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Shakk (Species for Starfinder)
The shakk are an amphibious species who evolved as aquatic solo alpha predators on their home world. Their own legends claimed they choose to evolve the ability to move on land, however awkwardly, to ensure there was no part of their planet they could not dominate. However, shakk evolved into sentience and sapience hundreds of thousands of years ago, and their planet was ravaged by numerous world wars fought with terrible weapons of mass destruction. Their entire pre-technological history is long lost, with counterfeits and propaganda from 103 known previous worldwide cultures further cluttering what is known about previous ages.
Shakk claim to now be in their “104th Society,” and it is this culture which became starfarers thousands of years ago. Thier current parent culture never moved past a form of technological feudalism that closely resembles the structure of organized crime in other societies, and many shakk are socialized to see might-makes-right mobster and corporate organizations as the “true” and “most real” types of government. A classically-educated shakk learns about negotiation, game-theory, and leverage as children, the lessons being thought much more important than “good behavior,” “making friends.” or “sharing.”
The 104th Shak Society sees the need to have a firm hierarchy the only way to prevent more destructive wars that could finally wipe them out as a species. As a result, shakk are often accused of being a species of mobsters, though of course they are no more genetically attuned to being mobsters than dwarves are crafters or humans are renegades. But the fact many shakk have managed to be extremely successful as overbosses of illegal and semi-legal operations keeps the stereotype alive.
There is some anthropological and genetic evidence to suggest shakk are distantly related to (or were perhaps engineered by) the alghollthus. Shakk themselves tend to see this claim as weak-at-best, and even if there is some relationship, fine it more likely that alghollthus are a genetically-engineered offshoot of shakk, perhaps a lost colony of a previous society that used genetic engineering to alter themselves to survive harsh environments.
Shakk
+2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Dex
Hit Points: 2
Large aberration
Swim speed: 40 feet
Slow but Steady: Shakk have a land speed of 20 feet, which is never modified when they are encumbered or wearing heavy armor. They also gain a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against poisons, spells, and spell-like abilities, and when standing on the ground they gain a +4 racial bonus to their KAC against bull rush and trip combat maneuvers.
Hefty: Shakk are treated as huge creatures when determining if they can be affected by maneuvers and special abilities. They can use weapons designed for Medium, Large, or Huge creatures without penalty.
Lungful: A shakk can hold its breath for a number of hours equal to it Con score.
Darkvision: Shakk can see up to 60 feet in the dark.
Sly: Shakk gain a +2 species bonus to Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks. (This represents a classic shakk education. Shakk raised in different environments can learn different lessons, and a GM may grant them a +2 species bonus on four different related skills.)
Strong Mind: Shakk gain a +4 racial bonus to Will saves vs compulsion effects, and the DC to Intimidate them is 4 higher than normal. If a shakk succeeds at its save against a compulsion effect, it has no effect on the shakk (even if there is normally a partial effect on a successful save).
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Star-Crossed Species: Huitz’zysha
I haven’t worked on crossbred Starfinder species in more than four years, but it came up recently. So, here’s at least one more star-crossed species entry, and we’ll see if people like them enough for me to make more.
Huitz’zysha
Rare in most places, numerous huitz’zysha can be found on Vance IV, a thickly forested world in the Vance system also known as Morreion.
The Vance system is just beyond the furthest world of the Ioun Imperium in terms of real distance (less than a light-year away), despite being a lengthy jump through hyperspace. It’s existence is not known to the Imperium, but it is known to several clans of huitz’plina who foresaw its importance generations ago due to the visions of powerful precognitive seers. As a result, when huitz’plina from those clans manage to travel off-world, they often make a pilgrimage to Morreion. Many retire there, and several small huitz’plina settlements have developed on-world.
By coincidence (or perhaps not coincidentally, given the huitz’plina precognitive visions regarding the system), due to a hyperspace wormhole, the Vance System can easily (and even accidentally) be reached from a Forest Moon in the Core Worlds. The Forest Moon in question happens to be the homeworld of the maraquoi, who have experienced a significant boost in technology resulting in many hyperspace trips off their world. On some of them, the route to Morreion was discovered, and a significant maraquoi settlement was established.
When the huitz’plina and maraquoi encountered one another, they found significant appreciation in eac other’s culture, art, food, and music. A joint council was set up to ensure all claims to the planet were respected, and peacefully settle disputes. As the maraquoi settlement was larger and more advanced, number huitz’plina took up residence there. Friendships and even romances blossomed. In time, it became commonplace for a huitz’plina to be asked to serve as a zysha-vennin, or “spiritual ancestor” of pregnant groups of maraquoi–essentially an honorary role based off the zysha, or “facilitators,” one of the seven genders of maraquoi that are not part of the physical act of reproduction, but are crucial to it, and still somehow contribute their genetic material to the offspring.
