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I'm trying to build a Solarion and asked myself a pretty basic question that I haven't been able to find the answer to:
Can you use graviton revelations when photon-attuned, and vice versa?
So I turned to the Rules Questions Forum as one does, and even the Advice Forum, and found there's no consensus on an answer.
• Some revelations function when you're unattuned
• Some revelations function "when you are attuned or fully attuned"
• The phrase "Zenith revelations are powerful stellar revelations that require you to be fully attuned in a stellar mode" might imply that non-zenith revelations don't require a certain mode to operate
• The phrases "Some of your stellar revelations are graviton/photon powers and get stronger if you’re graviton/photon-attuned" is vague and can be parsed several ways
• One argument is that it "feels wrong" to use one mode's revelation when you're attuned to the other
• The counter is that it's poor design to force a game option upon you that you couldn't use half the time
• Several revelations "last for 1 round or until you leave X mode", which implies it's possible to use them when you're not X-attuned
• Link to one thread in the Rules Forum
• Link to another thread in the Rules Forum
• There is no FAQ on the matter, despite this being a frequently asked question
But that question is not the point of this thread.
In my searches for an answer, people point out that Altronus's revelations require him to be "photon-attuned" or "graviton-attuned", even though the Core Rulebook merely mentions "attuned or fully attuned". If Altronus didn't exist, I feel the argument would be in favor of using any revelation regardless of mode. But so long as his sheet requires him to work one way, all Solarions (at least in Society) must work that way.
Now, obviously, Pregens in the past have had errors, and Altronus is no exception. Take, for example:
As a move action, Altronus can cause all his solar weapon damage to become fire damage
As a move action, you can cause all of your melee attacks to deal fire damage
Or the fact that the extra damage from his Plasma Sheath is incorrect (+2 at 8th Level when it should be +4).
This leads me to wonder if Altronus was written before the Solarion was finalized. If that's the case, then the broader discussion about how Solarions function can leave him out. I'm inclined to disregard him anyways, but my GMs are the ones I'm worried about. If he was written by a Developer or otherwise after the Solarion was finalized, then that would give guidance to how all Solarions should function.
Any insights?
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Venture-Agent, Netherlands—Utrecht
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All the second-level revelations have a regular effect, and an "upgraded" effect if you're in the corresponding mode ("attuned or fully attuned"), so I always assumed you can do so if you're not in the right mode. Otherwise, I really don't see how things like Dark Matter would work:
As a move action, you can draw on the properties of dark matter to increase your density, allowing you to resist physical damage. You gain damage reduction 1/—. This increases to DR 2/— at 6th level and increases by 1 again every 3 solarian levels thereafter. This benefit lasts for 1 round or until you leave graviton mode. When you are attuned or fully attuned, your DR from dark matter is equal to half your solarian level.
So, assume you're level 6. As a move action, DR2/- when you're either out of combat, or in Photon mode. If you're in Graviton mode, it's DR3/-. That seems easy enough. Maybe I'm missing something, but every other ability works the same way, so I don't see the confusion here.
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On a side note, I had a similar problem with a specific Bard archetype that simply doesn't make sense to me. The wording was similar to the wording on Lem's Fascinate ability, which is not what the actual Fascinate ability does. In the end, I just chalked it up as pregens being special. I'll put the issue in spoiler tags, since it's not relevant to this discussion, but if you still want to know.
Fascinate (Su): At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and capable of paying attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creatures affected. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents this ability from working. For every three levels the bard has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability.
Lem's Fascinate says (emphasis mine):
Fascinate: Each creature within 90 feet that can see, hear, and
pay attention to Lem attempts a Will save (DC 14). If it fails, the
creature sits quietly and observes the performance as long as
it lasts, taking a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions,
including Perception checks. A potential threat gives the creature
a new saving throw, and an obvious threat automatically ends
the fascination.
The problem with this wording was that someone was using the Lem pregen and we needed the distraction. But the way it's written, Lem cannot select which ones he's trying to fascinate, he simply fascinates everyone. Which was a problem, since several people of our party also failed the save.
And now, to my problem: I have a Street Performer Bard, with the Disappearing Act performance (again, emphasis mine).
A street performer can use performance to divert attention from an ally. All creatures within 30 feet that fail a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Cha modifier) treat one creature chosen by the bard as if it were invisible. This performance affects one additional creature at 5th level and every 6 levels thereafter. If the targets take any action that would cause them to become visible, they become visible to everyone. The bard cannot use this ability on himself. This ability is a mind-affecting effect that requires visual components. This performance replaces inspire courage.
I thought at first it's just all enemies I want to affect, similar to how a regular performance affects only my team. But someone pointed out that the way it's worded (similar to Lem's Fascinate, I might add), it means everyone in that 30 foot bubble, including my team and myself. But how the hell can I not see the person I'm literally trying to draw attention away from? The way that it's worded, it's as much a hazard to my team as to theirs. In that forum post, I reasoned it's probably either poorly worded, or I should treat it like Lem's (faulty) writeup of the Fascinate ability, but everyone seemed to disagree.
Anyway, that's my rant on how pregens are poorly written and need to be properly edited, as well as perhaps that specific archetype.
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But the argument is being made that because Altronus works this way, it must be for a reason. Here is just one instance of that logic, quoted from one of the threads linked above:
Adding a limitation that doesn't exist in the CRB is not the sort of error you would expect to see on a pregen. It is much more likely that the restriction exists, but is not clearly stated in the CRB than it is that no restriction ever existed.
My thinking is that Solarions did have this restriction, before the Core Rulebook was released, and that Altronus was written with those restrictions in mind. Then, when the CRB was released, the restriction had been removed, but Altronus wasn't updated.
So I'm hoping for some insight as to when he was written.
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At my tables I have also always ruled that they work in any mode, but have the increased effect in their corresponding mode.
The only insight I have into when Altronus was written is that when I played the Starfinder Delve at Paizocon before the game released he was not one of the pregens available to us. Though he could have already been written and they were just keeping the Solarion a secret at that point.
Venture-Lieutenant, Netherlands—Leiden
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I'm considering just going straight Photon and dealing with the 1 round delay in full attunement.
Unfortunately half the graviton revelations seem to be different ways of doing the same thing and easily replaced by a jetpack.
Photon on the other hand has several buffs that take actions to turn on and shut off if you explode (plasma sheath, corona). So my AP android solarion just goes full photon and doesn't try to explode.