I'm running this in campaign mode
Creation rules, build like you would normally if you were playing SFS with a few changes.
Level 2 to Start
Races: Core+Legacy+any you unlocked. (Legacy races will be available in November anyhow and even though this isn't being played SFS style, any races that you did unlock while playing SFS you can use, though you aren't actually spending the race boon to make the character)
Classes, Class choices, Themes and Archtypes: If SFS allows it you can use it.
Equipment: If SFS allows it, you can buy it and use it. If you own a copy of the Alien Archive 2, I have reviewed it, and you can buy anything from there too, nothing seems to be OP and SFS might only ban at most 2 items from there, it will still be legal here, I'm not going to errata it. 2200 Credits to spend
Boons aren't needed here nor will I count them.
SFS Credit: As soon as the SFS rules become available for this, you will get credit for this. We might be ahead of the game, as in we might be in the middle of book 2 when SFS Credit finally becomes available for book 1.
Roleplaying
Is encouraged though might be cut short in some scenes
Makes the game more fun
May provide bonuses if you give specific details and specific set of actions, etc.
Starts October 29th
Will take the first 6 just in time before Halloween.
Definitely interested, but would need to make a character. Should be able to get something together in the next few days. Likely interested in solider, operative, or envoy.
I am also up for playing what fits for the group. I sort of want to see someone focuses on use of long arms, in almost every SF game I have played there just seems to be no one interested in them.
From what I've seen, every group really needs one or two soldiers. One to help keep melee baddies away from everyone else, and the other for big guns (long arms or heavy weapons, either way).
After that it is more about flavor and desires. Only an Envoy can provide Stamina healing during a combat. Could be important, but is not absolutely necessary. The melee soldier could be replaced with a Solarion easily enough. Every other role COULD BE filled by Operatives. Character flavor and player choice are the main reason to extend into the other classes, in my opinion. And those are both really big deals to ROLE-PLAY, which is supposed to be what this is about.
I'm going to recommend that we start by finding out if anybody is itching for a specific role? Captain/Face. Engineer/Mechanic. Computers/Science Officer. Pilot. Gunner (Soldier/Solarion expected to fit here, I think).
I have already played an Envoy Captain/Face (roughly 5ish modules) and an Operative who gets to flit between Engineer and Science Officer because it is a group of 5 (in the first AP). I would like to avoid reprising The Professor (Android Scholar Operative Hacker with no social skills at all), but am otherwise open to accepting a role based on group needs.
I should mention I have next to no SF experience. Played one SFS scenario in person and am in one on the boards now, so I am but a child in these matters. (bonus points to any who get that reference)
It's okay Teodorn, no experience necessary. That is also why I set the starting date back a bit, so I'd be done with a few of my other games as a player or DM and have more time to roleplay out this one and work with you all.
I have played very little Starfinder myself. PPB is nice that way - if it takes you five minutes to do the math on your attack, no-one at the table is glaring at you, looking at their watch...
Ha! My fears are that my Pathfinder knowledge leads me astray, and that I don't have the same system mastery in terms of character creation and advancement - so I don't mind folks pointing out advice/suggestions!
Also, DoubleGold, I know the Starfinder APs don't have player's guides like the PF ones do, but any story hooks or other things to consider when planning characters?
Given what we have (but that is an assumption, so I hope folks chime in if I misinterpreted wishes), Im thinking int-skill hackerish operative or mystic.
Operative Hacker is really pretty easy to play and VERY powerful. LOTS of bonuses available in important skills, and the trick attack if far more powerful than a basic sneak attack. Remember, though, Trick Attacks are Full-Round actions that take place in EXACTLY the order: Trick Skill check, any movement, attack.
Mystics have the ability to magically heal HP damage, which comes up less than you might expect, letting them plan on using spells in more utilitarian fashion, normally.
There are truly no bad classes, just some that are less overpowered than others.
Story Hooks? I've only skimmed through these books and read parts. I'll reread book 1 thoroughly and see if there are any story hooks without spoiling it.
I'm not sure any of the classes are less powered than others, Starfinder is a lot more balanced than pathfinder 1e anyhow. Class A might not be able to do much damage, but class B might have tricks up their sleave to slow down the enemy, while Class C might be able to spread the damage around multiple enemies.
