All of Starfinder's core classes can be competent combatants, even the spellcasters. As I muck about with character building, I've noticed that it's natural to build a caster around ranged attacks - give a technomancer or a mystic the longarm proficiency feat, invest in Dex and your casting stat, and you're good to go. Just for fun, I'm trying to do something a little different - build a melee focused caster. In order to prevent accidentally building a melee combatant with token spellcasting abilities, my one rule is to keep full spell progression (no dipping into soldier, no matter how attractive it looks). Here's my initial foray:
Human mystic (mindbreaker) 1
Priest (Basmara)
CN medium humanoid (human)
Init. +0; Perception +7
SP 6; HP 10; RP 4
EAC 11; KAC 12
Fort. +0; Ref. +0; Will +5
Defensive Abilities Share pain
Speed 30 ft.
Melee Tactical pike +4 (1d8+4)
Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with tactical pike)
Spells Known (CL 1st)
1st (3/day) - fear (DC 14), mind thrust (DC 14), reflecting armor (DC 14)
0th (at will) - daze (DC 13), fatigue (DC 13), grave words, telekinetic projectile
Str. 17; Dex. 10; Con. 10; Int. 10; Wis. 16; Cha. 10
Skills Athletics +4, Bluff +4, Intimidate +4, Mysticism +8, Perception +7, Sense Motive +7, Survival +7
Feats Advanced Melee Weapon Proficiency, Weapon Focus (Advanced Melee Weapons)
Languages Common
Noncombat abilities Healing Touch, Theme Knowledge (Priest)
Combat Gear Mk 1 serum of healing (2), spell gem of charm person
Other Gear Consumer backpack, everyday clothing (2), hygiene kit (human), r2e (5), second skin, tactical pike, 22 credits
Share Pain (Su) - Whenever a foe deals damage to Vorital, he can spend 1 Resolve Point as a reaction to shift some of the pain back onto that foe. Unless the foe succeeds at a DC 13 Will save, he reduces the damage he takes from the attack by his mystic level (to a maximum of the attack’s damage), and the foe takes an equal amount of damage. This is a mind-affecting pain effect.
What do you think? Is there a race better suited to melee caster than human? Is mystic or technomancer a better choice? How should I level out this character? I'm particularly stuck on point-buy; I want to maintain a high to-hit and spell DCs, but I don't want to loose too many skill points and I need to find some way to increase my AC.
Jimbles,
A couple of thing I notice, you're AC is pretty low for someone who is planing on being in melee very much. Since you don't want to spend a lot of points on dex you may want to take heavy armor proficiency. You already plan on having the requisite strength and there isn't any spell failure due to armor in starfinder.
Also I would suggest looking at the vesk. You will have a reasonable amount of skill points since the mystic gets 6/lvl and you should be able to max out your strength and the extra con wont hurt. Plus the extra hit points and armor class at level 1 would be helpful. Also you could take mystic strike and improved unarmed strike later and have magic natural attacks that do 1.5 strength even when you aren't armed :) you're a killer weapon just standing there.
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Slow But Steady lets you wear heavy armor without reducing speed. Starts at 20 ft, but the Minimal Speed Suspension cybernetic system (level 4; 1,900 cr) bumps it up to 30 ft when you can afford it; probably at 5th level.
Weapon Familiarity gives proficiency (and specialization at 3rd level) with advanced melee weapons.
Technomancer just has a bunch more spells (like supercharge weapon) to boost combat over a mystic.
Take Heavy Armor Proficiency at 1st level (Golemforged Plating I, 250 cr), the Empowered Weapon magic hack at 2nd (the Thunderstrike Pulse Gauntlet, 475 cr, is decent choice of a powered melee weapon that's even affordable at 1st level; unfortunately, there aren't many other options for powered melee weapons, other than the Ember Flame Doshko, until the Tactical Cryopike, Red Star Plasma Doshko, Fangblade, and Tactical Skyfire Sword), and Weapon Focus (Advanced Melee Weapons)* at 3rd.
