Starfinder Core Rulebook

Also -- Part 1 of the 1st AP comes out in August, and it will have a few monsters in it.

Also -- one can play with NPCs as adversaries.

Also -- there's a mini-bestiary to be released in June for Free RPG Day.

My guesses:

Scientist = science officer role in starship combat

Pilot = pilot role in starship combat

Aristocrat = Envoy core class

Hacker = maxed out Computer skill

No idea about Explorer/Pioneer/Spacer. Maybe an Operative specialization?

You have a point with the Aristocrat and the Envoy. But come on, you can use more imagination than that! The Hacker could be something way more worthwhile than a skill and Scientist could be way more than a role on a starship.

Hmm. I could easily imagine a Hacker style class that functions as something like a tech-mesmerist. But Scientist is vague enough to be literally anything. Are we talking a xenobiologist or a geologist here?

But Scientist is vague enough to be literally anything. Are we talking a xenobiologist or a geologist here?

Or a thaumatologist, even?

Hmm. I could easily imagine a Hacker style class that functions as something like a tech-mesmerist. But Scientist is vague enough to be literally anything. Are we talking a xenobiologist or a geologist here?

Per my earlier post, I meant a class that has specialties, like bloodlines for sorcerers or spirits for shamans. So, the scientist could be a doctor/xenobiologist, an archaeologist, an astrophysicist, a xenopsychologist, or whatever sciences we think up with uses for in game. Some versions of these are already archetypes for pathfinder classes, like the Bard's Archaeologist or the Alchemist's Vivisectionist, when science is at one of its lowest points. So, why not have scientists as a playable class in a game set when scientific knowledge is supposed to be at it's peak?

well how ever they do this I'm truly excited for this release

I see no way to play this game with out monsters. how will monsters be added with out waiting a WHOLE month for them to come out??? are they in the core book? if not im not buying them till both come out and only if the monsters dont suck, other wise I dont think I will buy this from the site, maybe some other cheap download for a dollar because the game is getting released with out monsters.

You have this thing coming out in July

KrashKourse wrote:

I see no way to play this game with out monsters. how will monsters be added with out waiting a WHOLE month for them to come out??? are they in the core book? if not im not buying them till both come out and only if the monsters dont suck, other wise I dont think I will buy this from the site, maybe some other cheap download for a dollar because the game is getting released with out monsters.

You have this thing coming out in July

Earlier if you can get the physical copy on Free RPG Day, Saturday, 17 June, 2017.

Okay so it comes out in August, I get that, cool.

Can I just have a copy now though? Thanks in advance, PDF is fine. I can appreciate making full books is tricky.

So this will be available on the first day of Gencon 2017.

I guess street date will still be august 23rd?

So this will be available on the first day of Gencon 2017.

I guess street date will still be august 23rd?

Nope, August 17, same as the pdf.

Dunno if this can even be answered at this stage, but will Starfinder, like Pathfinder, be a 20-level system?

Dunno if this can even be answered at this stage, but will Starfinder, like Pathfinder, be a 20-level system?

Erik confirmed the game will go to twenty levels here.

That was a while ago so I guess things may have changed in development but it read to me like they had settled the issue.

The Drunken Dragon wrote:

Dunno if this can even be answered at this stage, but will Starfinder, like Pathfinder, be a 20-level system?

Erik confirmed the game will go to twenty levels here.

That was a while ago so I guess things may have changed in development but it read to me like they had settled the issue.

I think the oft-repeated compatibility with Pathfinder monsters means that this will be a 20 level system, as well. Also, part of the reason that Paizo is so careful about releasing information too early is that they don't want to end up in a situation where they wind up contradicting themselves. So, I doubt very much that would have changed the 20 level thing in development after that was made public.

Part of me really wants to get into this, but I think the thing that's keeping me from really diving in, is just the lack of knowledge about how it all works. Is anyone else similarly stuck?

As someone who actually dislikes the 3.X system rules, I can assure you the reason I own everything Paizo has made for Pathfinder was my sheer love of the world treatment and variety within the setting.

That said, I have come to have a tolerance for the 3.X system which allows me to appreciate what Paizo does produce regardless of the system's failings. I have already set myself up to transition from pre-order to subscription solely based on the fact that my prior experience with the company's history of Pathfinder leads me to trust they will provide me an equivalent sci-fi world.

Quite admittedly, if they use Starfinder to change and improve on the 3.X mechanics, I for one will shed no tears. So a lack of "system" info is certainly not one I have any concern about. ;-)

Part of me really wants to get into this, but I think the thing that's keeping me from really diving in, is just the lack of knowledge about how it all works. Is anyone else similarly stuck?

Remember that the Core Rulebook is still three months from release, so we're really just at the start of the process of revealing the sort of information you're looking for. A *lot* of info will be coming via the Paizo Blog in the coming weeks.

