Felix the Rat's page

How easily can one detach their own cybernetic limb? I don't mean installation/removal, I mean popping a cybernetic limb off and then back on again. I'm imagining a mounting plate on the character where the limb attaches. I haven't seen specific rules about this aside from removing an implant so I'm guessing it would be up to the GM.

I had another idea while looking through things as a follow-up. Do cybernetics count as "technological devices" for the purpose of a mazecore? I'm thinking of mixing each limb with a different domestic drone type. If it works, I may just have to play SRO Voltron.

Everyone needs to drive a vehicle, even the very tall.

On a serious note, I think it's just listing seatbelts. As long as folks fit by volume you should be fine, but maybe not comfortable. I wonder if goblins need a carseat.

I hope y'all don't mind me putting forth an extra credit question.

What about a mechanic riding a drone that flies?

The specific case is a stelliferas(tiny) mechanic riding a hover drone. After reading the consensus here, my take is that the mechanic could full attack while the drone uses its action to move/hover. The drone could also full attack through master control while the player moves/hovers.

Then there's the outlier case of using a pet carrier armor mod instead of the riding saddle to ride inside of the drone. The stellifaras can't attack now and it can't use its move action to ride the drone. The only option would be to use master control to give the drone a standard, move, and swift action, just like any other flyer which can't full attack. That seems like a pretty bad idea now that I have it written out.

Does this sound about right?

This would be a fun character. I think Garretmander is onto something with operative. Evasion and quick movement fit right in. Go with a detective specialization and think of it as meditating for an insight. There are exploits that reinforce the feel too. The only sword you could use is a sword cane, which means you have a nice sheath for it already.

Potent is great on explode weapnos, +1 to the save DC. Overall though, they're not really worth it. There are some neat fusions I've wanted to use, but it's just too pricey to maintain a weapon near your level and rebuy fusions constantly.

With that said, if you can make a low level weapon fusion work it's good. For example, I had a level 4 tailbalde with Spell Thrower and Glamered so it looks like jewelry. Those fusions work at low level so I don't need to rebuy everything constantly.

One of my favorite items has been the mobile hotelier at a size of at least 10 people. It's a portable tent in a box with air conditioning. Mechanically, it lets you convert batteries into environmental protections/air at 1 charge per 8 hours. You won't need it often, but you'll be glad to have it if you do.

Another are cheap level 1 mini computers with a range module. Slip one in unnoticed to any computer and you have a remote access point.

This thread is fun and educational! I just assumed slobberknocker was an alien race so I was thinking of a very different modest proposal. Yours sounds like a blast, but I'm still hungry.

For what it's worth, you're going to be using full attack as often as you can to get those damage bonuses twice per turn if you hit. The soldier has fewer abilities to use too which results in more attacks and more chances for bonus damage compared to other classes.

A thing to note about gear is that you're often a few levels behind. Those minor damage bonuses are going to help keep you relevant until you can afford a new weapon.

You're right about the combat drone, that DR proves to be pretty lackluster. A level 7 armor mod(deflective reinforcement) gives 5 DR vs the combat drone's 2 DR at level 7. DR/ER on a player is better though, even moreso when combined with other defensive options.

Huh, I had apparently glossed over Multitasking every time I checked out the exocortex. Good to know. Wireless Hack has one more use. It allows you to remotely Overload/Override an electronic device in Wireless Hack's range.

I had to to stand next to the murder robot we were fighting to attempt to Overload its biggest weapon while our exocortex mechanic could do it safely across the room. It's a notable buff to Overload and can open up additional uses for it.

My table has ruled that it applies. Remote Hack extends the range of computers and engineering checks. Wireless hacking is a computers/engineering check.

Edit because I was wrong, Wireless Hack is at level 5 not 7. I'm a drone mechanic, what can I say?
With that said, Wireless Hack has a range of 20ft, which is accurate at level 5. At level 5, Remote Hack is giving you a wireless range of 20ft. The quote Uchuujin posted clearly links the two abilities, so I think it's accurate to increase the range as you level.

I picture it around shuttle size. Shuttle's have a crew of 4 and are still larger than the the tiny fighter bay ships. They're fast and maneuverable but you'd have to add weapon mounts. I think if you deck it out for combat, or modify the frame a bit, you could have a good comparison.

