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So I rediscovered an old Stuart Gordon movie, Space Truckers, and it got me thinking: how do you imagine blue-collar workers in the Starfinder Universe? I mean we know they exist, Starfinder Scenarios showed us a giant battery factory in solar orbit, working-class slums on Absalom Station and fluff mentions exploitative mining practices on Akiton.
So what's a working Joe look like to you in Starfinder?
Pretty much in constant danger of being replaced with AI labor, robots, or hoards of ysoki who work cheap. Yet also on the verge of overthrowing abadar corp and it keeping the pact worlds to tipping over to a post scarcity economy.
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I think every employer thinks differently.
I'm sure there are people that are super nice and enjoy hiring friends and family while also bringing less-fortunate people up with honest pay for honest work.
Some may do this for a sense of community or religious morality.
Or it may be simply for unknown *to us* benefits to the business.
On the otherside of that coin.. there are always darker reasons to hire with a bius.
Some employ based on racism, others are control freaks who do their best to make hell on earth, and need to feel superior.. indeed there are more horrible variables than that but I digress.
There are plenty of icons who are "famous", so fame seems to play some part in the industry. So is "job history" in the meritocracy of the veskarium.
In my game The Average Working Joe is aware of all these things and is always keeping an eye out for a better job, while saving up for their own retirement or starting their own projects.
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So I rediscovered an old Stuart Gordon movie, Space Truckers, and it got me thinking: how do you imagine blue-collar workers in the Starfinder Universe? ... So what's a working Joe look like to you in Starfinder?
Stick with Starfinder for a bit longer, and I'll give you the answer to these questions.
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So I rediscovered an old Stuart Gordon movie, Space Truckers, and it got me thinking: how do you imagine blue-collar workers in the Starfinder Universe? ... So what's a working Joe look like to you in Starfinder?Stick with Starfinder for a bit longer, and I'll give you the answer to these questions.
Sweet! I'll enjoy this, I love the more grounded story of people who live in the day to day grind, I hope they have super coffee that gives a mood buff, that's mildly addicive.. that makes them more robust.
I imagine a lot of space truckers are self employed. If they're lucky they own their own cargo haulers and take contracts with companies to ship goods around the pact worlds, with their ship basically doubling as both their means of transporting people and goods for cash and as a mobile home.
Less fortunate ones might be under lease or rent to own type schemes, some of which are probably pretty predatory and designed to keep a transporter semi-permanently indebted to a particular enterprise without technically being a full employee of that company either.
Criminal enterprises probably finance some of these space truckers to use as mules and smugglers too. Help someone buy their own ship and oh by the way you're going to be helping us with some special shipments for the forseeable future.
I can imagine a lot of lonely trips across deep space, flitting from station to station to planet, only stopping long enough to refuel, unload what you have and load up the next shipment and maybe grab a bite to eat, before it's off into the void again.
In a lot of ways pretty similar to how some truckers operate in the real world, only things like auto-pilot and ships having their own quarters turn it into an even more long-term commitment.
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Who's to say they don't?
It's a good point. Glossed over and ignored in the rules of course because we aren't playing traveler.
They very well might have some form of health insurance, but the month or so of travel time, plus a week in the hospital isn't worth it compared to spending a little money or spells to fix a problem right away.
Why wouldn't health insurance in Starfinder not include magical healing?Who's to say they don't?It's a good point. Glossed over and ignored in the rules of course because we aren't playing traveler.
They very well might have some form of health insurance, but the month or so of travel time, plus a week in the hospital isn't worth it compared to spending a little money or spells to fix a problem right away.
It probably is. Or at least low level magical healing is, after all it seems the average person could afford a 1st level spell on demand, an insured visit is probably a lot cheaper than 100 Cr.
Higher level healing is likely less common, and requires supplementary insurance compared to the cheaper medicine check to treat a disease.
Why wouldn't health insurance in Starfinder not include magical healing?
because you'd have to pay the caster? :)
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So I rediscovered an old Stuart Gordon movie, Space Truckers, and it got me thinking: how do you imagine blue-collar workers in the Starfinder Universe? ... So what's a working Joe look like to you in Starfinder?Stick with Starfinder for a bit longer, and I'll give you the answer to these questions.
Oh, you really don't know how excited that makes me.
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So I rediscovered an old Stuart Gordon movie, Space Truckers, and it got me thinking: how do you imagine blue-collar workers in the Starfinder Universe? ... So what's a working Joe look like to you in Starfinder?Stick with Starfinder for a bit longer, and I'll give you the answer to these questions.
I'm already planning my "Vesk Space Trucker" Character's CB Handle. "Walking Suitcase" sounds like a good one.
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because you'd have to pay the caster? :)
Why wouldn't health insurance in Starfinder not include magical healing?
