so, my friends and I are going to try starfinder for the first time, I have played PF but they know only DnD 5e. so I´m helping out with a few things. I was looking at some npc/monsters to better understand the ranges starfinder has and found out that I can´t seem to understand the enemy attacks. like a CR 1 npc with dex +4 has a +8 ranged attack or something. please help me as I believe I misread something
In general, NPCs in starfinder have high attack bonuses, and low AC. Where PCs have low attack bonuses and potentially high AC.
There are plenty of knock on effects and reasonings behind this, but it does mean that if you sit out in the open at range, or go into melee, you are very likely to get hit and damaged. Note the stamina system that gives you a nice buffer vs. damage that is easy to get back.
At range, in order to mitigate ranged enemies' high attack bonuses, your characters should be seeking cover (+2-4 AC), or dropping prone (+4 AC vs. ranged attacks).
but what is the mechanic behind this, for example the Aeon guard in the alien archive 1 is a CR 3 that attacks with a freaking +11 with ranged attacks and +8 melee, where does the math come from?
In the same alien archive after all the monsters you'll find the 'creating monsters and other NPCs' appendix that details how to make any monster from CR 1/3 to CR 25. There's a series of tables showing base statistics for combatants, experts, and spellcasters. AC, saves, skills, HP, etc.
The Aeon guard is a CR 3 combatant, and so it's high bonus attack is +11, the secondary attack is +8 which checks out.
Though, as a note, the Aeon guard also has much higher AC than suggested in the tables.
Most basic thing to understand is that an NPC or monster's ability scores don't affect any of its other mechanics - they basically exist just for show.
Though, as a note, the Aeon guard also has much higher AC than suggested in the tables.
I think it got its dex or armor bonus tossed on top of whatever was on the table.
