Source Player Core pg. 5
The Starfall Galaxy is an alternate setting for Paizo’s Starfinder, a science fantasy tabletop role-playing game; it is intended to allow players to explore stories of daring adventurers exploring a galaxy filled with impossible magic, amazing technology, and fantastical alien cultures.
Starfall takes place several hundred Annums following the Riftstorm Cataclysm, a turbulent reality-warping storm that engulfed all of known inhabited space. Explore a galaxy full of magic and mystery, from the vibrant and bustling systems of the Inner Sphere to cosmic wonders and warring civilizations of the Outer Sphere or the distant regions of the perilous Frontier. A Starfall character’s adventures might take them to sleepless megacities full of technological marvels, rugged alien planets prowled by dangerous monsters, or magical installations orbiting distant stars.
A role-playing game is an interactive story where one player, the Game Master (GM), sets the scene and presents challenges. In contrast, other players take the roles of player characters (PCs) and attempt to overcome those challenges. Danger comes in the form of monsters, hostile tech, and alien environments, but Starfall conflicts also involve political schemes, puzzles, interpersonal drama, and more. The game is typically played by four to seven players, with one serving as the group’s GM. The GM prepares, presents, and presides over the game’s setting and story, posing challenges and playing adversaries, allies, and bystanders alike. As each scene unfolds, every player contributes to the story, responding to situations based on their character's personality and abilities. Combined with preassigned statistics, dice rolls add an element of chance to the game and determine whether characters succeed or fail at actions.
The first rule of Starfall is that this game is yours. Use it to tell the stories you want to tell, be the character you want to be, and share exciting adventures with friends. If any other rule gets in the way of your fun, you can alter or ignore it to fit your story as long as your group agrees. The true goal of Starfall is for everyone to enjoy themselves.
Starfall is played in sessions, during which players gather in person or online for a few hours. A complete story can be as short as a single session, often called a “one-shot,” or span multiple sessions, forming a campaign that may last for months or even years. If the GM enjoys telling the story and the players are entertained, the game can go on for as long as you like. A session can be mostly action, featuring battles with ferocious monsters, hacking computer terminals and magitech traps, and the completion of heroic missions. Alternatively, it could include unionizing miners on an asteroid teeming with megafauna, infiltrating an empire’s military, or bargaining with enigmatic spectras for a starship’s speedy passage through Rift-Space. Ultimately, it’s up to you and your group to determine what kind of game you’re playing, from exploration of uncharted space to an intergalactic political drama, or anything in between.
Everyone involved in a Starfall game is a player, including the Game Master, but for the sake of simplicity, “player” usually refers to participants other than the GM. Before the game begins, players invent a history and personality for their characters, using the rules to determine their characters’ statistics, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. The GM may limit the options available to players during character creation, but these restrictions should be discussed in advance so everyone can create an interesting hero. In general, the only limits to character concepts are the players’ imaginations and the GM’s guidelines. During the game, players describe their characters' actions and roll dice to use their abilities. The GM resolves the outcome of these actions. Some players enjoy acting out (or roleplaying) what they do as if they were their characters, while others describe their characters’ actions as if they were telling a story. Do whatever feels best! If this is your first experience with a role-playing game, it’s recommended that you take on the role of a player to familiarize yourself with the rules and the galaxy.
Source Player Core pg. 6
While the other players create and control their characters, the Game Master (or GM) is in charge of the story and setting. The GM describes all the situations the player characters encounter in an adventure, considers how their actions affect the story, and interprets the rules along the way. The GM can create a new adventure—crafting a narrative, selecting monsters, and assigning rewards on their own— or they can instead rely on a published adventure, using it as a basis for the session and modifying it as needed to accommodate their individual players and the group’s style of play. Some GMs run games that combine original and published content, blending them to create a new story. Being the GM is a challenge that requires you to adjudicate the rules, narrate the story, and juggle other responsibilities. However, it can also be very rewarding and worth all the effort required to run a successful game. If it’s your first time running a game, remember that the only thing that matters is that everyone, including you, has a fun time. Everything else will come naturally with practice and patience.
Before creating your first character or adventure, you should understand some basic concepts used in the game.
In Starfinder, the players take on the role of player characters (PCs), while the Game Master portrays nonplayer characters (NPCs) and monsters. While PCs and NPCs are both critical to the story, they serve very different purposes in the game. PCs are the protagonists—the narrative is about them—while NPCs are allies, contacts, adversaries, and villains. That said, PCs, NPCs, and monsters share several characteristics.
