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INTERSTELLAR SPECIES

INTERSTELLAR SPECIES

DEVELOPMENT LEAD Joe Pasini AUTHORS Rigby Bendele, Jessica Catalan, John Compton, John Curtin, Dana Ebert, Eleanor Ferron, Ivis K. Flanagan, Nicole Heits, Joan Hong, Mikko Kallio, Jason Keeley, Aaron Lascano, Hilary Moon Murphy, Emily Parks, Joe Pasini, Erin Roberts, Chris S. Sims, Kendra Leigh Speedling, Owen K.C. Stephens, Jason Tondro, Isis Wozniakowska, and Linda Zayas-Palmer DEVELOPMENT John Compton, Jenny Jarzabski, and Joe Pasini DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Jason Keeley EDITING LEADS K. Tessa Newton and Shay Snow EDITORS Minty Belmont, Rigby Bendele, Janica Carter, Leo Glass, Avi Kool, Ianara Natividad, Dave Nelson, K. Tessa Newton, Solomon St. John, Simone D. Sallé, Elsa Sjunneson, and Shay Snow

TABLE OF CONTENTS Overview Chapter 1: Classes Introduction New Class: Evolutionist Biohacker Envoy Mechanic Nanocyte Operative Precog Soldier

4 6 8 10 20 22 24 26 28 30 32

COVER ARTIST Ignacio Bazán Lazcano INTERIOR ARTISTS Sergio Cosmai, Biagio d’Alessandro, Matheus DorrowSchwartz, Giorgio Falconi, Michele Giorgi, Alexander Gorbunov, Kent Hamilton, Mark Hretskyi, José Luis Islas López, Laslo Ludrovan, Renan Maurilio, Ivan Onokhin, Mirco Paganessi, Mary Jane Pajaron, Nicholas Phillips, Anastasia Sekman, Carl Springer, Gordon Tran, Hampus Viklander, Irene Tsui, and Tianxing Xu ART DIRECTION AND GRAPHIC DESIGN Kent Hamilton and Sarah E. Robinson DIRECTOR OF GAME DEVELOPMENT Adam Daigle STARFINDER LEAD DESIGNER Joe Pasini PUBLISHER Erik Mona

This book refers to several other Starfinder products, but 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 paizo.com/sfrd.

Paizo Inc. 7120 185th Ave NE, Ste 120 Redmond, WA 98052-0577

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AA(#) Alien Archive Volume AP(#) Starfinder Adventure Path AR Armory COM Character Operations Manual

GM Galactic Magic NS Near Space PW Pact Worlds SOM Starship Operations Manual

Chapter 2: Species Introduction Playable Species of Starfinder Custom Species Builder Astrazoan Astriapi Cephalume Contemplative Dragonkin Formian Hadrogaan Hanakan Kalo Kobold Maraquoi Nuar Pahtra Psacynoid Quorlu Raxilite Ryphorian Scyphozoan Shimreen SRO Trox Uplifted Bear Urog Vlaka Worlanisi

34 36 37 42 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 96 100 104 108 112 116 120 124 128 132 136 140 144

Chapter 3: NPC Gallery Introduction Assassins Bounty Hunters Celebrities Charlatans Diplomats Emergency Workers Former Military Guides Infiltrators Investigators Medical Staff Religious Figures Scholars Sports Figures Stewards Survivalists Thieves Tyrants Index

148 150 152 154 156 158 160 162 164 166 168 170 172 174 176 178 180 182 184 186 188

OVERVIEW Starfinder has more than 100 unique species available for you to choose from when creating a player character. These species have appeared across hardcovers, Adventure Paths, Starfinder Society scenarios, and even the Alien Character Deck. With such a wide breadth of options already, this book provides more depth on 25 of those playable species—many of which were selected to appear in this book thanks to a public poll of Starfinder fans asking what species they’d like to learn more about.

SPECIES The second chapter begins with a table of the 100+ playable species in Starfinder, complete with headshot, short description, and reference. Whether you’re making a new player character, throwing together an NPC on the spot, or just curious about what Starfinder has to offer, this reference will inspire.

Species Builder

This book uses the word “species” in place of “race” and “racial” for the purposes of building a character, playable species traits, bonus types, and similar rules elements—this change doesn’t otherwise affect the mechanics of these elements, and it applies across all Starfinder products.

If you’ve scoured the stars for the perfect species but nothing is quite the right fit for your ideal Starfinder character, why not make your own? Using a series of simple, nonlinear steps, you can create your own playable species for Starfinder, complete with mechanics, physiology, and backstory. Whether you want to recreate a species from your favorite fiction or invent something entirely new, this system has you covered!

CLASSES

Species Profiles

The classes chapter kicks things off with a new class: the evolutionist, a class all about transformation and augmentation, starting on page 10. The chapter continues with a bevy of new class options for the biohacker, envoy, mechanic, nanocyte, operative, precog, and soldier.

Along with the rules needed to play them, each of the 25 species profiles in this book contains new art, a physical description, details about that species’ home world and society, and a deep dive on something that makes them unique. You’ll even learn naming conventions and sample names for that species! Each species profile also offers a selection of player options—everything from feats to spells to equipment—that are thematically tied to that species, but generally not mechanically tied, so they’re available to a wide array of characters.

A NOTE ON TERMS

NPC GALLERY One hundred NPCs of expansive variety await you in chapter 3, ranging from CR 1/2 to CR 20, and each with its own niche. You can drop these into your games from whole cloth or make a few simple adjustments to better fit your campaign; advice is included for how to do just that in the chapter introduction on page 150.

INDEX If you want to jump straight to the player options for your character, check out the index on page 188, which includes categories of the various player character options that appear throughout this book.

EVOLUTIONIST INFORMATION The following two sections of this introduction provide information for applying an archetype to an evolutionist player character or applying an evolutionist class graft to an NPC.

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

O OVERVIEW INTRODUCTION CLASSES THE DRIFT

CRISIS EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Evolutionist Archetype An archetype grants alternate class features that replace features normally granted by a class at some combination of levels 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 18; full rules for archetypes appear on page 126 of the Core Rulebook. Multilevel 2nd, 4th, 6th, 12th, and 18th levels: You don’t gain an adaptation. 9th Level You don’t gain the flexible skill class feature at 9th level. At 17th level, you gain an additional class skill and 16 additional skill ranks to assign as normal, as though your skill ranks per evolutionist level were 5 + your Intelligence modifier.

Evolutionist Class Graft To add evolutionist mechanics to an NPC, you can apply the evolutionist class graft below, following the rules for class grafts found on page 137 of Starfinder Alien Archive. Special Rules: Choose one evolutionist niche. The evolutionist creature’s niche abilities must come from that niche. Any niche abilities that aren’t relevant to the evolutionist creature can be skipped (or simply be incorporated into the creature’s statistics) and don’t need to appear in the creature’s stat block. Required Array: Combatant. Adjustments: +2 to Fortitude saving throws. Ability Score Modifiers: An evolutionist creature should arrange its ability score modifiers depending on its focus in combat. Melee: Strength, Dexterity, Constitution

Ranged: Dexterity, Constitution, Wisdom Gear: Light armor (item level = CR) and small arm (item level = CR).

Abilities All CRs: Evolution track, path CR 1: Adaptive strike and 1st-level niche ability. CR 2: Adaptive strike, one 2nd-level adaptation, and 1st-level niche ability. CR 4: Adaptive strike, two 2nd-level adaptations, and 1st-level niche ability. CR 5: Evolution drain, adaptive strike, two 2nd-level adaptations, and 1st-level niche ability. CR 6: Evolution drain, adaptive strike, one 2nd-level adaptation, one 6th-level adaptation, and 1st-level niche ability. CR 8: Evolution drain, adaptive strike, two 6th-level adaptations, and 1st-level niche ability. CR 10: Evolution drain, adaptive strike, one 6th-level adaptation, one 10th-level adaptation, and 1st- and 10th-level niche abilities. CR 12: Evolution drain, adaptive strike, two 10th-level adaptations, and 1st- and 10th-level niche abilities. CR 14: Evolution drain, adaptive strike, one 10th-level adaptation, one 14th-level adaptation, and 1st- and 10th-level niche abilities. CR 16: Evolution drain, adaptive strike, two 14th-level adaptations, and 1st- and 10th-level niche abilities. CR 18: Evolution drain, adaptive strike, one 14th-level adaptation, one 18th-level adaptation, and 1st- and 10th-level niche abilities. CR 20: Evolution drain, adaptive strike, two 18th-level adaptations, and 1st-, 10th-, and 20th-level niche abilities.

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CLASSES

1

INTRODUCTION SPECIES AS INNOVATORS The Starfinder Core Rulebook presents a wide range of class abilities designed to fulfill classic roles, objectives, and tropes. And while subsequent books present an even broader array of exciting character options, these often draw on broad themes like technology, magic, and exploration. Starfinder Interstellar Species changes that approach by focusing on the diverse societies of the Pact Worlds and beyond, exploring how they’ve adapted familiar character classes to best fit their cultural, environmental, and physiological needs. Along with seven species’ innovative approaches to classic classes, this chapter also provides a new character class—the evolutionist—that allows your characters to adapt swiftly to any biome or social setting. But you get to design, too. While creating your character, consider how your species and class concepts intersect. What cultural values shape the types of spellcasting favored by members of the species? Do cultural legends inspire adventurers to emulate ancient heroes or warn them against following in the footsteps of vilified predecessors? Is there a martial tradition that incorporates one of your species’ abilities? Does your species’ culture deemphasize a specific class’s core concepts, adapting them in unexpected ways? In Chapter 2, you’ll have the opportunity to create your own playable species—perhaps as the GM, or even as a player (with your GM’s approval). As you do, consider how your species’ culture(s), values, surroundings, and resources might inspire you to create new character options that showcase a people’s heritage and history. As inspiration for your own creative process, consider how the class features presented in this chapter do the same. Biohacking Silica: The biohacker riffs on medical concepts like adjusting hormones and jabbing a syringe into someone’s vein. That’s intuitive for flesh and blood creatures, but how does biohacking look for a silicon-based life-form? With methodical focus, urogs have developed techniques for focusing the sonic energy of surgical frequencies to trigger special resonances in their patients’ bodies, functioning much like a conventionally injected medicine. With bodies adapted to channel and sense electricity, urog biohackers can adjust their own forms to better weaponize their biology—with shocking results! In creating your own species’ biohacker options, consider how the innovators’ physiologies and environments shape their medical needs and objectives. Are there species abilities that you might empower, impart, or shut down? Are there common threats that scientists would have designed countermeasures against? Envoy Connections: Perhaps a culture doesn’t approach a class’s abilities in a novel way. Instead, a species might intrinsically focus upon honing a class’s foundational skills. With powerful social bonds and almost preternatural levels of group empathy, vlakas connect with other creatures deeply and intuitively, making them supportive envoys. Not only can envoys who identify with vlaka cultural customs locate other creatures just by the signature of nearby emotions, but they can also bolster a team’s camaraderie, reflexively insinuate themselves into any group by understanding its dynamic, and ensure that no member of their pack gets left behind.

