Organic Armor?

[SITZKRIEG!]

I haven't kept up with the latest and greatest in Starfinder after my previous group drifted apart but I was curious if organic bio-armor has made it into the game? One of my original character builds was a character that didn't depend on equipment where possible and the game has made great strides to improve natural weapons, barathu weapons, add classes with innate weapons/attacks (like Solarian), and various body morphs (like the geneturge mystic and upcoming evolutionist)... but I don't think I've seen a way to incorporate living armor INTO the character as opposed to just wearing it.

I've seen obviously bio-organic and class abilities that give you a token +1 or +2 to AC but I'm more referring to the twisted ribbon manufacturer for armor where the armor melds with your form and can't be removed (other than obviously a long process when you level up) but still otherwise provides the abilities and disadvantages it normally would (EAC/KAC bonus, environmental protections, upgrades, etc). Have I missed this option? If not, am I the only one interested in such a variant? So far, I've only been able to use necrografts for environmental functions and basically just skip the other features of armor.

[Leon Aquilla]

Check out the Evolutionist coming this year.

While you're waiting for that, the following can be, with the Experimental Armor Mechanic, flavored to be what you're looking for:

Heavy Armor:
Formian Plate
Kyokor Plating
Exochitin

Light armor -
Various hide armors (Defrex, Ursikka, etc)

Power armor -
Living Tree
Feral Frame

[SITZKRIEG!]

Leon Aquilla wrote:

Check out the Evolutionist coming this year.

While you're waiting for that, the following can be, with the Experimental Armor Mechanic, flavored to be what you're looking for:

Heavy Armor:
Formian Plate
Kyokor Plating
Exochitin

Light armor -
Various hide armors (Defrex, Ursikka, etc)

Power armor -
Living Tree
Feral Frame

Thanks. I was aware of most but not all of those. Are any of them literally bonded phsyically/biologically to the user or all just worn/piloted? I was referring more to the former so that they can't be forceably removed any more than a natural weapon could be. Hopefully something like that is in the book the evolutionist is coming out in. Has Paizo announced which book that will be? As I mentioned above, I've been a bit out of the loop and only peripherally following developments since I don't currently have a group (just got the evolutionist playtest materials to look at today prior to posting for example).

[Leon Aquilla]

Evolutionist is coming out in Interstellar Species. It may have exactly what you're asking for, it may not. You can check out the playtest rules and see if it was already covered -- but they're not the final release, so something may have changed.

What you're asking for is very exact -- Starfinder doesn't do exact, and that's by design. By giving you what you want they would consume page real estate that could go to broader options that accomodate more players.

For instance if I say "Can I be a Paladin in Starfinder?", people are going to say take Star Knight archetype, Mystic Crusader, and some of the feats that are tied to deities. There's also anathemas/edicts for various gods in Galactic Magic. Are any of these things a Paladin? No. But combined together they can get me pretty close to it. Given all this, is it reasonable to ask for a Paladin class to be added to Starfinder? Probably not.

There's organic armor plating. There's a class that revolves around upgrading the same set of armor over and over. And there are armor upgrades that allow you to mount weapons that can't be disarmed as well as eat/drink without having to remove said armor.

I cannot think of a single thing your GM would have to houserule/homebrew to get you to where you need to go except "...and by the way if you or someone else pries off this armor you immediately asphyxiate/die".

[SITZKRIEG!]

Leon Aquilla wrote:

Evolutionist is coming out in Interstellar Species.

Thanks! Looking forward to seeing that one on my FLGS shelves then.

Quote:

What you're asking for is very exact -- Starfinder doesn't do exact, and that's by design. By giving you what you want they would consume page real estate that could go to broader options that accomodate more players.

There's organic armor plating. There's a class that revolves around upgrading the same set of armor over and over. And there are armor upgrades that allow you to mount weapons that can't be disarmed.

I cannot think of a single thing your GM would have to houserule/homebrew to get you to where you need to go except "...and by the way if you take off this armor you immediately asphyxiate".