Level is one of the most important statistics of the game, as it conveys the approximate power and capabilities of every individual creature. PCs range in level from 1st, at the start of the character’s adventuring career, to 20th, the very height of power. As the characters overcome challenges, defeat foes, and complete adventures, they accumulate Experience Points (XP). Every time a character amasses 1,000 XP, they go up a level, gaining new abilities so they can take on even greater challenges. A 1st-level PC might face off against a rampant assembly ooze or a hardlight scamp, but at 20th level, that same character might be able to decimate an army with a supermassive black hole or trade blows with a god.
In addition to level, characters are defined by attributes, which measure raw potential and are used to calculate most of their other statistics. There are six attributes in the game. Strength represents a character’s physical might, while Dexterity represents agility and their ability to avoid danger. Constitution indicates a character’s overall health and well-being. Intelligence represents raw knowledge and problem-solving ability, while Wisdom measures a character’s insight and their ability to evaluate a situation. Ultimately, Charisma encompasses charm, persuasiveness, and the force of personality.
Attribute modifiers for ordinary creatures range from as low as -5 to as high as +5, with +0 representing average human capabilities. High-level characters can have attribute modifiers that range much higher than +5. An attribute modifier above the average increases your chance of success at related tasks, while those below the average decrease your chance.
Your player character is also defined by some key choices you make. The first choice is a PC’s ancestry, representing the character’s parents and heritage. Next up is the PC’s background, which traces their upbringing from a sly smuggler to a famous icon. Finally, and most importantly, a PC’s class defines the majority of their aptitudes and abilities. In addition to these key choices, PCs also have many feats—individual abilities selected during character creation and as the character increases in level. Every feat has a type to denote where its explanation can be found (for example, android feats can be found in the android ancestry) and its theme (mystic feats, for example, grant abilities that deal with spells). Finally, characters have skills that measure their ability to treat wounds, use computers, pilot vehicles, and perform other common tasks.
Source Player Core pg. 7
Characters and their choices create the story of Starfall, but how they interact with each other and the galaxy around them is governed by rules. So, while you might decide that your character steals a starship and takes off on a perilous interstellar journey, their abilities determine your character’s chance of success, the choices you make, and the roll of the dice. The GM determines the premise and background of most adventures, although character histories and personalities should also play a part. Once a game session begins, the players take turns describing what their characters attempt to do, while the GM determines the outcome, with everyone working together to create the story. The GM also describes the environment, other characters’ actions, and the events. For example, the GM might announce that the PCs’ home world is under attack by the BioCommune. The characters might fight off the first strike, then track the invaders back to a planetoid in the Frontier—just as a raiding party arrives! The PCs can choose to battle emganats, fend off invaders, or do both. Whatever they decide, their success ultimately depends on their choices and the outcome of their die rolls.
A single narrative encompassing the setup, plot, and conclusion is called an adventure. A series of adventures creates a larger narrative, known as a campaign. An adventure might take several sessions to complete, whereas a campaign might take months or even years!
Source Player Core pg. 8
In a Starfall game, three modes of play determine the pacing of each scene in the story. Most of your character’s time is spent in exploration, uncovering mysteries, solving problems, and interacting with other characters. The galaxy is filled with danger, however, and characters often find themselves in encounters, fighting hostile parties when negotiations go awry and battling fearsome alien monsters. Finally, time moves quickly when the characters enjoy downtime, a respite from the galaxy’s troubles and a chance to rest and train for future activities. Throughout the adventure, gameplay transitions between these three modes multiple times, as needed to advance the story. The more you play the game, the more you’ll see that each mode has its own play style, but moving from mode to mode has a few rigid boundaries.
During the game, your character will face situations where the outcome is uncertain. A character might need to navigate while in Rift-Space, survive in an alien desert, or sneak past a corporate security robot, all of which are dangerous tasks with a price for failure. In such cases, the acting character (or characters) is asked to attempt a check to determine whether or not they succeed. A check is usually made by rolling a single 20-sided die (a d20) and adding a number based on the relevant attribute. In such cases, rolling high is always good.
Once a check is rolled, the GM compares the result to a target number called the difficulty class (DC) to determine the outcome. If the result of the check is equal to or greater than the DC, the check is successful. If it’s lower, the check fails. Beating the DC by 10 or more is considered a critical success, typically resulting in an exceptionally positive outcome. Similarly, failing the check by 10 or more is a critical failure (also called a fumble). This sometimes results in additional negative effects. You also often score a critical success when you roll a 20 on the die while attempting a check (before adding anything). Likewise, rolling a 1 on the die when attempting a check often results in a critical failure. Note that not all checks have a special effect on a critical success or critical failure, and such results should be treated just like an ordinary success or failure instead.