Story Hooks? I've only skimmed through these books and read parts. I'll reread book 1 thoroughly and see if there are any story hooks without spoiling it.
Just looking to understand the initial set-up of the adventure to create a backstory that makes sense. Are we a ship crew? Mercenary squad? Know each other already or are thrown into a situation together? That sort of thing. From the blurb it seems like we are bringing stuff to a colony, just didn't know if there was more to go off than that.
Mystic Melee's not bad. Good choice. I've been talking about roles and the most obvious way of meeting them. Doesn't mean we have to stick with the obvious answers.
Blurb wrote:
Hired to transport supplies to a fog-shrouded world in the Vast, the heroes discover that a small military force from the Azlanti Star Empire has invaded and occupied the Pact Worlds colony there. The heroes must liberate the settlement from its merciless oppressors, but when they do, they learn that the Azlanti have taken both an experimental starship drive discovered on the planet and one of the colonists—an old friend of the heroes—back to the Star Empire!
So, from the above I would say that we are an established ship's crew who have been working with each other, and since we obviously work in the fringes, we should have some readiness to deal with combat, both in the ship and on the surface.
undefined - Bagit Steelskin
waiting to see the hole that needs filling - hustonj
Interest expressed for a Mystic - nilesr
So, in the interest of figuring out what Bagit and I should be looking at, I would like to know if Luke_Parry accepts the role of captain, or wants to be the pilot. I think he wants Pilot, and that's FINE. This is about making sure we fill the role, not demanding anything. Heck, Teodorn's character could qualify for Captain, too. The Diplomacy/Intimidate skills are both class skills for Mystics. So, I guess I should also ask if Teodorn wants to aim at Captain, Science Officer (Computers), or Engineer (Engineering). The operative could be built to fill any of the 3.
Bagit and I can play rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock (or just talk about it) to decide who gets which of the remaining ship roles.
Ghiv is a Priest of Ibra, the Inscrutable God of the Cosmos. His particular sect of Ibran priests are martially minded and travel the Vast to find and defend items and areas of cosmological importance. Ghiv himself is a quiet, reserved individual who prefers to study and listen rather than speak. He prefers the diplomatic solution rather than the violent one. When roused to violence though, Ghiv prefers to fight up close and will defend his allies with steadfast determination.
In combat Ghiv is a melee combatant, engaging with his ceremonial blade (longsword decorated with various Ibran icons). He uses the powers of the Cosmos to assist him in this task (Wisp Ally). If forced to fight at distance he will use the powers of the Cosmos to harass his enemies (Telekinetic Projectile).
As for this particular story...
Ghiv is en route to (insert AP location) with the other heroes because he is investigating a rumor of a discovered artifact of cosmological importance. (starship drives certainly fit the bill)
Ghiv's sayings and aphorisms
The Universe will provide. All knowledge may be discovered in the cosmos, but one must begin by searching the self. The Universe does not unveil its secrets to those who do not search. All is as must be. Everything is known.
Note on mechanics: Ghiv won't really get good at combat for a few levels. For now his main focus would be getting between the ranged guys and the bad guys.
Yep. Need to know which of the 3 skills Teodorn wants to focus on (Diplomacy/Intimidate, Computers, Engineering). I can put together a solid character for whichever pretty quickly, I think.
Ok, I'll go with an Operative focusing Computers/Science Office for starships. Hustonj, you ok with that since it puts you in a role you've played before? You are being very flexible, which is appreciated, but I don't want you to get put into something that won't be fun for you.
Trust me, I'll find a character to enjoy, regardless.
Captain's role really only matters during starship combat, and then only to figure out who to try to give a bonus to.
So, Ace Pilot Envoy ?, ? Exocortex Mechanic ?, ? (Hacker?) Operative ?, ? Solarion ?, and ? (Blitz? Bombard? Sharpshooter?) Soldier ?.
I could easily fill the Captain role with another Envoy or an Overlord Mystic. Or I could use the Skill Synergy feat to make anything else handle it well. With an Envoy I could double-book healing, taking the Medicine skill and exploits to increase the tech-based ability to heal HP damage in addition to the ability to shore up Stamina. Mystic has the magical HP healing (which gets much better than the tech healing does), but can't duplicate the Stamina bump.
Hmmm . . ..
