Hijiggy's page

An animal companion takes the Ability Focus monster feat (Choose one of the creature’s special attacks. Add +2 to the DC for all saving throws against the special attack on which the creature focuses.) and this feat is applied to a poison ability.

If then that poison is harvested (Via Milk Venom trick or otherwise), would that harvested poison retain the +2 DC when used?

Hey Gustavo, funny I have a PC right now who is an Android who was marooned on an abandoned spaceship for 30 years with nothing but Clint Eastwood movies. So very similar concept! He's also been putting points into sleight of hand for gun tricks.

Right now he's using a basic semi auto as a flavored "expanded cylinder revolver"

However I'm making a 6 round revolver for him. Very similar to WhiteWeasel's.

Decrease capacity to 6
4d4 damage
I'm increasing the range to 70ft
The big changes are like WhiteWeasel said about the rounds being larger than pistols, that the revolver takes long arm rounds instead of small arm rounds.

And the fan the hammer special: When full attacking, you can attempt a DC 20 Sleight of hand check. On a success you may make an another attack at an additional -2 to the attack roll. You may take an additional attack at another -2 for every 5 by which your slight of hand check exceeds the DC.

Thoughts?

Well, your mystic could get an injector pistol and spend certain rounds shooting their teammates with Transdimensional Pesh. (Everyone should take the Great Fortitude feat for addiction)

Yes, that looks like a valid interpretation. it likely violates the authors intent but doesn't go against any rules. Technically correct is, once again, the best kind of correct. I wonder though, have you done the math on how that would work out vs three shots with a longarm or heavy weapon?

I have not done the math, that isn't my strong suit here. I'd be curious if someone wanted to work out if it was damage efficient!

Spells cannot be used as part of Full attacks
But can touch attacks?

Touch Effects and Holding the Charge:
"Some effects, most notably spells, have a range of touch and require an action to activate. In most cases, if you don’t discharge a touch effect on the round you create it, you can postpone the discharge of the effect (also known as holding the charge) indefinitely. You can make touch attacks round after round until the effect is discharged. If you make any other attack, activate another ability, or cast a spell during this time, the touch effect dissipates."

You cast Jolting surge and miss your touch attack.

Next turn you're holding the charge, so you don't have to cast the spell.
Can you make a full attack with one (Or both if the first misses) of the attacks being your touch attack?

Multi-weapon Fighting:

"When you make a full attack with two or more small arms or with two or more operative melee weapons, reduce the penalty for making a full attack by 1."

Now with Solarion's onslaught and soldiers Onslaught they can make 3 attacks in a full attack. Now presuming 4 or more arms, could a soldier or solarion make a full attack, attacking with 2 small arms or operative weapons, and 1 non-small arm non-operative weapon and still gain the bonus for all 3 attacks?

I could see it being helpful if you want to save a feat, but take a couple shots with a sniper every once in a while just for the long range spell blasts, but wouldn't use them in a regular fight (Even though you have the flexibility to do so).

If those bone weapons are operative why not go Thief Operative? Could be closer to Laura.

Backstory in an orphanage, kicked out because of weird spike claws coming out (Accidentally killing someone?). She is averse to using the spikes because of her past trauma with them, turns reclusive, asocial street urchin and steals to get by (Thief specialty).

Also works well with the spikes: "You can use Sleight of Hand to make a trick attack by concealing your weapons and motions."

The operatives trick attack could help keep the bone weapons relevant throughout character progression, but as she grows up she could diversify her weapon options.

She tries to steal from the party or something and one of the PCs catchers her and for some reason takes her in without knowing of her weird claw mutations.

That's how I'd play it!

Mindbreaker Backlash:

Whenever a foe succeeds at a Will save against one of your spells and completely negates the effect, that foe takes 1 nonlethal damage for each mystic level you have. This is a mind-affecting pain effect.

Is this a required effect? What if the Mystic doesn't want to inflict the damage. For example:

Mindlink: The player wants to impart knowledge to calm down a scared and somewhat intelligent animal. Player touches the animal, but the animal is hesitant. Makes the will save.

The player now deals pain damage to it having the opposite effect of what they were trying to do.

Is it dependent on the "Foe" definition? Is "foe" combat dependent?

What about where being caught casting a spell with a successful save would result in curt resentment, where as causing damage would immediately start combat?

