How exactly does the Null-Space Chamber operate?


Rules Questions


CRB wrote:

A null-space chamber is a circular device often designed to be strapped to an arm or backpack. When you press a button on the

side, the device creates a circular extradimensional rift to a pocket space, the size of which is determined by the null-space chamber’s
model. You can close it by pressing the button again, causing the
entrance to the space to disappear. Anything stored within the
space remains, however, traveling with the item. The null-space
chamber can be opened and closed only from the outside.
The only air within the pocket space is that which enters
when you open the entrance. The device does not accumulate
bulk even as its pocket space is filled. Each null-space chamber
is associated with its own particular extradimensional space.
Each null-space chamber can carry a set amount of bulk,
after which it can no longer be closed (even if it has room
left for more material). Spells and items that contain or create
extradimensional spaces, such as other null-space chambers, do
not function within a null-space chamber’s pocket dimension.
A readout on a null-space chamber automatically catalogs all
items within it, and if the chamber is open, you can call up any
such item and have it placed in your hand as a full action.

I have questions that don't have explicit RAW answers. I'm assuming that the Null-Space Chamber (NSC) is a kind of 'bag of holding' of the future, but I'm not familiar enough with BOH rules to answer these.

1: The 'rift' created by the NSC. Is this rift's location relative to the device? Does it follow it? Given the rift is explicitly circular, and so is the device, it seems like the rift may be generated directly on the circular face of the item - though this is not explicitly stated.

2: "Each null-space chamber can carry a set amount of bulk, after which it can no longer be closed (even if it has room left for more material)." Does this mean I can keep storing items in the NSC past its bulk limit (but within the 3x3 ft spatial limit) as long as I keep the rift open?

3: Hypothetically, a PC (Bob) is wielding an active NSC. The NSC is active and laying flat so that the rift is facing upward. Another PC (Annah) stands inside the NSC, so that half their body is inside the NSC and the other half of their body is protruding into the physical plane, above their ally. Does the weight of Annah (inside the NSC) weight down on Bob? Or is Annah effectively weightless? As a more practical application - can my Dragonkin wear an active NSC on his backpack with an ally halfway inside to function as a weight-bearing 'saddle'? Would the ally's weight is act inside the pocket dimension and not on my character?

4: What kind of action is opening/closing a NSC?

5: What happens if a NSC is subjected to an anti-magic field (or dispel effect) of some kind? Does it just close? What if the NSC is over-capacity at that exact moment? Do all objects get spat out? What if a single object is halfway in the rift at that moment? Does it get sliced in half? Spat out?

6: What prevents me from keeping an ally inside a NSC and opening it to let them make attacks from inside?


All I can answer is question 4: based on the “never accumulates bulk” wording and how bags of holding work, I think that it has a fixed bulk- regardless of whether it’s empty or stuffed full of lead.
Based on that, the answer to question 6 is the 3’x3’x3’ space, bulk limit, and the limited air. They would be very cramped (if they could fit) and have only (27-their body volume) cubic feet of air. I can’t remember what the bulk limit is, but 1 bulk = 10 lbs., so you may not be able to close the rift at all. If you have a very small, light ally, and you only keep them in there for short enough durations that the air isn’t an issue, then I don’t see why it couldn’t work


7. Can an NSC be closed with objects protruding (provided they do not exceed bulk limits)? If so, what happens to said object?


All these questions pretty much apply equally to bags of holding as much as null space bags.

The answer is pretty much "Please don't' give your GM a headache".


Its a bag of holding that doesn't blow up or go kerfluffle when exposed to other extra dimensional spaces like it might if this were still Pathfinder.


My inclination is, no abuse of normal NSC function should allow the creation of an infinite damage attack. So, no, an object that's half-in half-out is not arbitrarily cut in half. If I wanted to allow it to be damaging, I'd treat it as a hazard with a level equal to the NSC; if that damage is enough to kill the victim, *then* you get cut-in-half, but not otherwise. Also, doing so would most definitely wreck the device.


Something of a mini-necro, but I was wondering, would there be any real consequence, other than the loss of the space/item, if you took a ticking timebomb/nuke/whatever and stuffed it into a nullspace chamber?

How would people play it? That the boom still happens but just basically has no external world effect? Like the nuke ruins the NSC but that's it?

I mean its not likely to come up often in PC activities, but imagine if a nullspace chamber would be a tool of the trade for a Bomb Squad? Assuming the bomb didn't have motion sensors, it could be safer to just chuck it into the NSC.


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I've not had the issue in SF, but I've had players pull something like that multiple times with bags of holding et al in D&D 2e, 3rd, 3.5, and PF.

My ruling has always been that any explosion larger than the volume of the space destroys the extra-dimensional space, utterly, and that there is a chance it tears a hole into the ethereal or astral plane (depending on the item) that may suck anyone within a certain radius into the other plane. I usually give the item a Fort (or equivalent) save, and anyone in the radius a Reflex save. If it's a big enough explosion, I leave the hole around for a bit until the prime heals itself (plot point) with a chance that something attempts to come through (encounter).

The Exchange

A Null-Space chamber is designed to be strapped to an arm or backpack. Does that mean it counts as one of your two worn magic/hybrid items?


Belafon wrote:
A Null-Space chamber is designed to be strapped to an arm or backpack. Does that mean it counts as one of your two worn magic/hybrid items?

No. You don't have to wear it for it to function.


I don't see any problem with sticking a bomb in a NSC, though its an expensive way to deal with a bomb. Probably best to save it for genuine WMD scenarios.

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