Raxsortun Steelshaper's page

Had a lot of fun with the soldier build, especially the kasathas - so much so that I'm going to create an SFS character for him and try to replicate the character I've created here.

Was a little bummed I didn't get use out of that Adaptive Fighting feat, but I still feel it could be helpful in different scenarios where the party has to deal with varying environments and combat situations. Was also looking forward to Deflect Projectiles, but nobody ever shot at me... :(

I think the Enhanced Resistance is a 'must have' feat for a tank, as that DR does a LOT to protect the soldier's hide - especially when facing a foe with multiple attacks. In terms of this adventure, I think that feat was the MVP. It didn't really pop like some feats might, but especially in that fight against that worm it helped save Loram's life, for sure.

Oh man, Enhanced Resistance. I'm running Dead Suns with a local IRL group, and they just hit level 10 tonight - that feat has been the bane of my existence. I for one am hoping it gets itself errata'd into oblivion, I haven't had a credible threat except for one 'boss fight' that was built with the wrong ruleset and vastly overpowered by Starfinder standards - but I was fine with that, because I have a party with 2 soldiers and a Solarian who all took that damn feat.

[/rant]

At for remembering the penalties of Microbot Assault Deneth, I always did my best to include them in my attack rolls, but I can't help it if the Bard problem still exists in space =P

In space no one can hear you sing? *rimshot*

Again, I feel like I did a small disservice by not making a 'vanilla' mechanic, but Rax did exactly what I was hoping for in a character - make a tank-y style front-liner with some skill versatility and a couple extra tricks.

Exocortex is definitely the MVP of this particular build - getting a boost to hit definitely made Rax more useful (though still not a powerhouse, compared to the soldier and solarian - which is to be expected). I did find that a number of his abilities weren't 'urgent' - I would just sort of forget that I had them, like the force field, or overload, or anything else that I'm already not remembering. Part of that was that I built him to focus more on static bonuses than new abilities, and that generally worked out - Rax took some hits, dished out some damage, and ran things about as well as could be expected during starship combat.

Rax gives a hunter's grin to Haarlock as the lightning bolt connects with him. "You ever think us ground crew might be the distraction, numbskull?" He pushes a further attack against Haarlock.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 12 + 2 = 23
Damage 1: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (5, 4) + 20 = 29
Attack 2: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 12 + 2 = 19
Damage 2: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (3, 3) + 20 = 26

As Loram's taclash lands a blow, Rax grins wider. "Or maybe it's just me that's the distraction. What do you think, Haarlock? Should you turn your back on me?" The vesks' smile shows a menacing number of teeth.

"Flashy tricks like that only work if you've got the training to back them up, Haarlock," the vesk says with a grin that shows lots of teeth. He continues to press the attack on Haarlock, keeping the human between him and Loram.

Same deal as Loram but less tricks - I'll full attack if he starts between me and Loram, or I'll move and attack if Haarlock moved out of flank.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 12 + 2 = 17
Damage 1: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (3, 2) + 20 = 25
Attack 2: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 12 + 2 = 25
Damage 2: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (5, 2) + 20 = 27

+4 to the first attack and no second attack if Rax needs to move

Also assuming that Loram gets into flank...

Rax grins at Haarlock as the two spar back and forth. "Not bad for a pinkskin," the vesk quips, as he pushes himself to strike the outlaw faster.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 12 + 2 = 33
Damage 1: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (6, 5) + 20 = 31
Attack 2: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 12 + 2 = 17
Damage 2: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (1, 5) + 20 = 26

Rax will advance down the canyon, sticking to a wall, in order to get in best position to flank in a few rounds. If he can reach Haarlock, he will attack.

Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (5, 1) + 20 = 26

"It was mostly rhetorical, Loram, geeze," mutters Rax as he steps to the wall, raising the combat rifle and beginning to sidestep down the wall.

Rax stops and stands, combat rifle lazily hanging in his hand as he sets his combat scanner scanning Haarlock. "You got enough credits in those pockets to pay off your own bounty? Cuz that might get my attention."

