I'm a huge fan of weapon and armor material as a form of item modification. I hope it is included in Starfinder as well, but I'm interested to here what others think.
Gotta do barrel and power-pack modifications too. Different hull compositions and configurations (nicely done in Fragged Empire, that) as well.
I'd say stuff for plasma blades too, but no one will use a "half the damage dealt is electrical, half the damage dealt is fire, remember to round down, and F@~! YEAH APPLYING RESISTS AND/OR HARDNESS TWICE" weapon any more than they already do in pathfinder, but definitely for vibroweapons yes.
Shield generator types as well: In battlelords for example some are basically physical matter-walls but can be ignored by certain weapons that teleport or implode around a target, some basically telefrag incoming shots but don't always work, others create a thick plasma cloud that doubles as ECM (missiles are rather expensive but punch far above their weight), but takes extra damage from several sources while also doubling as a rather severe radiation source; not too bad for one or two of the races but cancer-in-a-can for anybody else in just a few minutes!
Yes! Absolutely. And cheapo stormtrooper style plastic armor.
i really want to see a customization weapon system like this, ceramic blades to increase threat range but reduced weapon HP, vibro-modules... all kinds of things to customize gear. and then enchant your favorite modules because its still science fantasy after all :)
That's an excellent suggestion. Though I doubt enchanting will be quite the same as pathfinder. I get the feeling it will be less +1s and more unique traits. Example, power armor of superior stealth, hellfire grenades, or flight suit of exceptional piloting.
"but less HP" would really have to go a few steps beyond the "lol fragile" rules we currently see. Perhaps striking against high enough DR/Hardness (discounting strength and power-attack, anything that can block half or more of the damage) means up to the weapon's own TOTAL damage dealt is suffered (and reduced by its hardness)?
So that ultra-sharp ceramic blade is amazing and effortless against security guards in disturbingly-resilient neon orange jumpsuits, worryingly chips a little when you're hitting the guy in power armor, and you really, really oughta have known better than to try and smash a tank in half with the edge using a potion of strength and power attack.
Jamie Charlan wrote: "but less HP" would really have to go a few steps beyond the "lol fragile" rules we currently see. Perhaps striking against high enough DR/Hardness (discounting strength and power-attack, anything that can block half or more of the damage) means up to the weapon's own TOTAL damage dealt is suffered (and reduced by its hardness)?
So that ultra-sharp ceramic blade is amazing and effortless against security guards in disturbingly-resilient neon orange jumpsuits, worryingly chips a little when you're hitting the guy in power armor, and you really, really oughta have known better than to try and smash a tank in half with the edge using a potion of strength and power attack.
I was thinking along the lines that a "space material" quality ceramic would still be an all around upgrade but the reduced HP or hardness would give it a bit more character for those situations where it comes up. if modifications have numerous benefits and draw backs to each one and you can have 2-6 modifications per weapon it could get tedious and difficult to track during a game. So while i want it to be a thing, it needs to be a manageable thing.
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At the same time, far too often the drawbacks are often completely debilitating trap options, OR basically mean nothing and may as well not exist. The fragile quality being one of the latter when it comes to magical weapons. HP/Hardness in pathfinder don't really come into play for items unless someone is purposefully sundering them, and unless you're built for that you can forget it no matter how vulnerable the little blade in your opponent's hand is, even though by all means it should probably have shattered on your shield.
The benefits and drawbacks can be kept simple if A) they are well documented, and B) organized properly. The use of keywords and straightforward wording can make it just as simple as the single material modification in pathfinder is/was.
Could be simple headers in, say, a weapon entry.
Submachine Gun | Variant: Laser | Laser Material: Nd:YAG
<the usual statline, directly altered straightforwardly from the above goes here>
Man-Portable Cannon | Variant: Gauss | Generator: Prana-Capacitor | Ammunition Type: Zol-Orichalconium
<the usual statline, directly altered straightforwardly from the above goes here>
Jamie Charlan wrote: At the same time, far too often the drawbacks are often completely debilitating trap options, OR basically mean nothing and may as well not exist. The fragile quality being one of the latter when it comes to magical weapons. HP/Hardness in pathfinder don't really come into play for items unless someone is purposefully sundering them, and unless you're built for that you can forget it no matter how vulnerable the little blade in your opponent's hand is, even though by all means it should probably have shattered on your shield.
The benefits and drawbacks can be kept simple if A) they are well documented, and B) organized properly. The use of keywords and straightforward wording can make it just as simple as the single material modification in pathfinder is/was.
Could be simple headers in, say, a weapon entry.
Submachine Gun | Variant: Laser | Laser Material: Nd:YAG
<the usual statline, directly altered straightforwardly from the above goes here>
Man-Portable Cannon | Variant: Gauss | Generator: Prana-Capacitor | Ammunition Type: Zol-Orichalconium
<the usual statline, directly altered straightforwardly from the above goes here>
Agreed! This would make for an excellent use of space, not to mention allow for greater weapon variety.
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