Environmental Field Collars and NPCs

[Jack Simth]

If I slap an Environmental Field Collar on an NPC,will it protect the NPC from vacuum exposure, or is it mystically limited to Companion Creatures?

[Tim Emrick]

Strictly Rules As Written, an environmental field collar only works for a creature companion.

I'm assuming you're asking with the intention of using it to save the life of an NPC who has been suddenly exposed to vacuum, or will be imminently without time to prepare? Otherwise, a spacesuit would do the trick, or the environmental protections built into any suit of armor.

[Jack Simth]

Tim Emrick wrote:

Strictly Rules As Written, an environmental field collar only works for a creature companion.

I'm assuming you're asking with the intention of using it to save the life of an NPC who has been suddenly exposed to vacuum, or will be imminently without time to prepare? Otherwise, a spacesuit would do the trick, or the environmental protections built into any suit of armor.

It was more of a "wait, what?" moment when reading the descriptions for a few other items.

The cheapest armor costs 90 CR, provides for a day, and needs to be fitted to the recipient.

Canned Atmosphere costs 110 CR, lasts at most a day, a is a single shot item.

The Environmental Field armor augmentation costs 9k CR and lasts ten rounds.

An Environmental Field collar for a Medium creature casts 25 CR, provides air for ten days straight, is rechargable, and is a pure tech item to boot. Some of the creature companions are even essentially humanoid.

Why would any emergency kit be stocked with anything else? Why would first responders get anything else?

[Super Zero]

I think first responders showing up to vacuum exposure are probably too late no matter what they do...

The cheapest armor is also armor, which is generally more important then the environmental protections. The cheapest regular, unarmored space suite is 25 credits. Though the collar is better.

[Jack Simth]

Super Zero wrote:

I think first responders showing up to vacuum exposure are probably too late no matter what they do...

The cheapest armor is also armor, which is generally more important then the environmental protections. The cheapest regular, unarmored space suite is 25 credits. Though the collar is better.

The collar is a full order of magnitude better, lasting ten days vs. one, and not being subject to damage... for the same price.

As for first responders... 3d6 bludgeoning damage from the air escaping during a rupture, 1d6/round, and suffocation... in about two minutes, nevermind that last one. A CR 1/3rd critter has 5 or 6 hp; unconscious immediately after a rupture, and dead a few rounds later. A CR 1 critter has 16 to 20 hp. Stays awake for the rupture plus a few rounds, has another few rounds of survival time after that.

First responders will have to be quick, but it's possible.

Side note: For first level folks, Starfinder vacuum exposure is actually worse than IRL.

[BigNorseWolf]

you done left the rules. It says it works on critters, it doesn't say it works on pcs or npcs. A more mechanical answer is no a more immersive answer is yes. People b uy armor to not get hit and or the upgrade slots, most people don't need to spend a week straight in armor seals.

[Jack Simth]

BigNorseWolf wrote:

you done left the rules. It says it works on critters, it doesn't say it works on pcs or npcs. A more mechanical answer is no a more immersive answer is yes. People b uy armor to not get hit and or the upgrade slots, most people don't need to spend a week straight in armor seals.

Yeah. Crunch-wise, it only affects Creature Companions, and has no defined effect for anything that isn't one.

Fluff wise? It's a pure tech item. An Iridian Echo creature companion is closer to humanoid than is an Astrazoan, Formian, ilthisarian, and many others. It seems odd that the collar wouldn't work for full people too.