It came as some surprise when a huitz’plina zysha-vennin turned out to be able to act as a true zysha, contributing genetic material to their honorary descendent. These mixed-species offspring were known as huitz’zysha, and were cherished and welcomed by all the settlements of Morreion. In time, a huitz’zysha formed a family with both maraquoi and huitz’plina, and discovered they could substitute members of both species for various genders each group normally used to produce offspring. And, then, a huitz’zysha group of maraquoi and huitz’plina included a beloved lashunta friend as a zysha-vennin… and discovered that any family with a huitz’zysha could add genetic material from other species who served as zysha-vennin.
As a result, there was an explosion of huitz’zysha being born and cared for on Morreion, often taking on physical traits from other species as well. The complex love-binding groups that grew up around this share a great deal with maraquoi 7-gendered parenting groups, but also have various polyamorous and friend-bonded traditions adopted from huitz’plina, lashunta, elven, vesk, and orcish cultural norms. Huitz’zysha are raised knowing that they are the product of strong, complex relationships of caring parents, friends, and relatives.
Though huitz’zysha can differ wildly in appearance, they all share the same species traits (though some of those are flexible depending on their exact ancestry).
Racial Traits
HP: 2
Ability Adjustments: Huitz’zysha come in numerous shapes, sizes, and dispositions. A huitz’zysha gains a +2 bonus in two ability scoes of your choosing, and a -2 penalty in one ability score.
Size and Type: Huitz’zysha are medium humanoids with themaraquoi and huitz’plina subtypes, a 20 foot speed, and a 20 foot climb speed. At character creation a huitz’zysha may either select another medium humanoid subtype to gain (representing an additional genetic ancestor), or begin with 4 bonus species HP rather than 2. The subtype cannot be from a species with an ability that allows them to be treated as another type (such as plantlike).
Kith’s Appearance: Huitz’zysha do not take penalties to Disguise checks to look like another species that is a medium huamnoid that has the same subtype they do.
Senses: Huitz’zysha have blindsense (scent) with a range of 15 feet, blindsense (sound) with a range of 15 feet, darkvision with a range of 30 feet, and lowlight vision.
Prehensile Tail: All huitz’zysha have a tail that is as effective as a hand at manipulating objects, which allows them to wield and hold up to three hands’ worth of weapons and equipment. This does not increase the number of attacks they can make during combat.
Huitz’Zysha Feats
Though physical and mental therapy, a huitz’zysha can learn to access abilities from their ancestors not universal to all their kind. By expending a feat, a huitz’zysha can gain one of the following abilities if a medium humanoid species with one of the same subtypes the huitz’zysha has gains it: amplify, animated, agile, amphibious, astute, battle-hardened, bloodscent, brachiator, boneyard conditioning, buoy, change shape, cold ensured, cold resistance, convivial, cooperative, distracting buzz, burrow, dream skill, drow immunities, dual nervous system, easily augmented, electrical affinity, electricity resistance, elven immunities, empathic, espraksa movement, enveloping grip, favored object, fearsome, fierce survivalist, find weakness, fire resistance, flexible, forest friend, glider, gravity adjustment, heat tracker, hold breath, imago movement, intellectual knack, jumper, lifebound, lurker, malleable limbs, mechanical talent, multicultural, natural agility, natural communication, natural swimmer, natural weapons, necromancy resistance, nightborn, nimble, orc ferocity, perceptive, pounce, predreaming, psychometry, radiant, regenerative evolution, rugged travel, scrappy, shards of the past, shared stillness, shift limb, simulacrum, skin mimic, slow but steady, spine assault, sneaky, stonecunning, stony plates, strix mobility, sturdy, survivor, survivalist, suspicious, talented, telepathy, third eye, tinkerer, trimorphic, twinkle, versed, wary, and wasteland dweller. A GM may choose to allow additional appropriate species traits, if desired.
Spending a feat can also double the range of their species trait blindsenses and darkvision. A huitz’zysha can take additional feats to gain additional species traits it qualifies for, but cannot take the same trait more than one, or take traits from species that are not Medium humanoids with a shared subtype.
Vital Statistics
Huitz’zysha have the height, weight, and aging characteristics of one Medium humanoid species that shares a subtype with them, selected at character creation.
PATREON
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Owen Explains It All – Textile Characters for Starfinder
Before we get to any OGL content, an editorial aside:
First, this blog has spoilers for an animated series, so if you want to avoid those, don’t read this.