Proficiency is a simple way of assessing your character’s general level of training and aptitude for a given task. It’s broken into five different ranks: untrained, trained, expert, master, and legendary. Each rank grants a different proficiency bonus. If you’re untrained in a statistic, your proficiency bonus is +0; you must rely solely on the raw potential represented by your attribute modifier. If your proficiency rank for a statistic is trained, expert, master, or legendary, your bonus equals your character’s level plus another number based on the rank (2, 4, 6, and 8, respectively). Proficiency ranks are part of almost every statistic in the game.
Source Player Core pg. 8
Most of the time, your character will explore an environment, interact with other characters, travel from place to place, and overcome challenges. This is called exploration. Gameplay is relatively free-form during exploration, with players responding to the narrative whenever they have an idea of what to do next. Ransacking an abandoned warehouse and riding a crowded gravtrain are both examples of exploration.
Leaving a city aboard an enercopter, spotting signs of a marauding kyokor, predicting the path the kyokor might take through the badlands, and convincing local wasteland scavengers to help lure the monster away from the city’s outskirts are all examples of things that might occur during exploration.
Throughout this mode of play, the GM asks the players what their characters are doing as they explore. This is important in case a conflict arises. If combat breaks out, the tasks the PCs undertook while exploring might give them an edge or otherwise inform how the combat begins.
Source Player Core pg. 9
During your adventures, there will be times when a simple skill check is not enough to resolve a challenge—when vicious monsters or ruthless enemies attack your character and the only choice is to fight back. In Starfall, this is called an encounter. Encounters usually involve combat, but they can also be used in situations where timing is critical, such as during a chase or when avoiding hazards. Encounters may also involve socializing or negotiating in tense situations.
While exploration is handled in a free-form manner, encounters are more structured. The players and GM roll initiative to determine who acts in what order. The encounter occurs over several rounds, each lasting about 6 seconds in-game. During a round, each participant takes a turn. When it’s your turn to act, you can use up to three actions. Most simple actions, such as drawing a weapon, moving a short distance, opening a door, or firing a laser pistol, require a single action. Some activities use more than a single action to perform; these are often special abilities from your character’s class and feats. One common activity in the game is casting a spell, which usually uses two actions.
Free actions, such as dropping an object, don’t count toward the three actions you can take on your turn. Finally, each character can use up to one reaction during a round. This special type of action can be used even when it’s not your turn, but only in response to specific events, and only if you have an ability that allows it. Envoys, for example, can select a feat that lets them use their reaction to warn an ally about incoming fire.
Attacking another creature is one of the most common actions in combat and is done by using the Strike action. This requires an attack roll—a kind of check made against the Armor Class (AC) of the creature you’re attacking. Strikes can be made using weapons, spells, or even parts of a creature’s body, like a claw, fist, or tail. You add a modifier to this roll based on your proficiency rank with the type of attack you’re using, your attributes, and any other bonuses or penalties based on the situation. The target’s AC is calculated using their proficiency rank in the armor they’re wearing and their Dexterity modifier. An attack deals damage if it hits, and rolling a critical success results in the attack dealing double damage!
You can use more than one Strike action on your turn, but each additional attack after the first becomes less accurate. This is reflected in a multiple-attack penalty that starts at -5 on the second attack and increases to -10 on the third. There are many ways to reduce this penalty, and it resets at the end of your turn.
Suppose your character finds themself the target of a magical mind skewer or caught in the path of area fire from a flamethrower. In that case, you’ll be called on to attempt a saving throw, representing your character’s ability to avoid danger or otherwise withstand an assault to their mind or body. A saving throw is a check attempted against the DC of the spell or special ability targeting your character. There are three types of saving throws, and a character’s proficiency in each says a great deal about what they can endure. A Fortitude saving throw is used when your character’s health or vitality is under attack, such as from poison or disease. A Reflex saving throw is called for when your character must dodge away from danger, usually something that affects a large area, such as the burst of vines from a verdant code spell or the fiery explosion from a grenade. Finally, a Will saving throw is often your defense against spells and effects that target your character’s mind, such as a phantasmal fleet or vibe check spell. For all saving throws, a success lessens the harmful effect, and scoring a critical success usually means your character escapes unscathed.
Attacks, spells, hazards, and special abilities frequently either deal damage to a character or impose one or more conditions—and sometimes both. Damage is subtracted from a creature’s Hit Points (HP)—a measure of health—and when a creature is reduced to 0 HP, it falls unconscious and may die! A combat encounter typically lasts until one side is defeated, and while this can mean retreat or surrender, it often occurs because one side is dead or dying. Conditions can hinder a creature for a time, limiting the actions it can use and applying penalties to future checks. Some conditions are even permanent, requiring a character to seek out powerful magic or advanced technologies to undo their effects.
