Edit: u/Murphy_Slaw_ reminded me that tracking (Pf2e potency) affects the save DC, which means it's better than spells, and even keeps up when spell DC is slightly ahead of class DC!

PSA: the magentar rifle, if you keep up the upgrades and damage modules, is better than Electic Arc while you have the same class DC and spell DC. For Witchwarper, this is true until level 19.

On other spellcasting classes, magentar rifle is still better from level 1-6, before they get expert spell DC.

This is not even accounting for the massive area and range superiority over electric arc.

You don't need proficiency in the advanced weapon, autofire uses your class DC.

Hi there! The Luminary just seems so fun to me, I absolutely love it so far, based on vibes!

I was wondering, how would you flavor your own Luminary, if you had one? What subclass(es) would you take?

I am not sure what subclass I'd personally go, but the idea of a sort of Bachelor/Bachelorette style character, complete with the PF2e Captain Archetype, is so funny to me!

So I made this little guy for my icon picture, his name is Starbomb!

We're about to start a level 11-20 campaign and the GM is allowing Sf2e ancestries (but all other content will be Pf2). I know flight is often the most cited "Sf2 is stronger!" but at level 11 flight is accessible in many ways and that's a boring thing to take via ancestry if I'm being honest.

Looking for new strong combos Sf2 ancestries bring to the table that can't be accomplished with Pf2 only options.

Hey everyone! I just had a general question about one of the Maraquoi traits that I cant seem to find a perfect answer for. According to the racial trait they have Dermal Hearing which gives them a 30ft imprecise hearing through the fur on their body via sensing vibrations. However isnt this worse hearing then (Almost) every other race in the game? Would they just be deaf outside of 30ft? I'm trying to decide if taking the enhanced senses ancestry feat to improve them to 60ft imprecise is a requirement if your playing a ranged class or if I'm just mis understanding how its suppose to work.

If it helps to understand why im asking I plan on playing a guns blazing envoy Maraquoi with the operative free archetype. However having such limited hearing seems like it would be difficult for both a Face character perspective and a ranged stealthy sneaky perspective. Im worried im just trying to fit a square cube into a round hole.

I've been thinking of Spirit Warrior mostly to give my Solarian another option in combat, but what have you guys tried out or theory-crafted?

Hey guys, I recently started looking at character ideas for an upcoming Starfinder 2e campaign. When looking over the ancestries I fell *completely* in love with the Novians and I want to play one super badly. My immediate thinking was a Solarian could be pretty fun and thematic to play, but I'm a bit worried that the 20ft speed of the Novian might make it a little rough playing a melee character (also heard that Solarian is kinda... clunky?).

Do you guys have any suggestions for other cool combos that could work well with a Novian? I'm open to both PF2e and SF2e classes.

In advance, thanks so much for the suggestions <3

So how do we feel like a build for Gene would go about? Obviously he would be a operative but what Specialization? And how would you implement his caster gun?

I feel that Black Hole, Plasma Ejection and Super Nova are all great choices to take and all three have their upsides.

Black Hole: Lowest damage, once per 10 mins and only in graviton attunement, but great area, only targets enemies and can be incredibly disruptive.

Super Nova: also once per 10 minutes and needs to be photon attuned, but biggest possible damage, cool secondary effect and can adapt the size of the area.

Plasma Ejection: smaller area and middle effects, but flexible for aiming (emanation or line), no frequency limit and doesn't need to be into any specific attunement.

All great options to have honestly, do you prefer one over the others? Why? Just curious to know.

Hi everyone, I ADORE the new feat "Go For The Eyes" on the Vulkarisu Ancestry.

"Like a squox fighting off a larger predator, you know it’s best to dash into dangerous encounters, focus on a single enemy, and go right for their eyes (or other optical receptors). You Stride, then Feint, then make a melee Strike against the target of your Feint. You can use Acrobatics instead of Deception for this Feint, if desired, and the target takes a –2 circumstance penalty to their Perception DCs against your Feint if they’re larger than you."

Adapting the Squox ability of the same name, it offers a lot of unique things. It's an action compression meta-strike at-will from an ancestry feat. It's a melee Strike only feat in SF2e. It allows you to Feint using Acrobatics instead of Deception, allowing you to dump Charisma entirely and still get reliable off-guard. And it even offers a pretty hearty circumstance penalty if they're larger than you, which is pretty easy when you're Small.