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How do members of the species you’re creating interact with each other and outsiders? How might this impact the types of envoy improvisations and skill expertises that they master? Does the culture focus on individuality, a close connection to a partner, small team dynamics, or large groups? How might that impact the number and types of targets the abilities affect? Energized Mechanics: Electrical surges short out all but the toughest electronic gear, so what happens when a species evolves on a planet wracked by never-ending storms? Shimreens found the answer by embracing lightning, developing special shock protections for delicate systems and designing their grandest inventions to be powered by absorbed electricity. Thanks to similar innovations, two different chassis grant drones an edge in dangerous environments: the agile stormscout design and the unstoppable tunnel drone. The right surge of power–even from incoming electrical attacks—can recharge a mechanic’s gear, expand their energy shield to protect their whole team, or even enable their exocortex to jumpstart their brain. Innovation usually addresses a survival need or enshrines a social value. What threats does your species face, and how might technology have mitigated that danger? If a technologist were to unveil an invention to the public, what sorts of capabilities would most excite the audience due to their cultural goals and values? Are there aspects of your species’ environment that inhibit technology, and if so, how might a mechanic’s abilities highlight how their society overcame that challenge? Nanites Alongside Symbiotes: Upon becoming a nanocyte, a character creates and hosts a swarm of helpful nanites within their body. But what if a species already has a symbiotic relationship with another organism? For cephalumes, who regularly bond with bioelectric symbiotes called krikiks, the familiarity of housing one visitor grants them an intuitive advantage in hosting others. Cephalume nanocytes have developed techniques for splitting their nanite hosts more effectively, controlling them from greater distances, and altering their nanites’ light to dazzle onlookers. Do a particular class’s abilities feel redundant because of abilities your species grants? Are that class’s traditions and abilities downplayed in that culture because of this thematic overlap? Has the society developed a new approach to that class to keep the two sets of abilities separate? Or do individuals typically feel that the class abilities are a natural extension of their innate powers? What are ways that these two power sets might build off one another? Overbearing Operatives: Both mechanical disadvantages and in-world flavor can discourage certain class and species pairings. Even beyond the fact that dragonkin, with their commanding height and powerful build, don’t often convey “subtle and stealthy,” their Dexterity penalty makes it mechanically difficult to justify becoming an operative. While some players adore unlikely combinations like these, this is also an opportunity: how would dragonkin adapt the core identity of the operative class to highlight their strengths? Using the new heavyweight skirmisher option, an operative applies explosive strength in place of raw agility, wielding heftier armaments

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INTERSTELLAR SPECIES

OVERVIEW OVERVIEW CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

while still commanding an impressive skill array. The dragonkin companion bond also inspires new exploits that turn a lone wolf class into one capable of better supporting allies. Are there certain classes that feel inappropriate for your species based on their ability score array, cultural values, or other abilities? Is this character class discouraged (implicitly or explicitly)? Might there be an alternate class feature you can create to show not only an intriguing tradition in that culture, but also an exciting option that inspires your players? Precognitive Communities: While a precog might rely on magic to anticipate danger, trox still tell stories of their subjugated ancestors ages ago, and these tales instill a protective caution that further enhances a precog’s wariness. In some cases, these ancient echoes even resurface in distant descendants, providing trox precogs a cryptic yet supportive link to the past that helps them predict future threats. In addition, trox have developed specialized temporal anomalies that extend their defensive divinations to shield not just themselves, but also their allies. And in true communal fashion, these magical innovators have shared their techniques with other communities to keep the galaxy safe. How does your species feel about the technologies and techniques they develop? Are they protective of this edge, do they sell it fairly while retaining their intellectual property, or have they shared it with likeminded parties to further a common goal? Are there features for these character options that require adaptation for other species that use them? Subtle Soldiers: Much as dragonkin aren’t classic candidates for the operative class, kobolds are rarely first-picked when creating

a soldier. Yet kobolds are shrewd combatants, famous for their cunning and use of hazards to even the odds. There are already some operative and mechanic routes that highlight trickery and explosives, but sometimes a kobold wants to enjoy that full base attack bonus, right? With new fighting styles, your character can master kobolds’ sniping prowess or plant improvised mines that turn any battlefield into a treacherous terrain. Does your species have a weakness—real or perceived? How has that shaped their survival strategies and fighting styles? Is their society aware of how others view this apparent weakness, and do they care? Have they exploited this weakness, using it as bait for unsuspecting foes? What class options do these questions inspire?

EVOLVING EXPECTATIONS Now that you’ve considered how a character’s species might shape their class, reverse the process. With the new evolutionist class on the following pages, your character can transform themself in an instant. You can shapechange into powerful forms, spontaneously evolve potent defenses, and metamorphose into a unique being of your own design! Whatever your transformation, keep examining how your culture informs your class. Are your transformations a way of defying your home world’s traditions? Are evolutionists celebrated as sacred guardians of your people? Is this a power you sought out, or did it manifest unexpectedly, forcing you to reckon with the consequences? There are no wrong answers—only exciting new ways to evolve your Starfinder experience!

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EVOLUTIONIST

STAMINA POINTS

6 + Constitution modifier

6 HP

Conflict drives innovation, and in a strange and dangerous galaxy you’ve unlocked unparalleled means to adapt. By embracing mystic tradition, extensive augmentation, deliberate genetic mutation, or relying on other extraordinary means, you transform yourself into a powerful being better suited to achieving your goals. You might adopt characteristics of a ferocious chimera, an undead scion, a cybernetic paragon, or anything in between. Yet your evolution boasts a will of its own. Your abilities fight you for control in stressful situations, even while providing lethal instincts, an innate weapon, and spontaneous adaptations that help you outmaneuver, outwit, and outmatch your foes. No matter your niche, you are an adaptable combatant who forges your destiny in flesh, bone, or steel.

KEY ABILITY SCORE Your Strength helps you overpower foes with melee attacks, while your Dexterity helps you fight at range and dodge, so you should choose either Strength or Dexterity as your key ability score. Once made, this choice can’t be changed.

CLASS SKILLS SKILL RANKS PER LEVEL 8 + INTELLIGENCE MODIFIER Acrobatics (Dex) Athletics (Str) Culture (Int) Disguise (Cha) Intimidate (Cha)

Perception (Wis) Profession (Cha, Int, or Wis) Stealth (Dex) Survival (Wis)

PROFICIENCIES ARMOR PROFICIENCY Light armor

WEAPON PROFICIENCY Basic melee weapons, grenades, small arms

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

TABLE 1–1: EVOLUTIONIST OVERVIEW

CLASS LEVEL

BAB

FORT

REF

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

+1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 +7 +8 +9 +10 +11 +12 +13 +14 +15 +16 +17 +18 +19 +20

+2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6 +6 +7 +7 +8 +8 +9 +9 +10 +10 +11 +11 +12

+2 +3 +3 +4 +4 +5 +5 +6 +6 +7 +7 +8 +8 +9 +9 +10 +10 +11 +11 +12

ADAPTIVE STRIKE (EX)

WILL CLASS FEATURES +0 +0 +1 +1 +1 +2 +2 +2 +3 +3 +3 +4 +4 +4 +5 +5 +5 +6 +6 +6

Adaptive strike, evolution track, flexible skill, niche, niche ability Augmented form, evolutionist adaptation, fulcrum Skill boost (+1), weapon specialization Evolutionist adaptation Evolution drain Evolutionist adaptation, skill boost (+2) Evolutionary focus (basic) Evolutionist adaptation Flexible skill, skill boost (+3) Evolutionist adaptation, niche ability Accelerated evolution Evolutionist adaptation, skill boost (+4) Evolutionary focus (advanced) Evolution drinker, evolutionist adaptation Skill boost (+5) Evolutionist adaptation Flexible skill Evolutionist adaptation, skill boost (+6) Evolutionary focus (ultimate) Evolutionist adaptation, niche ability

1st Level

You can transform one or more parts of your body into a deadly weapon. This adaptive strike can take almost any form, such as curved claws, sharp teeth, a club-like tail, fiery wings, porcupine-like quills you can launch as projectiles, or throat glands that let you spit acid. Whatever its nature, your adaptive strike has a physical form that’s apparent to a casual observer. Your adaptive strike can’t be disarmed, dropped, or sundered. It doesn’t interfere with your ability to wield equipment and doesn’t require hands to wield. Melee adaptive strikes are treated as basic melee weapons and threaten squares within your reach. Ranged adaptive strikes are treated as small arms. Manifesting or dismissing your adaptive strike is a move action that takes the same amount of effort as drawing or sheathing a weapon (and can be combined with a move as a single move action or used with the Quick Draw feat). At 1st level, choose whether your adaptive strike is melee or ranged; a ranged adaptive strike has a range increment of 30 feet. Also choose one of the following damage types for your adaptive strike: acid, bludgeoning, cold, electricity, fire, piercing, or slashing. As normal, an adaptive strike that deals energy damage targets EAC and an adaptive strike that deals kinetic damage targets KAC. Once made, these choices can’t be changed. Your melee adaptive strike deals damage equal to 1d6 + your Strength modifier. Your ranged adaptive strike deals 1d6 damage. This damage increases to 1d10 at 6th level, 2d8 at 9th level, and 2d10 at 11th level. This damage then increases by 1d10 at 13th level, 15th level, 17th level, and every level thereafter.