Source Player Core pg. 9
PCs don’t have to spend every waking moment adventuring. They might also recover from wounds, craft specialty goods, explore a new location, recruit allies, surf the infosphere, or work a part-time job. In Starfall, this is referred to as downtime, which allows time to pass quickly while characters work on long-term tasks or objectives. Most characters can work in downtime, earning a few credits, but those with the right skills can also spend time crafting or inventing new equipment. Characters can also use downtime to retrain, replacing one character choice with another to reflect their evolving priorities. They might also research a problem, learn new spells, enjoy a city’s nightlife, or even command a starship fleet or run a space station! Downtime might be split between roleplaying scenes, discussions of your character’s (or party’s) long-term plans, and skill checks meant to represent days or weeks of progress toward those goals.
Characters and their adversaries affect the galaxy of Starfall by using actions and producing effects. This is especially the case during encounters, when every action counts. When you use an action, you generate an effect. This effect might be automatic, but sometimes actions necessitate that you roll a die, and the effect is based on what you rolled.
Single actions are the simplest, most common type of action. You can use three single actions on your turn in an encounter, in any order you see fit.
Reactions can be used even when it’s not your turn. You only get one reaction per encounter round, and you can use it only when its specific trigger is fulfilled. Often, the trigger is another creature’s action.
Free actions don’t require you to spend any of your three single actions or your reaction. A free action may have a trigger, similar to a reaction. If so, you can use it just like a reaction—even if it’s not your turn. However, you can use only one free action per trigger, so if you have multiple free actions with the same trigger, you have to decide which to use. If a free action doesn’t have a trigger, you use it like a single action, just without spending any of your actions for the turn.
Activities are special tasks that you complete by spending one or more of your actions together. Usually, an activity involves two or more actions and allows you to perform more than a single action would permit. You must spend all the actions an activity requires for its effects to take place. Spellcasting is one of the most common activities, as most spells take more than a single action to cast.
There are also special activities, such as spells you can cast in an instant, which use a free action or a reaction. All tasks that take longer than a turn are activities. If an activity is meant to be done during exploration, it has the exploration trait. An activity that requires a day or more of commitment and can only be done during downtime has the downtime trait.
Rules elements give characters new and interesting ways to respond to situations in the game. All characters can use basic actions, but an individual character often has special rules that empower them to do things most other characters can’t. Most of these options are granted by feats, which are gained by making certain choices at character creation or when a character advances in level.
Regardless of the game mechanic they convey, rules elements are always presented in the form of a stat block, a summary of the rules necessary to bring the monster, character, item, or other rules element to life during play.
The general format for stat blocks is shown below. Entries are omitted from a stat block when they don’t apply, so not all rule elements will have every.
If a character must attain a certain level before accessing an ability, that level is indicated to the right of the stat block’s name. Rules also often have associated traits. Spells, tech items, and magic items use a similar format, but their stat blocks contain several unique elements, such as the possible magical traditions for a spell.
This section describes the effects or benefits of a rules element. If the rule is an action, it explains what the effect is or what you must roll. If it’s a feat that modifies an existing action or grants a constant effect, the benefit is explained here.
Special: Any special qualities of the rule are explained in this section. Usually, this section appears in feats you can select more than once, explaining what happens when you do. Sometimes an ability grants multiple actions, or an action alongside other benefits. These are condensed into a shorter format using the same categories, as seen below.
Name [one-action] (traits) Frequency: how often it can be used; Trigger: when a reaction or free action can be used; Requirements: some actions require specific circumstances, listed here; Effect: this section explains how the ability changes the world
Source Player Core pg. 389
At this point, you have a character and are ready to play, or maybe you’re the GM, getting ready to run your first adventure.
It's important to understand the game's three modes of play, which determine the pace of your adventure and the specific rules you'll use at a given time. Each mode provides a different pace and presents a different level of risk to your characters. The Game Master (GM) determines which mode best suits the story and controls the transitions between them. You'll likely talk about the modes less formally during your play session, simply transitioning between exploration and encounters during the adventure, before heading to a settlement to achieve something during downtime.
The most intricate mode is encounter mode. This is where most of the intense action takes place, and it's most often used for combat or other high-stakes situations. The GM typically switches to encounter mode by calling on the players to “roll for initiative” to determine the order in which all the actors take their turns during the encounter. Time is then divided into a series of rounds, each lasting roughly 6 seconds in the game world. Each round, player characters, other creatures, and sometimes even hazards or events take their turn in initiative order. At the start of a participant's turn, they gain the use of a number of actions (typically 3 in the case of PCs and other creatures) as well as a special action called a reaction. These actions, and what you do with them, are how you affect the world within an encounter.
