Core Rulebook Updates

[Alangriffith]

Metaphysician wrote:

Honestly, at least as far as the ammo goes, I would almost be inclined to create a new Engineer action, called 'Reload' or some such. Basically, if the Engineer is willing to spend an action and make a suitably scaled check, success restocks a new set of missiles ( or possibly just one, with more on a good roll ).

Personally I'd like an expansion bay or ship upgrade full of missiles, to increase limited fire to 10/20 (or remove the property entirely) at a cost. Then all the 'missiles always run out' guys can compensate and still build missile ships, and the 'missiles never run out' guys can save the BP on the missile bays (could even be a special material on weapon mounts making missiles lighter or supercharging the missile replication system). Pity there isn't anything like that in the SOM.

Currently everyone* in my game is just using the light missile launcher, which still has no 'limited fire' property listed after the revisions, and is still quite cheap.

*When I say 'everyone' I mean both the PCs and most of the NPCs, mainly due to this making it easier for me to restat their ships with the new costs (downgrade tacnukes and high-ex missiles to light missiles as the BP deficit is a lot easier to manage with minor changes). If my party level were higher (currently 3) then I'd consider increasing the tier of ships like the BMC Mauler instead and keeping their nukes.

[Senko]

Honestly and your games may be different but from where I stand tracking weapons with the new rules just aren't worth it any more. Between the limited fire, ways to stop them, easier (in my experience) to raise TL and now the increased costs its just too many drawbacks for the limited benefits.

[Peg'giz]

In my game we added a small houserule to make tracking weapons more interesting (and cinematic):
Tracking weapons can be fired at a target which is within sensor reach (no matter the arc). But once fired, they have to move away from the firing ship in a straight line within the arc they are mounted in for speed/2 hexes. After this they can fly and turn normally to pursue their target.

For the limited firing, I have to say I like this rule as it makes tracking weapons (which have higher damage potential) a ressource which has to be managed.

[Hawk Kriegsman]

Peg'giz wrote:

For the limited firing, I have to say I like this rule as it makes tracking weapons (which have higher damage potential) a ressource which has to be managed.

You can't go wrong with linked light torpedo launchers 4d8 damage speed 16 and unlimited fire. All for 20 BP (or 22 BP if in a turret). I allow tracking weapons to be linked.

[Zoink]

Darius Silverbolt wrote:

Spamotron wrote:

John Mangrum wrote:

OK, here's my "audit" of a wide collection of published starships so far. I'll organize them by source, but I'm not including any potentially "spoilery" ships in here. (No Azlanti Star Empire, no grays, no outsiders, no species intended to be discovered during an AP, etc.)

This post looks useful enough that if I were you I would seriously consider posting it in its own thread rather than have it buried in this one.

There are flak weapons, limited fire and players can run away and force rerolls as desired. DO you think it justifies the amount the cost went up?

I bought the PDF directly from Paizo this year and starship budget still doesn't add up with the provided ship examples..

[John Mangrum]

Zoink wrote:

I bought the PDF directly from Paizo this year and starship budget still doesn't add up with the provided ship examples..

It's frustrating, but when they revised the BP costs for the 3rd printing, they left all of the sample starships unchanged. End result is that most starships in the Core Rulebook (and overall) are over-budgeted, sometimes to the tune of an extra tier or two.

On the other hand, in my experience, a PC-designed ship (aka one big weapon on a turret) can generally mop the floor with "properly" designed starships (lesser weapons in every quadrant), so leaving these ships "overpowered" is generally a wash. It's what made the Jinsul Hierocracy so nasty - they designed their warships like players would!

This does remind me that I should do an updated "BP audit" sometime.