Starfinder (aka Pathfinder in SPAAAACE!!, Interest thread)

[wander]

I noticed in looking over Diamond's new catalogue on-site that the hardcover for Starfinder, the scifi Pathfinder system, will be out in August. Seeing as Pathfinder seems to be one of the more popular system games here, I was wondering if anyone would picking up the game and if anyone was interested in running/playing a game of it?

So, before the game comes out, this seeing if other people are hyped for the new game and if any GMs out there would be willing to give it a go. Hardback I saw was retailing for $60, so it's actually a very expensive corebook (probably best to grab it as a pdf from drivethru maybe to save a few coffers), though it seems everything you need will be in that one tome.

Due to cost I wanted to see how much of a base the game would potentially have here and if it'd be worth picking up. So, if interested or you want to talk more on the game, let me know down below!

[Hunter]

The SRD does have most of the material.  I suspect that would save someone some cash.

[Matthias von Rosenritter]

I definitely plan on both getting the setting and running an adventure using the setting. So definitely be ready for that.

[wander]

The SRD does have most of the material.  I suspect that would save someone some cash.

Oh sure, I know d20 rules through 3.5 and have years of experience with it, though it's the new stuff and fluff I'm anticipating.  ;D

@Matthias; awesome, hopefully other people will have some interest, scifi has always been my first real love (harder scifi the better too).  :-)

[National Acrobat]

I have pre-ordered the book, and will be learning it and running my first game with it with my RL group to see how it goes before I decide to run any PbP games with it. We are all very intrigued by it and looking forward to it.

[MasterMischief]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGKFqE8Ay28

[wander]

Build it and they shall come... Books not out yet after all though you can preorder now at least.  ;D

[HairyHeretic]

I was reading a preview piece on this earlier, the planet of the undead. It sounds interesting, and I'd probably want to take a look at it when it came out.

[Angie]

I haven't looked at it much, yet, but is there a variant of the Sorcerer class in there? I could have Tinalia go out TO SPAAAAAAAAACE! if there's magically inclined classes-I assume it's there, I just need to sit down and read this stuff.

EDIT: I took a look and there's a couple cool magic classes. I might go Technomancer, though, and do a different concept...

[Swordsman18]

By the way there is also Hyperlanes to do DnD 5e in space. I wonder if Starfinder will be kind of like it.

[wander]

I just saw how cheap the pdf is going for, for $10, which comes to just about £7.50-£8, can't go wrong with that.

I'm gonna talk with my comic guy who'd be the one supplying me with the corebook if I get the hardcover and see what the exchange rate will be, as whilst the pdf is a bargain, I could always do with sexeh dead tree editions.  ;D

[Hunter]

Printed editions will never go away.    You might otherwise break your tablet when you hit someone for being stupid-er.

[indarkestknight]

I haven't looked at it much, yet, but is there a variant of the Sorcerer class in there? I could have Tinalia go out TO SPAAAAAAAAACE! if there's magically inclined classes-I assume it's there, I just need to sit down and read this stuff.

EDIT: I took a look and there's a couple cool magic classes. I might go Technomancer, though, and do a different concept...

Yeah, there aren't going to be any full casters in core, though, apparently. Core caster classes (technomancer & mystic) cap at out 6th level spells. Solarian sounds magical, but it might be more kineticist than caster.

[ThatFantasticBard]

I've been waiting for Starfinder for nearly a year, so I'm definitely interested~

[Tremerette]

I am very keen to play. I should have access to the core rulebook so I'd be up for it as a player. A few pieces of info I have picked up
-The have a class that covers the classic archetypes but they aren't the same. It's compatible enough that a GM might allow classes from Pathfinder in it but there are a few potential problems so I'd stick to it as a just Starfinder for the PCs. The conversion rules seem to be more focused on converting Monsters from one system to the other with little issue. They said specifically they didn't want to screw over fans by just reprinting converted monsters that fans can mostly do themselves easily... and can make all new monsters for our delight!
-The classic core races are all there but less common, they are in the Pathfinder Legacy chapters as examples of how to convert races over. Humans of course are still there, obviously the Red Skinned Humans from Akiton are probably going to make an appearance too!
-Since it's science fantasy they decided to go with something weird for the FTL. The new gestalt machine deity after combining gifted the races a form of FTL that lets them travel from one system to another but parts of other planes get dragged into the kind of subway system between the stars. So why travelling between the stars your random encounter can be an chunk of a dungeon that has been added to their weird realm for ye to hop out and explore. It's pretty cool

[Re Z L]

I'd be interested in playing as well  ;D

[Chajesdad]

I have been directed here for I have an interest in your game, but I was wondering if the Starfinder and Starjammer setting for Pathfinder are the same.

[wander]

No I don't think they are, though Starfinder may borrow some aspects from Starjammer.

Someone who has seen more previews and knows more than me can maybe say more, though Starfinder seems to be a future setting of the basic Golarion setting for Pathfinder where the world has gone missing and so now space adventure is the main crux now.

[Krys]

I'd be interested.

