Starfinder - Character Operations Manual Pages 1-50

CHARACTER OPERATIONS MANUAL

2 OVERVIEW TABLE OF CONTENTS OVERVIEW 4 CHAPTER 1: THEME AND RACE 6 Introduction 8 Themes 9 Race Options 16 CHAPTER 2: CLASSES 36 Introduction 38 Biohacker 40 Vanguard 50 Witchwarper 60 Envoy 68 Mechanic 72 Mystic 76 Operative 80 Solarian 84 Soldier 88 Technomancer 92 Archetypes 96 LEAD DEVELOPER Owen K.C. Stephens AUTHORS Alexander Augunas, KateBaker, Simone Dietzler, Jennifer Dworschack-Kinter, Leo Glass, SashaLindleyHall, AmandaHamon, Vanessa Hoskins, Jenny Jarzabski, Jason Keeley, Lyz Liddell, Luis Loza, Ron Lundeen, Crystal Malarsky, Robert G. McCreary, Conor J. Owens, JoePasini, OwenK.C.Stephens, Jason Tondro, and Landon Winkler DEVELOPERS Amanda Hamon and Joe Pasini ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT Thurston Hillman, Jason Keeley, and Chris S. Sims EDITORS Judy Bauer, James Case, Leo Glass, Avi Kool, Lyz Liddell, Adrian Ng, Lu Pellazar, James L. Sutter, and JasonTondro COVER ARTIST Remko Troost INTERIOR ARTISTS Rogier van de Beek, Diana Campos, Michele Giorgi, IgorGrechanyi, Kurt Jakobi, Setiawan Lie, RaphLomotan, Alexander Nanitchkov, Mirco Paganessi, AngeloPeluso, Pixoloid Studios (Mark Molnar, DavidMetzger, GasparGombos, Zsolt ‘Mike’ Szabados, JanosGardos, Laszlo Hackl, and Orsolya Villanyi), Maichol Quinto, RodrigoGonzalez Toledo, Remko Troost, and DenisZhbankov ART DIRECTOR Sarah E. Robinson CREATIVE DIRECTOR Robert G. McCreary MANAGING DEVELOPER Amanda Hamon STARFINDER DESIGN LEAD Owen K.C. Stephens PROJECT MANAGER Gabriel Waluconis PUBLISHER Erik Mona Paizo Inc. 7120 185th Ave NE, Ste 120 Redmond, WA 98052-0577 paizo.com

CLASSES FEATS EQUIPMENT SPELLS OTHER RULES THEME AND RACE OVERVIEW 1 3 CHARACTER OPERATIONS MANUAL OVERVIEW This book refers to several other Starfinder products, yet these additional supplements are not required to make use of this book. Readers interested in references to Starfinder hardcovers can find the complete rules of these books available for free at sfrd.info. AA Alien Archive AA2 Alien Archive 2 AR Armory PW Pact Worlds CHAPTER 3: FEATS 108 CHAPTER 4: EQUIPMENT 120 Weapons 122 Shields 124 Serums 126 Medicinals and Poisons 126 CHAPTER 5: SPELLS 128 Spell Lists 130 Spell Descriptions 133 CHAPTER 6: OTHER RULES 144 Starship Combat 146 Downtime 150 INDEX 156

4 OVERVIEW The Starfinder Roleplaying Game is about blending together ideas and tropes from hundreds of different inspirations and setting them against the nearly limitless backdrop of an entire galaxy of super-science and true magic. It’s impossible to detail every possible background or character concept you might find on even one world, of course, much less a galaxy, but by creating flexible, interchangeable elements, the game encourages players to build the characters they want without worrying about how effective a specific character concept may be. Of course, once the basics are covered, there is always room for expanded rules options to broaden the kinds of characters a Starfinder campaign can include. The Starfinder Core Rulebook took the first steps in defining the game as a whole, and the Starfinder Alien Archive volumes and Starfinder Armory expanded many of the rules and elements used to flesh out characters once they exist, but the Starfinder Character Operations Manual is the first major Starfinder book designed specifically to massively expand the options that are available to players when they’re creatingcharacters. Not only does this book present a wealth of options for creating new characters, but there are also plenty of options for existing characters! While some of the new options in this book make the most sense when creating a character (you don’t normally change your species or theme later in your career, after all), many are available to established characters interested in branching out into new areas. Whether it’s picking up a shield to better protect yourself, taking a few levels in one of the new classes, learning a new spell to round out your options, or picking up a new feat to gain new advantages and maneuvers during combat, there are lots of new options existing characters can take advantage of. And some of the new options in this book are automatically available to everyone, such as downtime rules and open crew starship combat actions. In addition to character options for players, this book also provides a great deal of material for Game Masters. Every new class feature, racial trait, feat, and spell is a self-contained rules package that a Game Master can give as special abilities to NPCs created using Appendix 1 of the Starfinder Alien Archive. The new equipment can serve as unexpected rewards, either taken from the body of a fallen foe, or offered up as payment to PCs for a dangerous job well done. Chapter 6 in particular presents new tools a GM can use to deepen the experience of running a Starfinder game, especially the downtime rules, which give game mechanics for numerous activities that might have previously been hand-waved during the flow of the game. NAVIGATING THIS BOOK This book is organized similarly to the Core Rulebook in terms of how the information is ordered and presented. The following overview offers a brief look at each chapter of the book and a quick summary of what new rules can be found in each, along with some potential applications and benefits of those rules. CHAPTER 1: THEME AND RACE The first chapter expands on the themes available for any starting character, adding to those found in the Core Rulebook and Starfinder Pact Worlds. Many of these new themes are designed to fill a specific niche. This is a departure from previous themes, which either have been extremely broad or have close ties to some specific civilization or organization within the setting. Some of these new themes are instead focused on a profession or dedicated hobby that influences a character throughout their life (such as athlete and grifter), while others are more representative of a character’s social class that can shape how they interact with others long after they leave home (such as noble scion and street rat). Chapter 1 also introduces new rules options tied to specific races, with an entry for every player race from the Core Rulebook—including the legacy races—celebrating the myriad variations within any species. Each race entry includes alternate ability adjustments for the race, alternate racial traits, and other rules elements that are most common among or were developed by members of that race. CHAPTER 2: CLASSES Here, for the very first time, we expand the Starfinder Roleplaying Game with new character classes: the biohacker, vanguard, and witchwarper. These classes are designed to be used in the same way as the classes from the Core Rulebook, but with rules that focus on different elements of the game and the Starfinder universe. The biohacker uses fringe science and strange compounds to alter existing metabolic processes—or even introduce new ones—in friend and foe alike. Vanguards have learned to manipulate entropy and potential energy, using this power to survive in the thick of combat. Witchwarpers can draw on alternate realities to enforce temporary changes to the environment around them and research different ways events could have turned out. Following the new classes are plenty of new options for the existing character classes introduced in the Core Rulebook. Every class from envoy to technomancer receives alternate class features—new abilities specific to that class that can be selected in place of certain standard abilities the class grants. OVERVIEW BIOHACKER VANGUARD WITCHWARPER

