Yeah, I have never looked at Charisma as appearance. It is personality, presence, self-confidence. Its not looks.
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Just like my change to Solarian (solar weapon and armor operating off Cha instead of Str/Dex), I'll simply be adding improved unarmed combat as an operative-adjective weapon. No reason to make it more complicated than that, and it should have been done from the beginning (in my opinion).
So, when I read the Operative, I am immediately seeing the deadly commando...the martial artist who is stealthily dropping in behind their foe, reaching out to grab their head with both hands, a quick twist and *snap!* goes the foe's neck. Dead. Only...unarmed strikes aren't an Operative weapon. That should be changed...or maybe added to the Improved Unarmed Combat feat...
So, I don't know who, if any of you, are (or were) Hollow Earth Expedition players, or players of any Ubiquity-based game, but they have a series of Talents (their version of Feats) that allow players to switch out stats for certain types of attacks. If I am not being clear, allow me to explain...this Talent (Feat) would allow a character to opt to use Intelligence instead of Strength for specific melee attacks (could be kept as simple as presented in the Starfinder book: Basic, Advanced, Small Arms, Longarms, Heavy Weapons, Special [i.e. specific]), or Charisma for Strength (or Dexterity), etc. So, what if these were available Feats? You could have an Envoy Scholar with a high Medicine skill who has Analytical Attack so they use their Intelligence instead of Strength on their Basic Melee Weapons (Scalpel, for example). You could have a Solarian with extreme force of personality wield their solar weapon with penache and style via a Bold Attack and use Charisma instead of Strength for their attack. Hell, you could even have a Vesk Soldier standing there, ignoring the rain of fire as it stings and ricochettes, using their Stalwart Attack and using Constitution instead of Dexterity for their Heavy Weapon attack. The list could go on and on. This does not break a Strength-based melee orientation, as that would always be the default. But it does allow specific character concepts to shine without sacrificing ability scores for mechanical boosts. I am sure there would be exploits, but there are exploits in nearly every game. Therefore, after that lengthy introduction for this, I postulate and introduce Alternate Damage Stat Feats!! Analytical Attack: You may utilize your Intelligence-modifier in place of Strength (or Dexterity)-modifier for a specific weapon classification attack (Basic Melee, Advanced Melee, Small Arms, Longarms, Heavy Weapons, or Special). This functions for both to-hit and damage. You may take this Feat multiple times. Each time you select it, it applies to a different weapon classification. Bold Attack: You may utilize your Charisma-modifier in place of Strength (or Dexterity)-modifier for a specific weapon classification attack (Basic Melee, Advanced Melee, Small Arms, Longarms, Heavy Weapons, or Special). This functions for both to-hit and damage. You may take this Feat multiple times. Each time you select it, it applies to a different weapon classification. Cunning Attack: You may utilize your Wisdom-modifier in place of Strength (or Dexterity)-modifier for a specific weapon classification attack (Basic Melee, Advanced Melee, Small Arms, Longarms, Heavy Weapons, or Special). This functions for both to-hit and damage.You may take this Feat multiple times. Each time you select it, it applies to a different weapon classification. Finesse Attack: You may utilize your Dexterity-modifier in place of Strength-modifier for a specific weapon classification attack (Basic Melee, Advanced Melee, Small Arms, Longarms, Heavy Weapons, or Special). This functions for both to-hit and damage. You may take this Feat multiple times. Each time you select it, it applies to a different weapon classification. Forceful Attack: You may utilize your Strength-modifier in place of Dexterity-modifier for a specific weapon classification attack (Basic Melee, Advanced Melee, Small Arms, Longarms, Heavy Weapons, or Special). This functions for both to-hit and damage. You may take this Feat multiple times. Each time you select it, it applies to a different weapon classification. Stalwart Attack: You may utilize your Constitution-modifier in place of Strength (or Dexterity)-modifier for a specific weapon classification attack (Basic Melee, Advanced Melee, Small Arms, Longarms, Heavy Weapons, or Special). This functions for both to-hit and damage. You may take this Feat multiple times. Each time you select it, it applies to a different weapon classification.
So, further thinking on this, and borrowing a little nugget from Starfinder Companion (by RGG, available on Drivethrurpg...and this is not an ad for them, I am not convinced, as a supplement, it was worth it, but there are nuggets), I am thinking of this for the Solarian: Solar Presence (Su): At 1st level, as long as you have at least 1 Resolve Point in your Resolve Pool, you may use your Charisma-modifier in place of your Strength-modifier for attack and damage rolls with your solar weapon.