I'd probably categorize most good requests as "exact" since the petitioner demonstrates that they know what they want but I disagree that it would take an unreasonable amount of page real estate. It could be accomplished by a single paragraph using the existing armor manufacturer template for both the fluff and crunch combined.

Regardless, I completely agree that it can be houseruled by a GM as well but so could almost any of the mechanics like feats, upgrades, augmentations, and gear that don't require a full class with options to create... but they still come out despite that. :)

[Xenocrat]

SITZKRIEG! wrote:

Are any of them literally bonded phsyically/biologically to the user or all just worn/piloted? I was referring more to the former so that they can't be forceably removed any more than a natural weapon could be.

There is no mechanical way to remove armor so this isn't actually a problem.

If you're worried about being unconscious, well, they could always skin your armor off of you and cut away your natural weapon limbs/fangs in that situation.

[Dragonchess Player]

Other armors made of living material: preserver's mantle and dendron armor.

"Armor" integrated into the body would be augmentations. Note that dermal plating can be installed using adaptive biochains.

There is also the Geneturge mystic connection, which allows the character to alter their biotech. The Biotechnician theme doesn't allow biotech changes, but does give a 10% discount at 6th and the ability to install a second biotech augmentation in the same body slot at 12th (this is in addition to the Insistent Biochains connection power for a Geneturge, although I don't think you can have three augmentations in the same body slot).

It's not currently RAW, but you could possibly ask your GM if you could use an epiphany for a mystic to manifest solar armor or a solar shield, as they allow a solar flare (Mystic Flare) or solar weapon (Solar Connection).

[Dragonchess Player]

You could also re-flavor the Infinite Tech witchwarper alternate class feature to conjure organic components.

[The Ragi]

I believe only Solarians have "armor as a class feature" right now.

Nothing like the old Aegis, from Dreamscarred Press on PF1, though - psionic armor was their only class feature.

[SITZKRIEG!]

Thanks for the tips. I think the thread has confirmed that the flavor I'm looking for likely doesn't exist (yet?) in the game but hopefully some day might. Regardless, I appreciate the ideas as a basis for RAW incorporation of some aspects of it.

[Dragonchess Player]

Two other options:

1) Adapt the spell junk armor to use organic "junk" instead of technological junk. It should probably be in the mystic (geneturges, xenodruids) or witchwarper (change reality) spell list. As a 1st-level spell, it could be selected with Connection Inkling or Reality Glimmer.

2) Rewrite the nanocyte based on biotech/organic manipulation (possibly magical) instead of technological nanites. This will probably require some work (replace the Gear Array with a version of the witchwarper's Infinite Tech, etc.), although many of the class features could be applicable (the faculties could work with minor changes, IMO).

[Garretmander]

I think the issue here is that OP wants rules as written flavor. I don't understand that particular desire, but suggesting adding flavor to existing option won't help here.

[Taja the Barbarian]

SITZKRIEG! wrote:

I haven't kept up with the latest and greatest in Starfinder after my previous group drifted apart but I was curious if organic bio-armor has made it into the game? One of my original character builds was a character that didn't depend on equipment where possible and the game has made great strides to improve natural weapons, barathu weapons, add classes with innate weapons/attacks (like Solarian), and various body morphs (like the geneturge mystic and upcoming evolutionist)... but I don't think I've seen a way to incorporate living armor INTO the character as opposed to just wearing it.

I've seen obviously bio-organic and class abilities that give you a token +1 or +2 to AC but I'm more referring to the twisted ribbon manufacturer for armor where the armor melds with your form and can't be removed (other than obviously a long process when you level up) but still otherwise provides the abilities and disadvantages it normally would (EAC/KAC bonus, environmental protections, upgrades, etc). Have I missed this option? If not, am I the only one interested in such a variant? So far, I've only been able to use necrografts for environmental functions and basically just skip the other features of armor.

