Driftbourne's page

A few more points to add to this debate/request.

If the solution for there being no scenarios planned for above the 10th level in SFS2e is,

Those who are interested in play above 10th-level should look to our other published Adventure Paths and Adventure content. Organized Play is a great way to find other players you enjoy gaming with for these additional experiences!

Blog post link.

Also, it looks like the next hardcover SF2e adventure book is Starfinder Adventure: Tales from the Vast Adventure Anthology. Which suggests it's a collection of shorter adventures. If that is the case, that would likely work well for organized play, too.

Both of these seem like good reasons to have some type of chronicle for these adventures to be playable in organized play.

___________________________

My hopes for the New Year.

1. Starbuilder APP gets released. At least locally, I feel this will be the real launch of SF2e.

2. An update from Paizo on what the plans are for organized play. PF2e and SF2e share core rules, but organized play rules are all over the place between the 2 games. I'm hoping for more consistent, organized play rules between the 2 games, where possible. Like, why is Pathfinder Game Night: Dawn of the Frogs sanctioned, but Stafinder Murder in Metal City is not? It's hard to imagine a justification for not sanctioning SF2e adventures when PF2e adventures are. There have been other changes to SF2e organized play I like, and hope we get in PF2e, such as all scenarios being repeatable, and starting characters at higher levels. I feel those 2 things address current PF2e issues more than current SF2e issues. I'm just wondering what the goal is and if there is a timeline to get there?

I'm having a lot of fun with SF2e organized play, just wondering where the (star)ship is headed...

On warhorn I see unloved scenarios get filled with a huge waitlist because they are high level and its a rare chances to bring out of retirement.

Unfortunately, with all the old reviews gone from the new store, I have no way to see what high-level scenarios are unloved or why. Is there something about the high-level scenarios that people didn't like?

Driftbourne wrote:

I agree that the way you are describing Akashic Dragons is how most of them would be like; however, there's no right answer here. An Akashic Dragon will behave very differently if it's a friendly NPC, a neutral NPC, or (very rarely) the Big Boss monster. Also, where they are from could make a big difference; an Akashic Dragon in the Azlanti star empire might be the curator of the department of propaganda's library of disinformation, known to the public as the Library of Truth.

Hellknights trying the contract trick, likely wouldn't write the contract themself but would call upon the highest level lawyers from hell to do so, and would likely be in a contract so long it would take years to read, and other efforts would be made to distract the dragon during the reading of the contract. Here, the people pulling this off would be the Boss monster.

The Akashic Dragon I'd personally like to hang out with is the one in charge of the Library of Galactic Music.

It is all fun and games until the dragon starts blasting retro EDM death polka.

EDM death polka 4d12 sonic damage... :)

I don't follow PF2E news closely, but for SF2E, scenarios are capped at 10th level. The reason given seems ot be to address exactly the problem you are talking about.

Paizo Blog.

Level Cap
We do not intend to publish adventures for characters above 10th level. As scenarios get into higher level ranges, we see diminishing table counts. These high-level adventures are also significantly more involved to design and develop. We’re announcing this cap now to set expectations and to ensure you’re all aware of our plans from the start. We’d hate for you to create a character whose build comes online late in the game, only to find out that you won’t have a chance to play them in the campaign.

Those who are interested in play above 10th-level should look to our other published Adventure Paths and Adventure content. Organized Play is a great way to find other players you enjoy gaming with for these additional experiences!

It doesn't look like Paizo is going that direction with PF2e since

I didn't realize POF2e pregens only went to 5th level. At one of the big Play by Post events last year, I played 9 characters at one time, between 5 tables. 6 of the characters were all 8th-level Starfinder pregens I just played to help fill tables to get the game started. At the time, without the 8th-level pregens, 4 tables I played at would not have had enough players to start.

