Still converting Pathfinder 1st edition spells to Starfinder, and going back to alphabetical order (unless a member of my Patreon asks for something be done out-of-order, as happened with the shield spell; which is a great reason to join my Patreon!), with abjuring step. (You can find an index of the spells that have been converted to-date here).

The PF1 version of abjuring step is all about casting spells and not provoking attacks of opportunity. It’s primarily designed to boost the effectiveness of spellcasters who do a lot of touch-range buffs, since those need to get up lose to combat to be effective. It mitigates that power by ending if you make an attack or move too far. Spells like that are less common in Starfinder (fewer buffs in general, and some touch range spells specify they don’t provoke, though there are a few such as supercharge weapon). Attacks of opportunity are also less of a threat, both because fewer things provke (only THREE things can provoke an AoO in Starfinder), and because there’s no mechanism to allow foes to make multiple AoOs in a round.

So, if we want abjuring step to stay a useful option, we either need to increase it’s utility, or we need to reduce its spell level. While we could make it a 0-level spell, that comes with an additional set of complications (as 0-level spells can be cast an unlimited number of times). So, to keep things simple, let’s see if we can’t make abjuring step powerful enough to be appealing as a 1st-level option.

This version allows attacks, and even encourages popping out from cover, shooting, and moving back into cover. But rather than prevent AoOs, it makes the first one taken against you fail, then ends the spell. This gives it broader utility even in a game with many fewer attacks of opportunity, and makes it of use for a broader range of spellcaster builds, but also prevents it from becoming immunity to AoOs for a whole battle with one casting of the spell.

Abjuring Step
Classes mystic 1, technomancer 1, witchwarper 1
School abjuration
Casting Time 1 standard action
Range personal
Duration 1 round/level
Abjuring step allows you to take a full action to make up to two guarded steps, and either cast a spell with a casting time of one standard action or make a single attack. You can take both guarded steps before or after the attack or spellcasting, or take one guarded step before and one after. If a foe makes an attack of opportunity against you, the attack automatically fails, but the abjuring step spell is dismissed.

Casting abjuring step does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

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