Ghoran Solarian - Can you photosynthesize your own Mote?

[Cythwulf]

Hi there. First time I've posted, so I'll apologize if this is in the wrong spot.

We were looking at the Ghoran (Alien Archive 2 56-57) which mentions:

Photosynthesis (Ex) Ghorans undergo photosynthesis to gain nutrition instead of eating (although they can eat if they so wish). A ghoran can go without light (either sunlight or UV light, such as from starships) for 3 days, after which they must attempt Constitution checks to avoid starvation (Starfinder Core Rulebook 404).

The Solar Manifestation ability of a Solarian (Starfinger Core Rulebook 101) shows:
You also choose whether your solar manifestation (in any form) either glows brightly with one color common to stars (including blue, red, white, or yellow) or is the perfect darkness of a black hole. A glowing solar manifestation, regardless of its form, sheds dim light in a 20-foot radius. You can shut off the light or darkness as a standard action in order to blend in or assist in stealth, but whenever you enter a stellar mode (see page 102), the glow or darkness returns immediately.

So the question is, does the mote produce enough of or the type of light needed to sustain a Ghoran?

[Pantshandshake]

Huh. Well, I guess the mote is basically a tiny star, so it should produce the correct kind of light for photosynthesis to take place, in theory.

It's totally up to your GM, but off the top of my head I'd probably let it extend the time between light exposures or maybe a bonus to the Con check, rather than letting it take the place of all the light you'd need otherwise.

[Kochean]

Since there is no rules for the Mote in the book to specify what the nutritional value it is to plants it is going to be your GM's personal call.

Me personally if I was to rule it as a DM I would say since it provides dim light it might sustain you partially. Kinda like eating a light (unintentional pun) snack, so you could boost the time till starvation to 5 days.

[Ravingdork]

I'd allow it. Kind of a cool idea actually.

[Ascalaphus]

Well, it's light but it's dim. So I'd say while it's probably enough to keep you going, it's not really pleasant. Like living off rations.

It's not really a power concern, a clear spindle aeon stone would do the same for 245 credits. So I'd classify as "neat find" rather than "game-breaking" :P

[Metaphysician]

Yeah, I think put me in the "it helps, it doesn't replace" column. Dim light wouldn't be enough to keep a plant alive, so it shouldn't fully replace the need for ambient light. I'd treat it as being the equivalent of having meager, inadequate food, but not a total lack of food. If I can't find any relevant rules, I'd just treat it as a +2 bonus to the CON check.

[Tender Tendrils]

I think it would be enough to prevent starvation, which isn't going to break the game. Keeping fed in starfinder is generally a trivial matter anyway.