Xera should be able to get you back 50 HP if I'm reading Mystic correctly.

Also, I think the call is up to us - we can take the 10-minute rest to restore stamina and buff, but that gives Haarlock 10 minutes to heal and buff. Or we can do the 'quick version' and go in wounded and guns blazing.

Rex stands there for a minute holding a piece of worm parts/innards, then gives out a mighty crow. "Now that's a fight!" yells the vesk. He watches for another moment as his tracking module allows Haarlock to take off. "The smaller worm isn't going to be nearly as much fun to smash, I bet."

Rax ducks under a crushing attack, force shield still flickering. "Loram, get out of here - I hate burying allies!" the vesk shouts into his comms.

Full attack, for a change of pace

Attack 1: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 12 + 2 = 16
Damage 1: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (2, 4) + 20 = 26
Attack 2: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 12 + 2 = 30
Damage 2: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (4, 4) + 20 = 28

Rax hears the crunching sounds of the creature attempting to demolish Loram and Kibbens and just tries to keep the sounds out of his ears. No honor in panic and analysis, Raxsortun - do the job that stands before you.

Another full attack
Attack 1: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 12 + 2 = 31
Damage 1: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (6, 2) + 20 = 28
Attack 1: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 12 + 2 = 18
Damage 1: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (4, 5) + 20 = 29

Rax watches as the beast nearly eats Loram and Kibbens and balks slightly. Better get it before it gets us, he thinks grimly, and goes to trying to pry a hole into the thing with his bare claws.

Full Attack!
Attack 1: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 12 + 2 = 31
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (2, 6) + 20 = 28

Attack 2: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 12 + 2 = 19
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (2, 3) + 20 = 25

I mean, hell, is the thing big enough that Kibbens can take a step back and be clear of the allies? How far does your Nova go at 10th level?

Rax stares in awe for a second at the beast's violent assaults upon Loram and Kibbens and utters a vesk oath under his breath. "Here goes nothing," he says, breaking into a run at the beast.

Move into melee range and attack!
Claw attack: 1d20 + 16 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 16 + 2 = 33
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (6, 5) + 20 = 31

Rax's exocortex whirs as he gets tabs on both the worm and the running Haarlock. "Man, just when I was feeling unchallenged," the vesk says drily. He enters a few commands through the occular scanner on his suit and a bubble of energy pops around him.

Exocortex tracking on, Boost Shield enabled for 25 temp hit points.

Rax hauls on the ship's brakes again as he turns his attention away from steering and focuses on Haarlock again. "Haven't fought many vesk, have you Haarlock," Rax says almost conversationally. "Otherwise you'd know that shooting us just makes us ornery." He swings a heavily armored elbow at the man's head.

Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (1, 1) + 20 = 22

Rax looks at the unconscious driver for a split second before yelling "Kibbens! Brace!" He grabs the wheel and attempts to land the craft.

No idea if there's a piloting check for that? I assume it's a "Slow Down" manuever

Rax then tries to sock Harlock, keeping one hand still on the wheel as he goes.

Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (9) + 14 = 23
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (5, 6) + 20 = 31

Rax takes a pair of swings at the driver. "Pull. OVER!," the vesk roars.

Attack 1: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (3, 3) + 20 = 26

Attack 2: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (1, 2) + 20 = 23

Rax gives an excited roar as the wormhole opens. "Got a present for you, Haarlock! Forgot to wrap it!" the vesk yells as he runs through the wormhole and leaps at the driver, laying a heavy punch at the driver's head.

Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (4, 3) + 20 = 27

Rax pauses for a brief second as the tailing ship... vanishes. His analytics blip, the targeted pilot no longer registering as a threat, so he quickly rescans the vesk in front of him.

He lays a crushing blow at the other vesk's chest.

Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (13) + 16 = 29
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (6, 1) + 20 = 27

Raxsortun looks at the vesk leaping into the fray. He growls at him in Vesk.