EVOLUTION TRACK (SU)

ADAPTIVE STRIKE

1st Level

Your body houses latent transformative potential that roils to life in stressful situations. This potential takes the form of a pool of Mutation Points (MP).

1d6 1d6 1d6 1d6 1d6 1d10 1d10 1d10 2d8 2d8 2d10 2d10 3d10 3d10 4d10 4d10 5d10 6d10 7d10 8d10

Gaining MP Except where noted otherwise, you can gain Mutation Points only when involved in a combat encounter that includes a significant enemy (Core Rulebook 242). During combat, you gain 1 Mutation Point at the start of your turn. Once per turn, you can spend 1 Resolve Point to gain 1 Mutation Point. At the end of combat, you lose all Mutation Points. Other class features (such as evolution drain on page 13) provide additional ways to gain MP. At 1st level, you can have a maximum of 5 MP. This maximum increases by 1 at 7th level, 14th level, and 20th level.

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Maintaining MP As you gain Mutation Points your body and mind increasingly take on a supernatural character, such as exaggerated limbs, steely skin, luminescent eyes, or predatory drives. This gives you two beneficial instincts and one drawback; each of these provides an effect based on the number of MP you have, plus the cumulative effects of all lower MP values. Your drawback and one of your instincts are based on your niche (page 12). You also gain the following universal instinct. 1 MP: You gain a +5-foot enhancement bonus to one speed of your choice. 2 MP: Your adaptive strike gains a critical hit effect based on its damage type: arc (electricity), bind AR (cold), bleed (piercing or slashing), burn (fire), corrode (acid), or knockdown (bludgeoning). Critical hit effects that deal damage deal 1d6 damage; this damage increases to 1d10 at 7th level, 2d10 at 13th level, and 3d10 at 19th level. 3 MP: The enhancement bonus to speed increases to +10 feet. 4 MP: If you’re wearing light armor or no armor, you gain a +1 enhancement bonus to your AC. If you’re wearing heavy or powered armor, you gain a +1 enhancement bonus to your EAC, though this can’t increase your EAC above your KAC.

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5 MP: Once per round, when you deal damage with your adaptive strike, you can increase the damage dealt to one target by an amount equal to half your evolutionist level (minimum +1 damage). 6 MP: You gain a +1 enhancement bonus to your saving throws. 7 MP: The enhancement bonus to speed increases to +20 feet. 8 MP: The enhancement bonus to your AC or EAC increases to +2.

Spending MP Along with these standard ways you can spend Mutation Points, some evolutionist adaptations (page 13) add more. 1 MP: You can spend 1 MP on your turn to manifest your adaptive strike without taking an action. 2 MP: As a swift action, you can spend 2 MP to gain either a climb speed equal to half your land speed or a swim speed equal to half your land speed. This effect lasts 3 rounds. When you take a full action to charge, run, or withdraw, you can activate this ability without taking an action, rather than as a swift action. Special: Once per round, you can spend Mutation Points with no effect (which you might want to do to lose penalties, for example). If you use this ability as a move action, you can spend up to 2 MP. If you use this ability as a standard action, you can spend up to 4 MP. If you use this ability as a full action, you can spend up to 6 MP.

FLEXIBLE SKILL (EX)

1st Level

As part of your ongoing personal metamorphosis and adaptation to new circumstances, your skill repertoire is always evolving. Choose one additional skill and add it to your list of class skills. At 9th level, you choose another additional skill to add to your list of class skills, and your skill ranks per evolutionist level increase to 5 + your Intelligence modifier. This retroactively grants you 8 additional skill ranks to assign from your earlier levels and you must spend at least 1 of these skill ranks on your newly added class skill. At 17th level, you choose one more additional skill to add to your list of class skills, and your skill ranks per evolutionist level increases to 6 + your Intelligence modifier. This retroactively grants you 16 additional skill ranks to assign from your earlier levels and you must spend at least 1 of these skill ranks on your newly added class skill.

NICHE (SU)

1st Level

Each evolutionist selects a specific niche of personal transformation into some new kind of being, be it a living robot, ferocious godbeast, immortal undead, or being of magical energy. You must pick one niche upon taking your first evolutionist level, and once made this choice can’t be changed. Descriptions of the niches you can choose from appear on pages 14–15. Each niche grants you several benefits and affects several of your other class features. If a niche ability allows a target to attempt a saving throw to resist its effects (including spell-like abilities) the DC is equal to 10 + half your evolutionist level + your key ability score modifier unless otherwise stated. 1st Level: Your niche grants you a unique evolutionist adaptation and the listed skill as a bonus class skill. In addition, the niche affects several of your other class features: your niche provides a unique instinct and a unique drawback that affects

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your evolution track ability, determines which augmentations your augmented form ability affects at 2nd level, and determines one of the skills enhanced by your skill boost ability at 3rd level. 10th Level: Your transformation has reached an important milestone, giving you an ability you can use once per day. 20th Level: You have completed your transformation. Your creature type changes to one of the creature types associated with your niche. In addition, you become immune to one or more effects based on your niche, plus two additional effects of your choice from the following list: bleed, death effects, disease, fatigued (including exhausted), negative levels, nonlethal damage, paralysis, poison, sleep, or stun.

AUGMENTED FORM (EX)

2nd Level

Your body eagerly accepts new augmentations, even creating some of the components out of your own flesh. You gain one free augmentation of the type associated with your niche, with a level equal to or lower than your level. Each time you gain a level, you can replace this augmentation using the same restrictions. In addition, you reduce the cost of augmentations associated with your niche by 10%. This applies only to augmentations whose item levels are no greater than your evolutionist level. If you receive a discount on an augmentation from another source (not counting the augmentation evolutionary focus below) you instead increase that discount by 5%. Note that regardless of your niche, species grafts (Starfinder Alien Archive 4 140) qualify for the benefits of this ability, as long as they’re of the type associated with your niche.

EVOLUTIONIST ADAPTATION

2nd Level

As you gain experience you master new ways to adjust your body and abilities on the fly, known as adaptations. At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you learn an additional adaptation. If an adaptation allows an opponent a saving throw to resist its effects, the DC is equal to 10 + half your evolutionist level + your key ability score modifier. Unless otherwise specified, you can’t learn an adaptation more than once. The list of adaptations appears on pages 16–17.

FULCRUM (SU)

2nd Level

You create a unique talisman, memento, or accessory called a fulcrum, which helps you channel supernatural energies into your strikes. Your fulcrum has an item level equal to your evolutionist level and you can install weapon fusions and fusion seals onto your fulcrum as if it were a weapon of that level. While openly wearing or carrying your fulcrum, your adaptive strike gains the effects of any fusions installed on your fulcrum so long as those fusions could be applied to a weapon of that type (for example, a disruptive weapon fusion functions only if your adaptive strike deals bludgeoning damage). So long as your fulcrum has at least one fusion installed, your adaptive strike also counts as a magic weapon.

SKILL BOOST (EX)

3rd Level

Your personal transformation gradually enhances your prowess with certain skills. You gain a +1 insight bonus to skill checks with the class skill granted by your niche. In addition, choose

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES one of the following skills: Acrobatics, Athletics, Culture, Disguise, or Stealth; you gain a +1 insight bonus to checks with that skill. When you gain an evolutionist class level, you can change which skill is augmented by this ability, choosing a different skill from that list. The insight bonus to both skills increases by 1 at 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter.

WEAPON SPECIALIZATION

3rd Level

You gain Weapon Specialization as a bonus feat for each weapon type for which this class grants you proficiency. You gain a special form of weapon specialization for your adaptive strike. If your adaptive strike targets EAC, you add a bonus to your damage equal to your evolutionist level plus half of any other class levels you have. If your adaptive strike targets KAC, you add a bonus to your damage equal to 1-1/2 × your evolutionist class level, plus 1 × any other class levels you have.

EVOLUTION DRAIN (SU)

5th Level

You can leech genetic material and raw evolutionary potential from others. As a standard action, you can make a special melee attack against a significant enemy’s EAC. If you hit, the target must attempt a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + half your evolutionist level + your key ability score modifier). If the target succeeds, you gain 1 Mutation Point. If it fails, you gain 1d3 Mutation Points and the target is sickened for an equal number of rounds. In addition, when you hit a creature with a melee adaptive strike or with a ranged adaptive strike within its first range increment, you can gain 1 MP as a reaction. After you’ve used your adaptive strike to gain a Mutation Point in this way, you can’t do so again until you rest for 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points.

EVOLUTIONARY FOCUS

of those augmentations is of a type associated with your niche. You can have no more than two augmentations in that system, even if you have another ability that grants you a similar benefit. Ultimate (19th Level): The discount from your augmented form class feature increases to 40%. Your advanced focus ability now lets you install an additional augmentation in two different systems that already have augmentations, though this still doesn’t let you have more than two augmentations in a system.

Combat You wield your adaptive strike intuitively, raining blows upon your enemies. Basic: When making a full attack you take a –3 penalty to attacks made with your adaptive strike instead of the normal –4 penalty. Advanced (13th Level): When making a full attack entirely with your adaptive strike, you can make three attacks instead of two attacks. You take a –5 penalty to these attacks instead of a –3 penalty. Ultimate (19th Level): Once per round when you make a full attack and hit the same target at least twice with your adaptive strike, you can exaggerate the target’s wounds (such as by rending them, creating a deadly current, or triggering secondary explosions), dealing 5d10 additional damage (Fortitude half).