So, since there are so few scenarios and players for high-level characters, it seems like having all high-level scenarios be repeatable and come with pregens would help. By repeatable, I mean Starfinder Society Scenario #1-32: Acts of Association, level of repeatability, and GM options like being able to create completely new species and a home world for the main NPC, something where the GM has to keep the math, but has control to change the look and feel. Something like that for high-level should probably be priced like a special.

I ended up using the Deck of Many NPCs to get ideas to give the panangers more personality.

For the Scientist, I had Tolar Keif needing the PCs' help to convince Suluzak, who is hiding his identity by wearing a green hazmat suit. (inspired by the Vesk science pawn wearing a green hazmat suit.) That Vesk are not the type of invasive species the people of Castervol are concerned about. Apparently, Suluzak got the idea from seeing a video on the infosphere.

For Delaphine Von Sprouse, she is concerned that one of her children doesn't want to work for the family business (A large corporation) and instead wants to be a living statue mime. The PCs have to figure out which of 3 statues in the room is her child. Then PCs have to decide to help the child or the mother convince the other to join the family business, or that it's ok to be a mime. (The mime idea was inspired by using the Deck of Needless NPCs.)

I had Mack recognize any PC that played in The Great Absalom Relay, and I want to interview them about the race. If the PCs had not been in the relay but had been to Akiton to deal with the Wreck of the Return, I would have instead had Mack interview them about that. (another excuse to use the fake microphone I made for the Relay.)

I used an SF1e map of Starfinder Society starships to give the
interaction with the passengers, a sci-fi feel.

a single table falling through can mess up a carefully crafted plan. Keep in mind for some of the larger conventions you are signing up for tables months before hand.

A plan with a single point of failure isn't a carefully crafted plan. A carefully crafted plan should be ready to deal with that if it happens.

As the says goes
"No plan survives contact with the enemy."
or in this case
"No plan survives the convention starting."

Yesterday we had 3 tables scheduled. The first table was a high-level PF2e game that was full. The other 2 tables only had 1 player signed up each. One was PF2e and the other table SF2e. The PF2e GM and player had agreed in advance that if no one else showed up, both would play SF2e instead. 30 minutes before the game was supposed to start, I checked Warhorn and saw no new signups, so I started setting the table for the Starfinder game. A few minutes later, 2 players new to our group showed up at the store with PF2e characters.

Luckily, all the original players and GMs had brought both SF2e and PF2e characters and the PF2e scenario as back-ups. We have started referring to this happening as "it's a good problem to have." Something like this happens about every 2 to 3 weeks. Our VC is good at scheduling games in advance so we know who's running what, but what makes the group really work well is that we are prepared to deal with whatever happens. It helps that a high percentage of our players are also GMs.

If I had to plan a large convention, and the goal was to have all the players who signed up months in advance get to play the character they brought (assuming everyone only brought one character) I would have a pool of volunteers in groups of 7 (enough for a full table on their own) that were ready to fill in as GMs or players as needed. If they are not needed, then they just play as their own table. Depending on the size of the convention, you might need more than one group like this. To reward volunteers willing to be this flexible and prepared, give them all GM ACP, even if they only end up playing as a player at the event.

Having players/GMs who are willing and prepared to be flexible is a huge help to any size group. There is probably a theoretical minimum number of flexible people needed that make a local group or event run smoothly. Whatever that number is, perhaps some kind of boon or reward to encourage it, and some reward for when it happens, would help.

Warning, Brainstorming ahead.

Prescient Planner player/GM boon: You gain one use of the Prescient Planner feat. You can use this with any of your characters. You can gain this boon multiple times by being prepared and switching characters or running a scenario on short notice (at the event or scheduled session, other qualifications may apply) to help make an event or session run smoothly for everyone else.

Game prep Assurance player/GM boon: You gain one use of the assurance feat applied to any skill. You can use this with any of your characters. You can gain this boon multiple times by being prepared and switching characters or running a scenario on short notice (at the event or scheduled session, other qualifications may apply) to help assure an event or session works out for everyone else.