Edit:
Currently thinking about an Icon Envoy Damya Lashunta. First question with that is do I tie the Icon to the ship and captain role or to the medicine role?
OK, so was thinking of not going Hacker, but maybe outlaw. Anti-establishment type (and hence pre-disposed to hate the Azlanti) who works in shipping both for the freedom of the stars, and to smuggle goods to those in need who the system has turned against. Still refining, but along those lines.
Everybody hates the Azlanti. That's not anti-establishment, it is normal.
Pick the specialty you want, regardless. But you don't need to be rebellious in order to oppose the Azlanti. Heck, you have to be rebellious against the local government in order to support the Azlanti!
The below is the mechanics about my character, stacked into spoilers the way I think I will stack them in his profile. I have to play with the description and background, and a name, before I'm ready to make a profile, though.
Provided as both an example write-up method and for any feedback any of you want to provide on the character itself.
The blocks of text were copied from the Archives of Nethys Starfinder SRD.
Combat:
Init +1 (Dex +1)
Stamina 5/5 (Class 6 + Con -1)
Hit Points 10/10 (Race 4 + Class 6)
Resolve 5/5 (Cha +4)
Pulsecaster pistol +1 for 1d4 E (nonlethal) over 30' 1/20 charges
Skills and Languages Known:
8 Class + 2 Int for 10 Skill Ranks per Envoy Level
Bonus Skill Attribute+Ranks+Class+Specified(+Conditional)
+ 1-Acrobatics 1+0+0(+ AC Penalty) (class)
+ 0-Athletics 0+0+0(+ AC Penalty) (class)
+ 8 Bluff 4+1+3
----Computers 2+0+0 (class)
+ 7 Culture 2+1+3+1 Icon
+10+Diplomacy 4+1+3+2 Student+ Expertise
+ 4 Disguise 4+0+0 (class)
----Engineering 2+0+0 (class)
+ 4 Intimidate 4+0+0 (class)
+ 3 Life Science 2+1+0
+ 6 Medicine 2+1+3
+ 4 Perception 0+1+3
----Physical Science 2+0+0
+ 1 Piloting 1+0+0 (class)
+ 5 Profession (Chef) 0+1+3+1 Icon
+ 6+Sense Motive 0+1+3+2 Student+ Expertise
+ 5-Sleight of Hand 1+1+3(+ AC Penalty)
+ 5-Stealth 1+1+3(+ AC Penalty)
+ 0 Survival 0+0+0
AC Penalty -1
+5 to Culture/Profession (Chef) to recall knowledge relevant to iconic profession
Languages known: Common, Castrovelian (Lashunta), Aklo, Akitonian, Eoxian
Feats & Class Feature selections:
Feats
Improved Feint - Feint as Move action
Class Selection Envoy Improvisations
1 Inspiring Boost - Standard action, 30' Range - "heal" ally for 6 Stamina
Skill Expertise Add 1d6 to skill rolls while have at least 1 Resolve
Sense Motive
Diplomacy
Gear:
100 Medkit, Basic Tech 1 Bulk 1, DC 25 Treat Deadly Wounds
x25 Backpack, Industrial Tech 1 Bulk 1, does not count against bulk while worn, extands carrying capacity 2 bulk
x50 Tent, Mobile Hotelier, 2 man Tech 1 Bulk 1, 1charge/8 hours to provide armor environmentla protection to occupant(s)
xx3 Hygiene Kit Tech 1 Bulk 1
x20 Tool Kit, Profession (Chef) Tech 1 Bulk L
xx7 Comm Unit, Personal Tech 1 Bulk L holds 80 charges uses 1/hour
460 Kasatah Microcord I Armor Tech 2 Bulk 1 EAC +1 KAC +3 Max Dex +3 AC -1 Upgrade slots 0
250 Pulsecaster pistol Tech 1 Bulk L 1d4 E 30' 20 charges 1/shot nonlethal
x60 Battery Tech 1 Bulk - 20 charges
975 for 5.3 total bulk (2.3 vs normal carrying capacity)
Icon:
Thanks to interstellar transmissions and Drift travel, the galaxy is smaller than ever, and this connectivity has facilitated your ascension to celebrity status. You might be a famous performer or a celebrated scientist, but either way, you get recognized on the Pact Worlds and in associated systems. Your reason for traveling to unknown worlds might be to further spread your acclaim or to escape the limelight.