The Drunken Dragon wrote:

Dunno if this can even be answered at this stage, but will Starfinder, like Pathfinder, be a 20-level system?

Erik confirmed the game will go to twenty levels here.

That was a while ago so I guess things may have changed in development but it read to me like they had settled the issue.

I think it's safe to reveal we stuck to Erik's 20-level statement in the final version. :)

Hi there,
Can anyone tell me why the core book is so expensive? It's 10 dollars more than the core book for Pathfinder...

Hi there,

Can anyone tell me why the core book is so expensive? It's 10 dollars more than the core book for Pathfinder...

Inflation? It has been 8 years since the Pathfinder CRB was published, after all.

My own question: Will there be a prd with the Starfinder CRB before Gen Con, or will all Starfinder Society tables at Gen Con be played with only pregens, since we won't have the info to make PCs in advance?

Smaller print run?

The Pathfinder Core Rulebook has going for it economy of scale (since more volumes are printed for this book than for any other Pathfinder book) and its possible use as a loss leader for a much larger product line.

GRuzom wrote:

Hi there,

Can anyone tell me why the core book is so expensive? It's 10 dollars more than the core book for Pathfinder...

Inflation? It has been 8 years since the Pathfinder CRB was published, after all.

My own question: Will there be a prd with the Starfinder CRB before Gen Con, or will all Starfinder Society tables at Gen Con be played with only pregens, since we won't have the info to make PCs in advance?

Seconding this. If you do the conversion, it pretty much accounts for the difference alone.

Plus, the PDF is still a ridiculously low price.

The biggest reason for the increased price compared to the Core Rulebook is indeed that the costs of printing have gone up over the last 8 years. A more appropriate comparison would be the more recent Curse of the Crimson Throne hardcover, which is 480 pages for $59.99. The Starfinder Core Rulebook actually comes out ahead there, with an additional 48 pages for the same price.

As David knott 242 mentioned, print quantity is also a factor in pricing—as a GM-focused book, Crimson Throne has a smaller reach than we expect for the Starfinder Core Rulebook, so our per-copy print costs are higher for that one. And our print runs of the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook tend to be bigger still.

A lesser (but still significant) factor is that it cost us a fair bit more to make this book than it did to make the Pathfinder Core Rulebook. Some of you will remember that the Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook reused a fair amount of art from our 3.5-era RPG products, but all of the art in the Starfinder Core Rulebook was commissioned specifically for this product. Our editorial costs were also higher.

I have every confidence my dollars are well placed in this product. Whether each and every piece is more expensive than its Pathfinder counterpart is of no consequence to me as my purchase is made for the sheer enjoyment I know I will get from them.

Ever since Distant Worlds first appeared in my hands, I have been waiting for what is about to be loosed upon us.

I bought it as soon as it was available for preorder and I haven't wavered in the slightest.

waves towel enthusiastically.

The biggest reason for the increased price compared to the Core Rulebook...

Thanks for answering, Vic:-)

Plus, the PDF is still a ridiculously low price.

You're right - that IS cheap! hadn't noticed...

So when are we going to see the subscription(s) set up for Starfinder?

I know this has probably been answered somewhere before, but how easy will it be to convert Pathfinder classes to Starfinder?

I know this has probably been answered somewhere before, but how easy will it be to convert Pathfinder classes to Starfinder?

Here are two blog posts about classes in Starfinder

The Envoy
The Operative

Those don't look very easy to convert to Pathfinder classes, which I would imagine is by design. This isn't Pathfinder In Space.

Here are two blog posts about classes in Starfinder

The Envoy
The Operative

Those don't look very easy to convert to Pathfinder classes, which I would imagine is by design. This isn't Pathfinder In Space.

Oh no, I know that. I was wondering if the reverse was true. For instance, would it be possible to make a Psychic in Starfinder, or perhaps a Summoner, or an Alchemist. There are a bunch of cool classes in Pathfinder that might have a nice spin with the addition of tech, so I was wondering if that was possible, or if it would be impractical.

My own question: Will there be a prd with the Starfinder CRB before Gen Con, or will all Starfinder Society tables at Gen Con be played with only pregens, since we won't have the info to make PCs in advance?

This earlier question was ignored. Anyone at Paizo care to weigh in?

Fromper wrote:

My own question: Will there be a prd with the Starfinder CRB before Gen Con, or will all Starfinder Society tables at Gen Con be played with only pregens, since we won't have the info to make PCs in advance?

This earlier question was ignored. Anyone at Paizo care to weigh in?

All of the Starfinder events listed for PaizoCon have mentioned pregens. I have not seen any Starfinder Society events listed for PaizoCon.

Fromper wrote:

My own question: Will there be a prd with the Starfinder CRB before Gen Con, or will all Starfinder Society tables at Gen Con be played with only pregens, since we won't have the info to make PCs in advance?

