So my Pathfinder group is planning to start a Starfinder campaign sometime in the near future after we wrap up our current campaign, and I’ve been working on getting a head start on creating a character. I have settled on the mechanic class with a drone (not sure which chassis just yet)... But what I can’t seem to decide on is a race... so far I have narrowed it down to just a few options...
Android: playing heavily on the cybernetic augmentation aspect of the custom rig and using the drone as more of an extension of myself rather than a tool/companion... would be taking the Easily Augmented and Infosphere Integration ARTs if I went with this race.
Kasatha: A Nomad Kasatha with the Crew Member ART would pair up nicely for stats and bonuses with the mechanic class, and I could certainly get some extra mileage out of those extra arms...
Lashunta: a standard Damaya Lashunta seems to mesh quite well with the mechanic class, and the limited telepathy would allow for some coms free communication when necessary... also their spell like abilities would add some nice extra versatility.
Human: nothing particularly special, just an ordinary human... the extra feat and skill points could prove useful...
I'd go android. If the you have the "Character Operations Manual" then you can also see the list of androids that are available that are more than just human looking. You get the same stat boosts and you add some racial's. You are still a full fledged android so you can keep your character concept.
For example you can be an android of any of the core races in the core rule book and some from the first and second Alien Archive. One of which could be an android Kasatha and gain the "Four armed" and "Natural grace" racial traits. Its called Xenometric Android.
Take a look at it you might be able to expand on some of the idea's that you have started.
Goblin. Always goblin.
Goblins make the best Mechanics. Thematically. (And not too shabby mechanically, either).
Any race with a lot of wacky abilities - my mechanic lost his drone in the first leg of a SFS scenario and turned out to be very dull and ineffective without it (granted, the character concept was: the drone is the main character), so you’ll want to be able to do other things, just in case.
I'd go android. If the you have the "Character Operations Manual" then you can also see the list of androids that are available that are more than just human looking. You get the same stat boosts and you add some racial's. You are still a full fledged android so you can keep your character concept.
For example you can be an android of any of the core races in the core rule book and some from the first and second Alien Archive. One of which could be an android Kasatha and gain the "Four armed" and "Natural grace" racial traits. Its called Xenometric Android.
Take a look at it you might be able to expand on some of the idea's that you have started.
I had considered the Xenometric Android... but it replaces the same racial traits as the two ARTs I would really like if I went with an Android... The main reason I'd want to play an Android Mechanic is those two ARTs really help to facilitate the concept I have for a possible Android Mechanic...
Goblin. Always goblin.
Goblins make the best Mechanics. Thematically. (And not too shabby mechanically, either).
I say go Selamid, and really play up the "I'm a Mechanic despite my body having no moving parts" aspect.
Any race with a lot of wacky abilities - my mechanic lost his drone in the first leg of a SFS scenario and turned out to be very dull and ineffective without it (granted, the character concept was: the drone is the main character), so you’ll want to be able to do other things, just in case.
While I do appreciate these suggestions, they don't really help with my dilemma... I would really like some help deciding between the four races I posted in my OP. I've already looked at the other race options, and decided they arn't right for me with this character. Those four are the only ones I can't make a decision on...
Android. With the roboticist theme.
Android. With the roboticist theme.
Androids do make good Drone builders. Stats are excellently spread for a mechanic, and thematically it makes sense for an android to be able to communicate with the drone in a way that most others can't understand.
Humans do sound boring to me. As you pointed out you are not that excited about playing a human. Nice mechanic with the extra skill ranks and the feat so i think you did listed last for a reason.
I do have a soft spot for Lashunta, telpahty is useful for sure and the image of lazily using Psychokinetic Hand to move tools and stuff around in the workshop makes me smile. Why moving your legs when you have magic?
With a Kasatha you sure have a lot of tools ready in your hands or one bigger weapon in two hands, a knife in the third hand and still a hand free. Always being the masked mysterious Kasatha in front of strangers because traditions and your fellow adventures wonder how you look under that mask...
With the Android you seem to aim for a lot of versatility, well they are also the only race you picked which does not need to breath. And you have the beautiful tattoo-like circuits glowing brighter when your operating at high capacity.
I would not take a human. If you really need certain feats early on then go for it.
I think Kasatha with exocortex and using a longarm and having a fire extinguisher in the other two hands is my personal picture of a Kasatha Mechanic.
Do you picture your Mechanic having an easy time in social situations and being charming? Then i would pick the Lashunta.
Androids are having a harder time at parties, but with that trait i can imaging downloading a book for How to small talk in a 10 minute pause. So going for Diplomacy for example.^^
Humans do sound boring to me. As you pointed out you are not that excited about playing a human. Nice mechanic with the extra skill ranks and the feat so i think you did listed last for a reason.
I do have a soft spot for Lashunta, telpahty is useful for sure and the image of lazily using Psychokinetic Hand to move tools and stuff around in the workshop makes me smile. Why moving your legs when you have magic?
With a Kasatha you sure have a lot of tools ready in your hands or one bigger weapon in two hands, a knife in the third hand and still a hand free. Always being the masked mysterious Kasatha in front of strangers because traditions and your fellow adventures wonder how you look under that mask...
With the Android you seem to aim for a lot of versatility, well they are also the only race you picked which does not need to breath. And you have the beautiful tattoo-like circuits glowing brighter when your operating at high capacity.
I would not take a human. If you really need certain feats early on then go for it.
I think Kasatha with exocortex and using a longarm and having a fire extinguisher in the other two hands is my personal picture of a Kasatha Mechanic.
Do you picture your Mechanic having an easy time in social situations and being charming? Then i would pick the Lashunta.
Androids are having a harder time at parties, but with that trait i can imaging downloading a book for How to small talk in a 10 minute pause. So going for Diplomacy for example.^^
Funny enough, your thoughts on each of them are almost exact to my own, and why it's such a tough decision for me... though I do intend to go with a Drone rather than an Exocortex... I know Drones are often considered a poor choice, but I'm dead set on a drone build...
The problem with mechanics is certain types are lackluster depending on the level. If you're going to multiclass at all Exocortex is the choice. Drones pretty much suck in combat until 5-6th level, unless you are trying to incorporate mount style bs, and a combat focused drone at these levels is actually often better built as a hover drone. I think they may have overcompensated for the effect an extra pewpew has on the action economy, Experimental armor sounds like it could be an excellent way to go power armor theme, but experimental weapon is just confusing to me.
At that point i would ask my group if they think a Mechanic being able to swap out certain skills for certain situations is needed?
Then i would go Android otherwise i would roll a die and let us say even is Lashunta and odd the Android.
Like i said i would pick a Kasatha as a Mechanic using an exocortex and without a meticulous plan for the feats i don't want to play a human.
On the other hand if your Mechanic is the only character going for skill coverage then pick the human and be the skillmonkey for the group.
Best of luck shaping a character giving you lots of hours of fun.