In exploration mode, time is more flexible and the play is more free-form. Minutes, hours, or even days in the game world pass quickly in the real world, as the characters travel between star systems, explore uninhabited wilderness on a planet, recover from a battle, or roleplay during a social gathering. Often, developments during exploration lead to encounters, and the GM will switch to that mode of play until the encounter ends, before returning to exploration mode.
The third mode is downtime. During downtime, the characters are at little risk, and time passes in days or longer. This is when you might repair or craft new equipment, research a new spell, or prepare for your next adventure.
Throughout the game, the GM describes what's happening in the world and then asks the players, “So what do you do?” Exactly what you choose to do and how the GM responds to those choices build a unique story experience. Every game is different because you'll rarely, if ever, make the same decisions as another group of players. This is true for the GM as well—two GMs running the same adventure will put different emphasis and flourishes on the content.
Often, your choices have no immediate risk or consequences. If you're exploring a starship and come across an intersection, the GM asks, “Which way do you go?” You might choose to take the corridor to the right or left, or climb through the maintenance shaft overhead. Once your choice is made, the GM tells you what happens next. Down the line, that choice may impact what you encounter later in the game, but in many cases, nothing dangerous occurs immediately.
But sometimes what happens as a result of your choices is less than certain. In those cases, you'll attempt a check.
Starfinder has many specific rules, but you’ll also want to keep these general guidelines in mind when playing.
If you're ever uncertain how to apply a rule, the GM decides. Of course, Starfinder is a game, so when adjudicating the rules, the GM is encouraged to listen to everyone's point of view and make a decision that is both fair and fun.
A core principle of Starfinder is that specific rules override general ones. If two rules conflict, the more specific one takes precedence. If there's still ambiguity, the GM determines which rule to use. For example, the rules state that when attacking a concealed creature, you must attempt a DC 5 flat check to determine if you hit. Flat checks don't benefit from modifiers, bonuses, or penalties, but an ability that's specifically designed to overcome concealment might override and alter this. While some special rules may also state the normal rules to provide context, you should always default to the general rules presented in this chapter, even if effects don't specifically say to.
You may need to calculate a fraction of a value, like halving damage. Always round down unless otherwise specified. For example, if a spell deals seven damage and a creature takes half damage from it, that creature takes three damage.
When more than one effect would multiply the same number, don't multiply more than once. Instead, combine all the multipliers into a single multiplier, with each subsequent multiplier adding 1 less than its value. For instance, if one ability doubled the duration of one of your spells and another one doubled the duration of the same spell, you would triple the duration, not quadruple it.
When you're affected by the same thing multiple times, only one instance applies, using the higher level or rank of the effects, or the newer effect if the two are equal. For example, if you were using a cellular stimulant and then cast it again, you'd still benefit from only one casting of that spell. Casting a spell again on the same target might get you a better duration or effect if it were cast at a higher rank the second time, but otherwise doing so gives you no advantage.
Sometimes a rule could be interpreted in multiple ways. If one version is too good to be true, it probably is. If a rule seems to have problematic wording or doesn't work as intended, work with your group to find a good solution rather than just playing with the rule as printed.
This game presents three primary methods of structuring play. Encounter mode is highly structured and is most often used for combat or stressful situations. Everyone in an encounter rolls initiative to determine the order they act, with the highest result going first. A participant takes their turn when their initiative comes up. You can Delay changing when you take your turn.
Exploration mode lasts for minutes or hours. You use your travel Speed when moving, and you engage in exploration activities such as Avoiding Notice, Detecting Magic, Scouting, or Searching. You can rest while exploring to recover HP and abilities, and make daily preparations at the start of each day.
Downtime mode takes place over days. You might make money, train, or recover, among other things.
During an encounter, you get three actions and 1 reaction per turn. Icons indicate whether your abilities take a single action [one-action], 2 actions [two-actions], three actions [three-actions], a reaction [reaction], or a free action [free-action]. Reactions have Triggers, allowing you to take them whenever they come up. The Ready basic action lets you prepare to use a single action as a reaction. Free actions can have triggers like reactions; a free action with no trigger can be used like a single action, but doesn’t cost any of your actions for the turn.
The most important actions to learn are the basic actions. Specialty basic actions come up less frequently, and you typically won't look them up until you need them. Speaking normally doesn't take an action.
An action that can fail requires a check roll. Roll a d20 (20-sided die) and identify the modifiers, bonuses, and penalties that apply. Then, calculate the result, compare it to the DC (your target number), and determine the degree of success and the effect.
Most checks are modified by your attribute modifier (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma) and your proficiency modifier (untrained, trained, expert, master, or legendary) for the statistic. You might also get a circumstance, status, or item bonus or penalty.
