Starfinder Adventure Path #46: The Perfect Storm (Drift Crashers 1 of 3)

Announced for June! Product image and description are not final and may be subject to change.

Please note: Starting in June 2022, the price of Starfinder Adventure Path softcover books will increase to $24.99.

Well, this sounds... insane.

Planescape Chocolate in my Starfinder Peanutbutter?!

Looking forward to this.

Bummer about the price increase but looking forward to this Drift Crisis Event!!

Tom

we knew a price increase was needed, I can live with paying 2$ more that seems fair to me.
Looks like Drift crisis and crasher will be fun!
"power to travel anywhere in space and time" that's nice power at 1st level

An AP that leans into going full gonzo may actually manage to keep my players ON the rails, oddly enough.

Extremely intrigued by this.

Ooh, I cannot wait to read this one!

I'm sorry...you get to turn your ship into a bloody TARDIS?!

What if...oh GOD, WHAT IF WE GET TO GO BACK DURING THE GAP!

Recent discussions have made it clear how little Paizo's staff/freelancers make, and how difficult it is to increase how much they're paid given the current pricing of products. So I, for one, am very happy to hear about the price increase!

I want this Path. I want this a bunch. But I do hope this isn't a beginning of the end for Starfinder AP.

I want this Path. I want this a bunch. But I do hope this isn't a beginning of the end for Starfinder AP.

We have nothing that indicates this is the case.

No, there's nothing, except this is a book that substantially changes one of the core concepts of the world. Books of this sort have been used to justify edition changes or the ending of lines in the past. Couple that with the decision to bump the AP back to one per two months and anecdotal evidence I've heard from store owners of fire sales on new product and low sales and I can't help but wonder. Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps I am not.

I want this Path. I want this a bunch. But I do hope this isn't a beginning of the end for Starfinder AP.

As someone who's seen the product schedule, this is not heralding anything of the sort. Starfinder ain't goin' nowhere!

wait that's a double negative, hang on, this is why we have editors

James Martin wrote:

I want this Path. I want this a bunch. But I do hope this isn't a beginning of the end for Starfinder AP.

As someone who's seen the product schedule, this is not heralding anything of the sort. Starfinder ain't goin' nowhere!

wait that's a double negative, hang on, this is why we have editors

I'm really excited that Starfinder is trying something new. This is inspired by comic book summer cross-over events that touch multiple product lines and leave the world largely unchanged after they end. It just adds adventurous lore.

Good deal. I'll look for it with anticipation then!

Sooooooo hyped for this!!!! Congratulations, Jess!!

Triune: "Bad news, had to shut down the Drift"

Marata crew: "We're in **HELL**"

Triune: "Good news! I've got a quick patch job for you, you just have to beta-test it!"

Marata crew: "Somehow we're even DEEPER in **HELL**!!!"

How is a 3 part adventure path going to do justice to such an expansive premise.

I can't help but think that this should have been a full path.

How is a 3 part adventure path going to do justice to such an expansive premise.

I can't help but think that this should have been a full path.

Just you wait. :)

captain yesterday wrote:

How is a 3 part adventure path going to do justice to such an expansive premise.

I can't help but think that this should have been a full path.

Just you wait. :)

I'd rather get some more information before I'm willing to spend my money on this.

Dismissing my question doesn't instill very much confidence to be honest.

Aaron Shanks wrote:

captain yesterday wrote:

How is a 3 part adventure path going to do justice to such an expansive premise.

I can't help but think that this should have been a full path.

Just you wait. :)

I'd rather get some more information before I'm willing to spend my money on this.

Dismissing my question doesn't instill very much confidence to be honest.

Luckily, it's not coming out for another six months, so there's plenty of time for more information to be given at the pace that the people who's job this is decide is appropriate.

captain yesterday wrote:

Aaron Shanks wrote:

captain yesterday wrote:

How is a 3 part adventure path going to do justice to such an expansive premise.

I can't help but think that this should have been a full path.

Just you wait. :)

I'd rather get some more information before I'm willing to spend my money on this.

Dismissing my question doesn't instill very much confidence to be honest.

Luckily, it's not coming out for another six months, so there's plenty of time for more information to be given at the pace that the people who's job this is decide is appropriate.

That is true! It doesn't make dismissing my question any less rude.

It's not like I haven't been an extremely loyal and forgiving customer over the years there's absolutely nothing wrong asking Paizo about a product I have serious doubts about and would like a bit of clarification about before I buy it. I didn't give them a time table I merely asked a serious question to which I expected a serious answer. No response would have been better than dismissing the question out of hand.

I wouldn't call it dismissing, I would call it more of a tease when he probably can't say anything official about future products. Some people (myself included) love getting hints about stuff and speculating

It's also worth mentioning the description says "an event taking place across the entire Starfinder game line". This 3 part adventure path isn't trying to cover the expansive premise, but is presumably just one of many products that will tie into it.

