SFS Quests - Into the Unkown: Starfinder Society Game 8/22

[Talen]

I'm going to run a Starfinder Society game on Tuesday 8/22 running from 6:30 pm to 11:30 PM EST. This scenario is meant to be run with 1st level pregens which will be provided. The FG teamspeak server will be used for voice and the calendar invite for signups is HERE. (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/calendar/index.xcp?id=2710)

Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Quest: Into the Unknown
A series of five Starfinder Quests designed for 1st-level characters.


When a mysterious visitor comes to Absalom Station selling items belonging to a lost Starfinder, the Starfinder Society takes note. The PCs are dispatched to discover out how the recent arrival found these items, leading them on a series of quests beyond the Pact Worlds and into the stars.

"Into the Unknown" includes five, 1-hour adventures that take the PCs from exploring Absalom Station, to partaking in starship combat, to exploring an alien world. The fifth adventure in the series provides a stunning conclusion that takes the PC's previous accomplishments into account for a climactic final showdown against an enemy starship.

Written by Ron Lundeen.

[xazil]

I can make this, would like to try out Altronus as I believe it is pre-gen only.

[gagsmith]

Would also like to join! Signed up on the calendar.

[IrishBouzouki]

Signed up, I'm interested in seeing what this is like, I don't have the rules (and my Pathfinder-fu is kinda rusty-creaky in spots) is that okay?
edit: Also, I've played a little bit of PFS, does this require similar character pre-registration on Paizo etc?

[Talen]

Welcom Xazil, gagsmith and Irish. No worries on the rule familiarity. I would prefer if you obtained an organized play number from the Paizo site ahead of the game, but if you don't, I can help out with that.

[JackalAion]

Two things. First, where can I find the pre-gens? And second, is there any way to push the time back an hour and a half? I'll still be at work with the time as is. :(

[corwynn]

It's not pregen only. You can use standard SFS-generated characters.

[xazil]

Ah, nice. I will bring my mechanic then. Will make up a version in the PF ruleset for use or MoreCore?

[JackalAion]

I haven't had the chance to get the core rulebook yet. Iseph looks cool so I'll play him if I can make it.

[Talen]

A few replies too the points above:

1. Yes, you can use the pregens or create your own pc.
2. The pregens are available on the Paizo site HERE (https://paizo.com/products/btpy9ukw/discuss?Community-Use-Package-Starfinder-Society-Pregenerated-Characters#tabs)
3. I will be running using the Pathfinder ruleset for Starfinder. You can read more about how that is being used HERE (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?39638-Using-the-PFRPG-ruleset-to-Play-Starfinder)
4. If you want to see the pregens in Fantasy Grounds Format, the are found in posts 23 and 28 of the link above.
5. Post 23 also includes a library module that might help you with your own Lvl 1 pc (its includes the races and classes and some limited equipment, feats, etc.

[JackalAion]

Thanks Talen, that was very helpful. Is my time request doable? I'd really like to give this a try.

[Talen]

Thanks Talen, that was very helpful. Is my time request doable? I'd really like to give this a try.

Yes and no....Im going to keep the time so that we can run all 5 quests at a reasonable time for me since I have to work in the morning - however - assuming we don't hit a full table - you can still join in whenever you arrive at the start of the next quest - each quest is slated to last 1 hour and you dont have to be present for all of them.

[JackalAion]

Well I should be home around the time you start the 2nd one

[Talen]

That will work! Ill have the server up first thing ion the morning on game day so you can get the load out of the way and not have to worry about bandwidth issues.

[JackalAion]

I'll try to make a character. If not i'll use Iseph

[Talen]

For those that have asked, the rules for character creation in Starfinder Society are virtually identical to those presented in the Core Rulebook. The most substantial change is that you MUST use the point buy system. The full rules for creating a Starfinder Society character are found on page 20 of the Starfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Guide found HERE (https://paizo.com/products/btpy9vlp/discuss?Starfinder-Society-Roleplaying-Guild-Guide)

[JackalAion]

Thanks. I should have a character made on time thanks to my friend lending me his book.