I am still toying heavily with the notion of allowing a Solarian to use their Cha mod for their solar weapon (+hit/+dmg) or for their solar armor (+AC). I am also contemplating an expansion bay that allows "piggy-backing" of much smaller ships rather than depending on a bay or hangar (thus allowing the Serenity/Companion Shuttle type situation).
Aside from the mechanic-balancing of another Charisma-based class (aside from the Envoy), I could also easily see the argument (and took it as such, myself, when reading the Solarian) that presence, self-awareness and identity, and force of personality were all central (this even further magnified with their class skill list), thus making Charisma a very natural choice for the class. To me, it also makes them more interesting...a potential frontline fighter where Charisma is a key stat...a stat which typically has very little to do with "in your face" fighting (unlike, say, Strength with its melee modifiers, or Dex with its ranged/reflex save mods, or even Wis with its Perception/Sense Motive/Will save mods). Just a personal viewpoint, of course.
Can you place fusions on Solarian weapon crystals? I cannot seem to find any indication that you cannot...and I don't see why you couldn't (it would actually be a limiter on what the Solarian could add in comparison to other classes), so this may be a "You answered your own question" situation, but still... Thoughts?
Solarian powers are very control-oriented, so I get not being top-dog in damage; that really isn't their key. I could easily see an argument for Cha-based mods on a Solar weapon, primarily considering its source and theme (it is will, or personality, or mutant power originating from self, etc...not a *thing* you pick up and swing). Although, by this argument then, you could (and maybe should?) have the justification for Int-based attack mods, maybe even Wis-based...(I would have a hard time seeing Con-based, but I am sure someone could come up with a justification). And it becomes a spiral, I get that. Still...I could see mod-ing Solar Weapon to use Cha in place of Str being a potent mitigating factor in the melee build vs. key stat issue.
Gotcha! I see that now. Thank you! :)
As the subject says...I find nothing on Weapon Finesse...so I presume we go with Str for melee and Dex for ranged, and that's that?
Those threads are, in fact, wrong. Solarian is the highest damage character in the game. Boosting that does not seem necessary. Awesome to hear. Is it a reaction due to perception of lower modifiers compared to Pathfinder? I know its not really an answerable question, as everyone has their own take, but it seems like a common thought that Solarions (and Envoys) are underpowered. The veteran gamer in me is curious...
As the subject states...with the varied "Solarians aren't tough enough" threads...why not simply allow Solarian solar weapons to use Charisma instead of Strength for their damage (and maybe accuracy) mod? It would certainly fit the theme, and I can't think of any reason this would be game breaking or make them ridiculously overpowered compared to any other class or feature... Thoughts?
Why are preorders now delayed until September? I've had mine on order for months, cant make GenCon (which should never be a qualifier) and am wondering why I have to wait...?
Im guessing it isnt landscape though. This one looks nice but tall screens just dont work as well for me.You want it 8 A5 sized stuck together instead of 4 A4? I can see the appeal of that yeah. It makes it less impersonal. I personally tend to have the GM screen off to my side when I use it (or not even set up at all). Despite this being portrait versus landscape, I *absolutely* appreciate the margin at the bottom. Just as you pointed out, I frequently have...stuff...at the bottom. The next thing I am hoping GM screen designers a lot for is a side "drink" margin...
With four panels I think you and I are out of luck. I think you are right...which is unfortunate. Still, happy for those that are happy!
If you have a hard time reaching over your screen then your GM throne or dias isn't high enough. No...then I would need one of those extended grabby-hands...personally, I'd go for the T-rex head one.
Well, we certainly aren't going for subtlety... I also hope this is a landscape screen. Reaching over landscape screens is obnoxious enough as it is...the tall ones are a throwback to an era of gaming I have not felt since...
Oh now, by the names alone, those sound interesting...
Of course, we have Star Wars (in all of its various incarnations) to play Star Wars, so maybe an Imperial equivalent is not necessary. What do we know of the Swarm?
So the Veskarium are Klingons from Next Generation, essentially then? Do we have an "Empire" equivalent? How about pirate/criminal cartels? I realize some of this (a lot of this) will be fan-generated for their own tables, of course...
Oddly, exactly as the subject header states... Organizations, in any setting involving even the scantest amount of interaction, are essential. We know we have shipbuilders and undead baddies. We also know there are is the Starfinder Society and the space druids... But what other organizations, good, bad, or in-between, do we know of? |