| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I for one am glad they do play test these things with us as it gives us the ability to participate in the process of making the game we spend countless hours engaged in. I can tune out the negativity anyways. I think in general the people on the forum become more animated than most.
That said, I love Starfinder Wednesdays and I hope they continue to do it weekly. The lore episodes are my favourite ones hands down. Some questions I would like to ask.
GAME QUESTIONS
1. Are Starships and starship combat something that the team is lookin at currently for revamp/changing?
2. Can we at sometime expect to see a Society pawns box?
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I'm assuming here that, since the pre-show announcement was 'it'll make sense', that the upcoming show (12/5) will be about the playtest classes.
If so, I'd like to go ahead and get some questions in for whomever is going to be on the show (Rob?) next week.
1. Any obvious questions not immediately answered by the blog post coming on the 3rd. Questions like, "What classes?" "When/how/if will they be available for organized play?" "Any new class features for extant classes in the playtest?" Any questions like that not already answered by the blog post would be awesome.
2. I'm assuming this playtest is for some currently unnamed book coming in the 2nd half of 19, probably something like an Advanced Players Guide, I'm guessing to be released at Gencon. If so, does it have a name/release date? This may be answered in the blog post, too, but if it isn't it'd be nice to know.
3. Will there be any other rulebooks in '19? (I'm still hoping for a Veskarium/Near Space sourcebook a la Pact Worlds.) I'm sure you're not going to answer this, but I'm going to keep asking until someone does. :)
2. I'm assuming this playtest is for some currently unnamed book coming in the 2nd half of 19, probably something like an Advanced Players Guide, I'm guessing to be released at Gencon. If so, does it have a name/release date? This may be answered in the blog post, too, but if it isn't it'd be nice to know.
I'm curious about the timing of the release as well. A soon-to-launch playtest could suggest a late 2019 release. However, releasing a major Starfinder expansion alongside the PF2 core rulebook launch at Gencon seems unlikely to me. My money would be a fall release (Oct/Nov). I can't see PF2 being delayed to the following PaizoCon or Gencon and I can't envision Paizo wanting a major Starfinder release to be overshadowed by the PF2 core launch.
It could be a spring/PaizoCon release, though. They're playtesting classes not a full rules set. Tighter focus, tighter timeframe, perhaps?
GAME QUESTIONS
1. Are Starships and starship combat something that the team is lookin at currently for revamp/changing?
I'd love to see a starship expansion. Not seeing any need to revamp or change it.
Any news is good news! looking forward to seeing the new classes. Im glad they are taking feed back. I feel like the core game could of used a lot of that. However you can add me to the list of feeling like the Pathfinder Playtest turned into a flame war between those looking forward to change and those adamantly against it.
I for one really liked the original playtest rules, at least the core concepts of what was changing. I had to eject from the forums early on though so I have been unable to keep up with whats in or out atm.
Seeing as Starfinder was already a departure hopefully our community will be a bit more accepting of change and new concepts. Really curious to see what we get and eager to hear more about whats ahead for Starfinder!
I'd love to see a starship expansion. Not seeing any need to revamp or change it.
GAME QUESTIONS
1. Are Starships and starship combat something that the team is lookin at currently for revamp/changing?
The pilot has all the choices and the gunners have most of the effect. The rest of the crew is kinda along for the ride.
Starship focused class?
The pilot has all the choices and the gunners have most of the effect. The rest of the crew is kinda along for the ride.I'd love to see a starship expansion. Not seeing any need to revamp or change it.
GAME QUESTIONS
1. Are Starships and starship combat something that the team is lookin at currently for revamp/changing?
While I agree with this to a point, he's talking about an expansion of the rules. To me, that would involve giving more actions to everyone.
The pilot has all the choices and the gunners have most of the effect. The rest of the crew is kinda along for the ride.I'd love to see a starship expansion. Not seeing any need to revamp or change it.