All those expansion bays are just internal. I'd say slapping on a couple 100 shipping boxes on some tow cables in 0g is totally feasible. Just amp up the Piloting checks for slowing down and turning at all.

In regards into general drone vs Exo:

The drone gives an additional target for enemies to hit, saving you and your party members damage.

Its attack capabilities are meant to be similar to a different character full attacking. You shoot and your drone shoots, while the bonuses aren't fantastic its similar if not better to a different class taking the -4 to do two attacks. The hover drone further helps this by flying above cover. (Also I'm not sure the rules but grenade bombing runs?)

The hover drone specifically, depending on the propulsion you pick is by far the best in Zero Gravity. Also has the best dex bonus.

Also: "Additionally, whenever you are directly controlling your drone, it can use any of your skill ranks if you wish, assuming it has the appropriate tools to do so (a drone without manipulator arms cannot use Engineering to disable a device, for example)."

Well, Serums definitely can not be used with injection. The rules state pretty clearly that it's something you drink. Also, it's a full action to administer it to someone unconscious. And you can't use it on a willing ally at all since they're not just standing still.

Spell Ampoules are stated to work as injections. So, you can use them on yourself or a willing ally as a standard action. It's still a full action to use on an unconscious creature. That doesn't really make sense, but it's to keep it consistent, I imagine.
You can use Serums with darts, making it a standard action, but Spell Amps in darts seems a bit much. They are stated to be liquid, so I can see it making sense.

"Serums are vials of magic liquid that you can imbibe as a standard action or carefully trickle down the throat of a helpless or unconscious creature as a full action."

That's the only thing I can find on what Serums physically are. Is there somewhere else I'm missing? Because I'm happy to interpret 'imbibe' as any form of absorption as opposed to drinking (admittedly the more common definition, but not the only one), especially since its magic.

You could flavor it.

"You gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks against lay followers and lower-ranking clergy."

You know certain secrets of your old religion. The clergy must respect your opinion or risk you exposing the inner machinations of their system.

If you're creative enough you can come up with any flavor that can adequately align with the theme track you're on.

An idea:

Multi Class, two levels in Drone Mechanic to get the Overload weapon trick. Allows you to use any energy weapon you find as a grenade that scales off of weapon level instead of mechanic level.

Then the rest of your levels in Bombard soldier.
This gives you the free grenade (two shy of current level) and increases the limited range of your overload weapon grenades.

Get the stealth drone to go around and pick up the used guns off of bodies for you to use, or to plant overloaded weapons for you but otherwise it won't be too helpful. (Or maybe load it up with six overloaded weapons connect a detonator and have it Kamikaze, rebuild it the next day.)

Not sure about the unarmed part, but that's how I would play a grenade focused character.

Taclash Numbing + Zero Pistol

Opening Volley bonus followed by a disarm maneuver with the whip. With the combo it leaves hand free to grab the weapon you disarm.

I'm giving my players a magic infused hybrid ship that is bonded to them. It properties change in accordance with the 'power' of its owners. Therefore, more build points with a level up.

I figured magic was the easiest way to overcome the role playing aspect of it. Could do the same thing as the ship is a vessel given to them by a deity and grows in power as they bring about glory to said deity.

I think by the time you build up 100+ uses per day, being able to deal 1d4+1 x3 100 times a day isn't going to be worthwhile enough to do. Its not game breaking, but could fun to keep track of.

I say go RAW and let em stack permanently.

Cathulhu wrote:

Seems that reptoids with their 1.5 specialization with claws that are not archaic seen sounds for a switch hitter build.

I thought so too, until I saw that their base 1d3 damage or whatever for an unarmed strike with their claws never scales.

Unless you take improved unarmed strike, I think.

Based on them being reptoids I think it SCALES pretty well ;)

http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2unfq?Some-Home-Brew-Archetypes

Not sure if the link will work but HWalsh made some good archetypes that parallel a paladin fairly well if you wanted to check that out. (If the link doesn't work just go to the Homebrew tab and search for Some Home Brew Archetypes.

This is a Sci-Fi game...

Any GM's out there allowing dice roller apps from phones during game play?

This would solve for actually buying tons of dice. :D

We have an Alexa app for it. For the small dice rolls we do physical dice, and for big dice rolls we just ask her. Been really handy, she reads out each dice value and the total. Get to listen to her talk for 3 minutes after a 20d6 roll.

Also think the whole AI fits Starfinder in a fun way.