Rewards ideas for players/GMs that do this over and over:
Verstial player/GM heritage boon: add something cool here.
Verstial player/GM archetype boon: add something cool here.

Other event-specific rewards for larger events.

I couldn't get that link to work. Here's a link to the page you can download them from.
SF2e pregens.

A lot of the links have been broken when the new store went live. I'm still looking for where the Invasion's Edge Player's Guide moved too.

Campaign Coins are listed under the Organized Play Accessory Perks & Promotional Boons. It's different for each edition.

The Starfinder section doesn't list an edition, but the benefits are clearly for SF1e as they mention SF1e books and resolve points.

I'm courious why SF2e isn't listed or if it uses PF2e benefits.

I had another thought on Akashic Dragons: the type of information available at the location they curate could reflect or influence the Akashic Dragons' personality. Some libraries or museums are very specific about the subject they cover.

So with AoN getting the scenario stat blocks functionality, I am guessing that answers that question.

But my biggest worry is still not commented on. Is there any consideration happening about the 2 level range and its significant impact on the wrangling of physical venues and smaller conventions?

I was wondering if Paizo knew AON was working on that tool, was why nothing was said.

I can't say anything about PF2e or conventions, but for SF2e locally, it hasn't been a problem, mostly because all the scenarios have been levels 1-2 so far, the only exception was 1-00 Collisions Wake, which is kind of a special case.

I haven't done the math, but someone had pointed out that it's possible to play through the SF2e season 1 meta plot with a single character. I just checked the store, and that looks correct. But doing so means not using that character for non-meta plot scenarios. So takes some planning, but still way easier than some seasons trying to play straight through the meta plot.

If PF2e follows SF2e and starts letting players start characters at higher levels, that helps too. SF2e lets you start a character at levels 1, 3, 5, and 7 if I remember correctly. That helps out.

I think letting players make higher-level characters will help out a lot at least locally. Many of the PF2e players have been waiting for the Starbuilder APP to come out, so they will be behind the rest of the players. So starting at the 3rd level would help a lot, letting them join in where we are at. It also helps that all SF2e scenarios are repeatable.

The player's side solution to problems caused by narrow level ranges is simply to have or make characters ready for the range of levels. I already do this with normal scenarios with a 4-level range, so I can play a character that fits the party's needs, class or tier wise. Or I play a pregen if none of my characters fit the party's needs.

I don't go to conventions, do players show up not know what scenario they are playing?

On the top of page 8 it says "A PC who succeeds at a DC 14 Arcana, Nature, Occultism, or Religion check confirms this area is not on Golarion or any other known world—"

I was wondering if that should be Castrovel, since that is the planet the PCs are on at the time.

My other thought is that this is a name drop to make the PCs suspect the glitching planet at B:1 is Golarion, although nothing suggests it is. I love the idea of a good conspiracy theory in Starfinder.

I think I might need to go read the end of Era of the Eclipse again, too.

________________

I'm also courious what other people have done with the passengers on page 4.

Squark wrote:

Hopefully they will also automatically apply the weak/elite templates.

AoN already has that feature. There's a button near the top of any monster stat block.

This is different; the new tool does that for an entire scenario all at once, and turns it into a single printer-friendly PDF.

Encounters for PFS Scenario #7-01: .

I agree that the way you are describing Akashic Dragons is how most of them would be like; however, there's no right answer here. An Akashic Dragon will behave very differently if it's a friendly NPC, a neutral NPC, or (very rarely) the Big Boss monster. Also, where they are from could make a big difference; an Akashic Dragon in the Azlanti star empire might be the curator of the department of propaganda's library of disinformation, known to the public as the Library of Truth.

Hellknights trying the contract trick, likely wouldn't write the contract themself but would call upon the highest level lawyers from hell to do so, and would likely be in a contract so long it would take years to read, and other efforts would be made to distract the dragon during the reading of the contract. Here, the people pulling this off would be the Boss monster.

The Akashic Dragon I'd personally like to hang out with is the one in charge of the Library of Galactic Music.

