This is the fourth section of Part Fourteen of a series of articles looking at creating a set of Starfinder feats under specific constraints.  You can read along as we convert every feat in the PF core rulebook to Starfinder (and  share my thoughts on that process, as a developer and writer)— or you can just look at the finished feats (as they are written, and I have time over the holidays to update the list) here.

Our journey of adaptation has brought us to Greater Overrun. Which is a problem, because the PF overrun combat maneuver doesn’t exist in Starfinder. And we can’t just create a new ability and call it Greater Overrun, because we’re going to have to convert Improved Overrun later when we get to all the PF “Improved” feats.

It’s not hard to see why overrun doesn’t exist in Starfinder — it’s a hybrid charge/trip that has special rules that allow a foe to move out of the way when it’s not their turn. Given one of the design objectives of Starfinder was to be simpler than PF, it makes sense to cut a combat maneuver that’s rarely used and has to bear the weight of special rules used only for that one maneuver.

But it’s inconvenient for us now.

The “obvious” solution is to create a new combat maneuver-like option you access through the Improved Overrun feat, and make a better version of it for Greater Overrun, while keeping true to the original concept of overrun but not making things as complicated as that option was. Which is a lot to try to manage, but we’re professionals, right? 🙂

GREATER OVERRUN (Combat)
Your foes fall before you.
Prerequisites: Improved Overrun, Improved Unarmed Strike.
Benefit: When using Improved Overrun, you can make any melee attack as part of the charge rather than only unarmed strikes. If your attack roll exceed’s the target’s KAC +8, it is knocked prone and your movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity from that foe.

IMPROVED OVERRRUN (Combat)
You are skilled at running down your foes.
Prerequisites: Improved Unarmed Strike.
Benefit: When you charge a foe that is no more than one size larger than you (or one size larger than your mount or vehicle, if you are mounted or piloting a vehicle), and you make an unarmed melee attack (or your mount makes one if mounted, or you impact the target with your vehicle, if in one), you gain a +2 bonus to the attack roll. If the attack hits and damages the target, you may continue your movement through their space (though doing so provokes an attack of opportunity for doing so as normal if you leave their threatened space), and your movement after the attack need not be in a straight line.
Normal: A charge stops when you attack your target.

We can get away with the attack bonus on the charge because in Starfinder charge normally has a penalty to your attack, so we aren’t breaking the game’s combat math, just making that option less restrictive. This may actually mean some soldiers and solarians who take class features based on charge can end up with a bonus, but they’ll have spent significant character choices to do so, and will still be limited to unarmed attacks.

PATREON
This series of posts about my specific game writing and development process (along with concrete examples and Starfinder feats) is — like all my blog posts — is only possible if people join my Patreon, help me have the free time to write these things, and let me know what you want to see!