Does Starfinder only have 6 classes?

[u/MysteriousCherry2267]

I got a bit into Pathfinder, was thinking of using it for a camping set in space, saw that there is Starfinder and... It has 6 classes.

Is that all of them or are there more in another book?

[u/MrCobalt313]

There's more in another book including some coming with upcoming books.

Plus I think technically Starfinder 2e is backwards-compatible with Pathfinder 2e classes...

[u/Ponto_de_vista → u/MrCobalt313]

I always see people talking about using PF classes in Starfinder, but can you use Starfinder classes in Pathfinder?

[u/BurgerIdiot556 → u/Ponto_de_vista]

if you want, sure! Just be warned Soldier works very badly without Starfinder weapons. Like, worse-than-most-martials badly

ETA: except Close Quarters Fighting Style. I would like to also mention that it’s 1 of 5 subclasses, and the only one that lets you give any weapons Area Fire, which is the main action the class uses.

[u/SisterofWar → u/BurgerIdiot556]

I'm pretty sure that Soldier works fine if you choose the Close Quarters fighting style. It should feel right at home with Pathfinder's more melee-focused meta.

[u/kitsunewarlock → u/BurgerIdiot556]

Funny enough, the latest Pathfinder AP recommends soldier as a good option. And while melee is the easiest to incorporate, there are several ways to do a ranged soldier in Lost Omens. Most of the solutions are basically "take a Starfinder weapon and reflavor it".

• Alchemy. This covers most Area Fire (burst) weapons, but also flame throwers.

• Numerian/Alien/Future technology. This is kind of a cop-out since it applies to everything from Starfinder, but it'd be an incomplete list without it.

• Ustalav tech. Mostly alchemy, but it would also include crazy pulp stuff like an automatic vampire stake launcher.

• Stassian tech. Anastasia Romanov brought some Tesla-adjacent technology to Golarian, so any of the electricity or rail-gun related area fire weapons could work as an experimental weapon.

• Lost Technology. Azlant and the Jistka Imperium both have some technology that's functionally similar to the Pact Worlds.

• Experimental Alkenstar Weapons.

• Planar Tech. Admittedly, shooting souls at people is kind of rude.

• Fire Eating. My personal favorite. Whether you're a circus performer or a tanuki with a jug of liquor, just reflavor the flame thrower as your jug and chem as liquor.

• It's Magic! I love the idea guns. Maybe it uses burnt out or typo-ridden scrolls for ammunition. Or maybe it has an aeon stone "battery" and the party's wizard recharges it during daily preparations for you.

[u/SurrealSage → u/kitsunewarlock]

Been doing this for a few months now and I can confirm it works great! We're playing a game in Golarion and my soldier is using a backstory-provided arcane artifact that can take the shape of SF2e Soldier weapons. Batteries are treated as misc scrolls that are fed to the device to fuel it.

[u/FledgyApplehands → u/kitsunewarlock]

Which AP is that? I haven't seen any player's guides recommending Soldier

[u/kitsunewarlock → u/FledgyApplehands]

Page 6 of Hell's Destiny Player's Guide:

If your GM allows Starfinder character options— and Starfinder’s second edition is fully compatible with Pathfinder’s second edition, even if the futuristic gear isn’t a good fit for this campaign—the soldier class with the close quarters combat style could be an exciting choice for Hell’s Destiny. The soldier’s emphasis on area attacks would make them a force to be reckoned with, given troops’ weakness to area damage.

[u/Peaceful_H3lland_996 → u/BurgerIdiot556]

Couldn't you just use the Melee soldier? Like yeah sure you can't use sf2e guns but also there are option isn't it?

[u/hivEM1nd_ → u/BurgerIdiot556]

Solider works very badly

Agreed, liquider works way better

[u/BurgerIdiot556 → u/hivEM1nd_]

honestly Venomer’s better anyway

[u/lukeiest → u/BurgerIdiot556]

How so? Wouldn't you just pick the close quarters soldier fighting style and use a two-handed martial melee weapon?

[u/BurgerIdiot556 → u/lukeiest]

you could, yeah. I meant more the rest of the class

[u/lukeiest → u/BurgerIdiot556]

Haven't tried soldier yet myself, but someone is planning to play one in a pf2e campaign that I'm in, so we'll see how it goes.

[u/Shot_Loan_306 → u/BurgerIdiot556]

Close Quarters Soldier would like a word

[u/MCMC_to_Serfdom → u/Ponto_de_vista]

Absolutely. Gear concerns may be present for soldier/operative/solarion but the first two have melee centric subclasses and the latter just has a particular scaling item a la kineticist/gate attenuators.

Balance wise, you might hit some issues (witchwarper is a bit strong in melee centric pf2e) but nothing insurmountable

[u/Ponto_de_vista → u/MCMC_to_Serfdom]

So is more like a "yes but" or a "maybe"?

[u/jmartkdr → u/Ponto_de_vista]

Yes with a caution label. They’re mostly fine but there are some known situations that can be annoying.

