So, for one of my homebrew races, I was thinking of giving them a weakness to offset their strengths. While I know fire is one of the more common of the energy damage types, exactly how bad would having +50% additional damage and -4 to saves vs fire effects be?
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While this would naturally all vary based on a GM's specific setting and campaign (just like the strength of a Ranger in Pathfinder), by default, it would be very bad, because in Starfinder, it is possible and even likely that a group of enemies will all be doing fire damage with laser weapons, as opposed to in Pathfinder where you might face one beastie with fire breath, or one wizard that can cast fireball in a round.
So, if this race had fire vulnerability, they'd need some pretty steep benefits to make up for it, or the setting would need to not have laser weapons everywhere you turn.
So, if this race had fire vulnerability, they'd need some pretty steep benefits to make up for it, or the setting would need to not have laser weapons everywhere you turn.
I agree with Big Lemon. If your race has Fire Vulnerability in Starfinder then it better have a suite of sweet powers since fire is FAR more prevalent a damage form in Starfinder than it is in Pathfinder and it was the most prevalent elemental attack in that game by far.
I would state though that if your custom race has so many beneficial abilities that having Fire Vulnerability is a balanced offset, then you may not want it to be a PC race, because it is going to need a TON of good benefits to balance taking 150% more damage from all lasers and flame weapons, not to mention monsters using fire attacks.
Alright, so having fire vulnerability is pretty bad.
Semi-fortunately, them having fire vulnerability is a consequence of their other racial ability for lore reasons, so if it is too much to ask for, I can just axe the pair entirely and think of something else. Here's the WIP Stat block of my chimera race, essentially they are human hybrids that can shift their biology to suit their needs like a barathu. They are (mechanically speaking) an expy of the parasites from the titular anime.
Chimera Adaptability: Their progenitors have advanced cellular capabilities, but their biology is far too complex to utilize it in the short term. While chimera do not posses the raw capabilities of their progenitors, their cellular control is far more swift and adaptable thanks to their comparatively simple human component. Once every 1d4 rounds as a swift action, a chimera can reshape its body and adjust its chemistry to gain one of the following qualities. The adaptation lasts until the next time the chimera changes enhancements. However, the notable weakness to having this cellular adaptability, is that it is easily damaged and disrupted by intense heat.
Improved Natural Weapons: When acquiring this adaptation, the chimera can choose to deal S,P, or B with their natural weapons and extend their reach to 10 feet. They add twice their character level to their damage rolls for their natural weapons (instead of just adding 1–1/2 × their character level, as per normal natural weapons)
Subdermal Armor: A toughened dermal layer grants its a +2 racial bonus to AC.
Variable Legs: Increases base speed by 10 ft, and a +4 to athletics when climbing, jumping, or swimming.
Fast Restoration: Restores their character level in HP, and twice their character level in stamina each round at the end of their turn, using this ability consumes 1 RP, and lasts 3 rounds. Changing into another state before the effect is finished stops it.
Enhanced Perception: The chimera becomes unflankable, and gains a +4 bonus to reflex saves and perception.Fire Vulnerability: Chimera take an additional +50% damage vs fire, and have a -4 to saves vs fire effects.
I think races are better balanced if they have less benefits and less drawbacks.
For example, in your race, if the player focuses on Fire Resist (which is a good idea, per se), he's gettign a good bunch of stuff compared to other races with a very minor drawback (because of fire resist)
I actually up scaled their abilities in response to fire weakness being terrible weakness in this game, so I can tone them back down. So if their weakness to fire can be mitigated, the advantages they reap for having it should be reduced in response.
In the tech world of Starfinder it would be worse...actually all elemental vulnerabilities are worse...than in Pathfinder.
Generally in pathfinder for the masses doing elemental damage was difficult. Fire? Ok you have a torch, maybe some oil. Adventurers and other types have exotic magical means of doing fire and doing it at range. In pathfinder? Anyone can have a laser gun. Starfinder also makes elemental weapons available in all types from level 1. I mean even Sonic is a relatively common possibility now. Mechanically the vulnerability isn't any worse, but in terms of frequency of that vulnerability being applicable its way more in starfinder.
Eh, yet another battle of cool concept vs balance. I think it'll be best to shelve this concept for another day and work on something more simple mechanically.