1 to your Wisdom ability score. This wouldn’t change your Wisdom modifier, but it makes new options available to you earlier. Of course, you could also wait until 5th level and increase your Wisdom as one of the four ability scores you increase at that level. CHAPTER 4: EQUIPMENT The Core Rulebook and Armory both include a wealth of equipment that nearly anyone can use. The Character Operations Manual presents new equipment to support the novel design space for characters—themes, classes, and character options— introduced in this book, in addition to a variety of more general options. None of the new equipment is restricted exclusively to the new character classes from Chapter 1, but most of it is designed to work well with one or more of those classes or to complement one of the new racial rules options. Most notably, this chapter adds physical shields to the Starfinder Roleplaying Game, allowing characters to carry some small piece of cover with them, rather than hoping they’ll be able to find a good vantage point at the corner of a hallway or behind some wreckage. Shields are particularly useful for meleeoriented characters who are often in the thick of battle. They’re not for everyone, though—they take up an arm that might be needed for certain tactical options, and they require a move action to maximize their benefit each round. They are designed to be a useful option rather than mandatory equipment every character feels like they must take. CHAPTER 5: SPELLS With the addition of a third spellcasting class, the witchwarper, we’ve added a whole new set of spells to ensure each spellcasting class retains its own niche and play style. Of course, some existing spells are appropriate for the witchwarper as well, as noted on its class spell list, and the new spells that overlap with mystic or technomancer concepts are also available to those classes. To carry on the theme of new options for characters of any class, this chapter also adds more spells for mystics and technomancers to give them different options for the focus of their magic abilities. CHAPTER 6: OTHER RULES The final chapter presents a new downtime rules subsystem and expands on the existing starship combat system. The downtime rules provide a way for characters to use their time when they aren’t directly engaging in exploration or combat. This is especially relevant during long starship voyages, which can put characters out of reach of most adventuring options for a number of days at a time. While some characters may wish to craft new devices or lounge around reading a holonovel as a restorative break, other characters may prefer to carouse, perform research, meditate on the future, or catch up on maintenance and readiness drills—and all of these activities have their benefits! This chapter expands the rules for starship combat in much the same way the first two chapters expand character concepts and classes. First are two new starship combat roles. The chief mate takes a hands-on approach to tasks in starship combat, making manual adjustments to assist characters in other roles and rolling up their sleeves to physically push systems past their normal safety parameters and performance margins. The magic officer is the eldritch counterpart to the science officer, using Mysticism to augment attacks with magic, scry on opposing ships, and manipulate the supernatural currents of the void. This section also adds open crew actions, which are generally less specialized tasks than a typical crew action and can be performed regardless of a character’s role. Many open crew actions do not require any specific skill or skill check to perform and can be undertaken by anyone with at least 1 rank in Computers, Engineering, Physical Science, or Piloting. These new actions enable a wide range of characters to contribute to starship combat scenes in different ways without needing to invest heavily in specific skills. Regardless of your level of experience with the Starfinder Roleplaying Game, whether you are a player or a Game Master, whether you are using Starfinder to explore the Pact Worlds and regions beyond or creating your own galaxy of adventures, the Character Operations Manual has a wide array of new options to intrigue and inspire you to make even more interesting characters and stories. Space is vast. There is no end to the secrets and wonders you may discover!