At 5th, in addition to the Minimal Speed Suspension, purchase your first Personal Upgrade (Mk 1, +2 Str*; 1,400 cr) and use your ability increases on Str, Dex, Con, and Int (for 18 Str, 13 Dex, 14 Con, 18 Int, 12 Wis, 8 Cha)*; either the Charging Jolt or the Spell Grenade magic hack may worth taking; Combat Casting or Versatile Focus may be worth taking as your feat.
*- Alternately, you could take Longarm Proficiency at 3rd, +2 Dex from the Personal Upgrade and Weapon Specialization (Longarms) at 5th, and Powered Armor Proficiency at 7th (a technomancer in a Battle Harness; talk about not following the stereotype!)
Jimbles,
A couple of thing I notice, you're AC is pretty low for someone who is planing on being in melee very much. Since you don't want to spend a lot of points on dex you may want to take heavy armor proficiency. You already plan on having the requisite strength and there isn't any spell failure due to armor in starfinder.
Also I would suggest looking at the vesk. You will have a reasonable amount of skill points since the mystic gets 6/lvl and you should be able to max out your strength and the extra con wont hurt. Plus the extra hit points and armor class at level 1 would be helpful. Also you could take mystic strike and improved unarmed strike later and have magic natural attacks that do 1.5 strength even when you aren't armed :) you're a killer weapon just standing there.
Both Vesk and Heavy Armor Proficiency are good ways to shore up AC without investing in Dex, but I would need to drop a feat (Weapon focus) to implement either at 1st level and both feats to implement both. Without Advanced Melee Proficiency, the character suddenly becomes much less useful on the front line, so I feel the need to choose just one.
I like the thematic implications of building this character as Vesk, as well as the racial AC bonus, CON boost, natural attack, and resistance to fear effects. One the other hand, a human gets 2 more skill ranks / level and is a feat ahead in a feat-starved build. Honestly, I don't know which one is better.
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Jimbles,
A couple of thing I notice, you're AC is pretty low for someone who is planing on being in melee very much. Since you don't want to spend a lot of points on dex you may want to take heavy armor proficiency. You already plan on having the requisite strength and there isn't any spell failure due to armor in starfinder.
Also I would suggest looking at the vesk. You will have a reasonable amount of skill points since the mystic gets 6/lvl and you should be able to max out your strength and the extra con wont hurt. Plus the extra hit points and armor class at level 1 would be helpful. Also you could take mystic strike and improved unarmed strike later and have magic natural attacks that do 1.5 strength even when you aren't armed :) you're a killer weapon just standing there.
Both Vesk and Heavy Armor Proficiency are good ways to shore up AC without investing in Dex, but I would need to drop a feat (Weapon focus) to implement either at 1st level and both feats to implement both. Without Advanced Melee Proficiency, the character suddenly becomes much less useful on the front line, so I feel the need to choose just one.
I like the thematic implications of building this character as Vesk, as well as the racial AC bonus, CON boost, natural attack, and resistance to fear effects. One the other hand, a human gets 2 more skill ranks / level and is a feat ahead in a feat-starved build. Honestly, I don't know which one is better.
Unfortunately 10 AC and 10 Con/Human is a great way to just die at first level. I would definitely suggest dropping Weapon Focus at level 1 for Heavy Armor on a Human. I can understand wanting to keep Advanced weapons for tactical and thematic reasons, but trading +1 to hit for 5 AC is a much better trade to ensure you can get to level 3 and pick up Weapon Focus :)
Going to echo baggageboy and Peat- heavy armor proficiency will serve much better than weapon focus. Weapon focus will only matter literally 5% of the time, whereas the difference in AC can start at 3 points (15%) and wander upwards with level.
If you find you really need weapon focus (which is dubious), you can pick it up at 5th (obviously 3rd is weapon specialization)
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I'll have to add to the chorus. While I think you'll want Weapon Focus eventually, it's only a +1 to hit until 9th (when it goes to +2), and is thus not necessary at 1st, while Heavy Armor most definitely is necessary for a Dex 10 melee character.
I mean, +2/3 AC is just better than +1 to hit, and the difference rises with level.