GAME QUESTIONS
1. Are Starships and starship combat something that the team is lookin at currently for revamp/changing?
Seriously? Engineers, captains, and science officers have been critical in every starship combat I've played. The crew is actively involved and thematically so.
You want each role to handle starship movement? You want each role making attacks? Each role has meaningful actions now (not that new ones wouldn't be welcome).
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
You know truth be told I do not mind starship combat at all as the DM. My reasoning behind wanting to see some kind of change/addition to the system is merely the fact that my players do not have fun doing it. I've tried running space combat with multiple ships and with terrain factors and all kinds of stuff which has helped but they always find it to be too tedious and something they just slog through.
Maybe if the actions other than pilot and gunner had a little more oomph to them it would help. Being able to do things like hack into shield frequencies to bring them down or to project holographic clones or things of a more dynamic nature would help. As it stands its just move,shoot,balance shields,taunt,repeat. You can throw all the turrets on asteroids and nebulas and cool things you want in the mix but when the base formula is so bland it adds very little.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The pilot has all the choices and the gunners have most of the effect. The rest of the crew is kinda along for the ride.I'd love to see a starship expansion. Not seeing any need to revamp or change it.
GAME QUESTIONS
1. Are Starships and starship combat something that the team is lookin at currently for revamp/changing?Seriously? Engineers, captains, and science officers have been critical in every starship combat I've played. The crew is actively involved and thematically so.
Yes. Seriously.
The captain is an aid another and a very easy check to do so at that. He aids another on the ships biggest gun. The engineer restores shields. The science officer scans and then moves onto a gun because they can't do anything till level 6. I've had multiple captains go "I auto aid the the biggest gun" and wander off because they don't like starship combat.
the engineers option to divert power to weapons is mathematically insignificant (and actually gets WORSE as you level) , the science officers improve crit ability relies on the next ONE attack critting or moving a threshhold on full moons during alternate thursdays (you don't rebalance shields, you turn the ship)
What I'd LIKE is option A B C D off a list to be a meaningful and valid choice rather than having one check to make repeatedly because its the neccesary and only real choice because the others are mechanically dross.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
LORE QUESTIONS
It took me a little time to think about what I would actually like to hear about lorewise but now I have a few topics I'd be interested in.
Notable Criminals, who are they ? What do they do? Where are they located?
On Absalom Station going into the lower levels and some of what goes on down there would be awesome.
Some examples of actual programs and shows that ZO! runs other than live exploration extreme.
Did they talk about cyberpunk yet? Influences, hooks, an entire adventure path...
"Can the bare-handed martial artist class be called Space Cowboy?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I would personally call them Hitman.
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Can the bare-handed martial artist class be called Space Cowboy?"
I was wondering where this came from until I saw Arutema's request for a brawler on the previous page.
★--- ★ --- ★ --- ★
When I looked through the Any plans for new classes? thread, the most requested things that I saw in there were:
1) Scientist / Space Alchemist / Mad Scientist;
2) Kineticist / ranged blaster
3) "Full" caster -- though there was disagreement as to what exactly a full caster was.
4) Charisma caster / sorcerer
5) Space Barbarian
6) Psionic classes
7) Pet class with real animal buddies.
I was wondering where this came from
It's a Cowboy Bebop reference.
I'm guessing a martial artist and a charisma caster (this one is kinda mentioned in the CRB) are a shoe in. We'll find out soon enough!
Where was it mentioned in the CRB?
Hmm
It's very subtle:
Weakened
The victim takes a –2 penalty to Charisma-based ability checks and skill checks, and the DCs of her spells and special abilities decrease by 2. If she has 1 or more levels in a spellcasting class whose key ability score is Charisma, she can’t cast her highest level of spells from that class.
Impaired
The victim takes an additional –2 penalty to the affected checks and DCs. If she has 1 or more levels in a spellcasting class whose key ability score is Charisma, she can’t cast her 2 highest levels of spells from that class.
That’s just basic future proofing.
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
I'd say there's conceptual room for a charisma caster, especially a bit more eldritch one. Mystics feel quite psychic, and technomancers are geeks with glasses. Someone smelling a bit more of sulphur and with some wailing spirits in tow can still carve out a niche.