1 THEME AND RACE

8 THEME AND RACE THEMES The following section adds seven new themes—athlete, grifter, guard, law officer, noble scion, sensate, and street rat—that a player can choose from when creating a character. These follow the guidelines presented in Step 3 of character creation on page 14 of the Starfinder Core Rulebook. These themes can be taken by characters of any race or class. They represent both a character’s background and a major focus of the character’s development moving forward. RACE OPTIONS While most members of the races presented in the Starfinder Core Rulebook have the standard racial traits detailed in their descriptions in that book, specific individuals sometimes have unique or unusual abilities, represented by alternate racial traits. Alternate racial traits embody inherent aspects of a character that are less common among the vast multitudes of the entire species. They may represent an influence on a character’s heritage from a distant ancestor, a subrace, early childhood training, genetic engineering, magic manipulation of a character’s development, or any of a number of other anomalous factors. Starting on page 16, this chapter provides alternate ability adjustments, alternate racial traits, and other racial options as appropriate for androids, humans, kasathas, lashuntas, shirrens, vesk, ysoki, dwarves, elves, gnomes, half-elves, halforcs, and halflings. The alternate options presented enable players to create more customized or atypical characters who still fit the overarching concepts of their races, as opposed to characters who no longer feel at all akin to others of theirspecies. As a player, you must decide at 1st level whether your character gains any alternate racial traits. Once you have selected an alternate racial trait, this choice can’t be changed, and you can’t decide to apply an alternate racial trait after your character has leveled up. You can take as many alternate racial traits as you want, but you can’t take two alternate racial traits that replace the same standard racial trait. ATHLETE You are a professional competitor and an expert in physical finesse or brute strength, providing you advantages in battle. See page 9 for more information. GRIFTER Swindling, tricking, and ingratiating yourself to others using your force of personality are your specialties. See page 10 for more information. GUARD You are a vigilant protector of your clients and friends, and you’ll let no harm come to them. See page 11 for moreinformation. LAW OFFICER An enforcer of law and a protector of the public, you often put yourself at risk to ensure others’ safety. See page 12 for more information. NOBLE SCION You were born into a position of power and privilege and are a master of navigating high society. See page 13 for more information. SENSATE You revel in new experiences, and as a result have a wide base of knowledge about the world. See page 14 for moreinformation. STREET RAT Scrappy and streetwise, you are exceptionally adept at blending into the crowd to escape notice. See page 15 for more information. Throughout the known galaxy, there are billions of possible origins for any character. Even when you consider options for just one world or just one species, there are countless possible origins, genetic variations, personal drives and goals, early influences, and natural tendencies that can influence a character well before they take their first level in a character class. These early influences are primarily represented by a character’s theme and race. THEME AND RACE

1 Str, Dex, or Con

1 to Intelligence at character creation. CALCULATED EXPLOITATION [6TH] You earn your living through swindling and defrauding others. While your schemes are often successful, your plans don’t always produce the results you expect, and past failures have taught you how to refine your techniques. Whenever you attempt a Profession check to earn a living, you can roll twice and use the higher result. In addition, once per day you can spend 10 minutes plotting how to get the best deal when purchasing or selling equipment and gear. Immediately following this planning period, you or a designated ally can attempt an appropriate skill check, at the GM’s discretion, to influence a merchant and receive a 10% discount on one item you purchase with an item level no greater than your character level – 2. STRATEGIC NEGOTIATIONS [12TH] You scrutinize each social and business interaction for loopholes, opportunities to exploit, and possibilities for additional profit. Your masterfully crafted schemes and analytical mind enable you to control situations rather than individuals. Once per day when you attempt a Bluff check to lie or a Diplomacy check to change someone’s attitude, you can attempt a Culture or Profession check instead, using your expertise and intellect to gain the target’s confidence. In addition, if you spend at least 10 minutes planning and rehearsing such an interaction, you can ignore the DC modifier to your Bluff check to lie when the target is hostile or unfriendly; if you are attempting to use Diplomacy to change a target’s attitude and fail by 5 or more, the target’s attitude does not get worse. ENDGAME [18TH] You’re a planner who leaves nothing to chance, and you reap the rewards for your patience and attention to detail. Nothing compares to the satisfaction you feel when your expertly positioned pieces slide into place and your schemes come to fruition. Twice per day, after you spend at least 1 minute to plan a con, heist, fraud, or other crime that swindles an individual or organization, and you succeed at a DC 30 Culture check or a check using the Profession skill you selected for the theme knowledge benefit, you regain 1 Resolve Point.

4 insight bonus to Fortitude saving throws against sleep deprivation (Core Rulebook 404). SECURITY REVIEW (18TH) Nothing makes you feel more at peace than going over security procedures and verifying that you have covered every angle, filled every gap, and tightened every loophole to ensure your ward is safe from harm. Once per day, you can spend 10 minutes reviewing security precautions you have taken for your ward and recover 1 Resolve Point; this doesn’t count as resting to regain Stamina Points. In addition, once per day when you witness your ward being damaged by or failing a saving throw against an effect from a significant enemy, you recover 1 Resolve Point as a reaction.

2 or lower Duration 1 week/level (D) Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes You harmlessly render a willing or unconscious living creature inert, placing it in stasis where it does not need to eat, breathe, or sleep. The creature cannot attack, use any abilities, or move while affected by preserve specimen, nor does the creature age or change in any way. It is not aware of its surroundings and does not experience any sensation or passage of time. If the creature was affected by any diseases, poisons, or other afflictions or conditions before you cast preserve specimen, they cease to progress for the duration of the spell, but the creature retains them. Their progression resumes once the spell ends. Any attack against a creature affected by preserve specimen, or any spell or effect that would cause the specimen to take damage or attempt a saving throw, immediately ends this spell. RECALL TECHNOMANCER 1 School divination Casting Time 1 standard action Range personal Duration 24 hours or until expended Once during the duration, as a reaction, you can reroll a failed skill check to recall knowledge. SCAN ENVIRONMENT MYSTIC 1 TECHNOMANCER 1 WITCHWARPER 1 School divination Casting Time 1 minute Range 1 mile/level Area emanation with radius of 1 mile/level centered on you Duration concentration, up to 1 minute/level You analyze the naturally occurring environment in the area, learning the state of the atmosphere (Core Rulebook 395), biomes (Core Rulebook 396), and gravity (Core Rulebook 401). You do not learn the location of or direction to these conditions, only their presence. However, after concentrating for a time, you can learn the following additional information. 1 Minute: Forecast the weather (Core Rulebook 398–400) for the next 48 hours, including the direction it will come from. 5 Minutes: Learn which atmospheres, biomes, and gravity are in the area, if they vary, as well as the direction and distance to those elements. 10 Minutes: Learn if anything in the area presents an environmental hazard (Core Rulebook 400–405), including cold or heat dangers (at what temperature range), radiation (at what severity), smoke effects, and underwater conditions. You gain a general sense of where and how far away these dangers are. VENOMOUS WEAPON MYSTIC 2 WITCHWARPER 2 School conjuration (poison) Casting Time 1 standard action Range touch Targets weapon touched Effect imbues weapon with poison Duration 1 minute/level Saving Throw none (see text); Spell Resistance no You touch a weapon that deals bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage and imbue it with poison. The next five attacks made using the weapon are poisoned. Each creature damaged by these attacks must succeed at a Fortitude save or be sickened for 2d4 rounds.