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

7th Level

Having managed extraordinary achievements within your niche of transformation, you can afford to specialize into a secondary focus that further refines your powers. Choose one of the following focuses: augmentation, combat, or packmaster. Your focus grants you a basic power at 7th level, an advanced power at 13th level, and an ultimate power at 19th level.

Augmentation (Ex) Your body holds extraordinary potential for augmentation. Basic: You gain one free augmentation of the type associated with your niche, with a level equal to or lower than your level – 2. Each time you gain a level, you can replace this augmentation using the same restrictions. The discount from your augmented form class feature increases to 20%. Advanced (13th Level): The discount from your augmented form class feature increases to 30%. In addition, you can install one additional augmentation into one of your systems that already has an augmentation, so long as at least one

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Packmaster Your mastery of adaptations is so strong you can transform nearby allies. Basic: Once per round when you spend one or more MP to use an adaptation, you can apply that adaptation’s effects to a willing adjacent ally in addition to gaining the effect yourself. The ally’s effect has half the normal duration. If the adaptation has a randomized result (such as a number of Stamina Points regained) the ally receives half the normal number. If the adaptation would modify an adaptive strike the ally doesn’t have, they can apply the effect to their unarmed strikes instead. Advanced (13th Level): You can use your basic focus ability to share an adaptation with up to two willing allies instead of one and the affected allies must be within 15 feet of you. Ultimate (19th Level): You can use your basic focus ability to share an adaptation with any number of willing allies within 20 feet.

ACCELERATED EVOLUTION

11th Level

When you gain MP at the start of your turn, you can gain 2 MP instead. Whenever you spend a Resolve Point to gain a Mutation Point, you can gain 2 MP instead.

EVOLUTION DRINKER (SU)

14th Level

When you hit a creature with your evolution drain special melee attack and the target fails its Fortitude save, you can choose to gain 1d3+1 Mutation Points instead of 1d3 MP. If you gain 4 Mutation Points in this way, the shock causes the target to be nauseated for 1 round, after which it’s sickened for 3 rounds. When you score a critical hit against a creature with your adaptive strike, you can drain Mutation Points from it as though you had performed the special melee attack. If your adaptive strike has another critical hit effect, you can choose to apply either this effect or the weapon’s critical hit effect. Once you gain MP from a critical hit in this way, you can’t do so again until you rest for 10 minutes to recover Stamina Points.

NICHES The following are the most common evolutionist niches.

Eldritch You intend to gradually metamorphose into a fantastical or extraplanar being. Magical energy flows through your veins and deflects spells, yet the more you embrace this influence, the more toxic the mundane world becomes to you. Augmentation Type: MagitechAR Class Skill: Mysticism Instinct: When you have 1 or more Mutation Points you gain spell resistance equal to 5 + your MP + your evolutionist level. If you’re hit by or fail a saving throw against an enemy’s spell, you can take a reaction to gain a +2 bonus to saving throws of the same type (Reflex, for example) until the end of your next turn. In addition, you can voluntarily lower your spell resistance until the beginning of your next turn as a standard action or as a reaction. Drawback: Your body increasingly operates on a magical level, leaving you vulnerable to mundane threats. While you have at least 1 MP, the first time you take nonmagical kinetic

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damage each round, you take additional damage equal to half your evolutionist level plus the number of MP you have. While you have at least 3 MP, you can’t voluntarily lower your spell resistance. Spell Bending (1st Level): When a willing ally within 30 feet of you casts a spell, you can spend a number of MP equal to 1 + half the spell’s level as a reaction to absorb and redirect the spell’s energy. Attempt a Fortitude save, using the spell’s save DC as your saving throw’s DC. If you fail, you choose the spell’s targets, measure the spell’s range from your space, and make any attack rolls for the spell as if you were the caster, though the original spellcaster makes any caster level checks, rolls any damage, and is responsible for controlling and concentrating on any subsequent effects of the spell. If you succeed at the save, you can redirect the spell as if you had failed, but you also apply one of the following three special effects to the spell. • You increase the spell’s saving throw DCs by 2, to a maximum of 10 + half your evolutionist level + your key ability score modifier. • The spellcaster’s caster level is treated as 2 higher for the purpose of overcoming spell resistance, to a maximum of your evolutionist level + 1. • If the spell deals damage, you can replace your adaptive strike’s damage with one damage type dealt by the spell until the end of your next turn. This effect doesn’t change whether your adaptive strike targets KAC or EAC. Arcane Leap (10th Level): As a move action, you instantly teleport to any space within your line of effect within 30 feet. When you activate your spell bending adaptation, you can spend 1 additional MP to activate this ability as part of that reaction, teleporting to any space within 30 feet that is within or adjacent to the spell’s target or area of effect. Niche Metamorphosis (20th Level): Your creature type becomes your choice of dragon, fey, or outsider. You become immune to one of the following damage types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic.

Mechanized Your personal journey will transform you from mortal into machine. When stressed, your body begins replacing parts of you with mechanized armor. Augmentation Type: Cybernetics Class Skill: Engineering Instinct: Choose one type of kinetic damage (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing) and one type of energy damage (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic). You reduce the damage taken from damage types other than the two you selected by an amount equal to half your current MP. At 10th level the amount of reduction is instead equal to your MP. Drawback: While you have at least 1 MP the first time per round you take either type of damage you chose for your instinct (above), you take additional damage equal to half your evolutionist level + your MP total. If you have 3 or more MP you become increasingly robotic. You’re treated as both a construct and your creature type— whichever type allows an ability to affect you for abilities that only affect one type, and whichever is worse for abilities that affect both types. Such effects continue to affect you even

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES if you have fewer than 3 MP later in the effect’s duration. In addition, you can’t gain morale bonuses and you take a penalty equal to half your MP total, rounded up, to Charisma-based skill checks except Intimidate. Avenging Burst (1st level): When a creature within 10 feet of you damages you, you can spend 1 MP as a reaction to vent lethal plasma through the wound to damage your attacker. This deals 1d4 electricity and fire damage for every 2 evolutionist levels you have; the creature takes half damage with a successful Reflex save. You can spend 1 additional MP when using this adaptation to roll d6s instead of d4s or you can spend 2 additional MP when using this adaptation to roll d8s instead of d4s. Once you use this adaptation, you can’t use it again until you rest for 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points. Rapid Reboot (10th level): As a standard action, you can reset and repair your cybernetic loadout, emerging recharged. Until the beginning of your next turn, you’re flat-footed and the value of your niche instinct’s damage reduction doubles. At the beginning of your next turn, you can end one of your ongoing adaptations to gain a number of MP equal to the MP you spent to activate that adaptation (maximum 2 MP). So long as you gain at least 1 MP in this way, you also regain Stamina Points equal to twice your evolutionist level. Niche Metamorphosis (20th Level): Your creature type becomes construct. You gain immunity to fatigue and exhaustion.

Sepulchral You strive to attain undead immortality on your own terms. While unliving energies strengthen your body and grant you supernatural power over life and death, you develop unnatural hungers that drive you to violence. If not controlled, your transformation might tear your body apart at the seams. Augmentation Type: Necrografts AR Class Skill: Mysticism Instinct: Once per round while you have 1 or more MP, when you deal damage with your adaptive strike to a living creature, you can increase the damage dealt to that creature by an amount equal to half your MP total, rounded up. This additional damage you deal increases to your MP total at 7th level, 1-1/2 × your MP total at 13th level, and 2 × your MP total at 19th level. Drawback: Once per round while you have at least 1 MP and reduce a living creature to 0 HP with your adaptive strike, you must attempt a Will save with a DC = 10 + half your character level + your MP total. If you fail, you must take your first action of your next turn to either make another attack with your adaptive strike that includes the defeated creature as a target or take a move action to spend at least 1 MP with no effect. While you have 3 or more MP, the first time you regain Hit Points or Stamina Points from an effect—other than from your grim harvest ability (see below)—you decrease the number of HP or SP you regain by an amount equal to half your MP total, rounded up (minimum 1 HP or SP recovered). The amount by which you reduce the HP or SP you regain increases to your MP total at 7th level, 1-1/2 × your MP total at 10th level, 2 × your MP total at 13th level, and 3 × your MP total at 17th level.

Grim Harvest (1st Level): As a reaction when either you reduce a significant enemy to 0 HP with your adaptive strike or a significant enemy within 15 feet of you is reduced to 0 HP, you can spend 1 MP to regain 1d4 Hit Points for every 2 evolutionist levels you have; you can spend 1 additional MP when using this ability to roll d6s instead of d4s, or you can spend 2 additional MP when using this ability to roll d8s instead of d4s. Once you use this adaptation, you can’t use it again until you rest for 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points. Spectral Step (10th Level): You can spend 2 MP as a move action to become incorporeal and gain a fly speed of 30 feet with perfect maneuverability until the beginning of your next turn. As part of this action, you can also fly up to 15 feet. When this effect would end, you can extend the duration by 1 round by spending 2 MP, plus an additional MP for each previous round you have extended this effect. Niche Metamorphosis (20th Level): Your creature type becomes undead. You gain immunity to death effects and negative levels.