The degrees of success are critical success, success, failure, and critical failure. You succeed if you meet or exceed the DC, or a critical success if you exceed it by 10 or more. If your result is lower than the DC, you get a failure, or a critical failure if you failed by 10 or more.
An effect is the rules term for anything that occurs in the game world. Effects might have a limited Range, and you may need to designate Targets or create Areas for your effects. Areas include bursts from a single point, cones blasting out from you, emanations surrounding you or another creature, or straight lines.
Effects that last for a period of time list a Duration. These can last for a set increment of time or end when specific requirements are met. Many effects apply conditions that measure advantages or impediments, such as being blinded, frightened, or invisible.
Your Speed governs how far you can move. Stride is an action that has the move trait and allows you to move a number of feet up to your Speed. You may need to Stride multiple times in a turn! Move actions can often trigger reactions or free actions. However, unlike other actions, a move action can trigger reactions not only when you first use the action, but also for every 5 feet you move during that action. The Step action lets you move without triggering reactions, but only 5 feet. Other basic actions with the move trait include Crawl, Drop Prone, and Stand.
This game measures movement on a grid. Difficult terrain and other types of terrain may impede your movement, while elevation is relevant to flying creatures.
Creatures can get tactical advantages by careful positioning. The most common are using cover from terrain and other creatures to increase your AC, and flanking, which requires you and an ally to be on the opposite sides of an enemy to reduce the enemy's AC.
Strike actions have the attack trait and allow you to attack with a weapon you're wielding or an unarmed attack (such as a tail). If you're using a melee weapon or unarmed attack, your target must be within your reach; if you're attacking with a ranged weapon, your target must be within your Range. Ranged weapons get less effective as you exceed their range increments. Striking multiple times in a turn has diminishing returns. A multiple attack penalty applies to each attack after the first.
Your Armor Class (AC) is the primary DC used for attacks against you. You might also roll a type of check called a Saving Throw, also called a save, against spells, afflictions, and a wide variety of other effects. There are three kinds of saving throws: Fortitude, Reflex, and Will.
Attacks, spells, and other dangers deal damage. The amount is typically determined by a Damage roll, which can use a variety of sizes and numbers of dice.
Damage reduces the Hit Points (HP) that measure a creature's overall health or an object's durability. A creature might have immunity to damage or effects of certain kinds, a resistance that reduces the damage it takes, or a weakness that increases the damage it takes. These are typically keyed to Damage types such as slashing damage or fire damage.
For a spell that requires an attack roll against the target's AC, you'll calculate your spell attack modifier. For one that causes its subject to attempt a saving throw, you'll need your spell DC.
Skill checks are required for all sorts of other tasks related to adventuring and life in general. You'll find the rules for calculating skill modifiers here. Many exploration activities, such as Avoid Notice and Investigate, also use skill checks.
Your Perception modifier indicates how good you are at noticing things around you. You typically use the Seek basic action to find physical things or the Sense Motive basic action in social situations. While in exploration mode, the Search activity lets you keep an eye out for things around you.
Four main conditions indicate how well you can pinpoint and target a creature: observed, hidden, undetected, and unnoticed. A creature with the concealed or invisible condition is harder to find and target.
The rarity system is a powerful tool that helps you and your group customize your story, characters, worlds, and universe to match your game’s themes and setting better. You can also use it to keep the complexity of your game low by limiting access to unusual options.
Let’s first review the default usage for the four rarities in the game and how these already start to tell a story about your universe.
Common elements are prevalent enough, at least among adventurers, that a player is assumed to be able to access them provided they meet the prerequisites (if any).
Uncommon elements are difficult to access or regionally specific, but a PC can usually find them eventually with enough effort, potentially by choosing a specific character option or spending substantial downtime tracking them down.
Rare elements are lost technology, ancient magic, cutting-edge biotech, and other options that PCs can access only if you specifically make them available.
Unique elements are one of a kind, like a specific magical artifact, a one-of-a-kind prototype, or a named creature. You have complete control over whether PCs can access them. Named NPCs are unique creatures, though that doesn’t mean their base creature type is unique.
Options of higher rarities aren’t necessarily more powerful than common ones. Still, they might have unusual capabilities with large ramifications for the campaign setting or the types of narrative moments common in a science fantasy game. For instance, the Raise Dead spell is Rare, since Starfall’s default setting assumes that the death of important characters, like the leaders of galactic federations or powerful villains, shouldn’t be easily reversed by any common doctor or mystic, only those who have specialized knowledge i these complex fields.
Just because something is common or uncommon in one context doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the same in others. This is specifically true when comparing the commonality of a creature and its ancestry. Because uncommon elements are available in certain circumstances that vary by locale, even within the same solar system.