2 bonus to Culture checks and learn two languages for each skill rank they have in the Culture skill. This replaces cultural fascination. FEATS Shirrens have several techniques that make them valuable to their allies while still allowing them to indulge in their individualism. Other creatures that meet the prerequisites can take these feats. Enhanced Communalism You’re able to benefit from your allies’ presence more often. D Prerequisites: Character level 5th, communalism racial trait. D Benefit: You can use the communalism racial trait multiple times per day. Each time you use it after the first, you must spend 1 Resolve Point to do so. Additionally, you can use communalism as a reaction when an ally within 10 feet of you attempts an attack roll or a skill check, allowing the ally to roll the triggering attack roll or skill check twice and use the higher result.

CLASSES FEATS EQUIPMENT SPELLS OTHER RULES THEME AND RACE OVERVIEW 1 25 CHARACTER OPERATIONS MANUAL RACE OPTIONS Helpful Telepath You’re able to provide uncanny support to your allies. D Prerequisites: Communalism or hive defense racial trait, limited telepathy or telepathy racial trait. D Benefit: When you use aid another, covering fire, or harrying fire and succeed at your attack roll or skill check, you can forgo granting your ally the usual benefit of that action to instead grant the following benefits, determined by the action you used. Any effect that increases the bonuses provided by these actions doesn’t apply when using this feat. You can use this feat in conjunction with the Suppressive Fire feat, but you must apply the same effect (a circ*mstance bonus or the benefit described below) to all allies within the chosen area. You can provide these benefits only to allies with whom you can communicate using telepathy or limited telepathy. Once you’ve used this feat, you can’t do so again until you’ve taken a 10-minute rest to regain Stamina. Aid Another: Instead of gaining a bonus to a skill check, your ally can roll the check twice and use the higher result. Covering Fire: Instead of granting a bonus to the ally’s AC, the next opponent to attack the chosen ally must roll the attack roll twice and use the lower result. Harrying Fire: Instead of gaining a bonus to an attack roll, the next ally to attack the chosen opponent can roll the attack roll twice and use the higher result. Profession Mastery Your deep exploration of the multiple cultures has taught you to use your professional know-how to great effect. D Prerequisites: Cha 13, Int 13, or Wis 13 (see text); Profession (any) 1 rank, cultural fascination racial trait. D Benefit: Choose one Profession skill that you have at least 1 rank in. You must also have a minimum ability score of 13 in the ability score associated with the chosen Profession skill. You can use the chosen Profession skill to attempt skill tasks associated with one of the two skills associated with your chosen Profession. Each common profession skill appears below after its associated ability score, and each skill lists two skills you can select between when you take this feat. Once made, this decision cannot be changed. Charisma-Based Profession Skills: Actor (Bluff, Disguise), artist (Culture, Disguise), comedian (Bluff, Intimidate), courtesan (Acrobatics, Bluff), dancer (Acrobatics, Athletics), musician (Bluff, Sense Motive), orator (Diplomacy, Sense Motive), poet (Bluff, Culture), politician (Diplomacy, Intimidate), video personality (Computers, Diplomacy), writer (Culture, Diplomacy) Intelligence-Based Profession Skills: Accountant (Computers, Perception), archaeologist (Culture, Life Science), architect (Engineering, Physical Science), corporate professional (Diplomacy, Intimidate), electrician (Disable Device, Engineering), lab technician (Life Science, Physical Science), lawyer (Culture, Intimidate), mathematician (Computers, Physical Science), philosopher (Bluff, Culture), professor (Intimidate, Sense Motive), psychologist (Diplomacy, Sense Motive), vidgamer (Computers, Culture). Wisdom-Based Profession Skills: Bounty hunter (Intimidate, Survival), cook (Life Science, Physical Science), counselor (Diplomacy, Sense Motive), dockworker (Athletics, Engineering), farmer (Life Science, Survival), gambler (Bluff, Sense Motive), general contractor (Diplomacy, Engineering), herbalist (Life Science, Medicine), maintenance worker (Athletics, Engineering), manager (Diplomacy, Intimidate), mercenary (Culture, Survival), merchant (Culture, Diplomacy), miner (Athletics, Physical Science), smuggler (Sleight of Hand, Stealth). D Special: You can take this feat twice. The second time, you can use the chosen Profession skill to attempt tasks associated with both skills associated with that Profession skill.

3 racial bonus to checks with the chosen skill. Once this choice is made, it cannot be changed. This replaces fearless. Prehensile Tail Occasionally vesk are born with a tail that is thinner and significantly more flexible than the norm for their species. Though less common, there are also ancient vesk stretching and range of motion techniques an individual can use to alter the build of their tail over years of dedicated work. Vesk with this racial trait have a tail that is as effective as a hand at manipulating objects, allowing 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. This replaces natural weapons. Vesk Venom Though most vesk are not venomous, a few have venom sacs and elongated teeth held over from a vesk subspecies that has since gone extinct, perhaps related to the snake-people of Vesk Prime. Other theories suggest these traits are from a time when an ancient vesk nation modified its warriors with magic or technology to gain venomous natural attacks. Vesk with this racial trait can deal piercing or bludgeoning damage with their unarmed strikes. When the vesk makes a successful unarmed strike that deals piercing damage, and the target takes damage from the attack, as a reaction the vesk can expose the target to venom (see page 27). Once a vesk has used their venom, they can do so again only after taking a 10-minute rest to regain Stamina Points. A vesk is immune to the effects of their own venom. This replaces armor savant and fearless, and it modifies natural weapons.