As for Class and Race, only Human and Dwarf can get both Advanced Weapon Proficiency and Heavy Armor Proficiency at 1st. Vesk makes a solid third choice, and everything else comes after that (as workable but not ideal).
Personally, I'd argue Mystic is better for this. Both have some good buffs, but Mystic is more durable (to the tune of +1 STm, +1 HP per level), and Technomancer has some better raw melee damage effects (Enhance Weapon, for example, is an interesting damage upgrade, though better done on the weapons of others than your own). Mystic has more damaging spells, but they tend to be psychic effects best used at range, which makes you something of a switch hitter.
Like I said, personally, I'd go Mystic, but I can see arguments either way.
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If you are looking for a real 'combat caster' rigged for functional melee combat give this one a look. It is based off your sheet but better in every regard assuming you don't need hair.
Vesk mystic (Star Shaman) 1
Priest (Any)
LN medium humanoid (Vesk)
Init. +0; Perception +7
DEFENSE
SP 7; HP 13; RP 4
EAC 16; KAC 16
Fort. +1; Ref. +0; Will +5
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee Claws +4 (1d3+6)
Reach 5 ft.
Spells Known (CL 1st)
1st (3/day) - Mystic Cure ,Shooting Stars (Magic Missile), reflecting armor (DC 14)
0th (at will) - daze (DC 13), Token Spell, grave words, telekinetic projectile
STATISTICS
Str. 18; Dex. 10; Con. 13; Int. 8; Wis. 16; Cha. 10
Skills Athletics +4, Mysticism +8, Perception +7, Sense Motive +7, Survival +7
Feats Heavy armor proficiency
Languages Common, Vesk
Other abilities Healing Touch, Theme Knowledge (Priest)
Combat Gear Mk 1 serum of healing (2),Other Gear Consumer backpack, everyday clothing (2), hygiene kit (Vesk), r2e (5), Heavy armor of choice, Aeon Crystal: Clear Spindle
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Spacewalk
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If you are looking for a real 'combat caster' rigged for functional melee combat give this one a look. It is based off your sheet but better in every regard assuming you don't need hair.
Better at level 1 certainly, but 2 less skills and needing to spend the Advanced Melee Weapons feat at level 3 or 5 once claws arguably stop being a competitive primary weapon.
I don't have the book in front of me but I remember the technomancer had the ability to create a weapon and automatically be proficient in it. Would that be helpful to save some feats by summoning a melee weapon?
If you are looking for a real 'combat caster' rigged for functional melee combat give this one a look. It is based off your sheet but better in every regard assuming you don't need hair.
I'm a big fan of this build - I like the flavor, I like the function, but how do you get 1d3+6 damage with 18 Strength?
If you are looking for a real 'combat caster' rigged for functional melee combat give this one a look. It is based off your sheet but better in every regard assuming you don't need hair.I'm a big fan of this build - I like the flavor, I like the function, but how do you get 1d3+6 damage with 18 Strength?
Check the Vesk racial ability, they get 1.5 strength bonus with their claws.
Dwarf Mercenary Technomancer
I had totally forgotten that Dwarves got proficiency/specialization with advanced melee weapons. I'm still thinking that Mystic is a better choice for combat caster than Technomancer, though - many offensive Technomancer spells (like supercharge weapon) rely on a subsequent attack roll. That's a bit too "high risk, high reward" for me, since one bad roll can waste two rounds instead of one. The Mystic's ability to pull on a greater bag of damaging spells and a decent library of touch spells (which you can use either Str or Wis on your attack roll) seems more reliable to me. Like Deadmanwalking said, more of a switch hitter.
Check the Vesk racial ability, they get 1.5 strength bonus with their claws.If you are looking for a real 'combat caster' rigged for functional melee combat give this one a look. It is based off your sheet but better in every regard assuming you don't need hair.I'm a big fan of this build - I like the flavor, I like the function, but how do you get 1d3+6 damage with 18 Strength?
The Vesk racial ability gives 1.5 character level to damage starting at 3rd level. It says nothing about Strength.