I'd probably just go up the line from there then, skipping medium ships. You could also take Tryn's suggestion and start with a medium explorer instead of a small shuttle for a corvette.
Stellaris > Starfinder
Corvette > Shuttle (small)
Destroyers > Destroyers (large)
Cruisers > Cruisers (huge)
Battleships > Carrier/Battleship (gargantuan)
Diamond-tier ships > Dreadnought (colossal)

I'm no Pathfinder expert but I know there are some here. How do items in general compare between systems in respect to HP and hardness? Do items have more hardness to ignore in Starfinder?

The most important expansion bay in my mind is the basic cargo bay, I like to always have at least 1. The launch tube is neat, even if it takes 2 slots(and 2 ships). My favorite is the smuggler's bay.

Early on, our group had read that androids are kind of...recycled? We weren't sure what to do with dead androids so we stored the bodies in the smuggler's bay in the mean time. It was really nice not having to explain that one to every port inspector.

I can't help but think of this as a knife with a flamethrower for a handle. That sounds like a unwieldy weapon to me at least.

The answer is both, but it's more complicated than that. Your computer only needs 1 range module, it's basically a wifi card. However, you're not installing the control module into your computer, you're remotely connecting to the local computer that controls the device. That computer needs a range module and a control module.

"The control module allows the computer to operate a
complex device, to which it must be in some way connected."

The computer has to be connected to the device it's controlling, which is why we're talking about range modules. Control modules themselves don't get range modules, computers do. If you make a turret, you're attaching a computer to a gun and including a control module to fire it and a range module to connect to it. Again, your computer does not get the control module, the local computer does. You can use your computer to remotely connect to the local computer and gain access to the control module to fire the gun. Note that this opens it up to remote hacking.

In summary:
You're not installing the control module into your computer, you're remotely connecting to the local computer that controls the device.

The first time this came up it scared the crap out of our group. We had just put down this large killer robot...and then it got back up, twice. We didn't realize it was spending RP to stabilize and we ended up destroying the entire facility to make sure it was dead.

If you're going to spring it on players, I'd suggest putting in a plot option to stop the enemy too.

Just so you know, 70ft per 3 seconds works out to only about 16 mph.

Usain bolt topped out at 27.8 mph. True that's a flat out sprint of the fastest man alive, but were comparing to a cowman from space.

Mix in Jet Dash for x6 speed and he's sprinting at nearly 100 mph. Now we're talking Sonic speeds.

You could always rip out your Strix wings and replace them with...Strix wings. The level 7 biotech augment Ultralight Wings, Strix has a flight speed of 40 ft for only 6.8k credits.

Most everything has been said here, but I just wanted to chime in and mention energy resistances and hardness. 5 grenades going off at once isn't 5d6, it's (1d6-Resistance)x5. Items and beefy characters aren't going to take much damage.

Are you doing an AP?...

It's a homebrew campaign so it's flexible luckily. It's funny that you mention goblins though, they're going to have a presence early game and one could easily tag along. A shoddy hacker could be more fun than a competent one.

I like the idea of having the AI in the ship too, the players can go back to it as needed but they can't take it with them. I can treat it like a science lab that's actually useful. I may suggest one of them at least sink 1 point into it to be competent enough to type.

It was pretty funny going around the table the first time computers came up as everyone realized no one had it. It's fitting for the characters though. We're likely to add one more to the group. I'll try a few sessions this way and if it doesn't work well, I'll highly recommend they take the skill.

Wheels are turning! Thanks for the ideas.

I’m running my groups 2nd Starfinder campaign and there’s a bit of snag. In our first campaign, everyone had computers and it was ridiculously redundant. This time around, no one has computers. So here’s my dilemma, do I work with this or around it?

Here’s what I’m thinking. I’ll give them an AI that can at least use and operate a computer, but no hacking. For tougher stuff where players would have the option of hacking to interact with an encounter, I’ll make some other options geared to their own abilities. For an absolute computer requirement, I can make it an NPC hook.

Any suggestions on how to handle this?

Is it unconditional? I only used mods that fit in "Any" armor for the drone because a drone/exocortex isn't light, heavy, or powered armor. A drone/exocortex isn't armor and no restrictions like the android's are listed so I'm pretty sure I agree you by the end of the sentence.

Only using "Any" mods wasn't a big deal, but it did limit a few options seemingly needlessly. There's no reason a mod for powered armor couldn't be in a "powered" drone.

