Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m a few years late to this. Starfinder has been out for a hot minute (and may even be due for a version 2 in the next few years). It’s one of those systems that’s always flittered around the periphery of my awareness. I vaguely knew it as “Pathfinder in Spaaaaaaace,” but never looked any deeper.
I did grab a Humble Bundle or two, because I have a problem, but it was more because it was too good a deal to pass up, and I love Paizo. Recently, though, those PDFs have gone from collecting digital dust to being actively perused, as I consider diving in.
Why now?
A little bit of timing, and a little bit of needing something to spice up my RPG life.
My home game runs Pathfinder 1e. Specifically, we run Adventure Paths because we’re all busy professionals with schedules that can get wild at random times, so having a published adventure gives us something to fall back on. We swap around being GMs, with each of us claiming a different AP well in advance. While I love APs… I’ve come to the end of APs I want to run.
I’ve also played a lot of fantasy in the past two decades, and a moderate amount of modern. I’ve barely touched sci-fi, though, and I feel like it’s time.
Why Starfinder? Why not [insert system here]?
People have been trying to get me to play Star Wars for years, and I always have to turn them down. I know I’ll get flack for this, but I just don’t like Star Wars. The movies are good, I enjoyed reading the Thrawn Triology, but that’s about as much as I want to engage with the universe.
I’d love to play Cyberpunk, but I really really want to play in Spaaaaaaaaaace, not on dystopian Earth. I won’t turn down a campaign (one is even on the horizon), but it’s not what I want to run.
With Starfinder, I’m already somewhat familiar with the system (especially since it’s a blend of Pathfinder 1e and 2e rules) and the world (at least, what’s left of it), but it’s different enough to be interesting. Like, they removed a whole planet and a swath of time! There’s cool new species to play around with! SPACE COMBAT!
Also, it has Adventure Paths. Again, during my hectic times, I really need a plot structure to fall back on so I don’t end up burnt out. They also help get me and players on the same page, since it’s well-known what themes each AP covers. No one’s going to show up to the Firefly-like game expecting Starship Troopers.
How deep am I?
I read through the Beginner Box and ran it over on D20Saves.
I highly recommend starting with reading the Beginner Box, because it gave me a great base for diving into the core books. True, it’s a streamlined version of the rules, but the overview helped me get situated quickly.
Now, I’m making my way through the CRB, which is shockingly readable for a rulebook. It has a great blend of humor and getting to the point which is making it a joy rather than a chore.
Reading a rulebook from front to back is unusual for me. Normally, I read what I absolutely have to in order to create a character, and then look up things over time. Eventually, the whole book gets read, but it takes some time.
So, what next?
My home game group has agreed to run through Into the Unknown, which looks like a great intro for experienced players. After that, I still have to finish my PF1 AP (we’re on Book 4 of Ruins of Azlant), but after that, I have a decision to make:
- Against the Aeon Throne has the benefit of already being in Roll20, so this cuts my prep time in half.
- Fly Free or Die sounds like something my players would love, since we usually end up being a bunch of morally gray weirdos on our own.
- I already own Dawn of Flame, so I might as well use it…
Honestly, all of the APs sound fun, so it’s likely going to be a tough choice. It’s one I’m looking forward to!
Katie Plays Games 