Driftbourne wrote:

I just noticed that Akashic dragons are immune to stupefied, that's a nice touch.

Akashic Interference. What happens when an Akashic dragon joins the Order of the Eclips...

I feel like that would fall apart quickly. Mostly because Akashic Dragons hoard knowledge, while Eclipse censors (and probably alters) information. Wouldn't be surprised if Akashic Dragons are compelled to record "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you Yluma".

I don't think of Akashic dragons as hoarding information; the Akashic Record is the hoard, the Akashic dragons are just really good at accessing and using that information, or in the case of Akashic Interference, interfering with others accessing it. They might hoard some physical sources of knowledge, but that would pale compared to the Akashic Record.

I don't see anything that says Akashic dragons think truth is power; they seem to be about knowledge is power. How each Akashic dragon uses that knowledge could be very different. One nice thing about getting rid of alignments is that you can just look at a dragon and know its motives.

I could see an Akashic dragon using hellknights to help them control or restrict others from using knowledge.

I could also see hellknights tricking an Akashic dragon to work for them through a deceptive contract.

I just noticed that Akashic dragons are immune to stupefied, that's a nice touch.

Akashic Interference. What happens when an Akashic dragon joins the Order of the Eclips...

I like the Abysium, Akashic, and Cosmic dragons; they all fit into Starfinder easily.

Now Host Dragons, that scare me if they hook up with the Swarm. That's one of the interesting things about Host dragons: you can easily mod them just by changing what they host.

- genuinely impressed at how evocative the names for abilities are in this book!).

I think evocative ability names are one of Starfinder 2e's strongest points.

Someone posted this on Reddit.

Fly Free or Die Starfinder 2nd Edition Conversion.

I'm not familiar with upcoming PFS scenarios, but the SFS scenarios list for next year are all still listed as 5.99 USD

It feels odd talking in the SF 1 Forums lol

Why, the last 30+ threads are all about SF2e, I stopped counting at that point.

Starfinder Flip-Mat: Garage Warehouse
Starfinder Flip-Mat: CityScape Multi-Pack

Both are listed under SF1e Flip-Mats, and should be under SF2e
SF2e Mats on SF1e page.

Also, when sorting by Newest Items, the order seems to be reversed. I tested this on the Mat page and the Starfinder Scenario page.

So if I create my own event, do I keep using that number and just add new sessions to it?

Does Augustana Station Lodge (SFS2) have its own event code for reporting games, or are we still using Castamir's RSP Event number for SF2e? Or do we need to register our games separately?

I'm guessing the older scenarios with challenge points will still need them, while new ones won't use them. Since the new tool is by scenaro, I'm guessing the tool will be adjusted according to the needs of the scenario.

Starfinder 2e is getting the same type of tool; I have no idea if it will be identical to the PF2e version. The tool is only for PF2e season 7 and forward, and Sf2e season 1 and forward, so backward compatibility is not an issue. I'm not sure what changes are coming for PF2e or not.

Hello everybody! This is Bright and Sparkling Zoey! Did you miss me?

It's certainly more Bright and Sparkling with you here, also appreciate all the work you do.

I've tested it a few times, and it also conveniently separates each encounter to a separate page. (may take more than one page depending on font size for an encounter with multiple stat blocks.) You can also choose between 2 columns or no columns, and the font size can be changed from 50% to 100% in 10% increments.

1-09 Abduction just came out today. After reading some of it, if you can convince your GM to let your character back near the end of this scenario seems like the best time lore-wise to do so, assuming again that the other PCs succeed.

See, site update on AoN.

It allows you to select the level and Challenge points, then prints all the stat blocks from a Scenario in a printer-friendly format at once. Currently, only PF2e season 7 with SF2e on the way.

Driftbourne wrote:

Squark wrote:

On a side note, I do find it hilarious how many people are apparently determined to walk into the Borg Assimilation Center.

Especially when the next scenario in the meta plot is called Compliance Protocol.