The flavor you are looking seems antithetical to the game's core 'you need to replace your armor every couple of levels' design, so I wouldn't hold my breath while waiting for this option if I were you.

Also, in any situation where your armor might be 'forcibly removed' I would expect a character with non-removable armor to just be denied access entirely (in a 'no armor allowed at this shindig' situation) or just executed (in a 'taken prisoner' situation).

As mentioned by another poster, a re-flavored Junk Armor spell is probably your best bet, but please note that the protection this spell provides is, well, junk: The KAC//EAC ratings are okay for light armor, but the 'maximum Dex bonus equal to 1 + one quarter your caster level' is painfully low...

[SITZKRIEG!]

Taja the Barbarian wrote:

The flavor you are looking seems antithetical to the game's core 'you need to replace your armor every couple of levels' design, so I wouldn't hold my breath while waiting for this option if I were you.

Out of curiosity, how would this be any more antithetical to the game's core than Twisted Ribbon weapons, solarian weapons (melee and ranged), or attack augmentations like boneblades? They all can't be removed and all are either can be upgraded whether by purchase or leveling up. I was simply asking about a similar mechanic for armor where you get the benefits of the armor just like worn armor (not just AC bonuses like the examples given here but also the environmental effects as well as the downsides like penalties to movement and skill checks). You'd still want to upgrade it periodically just like the other equipment that become part of your character whether via class or equipment.

I would agree though that I shouldn't hold my breath given the almost unanimous response of Ni to the idea in the thread though. :)

[Gaulin]

Honestly I'm right there with you OP. I would love a sort of unarmored option, and I really don't think it's that crazy of an idea.

It would fit a lot of concepts, anything from an unarmored monk like character to a Tyranid monstery PC. Economy wise, there are plenty of ways around not needing to buy weapons regularly. Vanguard, evolutionist, unarmed builds, solarian to a degree, and a few others can get away with spending little to nothing on weapons. Unless there's an unwritten rule that the same can never be said for armour, I don't see why similar situations can't happen.

The main issue is that armour isn't just armour, it's environmental protection, comm unit, and a vessel for armour upgrades. Some of these can be overcome with augmentations and such, but it's not super user friendly and requires digging.

Lastly I just wanted to say don't get your hopes up for evolutionist having built in armour. I really think that would have been mentioned by now in some interview or write up. Maybe eventually, with an alternate feature or the like, but not right out of the gate.

[SITZKRIEG!]

Gaulin wrote:

Honestly I'm right there with you OP. I would love a sort of unarmored option, and I really don't think it's that crazy of an idea.

It would fit a lot of concepts, anything from an unarmored monk like character to a Tyranid monstery PC. Economy wise, there are plenty of ways around not needing to buy weapons regularly. Vanguard, evolutionist, unarmed builds, solarian to a degree, and a few others can get away with spending little to nothing on weapons. Unless there's an unwritten rule that the same can never be said for armour, I don't see why similar situations can't happen.

The main issue is that armour isn't just armour, it's environmental protection, comm unit, and a vessel for armour upgrades. Some of these can be overcome with augmentations and such, but it's not super user friendly and requires digging.

Lastly I just wanted to say don't get your hopes up for evolutionist having built in armour. I really think that would have been mentioned by now in some interview or write up. Maybe eventually, with an alternate feature or the like, but not right out of the gate.

Thanks and I agree (obviously) on all three ideas. That's why I was suggesting a "Twisted Ribbon" style melding or possibly even a biotech augmentation that you have to combine with an armor to meld biologically with it to get both the advantages and disadvantages. Armor is definitely more than just an AC bonus and I apparently didn't make that point clear in my first point as well as I thought I did.

[Braford]

Does Solarion + Junk Armor not accomplish this? This gives you the mechanics, and you fill in the flavor.

I realize that you have to be a Solarion and/or Mystic to pull it off, but it's doable.

I have a Technomancer 10 who walks around wielding and wearing junk 24/7 and it's very enjoyable.