Should you consider the halfling biohacker?


General Discussion

Scarab Sages

So the new alternate racial that Halfling's get, reload an injection weapon as a swift action instead of a move (as opposed to +2 acrobatics and athletics). With that in mind, how tempting does it make it to make a Halfling biohacker?

On the one hand, a swift action instead of a move isn't that big a deal. In starfinder you still need your swift action to full attack, but it does free up a move action for a few other things. Moving, getting up, opening a door, all that stuff. Is it worth it though? Halflings don't get bonuses to Int OR Wisdom, but they do get a bonus to Dex for shooty shooty biohackers, which is nice. Is there something else they can do with their move action that would make this a nice combo, or is it not worth it?

I just saw that and thought it was worth a discussion because no one else seemed to say anything about it.


Not very.

You can select what you want to fire as you fire, and you should load a variety of ammunition into your gun (s). Either you have 10 shots from a rifle or 12 varied shots from at least 2 pistols. You should be able to get through combat with that.

Another trick is to have one gun for friends one gun for foes and then either a ysoki cheak pouch or quickraw.

You can also keep grooved shiurken around for biohacking your friends.


Reloading in combat is rarely an issue except after automatic fire (not applicable to injection), snipers, and some small arms. I suppose double tap can make it useful on low ammo small arms.

Scarab Sages

BigNorseWolf wrote:

Not very.

You can select what you want to fire as you fire, and you should load a variety of ammunition into your gun (s). Either you have 10 shots from a rifle or 12 varied shots from at least 2 pistols. You should be able to get through combat with that.

Another trick is to have one gun for friends one gun for foes and then either a ysoki cheak pouch or quickraw.

You can also keep grooved shiurken around for biohacking your friends.

Or be a skittermander/Kasatha biohacker and just have two guns out (one for friends, one for enemies), a free hand for reloading, and still have room for a melee weapon.

Still, it would be a nice small little bonus if one did make a Halfling biohacker. Y’know if you wanted to make one for flavor or that was your character concept.


VampByDay wrote:


Still, it would be a nice small little bonus if one did make a Halfling biohacker. Y’know if you wanted to make one for flavor or that was your character concept.

The abiliity is such a small bonus that I don't think it's worth much consideration.

There's a lot you can do flavorwise with a halfling biohacker, but mechanically this is a very small boost. Reloading isn't something you usually do in combat, and in starfinder a swift action instead of a move action isn't the "almost free action" that it was in pathfinder.

Scarab Sages

BigNorseWolf wrote:
VampByDay wrote:


Still, it would be a nice small little bonus if one did make a Halfling biohacker. Y’know if you wanted to make one for flavor or that was your character concept.

The abiliity is such a small bonus that I don't think it's worth much consideration.

There's a lot you can do flavorwise with a halfling biohacker, but mechanically this is a very small boost. Reloading isn't something you usually do in combat, and in starfinder a swift action instead of a move action isn't the "almost free action" that it was in pathfinder.

I was just trying to say, 'If you are making a halfling biohacker, might as well pick up that ability.' I mean, most biohackers aren't going to go heavy enough into acrobatics/athletics to such a degree that the +2 is going to help anyway, so why not?


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VampByDay wrote:
...so why not?

Because you will likely never use the swift action reload, and every time you climb or balance or any other of myriad of static DC Acro or athletics checks, you will succeed 10% more often.

Dataphiles

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I can see one use. A sniper halfling biohacker. With there only being 1 injection sniper, and it having a capacity of 1, the swift action reload would finally be mechanically clutch. As needler gets rid of sure-footed, you'd still have sneaky so as to be able to snipe. Swift - reload, Move - aim, Standard - buff/debuff/damage.


That sniper does no damage though.

Scarab Sages

Xenocrat wrote:
That sniper does no damage though.

Pretty sure the point of Dr. Cupi's post is that you can deliver injectables/biohacks from a mile away, not that you are doing damage. Also, here's to hoping they make more injection sniper rifles.


A scope on a rifle makes a regular rifle into a "close enough for 99% of all uses" which would solve both the damage problem and drop most of the reason to take this ARF

Dark Archive

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Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

IT would also be useful for the Close Combat Halfling since all of the INjector Basic and Advance Melee weapons only have one dose. U could be the Stout Halfling +2 Str +2 Dex. Use the Capture pole as your main weapon it does 1d8 damage and has reach. That way you u could move reload attack. By 3rd you could do with Painful Injection 1d8+8. Not too bad for a Halfling BIohacker and you have the Option of being Int or Wis Unlike other races since you don't have a Stat bump in either.

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