Also, reading between the lines...

** spoiler omitted **

Good call, I had guessed the

My gold did show up with a bit of a delay.

On a side note, I do find it hilarious how many people are apparently determined to walk into the Borg Assimilation Center.

Especially when the next scenario in the meta plot is called Compliance Protocol.

I disagree with Driftborn's take on your desire to be affected by exposure to First One tech. There is at least one scenario where it is clear they engage in species modification, so coming into contact with an unidentified widget that gives you cantrips is not too far to stretch things.

I'm not say that's not a good explanation for new abilities, I'm trying to find reasons why the GM would take away their character for lore reasons. Why they got new abilities is not a reason for that, but mind control is a reason to lose control of your character.

There is one example in 1-00 Collisions Wake of creatures changed from being exposed to the wreck with no involvement of the First Ones. All other creatures we have encountered with modifications have been intentionally modified by the First Ones and are also under mind control.

1-08 Compliance Protocol is called Compliance Protocol for a reason

The main issues aren't how the OP's character got new abilities, if they survived, or how they escaped the First Ones and avoided mind control. To me, it's that they voluntarily quit a Starfinder Society mission in front of their leader to join an invading enemy force. The needed background story isn't how they got new abilities; it's why the Starfinder Society should let them back in. I was under mind control at the time might be their best defense.

Is it done? Or is that just a preview for patron? Also, any news on the mobile app?

Having GM 1-05 Sloughscar Summit, I can see a couple of problems with following the Functionary.

1. The scenario says, Sarmak asks the PCs to maintain order inside the building while he heads out to ensure the Functionary remains peaceful. Sarmak is the current leader of the Starfinder Society. Not sure how I would deal with a PC that directly goes against the leader of the Starfinder Society, right in front of the leader.

2. Exposure to First Ones' "stuff" seems to be mind-control, or connected to a hive mind or network, from a central controlling entity, which includes the Functionary being controlled also. Which could make your curse be having the GM run your character. Which isn't something that should happen in organized play.

There's a bit of conversation on this in the GM section near the end of this thread.
SFS2E 1-05 Sloughsour Summit .

All of my suggestions were arguments to help persuade the PCs from not following The Functionary, so not sure what to do if someone followed, but forgetting everything seems like a good solution. Since no one really knows what would have happened to you, it would be hard to have a curse around that. Having conspiracy theories about what happened to you would be a good solution, conspiracy theories don't have to be lore acurate, and beliving in them can be it's own kind of curse.

I just noticed I got an email asking to verify my review. After clicking on that, the review showed up, but I don't have any gold from it yet.

Side note: doesn't look like there is any way to edit your review once it's posted.

I had the same thing happen last night, writing a review for 1-04

I wonder if it only lets you review things you bought after the new store opened?

A while back, I made a note card to take to the store with a list of upcoming scenario maps to see what maps I could find in the store, before ordering the rest.

I'm guessing on the dates, based on that 2 come out per month. I think for November it's on the 26th (hoping it is) and likely at the end or beginning of most other months. I know the March ones were on the 4th because it's my birthday and I was excited to be getting new scenarios then. That's what I remember, but all of that could change wiht the new store.

Not sure if all the maps are listed, I think the last 6 scenarios I might have only added to the note card the maps I was missing, but sure.

November:
Abduction. Maps: Alien Ruins, Planetary multi pack
Rites of Rekindling. Maps: Cityscape multi pack

December:
Friends of the forest. Maps: Forest Moon, Renegade Outpost
Take the Bait. Maps: Gravtrains

January:
Foul (Humors or Humors) Maps: PF Bigger Flooded Dungeon
The Beast of Bo. Maps: Renegade Outpost.