1 insight bonus to the next melee attack roll you make against that target before the end of your next turn. You can study only one target at a time, and if you use this ability to gain a bonus against a new foe, any previous bonus is lost. Once you have made an attack against a creature with this bonus, you can’t use instinctive strike against that foe again for 24 hours. Reactive Resistance (Ex) 9th Level D When you take energy damage, you can expend 1 Resolve Point as a reaction to gain energy resistance 10 against that type of energy damage (including the triggering damage) for 1 minute. If you took damage from multiple types of energy damage as part of the same attack or effect, you choose one to gain energy resistance against. You can have resistance against only one energy type from reactive resistance at a time. If you use this ability to gain resistance against a new damage type, any previous resistance gained from this ability is lost. Anticipate Ambush (Ex) 13th Level D You can act during a surprise round. Empower Defenses (Ex) 17th Level D As a move action, you can double the DR you gain from your bolster resilience style technique and the energy resistance you gain from your reactive resistance style technique until the start of your next turn.

2 racial bonus to Fortitude saves against disease, poison, and effects that cause the nauseated or sickened condition. This replaces scrounger. FEATS The following feats represent tactics ysoki favor. Anyone who meets the prerequisites can take these feats, however. Improved Kip-Up You can stand from prone in a blink of an eye. D Prerequisites: Acrobatics 1 rank, Kip-Up feat or moxie racial trait. D Benefit: You can stand from prone as a reaction. If you have 5 or more ranks in Acrobatics, you can expend 1 Resolve Point

1-1/2 × opponent’s CR). If you succeed, you enter your opponent’s space. If you fail, you remain in your starting position, and you are flat-footed and off-target until the end of your next turn. While you occupy a foe’s space, that foe is flat-footed and off-target, and it treats its space as difficult terrain. If your opponent tries to move out of your space, it provokes an attack of opportunity from you. SPELL Ysoki are famous for the following spell, using it to shrink down large objects for storage in their cheek pouches. SHRINK OBJECT TECHNOMANCER 1-6 WITCHWARPER 1-6 School transmutation Casting Time 1 round Range touch Targets one object touched; see text Duration 1 day/level (D) Saving Throw Fortitude negates (object); Spell Resistance yes You shrink the target item, transmuting it into a smaller version of itself. You can target an attended object only if the creature attending the object is willing, and you cannot target worn objects. While shrunken, the object takes up less space and bulk, but it ceases to function. When the spell ends, the object returns to normal size, moving through any nearby opening it can to reach a space that can accommodate it, but it does not expand with any forceand doesno harmto containerstoo smallfor it.This spellcan affect objects of a size and bulk limited by the spell’s level. Likewise, the spell’s level determines the target’s size after the spell takes effect. For this spell, vehicles and other objects without a specified weight count as an object with bulk equal to the number of squares of the object’s space squared. 1st: You can target an object up to 1 cubic foot in size and weighing up to 10 bulk. The target’s dimensions are reduced to a 6-inch cube, and its bulk is reduced to L. 2nd: As the 1st-level version, but you shrink an object up to 4 cubic feet in size weighing up to 40 bulk. If you target an object that’s 1 cubic foot or smaller and weighs no more than 10 bulk, its dimensions are further reduced to a 1-inch cube and its bulk is reduced to negligible. 3rd: As the 1st-level version, but you can shrink an object up to 7 cubic feet in size weighing up to 70 bulk. If you target an object that’s 4 cubic feet or smaller and weighs no more than 40 bulk, its dimensions are further reduced to a 1-inch cube and its bulk is reduced to negligible. 4th: As the 1st-level version, but you can shrink an object up to 10 cubic feet in size weighing up to 100 bulk. If you target an object that’s 7 cubic feet or smaller and weighs no more than 70 bulk, dimensions are further reduced to a 1-inch cube and its bulk is reduced to negligible. 5th: As the 1st-level version, but you can shrink an object up to 13 cubic feet in size weighing up to 130 bulk. If you target an object that’s 10 cubic feet or smaller and weighs no more than 10 bulk, its dimensions are further reduced to a 1-inch cube and its bulk is reduced to negligible. 6th: As the 1st-level version, but you can shrink an object up to 16 cubic feet in size weighing up to 160 bulk. If you target an object that’s 13 cubic feet or smaller and weighs no more than 130 bulk, its dimensions are further reduced to a 1-inch cube and its bulk is reduced to negligible.

4 racial bonus on Acrobatics and Athletics checks to avoid becoming off-kilter and can always take 10 on such checks. They also have a climb speed of 25 feet, but only for moving along a wall with handholds at full speed in zero-g. This replaces slow and steady.

2 racial bonus to Survival checks. This replaces keen senses.

1 racial bonus to Profession checks and can attempt Profession checks untrained. This replaces curious. FEATS Gnomes often have the feats in this section. However, these feats are available to any character who meets the prerequisites. Diverse Conditioning Your broad experience has made you better at avoiding danger. D Prerequisites: Eternal hope or ecstatic joy racial trait, character level 5th. D Benefit: Choose two effect descriptors. You can spend 1 Resolve Point to reroll a failed saving throw against effects that have either of those descriptors. Once you use this ability, you can do so again only after a 10-minute rest to regain Stamina. Multifaceted Nature Through a twist of genetics, magic, or strange fate, you developed another of your race’s traits. D Prerequisites: Dimorphic or driftborn racial trait, character level 9th. D Benefit: When you gain this feat, choose a racial trait you lack that is available to your race. You gain that trait. If you select an alternate racial trait, it doesn’t replace a racial trait you already have. Spot of Luck When escaping tight spots, you defy the odds. D Prerequisites: Any racial trait or feat that grants a d20 reroll, character level 5th. D Benefit: When you use an ability to reroll one d20 roll, you can spend 1 Resolve Point to reroll twice and use the highest of all three results. Once you use this ability, you can do so again only after a 10-minute rest to regain Stamina Points. GNOMES Originally residents of the First World, gnomes subsequently dwelled for centuries on the lost world of Golarion, and they haven’t established another home world since its loss. Many live on Absalom Station or Castrovel, while others have been driven to seek new wonders across the galaxy. At some point during the Gap, gnomes became a dimorphic race— including both the original, colorful feychildren, and the monochromatic bleachlings, who are immune to the gnome plague known as the Bleaching.