Vital Your body, a riot of biological potential, longs to become some extraordinary flora, fauna, or chimeric creature. Rampant life energy heals your wounds, yet your thoughts become equally impulsive and direct. Augmentation Type: Biotech Class Skill: Life Science Instinct: Once per round while you have 1 or more MP, the first time you regain Hit Points or Stamina Points from an effect, you increase the number of HP or SP you regain by an amount equal to half your MP total, rounded up. The additional HP or SP you regain increases to your MP total at 7th level, 1-1/2 × your MP total at 10th level, 2 × your MP total at 13th level, and 3 × your MP total at 17th level. Drawback: Your mind and body react with greater impulsiveness and less control. While you have at least 1 MP you take a penalty to Will saves equal to half your MP total, rounded up. While you have at least 3 MP, you can’t use any ability that requires patience or concentration, such as spellcasting or any Charisma- or Intelligence-based skills except Intimidate. Biotic Invigoration (1st Level): As a swift action, you can spend 1 MP to regain a number of Stamina Points equal to your evolutionist level. At the start of each of your next three turns, you and one adjacent ally regain a number of Stamina Points equal to your evolutionist level. Once you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you spend a Resolve Point to regain Stamina Points after a 10-minute rest. Adrenaline Rush (10th Level): You move with an exceptional burst of speed. As a swift action, you take a guarded step and gain a +1 enhancement bonus to your AC and Reflex saves until the beginning of your next turn. If you spend 2 MP when activating this evolution, you can instead move up to half your speed with the guarded step and the enhancement bonus increases to +2. Niche Metamorphosis (20th Level): Your creature type becomes your choice of aberration, monstrous humanoid, ooze, or plant. You gain immunity to critical hit effects and reduce any damage you take from critical hits by an amount equal to 20 + your key ability score modifier.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

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EVOLUTIONIST ADAPTATIONS You learn your first adaptation at 2nd level and you gain an additional adaptation every 2 levels thereafter. Some require you meet additional prerequisites. 2nd Level

You must be at least 2nd level to choose these evolutionist adaptations.

6th Level

You must be at least 6th level to choose these evolutionist adaptations.

Area Strike (Ex)

As a reaction when you spend 2 or more MP, you can perform a flashy display that dazzles adjacent enemies for 1 round (Reflex negates). If you have spent 4 or more MP since the end of your last turn when you activate this adaptation, you can cause one of the dazzled creatures to instead be blinded for 1 round. Once you use this adaptation you can’t do so again until you have rested 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points.

You can briefly empower your adaptive strike to strike large areas, such as launching hails of projectiles, breathing a gout of fire, battering foes with a flurry of tentacles, or skewering multiple foes with an elongated claw. You can spend 2 MP as a standard action to make one attack with your adaptive strike as though it had the blast weapon special property (affecting a 20-foot cone) or the line weapon special property (affecting a 40-foot line). For each additional MP you spend to activate this adaptation, you increase the cone’s length by 5 feet or increase the line’s length by 10 feet.

Distant Strikes (Ex)

Enhanced Mobility

Increase the range increments of your ranged adaptive strike by 50%. As a swift action, you can spend 1 MP either to increase your ranged adaptive strike’s range increment by 100% (rather than by 50%) or to grant your melee adaptive strike the reach weapon special property; either effect lasts until the start of your next turn.

You gain one of the following: a climb speed equal to your land speed, a swim speed equal to your land speed, or a fly speed (average maneuverability) equal to your land speed, chosen when you learn this adaptation. In addition, when you spend 2 MP to gain a climb or swim speed, the effect lasts for 1 minute. You can select this adaptation up to three times, selecting a different speed each time.

Dazzling Outburst (Su)

Invert Form (Ex) As a reaction, when an effect moves you or gives you the flat-footed, off-kilter, off-target, or prone condition, you can spend 2 MP to reorient your body, negating one of those conditions and reducing the distance you’re moved by 5 feet.

Ocular Advantage (Ex) You gain one of the following special abilities: darkvision (60 feet), low-light vision, or the unflankable universal creature rule, chosen when you learn this adaptation. If you choose darkvision and already have it, you instead increase the range of your darkvision by 30 feet. As a move action, you can spend 1 MP to gain the abilities you didn’t select for 1 minute.

Resistant Form (Ex) You can temporarily change your body’s composition, helping you shrug off harmful energies. When you learn this adaptation choose three of the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. You can spend 1 MP as a move action to gain energy resistance to one of the energy types you chose. The value of this energy resistance equals 1 + half your evolutionist level, stacks with one other source of energy resistance you might have, and lasts for 3 rounds. You can learn this adaptation a second time; this allows you to spend MP to gain resistance to any of the five energy types.

Versatile Strike (Ex) As a swift action (or part of the full action used to make a full attack), you can spend 1 MP to transform your adaptive strike’s damage type until the beginning of your next turn. If your adaptive strike deals kinetic damage, you can have it deal any kinetic damage type instead. If your adaptive

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strike deals energy damage, you can have it deal any energy damage type instead.

Extraordinary Sense (Ex) You can manifest physiology for sensing your surroundings in exceptional ways. Choose two of the following senses: life, scent, sound, thought, or vibration. You gain blindsense with a range of 20 feet using those senses. As a move action, you can spend 2 MP to increase the range of the blindsense granted by this ability to 60 feet for 1 minute.

Fearsome Outburst (Su) As a reaction when you spend 2 or more MP to use an adaptation, you can use Intimidate to demoralize a creature within 30 feet. If you have spent 4 or more MP since the end of your last turn when you activate this adaptation, you can either attempt to demoralize up to two additional creatures or you can cause a creature you successfully demoralized to also become frightened for 1 round (Will negates the frightened effect). Once you use this adaptation, you can’t do so again until you have rested 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points. 10th Level

You must be at least 10th level to choose these evolutionist adaptations.

Augmented Potential (Ex) Your augmentations act as batteries for your own transformative powers. Once per day as a move action, you can draw energy and inspiration from your augmentations to gain Mutation Points. The maximum number of MP you gain in this way equals either one-fourth your evolutionist level or the sum of your augmentations’ item levels divided by 10, whichever is lower.

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Only augmentations of the types associated with your niche contribute to this augmentation item level sum.

You must have the extraordinary sense adaptation to select this adaptation.

Enhanced Resistance (Ex)

Violent Outburst (Ex)

When you activate your resistant form adaptation as a move action, you increase its duration by a number of rounds equal to your key ability score modifier and you increase the value of its resistance by 2. You can activate resistant form as a reaction, but its MP cost increases to 2. You must have the resistant form adaptation to select this adaptation.

As a reaction when you spend 2 or more MP to use an adaptation, you can make an attack with your adaptive strike with a –2 penalty to the attack roll. If you use your ranged adaptive strike for this attack, the target must be within your weapon’s first range increment. If you have spent 5 or more MP since the end of your last turn when you activate this adaptation, you can either make the attack without the –2 penalty, or you can attack up to two targets with a –4 penalty applied to each attack roll. Once you use this adaptation, you can’t do so again until you have rested 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points.

Extreme Mobility When you spend 2 MP to gain a climb or swim speed, you can instead gain a burrow speed equal to half your land speed for the effect’s duration. If you have the enhanced mobility adaptation, you can increase the swim speed it grants to 1-1/2 × your land speed, and you can improve the maneuverability of its fly speed to perfect.

Forceful Outburst (Su) Your more powerful transformations can knock back bystanders. As a reaction when you spend 2 or more MP to use an adaptation, you can push away one or more creatures adjacent to you, moving them 5 feet away as if you had succeeded at a bull rush attempt against them (Fortitude negates). This movement doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. When you activate this adaptation, if you’ve spent 4 or more MP since the end of your last turn, you also make any pushed creature flat-footed until the end of your next turn. Once you use this adaptation, you can’t do so again until you have rested 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points. 14th Level

You must be at least 14th level to choose these evolutionist adaptations.

Controlled Transformation (Ex) You expertly control your body’s adaptive quirks to mitigate your transformation’s drawbacks. If you have at least 1 MP, you treat your MP total as though it were 1 higher (to a maximum of your normal MP maximum) for the purpose of determining your instinct effects and you treat your MP total as though it were 1 lower (minimum 1 MP) for the purpose of determining your drawback effects.

Explosive Strike (Ex) You can spend 2 MP as a standard action to make an attack with your ranged adaptive strike as though it had the explode (10 feet) weapon special property. For each additional MP you spend to activate this adaptation, you can increase the explosion’s radius by 5 feet. Reduce this attack’s damage by an amount equal to half your evolutionist level.

Pinpoint Sense (Ex) When you activate your extraordinary sense adaptation, you instead gain blindsight to a range of 20 feet with the chosen sense and blindsense with the chosen sense to a range of 60 feet.

18th Level

You must be at least 18th level to choose these evolutionist adaptations.

Fission Form (Su) Once per day as a move action, you can create a copy of yourself that instantaneously severs itself from your body and appears in an adjacent space. Your copy shares your statistics, lasts for 5 minutes, and has a number of Hit Points and Stamina Points both equal to 3 × your evolutionist level. Your copy appears with your adaptive strike manifested but beyond simple replicas of your apparel, it lacks equipment and can take only move actions. In combat, both you and your copy share the same initiative count, with one acting immediately after the other. Each turn, either you or your copy can use a full round’s worth of actions and the other can take only a move action, though you can spend 1 MP to allow both to use a full round of actions for 1 round. Your copy acts and thinks independently, though it follows your instructions. You and your copy can both use your adaptations, evolution track, and adaptive strike, but your copy doesn’t have or gain MP; it uses your MP total and you must spend your MP to use its adaptations. Maintaining your copy in combat is taxing. At the start of your turn after gaining MP, you must spend 1 MP to sustain your copy that round. Each full minute you sustain your copy, the MP cost per round to sustain it increases by 1. If you don’t sustain your copy, or if your copy is reduced to 0 HP, it dissolves into nothingness.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Regenerative Form (Su) Choose two of the following damage types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. By spending 2 MP at the beginning of your turn, you gain regeneration 10 (Alien Archive 4 154) for 1 round and immediately regain 10 Hit Points. Your regeneration stops functioning for 1 round whenever you take energy damage of either of the two types you selected. At the start of each turn, you can sustain your regeneration for an additional round by spending a number of MP equal to 2 + half the number of rounds your regeneration has been active since the last time you rested 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points. You can activate this adaptation even if you’re dying and otherwise unable to take actions.