Second, you may be wondering why is this tagged as an “Owen Explains It All” post, when that’s very unlike my normal marketing tone? Well, because this links into a show from the BAMF podcast I’m on, titled “Owen Explains It All!“. We do an episode every two weeks, picking new things from the zeitgeek to use as inspiration for game material, specifically the Starfinder Roleplaying Game.
We have a logo and everything!
If you haven’t already gone and watched the September, 2021 episode, we talk about the fifth episode of Marvel’s What If… series, titled “What If… Zombies?” Obviously there are spoilers for that episode both in the OEIA episode, and this tie-in blog, so go no further if you want to avoid those.
I mean, obviously, while it’s pretty clear from the title that this is the Marvel Zombies inspired episode of What If…, I’m going to be talking about some things that aren’t necessarily clear just because there are zombies involved. So, if you want to avoid spoilers for this (or, weirdly, the Disney Alladin movies), I’ve given you fair warning.
Ready?
So in the episode, we see Doctor Strange’s Cloak of Levitation act entirely of its own accord. It does this in the Strange movie, of course, but here the doctor is no longer around to even subconsciously direct it, and the cloak makes tactical decisions, puts itself at risk, and makes a friend. In other words, the cloak acts not like an object, or a power, but as a character. And I was immediately reminded of Carpet, in the Disney Alladin movies, which similarly shows bravery, or fear, or whimsey, and is clearly more a person than a thing.
And, I realized, that would NOT be hard to make an option in a ttRPG.
Now with that explanation out of the way, let’s get to the OGL game content!
Playable Textile Characters
Okay so, look. This is for people who have decided sentient magic items that happen to look like capes or carpets or sashes or whatever are no sillier than, and need not be restricted any more than, robots with healing circuits, floating brains with atrophied limbs, or 6-armed overhelpful furballs. Either you like the idea, or you don’t. I’m here to provide rules for people who do, not try to convince people who don’t to change their minds. 🙂
Weft
The weft are living, self-aware fabric magic items, and no one is sure where they came from. Are the living cloaks and rugs an offshoot of cloakers? Are cloakers some kind of morlock offshoot of the weft? Are fabric magic items simply more prone to gaining self-awareness than other forms of eldritch items? Is there some artifact loom, somewhere in the galaxy, cranking out cloth-people?
Like androids, weft are constructs that have sufficient complexity to attract a soul. Also like androids, when a weft is old enough, it simply chooses to let its soul move on, it’s body briefly being an inert length of cloth that changes color in a process known as “dyeing,” before a new soul moves in, and a new weft person arises in the same body. No weft remembers its creation, and it is unclear if this is because all original weft dyed long ago, of because even a “newborn” weft doesn’t become self-aware until removed from its place of origin.
While the majority of weft appear to be carpets or cloaks and capes, some instead take the appearance of coats, sashes, shawls, curtains, and other fabric objects.
Ability Modifiers +2 Dex, +2 Cha, -2 Wis
Hit Points 2
Size and Type
Weft are Small, Medium, or Large constructs with the magical subtype, though unlike other constructs, they have Constitution scores. This decision is made at character creation and can’t be changed.
Blindsense
Weft’s sensitive fibers grant them blindsense (vibration)—the ability to sense vibrations in the air—with a range of 30 feet.
Living Threads
In addition to being constructs and thus able to benefit from spells like make whole, weft count as living creatures for the purposes of magic healing effects that work on living creatures, though the number of Hit Points restored in such cases is halved. A character must use the Engineering skill (or a fabric creation/repair Profession skill) to perform the tasks of the Medicine skill on weft. Weft also heal naturally over time as living creatures do, and can benefit from magic or technology that can bring constructs back from the dead, as well as effects that normally can’t (such as raise dead).
Silent, Sign, and Limited Telepathy
Weft do not speak, but can hear normally and communicate through signed versions of the languages they know. Also, they can communicate telepathically with any creatures within 30 feet with whom they share a language. Conversing telepathically with multiple creatures simultaneously is just as difficult as listening to multiple people speak.
Drape
A weft can share the space of an ally without penalty to either the weft or ally. A weft can also drape itself on a creature willing to let it do so. At the beginning of its turn, the weft must decide if it is riding (in which case it can take no movement that turn, and only moves when the creature it is draped on does), or carrying (in which case it can carry the creature as it moves, but that creature cannot take any other movement until the beginning of the next turn). An ally can decide to stop allowing a weft to drape at any time as part of any action, but if the character was carried by the weft, it still can’t move on its own until after the weft’s next turn begins.
Additionally, whether is it draping or not, as a full-round action a weft can lay and move in such a way as appear to be a typical cape, or carpet (or whatever one mundane cloth object it matches the appearance of, as selected at character creation) to gains a +20 bonus to Disguise checks to appear to be that thing.