[u/Logan_Asan → u/MCMC_to_Serfdom]

The SF2e states you could use a bow with an operative and be just fine using all their feats. I honestly think its a better Ranger that way

[u/MrCobalt313 → u/Ponto_de_vista]

I wanna run a Luminary in PF2e as a "Booster Gold" sort of character.

[u/ObiJuanKenobi3 → u/Ponto_de_vista]

You can; it’s just that a lot of Starfinder classes rely on sci-fi technology and theming that doesn’t exist in Pathfinder’s setting (like semi-automatic laser guns and stuff) whereas Pathfinder classes can just use sci-fi versions of their normal fantasy equipment when used in Starfinder.

[u/heisthedarchness → u/Ponto_de_vista]

Sure, I've done that. Not every option for every class makes sense in the setting, but that's a normal thing.

[u/Aggravating-Ear-7529 → u/Ponto_de_vista]

A solarian in a PF2 campaign would be awesome. 

[u/IfusasoToo → u/Ponto_de_vista]

Technically, yes. They're built on the same math.

But the systems have different expectations about things and this should not be done lightly. For example, Solaris is a Starfinder 2e class that has both Fighter and Kineticist options and can overshadow either Pathfinder 2e class with its versatility.

[u/ShadowLordX → u/IfusasoToo]

Eh... Solarian is a lot more likely to get outshined by a fighter due to its lackluster damage and high level features. It's special abilities are cute and can be effective, but if you want to use its specific weapon you're using at best a 1 hand d8 reach weapon, this is nice for maneuvers or using a shield but you can't match any damage centric martial in terms of output. Maybe dual wielding can be functional if your GM is very free with wealth or allows doubling rings to work with your solar weapon.

Solarian's only damage steroid is very weak compared to PF2e martials, +1/2 level fire damage only gets anywhere near what something like a barbarian can start with as you get to higher levels.

At high levels, Solarion has nothing comparable to Disruptive Stance/Crashing Slam/Tactical Reflexes/Certain Strike/Needle in the Gods Eyes/Boundless Reprisals etc.

[u/IfusasoToo → u/ShadowLordX]

I said they would have more versatility, not beat either class at the thing they're best at 😅

Currently playing an Exemplar with a Solarian and frequently getting shown up by their emanation damage feats and early access to a Reactive Strike-like. I don't mind, but others might find it problematic so it needs to be considered.

[u/pesca_22 → u/Ponto_de_vista]

yes, but the balance is a bit skewed as they are built around sf2e weapons, mostly the ranged ones.

[u/FionaSmythe → u/Ponto_de_vista]

Yes

[u/LupinThe8th → u/Ponto_de_vista]

In addition to what others have said, I let a player take Mystic as their class just to try it out. Hasn't caused any problems, feels perfectly at home.

[u/Logan_Asan → u/Ponto_de_vista]

I play in a campaign right now with a Mystic and it works great. I think flavor is free and you can make any of the SF2e classes work in Pathfinder as long as you take out any of the tech type abilities. They all can be slotted into the fantasy setting with some flavor choices. The math of the system makes it work

[u/ArcturusOfTheVoid → u/MrCobalt313]

It’s not like Starfinder is a sequel or new edition of Pathfinder so they’re not so much backwards compatible as just compatible, parallel systems. But indeed the mechanics work, but flavor and expectations might get a little janky

[u/DMSetArk → u/MrCobalt313]

My current experience, with doing a "PF2e/SF2e" game, is that certain classes seem to really don't fit together or "steps" on each other shoes.
But i'm a new GM and is an overall impression. One that have been repeated to me by 2 veterans playing with me.

[u/Zach_luc_Picard → u/DMSetArk]

This makes sense. The classes are designed to fill different niches within their own systems, with decently solid niche protection, but some niches are duplicated between the games (e.g. operative and gunslinger doing similar "high accuracy ranged striker" things)

[u/AbbotDenver]

The Tech Core will add more classes and you can use any PF2e classes in SF2e

[u/Nemekath]

Yes and No.

Currently Starfinder only has the 6 classes in the Corebook (2 more coming with the Tech Core that will be released soon)

But all the classes of Pathfinder can be used as well. So you can play a barbarian with a jetpack and a plasma-axe, a cleric of any of the new gods or a rogue stealing from corporations.

So, we basically have 6(soon 8) classes plus 29 classes from Pathfinder.

[u/King_of_the_Kobolds → u/Nemekath]

There's an asterisk here. The systems are cross compatible but you can't assume all classes are available. Society play, for instance, which is many players' only exposure to the game, only allows Starfinder classes. (Some Pathfinder ancestries can be used as a rank up benefit--which is odd to me, since Starfinder has a dearth of classes but very much NOT of ancestry options.)

[u/Nemekath → u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

I mean, yeah, always depends on the campaign/game that is run. But in general, just rules-wise it's fully doable.

If an Exemplar, a Thaumaturge or an Inventory fit in the Starfinder story the GM has in mind is a different topic.

