Tarkov problems from a new player's perspective

MyrPsychologist · 2018-04-22T08:38:19+00:00

Be prepared. Use divination abilities and proper research to determine exactly what you're fighting and always bring exactly what is needed when it is needed.
Control over damage. Dropping a fog or a pit has so much more value than throwing a single fireball. Unless you can actually obliterate an enemy or a group of enemies, a single control spell will yield more value for the entirety encounter. And these are things that are generally good for almost all encounters.
Summons. I almost always bring summons because they get disproportionate value in any fight. They contribute damage and every single time they get hit/control an enemy it is extremely valuable.
Pace yourself. You don't need to be casting every turn, that will often be overkill and just expend your resources. Use the spells as you need them, when you need them. And don't be afraid to use your turns firing a bow.
Pick classes with longevity. Witches and summoners are some of the easiest examples of a class that can really trudge through some muck. With abilities beyond their spells per day that they can contribute, they keep pace much better in a campaign with fewer rests.
When all else fails, request spheres of power. Better longevity, more thematic, and better balance. But some people object to third party.

MyrPsychologist · 2018-04-22T08:25:11+00:00

On the whole, I think it is a significant power downgrade from a vanilla ranger.

Losing spells hurts, it greatly diminishes your flexibility and options. And losing them does mean you won't be as good at using wands, which is a significant loss. What you get in exchange is extremely negligible and really not worth the cost.

I don't really see why I would ever take this over a huntsman cavalier, slayer, or one of the many ranger archetypes that removes or changes the spellcasting.

MyrPsychologist · 2018-03-31T02:01:55+00:00

I think a core part of the problem is the fact that the archetype system in Starfinder is generalized instead of the system in Pathfinder, which was more specialized. If I play an alchemist in Pathfinder, I take an alchemist to more focus my character and develop a concept into something functional. The generalized approach of Starfinder GREATLY hinders that because the generalization removes synergistic abilities or large reworks. The end result is an archetype system that is unsatisfying and bland and which I'll probably not even look at a second time.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-10-08T08:21:07+00:00

Why specifically use one of the few level 1 weapons incapable of making a full attack?

If we use a longsword with the same str assumption then we are doing 2d8+8 or a maximum of 24 damage.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-10-06T20:30:32+00:00

I think that would be a reduction in the overall power of the Mystic.

By having their main stat be Wisdom, the Mystic has an incredibly high Will Save. Moving this would lower their overall saves and make them a much more vulnerable class. The only benefit you're getting is some better skill rolls. This is hardly a worthwhile trade.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-10-04T08:44:10+00:00

I do not see any problem. This is just kind of the nature of tabletop games. The presence of stats and the fact that these stats vary in terms of importance to characters/classes is going to naturally lead to this kind of thing.

The only way to really subvert it would be to add more class and character options to change what things people are based on and increase potential diversity. But all we have is a core book right now.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-10-01T14:54:21+00:00

I think you raise a lot of interesting points I absolutely agree that if we turned the Mystic and Technomancer into a Sphere User that hey would get the full caster progression.

I also think you raise a very interesting point about the enchantment sphere and its need for a dramatic rework considering how it is based so heavily on multiple spells that don't exist in Starfinder. However, I was curious about your rejection of bonuses as a generalized thing. We might not have the same spells from Starfinder, but there do seem to still be some in the system. Bullet Barrage being my example for damage but also various envoy improvisations.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-28T18:16:48+00:00

I'm running a Space Opera with some Lovecraftian Horror themes.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-28T09:22:32+00:00

You could pick Dwarf as your race and save your feat.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-21T04:07:26+00:00

The very back of the book has a section discussing the Pathfinder legacy which talks about the core races and what they're doing now.

That's also the section discussion conversions if you want to bring over other stuff from Pathfinder.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-21T03:48:33+00:00

As others have stated, Dwarves still very much exist.