[Talen]

For anyone making their own pc, please send me your stats (scan of the sheet probably better) or your FG file so we can make sure it works and I can familiarize myself with your powers.

[corwynn]

I've got my Ysoki Technomancer made, I just need to see about translating it from the PDF I used to an FG sheet. Should have it to you on Monday.

[corwynn]

As a note, the full rulebook (all 532 pages) in PDF is only $9.99 on Paizo's site, for those of you who don't have the rules. You can say a lot of things about Paizo. One of those things is NOT that they make their core rules prohibitively expensive.

[Talen]

I've got my Ysoki Technomancer made, I just need to see about translating it from the PDF I used to an FG sheet. Should have it to you on Monday.

Feel free to send me the pdf, I've been playing with some data modules and might be able to help out with the entry into FG

[IrishBouzouki]

Awesome, armed with all this info and after giving Paizo ten bucks, I want to make an attempt to build my own character for this event.
I will see if I can get you an xml by tonight. Failing that, a pdf or some text-ish form with all the info.

[Talen]

Sounds good. If you dont have a society guild number (since this is an organized play game), you can get the info you need to create one HERE (https://paizo.com/organizedplay/faq#v5748eaic9vgo).

While the FAQ references Pathfinder - it also applies to the new Starfinder Society- your character number will just start with the 700's. If it still seems confusing after you check out the FAQ, I can always provide event day membership numbers.

[IrishBouzouki]

Thanks. SFS character registered on Paizo for this, Android Ace Pilot Vyr-801

[JackalAion]

Nice. I'm working on an Ace Pilot Android myself. A solider sharpshooter. He's almost done.

[IrishBouzouki]

Nice. I'm working on an Ace Pilot Android myself. A solider sharpshooter. He's almost done.I'll go with exocortex mechanic then for Vyr-801.

[xazil]

I'll put together a PF XML as well as I assume you are using that ruleset as your base....

[JackalAion]

Ok, I thank That is it for my character.

[Talen]

Thanks all. I received the characters here and via email and will input them tonight. Feel free to send any images you might like for portraits or tokens, otherwise I'll just assign one and you can change as you wish.

[Talen]

The server will be up from now through game time tomorrow if anyone wants to get the file load out of the way early or test their pc's. I'm sure I made some errors along the way so some QC testing isn't the worst of ideas!

[JackalAion]

I'll be there in a bit

[Talen]

We have a legal table for today but do have room for up to 2 more players if anyone else is interested in giving Starfinder a try tonite!

[JackalAion]

I may be a little late but I still plan to be there as soon as I get home from work

[Talen]

Sounds good jackal.

Also, i am not at home so if you try to connect to the server and cant get in, it means my son probably closed fg down to go on steam. I did test the connection last night and Corwynn was also able to get in so we shouldnt have any issues come game time.

[JackalAion]

I was able to get in too. Was having sound problems but was able to fix it in the end

[Talen]

Would also like to join! Signed up on the calendar.

Gagsmith, please send me a pm either with your starfinder society number and name, or- just to let me know if you dont have one. In that case, i can send you a membership card and registration code.

[JackalAion]

After doing a little digging I found this. It's very close to how I imagined Iso-7 to look while I was making him so this'll be what I want to use. Also, corwynn, isn't professor zoom a flash villain? :3

[GunbunnyFuFu]

Any room left at the table? While I do have a PFS number, I don't have a Starfinder number. I would play an available pregen.

GunbunnyFuFu

[Talen]

absolutely Gunbunny - glad to have you! Pregens all set - only one called by someone is Navasi. And your pathfinder number works with starfinder, you just need to create a SF chracter number on the Paizo website. Server is up now if you want to look at your options

[Talen]

Please log in to the FG Teamspeask server as you log into the FG game server as voice will be important This is a new rpg and running un an unofficial FG ruleset (at least as far as Starfinder is concerned).

[Talen]

This session has been reported I emailed your chronicle - if you didn't receive it, please email me....Im not certain I had everyone's address correct. Also , if you discover any errors, let me know and I will correct. We didn't discuss days jobs, but if you were going to spend your downtime and have the skill, let me know and we can update.