I believe two APs and at least one standalone adventure have been promised (more being left to the realm of speculation), plus "about four" Starfinder Society scenarios.

I believe two APs and at least one standalone adventure have been promised (more being left to the realm of speculation), plus "about four" Starfinder Society scenarios.

That sounds about right. I could be wrong, but I believe I saw or heard that there is going to essentially be a Campaign Setting book centered around the Drift Crisis, likely meaning it's encouraging people to make up their own adventures as well as the ones Paizo is officially making simply BECAUSE of how expansive an entire plane of existence (to say nothing of how integral it is to extrasolar space travel) going haywire would affect the galaxy.

Anyone who made any regular use of the Drift is going to have their own story to tell. Heck, just throwing this out, think of how messed up Drift travel would affect the Azlanti Empire. All of a sudden their Empire is fragmented and difficult to keep reliable tabs on everything. It would be a huge chance for conquered planets in other star systems to attempt to break away since their planetside overlords can't easily call for back-up, though there is definitely risk there.

Only people I can think of who aren't going to be too put out with the Drift Crisis would be species who don't need to solely use the Drift, like the Witchwyrds (oh man, just thinking of the profits they could make on the panic).

John Mangrum wrote:

I believe two APs and at least one standalone adventure have been promised (more being left to the realm of speculation), plus "about four" Starfinder Society scenarios.

That sounds about right. I could be wrong, but I believe I saw or heard that there is going to essentially be a Campaign Setting book centered around the Drift Crisis, likely meaning it's encouraging people to make up their own adventures as well as the ones Paizo is officially making simply BECAUSE of how expansive an entire plane of existence (to say nothing of how integral it is to extrasolar space travel) going haywire would affect the galaxy.

https://paizo.com/products/btq02aly?Starfinder-Drift-Crisis

Conveniently, the sourcebook is titled “Drift Crisis”.

Hellknights are going to be through the roof; their ships already feature backup Helldrives.

Sasha Laranoa Harving wrote:

captain yesterday wrote:

Aaron Shanks wrote:

captain yesterday wrote:

How is a 3 part adventure path going to do justice to such an expansive premise.

I can't help but think that this should have been a full path.

Just you wait. :)

I'd rather get some more information before I'm willing to spend my money on this.

Dismissing my question doesn't instill very much confidence to be honest.

Luckily, it's not coming out for another six months, so there's plenty of time for more information to be given at the pace that the people who's job this is decide is appropriate.

That is true! It doesn't make dismissing my question any less rude.

It's not like I haven't been an extremely loyal and forgiving customer over the years there's absolutely nothing wrong asking Paizo about a product I have serious doubts about and would like a bit of clarification about before I buy it. I didn't give them a time table I merely asked a serious question to which I expected a serious answer. No response would have been better than dismissing the question out of hand.

I apologize. I meant to be humorously coy.

I can't address your question until future products are announced. I can say that the Drift Crisis is a meta-event that will effect Starfinder products from the spring of 2022 to the spring of 2023. I hope the totality will do it justice in your eyes.

Hellknights are going to be through the roof; their ships already feature backup Helldrives.

If I recall, they are fueled by the souls of Hellknights who forsook their vows. That's why all novice Hellknights spend their first vigil in a Citadel in the powercore room, so they can contemplate what's at stake.

I can say that the Drift Crisis is a meta-event that will effect Starfinder products from the spring of 2022 to the spring of 2023. I hope the totality will do it justice in your eyes.

I am looking forward to seeing how this one plays out, Aaron!

You know, I missed an opportunity there. I should have had them contemplating their 'core' values!

For the love of the gods can we please get adventures, especially these shorter APs that start at a higher level? So much low level material exists, how about giving people something else for a change?

I can say that the Drift Crisis is a meta-event that will effect Starfinder products from the spring of 2022 to the spring of 2023. I hope the totality will do it justice in your eyes.

I think you may have given us a spoiler there. If the Drift Crisis no longer affects Starfinder products after spring 2023, that would suggest that the resolution of the meta-event is a restoration of the previous status quo in regard to Drift travel. Any other resolution would seem to require no end date for the effects of that meta-event.

Aaron Shanks wrote:

I can say that the Drift Crisis is a meta-event that will effect Starfinder products from the spring of 2022 to the spring of 2023. I hope the totality will do it justice in your eyes.

I think you may have given us a spoiler there. If the Drift Crisis no longer affects Starfinder products after spring 2023, that would suggest that the resolution of the meta-event is a restoration of the previous status quo in regard to Drift travel. Any other resolution would seem to require no end date for the effects of that meta-event.