Not sure I'd want to change sniper rifles at all. My Starfinder group was on the receiving end of a sniper before and it HURT!

That was part of the idea behind making the additional abilities dependent on PC builds instead of just on the Weapon class.

Peat wrote:

Before you add a bunch of house rules to Snipers, I think it's important to realize why they are like they are. It's not just because Devs didn't understand balance and damage curves - when you make long range Combat better than close range (equal or higher damage, no chance of attacking back) the optimal strategy becomes "let the sniper kill as many as they can every fight before we engage at normal range".
Fun for the sniper, less fun for the other players at the table or the GM who now has to balance around that.
This, in spades.

If you want to see non-funded combat check out snipers in WoD with an ST that doesn't respond with massive cops whenever a sniper rifle is fired. Every potentially lethal encounter starts with 30 minutes playtime where the sniper gets into position and then takes all of the encounter spotlight.

The game isn't a solo stealth sniper fest.

I do agree with this and a healthy balance is appropriate. Do you think there's a way to meet in the middle? Do you think there's a way to make someone feel like they're playing a sniper while playing and having fun as a team?

Maybe:If you have visual on both a teammate and an enemy through a sniper scope and you have open comms with said teammate, your teammate gets a bonus on stealth checks against that enemy.

It says "stress or distractions". Combat is generally considered a form of stress.

I was hoping it was based on more than assumptions about stress levels when the ruling for Take 10 specifically says an ability has to state that you can do it in combat.

I've seen all over the forums about operatives being able to take 10 on their trick attack in combat. I'm not sure where that came from or if I'm missing something.

Taking 10:
"Unless you have an ability that states otherwise, you cannot take 10 during a combat encounter. Also, you can’t take 10 when the GM rules that a situation is too hectic or that you are distracted"

This seems somewhat explicit to me. The operative ability sounds like its only mentioning the second instance, not combat.

Operative Skill mastery:
"...even if stress or distractions would normally prevent you from doing so"

It only mentions distractions, nothing to do with combat. The skill section separates the two issues (Combat vs distracted) when referring to taking 10.

Is there any specific ruling that says you CAN take 10 in combat with an operative?

Buffing sniper rifles for the players also calls into question of what happens if an NPC uses it on said players. Even with just the base rules, there is nothing stopping an NPC from taking a shot with a sniper rifle and getting a critical hit... except for GM fiat that says that Natural 20 just didn't happen.

That was part of my idea behind putting it as a class specific thing as NPCs are built differently and wouldn't have access to the ability. Plus then you can limit the level they'd have access to it.

I do like the Coup De Grace idea. Heavy restrictions on when it can happen for sure.

I was rolling around some ideas in my head and wanted some input.

I want to make a gear boost or operative exploit (Feat maybe?) in order to increase the viability of long range sniping. Here are some ideas I've had:

Headshot: If the enemy is unaware of you, and you have a minute to line up the shot, increase critical threat range with sniper rifles to 15-20. This bonus can stack with Improved Consistent Sniper.

Alt: take a -8 to your attack roll with a sniper rifle. If you hit, you crit.

Consistent sniper: If the enemy is unaware of your location, and you have a minute to set up a shot, you may take 10 on the attack roll with a sniper rifle. This ability does not inform you of whether or not that will hit.

Improved consistent sniper: You may take 15 instead of 10 when using consistent sniper.

Silent sniper: If the enemy is unaware of your location, you may take a -4 on an attack roll. If you hit your target, enemies will have to take a DC 15 + 1.5x Weapon level perception check in order to hear the shot.

All these ideas are in their infancy, but I want to provide some advantages to the far off sniper viability.
Should the numbers be adjusted?
Should they be Gear Boosts vs op Exploit?

Let me know what you think.

If he wants to use it I might require a feat. You need proficiency for any weapons you want to be proficient in, I think combat with a shield should require some training, especially if its something no one else in the world really uses.

If you are requiring a feat I think the +2 bonus would be fair. Or maybe combo of the choice? +1 Eac and +2 Kac or +2 Eac.

One other option you could have your player look into is using a two handed weapon with the 'block' property?

Given they're telepathic I'm not sure they have a language.

EDIT: Wait, no. You still need a language for telepathy.

I think limited telepathy is a Shirren thing that they kept when splitting from the swarm.

The swarm probably has a closer connected telepathic ability, which projects thoughts, feelings, and ideas: a core concept of everything the other party knows and feels as opposed to having a need to convert it into words.

