Abandoned Ship Encounter

[LankyOgre]

I am writing up a series of encounters for my PCs and I would appreciate somebody else checking over my math. Maybe I'm putting too much effort into this, but its my first Starfinder game and I'm still trying to get the hang of the differences from PF.

My players are all first level. Currently, there is an envoy, a vanguard, a mystic, a technomancer, and an operative. The biggest limitation I noticed so far is that they are all using small arms or operative weapons, which lowers their damage output.

The PCs are going to be sent to examine an abandoned ship that is floating in space. When they approach, scans will show that there is no life, power, or atmosphere on the ship. They could try to get access to the ship's computers and reboot the system, but since most of the encounters are mindless, that would affect their tactics. Though, I might use the zero-g rules for the whole ship if they haven't restarted it.

Spread throughout the ship will be 5 encounters. The ship had been traveling through the drift when it encountered a pocket of Negative Energy, killing the crew and turning a few of them into mindless undead.

Encounter 1: Living Dead
The ship's bridge is currently occupied by the bodies of the captain and two officers who have been raised as mindless creatures. There are two "zombies" and one "skeletal sniper".

Zombie:

Zombie CR ½
XP 200
CE Medium Undead
Init +2; Senses Darkvision 60 ft; Perception +4
DEFENSE HP 15
EAC 10; KAC 12
Fort +2; Ref +2; Will +2
DR 5/magic Immunities undead immunities
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft
Melee slam +6 (1d6+3 b, critical knockdown)
STATISTICS
STR +3; DEX +2; CON -; INT +0; WIS +0; CHA +0
Skills Athletics +4, Perception +4, Stealth +9
Other Abilities mindless, staggered, unliving
Languages none
Gear EJ Utility Hardsuit, personal effects

skeletal sniper:

Skeletal Sniper CR ½
XP 200
CE Medium Undead
Init +3; Senses Darkvision 60ft; Perception +4
DEFENSE HP 13
EAC 10; KAC 12
Fort +2; Ref +2; Will +2
DR 5/magic; Immunities undead immunities, cold
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft
Melee slam +3 (1d4+2 b, critical knockdown)
Ranged autotarget rifle +6 (1d6 P, automatic)
STATISTICS
STR +2; DEX +3; CON -; INT +0; WIS +0; CHA +0
Skills Athletics +4, Perception +4, Stealth +9
Other Abilities mindless, univing
Languages none
Gear EJ Utility Hardsuit, personal effects

Encounter 2: Cargo Hold
Three crew were in the cargo hold when they encountered the anomaly, turning two into zombies (stats above) and one into a "Brute."

Zombie Brute:

[/bigger]Zombie Brute[/bigger]
CR 1
XP 400
CE Medium Undead
Init +2; Senses Darkvision 60ft; Perception +5
DEFENSE HP 24
EAC 11; KAC 13
Fort +3; Ref +3; Will +3
DR 5/magic; Immunities undead immunities
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft
Melee slam +8 (1d6+5 b, critical knockdown)
STATISTICS
STR +4; DEX +2; CON -; INT +0; WIS +0; CHA +0
Skills Athletics +5, Perception +5, Stealth +10
Other Abilities mindless, staggered, unliving
Languages none
Gear EJ Utility Hardsuit, personal effects

Encounter 3: Lounge
Several of the crew were in the lounge when they encountered the Negative Energy, but none are animated. Instead, their collective terror and psyche have infused the room with a curse.

space danger:

Space Danger
CR 2
XP 800
Type Curse triggerLocation: Anybody who enters the room
Initiative: +7 EAC 12 KAC 16 Attack +12
Effect: Will Save DC 13 or see cracks forming along the viewports. Each round, combat maneuver check to move the PC 10 ft toward the wall. Once at the wall 3d6 bludgeoning damage. Can't deal hit point damage.

Encounter 4: Crew Quarters
The captain's quarters were empty when the anomaly struck, but entering either of the two crew quarters activates another haunting.

space danger:

Space Danger
CR 1
XP 400
Type Curse triggerLocation: Anybody who enters the room
Initiative: +7 EAC 12 KAC 16 Attack +12
Effect: Will Save DC 12 or hear screaming in your head. On round 1, any PC with telepathy is overcome with screaming in their head and can't use telepathy. Round 2 and after, a failed save [i]daze[/b].

