I think its intentional.
Each class is its own set of skills, with a Full AB class, you gain combat knowledge every level, when you first start a Mystic, your knowledge is purely magic so no combat training gained. With the Mechanic your first level is purely Tech, again, no combat training. So taking the first level of both, you gain no real training in combat, there for no BAB.
I know it is somewhat uncouth to cross platforms, but Starfinder is based on Pathfinder, which was based on D&D 3.5. If you check out the book Unearthed Arcana, there is a variant rule that allows for tracking fractions for stats, with full tables for BAB, saves, etc. If your GM is amenable, you could use such a progression. I tend to do such in all games that I run, though I also don't grant the +2 to the good save progression that occurs at first level of a class. I instead increase by the fraction is granted level by level for that class. Also, as always, round down for such calculations.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The idea was to let people look something up on a chart rather than do math. so for a chart the rounding down makes sense.
|
Take a look at the optional rules for Fractional Base Bonuses in Pathfinder (1E) Unchained.
Base attack bonuses and base save bonuses in the Core Rulebook progress at a fractional rate, but those fractions are eliminated because of rounding; it doesn’t make sense to distinguish a base attack bonus of +6-1/2 from a base attack bonus of +6 when a character with either bonus would hit AC 17 on a roll of 11 and miss on a 10. For ease of reference, the values in the class tables are rounded this way since it never makes a difference for single-class characters. However, for multiclass characters, this rounding often results in a base attack bonus that’s too low, as well as base save bonuses that are imbalanced.
Fractional Base Bonuses is an optional ruleset (not used in Pathfinder Society or Starfinder Society Play). It more accurately represents what the intention is, but requires more math. Note that while fractional bonuses can result in a higher BAB they often also result in lower saving throw bonuses. You gotta take the bad with the good.