Martial arts... well, I think it could be done as a soldier fighting style or as a set of focused revelations and feats for a solarian. I think I'd be annoyed if they didn't get a piece of the martial arts pie really.
Kineticist seems more like a third solarian manifestation, I'm not sure I'd want to branch it off into a new class. I have to admit I like the smaller number of Starfinder classes as well as that being a particular class doesn't define too much about your skills and role in the party.
I could definitely see a niche for a pet class. I'm a bit frustrated that lashunta have animals evolved to interface telepathically with them, but those animals aren't going to be level up so they're just cannon fodder.
Actually, what with the mechanic and the technomancer, the biological side of the spectrum is a bit under-served. Biotech, living spaceships, cloning, genetically optimized warrior species... there's thematic room here for specialists.
Barbarian... between klingons, wookies, hirogen, luxans... yeah I think there's also room for those. Maybe as an archetype that integrates nicely with soldiers, solarians, envoys and mystics?
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
A lot of the ideas I've had for new character classes could be handled just as well, if not better, as archetypes and/or new class-specialization options (soldier fighting styles, mystic connections, an alternative to the exocortex or drone for the mechanic, etc.)
Consequently, one question I know I will be curious about next Friday will be: why are these new classes instead of class options? What made the development team think they were best realized as classes specifically?
(Note: this question isn't intended critically - I mean, I haven't even seen the classes yet - I am genuinely curious about the design insight.)
Starfinder Design Lead
|
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
Consequently, one question I know I will be curious about next Friday will be: why are these new classes instead of class options? What made the development team think they were best realized as classes specifically?
(Note: this question isn't intended critically - I mean, I haven't even seen the classes yet - I am genuinely curious about the design insight.)
That's a great question. We've asked ourselves that a lot, and I hope we get to answer it at length once you all know what we produced after working on it for so long.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
That's a great question. We've asked ourselves that a lot, and I hope we get to answer it at length once you all know what we produced after working on it for so long.Consequently, one question I know I will be curious about next Friday will be: why are these new classes instead of class options? What made the development team think they were best realized as classes specifically?
(Note: this question isn't intended critically - I mean, I haven't even seen the classes yet - I am genuinely curious about the design insight.)
Omg stop teasing us and release the blog already! ;)
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
..refresh, refresh, refresh..
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Omg stop teasing us and release the blog already! ;)Sorry, it's a whole thing. Zeus has to make the call, Poseidon has to find the keys and swim down to it's cage at the bottom of the Mediterranean...
Soon!
RELEASE THE KRAKEN!
|
Starfinder Design Lead
|
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
RELEASE THE KRAKEN!Omg stop teasing us and release the blog already! ;)Sorry, it's a whole thing. Zeus has to make the call, Poseidon has to find the keys and swim down to it's cage at the bottom of the Mediterranean...
Soon!
And you have to HAND CRANK the gate up...
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
And you have to HAND CRANK the gate up...
Up stream. Both ways. Twice a day.
Wait. Wait! This sounds like something that I need to film!
I'm guessing a martial artist and a charisma caster are a shoe in.
Nailed it.
I called scientist/space alchemist. Feel pretty on point with that.
|
Contributor
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Question for the show this week: "New classes means new Iconics. Any idea what races we can expect the new Iconics to be when they're released?" ( "What races would you choose to make them, if it was up to you?" )
Based on the name and theme, if the witchwarper iconic isn't a witchwyrd I'll eat my holographic projection of a hat.
Even if I lose, eating a hologram's easy.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
My kids and I always tune in for Starfinder Wednesdays (the day after, since it airs too close to their bedtime, haha), and I just wanted to let Dan know that we absolutely adore it!
WooHOO!! Thank you so much! That means so much. :)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Just to confirm:
Yes, today's show will be about the playtest that was announced on Monday. We have some great content and 30 minutes of Q&A (though I suspect that won't be enough time).