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EVOLUTIONIST CLASS BUILDS

ELDRITCH CHAMPION THEME: PRIEST

THEME: ROBOTICISTPW

You’re blessed by a deity to become much more than what you started out as, transforming into a practical scion of that greater power.

At each opportunity you become more and more mechanical, upgrading your biological components into technological ones.

EVOLUTIONARY FOCUS

EVOLUTIONARY FOCUS

Augmentation

Augmentation

NICHE

NICHE

Eldritch

Mechanized

EVOLUTIONIST ADAPTATIONS Distant strikes (2nd) Extraordinary sense (6th)

Augmented potential (10th) Pinpoint sense (14th)

FEATS Far Shot Mobility

Improved Initiative Shot on the Run

SKILLS Acrobatics Culture

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SCRAPPER

Mysticism Stealth

EVOLUTIONIST ADAPTATIONS Versatile strike (2nd) Enhanced mobility (6th)

Extreme mobility (10th) Explosive strike (14th)

FEATS Deadly Aim Fleet

Suppressive Fire Toughness

SKILLS Computers Intimidate

Perception Survival

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

CRYPT CUSTODIAN

THEME: DEATH TOUCHEDPW

BROADLEAF BATTLER PW THEME: WILD WARDEN

Your intimacy with death grows with each passing day. You know how to invoke its power in yourself and others—for good or ill.

You tap into the potential of the green wilds to protect allies and overwhelm enemies with outbursts of overgrowth.

EVOLUTIONARY FOCUS

EVOLUTIONARY FOCUS

Combat

Packmaster

NICHE

NICHE

Sepulchral

Vital

EVOLUTIONIST ADAPTATIONS

EVOLUTIONIST ADAPTATIONS

Resistant form (2nd) Fearsome outburst (6th)

Dazzling outburst (2nd) Area strike (6th)

Enhanced resistance (10th) Violent outburst (14th)

FEATS Deadly Aim Diehard

FEATS Great Fortitude Minor Psychic Power

SKILLS Culture Intimidate

Forceful outburst (10th) Controlled transformation (14th)

Barricade Bodyguard

Iron Will Medical Expert

SKILLS Perception Stealth

Acrobatics Culture

Perception Stealth

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BIOHACKER Efficiency-minded urogs dedicate their lives to making incremental progress in countless endeavors, and their bodies are no exception to this tinkering. Urog biohackers are experts in transforming their crystalline forms, reinforcing their structures, and unlocking new electrochemical abilities. Fortunately, urogs are quite open about their research and see adapting these techniques for carbon-based lifeforms as an engaging exercise. As a result, these methods have spread across the Pact Worlds and beyond.

ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURE Biohackers have access to the following alternate class feature.

Resonating Biohack Whereas most biohackers affect anatomy with injections, urogs’ crystalline physiology responds better to precise sonic resonances. An urog-trained biohacker can transform a living being’s composition with a word. Choose one of the following: advanced melee weapons, longarms, or sniper weapons. You’re proficient with weapons of the chosen type in the sonic category, and rather than the normal Weapon Specialization benefit for these weapons, you instead add half your character level to their damage. You can deliver injectable substances like poisons, serums, drugs, medicinals, and biohacks using sonic weapons as though they have the injection weapon special property and deal slashing damage. For any biohacker ability that functions with injection weapons, you can also apply that ability to a sonic weapon. At 2nd level, you gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with these weapons. At 9th level the bonus increases to +2, and at 18th level it increases to +3. When you hit an ally with such a weapon, you can avoid dealing damage to that ally, while still affecting them with the biohack, drug, poison, serum, or other substance that was loaded into the injection weapon. Rather than using a syringe from your custom microlab to deliver biohacks, you instead use a handheld sonic pad that targets the EAC of an unwilling target but otherwise functions as a syringe. At 2nd level, you can use your custom microlab to direct a sonic burst at a creature within half your custom microlab’s range, affecting it with a biohack as if you had applied it with the sonic pad; this requires no attack roll, but an unwilling target can negate a biohack delivered this way with a successful Fortitude save (DC = 10 + half your biohacker level + your key ability score modifier). This is a sonic effect. This replaces the injection expert class ability and the theorem gained at 2nd level.

Breakthrough You can use the following ability when you achieve the breakthrough for this field of study. True Efficiency (Ex): You create and apply a special compound to a biohack that doubles that biohack’s duration. You can use this breakthrough as part of the same action you use to administer the biohack.

Thermoregulation

The following fields of study use the rules on page 44 of the Character Operations Manual.

By manipulating thermoregulation, a biohacker can protect creatures from extreme temperatures or cause them to overheat. Booster: You protect a creature against extreme heat and cold. The target gains cold resistance 1 and fire resistance 1, and these resistances increase by 1 for every 4 biohacker levels you have. If the creature is burning, it can immediately attempt a Reflex save with a +2 bonus to end the burning effect. If the creature has the staggered condition from failing a saving throw against a cold effect, it can immediately attempt a new saving throw against the effect, ending it on a success. Inhibitor: You impair a creature’s ability to regulate body temperature. If the target takes fire damage, it must succeed at a Fortitude save or gain the burning condition, taking 1d6 fire damage per turn. If the target takes cold damage, it must succeed at a Fortitude save or gain a special version of the burning condition that deals 1d6 cold damage per turn, which can be ended automatically by taking fire damage; the target can’t roll on the ground to gain a new saving throw, but instead it can wrap itself in insulating material and shiver as a full action to attempt a new saving throw with a +4 bonus. The damage per turn increases by 1d6 for every 6 biohacker levels you have.

Efficiency

Breakthrough

Efficiency is the study of maximizing useful work for a given amount of available energy.

You can use the following ability when you achieve the breakthrough for this field of study.

FIELDS OF STUDY

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Booster: You enable the target to accomplish greater deeds with less effort. Once per round when the creature expends a Resolve Point, there’s a 25% chance it gains the Resolve Point’s effects but doesn’t expend the Resolve Point. This effect doesn’t last long enough to affect abilities that take longer than 1 minute, including resting to recover Stamina Points. Inhibitor: You deliver an agent that slows reaction time and causes the target to move inefficiently, imparting a –2 penalty to Reflex saving throws.

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Inescapable Heat (Ex): As a standard action, you can deliver a formula that heightens the target’s sensory response to heat and cold, causing unpredictable fear to these stimuli. For 1 minute, whenever the creature takes cold or fire damage, it becomes shaken for 1 round. The first time during that minute the creature begins its turn with the burning condition, it becomes confused for the duration of the burning effect (Will negates). However, on a d% result of 51–75 to determine the confused creature’s actions (Core Rulebook 274), the creature attempts to end the burning condition rather than dealing damage to itself. At the start of each subsequent turn, the creature can attempt a new Will save, ending the confused condition immediately on a success. This is a fear and pain effect.

THEOREMS These theorems follow the same rules as those presented on page 46 of the Character Operations Manual. 2nd Level

You must be 2nd level or higher to choose these theorems.

Electrostatic Sense (Ex) You’ve attuned your body’s natural electrical field to be sensitive to others’ energy. You gain blindsense (electricity) with a range of 5 feet. You can expend a biohack as a move action to increase the range to 20 feet for a number of rounds equal to your key ability score modifier. If you have blindsense (electricity), blindsight (electricity), electrolocation, or a similar sensory ability that uses electricity, you instead increase that ability’s range by 10 feet. You can expend a biohack as a move action to instead increase the ability’s range by 50% or to a range of 20 feet, whichever is greater, for a number of rounds equal to your key ability score.

regain Resolve Points. You must be aware of and have line of sight to the attuned creature to use this theorem.

OVERVIEW

8th Level

You must be 8th level or higher to choose these theorems.

Improved Instant Recalibration (Ex) You’ve learned to spot a disaster before it happens. You can use the instant recalibration theorem when an attuned creature fails a skill check by 3 or less. If you also spend a Resolve Point when activating this ability, you can instead affect an attuned creature who would fail a skill check by 5 or less. You must know the instant recalibration theorem to select this theorem.

Thickened Bones (Ex) Through extensive biochemical treatments, you’ve permanently reinforced your bones, making it less taxing to carry heavy loads and helping you resist catastrophic harm. Your bulk carrying limit increases by 2, and you don’t become fatigued from the long-term effects of living in a high-gravity environment. You gain a +2 bonus to saving throws made to resist the wound and severe wound critical hit effects, as well as other effects that would sever or mutilate your limbs.

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE FACTIONS SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Energized Assault (Ex) As a move action, you can expend a biohack to amplify your body’s natural electrical field to energize your attacks. For one minute, whenever you make an attack with a weapon, you can replace half that weapon’s damage with electricity damage. If the weapon already deals two types of damage, replace one of them of your choice with electricity. This theorem never causes a weapon that normally targets KAC to target EAC.

Instant Recalibration (Ex) When a creature attuned to your microlab would fail a skill check by 2 or less, you can expend a biohack as a reaction to adjust its hormone levels to coax peak performance, allowing the creature to reroll the skill check and take the better result. Once an attuned creature has rerolled a skill check from this ability, it can’t do so again until you rest for 8 hours to

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ENVOY With sophisticated group dynamics that develop acute awareness of others’ emotional states, vlakas excel as envoys. Even though a fraction of their uncanny senses are physiological, many of their skills are readily taught to patient students, enabling these techniques perfected on their frigid home planet of Lajok to proliferate across the galaxy.

IMPROVISATIONS The following improvisations use the rules on page 61 of the Core Rulebook and are available to envoys of any level.