Woven
Weft are immune to bleed, disease, death effects, poison, nonlethal damage, and sleep effects unless those effects specify they affect constructs. Weft can be affected by effects or spells that normally target only humanoids, but receive a +4 racial bonus to saving throws against such effects. Weft can drink (absorbing liquids into their fabric), though they don’t need to, and they must rest by entering an passive torpor that is similar to sleep for 8 hours every day. Weft do not breathe or suffer the normal environmental effects of being in a vacuum.
Wrap Up
So, have different ideas for a weft character? Got other magic items you think could be turned into playable species? Interested in having me Explain It All for some other media-inspired content? Leave a comment and let me know!
Good Doggo PCs in Really Wild West (for Starfinder)
I am sometimes asked what makes the Really Wild West justify it’s claim to being “Really Wild.” My original through was just that it was a step up from merely “Wild” West. That the addition of Martian invaders, advanced science, magic, devil-run cities, psychic powers, dozens of species, alternate history, energy weapons, and legendary weapons made the setting wild enough, compared to just a Western, to justify the title.
But, maybe I was wrong. More than once, fans have indicated that as long as a certain theme and aesthetic is maintained, they want things in Really Wild West that just don’t show up in most settings.
Lots of folks have also noted that what they want is more Starfinder stuff that works in core Starfinder. That it’s fine if it’s flavored for Really Wild West, or GammaFinder, as long as it can be used in typical science-fantasy games as well.
So, let’s look at the fenrin, a species with aesthetics and backgrounds designed specifically for Really Wild West, but definitely work in any Starfinder setting.
FENRIN
Fenrin are talking, telekinetic dogs.
Where humans or ysoki are found, fenrin are also there. In most ancient cultures, it was simply accepted that there were dogs, and there were talking dogs, and little thought was given as to why this was. During the First Paderborn Council held in the Holy Roman Empire n 785 AD, the question of whether all dogs were “uberklug” (or “sapients,” a distinction as to what counted as “people”), or just some, determined there was a different between “Fenrin” and other canines. This resulted in considerable scholarship of the question of fenrin, and how they did (or didn’t) relate to common dogs, dire wolves, winter wolves, and hellhounds. As a result, most accepted terminology about fenrin has come to be derived from Germanic roots.
Fenrin are an accepted and understood part of the Really Wild West world. Fenrin have been soldiers, priests, scholars, teachers, merchants, farmers, politicians, and every other role sapient creatures fill. Most have a very strong sense of community, which may focus on their own family, or may include a tight-knit social group that includes friends, colleagues, and often even neighbors the fenrin personally dislike but accept as part of their community unit.
Vital Statistics
Average Height
Graberin: 9-18 inches, 5-20 lbs.
Jager: 19-29 inches, 21-99 lbs.
Arbiter: 30-60 inches, 100-180 lbs
Age of Maturity: 2 years Maximum Age: 50 +1d100 years
Names: Fenrin have three classic forms of naming. Many take names common from their culture, no different from human or ysoki names. Because of the strong influence of the Paderborn Council, many take Germanic names, or add a Germanic name as a middle name. Finally, some take names common among domestic canines, while others only do so as nicknames, and others find such names insulting. Fenrin are not a single culture, and both groups and individuals have differing opinions on this point.
Hit Points: 2 (graberin), 4 (jager), or 6 (arbeiter)
Breeds: Like the dogs they so closely resemble, fenrin come in hundreds of different breeds that are all part of the same species. In general fenrin break into three broad categories with some similar traits: graberin (Tiny, fierce, swift), jagers (Small, sturdy, steadfast), and arbeiters (Medium, strong, patient).
Ability Adjustments: Fenrin gain a +2 racial bonus to Charisma, and a -2 penalty to Wisdom. Graberin have a +2 bonus to Dexterity. jagers have a +2 bonus to Constitution. Arbeiters have a +2 bonus to Strength.
Size and Type: Fenrin are monstrous humanoids. Graberin are Tiny, jagers are Small, and arbeiters are Medium.
Doglike (Ex): A fenrin gains a +10 bonus to Disguise checks to appear to be a specific breed of dog of the same size category, and takes no penalties for being of a different creature type.
Additionally, a fenrin can make a special Charisma check (1d20 + level + Charisma) to use Diplomacy on any canine, though not all fenrin can actually speak with other canines.
Fenrin Trait: Different breeds of fenrin often have radically different physiological features that go beyond size, from double coats to particularly strong claws or teeth to spectacularly loud barks. You gain one fenrin trait, from those listed below. You can take a second fenrin trait as your 1st level character feat.