*cheesy advertisement music*...

The explanation is even more versatile than the gear!

I'd rule it as "sources significantly hotter than their environment". Anything near room temperature won't stand out, like in the thermal map CrystalSeas posted. I think that would cover most situations.

I think the witchwarper would make a great Dr. Who. They both have a pseudo-science explanation for everything.

"Began to cast" only has value in the context of that sentence which is talking about spells that take 1 round or longer to cast, not single-action spells.

You can still interrupt a caster offensively. If you threaten a caster, you get an AoO reaction before they cast the spell.

Don't forget that you have to take into account all of your equipment's bulk and the drone's equipment too. A naked goblin hanging from a drone isn't as intimidating...or is it more intimidating? For flying fun, check out the saddle mod and the diminutive Stellifera race that can ride the tiny hover drone.

...If you multi class in Operative for 10 levels you can pick the cloaking field exploit that gives you +10 to stealth. The charge time for the cloaking field takes a while so you wouldn't be able to use it often.

If you choose the Ghost specialization, you get the Cloaking Field at level 1. Drone mechanic can get a similar benefit with a stealth drone and drone meld at level 8, only there's no need to recharge it. When I hit level 8 and got it, our Ghost operative and I became good buddies.

That is correct, unfortunately.

The Skin of the Chameleon skin implant gives a +3 circumstance bonus to Stealth. It's a level 6 item for 4050 credits.

Man, what a bummer, It wasn't until reading this thread that I realized the glove weapons in the Armory don't count because they're not battlegloves. The Armory book has electrovore gloves at level 2 and 7 for 1d6 and 2d6 damage. I had thought those were to fill the Hammer Fist gap.

There's no argument that the words are synonyms. However, in the context of the Bluff and Hide, Diversion is a defined ability. The ability Diversion and the word distraction are not synonymous.

Flailing limbs, flashing lights, flashing genitals, doesn't matter. This is just RP of how you distract the enemy to create a Diversion (with the Bluff skill).

As for cases like a flash grenade or flashblinders, you can roll to hide, but not because it's distracting. These can blind the enemy, which then grants you concealment, which allows you to hide.

I'm not sure where you're getting "distraction" from, but in this case, diversion isn't an actual diversion, it's an ability that's a subset of the Bluff skill.

Logically, I see why it makes sense, but the rules don't allow for it. That said, I wish Amplified Glitch was buffed with something like this. The few times it succeeded for me was not worth all of the wasted actions when it didn't.

My group has two mechanics, an exocortex and a drone. We may have some of the same abilities, but we have to apply them differently. It's nice and makes it feel like we're not copies of each other.

It seems like a balance to make variety. Drone mechanic's can use Overload at the range of their custom rig through their drone. Exocortex mechanic's range is much shorter but doesn't require you to be adjacent to the target.

If they're flying tiny 1-2 person ships, you need to fly and shoot, having a captain takes away from that. If they're flying a larger ship with an NPC crew, let the 1st mate NPC take care of it. The player can still be in charge while assuming an appropriate role for their build. If you really want to stick with a Star Trek feel where they're the captain, then they need to rework their characters with their desired starship role in mind.

What a bummer. I was wanting the same thing for the tail blade. Only 4 levels of fusions isn't very many, but it's a great way to always have a spellthrower fusion on you.

You can level-up power armor though, which doesn't help with fusions. I think each level costs 1.5 of the cost of the previous level. You could try using the same logic to increase a weapon's cost if you're homebrewing it.

How hard are the DCs for captain checks anyway? My group never had much trouble hitting their respective DCs in ship combat, but we never had a captain. Are the DCs low enough that a few points in CHA, max skill ranks, and a skill focus feat could make it viable? I made a soldier for a friend like that and it worked great.

Up until about 10 minutes ago, I fully agreed that the times should be shorter, but then I thought about this scenario.

You're adrift in space, but you've managed to get a distress signal out into the drift. In a few days, it'll make it back to Absalom Station. A few days later, your rescue awaits. Even if you're in the same system as Absalom, this takes up to 6 days.

I think this is a fair scenario to compare the time to. Heck, it seems like a good scenario to balance the times to. Before level 8 or so, you're going to have scrounge to stay alive if you're relying on your suit to live. At higher levels, being stranded in space is an inconvenience but you're likely to live through it. Seems about right, and the rescue times can always be stretched out by a GM who wants to.