Shifting his gun to his off hand, he punches the other vesk twice.

Full attack on the vesk in our vehicle.
Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (4, 5) + 20 = 29

Attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (2, 5) + 20 = 27

As the rocking of the ship causes both attacks to miss, he turns to the front. "Xera! What in the name of-"

He catches sight of the geyser, and says something in Vesk again.

It does not sound pleasant.

Definitely just burst into evil laughter at that choice, Xera. Well played!

"Affirmative... and with pleasure," says Rax, his exocortex faintly whirrring as it fires up his combat analysis on both pilots. He opens fire at the pilot of the engaging vehicle.

Attack, Combat Rifle: 1d20 + 13 - 3 ⇒ (7) + 13 - 3 = 17
Damage: 3d8 + 10 ⇒ (4, 8, 4) + 10 = 26

Rax unslings his rifle and grins at the escaping speeder. "Friendly bets, ladies and otherwise? I'm thinking I can take their pilot down before they get too far." His eye-mounted scanner whirs and zooms expectantly.

I mean, if the vehicle we were driving was something large, slow, and militaryily-inclined, then I can see Rax being content plodding along in it... but if we're trying to catch someone rather than besiege them, then definitely Xera will move us faster.

Well, I didn't really make Rax as a traditional mechanic, so I won't be super-helpful discussing in-combat abilities - I, for example, was so eager to get into the fray that I completely forgot to use overload or my shields or anything.

For people going a combat mechanic, the "Move action to activate your exocortex tracking" is a little harsh - there were a few times that I was hurting for actions or had to move slower due to needing to track someone new - so I feel like a mechanic ability or feat that allows for swift action tracking would be a big help, even if it were a 1/day or "until the next time you take a 10-minute rest", or even having it cost a resolve point.

That said, having a 21 Int character that can break 50 damage on an unarmed strike crit... pretty sweet.

Rax strides over to join Kibbens in fighting the other sniper, grinning in a cruel anticipation. He shifts and suddenly takes a jab at the gunman.

Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (4, 1) + 20 = 25

Rax takes advantage of the sniper's monologue, grips him by the shoulders with one hand, and delivers a crushing downwards blow with his other hand, directly to the sniper's temple.

Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (20) + 16 = 36
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (6, 1) + 20 = 27
Crit Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (4, 1) + 20 = 25

Assuming the sniper goes down...
He wipes his claws on the sniper's armor before letting him drop. "Punk," he says with little malice, before honing his exocortex on the second sniper. "Next," the vesk says with a grin, showing more teeth than mirth.

Rax takes a step towards the sniper trying to escape him. "Quit shooting me, you idiot," Rax says, "You're just making me angry."

Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (3) + 16 = 19
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (3, 6) + 20 = 29

The swipe from Rax's tail goes wide as the sniper proves more nimble than expected. "Will you quit moving so much? You're proving annoying to incapacitate," gripes the vesk.

Rax lines up a brutal backhand to the sniper's temple, but swings too hard and misses. He growls and carefully steps around the sniper to gain a better line on the other enemies.

Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (2) + 16 = 18
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (6, 3) + 20 = 29

Swing and a presumed miss, but Guarded Step around the sniper's position and get closer to the other enemies.

Rax triggers his exocortex to begin combat analysis on the sniper in front of him, the telemetrics beaming into his enhanced brain and improving his reactions and reflexes. He takes a full-bodied swipe from his claws.

Move action, turn on exocortex combat tracking, then a single attack.

Attack: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (2, 3) + 20 = 25

Not sure if I'm flanking from the descriptions, so possibly another +2 to hit?

Sweet! Someone come flank with me!

Rax calmly stalks up to the nearest enemy and delivers a contemptuous blow from his tail.

"Get. Off. My. Ship," he says slowly and calmly.