A Few More Steps! (Ex) LANGUAGE-DEPENDENT

MIND-AFFECTING

SENSE-DEPENDENT

As a reaction when an ally within 60 feet of you is reduced to 0 HP and would become unconscious, you can compel them to stay up and stagger out of the fray. The ally remains conscious, becomes nauseated, and gains temporary Hit Points equal to your envoy level + your Charisma modifier until the end of their next turn. Afterward, if the ally has 0 Hit Points, they become unconscious and dying as normal, including losing 1 Resolve Point at the end of their turn. Once a creature has been affected by this improvisation, they’re immune to it for 24 hours. At 6th level, the ally becomes staggered and off-target rather than nauseated. If the ally is stable and unconscious and spends 1 Resolve Point to regain 1 HP within 1 minute of falling unconscious, they instead regain HP equal to your envoy level + your Charisma modifier.

readied the same action; that ally rolls your expertise die and applies the result as an insight bonus to their check. If the readied action involves an attack roll, you can roll your expertise die and add its result to the damage dealt by one ally who also readied an attack and successfully hit the target. Once a creature benefits from this improvisation, it can’t do so again until you rest for 10 minutes to recover Stamina Points.

Take The Hit (Ex) Not only are you ready to risk yourself to protect others—your sacrifice also inspires your companion. You gain Bodyguard as a bonus feat. If you already have Bodyguard, you instead gain In Harm’s Way as a bonus feat. If you use In Harm’s Way to intercept an attack that then reduces you to 0 Hit Points, you grant the attack’s original target a +1 morale bonus to AC, attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks, as well as a number of temporary Hit Points equal to your envoy level + your Charisma modifier. These benefits last for a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier or until you regain consciousness, whichever happens first.

EXPERTISE TALENTS The following expertise talents use the rules on page 64 of the Core Rulebook.

Got Your Back (Ex) SENSE-DEPENDENT

As a move action, you grant the unflankable universal creature rule to yourself and a number of creatures that doesn’t exceed your Charisma modifier. When you use this improvisation, each creature affected must be within the melee reach of at least one other affected creature. The effect ends for an affected creature if it ends its turn without being in the melee reach of an affected ally. This effect lasts until the end of your next turn. If you spend a Resolve Point when activating the improvisation, it instead lasts a number of rounds equal to your Charisma modifier.

On My Mark (Ex) LANGUAGE-DEPENDENT

MIND-AFFECTING

SENSE-DEPENDENT

When you ready an action, you can also provide quick encouragement and directions. Any ally who readies a similar action—such as making an attack, even if with a different type of weapon—with the same trigger before you take your readied action gains a +1 morale bonus to their first attack roll or skill check performed as part of the readied action. If the readied action requires a skill check to which you can apply your skill expertise, you can forego rolling the die and instead choose one ally who

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Bad Idea (Ex; Intimidate) With a few quick words and menacing body language, you can make a foe reconsider starting a fight. When you roll initiative, make an Intimidate check against one creature you’re aware of within 30 feet. The DC of this check is equal to either 10 + your opponent’s total Intimidate skill bonus, or 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR, whichever is greater; if the creature has a special bonus to saving throws against fear effects, it adds this bonus to the DC. If you succeed, roll your expertise die and apply the result as a penalty to that creature’s initiative result. Once you use this expertise talent, you can’t do so again until you rest for 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Empathic Tracker (Ex; Sense Motive) Your ability to read emotions borders on the supernatural. As a full action, you can study a creature within 60 feet and attempt a Sense Motive check; you can choose not to roll your expertise die for this check. The DC of this check is equal to either 10 + the creature’s total Bluff skill bonus, or 15 + 1-1/2 × the creature’s

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES CR, whichever is greater. If you succeed, you can sense that creature as if you had blindsense (emotion) with a range of 30 feet (or a range of 60 feet if you chose to forego your expertise die) for 10 minutes. If you fail the check, you can’t try again for 10 minutes. You can only track one creature in this way at a time, plus an additional creature at 6th, 12th, and 18th levels. If you study another creature beyond this maximum, you cease detecting a creature of your choice with blindsense (emotion).

One Of Us (Ex; Culture) You use your knowledge of a culture to make others feel that you belong. When you attempt a Culture check to recall knowledge about a specific place, society, or group, you can forego rolling your expertise die. If you do so and your skill check result lets you learn at least one piece of information, you also gain 2 bonus expertise dice, plus an additional expertise die for every 4 envoy levels you have. Whenever you attempt a Diplomacy check to change another’s attitude, a Disguise check to alter your appearance, or a Stealth check to hide by blending into a crowd, you can expend one of these bonus expertise dice to apply your expertise class feature to the check—though only if the check involves the place, society, or group about which you recalled knowledge. For example, you could better Disguise yourself as a member of a cult, blend in among a corporation’s workers, or make friends with a neighborhood’s inhabitants. When you rest for 8 hours to regain Resolve Points, any remaining bonus expertise dice are lost. You can use this expertise talent once per day without spending Resolve Points, and you must spend 1 Resolve Point each subsequent time you use the ability that day. If you use the expertise talent again, you lose any previously gained bonus expertise dice.

roll your expertise die and add its result as an insight bonus to your initiative check. You must have blindsense (scent) or blindsight (scent) to select this ability.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

You Don’t Say (Ex; Diplomacy) Your talent for careful listening often coaxes others into volunteering intriguing information. When you use Diplomacy to gather information, you can forego rolling your expertise die. If you do so and succeed at the check, you learn an additional piece of information about the chosen topic or individual. Using this ability requires at least 10 minutes of interaction, even if you have an ability that would allow you to gather information more quickly.

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE FACTIONS SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Read the Room (Ex; Sense Motive) You’re a master at studying reactions in a conversation, sensing topics that might upset others and adjusting your own arguments on the fly. If you would fail a Bluff check to lie, a Diplomacy check to change attitude, or an Intimidate check to bully, you can roll your expertise die. If the sum of your skill check result plus the expertise die would have succeeded at the check, you realize you’re about to say something inopportune and can change the subject without causing suspicion; your check neither succeeds nor fails, allowing you to retry the action and skill check later by spending the necessary time again. Once you use this expertise talent, you can’t do so again for 1 hour or until you rest for 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points, whichever comes first.

Scent of Danger (Ex; Sense Motive) You can smell when there’s trouble brewing. If you’re surprised in combat, you don’t have the flat-footed condition for being surprised against any combatants you can detect with blindsense (scent) or blindsight (scent). When you roll initiative and can detect at least one combatant with your blindsense (scent) or blindsight (scent), you can spend 1 Resolve Point to

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MECHANIC Shimreens are natural innovators that use their knowledge of the physical world and engineering to survive in a hostile environment, overcoming the dangers of their world through invention. The following mechanic options were developed by shimreens but have spread throughout the galaxy and are available to characters of any species.

DRONE CHASSIS

Arc Strike (Ex)

The following drone chassis expands on the options found on page 75 of the Core Rulebook. Mods marked with an asterisk (*) appear in this section.

As a standard action, you create a devastating energy stream that arcs between your custom rig and your drone, creating a line effect; to use this ability, your custom rig must be in your possession and your drone must be within 30 feet of you. For each advanced drone mod your drone has, the arc deals 1d8 electricity damage to each creature in the line; affected creatures can attempt Reflex saving throws to halve the damage (DC = 10 + half your mechanic level + your Intelligence modifier). The damage increases by 1d8 at 4th level and every three levels thereafter. You can instead activate this ability as a full action to increase the damage dice to d10s. Once you’ve activated this drone mod, you can’t do so again until you’ve rested for 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points.

Stormscout Drone Compact and resilient, the stormscout drone was developed on Shimrinsara to survive deadly weather and even direct lightning strikes—defenses that make them popular across the galaxy for entering dangerous areas, collecting samples for scientific examination, and recording their surroundings.

STARTING STATISTICS Size Small Speed 30 ft. AC EAC 11, KAC 12 Good Save Reflex Poor Saves Fortitude, Will Ability Scores Str 12, Dex 12, Con—, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 6 Ability Increases Dexterity, Intelligence Initial Mods camera, conductive plating*, manipulator arms, resistance (electricity)

Tunnel Drone Reinforced to shrug off falling debris and rescue cave-in victims, the tunnel drone uses a combination of digging apparatuses, sensors, and heavy limbs to detect, access, and (if necessary) subdue subterranean objectives.

STARTING STATISTICS Size Medium Speed 30 ft., burrow 15 ft. AC EAC 10, KAC 13 Good Save Fortitude Poor Saves Reflex, Will Ability Scores Str 16, Dex 10, Con —, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 6 Ability Increases Strength, Dexterity Initial Mods enhanced senses, excavator, melee weapon arm

DRONE MODS The following drone mods expand on the options available on pages 77–79 of the Core Rulebook.

Basic Mods You can choose these basic mods at any level.

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Conductive Plating (Ex) Your drone conducts, stores, and unleashes electricity with a touch. Your drone gains a special unarmed strike that deals 1d3 electricity damage; this attack doesn’t count as archaic and targets EAC. When your drone reaches 3rd level, it gains Weapon Specialization with its natural weapon. Your drone must have the resistance (electricity) mod to select this mod.

Advanced Mods You must be 11th level or higher to choose these mods.

Grenadier (Ex) By periodically scavenging materials, your drone creates improvised explosives. After a full 8 hour rest, your drone can create up to three grenades by spending 2 Resolve Points per grenade. It can create any grenade with an item level that doesn’t exceed your mechanic level – 3, but only the drone can use them. These grenades remain functional until used or until the drone recovers Resolve Points after a full 8 hour rest. The drone can draw and throw one of these grenades as a standard action, even if it lacks the limbs to do so. As a reaction when your drone is reduced to 0 HP, it can detonate one of its stored grenades, which explodes using one corner of the drone’s space as the explosion’s grid intersection. You can select this mod a second time, which reduces the RP cost per grenade to 1 and enables the drone to make any grenade with an item level less than your mechanic level.

