Switch Theme:

Starfinder  [RSS] Share on facebook Share on Twitter Submit to Reddit
»
Author Message
Advert


Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:
  • No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
  • Times and dates in your local timezone.
  • Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
  • Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
  • Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.
If you are already a member then feel free to login now.




Made in us
Veteran Knight Baron in a Crusader




Oakland, CA

I got my rulebook and GM screen in the mail this week, and though I have not delved drippy into the content, the layout and art are glorious.

More when I get a chance to actually read it!
   
Made in gb
[DCM]
Et In Arcadia Ego





Canterbury

Nice.

I'm holding back for now, but it certainly looks good from the previews etc etc.

Please let us know what you think.


The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





The Battle Barge Buffet Line

I'm curious to see some reviews on this as well as the SRD that should be coming out soon according to my research today. I mostly ignored it when the announcement was made but my interest is piqued now that it's out.

We Munch for Macragge! FOR THE EMPRUH! Cheesesticks and Humus!
 
   
Made in us
Posts with Authority





This has my interest. I was a huge fan of D20 Modern/Future and all its cool little add-ons. We made some pretty bizarre campaigns with those tools, and I'm hoping Starfinder adds as much freedom to do so without making certain character types nigh-impossible to create.

Mob Rule is not a rule. 
   
Made in us
[MOD]
Solahma






RVA

I am interested in the rules for planets.

Thought about buying it to peruse (almost certainly never going to play any variety of Pathfinder ever again) but it is pretty expensive and on flip-through I'm not sure if there is more to the setting than Pathfinder in Space.

   
Made in us
Stubborn Prosecutor





Got my at my FLGS. The art is good, and the whole thing is pretty close to it's D20 core. Tthe HP tracking system makes more sense. It's also clearly meant to support a ton of expansions.

I like the new races, even if they are standins for popular sci-fi tropes. Found it funny that everything has a reason stated you might find it in the Space City of Absolam. Just in case some GM was telling a player they couldn't have something for the core rulebook 'becuase Absolam'

Bender wrote:* Realise that despite the way people talk, this is not a professional sport played by demi gods, but rather a game of toy soldiers played by tired, inebriated human beings.


https://www.victorwardbooks.com/ Home of Dark Days series 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





The Battle Barge Buffet Line

 Manchu wrote:
I am interested in the rules for planets.

Thought about buying it to peruse (almost certainly never going to play any variety of Pathfinder ever again) but it is pretty expensive and on flip-through I'm not sure if there is more to the setting than Pathfinder in Space.


While the $60 msrp isn't cheap absolutely, I'd add the caveat that it's for a 500 page making it IMO cheap relatively speaking for the amount of content. That said... you could just wait like me until 8/31 for the SRD (system reference document) to drop for free and take a peek at that assuming that it's a mostly complete representation of the core book. I can't comment about whether it's just Pathfinder... in Spaaaace! or not though as I'm going in blind to the setting. I enjoyed Pathfinder during my short stint playing it (as I did during my long years playing 3/3.5) so the familiarity in the rules on the other hand is a plus for me. YMMV.

We Munch for Macragge! FOR THE EMPRUH! Cheesesticks and Humus!
 
   
Made in us
Posts with Authority





 Manchu wrote:
I am interested in the rules for planets.

Thought about buying it to peruse (almost certainly never going to play any variety of Pathfinder ever again) but it is pretty expensive and on flip-through I'm not sure if there is more to the setting than Pathfinder in Space.


Question of curiosity- what made you not want to play Pathfinder again?

Recently had a good campaign playing it, even if it was a bit weird.

Mob Rule is not a rule. 
   
Made in us
[MOD]
Solahma






RVA

Sorry this is going to be a little long. Spent about three years on a weekly 3.5 campaign after many years of no D&D. So 3.5 really shaped my adult expectations about D&D. When PFG Beta released, our group immediately adopted it (we had already been doing our own homebrew 3.8) but it soon became apparent that the problems we had been having with 3.5 were not really solved by Pathfinder despite the promise that it was 3.5 fixed. And so it might be. But again, that just wasn't our problem, as I eventually found out.

Around the same time, we tried D&D4e, which I ran. I enjoyed running it but the rest of the group was pretty down on it because they felt it was all combat and no character development. So by that time I started experimenting with off-the-cuff DMing that had little to do with grid and minis type tactical gaming; it was all about arcs and plots and themes. The group ate that up. Did some research into this and found this is how Basic D&D was being played by the so called Old School Renaissance movement among gamers.

I got pretty deep into the OSR, especially over on G+, and it fundamentally reprogrammed me in terms of what I want out of a RPG, as opposed to a dungeon crawler board game, and it's sort of a problem putting the genie back into the bottle. So looking at Pathfinder nowadays, the pages and pages of rules seem more like bars than opportunities.

   
Made in us
Death-Dealing Dark Angels Devastator



Southeastern U.S.A.

If you just want to check out the book, buy the PDF. It is only $9.99 compared to the price of the physical book.
   