*Best Friend: Sometimes a fenrin IS your best friend. Whenever an ally takes an action that requires one or more Resolve Points, and does not have enough to pay the RP cost,, if you are within 60 feet you may donate your RP to cover the difference.
*Bite: You are always considered armed. You can deal 1d3 lethal piercing damage with unarmed strikes and the attack doesn’t count as archaic. You gain a unique weapon specialization with your natural weapons at 3rd level, allowing you to add 1.5 × your character level to your damage rolls for your natural weapons (instead of just adding your character level, as usual).
*Fierce: Your bark is actually pretty dang impressive. You can make an Intimidate check to demoralize a foe without sharing a language. You can also make Cover Fire and Harrying Fire attacks unarmed, by barking.
*Speak With Canines: You can speak to any canine in a language they instinctively understand, and you can understand communication from any canine of the animal type.
*Sprinter: You can take an additional move your speed action before or after any other action on your turn. Once you have done this, you cannot do so again until after you have expended 1 Resolve Point to regain Stamina Points following a 10-minute rest.
Keen Senses: Fenrin have a +2 racial bonus to Perception checks. Each fenrin also gains two of the following senses, selected at character creation:
*Low-light vision
*Darkvision (30 feet)
*Blindsense (scent) 30 feet and tracking (scent)
*Blindsense (vibration)(30 feet)
*Blindsight (scent) 5 feet
*Sense Through (scent)
Psychic Hands (Su): Fenrin do not have hands the way humans do. They can shove things about with their paws, or grasp items with their mouths, but treat their Strength as 2 lower when they do so. However, their innate telekinetic powers allow them to use and carry and manipulate objects as easily as a Medium creature with 2 limbs. They can use Medium equipment, and “hang” objects off their telekinetic field the same way a Medium creature would hang them on their body. They must have line of effect to any object they manipulate this way, and are limited to what could be reached by a Medium creature in their location. As a result of their psychic hands and the telekinetic field that goes with them, they can choose to have a space and reach of 5 feet (as a Medium creature), or to have the space and reach of a creature their actual size if not Medium (it’s a swift or move action to change between the two states). Functionally, they can do exactly what a Medium, 2-armed creature of the same Strength score can do (even if the fenrin is Small or Tiny).
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Mutations as Alternate Class Features (for Starfinder)
One of the interesting things about designing things in blog-sized pieces is seeing how gamers respond to various concepts as they are being developed. In the case of GammaFinder (and it’s conceptually but not-yet-existent cousin, FreedomFinder) there has been a huge surge of interest in mutant abilities and tiered mutations, and ways characters can get them.
(art by David Edwards)
I had developed options for gaining mutations with alternate racial traits, a theme, an archetype, a feat, and as alternate class features for a single class (soldier). Given how well all of that has been received, I’m adding rules for alternate class features to gain mutations for all the official Starfinder classes, and compiling all the other options to-date in one post (and adding one new archetype), to make it easy for folks to look at these rules all in one place.
(My Patreon backers also got a post today compiling all the mutant abilities and tiered mutations I have released to-date. There’s no new rules in that post, just all the info in one place, but it that appeals to you, go become a Patron!)
MUTIE THEME (+1 to any)
Yup, you’re a mutie.
Theme Knowledge (1st)
Your brain focuses on something a little differently than other people. Select one skill to gain as a class skill or (if you already have it as a class skill at 1st level) gain a +1 racial bonus to.
In addition, you gain an ability adjustment of +1 to one ability score of your choice at character creation.
Mutation (6th, 12th)
Your mutant abilities grow and evolve. Select a mutation from the Mutant Abilities list, below.
Mutant Heartiness (18th)
Your mutant physiology allows you to recover more easily than those with standard genomes. Twice per day you can recover Stamina Points after a 10-minute rest without expending a Resolve Point to do so. This does reset any abilities that normally reset after you expend a Resolve Point to recover Stamina Points after a rest.
(art by warmtail)
ALTERNATE RACIAL TRAITS: MUTANTS
You are a mutated version of your base species. You gain one Mutant Ability for which you meet the prerequisites. Your mutation replaces the following racial feature, based on your species, as noted below:
Core Species – Android (upgrade slot), Human (bonus feat), Kasatha (natural grace), Lashunta (lashunta magic), Shirren (communalism), Vesk (armor savant), Ysoki (moxie)
Legacy Species – Dwarf (traditional enemy), Elf (elven magic), Gnome (gnome magic), Half-Elf (adaptability), Half-Orc (orc ferocity), Halfling (sure-footed)
Other Species– Astrazoan (rapid revival), Bantrid (balanced), Borai (resist energy drain), Ghoran (past-life knowledge), Haan (slow fall), Hobgoblin (battle hardened), Kalo (cold resistance), Maraquoi (blindsense), Nuar (maze mind), Orc (fierce survivalist), Pahtra (wary), Skittermander (grappler), Strix (nightborn), Uplfted Bear (limited telepathy).
ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURES
BIOHACKER ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURE: Evolution
Evolution: Whether in an effort to evolve yourself intentionally, or in reaction to exposure to the materials you use to biohack, you gain a mutant ability. If you use this to increase a tiered mutant ability, it cannot grant a tier higher than half your biohacker level.
You may select this alternate class feature in place of a theorem. You make this decisions each time you gain the theorem class feature.
ENVOY ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURE: Genetic Progress
Genetic Progress: You discover a latent tendency within yourself that can be brought to full expression, allowing you to gain a mutant ability. If you use this to increase a tiered mutant ability, it cannot grant a tier higher than half your envoy level.
You may select this alternate class feature in place of an envoy improvisation or expertise talent. You make this decision each time you gain one of those class features.
MECHANIC ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURE: Genetic Engineering
Genetic Engineering: You engineer your own gene sequence, perhaps intentionally, perhaps in a bid to prevent some ailment from striking you down, and gain a mutant ability. If you use this to increase a tiered mutant ability, it cannot grant a tier higher than half your mechanic level.
You may select this alternate class feature in place of a mechanic’s trick. You make this decisions each time you gain the mechanic’s trick class feature.
MYSTIC ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURE: Altered State
Altered State: Your connection to the universe allows you to become something more, and you gain a mutant ability. If you use this to increase a tiered mutant ability, it cannot grant a tier higher than half your mystic level.
You may select this alternate class feature in place of a connection power gained from your connection. You make this decisions each time you gain a new connection power.
OPERATIVE ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURE: Genetic Quirk
Genetic Quirk: You have always been a little different, so it is no shock to you when you gain a mutant ability. If you use this to increase a tiered mutant ability, it cannot grant a tier higher than half your operative level.
You may select this alternate class feature in place of an operative exploit. You make this decisions each time you gain the operative exploit class feature.
SOLARIAN ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURE: Cosmic Mutation
Cosmic Mutation: Channeling the power of cosmic radiation, you gain a mutant ability. If you use this to increase a tiered mutant ability, it cannot grant a tier higher than half your solarian level.
You may select this alternate class feature in place of a theorem. You make this decision each time you gain the theorem class feature.
SOLDIER: Mutant Power, Combat Mutation
New Gear Boost
Mutant Power: You gain a mutant ability. If you use this to increase a tiered mutant ability, it cannot grant a tier higher than half your soldier level. You cannot select this gear boost more than once.
Alternate Class Feature; Combat Mutation
Combat Mutation: Maybe you have been exposed to one to many leaky plasma cannons power cores, maybe you have spent too much time in radiation-blasted battlefields, but you gain a mutant ability. If you use this to increase a tiered mutant ability, it cannot grant a tier higher than half your soldier level.
You may select this alternate class feature in place of combat feat. You make this decision each time you gain the combat feat class feature.
(art by grandfailure)
TECHNOMANCER ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURE: Gene-Hack
Gene-Hack: Perhaps you meant to warp your genetic code by turning your eldritch powers inward, perhaps it was an accident, but you gain a mutant ability. If you use this to increase a tiered mutant ability, it cannot grant a tier higher than half your technomancer level.
You may select this alternate class feature in place of a magic hack. You make this decision each time you gain the magic hack class feature.
VANGUARD ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURE: Genetic Discipline
Genetic Discipline: Entropy controls all things, including the errors in DNA that lead to mutation. Using this knowledge, you gain a mutant ability. If you use this to increase a tiered mutant ability, it cannot grant a tier higher than half your vanguard level.
You may select this alternate class feature in place of a vanguard discipline. You make this decision each time you gain the vanguard discipline class feature.
WITCHWARPER ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURE: Alternate DNA
Alternate DNA: IN the infinite number of alternate realities, there are infinite variations of you, each with different combinations of DNA. You duplicate one of the variations in an alternate version of yourself, and gain a mutant ability. If you use this to increase a tiered mutant ability, it cannot grant a tier higher than half your witchwarper level.
You may select this alternate class feature in place of a paradigm shift. You make this decision each time you gain the paradigm shift class feature.
(art by warmtail)
MUTAMORPH (Archetype)
Your body, exposed to the strange energies of the GammaFinder World, has morphed.
