin working on the next obstacle.

The less rounds you take, the better you are doing.

Obstacle 3— Unstable Terrain: One of you may attempt a DC 17 Piloting check to navigate the rocky terrain. Others can help with a DC 20 Computers, Engineering or Physical Sciences check to keep the vehicle running efficiently.

Round 3

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

2 successes on this obstacle.

physical sciences: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29
"Ah, yes! More power! HAHAHAHA! Oh, sorry. I get carried away sometimes.."

Bonkers adjusts the hoverpads to smooth out the ride and you out of the unstable area.

Escape Step 1

Modified chase scene.

To defeat an obstacle, the group must accrue three successful checks. Each character can attempt either a skill check or a check to aid another character each round. Once the group has enough successes you move on to the next obstacle. Any character that has not done a check yet can begin working on the next obstacle.

The less rounds you take, the better you are doing.

Obstacle 4—Unwelcome Passenger: One of the massive swarm creatures gets its claw into the back of the vehicle. You may attempt a melee attack against AC 20 to hurt it, DC 17 Athletics check to push the creature off the vehicle, or DC 17 Acrobatics or Sleight of Hand check to dislodge mining equipment such that it falls on the creature’s head.

Round 3

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

0 successes on this obstacle.

"Yurg, big bug! Getitoffgetitoffgetitoff!"

Checker Athletics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

While Chip is enthusiastically mashing the button on his custom rig, Checker pushes on the bug’s claw.

Earned boons:

Escape Step 1

Modified chase scene.

To defeat an obstacle, the group must accrue three successful checks. Each character can attempt either a skill check or a check to aid another character each round. Once the group has enough successes you move on to the next obstacle. Any character that has not done a check yet can begin working on the next obstacle.

The less rounds you take, the better you are doing.

Obstacle 4—Unwelcome Passenger: One of the massive swarm creatures gets its claw into the back of the vehicle. You may attempt a melee attack against AC 20 to hurt it, DC 17 Athletics check to push the creature off the vehicle, or DC 17 Acrobatics or Sleight of Hand check to dislodge mining equipment such that it falls on the creature’s head.

Round 3

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

1 successes on this obstacle.

A bug claws its way up the side of the vehicle and hisses through the window at Burn. He recoils, then twists away from the controls and throws a shoulder into the bug. This creates a bit of space between them and he gets a hand up to stiff arm the creature away.

Athletics v DC 17, enforcer additional ACP: 1d20 + 9 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 9 - 2 = 24

Burnham also pushes against the bug claws, causing it to go back a bit. Will not take much more to be rid of it!

Earned boons:

Escape Step 1

Modified chase scene.

To defeat an obstacle, the group must accrue three successful checks. Each character can attempt either a skill check or a check to aid another character each round. Once the group has enough successes you move on to the next obstacle. Any character that has not done a check yet can begin working on the next obstacle.

The less rounds you take, the better you are doing.

Obstacle 4—Unwelcome Passenger: One of the massive swarm creatures gets its claw into the back of the vehicle. You may attempt a melee attack against AC 20 to hurt it, DC 17 Athletics check to push the creature off the vehicle, or DC 17 Acrobatics or Sleight of Hand check to dislodge mining equipment such that it falls on the creature’s head.

Round 3

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

2 successes on this obstacle.

"Beware on the port side. A... large swarmer is trying to force its way in. I cannot get a shot." Dofon belatedly observes the unrecognized swarm component slam on the hull and start making its way inside. It came in low to avoid fire, and its position is precarious. It's under my field of fire. But Burn and Checker are keeping it busy and it's not coming after me yet. If I can release that digging claw, it might swing down and push the enemy off. Dofon releases their hold on the weapon and stands up in the bouncing vehicle, trying to reach a latch that is keeping the digging claw in place.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

But the new armor and uneven ride restrict the embri's movements. "I cannot reach it."

Grognard glares at the swarm creature clinging from the vehicle. "Dinnae ah just knock ye off a minute ago? Or was that a minute from now? Ach... Donkey? Mind given that box a shove?"

As Donkey wiggles her way into position to tip a crate over, Grognard counts 1...2...5 before giving it a little spin and letting go.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

"Get off mah rig!"

Dofon finds they are not able to get into position to effectively fight the monster.

Fortunately Grognard is able to get Donkey into position and tip a crate on the creature’s head.

That takes care of that uninvited guest!

You notice that not all the vehicles have done as well as you. There is a mining vehicle that crashed. Fortunately you should have room if you can get them into your vehicle.

Earned boons:

Escape Step 1

Modified chase scene.