Made in gb
[DCM]
Et In Arcadia Ego





Canterbury

We play P'finder -- and the old WOTC d20 star wars etc etc --- and never use minis or map packs.

The odd printed map and hastily scrawled rough notes does for us.



back to topic :


http://paizo.com/paizo/blog/v5748dyo5lk2n?Starfinder-Cheat-Sheet


Starfinder just launched! We know that a lot of you are excited to start playing. We also know that the Starfinder Core Rulebook is 528 pages long. That's a lot to digest in a day.

Fortunately, you don't have to! While Starfinder has a ton of differences from Pathfinder, both glaring and subtle, one of the things we shot for in the design was making sure that if you know how to play Pathfinder, it's a fairly easy switch over to Starfinder. Toward that end, Starfinder Design Lead Owen K.C. Stephens has crafted this handy one-page "cheat sheet" to help you jump straight into the action. While these notes on key rules and differences between the two games is by no means exhaustive, and no substitute for actually reading the Core Rulebook, it should provide some helpful reminders and make it easier for your gaming group to dive in and start adventuring right away.



The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
 
   
Made in us
Hangin' with Gork & Mork






 reds8n wrote:
We play P'finder


And I thought you were so butch! *runs off crying*

Amidst the mists and coldest frosts he thrusts his fists against the posts and still insists he sees the ghosts.
 
   
Made in ca
Fireknife Shas'el






I got the .pdf shortly after launch. Impressions from going over it:

Spellcasters got a needed nerf (vs Pathfinder) and there seems to be better caster/melee/ranged balance. There are only 6 levels of spells spread over the 20 character levels, and a lot of the powerful 3rd level standbys (Dispel Magic, Haste) in Pathfinder are 4th level spells in Starfinder (so, you must be much higher level to cast them). Casters (I think) will always be more of a support character rather than dominating the battlefield.

The low end of things seems weaker (while simultaneously more durable), but characters progress more meaningfully, attribute wise, as they level up. They made a serious effort to get rid of 'dead levels' where you only get hit points and base attack bonus, you should always get some new ability/feat at every level.

As far as gear goes, each weapon/armor has a level/tier that determines how powerful it is, as well as how much magic you can cram into it. This means the upgrade curve will be harsh, and you can only sell found loot for 10% unless it's a trade good. Buying a tier 10 gear is way better than upgrading a tier 6 gun to its maximum capacity. In Pathfinder you could always just keep upgrading the +1 sword you found at 3rd level if you liked.

Skill and feat wise, it's not super different, though they streamlined a few things and changed some of the old standard feats (like Weapon Specialization) . There seems to be a lot more of feats scaling with level rather than just flat bonuses.

If you liked Pathfinder or even D&D3.0 or 3.5, you'll probably be fine with Starfinder. Just don't expect a 10th level Mystic/Technomancer to do what a 10th level Wizard/Sorcerer could do.

   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





The Battle Barge Buffet Line

Could you explain a bit about the archetype called the Phrenic Adept or somesuch? I've seen the preview up on Paizo's page but I'm having a hard time judging just how "magical" that would make a soldier or solarion. Does it end up granting limited spell levels ala the fantasy paladin/ranger classes?

We Munch for Macragge! FOR THE EMPRUH! Cheesesticks and Humus!
 
   
Made in ca
Fireknife Shas'el






 warboss wrote:
Could you explain a bit about the archetype called the Phrenic Adept or somesuch? I've seen the preview up on Paizo's page but I'm having a hard time judging just how "magical" that would make a soldier or solarion. Does it end up granting limited spell levels ala the fantasy paladin/ranger classes?


It gives some sensory and telepathy powers. At 9th, 12th and 18th levels there are some serious once a day spells (few more times a day as you level upwards) like Charm Monster or Confusion (9th and 12th respectively). Before that it's telepathy, language skills and better mental defenses.

So it's not going to make a Soldier or Solarion terribly magical. It's a handful of SLAs (maximum 7 per day, combined) and Resolve spending powers with a telepathic theme. The good news is that while you have limited uses per day, you get to choose which SLA to use from a list of 3-4 (i.e. you have access to all of them) and the SLAs are mostly useful.

The Soldier would have to give up 6 feats over time to take this. It might be worth what you're getting, but won't pay off until 9th level at best. The Solarion gives up 5 stellar revelations, which is totally not worth it IMO.


   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





The Battle Barge Buffet Line

Thanks for the run down. I didn't know they were all mental. I suppose it might be a thematic option if you really truly want to play a not-jedi complete with mind tricks (with the Solarion class providing the magic lightsaber and a few other iconic powers).

We Munch for Macragge! FOR THE EMPRUH! Cheesesticks and Humus!
 
   
Made in ca
Fireknife Shas'el






 warboss wrote:
Thanks for the run down. I didn't know they were all mental. I suppose it might be a thematic option if you really truly want to play a not-jedi complete with mind tricks (with the Solarion class providing the magic lightsaber and a few other iconic powers).