Attack: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (13) + 14 = 27
Damage: 2d6 + 20 ⇒ (2, 1) + 20 = 23

Rax grabs his combat rifle off of it's hook on the engineering bay wall and begins running combat protocols on his eye-mounted display. "Roger that captain," he says into his comm unit. He strides through the halls towards the bridge, tail sweeping the deck in anticipation for the combat with the boarders.

So as someone who's been playing/running regularly IRL, I can say that a regular group who plays regularly does 100% affect the flow. I had a starship combat a few weeks go take 40 minutes tops (level 3 characters, Tier 3 v. Tier 4 ship).

My biggest thing with PBP is that there's a lot more metagaming things to worry about if you go out of order - Loram hits it in his paragraph, but I'm also running into it in another PBP where the GM is loose about order, so as captain, I'm constantly stuck with "Do I boost the shot that I saw get rolled already and I'm pretty sure will miss?? Or do I pretend "Oh, my captain was TOTALLY going to boost the other gunner this round" and give my diplo check to the gunner who hasn't rolled yet.

"Copy that, Bridge. Engineering diverting."

DC 30 Engineering: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (13) + 21 = 34

Rax begins to redirect auxillary power into the shield regenerators.

Yeah, you know what, I'm gonna use that free resolve that everyone gets at the start of space combat and overpower.

Down in the engineering bay, Rax has begun running multiple additional batteries into the power core, making a series of interlocked circuits serving to boost each other. The entire bay is glowing slightly, and all of the monitors are slowly creeping into danger zones.

DC 30 Engineering: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (5) + 21 = 26

ooooooooooo....

One of the batteries pops and sparks, sending Rax into a frenzied panic. The monitors all slip into red numbers and graphs until Rax depowers a few of the circuits, dropping things back into acceptable ranges.

Rax pauses briefly on his work in the engineering bay to smile widely at the images coming in from his monitors. "Well struck, Loram!" he yells into his comms as he goes back to maintaining the roaring engines.

Rax hammers furiously on his console, driving power from the core into the engines for an added edge in maneuverability.

Engineering DC 30: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (15) + 20 = 35

Rax laughs into the comms. "Well, we got them on speed, Captain - at least for the moment. Engines going at max speed."

Rax grimaces at the readouts. "Well Captain, I'm not getting Drift beacons near Eox any longer, so if we jump, we're still slogging through normal space, just from a different direction. Let's warm up our guns and our thrusters, we'll punch through these weak little smoothskins and then have the next few days of travel to repair shields and hull."

"Oh, good, they're just pirates," Rax says. "Captain, tell the worms that if they want their captain back, we'll happily send him along for double his current bounty, so we can make up for the loss of prestige and intergalactic trust that releasing him would inflict upon our reputation." He goes back to Haarlock's bounty files and begins looking for the Known Associates tab, to get an idea of who they're talking to.

Profession: Bounty Hunter (-5 for bounty hunter theme): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24

Down in the engineering bay, Rax slides aside the files on Haarlock that he'd been reviewing. He begins to pull scans on the ship they're facing.

Computers: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (6) + 21 = 27

I'm 100% reading the ship-building thoughts eagerly, but cedeing decisions to the more learned.

Hey everyone, running games at a con this weekend, so if I'm holding things up feel free to not me, as posting will be sporadic.

Now, to be fair, the player playing the mechanic is also at a lost as to all the ship construction... But I do have the character v. character tactical options pretty well figured out by this point, so I got that going for me.

Which is nice.

Rax is all about superior firepower. If there's a weapon mount, let's mount a weapon. >:D

Rax reporting for duty! I'll be quiet the next week or so (trying to meet a deadline for tomorrow and going to a con this weekend that I am not prepared for) but I'm looking forward to seeing how high-level Starfinder plays out!

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Ok, Raxsortun is statted for level 10, with all his mechanic tricks and feats factored in!

Raxsortun will bear the weight of this shame for the remainder of his days...

...or I just didn't finish him yet. Sitting down now with rule book and spreadsheet to finish the last of purchasing and/or stats.