Blind Vlaka in Space

[caps]

I'm interested in playing a blind Vlaka Solarian for a Dead Suns campaign, but I'm concerned about zero-vacuum encounters at low levels. I'm not interested in doing away with the blinded condition; that would go against the spirit of the character. But I want to know if there is an item or spell or something that could help him pinpoint enemy locations in the absence of sound and smell. Particularly at low levels. I just don't want him to be total dead weight in such an encounter. Any tips?

[Alangriffith]

I’d check with your GM whether they are ruling space/vacuum is silent, first.
Starfinder is halfway between soft scifi and space opera, and a lot of those genres have sound in space for drama reasons, so your blindsense (sound) may just work.

Also, you’re going to be on a spaceship when actually in space (and can probably assume its turrets or whatever controls can include sound-based targeting, braille keyboards, sensor feed plugged directly in to your brain etc.). Any ground combat in a vacuum will likely have you on a solid surface, and as sound can travel through a solid your GM may rule your blindsight (sound) can work through that.

So my advice is to check with your GM first before seeking gameplay solutions. Your GM may dislike your character concept or ban a gear solution anyway, so you’ll need a conversation at some point.

[BigNorseWolf]

Throw smoke grenades at your feet?

[The Ragi]

I suggest a Tier 1 miniaturized computer with an Artificial Personality and two Complex Control modules, one connected to a Video Camera Scanner and the other to a comm unit.

Your character can hold the camera on one hand, while the computer scans what's ahead of him and tells him where to shoot.

Your GM might disagree, but I would rule that this is enough for Aware of Location, allowing you to attack creatures, though they would still have total concealment.

Beats not being able to detect them via sound or smell, and doesn't need to rely on your colleagues.

Budget
Computer 50 credits
Miniaturization 5 credits
Artificial Personality 5 credits
Video Camera Scanner 275 credits
Comm unit 7 credits
Control Modules 27,5 credits and 0,7 credits (28 credits)

Total: 370 credits

[Pantshandshake]

Longarm proficiency, a blast weapon, and a little bit of luck?

[HammerJack]

Being blind and deaf in a vacuum is a bad situation, no matter what. If you're blind and deaf and telepathic, you could take the Psychic Sense feat, and be in a slightly less terrible situation.

Of course, for a vlaka solarian. That probably means being a Phrenic Adept, which is almost as bad as being blind and deaf in space.

[caps]

Good points, all. I will point the GM at this thread to get his thoughts.

Blind fight is a redundant feat when you have Blindsight (unless I'm missing something) but I may take it anyway to apply to the solution The Ragi described.

[BigNorseWolf]

Why do people think smell would be absent? Sound doesn't exist in a vacuum. Smells do. All you need is some gortex like covering that lets molecules into your nose without letting all your oxygen out. If we've developed space suits that let you see through them because we're a sight dominant species, why wouldn't a vlaaka space suit have similar easy to engineer abilities? That's probably doable now (given an incentive) , much less with year 3000 space magitech.

[Pantshandshake]

Alangriffith wrote:

I’d check with your GM whether they are ruling space/vacuum is silent, first.

Starfinder is halfway between soft scifi and space opera, and a lot of those genres have sound in space for drama reasons, so your blindsense (sound) may just work.

Also, you’re going to be on a spaceship when actually in space (and can probably assume its turrets or whatever controls can include sound-based targeting, braille keyboards, sensor feed plugged directly in to your brain etc.). Any ground combat in a vacuum will likely have you on a solid surface, and as sound can travel through a solid your GM may rule your blindsight (sound) can work through that.

So my advice is to check with your GM first before seeking gameplay solutions. Your GM may dislike your character concept or ban a gear solution anyway, so you’ll need a conversation at some point.

Seems like this is mostly solved, but I couldn't resist pointing some things out regarding these ideas.

First, Vibration is already an in-universe sight/sense, so a Sound based sight/sense shouldn't intrude on it.

And, from the Blindsight rules: Blindsight works underwater and in fog or smoke, but it typically does not work in a vacuum (although this depends on the nature of the sense; for instance, emotion-based blindsight would work in a vacuum).

Obviously, house rules can go against whatever the GM wants, but this would be important for a society game.

[caps]

There are gases in space that you can smell if there is a way to get them into your space suit. But absent directional air currents to carry them I'm skeptical that you could use scent to pinpoint the location of something. All you can do is smell whatever is right in front of your space helmet.