To defeat an obstacle, the group must accrue three successful checks. Each character can attempt either a skill check or a check to aid another character each round. Once the group has enough successes you move on to the next obstacle. Any character that has not done a check yet can begin working on the next obstacle.

The less rounds you take, the better you are doing.

Obstacle 5—Rescue Stragglers: Those who succeed at a DC 20 Perception or Survival check can spot the safest route to rescue some stragglers who crashed their vehicle. Those who succeed at a DC 17 Medicine or Life Sciences check can treat the wounds of the stragglers well enough that they don't slow the group down.

Round 3

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

Round 4

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

0 successes on this obstacle.

Only one obstacle left after this. Do you want to use Checkpoint here or the next obstacle?

Bonkers pulls out some of his special serums to help heal the injured.
medicine: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

Burn drags out his medkit and tries to help treat the crash survivors.

medicine: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

The injured quickly decide they are better off with Bonkers than Burnham if they want medical treatment. :)

Earned boons:

Escape Step 1

Modified chase scene.

To defeat an obstacle, the group must accrue three successful checks. Each character can attempt either a skill check or a check to aid another character each round. Once the group has enough successes you move on to the next obstacle. Any character that has not done a check yet can begin working on the next obstacle.

The less rounds you take, the better you are doing.

Obstacle 5—Rescue Stragglers: Those who succeed at a DC 20 Perception or Survival check can spot the safest route to rescue some stragglers who crashed their vehicle. Those who succeed at a DC 17 Medicine or Life Sciences check can treat the wounds of the stragglers well enough that they don't slow the group down.

Round 3

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

Round 4

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

1 successes on this obstacle.

"Oh! This is something I know how to do! Let's see... you're an elf, right?"

Medicine: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Chip also proves good at handling the medical needs.

Round 3

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

Round 4

Bonkers
Burnham
Dofon
Grognard
Chip or Checker
Kuozar

2 successes on this obstacle.

The others are triaging the patients well. Burn's presence is scaring up the ones who just thought they were injured, and Chip and Bonkers are doing wonders. "We need an safe exit route. Wait a moment." Dofon opens his eyes to Time and shudders, bouncing back and forth between routes that end with claws and routes that might not.

Paradox 20 for success on the last obstacle roll Perception 24.

Dofon sees a route and directs Burnham where to go. You pick up the last of the stragglers in your area.

Obstacle 6—Bumpy Landing:

That clawed bug did some serious damage and the vehicle is about to crash. Fortunately you have the maps and are able to crash close to the space elevator. You help everyone out of the vehicle and head towards the space elevator.

You reach the base of the elevator safely.

Used Checkpoint on last obstacle.

ESCAPE: STEP 2

Now it is time to activate the space elevator, loading noncombatant Starfinders into carriers, and launching them up the space elevator carrier by carrier. Meanwhile, other teams of combat-ready Starfinders must defend the space elevator from the approaching Swarm hordes.

Does your team want to act as Defenders or Operators?

Defenders is heavy combat, Operators is skill challenge followed by less intense combat — basically the creatures that snuck past the defenders.

Slide 10 is a picture of the space elevator, slide 11 is the map of the base of the elevator.

Please place your tokens on Slide 11

I'm good for either one, in case the combat folks want some fun. Bonkers is more of a support guy in combat, as we've seen. :)

We've been very good at combat. Stepping into the path of incoming danger is totally Burn's idiom. So I vote for Defenders.

Burnham checks his gear and stashes everything except weapons and his medkit on Donkey. He even leaves his reaction cannon with the yasakaja.

• Did anyone claim the jetpack or longstrider mods? That's some good stuff that could be useful. Now's the time.
• Kuozar you've got the combat computer, right?
• The thunderstrike screamer is with Donkey because carrying it will put Burn over his jump-jets limit.

The convoy races across the battlefield through the last of the amassed Swarm, finally reaching the base of the space elevator. A large platform surrounded by three pristine spiraling structures juts from the desolate landscape. As the last few straggling vehicles make their way to the base of the elevator, Starfinders begin boarding several transportation carriers near the elevator.

Saivessa calls out, “All right, Starfinders! We need operators on that elevator, and we need defenders to hold back the Swarm! Get to it—and if you’ve fallen behind, well, it’s time to catch up!”

Table GMs, Step 1 is Complete.

I have a free slot and will take one or the other mods for more mobility is needed. Unless others who need it more want them, of course.

Sounds like it is Defenders! Got it!
I have placed people around the center of the elevator.

You take up defensive positions on the space elevator, watching as the swarm comes in.

Looks like it is two flying vorphomas and some sort of burrowing multi-legged swarm creature approaching.

Will start the combat with the next post.