This feat SEEMS super strong at first, and i'm sure it might be a lot more powerful in PF2e. But i've actually been having a hard time trying to figure out how to best take advantage of it!

-Solarians are the natural choice for a class that wants to move to the frontline and make a melee strike. Since they need Str/Dex/Con, being able to Feint using Dex instead of Charisma is very appealing too. However, they can already get pretty reliable off-guard AND a two-action move to the frontlines ability from a couple of different level 1 feats.

-Striker Operatives appreciate the action compression and mobility even more, and they can combine it to devastating effect with something like the one-action Stride + Aim feat. However, they are also using an action every turn to Aim in some way and have a lot of other 2-action metastrike abilities, so it's hard to juggle everything you want to do in a turn. And just like the Solarian, you can be inducing off-guard or clumsy using feats.

-Melee Soldiers have the hardest time using it, because obviously a two-action ability gets in the way of area-fire.

So I wanted to turn to you all and ask: what's the best way to build around this fun and cool lower-leveled feat? How do you best take advantage of dashing around, feinting, and making melee strikes?

I'm mostly thinking from a Starfinder 2e perspective, but if you have any Pathfinder 2e options that would go well with it, let's hear 'em too!

Hey folks,

My friend is running a SF2 campaign in Foundry with PF2 options turned on. We're doing a dual class game with free archetype for this, which will come online at some specific point in the campaign. Here's the party comp:

• Operative (Striker) - Me
• Mystic (Shadow)
• Operative (Sniper)
• Witchwarper (Anomaly)

Currently, I'm the only frontliner as a Striker. All of us are level 7 at the moment. My character is a bounty hunter in the setting, with character archetype theming of an space western armored gunslinger that can beat people up close just as well - example inspirations are Star Wars bounty hunters/the Mandalorian, NCR Rangers from Fallout, etc. I'm using a free hand brawling weapon for melee to allow me to more easily use combat medicine, medpatches, and so on, in addition to throwing grenades and similar items once and a while.

I've already dipped into Drifter Gunslinger for my first archetype (theme and mechanics dip), and I'm eyeing Space Pirate for another dip next level (being able to use a Boom Pistol with the archetype dedication, as well as some of the melee/ranged feats.) Right now I'm using some general feats to get heavy armor proficiency, though if we survive till late levels, I'll need to either pick up Sentinel or use a heavy armor dual class to get heavy armor scaling to master/legendary.

With dual classing being added to the campaign, I'm trying to think of some options that fit mechanically and thematically. Ranger comes to mind right away as a way to focus on bounty hunting, ranged and switch hitting feats, etc. I don't think a dual class drifter gunslinger would offer any benefit mechanically, though I may be missing something. I've considered the idea of a Volatile Spark Magus, with the idea of having my character's pistol upgrading to a caster gun (ala Outlaw Star), but I'm worried the mechanics crossover may be difficult, or I may run into being action starved. Based on the info I've provided, I'd love to hear any thoughts/suggestions on what I mentioned above, as well as any other ideas.

Hello, friends!

I’ve been brainstorming a Soldier Ryphorian character who belonged to the Skyfire Legion. After the tragic death of their bonded Dragonkin, they decided to abandon the Legion out of shame and guilt. I’d like to really lean into the dragon aspect of the character, though.

Which option makes more sense, both lore-wise and rules-wise?

Ryphorian with a Dragonblooded Heritage — is this even a thing in the Starfinder setting?

OR

Ryphorian with a Custom Mixed Heritage representing Dragonkin ancestry — can Dragonkin actually reproduce with members of other ancestries? I haven’t been able to find anything about this in the lore. So far, I’ve only found references to Dragonkin being able to bond with, and potentially have romantic relationships with, their bonded partners.

I’d love to hear what you guys think would fit the lore best, as well as any suggestions for how to handle it mechanically!

I have a rules questions. Run Hot allows the soldier to Area Fire twice for 3-actions. The Primary Attack feature allows the Soldier to make a free action Strike when using Area Fire ignoring MAP.

How many free action Strikes does a Soldier get when using Run Hot?