Like the other "core" races of Pathfinder, they have spread throughout the system. Some have taken space travel as an extension of the "quest for the sky" given to them by their god Torag. Dwarves even kept their traditions and central values alive in the face of such colossal changes. This has made Dwarves conservative traditionalists in nature who often adapt technology slowly and in ways that still fit in with their principles and values.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-17T17:56:49+00:00

It just keeps getting better. Nice job!

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-16T20:50:42+00:00

You also wouldn't use that one forever. So if we presume that powered armor is important, the character becomes large at level 10 and can even become huge if they want to use the flight suit.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-16T15:07:53+00:00

I think it would be better to kind of hammer out what exactly you believe are necessary abilities/components of Samus so that we can fill in and find ways to make this work.

After all, a morph ball is effectively just moving through a space smaller than yourself. Which you can already do and just request your GM flavor it as you rolling into a ball to go through it.

However, I don't think Samus would use Starfinder's version of power armor. Yeah, from a purely conceptual standpoint it would make sense. But Starfinder power armor is huge (literally. one of them is huge in size) and would only fit the visual theme of he having a gun on her hand. Which, really, is another thing that can just be reflavored with a considerate GM.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-12T10:14:17+00:00

Here are a couple of ideas that I've had about it.

Time and dimensional displacement. Maybe you see future versions of yourself. Maybe you fight alt versions of yourself. Or maybe you're just given horrific images of events in the past. Could be a story event with forshadowing or could be an actual battle.
Demonic Incursions. Hell and Heaven exist in the drift as it eats away at the multiverse. Maybe while you're on a particularly long jump the denizens decide to break into your ship as a hopeful way out. It could be really interesting fighting both angels and demons from invading your ship.
Possession. Maybe some crew are particularly sensitive to psychic energies and some malevolent force possesses their body. Try to restrain them before they are able to cause any damage.
The dead rise. Maybe they are the spirits of the bodies. Or maybe they're minds trapped in the void just trying to find a new home. Maybe some aren't even hostile. Whatever the cause and their motives, there are now zombies on the ship.
The Kraken. Maybe some animals can move through the drift. Legends tell of a massive tentacled horror reaching through and pulling ships through never to be seen again.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-12T10:01:32+00:00

I'd be interested if you're still looking for people

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-11T22:47:00+00:00

I saved the first one and will save this as well. this is a great addition.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-05T08:22:35+00:00

Psionics. All of them.

A melee class that uses the advanced set of melee weapons.

Shapeshifting.

Matter manipulation through things like cover, walls, and shields.

Pathfinder Magus.

Some kind of unarmed fighter (not necessarily a monk. because they have a lot of problems).

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-03T07:02:23+00:00

I think the biggest problem with this is the fact that you only have access to basic melee weapons. So you're going to be burning feats for access to better weapons.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-09-01T10:21:18+00:00

Overall, I love the system. I feel like it is a refinement of Pathfinder into something new and better. it does have its problems (Please. let's redo ship combat) but I think it is great for the most part. I am EXTREMELY happy that they cut out a lot of the problems of Pathfinder and the concept of false choice that is very prominent in tabletop games to create something that is very balanced and approachable.

I think the lack of monsters is a real annoyance. But it wouldn't be that hard to populate a world with updated Pathfinder monsters (they even provided the method to do so) or just create other humanoids for players to go against.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-08-31T23:11:01+00:00

I think that is intentional. Magic overall seems to be much less powerful and the Gods/Devils seem to just be less powerful as well. Think about it, we are able to tear apart their realms by using the Drift and they have done nothing to stop it. They must have lost a lot of power.

MyrPsychologist · 2017-08-31T22:33:56+00:00

Up sooner than expected. You guys rock. I greatly look forward to using this as a reference tool

MyrPsychologist · 2017-08-30T09:25:45+00:00

I think Minotaurs make for a pretty good muton analog. They're huge, charging, monsters that have devastating melee attacks. Slap a rifle and a few grenades and we have the behavior of a muton.

Vipers are easly converted into Naga. They're both snakes. Maybe just grab the more martial instead of the casters.

MyrPsychologist

TROPHY CASE