Theme Knowledge (1st Level) Choose a Profession skill. You are hooked deeply into the culture of your iconic profession. When attempting a Profession or Culture check to recall knowledge about other icons of your profession or details about your profession’s cultural aspects, increase the DC by 5. You gain a +1 bonus to checks with your chosen Profession skill. Culture also becomes a class skill for you, though if it is a class skill from the class you take at 1st level, you instead gain a +1 bonus to Culture checks. In addition, you gain an ability adjustment of +1 to Charisma at character creation.
Celebrity (6th Level) You are famous enough that pretty much everyone has either heard of you or can quickly find information about you (it’s a DC 10 Culture check to recognize your name and a DC 20 Culture check for someone to recognize you out of context from your appearance alone). Among those who follow your iconic profession, you’ve built up both fans and detractors due to your celebrity. If you’re looking for a generic person like “a doctor who can treat this disease,” you can almost always find one who’s a fan and whose attitude starts as friendly or helpful to you; this takes 2d4 hours. At the GM’s discretion, fans might give you services (although not goods) for a discount or even for free.
Megacelebrity (12th Level) Your reputation grows to the point that your name is ubiquitous. The DC of Culture checks to recognize you is reduced to 5 (or 10 to recognize you out of context from your appearance alone) and it takes only 1d4 hours to find a fan who meets a generic description. In addition, fans give you a 10% discount on purchased goods.
Master Icon (18th Level) Up to twice per day, you can interact with the public about your profession (usually during a performance, such as a concert, but sometimes in a press conference afterward if your profession requires no audience) for a total of at least 10 minutes to recover 1 Resolve Point.
Envoy:
You make your way in the universe with a charming smile, quick wit, and keen sense of self-preservation, and excel at getting others to do what you want. You might be a trickster, hustler, or con artist, or you might serve as an actor, ambassador, or businessperson, paving the way for negotiation through kind words or the occasional dirty trick. You are often the group’s strategist, using your quick wit and tactical acumen to push your friends to greater heights. You may also be skilled in diplomacy, serving as the face for a starship crew, talking your way into restricted systems or gaining audiences with local politicians or warlords.
Hit Points 6
Stamina Points 6
Key Ability Score Cha Your Charisma helps you succeed in many social situations and makes a number of your improvisations more effective, so Charisma is your key ability score. A high Dexterity score can make you a better ranged combatant, while a high Intelligence score improves all of your skills.
Class Skills The Envoy's class skills are Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Bluff (Cha), Computers (Int), Culture (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Engineering (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Medicine (Int), Perception (Wis), Piloting (Dex), Profession (Cha, Int, or Wis), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex).
Skill Points at each Level 8 + Int modifier.
ProficienciesArmor Light armor
Weapons Basic melee weapons, grenades, small arms
Class Features Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1st +0 +0 +2 +2 Envoy improvisation, expertise (1d6), skill expertise
2nd +1 +0 +3 +3 Envoy improvisation
3rd +2 +1 +3 +3 Expertise talent, weapon specialization
4th +3 +1 +4 +4 Envoy improvisation
5th +3 +1 +4 +4 Expertise (1d6+1), skill expertise
6th +4 +2 +5 +5 Envoy improvisation
7th +5 +2 +5 +5 Expertise talent
8th +6 +2 +6 +6 Envoy improvisation
9th +6 +3 +6 +6 Expertise (1d6+2), skill expertise
10th +7 +3 +7 +7 Envoy improvisation
11th +8 +3 +7 +7 Expertise talent
12th +9 +4 +8 +8 Envoy improvisation
13th +9 +4 +8 +8 Expertise (1d8+2), skill expertise
14th +10 +4 +9 +9 Envoy improvisation
15th +11 +5 +9 +9 Expertise talent
16th +12 +5 +10 +10 Envoy improvisation
17th +12 +5 +10 +10 Expertise (1d8+3), skill expertise
18th +13 +6 +11 +11 Envoy improvisation
19th +14 +6 +11 +11 Expertise talent
20th +15 +6 +12 +12 Envoy improvisation, expertise (1d8+4), true expertise
Envoy Improvisation - 1st Level As you gain experience, you learn envoy improvisations—little tricks that bolster allies, confound enemies, or change the ebb and flow of battle using guile, inspiration, or luck. You learn your first envoy improvisation at 1st level, and you learn an additional improvisation at 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter. The list of envoy improvisations appears on page 62.