A Kasatha lobbyist who thinks now that Akiton is nearly barren, the Kasatha should move off their ship and colonize Akiton. Removing the uncivilized and lawless inhabitants.

I enjoy that the larva spend their first couple years being carried around in jars.

Also imagine a Shirren entering a store with a larva in a jar and everyone starts hearing telepathic crying.

I would say no because of this line in the weapon section:

"Weapons of the same type are of similar size and have similar mechanical properties. Weapon types include basic melee, advanced melee, small arms, longarms, heavy weapons, sniper weapons, grenades, and special weapons. Ammunition and Solarian weapon crystals are also listed here."

As far as combat feats I think Improved Unarmed strike can come up as useful. You threaten squares when holding your longarm. Then could combine it with Stand Still (Again if you're just trying to fill up feats).

Plus if the story takes away all your normal weapons you always have a back up weapon.

Not fantastic but if you just want to get some extra feats that ones fun.

Thanks for pointing that out Butch, that's a really good point. I was mixing the rules of Jolting Surge and Transfer charge in my head, thinking you only had to touch the weapon.

Looking at the pictures in the book, some weapons have very external and exposed batteries (Usually unwieldy type), while others are internal and would be hard to touch.

For my home game I might make this only work on unwieldy weapons due to their more easily accessible batteries. But still require a sunder attack (Kac+8) in order to touch the battery.

If you can touch the battery to cast a spell on it, why not use that action to remove the battery you are touching?

I'm presuming there's some screw or clasp that makes it harder to actually remove than simply touch?

Well it would definitely invoke an AoO because its casting a spell within their threatened squares.

But there's nothing in the spell that says it shouldn't work. It takes 1 standard action and it requires you touch the battery or weapon, and you have the empty one.

So putting the spell aside, if in combat I just wanted to touch the weapon they're holding, what roll would I make? Sunder? Disarm?

Disarm weapon, pick it up, cast spell.

What's your reasoning for that many steps?

The only grey area is the part "taking 10 is almost never an option for a check that requires some sort of crucial effect as a key part of the adventure’s story." The distraction portion in the operatives ability is directly related to the distraction portion in the restriction on taking 10 revoking that restriction.

"Unless you have an ability that states otherwise, you cannot take 10 during a combat encounter. Also, you can’t take 10 when the GM rules that a situation is too hectic or that you are distracted"

This is actually seeming somewhat explicit to me. The operative ability sounds like its only mentioning the second instance, not combat.

"even if stress or distractions would normally prevent you from doing so"

It only mentions distractions, nothing to do with combat. The skill section separates the two issues (Combat vs distracted) when referring to taking 10.

Is there any specific ruling that says you CAN take 10 in combat with an operative?

EC Gamer Guy wrote:

Can only Take 10 if the GM allows it. I just decided that rolling for Trick attack is "a crucial part of the adventure's story."

Huh? At level 7, you can Take 10 on Trick Attack. Period. You, as the GM, can House Rule that away if you want to power down Operatives (though I'm not clear why you'd want to do that). But it's a very explicit House Rule, not 'you can only do this if the GM allows it' in the normal sense of that term.

"Unless you have an ability that states otherwise, you cannot take 10 during a combat encounter. Also, you can’t take 10 when the GM rules that a situation is too hectic or that you are distracted, and taking 10 is almost never an option for a check that requires some sort of crucial effect as a key part of the adventure’s story."

"You become so confident in certain skills that you can use them reliably even under adverse conditions. When attempting a skill check with a skill in which you have the Skill Focus feat, you can take 10 even if stress or distractions would normally prevent you from doing so."

There's some gray area between the two. Honestly the operative ability doesn't explicitly say combat; it doesn't "State otherwise".

I'd say no. In the weapons section Weapon Types there is a specific list. The list includes:

"Weapon types include basic melee, advanced melee, small arms, longarms, heavy weapons, sniper weapons, grenades, and special weapons."

What roll would you make when using Transfer Charge offensively on the enemies weapon (Or powered armor)?

Would it be just a normal spell touch attack, or a Sunder if it needs to touch the weapon?

Based on the rules of the spell it looks it would be a good idea for a Technomancer to carry around as many different empty batteries as possible. Grab the opponents gun and transfer all of its charges to the battery. Same thing with powered armor.

Also with the spell is, "All of them" an acceptable declaration?