Maybe? But honestly, I don’t know what the status quo will be after the marketing event is over? The Star Chamber has not told me.

This event is inspired by comicbook crossover events. Sometimes things go back to normal. Other times half the galactic population is gone or “no more mutants.” :)

Just happened to think: Wonder if Akiton is suddenly going to find its fortunes change overnight, since thasteron drives are still around and are a well-known technology...

For the love of the gods can we please get adventures, especially these shorter APs that start at a higher level? So much low level material exists, how about giving people something else for a change?

I so agree, little high level play, up the game.

Status quo is likely the end result, to ensure they don't invalidate many pre-existing adventures.

I apologize. I meant to be humorously coy.

I can't address your question until future products are announced. I can say that the Drift Crisis is a meta-event that will effect Starfinder products from the spring of 2022 to the spring of 2023. I hope the totality will do it justice in your eyes.

Humorously coy is how I interpreted it. Sadly tone can be challenging to get across in just a small snippet of text.

That said, I very much look forward to this. I enjoy a good major meta arc that I can play through or run players through.

Just happened to think: Wonder if Akiton is suddenly going to find its fortunes change overnight, since thasteron drives are still around and are a well-known technology...

I forget if there was a specific drive involved, and may need to reread some adventures and books, but my main recollection was that thasteron was simply fuel meant for sublight travel on this plane. It's still used, but given Drift travel doesn't use it, the call for it outside of moving around your local solar system quickly peaked. Though if there were a breakthrough that allows thasteron to be used for fuel for long distance travel again, it would most definitely be cool to see a renewed and revitalized Akiton. Though hopefully having learned to have multiple sources of income to help mitigate the possibility of another planetwide bust in the future.

Wait a sec so is name of starship Marata or Primorata? Weird typo if name of the ship doesn't change between two adventures :D

Wait a sec so is name of starship Marata or Primorata? Weird typo if name of the ship doesn't change between two adventures :D

:)

So excited!

This is GOLD. Thank you for going all out with this concept!

I do hope there is a permanent shift in Starfinder canon regarding how FTL/Drift travel works, as currently written its easily one of my least favorite parts of the setting. A reworking of FTL would be a very welcome change.

I do hope there is a permanent shift in Starfinder canon regarding how FTL/Drift travel works, as currently written its easily one of my least favorite parts of the setting. A reworking of FTL would be a very welcome change.

This!

Also, would be nice to have a galactic map for the game, something more all encompassing and detailed than the Pact Worlds illustration

CrusaderWolf wrote:

I do hope there is a permanent shift in Starfinder canon regarding how FTL/Drift travel works, as currently written its easily one of my least favorite parts of the setting. A reworking of FTL would be a very welcome change.

This!

Also, would be nice to have a galactic map for the game, something more all encompassing and detailed than the Pact Worlds illustration

Drift Crisis excerpt:

"The Drift Crisis affects Starfinder’s entire setting, creating thousands of stories. For the canonical climax and conclusion of the Drift Crisis, see Starfinder Adventure Path: Drift Hackers. [Name intentionally spoiled in the Polygon article.] But you can also write your own ending, creating an adventure for a single session or a campaign that plays out over many months. Regardless of your ending, it needs to be satisfying and significant. The Drift Crisis—and the actions your heroes take to resolve it—should leave the galaxy forever transformed."

I do not see a galactic map on the schedule. And why should there be one? GMs should be free to place locations where they need them. And Drift travel is about number of beacons, not distance. That's what gives it its unique flavor, imo. That said, I do not know the canonical end. (I tried to look ahead, but it is not on the server! lol)The Starfinder Team may be planning to make travel more location-based? But I suspect the Drift Crisis will leave it a more dangerous place.

I always thought the Drift was an underused concept. I want there to be floating chunks of other planes - bits of Heaven and Hell, abyssal dreadnoughts, devil-whales, chaos smurfs, a bit of everything in there. Society travel tends to be very quiet; I want the travel to be the adventure. I hope this moves in that direction.

I always thought the Drift was an underused concept. I want there to be floating chunks of other planes - bits of Heaven and Hell, abyssal dreadnoughts, devil-whales, chaos smurfs, a bit of everything in there. Society travel tends to be very quiet; I want the travel to be the adventure. I hope this moves in that direction.

to your point though, the fact that the drift is pretty quiet permits you to have all kinds of society adventures at the destinations and not bog down the session in the travel

I always thought the Drift was an underused concept. I want there to be floating chunks of other planes - bits of Heaven and Hell, abyssal dreadnoughts, devil-whales, chaos smurfs, a bit of everything in there. Society travel tends to be very quiet; I want the travel to be the adventure. I hope this moves in that direction.

If you look at the Drift Encounters table in the appendix of Galaxy Exploration Manual, this is a lot of what you'll find.