Starfinder 2027 Class Playtest?

[moosher12]

With Pathfinder's Risk and Rewards coming to a close, will we be seeing the playtest for Starfinder's 2027 classes coming up in the near future? I wanna smell what the Starfriends are cooking.

[Squark]

I haven't heard anything apart from a brief mention that they will probably explore new concepts before they return to 1e classes.

[Driftbourne]

Squark wrote:

I haven't heard anything apart from a brief mention that they will probably explore new concepts before they return to 1e classes.

That's what I remember hearing, too.

[NoxiousMiasma]

It's not like they'd even started plumbing the depths of Sci-fantasy character concepts in 1e either - there's lots of design space worth exploring. Even if everyone's making excited noises about Their Favourite 1e Class instead.

[JiCi]

Mechanic - Intelligence
Technomancer - Intelligence

Ok, cool, but... we're gonna need more classes that use other attributes...

Biohacker - Intelligence or Wisdom
Vanguard - Constitution
Evolutionist - Strength or Dexterity (if it doesn't become an archetype like the Nanocyte)

What else? I'm legit surprised that we don't have another possible class with only Wisdom or Charisma.

Aside from that, I fail to see what other classes they can come up with...

[griefninja]

JiCi wrote:

I fail to see what other classes they can come up with...

Yeah, it's hard to come up with something that doesn't exist. I don't know how viable any of these ideas are, but there some spitballs I've had.

-some kind of han solo class. Non magically supporting allies and sneaking under the radar.

-some kind of vtuber/idol class that buffs allies and debuffs enemies with tech instead of spells.

-I feel like a mecha pilot class could be interesting. Building your own unique mech suit like something out of Armored Core

[griefninja]

I feel like you could do something with AI. Some kind of summoner/beast tamer, but for cursed half-sentient chatbots. Sort of like how the summoner has an option for an evil demon eidolon. Maybe it focuses on debuffing enemies or disabling tech around them?

[JiCi]

griefninja wrote:

-some kind of han solo class. Non magically supporting allies and sneaking under the radar.

Operative with scroundrel-like archetype and/or background?

griefninja wrote:

-some kind of vtuber/idol class that buffs allies and debuffs enemies with tech instead of spells.

Envoy or Mystic with a new style or connection tied with the Infosphere?

griefninja wrote:

-I feel like a mecha pilot class could be interesting. Building your own unique mech suit like something out of Armored Core

That should definitely be an archetype and not a class. I could see anyone piloting a mech even if they're not from a martial background.

The only thing I can think of is a Charisma-based spellcaster focused on pre-Gap stuff...

[Perses13]

griefninja wrote:

-some kind of vtuber/idol class that buffs allies and debuffs enemies with tech instead of spells.

That's not too far off what they just released the playtest for

[moosher12]

Not quite sure how I feel about bard in space, but I've yet to read it, let's see if it can carve it's own distinct niche.

[TheTownsend]

It actually seems really interesting to me, it's a non-spellslot focus-caster martial, kinda like a Champion/optional Ranger/Monk, but with a centrally magical action economy centered on illusorally buffing and debuffing. So you don't technically get any Spells, but you have an almost Kineticist-like passive command of holograms and hardlight to effectively… narratively position your allies toward success?

It might feel a bit mechanically restrictive in its current form, but the conceit of a storytelling illusionist class is very compelling to me.

[JiCi]

"The galaxy is a stage, and WE are the actors!"

It's a literal content creator that decides to go on an adventure for views, likes and exposure XD

We laugh, but... how many times have we seen sci-fi stories where a musician/artist was an important character?
- Miime in Captain Harlock
- The various idols in Macross
- Lacus Clyne in Mobile Suit Gundam SEED

[Perpdepog]

TheTownsend wrote:

It actually seems really interesting to me, it's a non-spellslot focus-caster martial, kinda like a Champion/optional Ranger/Monk, but with a centrally magical action economy centered on illusorally buffing and debuffing. So you don't technically get any Spells, but you have an almost Kineticist-like passive command of holograms and hardlight to effectively… narratively position your allies toward success?

It might feel a bit mechanically restrictive in its current form, but the conceit of a storytelling illusionist class is very compelling to me.

Just downloaded the playtest and looking forward to digging in. From that description it sounds like the luminary is going to be filling a pretty similar mechanical niche to what folks wanted the mesmerist to fill.

[moosher12]

Now that I've got to read the new class, I'm liking it a lot. Feels like the champion to the bard's cleric.

[Teridax]

I'll have to give the Luminary a more thorough read, but I'm liking what I'm seeing so far. Yes, the class is thematically a Bard in space, but the spotlight and role mechanic looks really fun to play with, and they seem to be hitting this niche of having lots of focus spells and magic-adjacent mechanics while still having the chassis of a martial class, which is something I've been wanting to see for a while.