For instance, weapons wielded by soldiers of the Genesis Acsendency might be uncommon in the Inner Sphere, but in an acsendensy system would be common, and some Inner Sphere weapons might be uncommon. The same is true of many ancestries and alien creatures.
This is particularly noticeable for ancestries who live primarily on a single planet, or who lack access to Rift-space travel. Creatures that are native to a specific place are more likely to be found in other places with similar environments. Similarly, technology levels can be a factor in rarity.
Civilizations with industrial levels of technology probably lack access to starships but likely still have machine guns and shock truncheons, while civilizations with medieval levels of technology might treat all Starfinder items as rare or unique and instead use Pathfinder items in their place. Using rarity in this way can help differentiate technology levels for adventures set on isolated planets, in alternate realities, or in other time periods.
Uncommon elements sometimes have an Access entry in their stat block. An Access entry usually speaks to elements of a character’s backstory or experiences, such as “worshipper of Babmeto,” “member of the Chronologists Guild,” or “from Foundry Station.” A character who meets the access requirements can freely choose that option just like they would a common option, even though it’s uncommon. Unlike a Prerequisites entry, an Access entry never speaks to mechanical requirements needed to make the rules function, so if you’d like to modify Access requirements, you can do so without worrying about altering game balance.
Elements like ancestries, backgrounds, classes, and heritages that a player must select at character creation can still be uncommon or rare. Obviously, there’s no opportunity for the player character to search for them during play, but these rarities still indicate the prevalence of adventurers with those elements in the world. You can decide to allow them on a case-by-case basis, depending on the campaign and the story your group wants to tell.
You might craft a quest involving an uncommon or rare subject. For instance, players might encounter a force field that requires a rare spell to deactivate and have to travel to a distant planet to learn it. If a player has their heart set on an option that’s not common, look for ways to build a story in which their character acquires that option.
With the rarities at your fingertips, you and your group can start building a unique world using rarity as a tool.
Imagine a world where one or more of the core classes are rare. Maybe the natural forces of the universe are out of balance, and a PC solarian is one of the only solarians in the galaxy. Perhaps witchwarpers are rare and are hunted by bounty hunters, police, and pirates across the galaxy.
For a grittier feel, you could make abilities that can remove afflictions uncommon or rare. You could even create a low-magic sci-fi setting where all spells and magic items are uncommon or rare.
You can add, remove, or alter Access entries to fit your universe. For instance, if in your universe the creator god is really an immortal fungal colony, you might add an Access entry for Raise Dead and Resurrection for characters infected by divine spores. In a campaign where everyone’s a lab-grown clone, you might limit Access to one ancestry to start. These are just a few ideas to help get you started. The number of ways you can vary rarities to adjust your setting, story, and game is nearly unlimited.
As Game Master, you run each session of Starfinder, providing the link between the players and the world of the game. It’s up to you to set the scene as the player characters battle monsters, interact with other people, and explore new locations.
An adventure is a self-contained collection of story elements, characters, and settings that form the basis for the story you and the other players tell. You’ll have major beats you want to include, some consistent characters, and themes you want to convey, but all sorts of things can change during the process of turning the outline into a completed story. You might use a published adventure, or you might construct your own adventure as you prepare for your game sessions.
Building your own adventure can be much more challenging than using a published one, but it lets you express yourself, be even more creative, and tailor the game directly to the players and their characters.
Adventure plotting can start at many different points. You might begin with a particular antagonist, then construct an adventure that fits that villain’s theme and leads the group to them. Alternatively, you could start with an interesting location for exploration, then populate it with adversaries and challenges appropriate to the setting. You can start with even less—perhaps a moment or interaction you’d like to see occur, an item or subsystem you’d like to incorporate, a genre you want to explore, or simply an atmosphere you’d like to create.
At the outset of a new campaign, the players will create new player characters. Part of that process involves you introducing what the campaign will be about and what types of characters are most appropriate. Work with the players to determine which rule options are available..
Some groups prefer to have everyone create their characters in advance and show up ready to play. However, getting the group together to make characters can be fun and can benefit your game down the line. A session for building characters is commonly called “session zero.” Session zero is typically shorter than other game sessions, so you might plan a brief introductory scene for when everyone has finished building their characters, or hang out and do something else after you’ve planned your characters.
Having a session zero lets players share character details, making it easier for their characters to have links and relationships with one another before the adventure starts. It gives players the chance to become invested in each other’s characters by organically learning what decisions other players made. It also enables players to ensure a variety of skills and abilities are represented across the entire adventuring party and to plan strategic synergies between their characters. These sessions also give veterans the chance to help less experienced players through character creation. Lastly, session zero can give you a better understanding of the characters and help the players integrate them into the adventure in interesting ways.