Mutation (2nd, 4th, 6th, 9th, 12)
At these levels you may choose a mutant ability (see below) as an archetype ability, or take your class’s normal class feature instead. Each time you take a mutant ability, you may also replace one mutant ability gained at an earlier level from the archetype or the mutie theme with a new mutation (losing the old mutant ability).
POWERED MUTATION (Archetype)
You have a single, growing, focused mutant power.
Mutation (2nd, 4th, 6th, 9th, 12th)
Select on tiered mutation. You gain one tier of this mutation at every even class level. This replaces your normal class features at the levels listed above. You cannot gain tiers in this tiered mutation from any other source.
NEW FEAT: MUTANT
MUTANT
You do not fall within the most common genetic baseline for your species.
Benefit: Select one Mutant Ability for which you meet the prerequisites. You gain this mutant ability.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times, but not more than once per 3 levels. If you use this to increase a tiered mutant ability, it cannot grant a tier higher than half your character level.
ACTIONFinder Species: MechaMorphs
ACTIONFinder is a modern action/adventure campaign for Starfinder, that I do NOT have time for right now. But it’s taking up space in my brain and I have to get it out to get anything else done, so:
ACTIONFinder Species
MechaMorph
6 HP
+2 STR, +2 CON, -2 WIS
30 foot land speed
Size and Type
MechaMorphs are humanoids with the android subtype. Their base form can be Small, Medium, Large, or Huge. Once this decision is made, it cannot be changed.
Constructed
For effects targeting creatures by type, MechaMorphs count as both humanoids and constructs (whichever allows an ability to affect them for abilities that affect only one of those types, and whichever is wore for abiliteis that affect both types)effect is worse). They receive a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against disease, mind-affecting effects, poison, and sleep, unless those effects specifically target constructs. In addition, androids do not breathe or suffer the normal environmental effects of being in a vacuum.
VEHICLE FORM
A MechaMorph can change into a different physical form (or back again) as a swift action, or as part of a move action to move their speed. This form may be a vehicle (but not starship) of Small, Medium, Large, or Huge size, though it must be within one size category of their base form. the vehcile must be one with an item level no greater than the MechaMorph’s character level, and has the AC and HP/SP of the MechaMorph. this can change at each new character level.
The MechaMorph can pilot itself, or allow someone else to pilot it. Anything it carried in its base form is stowed within it in its vehicle form, and the MechaMorph may opt to allow it to be accessed by riders/passengers.
While in a vehicle form, the MechaMorph gains a +10 bonus to Disguise checks to appear to be that vehicle.
Alternatively, a MechaMorph can have a secondary form that is any object of the same size as the MechaMorph. The MechaMorph gains a +20 to Disguise checks to apepar to be that object, and gains +1 rank/level that must be put into a Profession skill appropriate to that form.
A MechaMorph has all the benefits of a suit of armor it wears in either form, and other creatures must make a Perception check (DC 15 + 1.5x mechamorph level, +Disguise bonus of the MechaMorph, if any) to realize the MechaMorph has armor and to be able to attempt to identify it.
MORPHIC
A MechaMorph can adjust its form to fit in spaces much smaller that normal for a creature it’s size. It can fit into spaces that a creature two sizes smaller could fit into. Its space does not change except as constrained by available space (for example, a Huge MechaMorph in a 5-foot wide corridor takes up a space 5 feet wide and 15 feet long)
DARKVISION
MechaMoprhs have Darkvision with a 60-foot range.
PATREON
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Centaur PC Race for Starfinder… and more.
CENTAURS IN STARFINDER
I have always loved the idea of centaur player characters. I suspect my love started with “Bridge of Sorrows” by Denis Beauvais, which was the cover of Dragon Magazine #92 (TSR, December 1984). Or maybe to goes back a tad earlier, to the Xanth novel Centaur Aisle, which I read in 1982, the same year I first encountered D&D, and RPGs in general.
I definitely want centaur PCs for my Really Wild West setting hack, which means I need rules for playing them as PCs in the Starfinder Roleplaying Game.
Ability Adjustments
Centaurs are powerfully built and in tune with their surroundings, but their hybrid form does come with drawbacks. Some centaurs are slightly awkward, having the brain of a biped, but the body of a quadruped. Others are delicate, their thin ankles and strange doubled internal organs leaving them prone to injury and ailments. A few are impatient and have little taste for complex calculations, preferring direct action and simple solutions whenever possible.
A centaur has +2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, and -2 to Dexterity, Constitution, or Intelligence.
Size and Type
Centaurs are monstrous humanoids that vary in size from halfling-scale torsos on pony equine bodies, to mighty human or even ogrelike torsos on mighty warhorse equine bodies. At character creation, a centaur PC decides if they are Medium or Large. They use held equipment as Medium characters in either case, but any armor is calculated using their total size.
