Solarian Shields and Extra Manifestations


General Discussion


So I've been looking into the COM for a minute now and haven't until recently really soaked in some of the things that can be done. One was the extra manifestation which I feel might be better than a second Z-revelation, but I wanted to hear the communities thoughts on it. Personally I was going to go armor solarian with shield as second manifestation. Its a melee character with as much AC as possible.

But this leads to my next question. What does everyone think about the shield manifestation? It seems pretty nice but how well does it work with stellar revelations? and is it useful? or would a solar weapon be better as a second to the armor?


The big problem with extra manifestation is you have to be fully attuned to have both. I suppose a switch hitter who wants only one option (probably weapon or flare) at a time could work, but it takes too long to get a second manifestation out in combat.


What about the shield in general? I'm trying to find a good use for it but I'm starting to think that the normal armor version is better due to the resistances it can get in later levels. Yes the shield can use weapon crystals and attack if need be but what makes it better?


IceKingNexion wrote:
What about the shield in general? I'm trying to find a good use for it but I'm starting to think that the normal armor version is better due to the resistances it can get in later levels. Yes the shield can use weapon crystals and attack if need be but what makes it better?

Just if you want to do one on one tanking/defense against tough foes. If you get in their face they'll probably attack you and that high aligned shield bonus helps.

Scarab Sages

IceKingNexion wrote:
What about the shield in general? I'm trying to find a good use for it but I'm starting to think that the normal armor version is better due to the resistances it can get in later levels. Yes the shield can use weapon crystals and attack if need be but what makes it better?

The shield stacks with heavy armor and deals decent damage, considering you can give it the soulfire infusion (especially if you take the improved unarmed strike feat.). It strikes a good balance between offense and defense. Plus, if you play the defensive game, it can give you just, redonk AC against 1 enemy. Sure you don’t get fire or cold resist 5, but that’s what thermal capacitors are for.


Xenocrat wrote:
The big problem with extra manifestation is you have to be fully attuned to have both. I suppose a switch hitter who wants only one option (probably weapon or flare) at a time could work, but it takes too long to get a second manifestation out in combat.

There is a feat that lets you become fully attuned if you spend an RP. There may be other benefits depending on which revelations are chosen. Is it worth a feat? Well, I think you can make something strong out of this and by that stage in the game you will have more RP to spend, so..


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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
Nimor Starseeker wrote:
Xenocrat wrote:
The big problem with extra manifestation is you have to be fully attuned to have both. I suppose a switch hitter who wants only one option (probably weapon or flare) at a time could work, but it takes too long to get a second manifestation out in combat.
There is a feat that lets you become fully attuned if you spend an RP. There may be other benefits depending on which revelations are chosen. Is it worth a feat? Well, I think you can make something strong out of this and by that stage in the game you will have more RP to spend, so..

Are you thinking of the Periastra Training feat? I believe that only lets you use spend a RP when you use a revelation to make it have the effects it would have if you were fully attuned. I don’t think it actually makes you fully attuned.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber
Porridge wrote:
Nimor Starseeker wrote:
Xenocrat wrote:
The big problem with extra manifestation is you have to be fully attuned to have both. I suppose a switch hitter who wants only one option (probably weapon or flare) at a time could work, but it takes too long to get a second manifestation out in combat.
There is a feat that lets you become fully attuned if you spend an RP. There may be other benefits depending on which revelations are chosen. Is it worth a feat? Well, I think you can make something strong out of this and by that stage in the game you will have more RP to spend, so..
Are you thinking of the Periastra Training feat? I believe that only lets you use spend a RP when you use a revelation to make it have the effects it would have if you were fully attuned. I don’t think it actually makes you fully attuned.

That is correct. The feat does NOT make you fully attuned and enable dual manifestation.

This does mean that in most normally constructed encounters, extra manifestation is giving you a choice of manifestations, not a pair of manifestations. How much that matters depends on whether things always look like normally constructed encointers in your game. While most Starfinder combats are only a few rounds long, I've had some come up that were MUCH longer, because they involved intelligent enemies falling back to more defensible positions, trying to seal doors behind them, setting off alarms, getting reinforcements, etc.


Hammerjack wrote:
This does mean that in most normally constructed encounters, extra manifestation is giving you a choice of manifestations, not a pair of manifestations.

Do you mean that based on how most encounters go that you most likely wont get both manifestations out at one time? or that you can't get a second one out at all? Personally I'm looking at both armor and shield manifestations at level 9 for those harder fights so that I can be in the action longer with stacking armor and resistance.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

I was saying that the way a lot of encounters go, you won't have time to reach full attunement, get your second manifestation out, and have much time left to use it. I was also saying that if you DO have long encounters come up, you will get more use out of the 2nd manifestation.

I have seen a lot of level appropriate encounters end by round 3, but the longest continuous combat encounter I've played in ended on round 51, so I do understand that not every encounter is that short.


My question is this for Extra Manifestation: Can you take it twice so you have 3 manifestations or not?


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

No.

As a rule, when an option can be taken twice, there is text saying how it works if you do take it a second time. Extra Manifestation doesn't have that.


We all know that getting Solar Flare with Solar Weapon as a Kasatha Solarian is awesome. What makes it better is with Quick Draw and Double Draw. It is downright broken.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Having solar weapon and solar flare from Extra Manifestation wouldn't allow you to double draw them, unless you wait until you're fully attuned to draw either.


Well, what I am talking about is an example turn like this:

The Kasatha Solarian has Mobility, Shot on the Run, Spring Attack, Quick Draw, and Double Draw. He has his Solar Weapon/Flare (Only one is out) out and uses his Move action to move before and after his attack, which he hits an enemy with his Attack action. Then he uses his swift action to dismiss his Weapon/Flare and at the same time after it's dismissed, he/she summons the other manifestation.

This makes it possible to switch out your manifestation weapons without having both out.


Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

Shot On the Run and Spring Attack are full actions. That doesn't work. Not that it would be particularly OP if it did.


Double Draw still works on switching those weapons though


You are right abot Shot on the Run and Spring Attack


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