3 total) to your melee attack rolls against that target. If the flanked creature takes a guarded step, it provokes attacks of opportunity from you and allies who flank it with you. Share Training (Ex) 17th Level D Select three combat feats you have. When you start your turn adjacent to an ally, as a reaction, you can select one of these feats and grant the ally its benefit for 1 round. To benefit from the selected feat, the ally must still meet its prerequisites. HALF-ELVES

2 Wisdom, and −2 Charisma. ALTERNATE RACIAL TRAITS Most half-orcs in the Pact Worlds have half-orc parents, but different bloodlines can produce differing features. Many halforcs use tech, magic, or a combination to modify themselves or their offspring, producing unusual results. Armor Ease Half-orcs on Apostae can be trained to wear armor at an early age. They reduce the armor check penalty of any armor they wear by 1 and the speed penalty by 5 feet. This replaces orc ferocity. Professional Focus Especially on Apostae, half-orcs are educated by the drow to be an expert in a particular vocation, filling that role throughout their lives. Such half-orcs gain Profession as a class skill. In addition, these half-orcs gain 1 additional skill rank per level, but this rank must be invested in the Profession skill. This replaces intimidating. Steelskin Some half-orcs have tough skin due to years in harsh conditions, extreme training, or as the result of body modifications. They gain DR 1/—. At character level 10th, this increases to DR 2/—. This DR stacks with one other form of DR. This replaces orc ferocity. FEATS The following feats are most common among half-orcs. Survivalist You know how to live off the land. D Prerequisites: Self-sufficient racial trait. D Benefit: When you attempt a Survival check to live off the land, you are not limited to moving only half your overland speed. If you succeed at the check, you can provide food and water for five more creatures than normal. Terrifying Presence (Combat) Your fearsome displays instill fear longer. D Prerequisites: Intimidating racial trait. D Benefits: When you succeed at an Intimidate check to demoralize, the duration is 1d4 rounds longer than normal.

2 bonus to Bluff checks and to Diplomacy checks to change the attitude of indifferent creatures. This replaces sure-footed.

2 CLASSES

38 CLASSES BIOHACKER The biohacker uses complex catalysts and fringe medical knowledge to augment her allies and inhibit her foes, often using injection weapons. Key Ability Score: Intelligence or Wisdom WITCHWARPER Witchwarpers are powerful spellcasters who draw their magic from alternate realities and can pull bubbles of those realities into their current space. Key Ability Score: Charisma VANGUARD An expert at close combat, the vanguard has gained supernatural control over the power of entropy, and can speed, slow, or alter how energies and reactions occur. Key Ability Score: Constitution Your character’s class represents their field of expertise, and the Character Operations Manual provides the following entirely new classes. Each class grants a number of specialized abilities gained through dedicated training, raw talent, or even The character classes presented in the Starfinder Core Rulebook represent the most common roles for adventurers throughout the galaxy. From the Pact Worlds to the Veskarium to the distant Azlanti Star Empire, one can almost always find characters in the roles of envoys, operatives, soldiers, and all the other classes presented in that volume. By drawing on different themes and archetypes to represent specific backgrounds, training, or cultural influences, players and Game Masters can easily model a wide array of characters using only the options presented in the Core Rulebook. Yet space is vast, containing a nigh-incalculable number of worlds, species, and civilizations, and thus even with the aid of themes and archetypes, not every character fits into one of the broad classifications available. To help create these specialized adventurers and their unique abilities, this book presents three new classes: the biohacker, the vanguard, and the witchwarper. CLASS DESCRIPTIONS The classes in this book follow the rules for classes presented on pages 58-59 of the Starfinder Core Rulebook. Those rules describe how to read the class overviews presented on the following pages, including explanations of Stamina Points, Hit Points, key ability scores, class skills, armor proficiency, weapon proficiency and specialization, class features, class tables, and class builds. CLASS FEATURES All the class features for each class presented in this book are detailed in the class’s description. If a class feature ever requires a calculation or produces a numerical result that would include a fraction, always round down unless otherwise stated. This follows the normal rule for rounding (Core Rulebook 243). Class features may reference different types of levels, such as character level, class level, and caster level. For a character with only one class, these are all the same thing. For characters with levels in multiple classes, when a class feature has an effect or prerequisite based on your level, it always means your level in that class, not your total character level. If a class feature or spell mentions your caster level, that refers to your combined levels in all spellcasting classes (though the number of spells you can cast per day and the number you know at each level are still based on solely the level of the class granting them). Class features usually fall into one of three categories: extraordinary abilities, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities (Core Rulebook 262). A character might gain these abilities through a variety of means, including advanced meditative techniques, formal training under a dedicated instructor, use of cutting-edge technological devices, exposure to mysterious alien technology, and so on. The specific source of these abilities is up to you, as a way to add flavor to your character. Regardless of the source, these abilities are class features and cannot be taken away, though they may be suppressed or negated by other effects. CLASS TABLES Each class description contains a table that summarizes the various features of the class at each level. Class Level: This is the class level at which your character receives the benefits listed in the line. Base Attack Bonus: This is the total base attack bonus at that level, which is used to calculate your melee and ranged attack bonuses. Fort Save Bonus, Ref Save Bonus, Will Save Bonus: These entries list your total base save bonus for Fortitude, Reflex, CLASSES an eldritch accident. Your class also determines your character’s statistics such as your Hit Points, Stamina Points, weapon and armor proficiencies, class skills and skill ranks per level, and base attack and saving throw bonuses.