Hit Points
6
Darkvision
Centaurs have darkvision with a range of 60 feet.
Humanoidlike
Centaurs are close enough to nonmonstrous humanoids that they can be affected by spells and abilities that affect humanoids, but do not normally affect monstrous humanoids. Centaurs gain a +4 racial bonus to saving throws (if any) against such effects.
Gallop
Centaurs have a land speed of 40 feet, but treat it as a speed of 20 feet when determining their movement using Athletics to climb or swim. A centaur gains a +2 bonus to AC when charging (which normally just offsets the -2 penalty to AC for charging). When a centaur succeeds at a bull rush combat maneuver, they can move their target 5 feet farther than normal.
Natural Weapons
Centaurs are always considered armed. They can deal 1d3 lethal damage with unarmed strikes and the attack doesn’t count as archaic. Centaurs gain a unique weapon specialization with their natural weapons at 3rd level, allowing them to add 1–1/2 × their character level to their damage rolls for their natural weapons (instead of just adding their character level, as usual).
Quadruped
Centaurs are quadrupeds, which gives them some advantages and a few drawbacks. They take -2 penalties to Acrobatics checks to tumble and Athletics checks to climb. When determining their bulk limits, centaurs add half their Constitution score to their Strength. Centaurs gain a +2 racial bonus to their KAC against bull rush and reposition combat maneuvers. A centaur can carry one creature of its own size, or two of at least one size smaller, without counting them against the centaur’s bulk limit.
CENTAURS IN THE REALLY WILD WEST
In the pulp-scifi-western-fantasy-world of the Really Wild West, centaurs appear in most ancient civilizations of western Asia, northern Africa, and eastern Europe. They often appear as separate tribes, no less advanced or civilized than the other species around them, and often seen as wiser and more scientifically advanced than the ancient cultures that wrote about them. They are an accepted part of the history of those places, and have become common throughout Africa, Europe and northern Asia.
However, centaurs are not generally huge fans of sea travel. This dislike is not pathological, but practical. Centaurs are excellent overland travelers, but at best mediocre swimmers, and many are large enough to make building ships to accommodate them problematic. In previous centuries, they simply used Roman roads and Asian trade routes to spread their kingdoms far and wide, often as the most feared and effective of cavalry. But the rise of sea travel in empire-building has left most centaur nations shrinking, and often joining larger bipedal nations in mostly-friendly alliances and unifications.
As a consequence, centaurs are not particularly common in the Americas, as their lack of a tradition of sea travel simply has centaur businesses and families less interested in the kinds of roles that have brought people from other nations to American shores. This in turn has caused most major North and South American to develop without taking centaur needs into account. Buildings are not designed to be accessed by hooved people up to seven feet tall, and even centaurs small enough to fit in American buildings find themselves with few places to stand in settings where everyone else sits.
Most centaurs in the Americas find they are just more comfortable in frontier towns or pure wilderness. So while there are not many centaurs on the continents in general, a disproportionate number of those who are present take to Wild West living, where their speed and carrying capacity, and long tradition of dedication and excellence, are seen as more than enough to justify making a few changes to the local saloon, or having on or two of the hotel’s stable stalls be well-appointed rooms, as well.
CENTAURS PF2
So, PF1 already has solid rules for centaur PCs, but what if you wanted to play a centaur PC in PF2, or 5e?
Hit Points
10
Size
Medium
Speed
30 feet
Ability Boosts
Strength
Wisdom
Free
Ability Flaw
Dexterity
Languages
Common
Sylvan
Additional languages equal to your Intelligence modifier (if it’s positive). Choose from Aklo, Elvish, Gnomish, Goblin, Jotun, Orcish, and any other languages to which you have access (such as the languages prevent to your region).
Traits
Centaur
Humanoid
Darkvision
You can see in darkness and dim light just as well as you can see in bright light. though your vision in darkness is black and white.
Centaur Heritages
Centaurs have a vast number of ethnic differences, but also can trace their linneage back to a few early tribes that still often produce very different
Kentoroi
You are Large, rather than medium, and have a thick, sturdy appearance. You may have small tusks, or pointed ears. You gain the orc trait and your bulk limits are increased by +6. You can select orc feats whenever you gain an ancestry feat.
Lapith
Your head, arms and torso are extremely humanlike. You gain the human trait and are trained in one skill of your choice. You can select human feats whenever you gain an ancestry feat.
While for a full suppliment we’d obviously want some cool centaur-specific ancestry feats, doing things this way ensures that as the PF2 game adds new options for humans and orcs, our centaur PCs will automatically gain expanded options as well.
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Owen K.C. Stephens 