I've grabbed a few questions off the thread already, and I'll be checking in until about 2 pm Pacific. It's not too late if you have a question... I'll do my best to get it on the show!
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Future shows:
12/12 - Biohacker: Jason Keeley and Owen K.C. Stephens
12/19 - Witchwarper: Amanda Hamon Kunz and Owen K.C. Stephens
12/26 - Pre-recorded show about the beginnings of Starfinder (no Q&A)
1/2 - Vanguard: Joe Pasini and Owen K.C. Stephens
Note: The order of the three shows about the new classes are still being finalized. We're trying to schedule certain folks for certain classes and they're availability needs to be confirmed first. Sorry I don't have better information! I'll post updates as soon as I have them.
EDIT!!! Added show details.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
To re-format my earlier questions now that I've read the blog post....
I'm very curious about the book and the other books that may or may not be coming out. I know you can't actually tell me that it'll have X number of feats and Y number of archetypes this early, and even if you could, it would be subject to change up until the point of it going to the printer. I know I can't get detailed answers for these, yet. However, it would be nice to know what kind of ball park we're looking at.
1. Is the character operations manual a 200-300 page 'advanced players guide' or 'pathfinder unchained' style book with a broad set of classes/class features/spells/feats/archetypes or is it a 80-160 page 'complete' style book with just these three classes and stuff specific to them? Maybe part of an annual series like the Alien Archive?
2. Will the Character Operations Manual have stuff for the extant classes, and if so, what is the scope of what will be in it? Will the extant classes be getting 'Unchained' style re-writes, or just a page or two of new class features each a la Armory or nothing at all?
3. Are the three playtest classes the only new classes in the Operations Manual, or just the only ones that you felt needed to be 'open beta'd' like this, or just the first 3 to get this treatment with more to come in another playtest next month?
4. I know things get announced when they get announced, and you just effectively announced this book, but since the release date is currently 'late 2019', can you at least tell us if there are any other Rulebooks coming in 2019? I have been told there is no spring book because of the beginner box. Is there a summer book coming out before this? or if 'late 2019' means August-ish, is there going to be an Oct-November book? Alien Archive 3? Veskarium Now!?
5. Playing off of number 4, and this is a more general question about rulebooks going forward, do you expect the number, size, and scope of rulebooks to be generally consistent with 2017-18 or are you scaling back to 1 a year going forward, with content coming primarily from AP/SFS modules?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Funny Q: given the title of the book, when referring to specific pages, are you going to say "page54.com" or "chapter11.com" ?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ah, it's good to know that each class will have an individual episode coming soon. That takes some of the pressure off this first one to talk about every little thing in the playtest document.
I don't have any questions in mind, but I'll be tuning in later today. :)
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Future shows:
12/12 - Biohacker: Jason Keeley and Owen K.C. Stephens
12/19 - Witchwarper: Amanda Hamon Kunz and Owen K.C. Stephens
12/26 - Pre-recorded show about the beginnings of Starfinder (no Q&A)
1/2 - Vanguard: Joe Pasini and Owen K.C. Stephens
Wooot! Joe Pasini in January!
★--- ★ --- ★ --- ★
Thanks for the announcement of upcoming shows, Dan. I'll start trying to think about questions for you in the next few days! Remember everyone that because there will be no Q&A for the 12/26 show, this thread is the place to ask your questions about the history of Starfinder!
Hmm
| 4 people marked this as a favorite. |
"Yo, my man Dan!" Zo! points a bony finger at Dan Tharp. "Tell Owen that the next time he holds a death match with spoons, my crew needs to be there to film it! Just sayin'."
|
Starfinder Design Lead
|
| 7 people marked this as a favorite. |
"Yo, my man Dan!" Zo! points a bony finger at Dan Tharp. "Tell Owen that the next time he holds a death match with spoons, my crew needs to be there to film it! Just sayin'."
Sorry Zo! The contract advance payment didn't come through before the deathmatch, and... you know...
No credits, no broadcast.