FEATS EQUIPMENT SPELLS OTHER RULES THEME AND RACE OVERVIEW 2 39 CHARACTER OPERATIONS MANUAL CLASSES CLASSES and Will saving throws at that level. You add your Constitution modifier to Fortitude saves, your Dexterity modifier to Reflex saves, and your Wisdom modifier to Will saves. Class Features: This lists the class features gained at that level. These class features are described in detail later in the class description. Spells per Day: For a class that can cast spells (such as the witchwarper), the table lists the number of spells per day you can cast at each class level (known as your “spell slots”). You may be able to cast additional spells based on your key ability score, as indicated in a separate table in the class entry. If an entry is marked with a dash (—), you can’t cast spells of that level yet. Other Entries: If the class grants different features that depend on your level, they are listed here. CLASS BUILDS Each class description ends with four example class builds, using the same format as class builds for the original classes (Core Rulebook 59). These examples serve as possible inspiration for using that class. Each example is just a suggested starting point; you can embrace them, modify them, or completely ignore them in favor of your own ideas for a character. Class builds highlight only a few key features each character might select and do not represent all of a character’s statistics or choices. STARTING CHARACTERS While all the details you need to play the three new classes are here in the Character Operations Manual, these classes still use all the rules in Chapter 2 of the Core Rulebook for determining race, theme, ability scores, skills, feats, and equipment. You can find the steps needed to create a character beginning on page 14 of the Core Rulebook. These classes provide new options to use with the rules for creating characters, but they don’t replace those rules. ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURES Following the three new classes are alternate class features for the seven classes presented in the Starfinder Core Rulebook. When you first gain a class feature, you can instead select an appropriate alternate class feature. If an alternate class feature states it replaces a class feature, you are no longer considered to have the class feature it replaced. If it alters a class feature, you retain that class feature, but it functions differently, as described. Once you have chosen which version of a class feature you have, that choice can’t be changed. Alternate class features otherwise follow the general rules for class features in Chapter 4 of the Core Rulebook and the specific rules for each class. ARCHETYPE OPTIONS An archetype grants alternate class features that replace or alter class features normally granted by your class at one or more levels. The possible levels at which an archetype might grant an alternate class feature are 2nd, 4th, 6th, 9th, 12th, and 18th. An archetype might grant alternate class features at a few of these levels, or at all of them. You can find a full explanation of how selecting an archetype and replacing class features works on pages 126–127 of the Core Rulebook. Each of the new classes in this book has a list below of the class features that are altered or replaced by an archetype. The biohacker, vanguard, and witchwarper are compatible with all published Starfinder archetypes, though they are still subject to any specific prerequisites listed for a given archetype. Altered or Replaced Biohacker Class Features For any level at which an archetype provides an alternate class feature, a biohacker who takes the archetype alters or replaces the listed class features. D Multilevel 2nd, 4th, 6th, 12th, and 18th Levels: You don’t gain a theorem. D 9th Level You don’t gain the use of a second spark of ingenuity per day. When you reach 15th level, you can use only two sparks of ingenuity per day. Altered or Replaced Vanguard Class Features For any level at which an archetype provides an alternate class feature, a vanguard who takes the archetype alters or replaces the listed class features. D Multilevel 2nd, 4th, 6th, 12th, and 18th Levels: You don’t gain a vanguard discipline. D 9th Level You don’t gain an additional use of reactive. At 15th level, you can use reactive only twice per day. Altered or Replaced Witchwarper Class Features For any level at which an archetype provides an alternate class feature, a witchwarper who takes the archetype alters or replaces the listed class features. D 2nd Level You don’t gain the paradigm shift class feature at 2nd level. Instead, you gain that feature at 5th level. D 4th Level You don’t gain another daily use of the infinite worlds class feature, nor do you gain its additional 4th-level effect. D 6th Level You don’t gain the alternate outcome class feature at 6th level. Instead, you gain it at 12th level. D 9th Level Your compound sight class feature doesn’t apply to a second skill. D 12th Level If you have the alternate outcome class feature, you don’t gain an additional daily use. If you would gain the alternate outcome class feature at this level due to an archetype replacement, you gain it at 18th level instead. D 18th Level If you have the alternate outcome class feature, you don’t gain an additional daily use. If you would gain the alternate outcome class feature at this level due to an archetype replacement, you don’t gain it at all. New Archetypes This book presents a collection of 10 new archetypes that can be used by characters using classes either from this book or from the Core Rulebook. Some of these archetypes list prerequisites, which you must meet at the time you would first gain the archetype. These archetypes otherwise follow the rules presented on pages 126–127 of the Core Rulebook.

INTELLIGENCE MODIFIER Your Intelligence helps you learn about the sciences, while your Wisdom helps you interpret facts and apply them to real-world situations. You should choose either Intelligence or Wisdom as your key ability score. Once made, this choice cannot be changed. A high Dexterity can help you better aid your allies and hinder your foes with your ranged biohacks. ARMOR PROFICIENCY Light armor WEAPON PROFICIENCY Basic melee weapons, small arms, and grenades Bluff (Cha) Computers (Int) Culture (Int) Diplomacy (Cha) Engineering (Int) Life Science (Int) Medicine (Int) Perception (Wis) Physical Science (Int) Profession (Cha, Int, or Wis) Sense Motive (Wis) Sleight of Hand (Dex)