There's also the species that require their suits to exist in our environment; shorter times could make those races unplayable.

Maybe if there were more scenarios where players aren't in their armor, the environmental protections wouldn't feel so omnipresent.

Oh wow, that race sounds fun! I didn't know they existed so thanks guys. For mechanics, you can ride your drone with a saddle mod as long as it's your size or larger. I've been wanting to find a way to fly around on the tiny hover drone.

As for the shenanigans, I've also found the Squox Pocket armor mod! I could hide a squox in the drone too to have it pop out at fun times. The Stellifera could use a squox as a mount also! Plenty of non-hydrobody options there, though that hydrobody is pretty cool.

Thanks for the tip!

been a long time. so my memories fuzzy..

but if you have melded mod, for weapon port that would in theory let you use the weapon?...

Yes, you could use a 1-handed weapon as 1 weapon mount mod is essentially 1 arm. The question there is are you making the attack or is the drone? If you're ranged and your drone is melee, or vice versa, it's an important question.

Since the thread is up and shambling around, I'll point out the mechanic's trick Melded Mod that was added in the Armory. It lets you use a basic mod while melded(at level 14), which reinforces you not being able use mods while melded otherwise.

Are there any tiny playable races? I'm not well versed in the Alien Archives but I'm sure someone is. What about spells/abilities to shrink?

Why? Shenanigans of course.

The thing that confuses me the most about this spell is why there isn't a cheap low level item that does the same thing.

Oh boy Xenocrat, you sure have been busy. I was going to make a post about Lessen Injury and Prevent Wounds but you covered most of my points. I hadn't even compared it to Resist Elements but that's a good point too.

As you said, Lessen Injury just seems better than Prevent Wounds, even more so after playing with sample numbers. The only advantage of Prevent Wounds that I see is it has the potential to completely negate the damage. Maybe use it against a GM who loves traps? That HP restriction is just so...bad though. I hope we're missing something useful about it. I feel like it's a great skill for an NPC medic who doesn't leave the ER.

My campaign is going to end right before the holidays and I'm picking up the reigns as GM. This will make for the perfect practice combat for me to get a feel for it. Thanks for the good news!

I've played Starfinder for a few months now and through all that time I've been on the fence about the Mechanic's Trick Distracting Hack. You use a standard action to use computers to make a feint check, making an enemy flat-footed, to you, until the end of your next round. You need Improved Feint to use it as a move action and Greater Feint for others to gain the benefit. A trick and 2 feats is a lot to invest, but is it worth it?

I was thinking from a support point-of-view when learning the game and didn't see this as useful until level 9, when a mechanic can get Greater Feint. Then it's like the operative's Debilitating Trick, only less likely to succeed.

Around level 8 or so I started getting the hang of combat more and saw the advantage to this earlier on. Paired with Overcharge, you use your move action to boost your chance to hit, and then the standard action to overcharge and shoot for extra damage. If you're riding a drone, you still have a free move action even. You can also use it twice, once as a move action and again as a standard action, to prevent two enemies from reacting.

I could see swapping a trick out for it, but needing 2 feats is a lot. I never actually took it after I realized the operative gets the same bonus natively and it was redundant for my group. I really want to like it, but I'm not sold. Does anyone have thoughts on it?

It only costs 1 resolve point. You spend the RP to use Great Cleave, which allows an attack against each enemy in the specified area. You do have to succeed at every attack however, or the Great Cleave ends.

I think doing the old Lost in Space robot as a medium SRO melee character with the bodyguard/in harm's way feat would be great. Soldier would probably be the best fit.

"Danger Shar Tahl!" *steps in front of attack*

Oh, that kind of tank. If it works the same as starship combat, you'll want piloting as a maxed skill to attack with instead of a lower BaB. If skill points are in short supply, you could use the Ace Pilot theme for Lone Wolf to use 1/2 your piloting ranks instead of computers/engineering skills.

Maybe you could use summon creature to cover an additional role when needed? There are summons with the computers or engineering skill. I should note I have no idea about the validity of this, but I like it from an RP perspective.

I don't think there's anything in the rules to allow it. A sword cane can fit 20ft of retractable cable however. A GM may allow you swap one cable for another and allow the garrote.