[Muse]

  As would I, though I guess I'll have to acquire the book?  It doesn't seem to be on the SRD yet? 

[wander]

I believe the book itself is out next month, Muse. :)

I also expect as the SRD usually covers stuff that is open to use, that little Starfinder stuff will make it on there officially also. Which becomes the issue, as the corebook is near 600 pages hardback and it's cost represents that.

I think most people play Pathfinder here because it's SRD covered. Starfinder I don't see being SRD officially.

[Chajesdad]

With a family of seven the cost of initializing yet another gaming system is out of my league for now. I wish you all the best.

[indarkestknight]

I don't know Spelljammer all that well, but here's the basic skeleton of Starfinder:

• Set in Golarion's universe. No crystal spheres. Pathfinder has confirmed that somewhere in Golarion's universe is a version of our Earth (Baba Yaga's home planet, actually), though no one from Golarion's solar system has yet discovered it. Likewise, Carcosa of the Mythos exists somewhere in the universe.
• The differences between Starfinder and Pathfinder are greater than those between 3.5 and Pathfinder, and if you just throw a Pathfinder character into Starfinder without some conversion or vice-versa, things could get wonky. Click here and here for more information.
• The core/dominant races of Starfinder are not the core/dominant races of Pathfinder. While dwarves, elves, halflings, gnomes, half-elves, and half-orcs exist, they are treated as uncommon races, much like tieflings and aasimars are in Pathfinder. Instead the core races are human, android, lashunta, ysoki (ratfolk), the four-armed kasatha, vesk (warlike space lizardfolk), and shirren (insectoids who broke free of a hivemind known as the Swarm). Androids, lashunta, ysoki, and kasatha all debuted in Pathfinder, and will be taking center stage in Pathfinder. For more information on the vesk, click here. For more information on the shirren, click here.
• The default "home base" is the Pact Worlds, Golarion's solar system.
• Just as Pathfinder has the Pathfinder Society, Starfinder has the Starfinder Society. As with the Pathfinder Society, there are factions within the Starfinder Society. Click here for more information on the Exo-Guardians, here for more information on the Second Seekers, and here for more information on the Wayfinders. Further factions exist but have not been given an overview yet, including the Dataphiles.
• There are no longer meaningful mechanical distinctions between arcane magic, divine magic, and psychic magic.
• As mentioned before, Golarion has gone missing. In its place is the Absalom Station (a space station).
• Golarion's disappearance happened during the Gap, during which all memories across the multiverse (including those of deities) have been wiped. All records of the period have also been wiped, so there's no telling how long the Gap was.
• Likewise, two gods from Golarion also disappeared during the gap (Torag and Rovagug).
• Faster-than-light travel was recently granted to the Pact Worlds by a tripartite deity Triune, a divine collective network-consciousness of the formerly distinct Epoch, Casandalee, Epoch, and the goddess Brigh. Time to reach a location is not determined by distance, but rather by frequency/proximity to Drift beacons. The Starstone within Absalom Station functions as a sort of suped-up Drift beacon, and so travel to Absalom station is always relatively swift, no matter where in the universe you're traveling from, as long as you're using a Drift engine.

In the spoilers beneath, I've included links to articles listing the Core Pantheon (the 20 most influential divinities of the Pact Worlds) and more information regarding starship combat, hacking, cybernetics, equipment, the iconics, and the core classes.

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

• Information on starship combat can be found here.
• Information on Starfinder's Core 20 gods (the 20 most influential gods across the Pact Worlds) can be found here, here, here, and here.
• Information on hacking can be found here.
• Information on equipment/gear can be found here. Information on cybernetics can be found here.
• Core Class Previews
– Envoy
– Mechanic
– Mystic
– Operative
– Solarion
– Soldier
– Technomancer has not yet been previewed. It will be a mid-caster (like bards and mystics).
• Iconics
– Altronus, Solarion Kasatha
– Iseph, Android Operative
– Keskodai, Shirren Mystic
– Navasi, Human Envoy
– Obozaya, Vesk Soldier
– Quig, Ysoki Mechanic
– Lashunta technomancer has not yet been posted.

[indarkestknight]

I believe the book itself is out next month, Muse. :)

I also expect as the SRD usually covers stuff that is open to use, that little Starfinder stuff will make it on there officially also. Which becomes the issue, as the corebook is near 600 pages hardback and it's cost represents that.

I think most people play Pathfinder here because it's SRD covered. Starfinder I don't see being SRD officially.

With a family of seven the cost of initializing yet another gaming system is out of my league for now. I wish you all the best.

That would be very surprising to me, wander, considering 3pp publishers would need the core content to be under an OGL to publish supplements and adventures, and 3pp supplements have been announced for some publishers, with the releases coming the same month as Starfinder's debut. I think? Someone correct me if I'm wrong about how OGL works.

[wander]

Operative is looking mighty cool to me atm.

indarkestnight, I have no real idea on OGL myself, though I know Paizo will likely have elements not covered by it somewhere to keep their IP somewhat safe and to make sure people buy their stuff. Even if it's just basic lore.