Wouldn't the hospital do that and then when you check in to the hospital they check you out and decide "Technological or Magical Treatment appropriate to your insurance rate/injury" if magical curing is required their onstaff mystic earns their paycheck by healing you, if not they heal someone else. Someone with the platinum coverage.
I see most spellcasters as working 9-5 jobs like anyone else (or in the case of lawyers, doctors, etc 60 hours plus per week jobs) its just that whereas GP gives you an injection the mystic casts a healing spell. They are both employed by the medical centre and the first line of inspection is to judge what kind of treatment you need/deserve e.g. wealthy CEO is going to have all the stops pulled out, drifter may get a dunk in flea dip, a general antibiotic and sent on their way.
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"On this cold and lonely eve, spare a thought for tractor jockeys, Rail agents, and lone travellers making their way. Trying to bring a little joy to people’s lives, one shipment at a time.”
Something that's been bugging me since Starfinder's release is that there isn't really a Theme called something like "Laborer" or something to reflect characters like this. Corporate Agent's probably the closest, and that's geared more towards people who are like me IRL (office workers in suits), followed by Colonist and Street Rat, which don't quite match the image either, the Colonist being more interested in exploration than just working a steady job, and Street Rat's more about being sneaky and resourceful instead of hard-working and put-upon.
Where's the theme for PC's who all lift together?
2. Have lost a major body part, and need a regeneration. This. . . actually, this *is* cheap, so cheap that I can't imagine any PC not handling it by going to the nearest equivalent of a pharmacy and paying out of pocket.
Not cheap or low level as far as I can tell. Unless you're talking about a prosthetic, or I missed an item somewhere that makes taking the regenerate spell is a waste of time.
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Something that's been bugging me since Starfinder's release is that there isn't really a Theme called something like "Laborer" or something to reflect characters like this. ...
Where's the theme for PC's who all lift together?
I am working on something right now you are going to really like.
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I'm already planning my "Vesk Space Trucker" Character's CB Handle. "Walking Suitcase" sounds like a good one.
We're all just going to call him Suitcase, so you may as well shorten it now.
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I'm already planning my "Vesk Space Trucker" Character's CB Handle. "Walking Suitcase" sounds like a good one.We're all just going to call him Suitcase, so you may as well shorten it now.
Hmmmm...Starfinder trucker lingo? What would that sound like?
"Howdy y'all, This here's Suitcase, I'm on the Absalom Run with a Billy Goat on the dead pedal blockin' mah Drift exit and I've been in granny gear for six light years, so I'm looking for a way station to check mah nav and get some monkey blood for the rig but I don't want no smokies in no nightcrawlers checking mah speed on the way there. Anybody out there know a place with some good rations? And you'd better say it quick, we got stellar interference throwing nine pounds at my receiver, over."
I am working on something right now you are going to really like.Something that's been bugging me since Starfinder's release is that there isn't really a Theme called something like "Laborer" or something to reflect characters like this. ...
Where's the theme for PC's who all lift together?
Squee
1. Is there even much of a need to diagnose when you have one size fits all magical cures? In general, why would you set up a expensive mundane health industry when instead you can mass produce magical cures that always work?
2. The pact worlds have been becoming more unified for a long time, so generally there would be some pact system wide insurances available. And then there are those evil government health care places where you would be able to get basic health care no matter who you are (but then the topic of taxes comes up).
1. When the 'mass produced' magic cures still cost a years salary or more, they aren't going to be part of the standard healthcare system, the average joe would rather a trained doctor treated them for a few thousand than spend 30,000 Cr or more for an instant cure. By instant, of course I mean waiting weeks to months to get an appointment with a sufficiently high level mystic. This obviously applies less to those of means, who probably do have a mystic they go to instead of a hospital. Hospitals probably employ mystics and use magic while treating people, but I doubt there's enough high level effects to go around.
2. There are probably more expensive insurances available that can get you healthcare on the various pactworlds systems, with certain planets not covered (Eox, Aucturn)
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I'm already planning my "Vesk Space Trucker" Character's CB Handle. "Walking Suitcase" sounds like a good one.We're all just going to call him Suitcase, so you may as well shorten it now.Hmmmm...Starfinder trucker lingo? What would that sound like?
"Howdy y'all, This here's Suitcase, I'm on the Absalom Run with a Billy Goat on the dead pedal blockin' mah Drift exit and I've been in granny gear for six light years, so I'm looking for a way station to check mah nav and get some monkey blood for the rig but I don't want no smokies in no nightcrawlers checking mah speed on the way there. Anybody out there know a place with some good rations? And you'd better say it quick, we got stellar interference throwing nine pounds at my receiver, over."
"Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy!"
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1. Is there even much of a need to diagnose when you have one size fits all magical cures? In general, why would you set up a expensive mundane health industry when instead you can mass produce magical cures that always work?
2. The pact worlds have been becoming more unified for a long time, so generally there would be some pact system wide insurances available. And then there are those evil government health care places where you would be able to get basic health care no matter who you are (but then the topic of taxes comes up).