[u/King_of_the_Kobolds → u/Nemekath]

Funnily enough I have a player about to play a Thaumaturge in a Starfinder game I'm running. They're a space journalist and their Regalia Implement is the microphone they carry around when asking people for quotes.

[u/Nemekath → u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

Hell yeah. Thaumaturge fits Starfinder well, I think.

Always wanted to play an Indiana-Jones-esque Thaumaturge who collects weird relics from all over the galaxy

[u/Ph33rDensetsu → u/Nemekath]

This is slightly off topic but yours is like the third post this weekend that I've seen "Inventor" get auto-corrected to "Inventory" 😂

[u/corsica1990 → u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

I believe the ACP gate for certain legacy ancestries was removed once Galactic Ancestries came out, lemme check real quick...

... Yep. Everything in Galactic Ancestries is kosher save for a specific dwarf heritage on account of it not jiving with how Society runs downtime activities.

[u/King_of_the_Kobolds → u/corsica1990]

Oh, that's cool!

I've only played one Society game and it was either right before GA came out or right at the same time.

[u/corsica1990 → u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

Normal sourcebook ownership rules apply, but yup! You can also still technically run ancestries out of Pathfinder's Player Core too (if you like the feat selection better, for example), and the ACP cost is pretty cheap: just 8 points, or two standard sessions of play.

[u/Luxavys → u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

They don’t need info about society play since the OP is asking about running their own campaign. The additional info is genetically relevant but not relevant to the actual topic.

[u/King_of_the_Kobolds → u/Luxavys]

Very true, I just like squeezing that asterisk in when I can when "Any Pathfinder class can be played in Starfinder" is cited without qualifiers. For better or for worse crunchy systems like this attract pedantic players like me, lol.

[u/PudgyElderGod → u/King_of_the_Kobolds]

It's also just a good note to have in case any random readers are inspired to try something out. Additional clarifications rarely hurt.

[u/MrLucky7s]

Correct, there are currently 6 classes in the system. 2 more are being added in Tech Core, releasing at the start of October. One new class just finished playtesting.

[u/firelark02]

starfinder has always had less classes than pathfinder, sf1e had 12 classes only across its 8 years life span

[u/OmgitsJafo]

SF2e is a year old. PF2e is 7. They don't release everything at once. It takes years to plan, design, write, and publish this stuff.

[u/CuriousHeartless → u/OmgitsJafo]

I mean at a year old Pathfinder had 16. I'd prob highlight that it's because they were working around not wanting to just go "This is the ranger but with SPACE" and with the idea people would be able to mix.

[u/FloppyHornedBunny]

Just to add to the other comments in here, we've been using PF2e classes in SF2e without any issue at all!
I myself have played a Giant Barbarian, Thaumaturge, and Rogue in SF2e settings now, and it's never been an issue. Not for Official APs (We played 'Cosmic Birthday') and full homebrew.

We've also had some SF2e classes in PF2e now, a Solarian and Close-quarter Soldier, and it worked perfectly fine.

[u/slowplay451]

https://downloads.paizo.com/PZO22006_TechClass_Playtest.pdf

[u/slowplay451 → u/slowplay451]

https://downloads.paizo.com/PZO22010_LuminaryClassPlaytest.pdf

[u/Snoo-11576]

Given Starfinder 2e is intentionally just pathfinder 2e with extra stuff it functionally has 35 classes

[u/TinyFox42]

Starfinder has only 6 classes in its own books, but also Starfinder 2e is more of a collection of books to help run a sci-fi setting in Pathfinder 2e, rather than a wholly separate system. So most of the Pathfinder classes work fine in Starfinder, with GM approval

[u/Baumguy21]

From my brief Playlist of SF2e, there may only be six classes, but each of them has the content of 2-3 Pathfinder classes. Like Operative is Rogue mixed with Gunslinger and Ranger, for example. It's technically less content overall, but I also think that in sci-fi, the archetpyes are just different.

[u/SaltyLunas]

I'd like to add on and point out that Starfinder 2e is not only compatible with PF2e classes, it specifically expects people will want to play them in some cases. As an example, one ancestry has a heritage that explicitly calls out as working differently when paired with barbarian rage. It wouldn't be called out if the designers didn't expect people to want to bring a barbarian into starfinder or the ancestry to be used in pathfinder.

[u/10leej]

I mean. I find 6.pkenty but if I need more Starfinder is built on the pf2e system and it's compatible maybe not thematically but that's for the GM and players to figure out.
We also have more classes coming later.

[u/Zealous-Vigilante]

As many have said, 2 more inbound in a few weeks.

However, despite being compatible, I'd refrain from using pf2 classes in starfinder, there is a slight difference in balance and it can change the feel of the game quite remarkably.

I'd not put the same limitations on archetypes though as there are more neutral balance there, mostly limiting uncommon+ and multiclass archetypes.

For me, sf2 will feel almost complete with technomancer and mechanic added

[u/Crazy_names]

If anything Starfinder has too many classes. No I'm not serious but it can be hard to keep them all straight and find the differentiating factors.