6 Superserum, theorem

your key ability score modifier (minimum 1 round) unless it states otherwise. You begin play knowing this basic inhibitor biohack; when you use it, select an effect: D The target takes a –2 penalty to AC. D You reduce the target’s DR by 5. At 9th level, you instead reduce it by 10. At 17th level, you instead reduce it by 15. D You reduce the target’s resistance to one type of energy (your choice) by 5. At 9th level, you instead reduce it by 10. At 17th level, you instead reduce it by 15. A creature can be affected by only one of your basic inhibitors at a time, though it could be under the effects of multiple basic inhibitors originating from multiple biohackers. If you affect a creature with a different basic inhibitor while a previous inhibitor is still in effect, the effects of the previous inhibitor end. Minor Biohacks You can create minor biohacks from less powerful (and more stable) pharmaceuticals, nanites, and catalysts, and you can add them to any attack you make with an injection weapon that does not already have another biohack added to it. You don’t need to activate the materials for minor biohacks in advance, and using them does not count against the maximum number of biohacks you can have ready at one time. Minor biohacks are otherwise used as and function as basic booster and basic inhibitor biohacks, and they count as such biohacks for the purposes of interactions with other abilities (such as spark of ingenuity). Minor Booster Using a minor booster biohack allows you to attempt some Medicine checks on targets you affect so long as the target is within range of your custom microlab. This doesn’t require any

your key ability score modifier. Unless otherwise specified, you can’t learn a theorem more than once. Once you learn a theorem, that choice cannot be changed. The list of theorems begins on page46. SPARK OF INGENUITY (EX) 3rd Level Possible permutations and offshoots of your formulas constantly run through your mind. Once per day, you can alter one of your biohacks to work in a different way, determined by your scientific method. You can do this one additional time per day at 9th level and at 15th level. If you are a studious biohacker, you can expend two uses of your biohack ability to combine the effect of two basic or minor biohacks (or one of each) into a single effect. This takes no additional time and allows a creature to be under the effects of two different basic or minor booster or inhibitor biohacks simultaneously. If the two effects have different durations, each effect ends after its normal time limit, though any with a duration measured in rounds last 1 round longer than normal. If you are an instinctive biohacker, when using a booster biohack, you can remove one of the following conditions, in addition to the booster’s normal effects: dazzled, fascinated, or shaken. If you are at least 9th level, you can instead add the off-target condition as one of the effects imposed by any of your inhibitors, or you can remove any one of the following conditions with any of your boosters: dazzled, deafened, fascinated, fatigued, off-target, shaken, or sickened. Alternatively, you can add the

your key ability score modifier), the damage is halved, and the target is instead only fatigued for 1 round. D Relieve the target of debilitating conditions. Choose one set of ability scores: mental (Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) or physical (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution). The target is healed of all ability damage to the chosen set of ability scores, and all ability drain from these ability scores is removed. Regardless of which set of scores you choose, the superserum also eliminates any ongoing confusion, fear, and insanity effects; any mental afflictions that could be removed with dispel magic; and any diseases that use the mental disease track. It removes any effects magically altering the target’s memory—even instantaneous effects— and can restore the target’s memory to perfect clarity. FIELDS OF STUDY The following fields of study represent the most common academic specialties for a biohacker. Each field’s booster, inhibitor, and breakthrough ability follow the rules for basic biohacks unless specified otherwise. Unlike boosters and inhibitors, a breakthrough ability doesn’t count against

2 enhancement bonus to end the effect or remove the condition. This does not grant a new saving throw if the effect did not originally allow one. If you are at least 7th level, the bonus to saving throws against

your key ability score modifier at 8th level. You must have your custom microlab in your possession to use this ability, and you can use it a number of times per day equal to your key ability score modifier. Regardless of what type of biohacker you are, once a creature has benefited from your field dressing, they cannot benefit from your field dressing again until they take a 10-minute rest to recover Stamina Points. Hampering Inhibitor* (Ex) D Any biohack inhibitor you successfully use against a foe decreases that foe’s speed by 50%, to a minimum of 5 feet, in addition to the normal inhibitor effect you choose. If the target has multiple movement types, all its speeds are decreased. Medication Mastery (Ex) D You can quickly turn the compounds and catalysts in your custom microlab into medicinals (Core Rulebook 231). You can create an analgesic, an antitoxin, or a sedative with an item level no higher than your biohacker level. If you are an instinctive biohacker, you can also make excitants and stimulants (Armory 133). If you are a studious biohacker, you can also make antiemetics and coagulants (Armory 132). These medicinals are highly unstable and cannot be stored for later use or used by anyone else. You can add one of these medicinals to any attack you make with an injection weapon as part of the action to make the attack or attacks, but you can’t add a biohack of any kind to the same attack. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your key ability score, and you regain all expended uses of this ability (up to your maximum) when you take a 10-minute rest to recover Stamina Points. Painful Injection (Ex) D When you hit an enemy with a weapon with the injection weapon special property, you can cause the ammunition (whatever it may be) to lodge painfully in that creature’s body. The target takes an additional amount of damage equal to half your key ability modifier. Speedy Serums (Ex) D When you use your custom microlab to craft a serum, you can do so in half the normal time. Strange Anatomy (Ex) D Using complex chemical concoctions, you have altered your own physiology. When an enemy scores a critical hit against you, reduce the amount of damage dealt by a number equal to your key ability score modifier. This does not prevent you from taking critical hit effects. At 6th level, reduce the damage from critical hits by twice your key ability score modifier. At 12th level, you reduce it by three times your key ability score modifier, and at 18th level, you reduce it by four times your key ability score modifier. Toxic Skin (Ex) D You have handled so many toxins that they’ve accumulated in your skin (or equivalent outer layer). Any creature that hits you with a natural attack must succeed at a Fortitude save

your key ability score modifier if you are 18th level or higher. You must know the field dressing theorem to select this theorem. Greater Treat Condition (Ex) D Add the following conditions to the list of those you can remove with the treat condition theorem: cowering, dazed, panicked, paralyzed, and stunned. You must know the treat condition and improved treat condition theorems to select this theorem. Liquid Bravery (Ex) D You have consumed enough fortifying chemical concoctions to have negated some of the fear you feel. You are immune to the shaken condition. If you are frightened, you need not flee or fight, and if you are panicked, you need not drop all held items and flee, but you still cower if you are cornered. You still take the penalties associated with frightened and panicked as normal.

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References