A friend of mine is starting a new starfinder campaign and I'm looking to play a support character. None of out pathfinder games have gone past level 6 so I'm looking for low level advice. The party is composed of a Melee Blitz Soldier, A ghost operative using pistols (also playing the party face) and a Ranged Exocortex Mechanic. I've always played stealthy melee types in pathfinder and I'm trying to branch out. I've read a lot about how great battlefield control is and I'd like to try that but I don't really understand how a grease spell can swing the tide of battle. I guess what I'm really looking for is a real break down on What battlefield control really means and how to pull it off well. Some examples maybe. I'm looking at playing a Ysoki Technomancer focused on battlefield control.
Ysoki Technomancer 1
Ace Pilot
(we roll our stats.)
Str 11
Dex 18
Con 11
Int 19
Wis 18
Cha 10
Skills: Computers, Engineering, Life Science, Mysticism, Perception, Physical Science, Piloting, Stealth.
Feats: Long Arm Proficiency
Spells:
0 - Detect Magic, Psychokinetic Hand
1 - Holographic Image, Grease
I'm really unsure of my spell, feat, and magic hack choices. Everyone keeps staying "just play whats fun" yea well being useless is "not fun"
Are you playing with house rules? Int 19 should be impossible out the gate.
Your first magic hack if your intent is battlefield control should be Fabricate Tech, which lets you melee-range summon physical objects, such as walls made of glass, paper, or dry ice. Just be aware that your GM will need to house rule if you edge too close to the line of what you can and can't summon - for example, no GM is going to let you use it to summon a spoonful of antihydrogen, even if you do it in a vacuum where it won't immediately explode.
You can use Grease in multiple ways; one of them is simply splashing an area where the enemy can see you do it. They don't know the save of the spell until they walk over the goop you just summoned, and most enemies won't even recognize the spell, so most intelligent enemies will do whatever they can not to walk where you splash, which is battlefield control. You've presumably read the spell description, so as you know, you can use it to help slow/pin down enemies, or as a disarm spell, or as a buff if your Soldier gets into a grapple. You can also target the enemy's boots, and unless your GM is absurdly harsh, the effect should be that only your target takes the downsides of walking on grease, but can't escape the area of effect.
Don't forget, you can summon grease into the air, so you can also use it to try to knock enemy fliers out of the sky.
Your character looks fun, but I don't know what you mean by support when none of your spells support other players. You lean toward "control".
That said, keep what you have as they definitely add versatility to your party while your high Dex & longarms mean you'll contribute every battle.
Otherwise, you'd want a more direct offensive spell in the mix.
With only one guy in melee, who will likely take the focus of enemy attacks, you might want to consider a Summon spell (from Alien Archive) to give him a flank buddy and split the damage.
Of course, your current spells can help split or distract the enemy, so they can aid his welfare too.
Look at your stsrship role. If you'll be the Engineer, a very important role, then you don't need Piloting, which only the Pilot & 3/4 BAB Gunners need. Of course, with your Dex, you'd be a great gunner or pilot too, so it's a matter of what your allies will be doing.
Think about taking Medicine. It's quite good with high Int which gets added to the healing, especially in a party with no Mystic. I'd prioritize this over Stealth (or being a backup pilot).
Remember, if you're boosting Int at 5th, you'll get another skill at max ranks to pick up whatever you switched out. Likely even earlier with a stat boost item.
Have fun :)
Are you playing with house rules? Int 19 should be impossible out the gate.
I worked that one out with my GM. He told us to try and stick to 18 or under but due to my rolls and racial bonus I was either going to have a 19 or a 17 and he allowed the 19 as it was still only a +4 mod.
Your first magic hack if your intent is battlefield control should be Fabricate Tech, which lets you melee-range summon physical objects, such as walls made of glass, paper, or dry ice.
I just assumed Fabricate Tech was limited to the "technological items" section of the book. It does mention a item level limit though, how would you apply an item level to a glass wall for instance. I really like the idea of being able to conjure simple gear that's not in the book like saws or drills and stuff.
Your character looks fun, but I don't know what you mean by support when none of your spells support other players. You lean toward "control".
You're right, Controller would better describe what I want to do. Though I'm open to buffing and debuffing, I really just want to contribute to combat without taking or dealing damage.
Look at your stsrship role. If you'll be the Engineer, a very important role, then you don't need Piloting, which only the Pilot & 3/4 BAB Gunners need. Of course, with your Dex, you'd be a great gunner or pilot too, so it's a matter of what your allies will be doing.
Think about taking Medicine. It's quite good with high Int which gets added to the healing, especially in a party with no Mystic. I'd prioritize this over Stealth (or being a backup pilot).
Remember, if you're boosting Int at 5th, you'll get another skill at max ranks to pick up whatever you switched out. Likely even earlier with a stat boost item.
I will be the ships primary pilot, though I could give up stealth (this is hard for me having played so many rangers and the like in pathfinder). We have two players already with Medicine which is why I passed on it, I'll have to read it again I didn't realize my int added to the amount healed.