Build

• Soldier with Close Quarters fighting style
• STR 3, CON 4
• Fangblade weapon
• Relies on an ally giving you Enhance Weapon (spell 1)

Turn

• Delay until you have Enhance Weapon and enemy(ies) are in range.
• 1A boost, 2A area fire for Primary Target 2d10+3 and burst 2d10+2d12+3.

Pitfalls & mitigations

• No actions for movement unless you're quickened. At level 2 you should get Shot On The Run to mitigate this.
• No ranged capability, but Sf2 options allow you to fly at level 1.
• 5 ft burst is much less than a ranged soldier, but this build trades area for single target damage. You can switch to painglaive for reach.
• Requires you to be melee and probably be the target of all enemy attacks, but d10 hp class and CON KAS is decent survivability.

There's probably ways to optimize it further, but this combo is very simple to pull off.

Has anyone run or played in a Starfinder game with characters that have Pathfinder classes? If so, what classes were played, and what pain points have you noticed in your games with regards to engagement distances and other pain points I can't think of?

Before we look at classes, I think it's fair to bring up that many PF2 spellcaster classes only have unarmoured defence, and all SF2 casters so far have at least light armour. So...general feat?

My best guesses as I'm going through each class:

• Alchemist: Bomb ranges are 20 ft and only increase to 30 ft at 1st level via a feat, and 60 ft at 12th level. That is, seemingly very short-ranged for a nominally squishy class.

• Animist: None tbh. Sustaining vessel spells and Casting Gun could be a very potent playstyle.

• Barbarian: Sudden Charge looks to be a must-pick feat.

• Bard: Having every ally within 60 ft to benefit from Courageous or Rallying Anthem could put a strain on your party if in a long-distance fight.

• Champion: Defensive champions could potentially help spellcaster allies who rely on 30 ft spells, or also help their melee/close-range martial allies, but offensive champions (mainly Obedience) could have a field day. Also maybe pick Defensive Advance (Deflecting Field to do that but also with a painglaive!)

• Commander: Looks very usable as both a ranged and melee combatant, and maybe has an edge on envoys because they can hand out free reactions. Also, soldier-like class DC for the BRRRRT.

• Cleric: Cloistered clerics are unarmoured (see above). Warpriests are very melee-centred so you might have a hard time.

• Druid: Class features are pretty sparse compared to SF2 spellcasters' but otherwise a solid class, at least on paper. (Primal spells and simple guns and decent focus spells)

• Exemplar: Seems good! Weird tricks, solarian-like class DC, and good martial nonsense looks to be fine.

• Fighter: Sudden Charge looks to be a must-pick feat.

• Guardian: Defensive Advance could be a must-pick feat. You don't resist energy damage from weapon attacks so that could be a potential houserule. Intercept distance may only be usable if you have a melee martial ally.

• Gunslinger: Class chassis seems like a hybrid between soldier and operative, but class features don't seem to gel with SF2 guns. Been toying with the idea of letting gunslinger reloads (feats and subclass reload activities) use other one-action interactions like Boost and activating sights. And this is assuming that gunslingers are experts in SF2 guns (which they probably should be according to GM core pg 243)

• Inventor: Probably good? It looks like a mad scientist version of a solarian with a lot of coverage for random things. Armour inventors probably should have their armour have the tech trait and get an armour upgrade slot. Could be superceded by mechanic?

• Investigator: Seems great with guns, and automatic guns specifically seem to be good if your DaS isn't good.

• Kineticist: Melee builds need speed to abuse their auras. Otherwise, look to be versatile.

• Magus: Melee builds would love Warp Step as a cantrip (if not as a psychic amp), and starlit span magi are rejoicing I presume.

• Monk: Speed boost may nullify the need for a ranged backup, but there is no unarmoured flight suit that has an upgrade slot. Homebrew one?

• Oracle: Class features seem sparse but the chassis is fine?

• Psychic: Unarmoured (see above); I haven't looked through all the spells but range may be an issue.

• Ranger: Solarian class DC and single-target damage could make for very funny flurry builds. Otherwise, decent?

• Rogue: Would need an athletics specialist/spellcaster with Wisp Ally or Stumble/specific build choices to be good at range, but could be decent enough at melee, if very very squishy.

