The Evolutionist in SF2e

[Driftbourne]

I've been reading the Mithic rules in War of the Immortals and thought they make a good road map for the 2e Evolutionist when combined with some of the SF1e Evolutionist features and how the SF2e playtest Baratha's genetic adaption works.

I like the 1e Evolutionist mutation points, and adaptive strike for in combat adaption.
The playtest Baratha's genetic adaption is great example of downtime adaption, and the mythic rules are a great example of long-term Evolution. Combine all three of those and you got one really interesting class.

I like how the mithic rules go through stages. Levels 1 to 5 you mostly are really good at some skill check plus some feats. From the 6th to the 11th level, you gain much more power feats. At 12 you gain mythic abilities but keep building on them to the 20th level. The SF1e Evolutionist only reaches their Evolutionary goal at level 20 when there isn't much chance to play with that. Going mythic at the 12th level and then building on it lets you have fun with the change all the way to the 20th level.

Another thought, being able to adapt to use different movement types during exploration mode would be nice. Too often classes have cool features that only work during combat.

[Justnobodyfqwl]

I'd be super curious to see what the Evolutionist looks like in SF2E! I think your idea of staggered layers of short/medium/long term evolution abilities is really interesting.

I think the interesting question is- what does the Evolutionist bring to Starfinder 2e? I'm not familiar with SF1E, but I know they picked a "subclass" of evolution (eldritch, tech, organic, etc) and their powers got stronger by gathering "points" that increased by spending more rounds in combat.

I think the Solarian takes a lot of design space in the world of "the close range melee class with a customizable weapon in a game about ranged combat", so I don't think their adaptive strike would be the biggest emphasis. The basic core of "innate customizable strike with a variety of at-will unique powers" actually makes me think of the 2e Kineticist a lot, and I have a hard time saying no to the idea of more classes that are built like a Kineticist.

I feel as if it might be interesting to have a possible SF2E Evolutionist lean into the idea of evolution as being an adaptation to the environment, and have features that emphasize interaction with the environment. Long ranges, high verticality, and LOTS of fun hazards have made the SF2E playtest really fun- and I think it would be really interesting to interact with them! I think the fact that guns allow everyone to be pretty competent at combat while staying at a safe distance REALLY opens up the design space for class abilities that focus less on combat.

You could go simpler with it- "here's a feat that lets you turn your skin hard against a hazard as a reaction, granting a bonus to saves and AC", or "here's an adaptation that increases the range of your strikes, or just lets you straight up fly".

Or you could go more complicated- some kind of universal "Adapt" action that could grant you situational benefits? For instance, in combat it might be "make a Strike with a special bonus", but you might take the Ink Sack feat that says "when you adapt, you make the area around you difficult terrain if an enemy is adjacent to you". I think the ability to help your teammates adapt as well is an absolute must!

[Driftbourne]

Adaptive strike can be a melee or ranged attack, but it's something you choose when making your character and can't switch later. The class also has a choice of Dex or Str to go with your adaptive strike. The other main class feature is Evolutionist Adaptations which are special abilities you can spend mutation points on. Then at 20th level, you evolve into another creature type. The other thing is at 9th level you gain more skills to show mental evolution.

Changing the Evolutionist for a more ranged meta is not something I had thought of. The ranged adaptive strike has a range increment of 30 feet. Maybe that could be increased by spending mutation points.

There is an Adaptation to gain resistance to different types of energy attacks, but because you only gain and have mutation points during combat there is no way to have an environmental adaption, if there were lasting adaptions that can be changed during downtime would be useful.

I think in the Core rule book it's important to not have classes overlapping, but after that, I think it's fine especially if the classes have very different flavors to them. The Vanguard is another SF1e melee class I wonder what will happen with that one too. I like that they are making SF2e to have a more ranged meta, but I think it might be better to think of it as a ranged-enabled meta because there is still room for melee characters.

Just in case someone thinks I wanted the Evolutionist as powerful as mythic characters I'm just using the mythic rules as an example of the rate of progression, not the power level.