"You must declare how many charges you are transferring before casting this spell."

If not and you declare 40 charges, and there's only 30 left, what happens?

Hypnotic Glow from Solarian is already Jedi Mind trick and most other Force powers are covered by the Graviton telekinesis stuff.

There's no need to combine the two Classes, though either works.

Mystic gives more options towards force powers, plus I think Wisdom as a core ability plays more towards Yoda. And can't replicate FORCE blast. It literally has force in the name. This definitely is not an efficient build though.

Based ENTIRELY on flavor but could be fun to play:

(Whichever order you feel like, probably mystic first)
4 levels mystic, Overlord
16 levels Solarion, Armor

4 levels of mystic get you to 2nd level spells which include specifically FORCE Blast.

Overlord for Jedi mind tricks

Plasma Sword and Pulse Gauntlet in offhand for unlikely chance of knockdown effect.

Important Feats:

Improved Critical (Gotta get those Severe wounds and Knockdown)
Deflect projectiles
Reflect projectiles eventually
Lightning Reflexes
Fleet?

I want to make an NPC (Built like a PC) to join a party. I want the character to be focused on disrupting, and peeling for the casters.

For character reasons I don't want him to deal any damage but still be helpful during fights.

I've been looking at a Guard style soldier, or a Solarion focused on re-positioning Graviton revelations.

What do you think would be most beneficial in fights without dealing damage and being a bit tanky (I'm considering allowing non-lethal damage).

I think the cost should be somewhat equal to what the other players are paying for both weapons, armor, and personal upgrades at the given level. If the mechanic has a fleet of drones that should be pretty much their whole schtick. The mechanic itself pretty much useless in combat without the drones and needs to hide back behind cover and control his fleet. Number of drones he can build could be limited to his INT modifier too? And you'd have to do a lot of in game balancing. Feel out if he's doing way more/less in combat than the other PCs.

This kind of sounds like a fun mechanic Archetype...if Archetypes still worked that way.

Nice of you to do this much extra thought for the player!

The +1 from themes can definitely help round out a rolled character. But that only applies to specific games.

Thanks all for your input.

You had the same ideas I had except I also had a giant hero sandwich, clear case with vintage Michael Jordan Air Jordan's vacuum sealed and a vase with flowers.

Since it is a BUK=3 item; I also liked the pet carrier with sleeping pet or just a pet you carry but then thought of the problem that would occur as it did not radiate the right heat and guards might ask to wake it up.

Thanks again.
MDC

Well. You could glamer the weapon as just the pet carrier, and then carry around a real animal in it.

Chest baby carrier.

I think for the character who is planning to avoid combat the slightly lowered Dex shouldn't be as big of an issue.

However I think for the character concept Adaptive Fighting might be good/fun one to take. It fits the idea of the character and allows to you to be good at a diverse set of combat options. And without sacrificing the skill based feats that you'd prefer to stack up.

Antagonize, or baffle fit the concept I'd say. I agree skill synergy would be a really good one.

Hijiggy wrote:

Has anyone done the math for a Dex based Solarian, full attacking with Operative weapons, and the difference Multi-Weapon fighting feat in combo with Solarion's fixed damage boosts of plasma sheath and photon mode would have on the average damage output?

As a matter of fact, there is a rather long debate in This Thread about trying to make a Dex based Solarian.

Just did a quick word search here to see if anyone had mentioned the "Multi-weapon" feat and didn't find anything so I wasn't sure if it had been brought up. I also just tried to search that thread too and couldn't find the words either. But definitely not going to read through 300 posts of it! haha

It's been done, the damage output goes to about half I believe.

That's too bad though. Glad other people like to do the math though!

Has anyone done the math for a Dex based Solarian, full attacking with Operative weapons, and the difference Multi-Weapon fighting feat in combo with Solarion's fixed damage boosts of plasma sheath and photon mode would have on the average damage output?

Diversity of action. Different effects in each hand. Possibly ranged side arm and melee in the other. Haven't looked too much but maybe cost savings?

Some maneuvers like grapple need a free hand.

Been talking with a friend about doing a small arm in one hand, taclash in the other with opening volley and improved disarm. Gives a pretty good opener in certain scenarios.

But yes, in general if you're going melee, two-handed is going to be the better option in a lot of cases.

I think the closest thing is going with one of the two hand weapons with the block property, that's the only thing I see that can help boost your AC.