Basically anybody can buy a 'not-lightsaber' in Starfinder, there are energy swords galore. Play a Mystic, take the Advanced Melee Weapons feat. You get a +3/4 BAB progression, can swing energy swords (there are even deflecting/reflecting feats) and cast spells. They didn't make it difficult to play a 'not-Jedi'.

   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





The Battle Barge Buffet Line

It's been years since I looked at Pathfinder but is there still an armor related spellcasting failure chance in this iteration of the rules?

We Munch for Macragge! FOR THE EMPRUH! Cheesesticks and Humus!
 
   
Made in ca
Fireknife Shas'el






 warboss wrote:
It's been years since I looked at Pathfinder but is there still an armor related spellcasting failure chance in this iteration of the rules?


I couldn't find one! Probably because armor is strictly necessary for space adventuring (life support and all that). Also gone are concentration checks, though the GM can rule that a situation is so bad he can't cast spells due to violent motion or whatnot.

   
Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut




Quick question, are there any rules, equipment or enemies for aquatic enviroments in any of the Star Finder books?
   
Made in ca
Fireknife Shas'el






Cyrixiinus wrote:
Quick question, are there any rules, equipment or enemies for aquatic enviroments in any of the Star Finder books?


Most armors have life support to deal with underwater adventuring, but the rules for operating underwater are fairly brief. As to enemies, I'm not sure.

   
Made in gb
Regular Dakkanaut




Thanks.
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





The Battle Barge Buffet Line

 John Prins wrote:
 warboss wrote:
It's been years since I looked at Pathfinder but is there still an armor related spellcasting failure chance in this iteration of the rules?


I couldn't find one! Probably because armor is strictly necessary for space adventuring (life support and all that). Also gone are concentration checks, though the GM can rule that a situation is so bad he can't cast spells due to violent motion or whatnot.


Thanks and good to hear for a sci-fi setting. I've been reading that the items (armor and weapons) also have levels and that their usefulness scales with that level (beyond just the +1/+10 you'd get in fantasy).

We Munch for Macragge! FOR THE EMPRUH! Cheesesticks and Humus!
 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





The Battle Barge Buffet Line

I'm curious... did they keep the Star Wars Saga and D&D4e style add your level or half your level bonus to all damage?

We Munch for Macragge! FOR THE EMPRUH! Cheesesticks and Humus!
 
   
Made in ca
Fireknife Shas'el






 warboss wrote:
I'm curious... did they keep the Star Wars Saga and D&D4e style add your level or half your level bonus to all damage?


No, they did not. Some feats like Deadly Aim add 1/2 your level to damage, but that seems to be it. SW Saga was IMO one of the best D&D system games ever, but it needed the armor/damage boosts because equipment didn't change much as you leveled up - in Starfinder, it will.

   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





The Battle Barge Buffet Line

 John Prins wrote:
 warboss wrote:
I'm curious... did they keep the Star Wars Saga and D&D4e style add your level or half your level bonus to all damage?


No, they did not. Some feats like Deadly Aim add 1/2 your level to damage, but that seems to be it. SW Saga was IMO one of the best D&D system games ever, but it needed the armor/damage boosts because equipment didn't change much as you leveled up - in Starfinder, it will.


I agree about SWSE as I really liked it and wished that was what D&D4e had become instead of taking the direction it trailblazed so much further. In any case, I think I'd have preferred adding half the level standard with all attacks so that PCs who happen to pick up NPC weapons (for instance when captured then escaping) can use them significantly more efficiently than the mooks. In any case, it's not a deal breaker and, as you said, it is mitigated with PC specific weapons leveling up more than before.

I'm very curious about this ruleset in theory but I'm still a bit apphrensive about using it in a scifi setting in practice.

We Munch for Macragge! FOR THE EMPRUH! Cheesesticks and Humus!
 
   
Made in ca
Fireknife Shas'el






Just remember it's space fantasy, basically, D&D in space where technology has replaced a lot of the magical items (and that technology is really, really expensive).

   
Made in us
[MOD]
Solahma






RVA

 warboss wrote:
 John Prins wrote:
SW Saga was IMO one of the best D&D system games ever
I agree about SWSE as I really liked it and wished that was what D&D4e had become instead of taking the direction it trailblazed so much further.
Me three.

   
Made in gb
[DCM]
Et In Arcadia Ego





Canterbury

http://www.starfindersrd.com/

might be of use/interest.


The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all
We love our superheroes because they refuse to give up on us. We can analyze them out of existence, kill them, ban them, mock them, and still they return, patiently reminding us of who we are and what we wish we could be.
"the play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king,
 
   
Made in us
Decrepit Dakkanaut





The Battle Barge Buffet Line

Thanks! That went up as scheduled although it's in wiki form by fans. I wonder if Paizo will post a single art free download of the core (off to check their site!).

We Munch for Macragge! FOR THE EMPRUH! Cheesesticks and Humus!
 
   
 
Forum Index » Board Games, Roleplaying Games & Card Games
Go to: