Contemplative + Long Arm + Tactical Staffold


Rules Questions


Can a Contemplative use a long arm weapon and circumvent its racial penalty of taking a -4 to use weapons that require two hands if using a tactical staffold?

The staffold is an armor upgrade from the Starfinder Armory rule book that allows you to use a two handed weapon with one hand.


I don't have access to the writeups. But while the scaffold may allow you to use it with one hand, it doesn't change the nature of the weapon. It's still a two-handed weapon, so probably the penalty still applies. But I'd want to check the exact text and reason for the penalty.


Contemplative: atrophied special ability, Alien Archive p. 28

Tactical Staffold: Armory p. 85


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I think the mechanics of the racial penalty are that you suffer from using both hands on the same thing, and the scaffold lets you wield with one hand. I'd allow it, the scaffold is balanced via its slot and bulk requirements, it's not a cheap freeby.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

If a player came to me with this, I'd likely allow it too.

Scottybobotti wrote:

Contemplative: atrophied special ability, Alien Archive p. 28

Atrophied
A contemplative’s limbs are practically vestigial. A contemplative can manipulate most tools and one-handed weapons (including small arms) without difficulty. A contemplative can’t properly wield a two-handed weapon without dedicating its telekinetic powers to supporting the weapon, and even then it takes a –4 penalty to attack rolls. It also can’t use its spell-like abilities or fly until it is no longer wielding that weapon.

Tactical Staffold: Armory p. 85

Tactical Scaffold
Item Level 6; Price 4,450
Slots 2; Armor Type Heavy; Bulk 2

As a full action, you can attach a small armor, longarm, heavy weapon, or sniper weapon to this counterweighted mechanical weapon support. Removing a weapon from it is also a full action. As a move action, you can activate the scaffold, bringing the weapon to your hand or hands. You can activate the scaffold as part of a move action to move, but Quick Draw and other abilities that allow you to draw weapons faster than normal don’t affect the time required to activate it. You can’t wield a weapon mounted to the scaffold without it being activated. When activated, the scaffold tracks your motions and provides support for the weapon attached to it, allowing you to wield two-handed weapons using only one hand. If you wield a heavy weapon with two hands while using the scaffold, treat your Strength score as 2 higher for the purpose of meeting the minimum Strength score for using heavy weapons. If you wield a sniper weapon with two hands while using the scaffold you can use its aimed range increment without taking a move action to aim. If you drop the weapon (or it is successfully disarmed), the scaffold automatically folds away and stows the weapon for later use.

Linked and quoted.


Thanks Ravingdork. (I don't have AA.)

Given the wording and the extremely heavy weight provided by the function/flavor text, I'd allow it.

But that and $1 will get you a cup of coffee. :)


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Wingblaze wrote:
Thanks Ravingdork. (I don't have AA.)

That's what the Archives of Nethys is for! :D

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