Starfinder

[Kyle]

So I've started a Starfinder campaign to run a group of 5 kids aged 16-20 through. We're using the Dead Suns campaign. Three of the five have never played before.

I got to tell you- this game is pretty fucking special. Everyone is into it. It's a little easier to relate to for newbies than D&D- because it's sci-fi and not swords and esoteric magic shit. And it's simple enough that everyone grasps the basics pretty quickly.

Tonight we do our first starship combat, which I'm nervous about, but it'll go fine I'm sure.

[El Jefe]

The game is awesome. I have real doubts about my ability to go back to Pathfinder any time in the near future. We had our first combat on the outside of a space station the other day. IT WAS AMAZING. SROs floating above everybody, via using jump jets in zero-G. Folks getting hit with a fear spell, and doing Will checks to avoid releasing magboots just to get away from the caster. Grenades in zero-G. There's nothing funnier.

I've got a lashunta soldier in my group that just decided to change their combat style to the new one from Armory. She and Bianca (her reaction cannon) will now literally glow and project light at almost all times. And is likely going to work on making a Dune (movie version) of the weirding way audio weapon. Because that's what you do when you're a space bounty hunter that uses a combat style named Shock and Awe.

I love this game.

(Well, to be fair, I loved it a lot more once I finally got my house rules sorted. Because ammo tracking is dumb and awful. And the ability score increase every 5 levels is a weird and kind of BS progression. Bleh.)

[El Jefe]

Two things with starship combat.

1. Don't forget to print out the FAQ from Paizo's site that updates pretty much the whole Starship combat section with more balanced DC formulas. Because the core book DCs are an absolute mess. That FAQ alone is huge. The starship DCs were...not well proofread.

2. Cheat sheets. Cheat sheets are everything here. Print out sheets with all the actions (and expected DCs, necessary skills, etc.) for the various crew roles. I have some I can share from my Drive, if you want to use them as a baseline to start from.

[El Jefe]

Screw it. Here's the big upload. Maybe you'll find some of this useful.



You may not use much of this, Ancient Enemy. But the supply pool rules do make it a lot nicer, and give a more cinematic feel. Something to at least look over, as it might fit the younger player base easier. Also, I can attest that the gradual ability score increases (found in the Campaign House rules doc) works out with a much better feel than the base version. Getting 1 increase every level from 3rd through 18th just feels smoother, and more like character growth than base rules.

Feel free to use it. While the other folders have gone through a lot of updates and clean up in recent weeks, I'll admit that this one is rough and largely outdated to the start of the campaign. But feel free to steal anything you like.

[Kyle]

Oooooooooooo! Thanks man!

[El Jefe]

Also, you'll find a cheat sheet in there for the Stargazer. It's a role I'd seriously recommend adding. I found it on the Paizo forums and modified it a bit. But any mystic or melee solarion is likely going to struggle to find a role in starship combat. This adds a use for Mysticism to that type of combat. Because both of those builds will likely struggle to get computers/engineering or piloting and DEX to the levels to be effective anywhere else but Captain. And once you've got 1 Captain, you're SOL.

Anyway, if you use any of the rest of the house rules stuff, let me know. I'm always glad for feedback outside of my own groups.

[El Jefe]

If anybody is still doing Starfinder, you can find a free, early look at the next three classes to be added to the game. Paizo is doing a very short playtest for Starfinder and these three classes. Head over to their website, and grab the PDF for free, even if you just want to take a look.

[Mike]

Thank you, Jeff!