1. When the 'mass produced' magic cures still cost a years salary or more, they aren't going to be part of the standard healthcare system, the average joe would rather a trained doctor treated them for a few thousand than spend 30,000 Cr or more for an instant cure. By instant, of course I mean waiting weeks to months to get an appointment with a sufficiently high level mystic. This obviously applies less to those of means, who probably do have a mystic they go to instead of a hospital. Hospitals probably employ mystics and use magic while treating people, but I doubt there's enough high level effects to go around.
2. There are probably more expensive insurances available that can get you healthcare on the various pactworlds systems, with certain planets not covered (Eox, Aucturn)
I doubt there's that many at all and the initial check will always be a GP not a mystic. Rough flowchart . . .
1) Can they pay/have insurance: No go to 2, Yes go to 4.
2) Is there a national/racial health care in place: No go to 3, yes go to 4.
3) Politely evict the bum.
4) Initial Check - can they be treated by tech: Yes go to 6, No go to 5.
5) Book in to see low level mystic doctor - can they be treated by magic: Yes go to 6, no go to 7.
6) Determine cost of treatment and schedule. For tech this could vary from over the counter to months. For magic this can vary from over the counter to years for a high level mystic.
7) Try to make them as comfortable as their payment will allow.
Even for the highly wealthy unless your talking nation/race ruler you may need to wait to see a particularly high level mystic who can cast the spell as I'm assuming the level range is similar to pathfinder and those above about 5ish get progressively rarer and more exclusive. Think Doctor Strange from the movie picking his clients based on who interests him as a challenge. "Only the sorcerer supremee can heal you but he feels you present to little a challenge to bother with."
I figure 2 or less on outposts and rural areas, 3 or 4 in major city hospitals, 5 in places like Absalom station but have to arrange a way to meet which may take months or years and 6th level are "do you know a guy?" word of mouth and quests to gain their aid unless your as said a ruler of a nation/race and even then its not guaranteed.
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Ask, and ye shall receive.
This will be the PERFECT thing to play my Dead Suns character's depressed and impoverished cousin in!
Serum of Regeneration. Regrow 1 missing body part for only 600 credits, plus the cost of a bunch of extra food I suppose ( it makes you extra hungry for 24 hours ). Though really, spending 100 credits on a biotech replacement limb is also dirt cheap, and really shouldn't make any practical difference for the character.2. Have lost a major body part, and need a regeneration. This. . . actually, this *is* cheap, so cheap that I can't imagine any PC not handling it by going to the nearest equivalent of a pharmacy and paying out of pocket.Not cheap or low level as far as I can tell. Unless you're talking about a prosthetic, or I missed an item somewhere that makes taking the regenerate spell is a waste of time.
well, that just basically invalidates the regenerate spell now doesn't it?
I'm inclined to disallow it in my games, prosthetics are the cheap alternative. I like COM a lot, but damn, some of the stuff in there does not jive with the rest of starfinder.
well, that just basically invalidates the regenerate spell now doesn't it?
Not really. Regeneration is a lot faster and doesn't cost money.
well, that just basically invalidates the regenerate spell now doesn't it?Not really. Regeneration is a lot faster and doesn't cost money.
Working in 2-20 rounds, and requiring level 16 or 30,000 Cr and an available spellcaster is not anywhere near as good as 600 credits and a pile of survival rations for one day.
Yes, the SIXTH! level spell is faster, how useful in an every day situation outside of having a mystic in the party at level 16. Yes, definitely better... no it's situational at best. 600 Cr is chump change at level 16.
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Just figured I'd mention there's a free D20 modern suppliment out there called "Aliens: Game Over" if you want to replay the original movie with PC's. The standard alien drone is CR8 and obviously it'd need some adapting for starfinder still its an option. The original publisher seems to have dissapeared but this can still be found (not sure about their other works).
well, that just basically invalidates the regenerate spell now doesn't it?Not really. Regeneration is a lot faster and doesn't cost money.Working in 2-20 rounds, and requiring level 16 or 30,000 Cr and an available spellcaster is not anywhere near as good as 600 credits and a pile of survival rations for one day.
Yes, the SIXTH! level spell is faster, how useful in an every day situation outside of having a mystic in the party at level 16. Yes, definitely better... no it's situational at best. 600 Cr is chump change at level 16.
Ehh, I feel like you are going overboard. The Regenerate spell isn't just ( much! ) faster, it also:
1. Regenerates *all* lost body parts, not just one
2. Provides a giant heap of healing ( 12d8 )
3. Eliminates all exhaustion and fatigue effectsIts primary value is not "only way to restore a lost limb", just because that was its primary value thousands of years before in the days of medieval fantasy. Its value is "We need to heal up someone whose been badly mangled *now*". I suppose you could argue that it should be 5th level instead.
Honestly, I'd argue for fourth and lower healing amount.