A campaign happens over a series of gatherings between you and the other players, called game sessions. Each session is usually several hours long, with multiple encounters, some exploration, and possibly downtime. Your session can be compared to an episode of a TV show; it should include twists, turns, and changes, and end on a note that leaves people excited about what comes next.
Plan a time for everyone to arrive, and also set a time for the game to begin. This can make it easier for everyone to finish chatting, catching up, and eating in a timely fashion so you can start playing the game. Having an end time in mind is also fairly significant. A typical game session lasts about 4 hours, though some groups hold 2-hour sessions or play marathon games. Less than 2 hours usually isn’t enough. time to get much done in most Starfinder campaigns. If your session will be longer than 2 hours, plan out some 15-minute breaks (in addition to bathroom and beverage breaks, which players can take as needed).
During a session, you’re in charge of keeping the game’s action moving, managing the different modes of play, fielding questions, and making rules decisions. You’ll also want to keep a rough eye on the time, so you can end when most convenient for the group.
You’re the interface between the rules and the imagined universe you and the other players share. They will ask you questions, and they’ll act based on their own assumptions. It’s up to you to establish what’s true in the game, but you don’t do this unilaterally. You’re informed by the setting’s backstory, your preparations, and the suggestions and assumptions the other players bring to the table. Keep in mind that until you announce something, your own plans are subject to change. For example, suppose you originally intended the bartender of a cantina to be kindly and well-intentioned, but a player misreads her and invents an interesting conspiracy theory regarding her intentions that sounds fun. In that case, you might convert the friendly bartender into an agent of evil after all.
You’ll also determine when PCs and foes need to attempt checks, as well as the consequences of those rolls. This comes up most often outside of encounters, as encounters are more regimented about when checks happen and how they are resolved. In an encounter, a player can usually determine their own character’s turn, with you chiming in only to say whether an attack hits or if something in the environment requires a character to attempt a check.
Most sessions should have lulls in the action punctuated by challenges such as intense encounters, puzzle-based exploration, and investigation. Presenting players with a variety of such obstacles can help them feel more engaged at the table. Information flow matters, too. If the group meets a large number of NPCs in short order, that can make it harder for them to remember individuals. It helps to break things up into smaller scenes and memorable moments.
Knowing when to end a session takes practice. About 20 minutes before a play session is scheduled to conclude, it can be beneficial to figure out how you’d like to end. It can be memorable to end with a cliffhanger—a moment so curious and abrupt it raises questions about what happens next. Examples include ending play before combat, when the PCs find vital information, or as they discover treasure. Doing so can inspire the PCs to discuss the game between sessions. Note anything that could be resolved over media, such as email. This could include divvying up treasure, leveling up, roleplaying casual character interactions, or completing downtime tasks.
A GM should always convey a clear picture of the stakes and consequences of the PCs’ actions or inaction. What horrible things will happen if the PCs fail? What can they achieve if they go beyond what’s expected of them? A well-constructed adventure conveys the stakes at the outset, but it’s also important to remind the players of those stakes throughout play. A game where the stakes are extremely high all the time cuts out opportunities for low-key scenes and can be overwhelming or even monotonous. In most games, players enjoy having scenes where their characters can relax and socialize, with low stakes.
Consequences should be specific and evocative. Don’t just tell the players what happened after success or failure; let their characters witness it in the game universe. Are they treated as celebrities or pariahs? Does the reactor deep within the derelict ship stutter and ignite, exploding as the PCs escape? Does a failure lead to the death of an ally and a somber funeral? It’s usually best if the PCs can foresee the consequences, at least in a general sense. If a villain demonstrates their intention to attack a planet, and the PCs don’t stop them, then the planet is invaded by imperial troopers or hired guns. It’s okay to have an idea for an interesting subversion occasionally, but keep them to a minimum, or the chain of cause and effect will become too muddy.
Unexpected failure can bring the game to a halt, particularly during exploration. “Failing forward” means finding a way to progress the story instead of saying, “That didn’t work.” This doesn’t mean the group can’t fail, or that the PCs should get what they wanted even if they fail. Rather, it means that a failure might still impart more information, reveal a way to improve their chances next time, or even cause unforeseen difficulties. Doing so means the player’s choice to attempt a check mattered, even if the results weren’t what they wanted. Allowing the PCs to fail forward means fewer dead ends and perfunctory checks. It’s important, however, not to put unnecessary pressure on yourself to do so all the time. Sometimes you won’t know immediately how a PC can fail forward, and in those cases, it’s usually best to move on.