February:
Ruins of the World Soul. Maps: PFC Haunted Dungeon
Beast of Bo part 2. Maps: Renegade Outpost

March:
Corpse Fleet Conflict. Maps: Ghost ship
Midnight in Maro. Maps: Cityscape multi pack

I'm hoping for an Expanded Summoning - Pathfinder Monster Core 2

I'm having lots of fun with Expanded Summoning - Pathfinder Monster Core. I'm playing a character with an Anichant Aliens-like video show that deals with Anichant Fay, blaming Anichant Fay for everything from The Gap, the Drift Crash, to the disappearance of Golarion, also trying to link the First Ones to the First World. They have no evidence for any of this, of course, other than the fact they can summon anichant fay from the Pathfinder Monster Core.

So, wondering if there will be an Expanded Summoning - Pathfinder Monster Core 2?

Also curious what other people are doing with Expanded Summoning - Pathfinder Monster Core?

There's actually a city named Normal in Illinois. I found a Facebook page for the Bloomington/Normal Pathfinder Society. So, thinking they would be the standard for what a Normal lodge would be like. :)

I checked there is no city named Avrage, so there is no Avrage PFS lodge.

There are several cities named Standard, so it looks like we might have more than one Standard to go by.

I also found a town called Lodge, so there could be a Lodge Lodge out there.

1. The Starfinder-Coming Soon page doesn't show up upcoming Starfinder Society Scenarios.

2. My Starfinder Society Scenario Subscription shows that the next order date is January 1st. I thought new scenarios were coming out in November and December? I'm guessing the January 1st is for the one in December, but not sure what happened to November? Can't check because there is no Coming Soon page doesn't show up upcoming Starfinder Society Scenarios

I'm assuming that on page 4 the the end of the Arrival section, where it says "If the PCs choose to investigate, proceed to Ichorwell Shuttle below. Otherwise, proceed to area A on page 6." That A is A1.

We played this on Halloween weekend, and since there are dead bodies in several rooms and blood streaks on the floors, I waited until the PCs got the distress call to give out hero points, which were little 2-inch plastic skulls I bought for hero points for Guilt of the Grave World. I figured handing out skulls after getting a distress call would help set the mood.

I liked how the piloting check had consequences. Sadly, Tadasi didn't survive despite all the PC trying to poilt, the last two both using compeditive spirit.

Had a lot of fun with this one. For the hazards in room A2, I made separate handouts, so none of the players knew what the other were seeing. This turned into some crazy role-playing.

I also made handouts for the Raising Tensions echo. Each card had a different direction, and I left out the direction leading to rooms A9 and A10 I triggered right when the PCs got to A9, but had only finished 1/2 the station. I was hoping to confuse the PCs, but I randomly drew South and Southwest, so unfortunately, the PCs don't really argue over which way it was coming from, but it worked great to get them to skip A9 and A10 for a while.

The station map looks really cool, but I figured it would mostly play out like a dongun crawl. I figured unlike most donguns in a labatory all the rooms would be labeled. I figured this would help when they talk to Tadasi RIP... or when they got to the security room and could see what all the rooms were.

Fun adventure, easy to run. Our game lasted around 3.5 to 3.75 hours. I think the extra time was mostly role playing.

I would think of it as a big cavity under a glacier in Antarctica

Google says:
"Subglacial lakes: Antarctica has over 400 known subglacial lakes, with the largest, Lake Vostok, spanning 12,500 square kilometers."

Just drain the water.

I am glad I am not in your lodge. We would likely clash and clash often because of your almost hostile and confrontational attidude.

Or you two might get along just fine in person, but the internet is getting in the way.

After reading Era of the Eclipse, I'm excited to see the Order of the Eclipse appearing in a scenario.

Shadows can overlap or change over the course of a day or year, so both can be true. Also, in a place called the Absurdity, I wouldn't be surprised if physics somehow works differently. In SF1e, the Absurdity was just a name on a map, so all the lore we have on the Absurdity so far is in the Galaxy Guide. Sidenote: The absurdity came from Thurston Hillman's Howbrew game. That's all we know so far.

I'm still hopeful things will change. I even bought special hero points for Guilt of the Grave World

hero points