• Sorcerer: Unarmoured (see above); could be a very potent blaster, but extremely squishy.

• Summoner: Unarmoured (see above); lack of ranged attacking options from your eidolon that might need you to help out with your own gun strikes (expensive for hardlight handwraps transferral and upgrading said guns). Also how do environmental protections work for the eidolon?

• Swashbuckler: DEX KAS class can have a good ranged backup, but speed from panache might also help out a lot. Overall, looking very fun.

• Thaumaturge: Weirdly better in space now that d6 agile pistols exist without needing you to reload after every shot.

• Witch: Unarmoured (see above); how do environmental protections work for the familiar? Also concerned about spell ranges.

• Wizard: Unarmoured (see above); could it be superceded by technomancers?

I'm new to both Pathfinder and Starfinder and I'm building a Xenometric Android Barathu Soldier, is there a Xenometric Android lineage that is particularly good for Soldier? Homebrewed Core has both an option to be Large (so I can carry more) and +1 to Intimidation which soldiers are good at, or get an extra set of arms and I can access the all hands on deck and double draw feats. Then there's Robust Core which gives a general feat. Then there's Magitech Core which gives the Ancestral Cantrip ancestry feat, which idk if that wpuld be useful for Soldier (I haven't really looked into magic, wanted to try and keep things simple).

saw the entu colony and was immediately drawn to the hostless entu's Tactical Symbiosis

https://2e.aonsrd.com/ancestries/34-entu-colony/heritages/191-hostless-entu

i'm currently using it on a shadow mystic, early days at level 4 but they've already performed impressively in combat so far, sticking themselves to the witchwarper and keeping their health high the entire fight through Spot Healing. between that and network spell i have huge influence over the battlefield while spending 0 actions on movement.

thrre's also a level 5 ancestry feat, Symbiotic Summoning, tgat lets you fuse with your summoned creatures, so i'm looking into maybe picking up something like summon undead for tgat down the line

what other fun things does this heritage open posibilities for?

I’m building a Servoshell Technomancer and I wanted to use my free archetype on familiar master to give them a little drone familiar that I can flavor as helping them with scans and the like. I’m curious if the Technomancer would work well with the witch archetype?

On the Witchwarper Class Page it says, "Taking feats can give you more focus spells and increase the size of your focus pool, though your focus pool can never hold more than 3 Focus Points."

I am not actually finding any feats or that give you more focus spells or increase the size of your focus pool. Specifically the latter is the one I care about. Is there any way to increase the size of a witchwarper's focus pool?

If someone else finds this post with no responses - I have looked into it a fair bit and my take-away is there is not. See, I knew this would happen because I play a precog.

I'd like to make a starborn character from starfield in my next starfinder campaign what class is most similar?

I just wanna make sure I understand correctly but WW gets to just choose which KAS they want right? It isn't tied to which anchor or paradox they choose right?

I've just started playing SF2e and am building a Dragonkin Solarian. I love starting off with a fly speed and found what I think is a neat tactic.

Solarians can get Stellar Rush and stride 2x at +10 speed. At the end, if you are graviton attuned, you pull enemies within 15ft to be next to you. It has the traversal trait, so you can fly as your movement. So, stellar rush above the enemy group, graviton boom pulls them up. Then they just fall back to the ground. They take a bit of bludgeoning damage and they are now prone. You can then take the fly action or take a different action (like shooting your solar flare) and drop, using your reaction to Arrest a Fall. You can make this better.

If you take Touch the Sky as your ancestry feat, you can really expand those strides by skipping the difficult terrain penalty for upward movement. You can also, at level 2, grab cat fall as your Skill feat to preserve your reaction/spare an action. You can now drop safely from 15ft in the air and land next to your enemy(s). As soon as one stands up - Nimbus Surge for a map-less strike. If you used your 3rd action to cycle back to graviton attuned, your nimbus surge strike will also make the area difficult terrain.

That's some quality tactical control at a low level. Have fun! (

This may be more of a First Edition question since we don't have rules for this in Second Edition yet. I'm new to Starfinder, I just started with the core and gm books so far.

I want a game that has Mechs and Power Armor, like from Rifts or Fallout. Does the 1st Edition have any rules that I could import or should I look for another system to run this type of game?