This earlier question was ignored. Anyone at Paizo care to weigh in?

It is going to be pregens. I wouldn't expect an online resource from Paizo anytime soon, due to staffing changes a while back the person who was working on the PRD is now flooded with other stuff to do, so the PRD itself has stagnated. As such, unless a "Starfinder Reference Document" was on a priority list, I wouldn't hold my breath to see anything like that from Paizo. I image 3rd party sites will step up to the plate in the months after release.

Fromper wrote:

My own question: Will there be a prd with the Starfinder CRB before Gen Con, or will all Starfinder Society tables at Gen Con be played with only pregens, since we won't have the info to make PCs in advance?

This earlier question was ignored. Anyone at Paizo care to weigh in?

The question wasn't ignored. In this case, the Starfinder Society team is lining up a lot of things and just don't have an announcement on this front yet. I would expect to see more information about the Starfinder Society's Gen Con launch coming out of PaizoCon, in just about 2 weeks time.

...

Oh gosh, only two weeks!

*gets back to madly working on all the Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild things*

It is going to be pregens.

Please don't post speculation as though it were fact. The Starfinder Society team has yet to announce the Starfinder Society Gen Con release strategy yet.

Thanks.

The Know Direction podcast with the PFS folks mentioned that the Starfinder events on day 1 of Gen Con would all use pregen characters, since nobody would have time to pick up the core rulebook, digest the rules, and create characters in such a short period of time.

From day 2 on would be a different story.

skizzerz wrote:

It is going to be pregens.

Please don't post speculation as though it were fact. The Starfinder Society team has yet to announce the Starfinder Society Gen Con release strategy yet.

Thanks.

I posted fact as if it was fact, I just missed the nuance that the pregens are only for the first day as David knott explained above. For that, I apologize. (Notes from the interview this was taken from.)

I posted fact as if it was fact, I just missed the nuance that the pregens are only for the first day as David knott explained above. For that, I apologize. (Notes from the interview this was taken from.)

No worries, and as I was one of the people involved in the interview, I'm well aware (OK, mostly aware) of what was said. Given that Gen Con events will be up soon, I'm just trigger-happy on anyone spreading information as fact. Especially if the fact could be misconstrued as "All of Gen Con Starfinder Society will be Pregens", which would doubtless be followed by a torch-bearing mob coming for me!

Of course, this response is itself a bit of a statement... So take this post how you will ;)

I can't wait for this too come out. I would preorder a copy of this for myself but that'll have to wait till I know where it is I am going to be when august rolls around.

Still I love everything shown so far.

There are a bunch of cool classes in Pathfinder that might have a nice spin with the addition of tech, so I was wondering if that was possible, or if it would be impractical.

All I can say at this time is that the Starfinder Core Rulebook has a chapter on Pathfinder compatibility.

Fromper wrote:

Fromper wrote:

My own question: Will there be a prd with the Starfinder CRB before Gen Con, or will all Starfinder Society tables at Gen Con be played with only pregens, since we won't have the info to make PCs in advance?

This earlier question was ignored. Anyone at Paizo care to weigh in?

The question wasn't ignored. In this case, the Starfinder Society team is lining up a lot of things and just don't have an announcement on this front yet. I would expect to see more information about the Starfinder Society's Gen Con launch coming out of PaizoCon, in just about 2 weeks time.

...

Oh gosh, only two weeks!

*gets back to madly working on all the Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild things*

Thanks for responding.

All I can say at this time is that the Starfinder Core Rulebook has a chapter on Pathfinder compatibility.

Nice.

I was expecting something more like the short web PDF for converting v3.5 stuff to Pathfinder. That seemed like plenty.

Been looking forward to this for some time. Do we get a PDF copy for preordering this product? Because if not I'll buy it from my LFGS.

Been looking forward to this for some time. Do we get a PDF copy for preordering this product? Because if not I'll buy it from my LFGS.

I was wondering this too. In the past they said they haven't decided yet so I e-mailed them on Wednesday and they responded but said they still haven't worked out if they will be doing that or not yet.

I anticipate a high volume of 3pp to account for the fact that there will be less Starfinder content released over time compared to Pathfinder (with just an AP line instead of AP, setting, and player companions). Plus, there are many, many writers out there who would love to take a crack at writing sci-fi content for Starfinder.

You can also convert any of the pre existing material from the Pathfinder world and throw it into space! (with some modifications of course)

I will be at GenCon, but would like to preorder to insure that I get the books I want. Is there an option to preorder and pick up at GenCon? If so, how do I make this happen?

We will offer free PDFs to subscribers to the Starfinder RPG line. Subscribers will also be able to pick up their August shipment at Gen Con. We'll be announcing subscription details soon; the Gen Con pickup option will be turned on shortly after we ship our July releases. You haven't missed anything yet!