If an improvisation allows you to grant an effect to an ally, you cannot grant yourself that effect unless the improvisation states otherwise. If an envoy improvisation allows a saving throw to resist its effects or requires an enemy to attempt a skill check, the DC is equal to 10 + half your envoy level + your Charisma modifier.
Some envoy improvisations are language-dependent, mind-affecting, sense-dependent, or some combination of any or all of these. These terms are defined on page 270.
Expertise - 1st Level You are an expert at dealing with challenges that test your skills, be the challenges social or otherwise. At 1st level, when attempting a Sense Motive check, you can roll 1d6 (your expertise die) and add the result of the roll to your check as an insight bonus. You can use this and other expertise abilities as long as you have at least 1 Resolve Point remaining. At 5th level, anytime you roll your expertise die, you gain a +1 bonus to the result. At 9th, 17th, and 20th levels, this bonus increases by 1. At 13th level, you roll 1d8 as your expertise die instead of 1d6.
Beginning at 9th level, you have even greater expertise with skills to which you can add your expertise die that you have also selected with the Skill Focus feat. For each such skill, once per day when rolling your expertise die to add to that skill, you may roll the expertise die twice and take the better of the two results.
Skill Expertise - 1st Level At 1st level and every 4 levels thereafter, you can use expertise with one additional class skill. You must have at least 1 rank in a skill to select it, and it must come from the following list: Bluff (Cha), Computers (Int), Culture (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Disguise (Cha), Engineering (Int), Intimidate (Cha), and Medicine (Int).
Expertise Talent - 3rd Level At 3rd level and every 4 levels thereafter, you choose an expertise talent, which gives you an extra option when using a skill with which you have expertise. The list of expertise talents appears on pages 269–270.
Weapon Specialization - 3rd Level You gain the Weapon Specialization feat as a bonus feat for each weapon type with which this class grants you proficiency.
True Expertise - 20th Level You gain total mastery over one of your envoy improvisations and can use it with but a thought. When you gain this ability, choose one improvisation you know that has an effect when you spend 1 Resolve Point.
As long as you have at least 1 Resolve Point remaining, you can gain the improvisation’s effect without spending the Resolve Point. This ability has no benefit if the improvisation requires more than 1 Resolve Point.
In addition, when you roll your expertise die, you can add 2d8 rather than 1d8+4 to the result of your skill check. If, for some reason, your bonus gained from expertise isn’t 1d8+4, you can’t use this option.
Damya Lashunta:
Idealized by many other humanoid races and gifted with innate psychic abilities, lashuntas are at once consummate scholars and enlightened warriors, naturally divided into two specialized subraces with different abilities and societal roles.
Ability Modifiers +2 Cha, +2 Int, -2 Con
Hit Points 4
Size and Type Lashuntas are Medium humanoids with the lashunta subtype.
Lashunta Magic Lashuntas gain the following spell-like abilities: At will: daze, psychokinetic hand 1/day: detect thoughts. See Spell-like Abilities on page 262. The caster level for these effects is equal to the lashunta’s level.
Limited Telepathy Lashuntas can mentally communicate with any creatures within 30 feet with whom they share a language. Conversing telepathically with multiple creatures simultaneously is just as difficult as listening to multiple people speaking.
Student Lashuntas love to learn, and they receive a +2 racial bonus to any two skills of their choice.
Attributes:
Icon, Damya Lashunta
Start Race Theme Point Start
10 +0 10 +0 10 +0 S 10 +0
10 +0 10 +0 10 +2 D 12 +1
10 -2 8 +0 8 +1 C 9 -1
10 +2 12 +0 12 +2 I 14 +2
10 +0 10 +0 10 +0 W 10 +0
10 +2 12 +1 13 +5 H 18 +4
You know, I've got a friend who love him some multiclass characters. Every once in a while, he gets a wild hair and sees how long he can go before getting a BAB of +1, and if he can sill convince everyone else the character is useful.
Pathfinder Rulebook, Starfinder Society Subscriber
It appears I was too late to get a spot. I would like, however, if it is possible, to spectate this game as I plan to run this for some peeps soon. Would that be alright?