Encounter 5: Drift Engine
Some combination of the drift engine itself and the negative energy anomaly has turned the engineer into an intelligent, malevolent drift wraith, filled with hatred of all things living. Since the encounter, the drift wraith has been unable to get warm, and will reach out to draw warmth from the PCs. The drift wraith is accompanied by a "zombie" and a "skeletal sniper"

Spoiler:

Drift Wraith CR 2
XP 800
CE Medium Undead (incorporeal)
Init +2; Darkvision 60 ft; Perception +12
DEFENSE HP 21
EAC 12; KAC 13
Fort +1; Ref +1; Will +7
Defensive Abilities incorporeal; DR 5/magic; Immunities undead immunities
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft
Melee touch +4 (1d4+2 cold, targets EAC)
Ranged chill aura +6 (1d4+2 cold, single target)
Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft.
Offensive Abilities
Spell (caster level 2; Concentration +2)
1/day - ice patch (DC 15, as grease)
At will - hazard (DC 14), fatigue (DC 14)
STATISTICS
STR +0; DEX +2; CON -; INT +1; WIS +0; CHA +4
Skills Mysticism +7, Perception +12, Stealth +12
Other Abilities unliving
Languages Common, Ysoki, Vesk
Gear none

This should put my players at 2nd level at the end of it, though if they do something especially clever, I'll give them bonus xp along the way. There is an armory on the ship, that will have a couple of level 1 & 2 weapons, including some more autotarget rifles. Even through the captain is a zombie, he might have a level 3 small arm on him as well that they can loot.

I used the AA monster creation rules, but haven't played around a lot with the balance, so I don't want to overwhelm the PCs.

[breithauptclan]

I did a quick scan of the creatures compared to the AA monster creation tables and the CRB trap creation tables. It looks reasonable enough to me.

The zombies have a bit higher HP and have some noticeable DR even for as low level as they are. That is balanced by the permanent staggered condition. If things are getting too rough for the PCs, allowing/reminding them that retreating and kiting them down hallways is a solid tactic. It makes it a good choice for low level PCs. The fight may end up running long because of the lower damage weapons that the party is using, but the enemy damage output will also be lower.

[Wesrolter]

looks interesting, haven't really read into the space hazards so I can't really comment on them. The only thing I see that would be a major problem is the Incorporeal. Basically immune to none magic physical (Also the DR/5 magic is effectively useless) and if they are all using Small arms then they might only be doing 1 or 2 damage a hit as it reduces all damage by 50% except for Force.

[LankyOgre]

Thanks for catching the DR on the wraith, it was a copy paste error, but sort of redundant.
As far as the DR and Incorporeal, most of them are using laser pistols, which will if ore the DR. The vanguard can use acid too, so won't need to worry about it. The Incorporeal could be a concern.

I based the two curses off of the phantasm rules from Signal of Screams and the trap rules. I'll see how it plays out.

I also am going to put an armory with a couple of grenades and another weapon or two. The former captain might have a decent level 2/3 pistol to upgrade.

[breithauptclan]

Energy damage doesn't mean magic.

A standard laser pistol is not a magical weapon, so it wouldn't overcome the DR/5 magic. For that you need either actual magic, or a hybrid weapon - most commonly gained by having a Weapon Fusion on it.

[LankyOgre]

breithauptclan wrote:

Energy damage doesn't mean magic.

A standard laser pistol is not a magical weapon, so it wouldn't overcome the DR/5 magic. For that you need either actual magic, or a hybrid weapon - most commonly gained by having a Weapon Fusion on it.

But Damage reduction only affects kinetic damage.

Archives of Nethys wrote:

Damage reduction (DR) applies to kinetic damage—any bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage—that a character takes, regardless of that damage’s source. It does not apply against damage with no damage type or any other damage type, including acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic, though these can be mitigated by energy resistance (see page 264).

Since lasers deal fire damage, they don't interact with DR at all and interact with energy resistance.

[LankyOgre]

The hit points and possibility of the PCs trying to flee and running into multiple encounters is the thing that has me most worried. I was thinking about giving the party some grenades, but level 1 frag grenades are piercing, which will be stopped by DR.

I might revise the wraith encounter or give it some work around if they look.