Starfinder Society Scenario #6-15: Extraction from Azlanti Space

Agaisnt the Aeon Throne basically did same concept better because this one is restricted by Starfinder Society parties not being guaranteed to have any disguise or shapeshifting or even deception abilities. Like it feels bit stretch that after warning about how serious the mission is, all party full of pact worlds species(or vesk) would need to visit ASE Homeworld is "correct licenses". Basically, this spy mission feels too easy, even the "authorities take 20 minutes to arrive to middle class neighborhood" feels bit like "well that makes azlanti sound incompetent and not that big of threat". Final boss is difficult but fun though, at least for 4 player parties. SFS format also prevents exploration of fascist imperialist azlanti supremacist state outside of vague "non azlanti seem resigned, bitter and depressed" statements since it would be weird to roleplay azlanti discriminating party members in convention games.

It also has mechanically some weird bits like how none of skill challenges scale if there are only 4 players available. Scenario doesn't stop there, but it makes secondary success much much harder for 4 player parties which aren't unlikely at these levels.

The scenario doesn't hold up mechanically. Fights were a breeze, skill challenges overcome way too easily and were way too linear. Our GM tried to make it challenging; but it was a tall order. It probably plays better with 4 players; our table had 6 and everyone jockeying for die rolls and everyone blowing them away. The Azlanti are intriguing and would, you think, make for great high-level adversaries. Unfortunately their tech wasn't on par with the party's and therefore too easy. I know its harder to write a mechanically challenging high level scenario; but this one drops the ball early.

Fortunate enough to play this early; it starts off a little weird. As if they try to set the mood but it just comes off odd. It is as if Starfinder wanted to get rid of the Bastille but they don't want to get rid of the Bastille. They go out of their way to try and make you feel uncomfortable as you go into a "clean room". It just feels like its another strange thematic shift in season 6. You don't need to set things up this way but the author wants you to feel a sense of impending dread and secrecy. Then its time to go off to the Azlanti Star Empire.

Mechanic issues: We all know the Azlanti Star Empire is horribly xenophobic and anti-alien. I fully expected that we would all be forced to race change into humans but this is hand waved. Its a missed opportunity. The same with the back lore of previous Azlanti modules, nothing is built up from previous modules in the Azlanti empire and it feels very disconnected from the previous meta; especially the meta from the APs.

So you have a typical "we have to rescue a spy mission" but you are told nothing about what the spy is doing. Yet when you start rolling culture checks it is kind of obvious what is going on. With the prep work and the back ground you loose about an hour in the mod for a set up that doesn't really pay off. They set up a lot between the Azlanti and the Vesk battle cruisers but its just fluff.

This is a really terrible module as it keeps rail roading you again and again. I can not say how poorly this module is.

You meet with your contact; and after some very awkward RP you get the data package. Then you are on the map so you know an attack is coming. Which turns out to be a situation between the vesk and the azlanti. you then have a situation to defuse. But what makes this terrible is that one or two players can dominate the situation as you only need the minimal amount of skill checks to succeed. That makes 4 out of 6 people sitting around waiting to play. This is a terrible game mechanic, as once more you have the loudest players at the table dominating the game.

The theme for this module is lots of set up and no pay off. I keep saying it; stop hiring fan-fiction writers to write adventures. Sure the story is great to read but the mechanics and game play are shoe horned in their. They spend way to much time trying to set up the theme and narrative but they ignore the physics and the rules of the Starfinders universe. Their is a lot of hand waved stuff that says we need X to happen so we have this widget that does this. Stay within the rules of your own universe and world building.

I can not recommend this module at all and was extremely disappointed in it. I mean this is a high level mod and it is so badly written on a mechanical level that you can blow away most of the skill checks by taking 10 and then having your bonuses added to it. It is not challenging and god awful. I really love the Azlanti as bad guys and this module does not do them justice at all.