[Talen]

Gunbunny, I didnt have your email so your chronicle is attached here.

[Talen]

Gagsmith, I didnt have your email so your chronicle is attached here.

[corwynn]

I emailed you a profession roll for my day job. :)

Thanks a lot to everyone for the fun. I think it went very smoothly considering none of us have a lot of experience with the game yet! Looking forward to the next chance to let my inner Zoom out...

[gagsmith]

Agree with corwynn, very fun session. Looking forward to more!

[Curaidh]

Talen, a quick question if I may:
1. How did you handle the encounter between the Loreseeker and the Endless Threnody as well as the encounter with the Lawblight?
Did you create them as creatures and made the combat tracker somehow work? Did you handle it completely manually? How much time did it take to handle those encounters with FG at the current stage using "modified" PF?

I'm working on converting S01-00 to S01-03 into FG since I have a long vacation upcoming and plan to DM as much SFS games as I can during that time, however I'm not entirely sure how to best handle the "vehicle sections" in the Scenarios, be they ground based or starships. (My Experience DMing with FG is still fairly limited tbh)

[corwynn]

So, what he did was use the hex maps (lining hexes up is painful, so you're forewarned) and turn facing on. All movement was done as the rules dictate. The enemy ships were placed in the combat tracker, but there is a bit of record-keeping that has to be done however the GM sees fit. You can have the HP of an enemy in the tracker, but you will end up needing to manually adjust the numbers because of the shields. (You can, before shots are fired, adjust the tmp of the enemy to reflect the shields in the relevant facing.)

Because people are switching stations and such, the whole thing is a little fiddly and hectic in FG. There's no really great automation there. You can absolutely build in checks and effects, but that relies more on people using what is pre-populated than they sometimes will during a real session.

The first fight took us over an hour. The second less than half that.

If nothing else FG speeds up skill checks over pen-and-paper, so you're probably better off running using FG than trying to do the fights the "old fashioned" way. ;)

Best advice I can offer: just go ahead and take it slow. Let people do their thing, even if it means they jump in a little late. "Oh yeah, I just remembered, I wanted to do X in the engineering phase!" The rules for vehicles are enough different from what people coming from Pathfinder are used to dealing with that there's no sense in rushing forward. If you're running a game, you will probably find that the more "normal" activities (investigating, character-character scale fighting) will go fairly smoothly, as while they have changed a bit from PF/3.5, they bear enough resemblance to them to progress quickly enough. That should leave you a bit of time to slow the pace a bit during the most unfamiliar sections of these games...

Best of luck!

[Talen]

I agree with everything Corwynn said. I'd note a few other things:



Keeping the ship roles straight can be done in the party sheet with the Order tab and scratching out the name of each role as a header (Captain, Pilot, etc). Going forward I plan to use an image of a ship's bridge and label each of the chairs.
I created a table for the Critical Damage chart to roll which worked well. Going forward I will also create an effect to drag and drop for glitching, malfunctioning and wrecked.
Lining up the hex grids was not fun, but I made that harder than it needed to be - I just needed a map from space - any gridless google image would have worked rather than importing the map from the Quest Scenario. Other than the asteroids, there was no meaningful terrain and you can create asteroid tokens to add after the fact.
I tried to create ships as both creatures and vehicles and landed on using creatures since you could preload the skill check bonuses for your npc ship crew.
The ship role handouts from the Quest scenario were very useful and I will likely import them into every scenario I have ship combat.
Copy the entire ship description onto the other tab on the creature entry -it was a useful reference.


The screenshot below is how Im thinking I might run the combat - Im just not sure if it will be too cluttered and cumbersome.

[Curaidh]

Thanks a lot for the answers. Definitely a big help to get some input on the matter.

I think I'll wrap up "The Commencement" first since it does not feature actual ship combat and except for one of the missions can be considered quite "classical". It also has the added bonus of being the first evergreen.

[JackalAion]

I wish I had a monitor that big X.X