SFS1 7-03 Aucturn Asunder

[mizinamo]

The scenario wrote:

Each time the PCs experience the Newborn’s influence, they must attempt the save listed in the triggering event (DC 10 + half the creature’s level + the number of manifestations the creature has) or advance one stage. On a failure, a PC can spend Resolve Points equal to 1 + the number of manifestations they have to succeed instead. Each stage comes with two manifestations: a positive one (called a gift) and a negative one (called a stain).

Just so I understand correctly: when calculating the "number of manifestations they have", you count both all gifts and all stains, right?

So 2 gifts and 3 stains counts as 5 manifestations?

The scenario wrote:

Each stage’s gift is optional; if the PC refuses the gift, they gain a +1 bonus to further saving throws against the corruption.

This bit makes me unsure, since if they resuse the gift, their DC for future saves is already 1 lower since they have 1 fewer manifestation than someone who had accepted it.

So I'm not sure whether it really intended to count all manifestations, or just the stains.

(I don't have the Adventure Path referred to to see how it handles such effects.)

[logsig]

The language defining the save DC and number of resolve points is identical in both the AP and the scenario. HOWEVER:

Compare

AP #10: The Diaspora Strain wrote:

A manifestation grants a power, known as a gift, but it also imposes a detriment, known as a stain.

versus

SFS1 7-03: Aucturn Asunder wrote:

Each stage comes with two manifestations: a positive one (called a gift) and a negative one (called a stain).

---

Given the above, the obvious conclusion is that both the things Mizinamo pointed out above appear to be editing errors in the scenario. Having replaced the term "manifestation" with "stage" and the terms "power"/"detriment" with "manifestation", the save DC in the scenario should have been specified as 10 + half your level + number of stages. Similarly, the number of resolve points needed should be 1 + number of stages.

[Psepha]

During the intro, Ixthia says:

Ixthia the Unbreakable wrote:

You’ll probably need to seek help from locals, which can be tricky when environmental protections are active. Consider how to communicate without speech.

...what does that mean? I know that mechanically it's a hint towards communication with Uhlsemet, but what is Ixthia actually referring to?

[Hilary Moon Murphy]

Some characters have telepathy or sign language. Or you can text with your comm unit?

[Psepha]

Hilary Moon Murphy wrote:

Some characters have telepathy or sign language. Or you can text with your comm unit?

But what are the difficulties? I'm not aware of environmental protections limiting things like talking to people, or have I missed something?

[logsig]

Psepha wrote:

But what are the difficulties? I'm not aware of environmental protections limiting things like talking to people, or have I missed something?

---

I suspect the writer was imagining speech being muffled due to helmets, etc (see quote below).

Core Rulebook p.196, section on Environmental Protections, wrote:

Some armors do this through an environmental field (a minor force field specially attuned to pressure and temperature that does not reduce damage from attacks), while others can be closed with helmets and airtight seals.

[John Mangrum]

That's my read as well; just a little bit of assumed "realism" that the setting as published otherwise just handwaves.

[Zoomba]

The party I played at also bypassed that complication with telepathy - which isn't especially uncommon for many PCs

[wolaberry]

Psepha wrote:

Hilary Moon Murphy wrote:

Some characters have telepathy or sign language. Or you can text with your comm unit?

But what are the difficulties? I'm not aware of environmental protections limiting things like talking to people, or have I missed something?

The people on planet are described as wearing respirators, not full modern armor with life support and comms built in. Texting should work, but its slow. Telepathy is the easy answer and lots of species get it. I would let "comprehend language" to work on the signed versions.

[John Mangrum]

Right, but the issue under discussion is that this is the only time, I believe, in the full run of the RPG, that it's been suggested that characters with environmental protections active can't verbally communicate directly with other people who aren't on comms.

I think we've all been assuming that Starfinder RPG armor comes with something like Stormtrooper-esque helmet mics at a bare minimum, since this is a ruleset that assumes you can smell and even put objects in your mouth through active environmental protections.

Of course, it's possible that what we're actually seeing here is a sneak preview of the limitations to environmental protections we know are coming in SF2.

[John Mangrum]

John Mangrum wrote:

Of course, it's possible that what we're actually seeing here is a sneak preview of the limitations to environmental protections we know are coming in SF2.

(It isn't.)

[wolaberry]

I think my favorite part of running this one was the look on my player's faces when I told them what they were talking to at the pyramid. The more invested they were in Pathfinder lore the more shock and awe they had.

That and briefly reducing a PC to a puddle of barely sentient goo.

[Davor Firetusk]

A very awesome play through on this yesterday. I ran longer but that only enhanced the fun.