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

Retaliatory Shock (Ex) When your drone becomes grappled or is dealt damage by a creature within its reach, your drone can shock the attacker, dealing electricity damage as if the drone had struck the attacker with its conductive plating attack. Once your drone has used this mod, it can’t use it again for 1d4 rounds. Your drone must have the conductive plating mod to select this mod.

MECHANIC TRICKS These follow the rules for mechanic tricks (Core Rulebook 70). 2nd Level

You must be 2nd level or higher to choose this trick.

Projected Shield (Ex) When you activate your energy shield mechanic trick, you can apply its effects to an adjacent ally instead of to yourself. If your energy shield grants additional benefits, such as from the facet deflection trick, you also apply those additional benefits to the ally instead of yourself. Your energy shield ends immediately if the target is ever more than 100 feet away from you. If you activate your energy shield ability a second time (such as with the boost shield trick), any other energy shield you have active ends immediately. You must have the energy shield mechanic trick to select this trick.

Hit Points equal to twice your mechanic level. You must have the projected shield mechanic trick to select this trick. 14th Level

You must be 14th level or higher to choose these tricks.

Energy Transference (Ex) Inspired by a shimreen’s ability to amplify damage, you’ve modified your custom rig to do the same. Whenever you take energy damage and have your custom rig in your possession, you can spend 1 Resolve Point as a reaction to channel some of that energy into one, two, or three weapons within 30 feet of you. The affected weapons are each supercharged, as supercharge weapon.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE FACTIONS SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

8th Level

You must be 8th level or higher to choose these tricks.

Energy Reflection (Ex) When you or your drone are dealt damage that’s subsequently reduced by your energy resistance, you can reflect some of that damage as a reaction. The source of the damage takes energy damage equal to the amount you or your drone resisted (Reflex half), dealing the same type of damage as was resisted. You or your drone must have a mechanic trick or drone mod that grants energy resistance (such as electromagnetic deflectionAA4, resistance, or resistant energy) to select this trick.

Manifold Shield (Ex) You’ve optimized your energy shield to protect multiple targets simultaneously. When you activate your energy shield trick, you can create energy shields targeting a number of creatures within your melee reach equal to your one-fourth your mechanic level. Each target gains a number of temporary Hit Points equal to your Intelligence modifier. In addition, you distribute an additional number of temporary Hit Points equal to your mechanic level between the shielded creatures; if you have the boost shield trick, you instead distribute additional temporary

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NANOCYTE Nanocytes bond with countless technological nanites, developing further control through time and experience. To cephalumes, each of whom forms a symbiotic union with a living biological augmentation known as a krikik, the addition of nanites into one’s body is a small leap, and most cepahlumes consider the relationship both natural and beneficial. Cephalume nanocytes have devised new ways to use their nanites both within their natural environment and while exploring other worlds and societies.

NANOCYTE KNACKS The following nanocyte knacks were developed by cephalumes to aid them in their explorations of Luminar but are available to characters of any species. These nanocyte knacks use the standard rules for nanocyte knacks (Starfinder Tech Revolution 10). 2nd Level

You must be at least 2nd level to choose these nanocyte knacks.

Cushioning Form (Ex) You manipulate your nanites to slow your descent and cushion you from falls. While your sheath array is active, you treat falls as 20 feet shorter. You can use a nanite surge as a reaction to instead treat falls as 60 feet shorter for 1 round.

Drifting Host (Ex) Whether pulled by waves or other forces, you’re used to drifting far from your nanites and can control them at further distances. The distance you can be from your nanites at the end of your turn before they disperse increases to 15 feet. At 10th level, this distance increases to 20 feet, and at 18th level, to 25 feet.

Glimmering Nanites (Ex) Your nanites emit pinpricks of colorful light. Your nanite cloud sheds dim light in its space and each space adjacent to it. You can suppress or activate this light as a move action. This light can be used to communicate in Lumos and other light-based visual languages you know.

Insulating Nanites (Ex) Your nanites can absorb or emit heat to regulate your body temperature. Whenever you activate your nanite sheath, select hot or cold weather; your nanites can protect you from cold or heat, but not both simultaneously. Your nanite sheath reduces the severity of the selected dangerous temperature by one step. At 10th level, your nanites instead reduce the severity of dangerous temperatures by two steps. 6th Level

You must be at least 6th level to choose these nanocyte knacks.

Camouflaging Sheath (Ex) Your nanites can alter their color and appearance, settling on your flesh in a variety of patterns and colors, providing you

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camouflage in your surroundings. When you attempt a Stealth check while your sheath array is active, you can use a move action to increase the insight bonus to your Stealth check by 2 until the end of your turn. You can additionally use a nanite surge to hide in plain sight.

Extensive Reach (Ex) You have precise control over your nanites and can use them to extend your reach. Your sheath array increases your natural reach by 5 feet.

Neutralizing Nanites (Ex) Your nanites can release a dense liquid sealant that douses flames and seals open wounds. While your sheath array is active you gain a +2 bonus to Medicine checks made to end the bleeding condition and Reflex saves made to end the burning condition. When you fail a check to end the bleeding or burning condition, you can use a nanite surge as a reaction to reroll the failed check or saving throw.

Telepathic Cloud (Ex) Your nanites contain an advanced communications array that transmits your thoughts directly into the minds of those nearby, enabling you to telepathically communicate in environments and situations where a language would be impossible to visually or audibly articulate, such as using Lumos in bright sunlight or audible languages in Luminar’s dense, gaseous seas. You can communicate telepathically with any creatures within the area of your cloud array with whom you share a language. 10th Level

You must be at least 10th level to choose these nanocyte knacks.

Anchored Cloud (Ex) Your nanites are accustomed to maintaining their position regardless of external pressure and motion. Spaces occupied by your cloud array are difficult terrain.

Beguiling Array (Ex) Your nanites can mimic and amplify your natural glow. When you use beguiling glow while your cloud array is active, your beguiling glow emanates from all the spaces your cloud array fills, as well as from you. You can use one nanite surge when you activate beguiling glow to increase the radius of

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES your beguiling glow to 30 feet and change its DC to that of your nanocyte knacks. You must have the beguiling glow species trait and the glimmering nanites knack to select this nanocyte knack.

Exhausting Nanites (Ex) Your nanites utilize electrical pulses to cause exhausting muscle spasms and electrical interference. Weapons you form with your gear array gain the fatigue critical hit effect (Starfinder Armory 31). Once per day, after you damage a creature with a weapon formed from your gear array, you can use a nanite surge as a reaction to impose the effects of slow on the target (Fortitude negates) for a number of rounds equal to half your Constitution bonus. Creatures immune to electricity are immune to exhausting nanites.

Shock Absorption (Ex) Your nanites can disperse electrical currents throughout their volume. While your sheath array is active, or while you’re standing within the area of your cloud array, you have electricity resistance 5. When you would take electricity damage, you can use a nanite surge as a reaction to increase this resistance by an amount equal to your nanocyte level plus your Constitution bonus until the end of your next turn. 14th Level

18th Level

You must be at least 18th level to choose this nanocyte knack.

Adaptive Telepathy (Ex) Your nanites can distill your thoughts into emotional images and feelings, enabling you to communicate with those with whom you don’t share a language. You can use a nanite surge to communicate simple ideas telepathically to any creatures within the area of your cloud array, even if you don’t share a common language. This doesn’t enable you to comprehend languages spoken within the area of your cloud array that you don’t understand.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS DRIFT IN CRISPECIES SIS FACPLAYABLE TIONS SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

You must be at least 14th level to choose these nanocyte knacks.

Luminous Nanites (Ex) Your nanites are luminous beacons that can flash brightly. The light shed by your nanite cloud increases in intensity, shedding bright light instead of dim light. You can use a nanite surge as a swift action to overcharge your nanites, causing them to flare brightly. Each creature within your nanite cloud must succeed at a Fortitude save or be blinded until the end of its next turn. A creature that succeeds at its Fortitude save is instead dazzled for a number of rounds equal to your Constitution bonus. After your nanites flare in this way, they go dark and can’t shed illumination of any kind until you spend 1 Resolve Point to regain Stamina Points after a 10 minute rest. You must have the glimmering nanites knack to select this knack.

Violent Dispersal (Ex) You can use your nanites to rout your foes directly. While your sheath array is active, you can use a nanite surge to send your nanites rocketing off your body with powerful force. Attempt a single bull rush combat maneuver that targets each creature within 15 feet of you; you can use your Constitution modifier for this attack roll instead of your Strength modifier. Regardless of the result of the bull rush, each creature targeted in this way takes force damage equal to your Constitution modifier. After using violent dispersal, your nanites disperse, ending your sheath array. You can’t use violent dispersal again until you spend 1 Resolve Point to regain Stamina Points after a 10 minute rest.

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OPERATIVE Despite their diverse skill sets, operatives traditionally embrace subtle strategies like stealth, deception, and speed. As dragonkin of Triaxus aren’t known for their agility, their operatives have instead mastered ways to leverage overbearing size, immense strength, and terrifying personal charisma with remarkable finesse. What’s more, these agents often work with a closely bonded team, using their abilities to enable their partners—a practice that’s helped this style of operative to spread across the galaxy.

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ALTERNATE CLASS FEATURE

OPERATIVE SPECIALIZATIONS

Operatives have access to the following alternate class feature.

Operatives have access to the following specializations.

Heavyweight Skirmisher

Bully

You dance across battlefields with power and precision. Your operative key ability score becomes Strength. Operative abilities and saving throw DCs calculated using your Dexterity ability score modifier are instead calculated using your Strength ability score modifier. You don’t gain proficiency with sniper weapons, but you do gain proficiency with advanced melee weapons. You can perform trick attacks with a wider array of weapons, referred to here as “skirmisher weapons.” A skirmisher weapon is any weapon you’re wielding and proficient with that doesn’t target multiple creatures, have the unwieldy property, or require a full action to make a single attack. If you succeed at the trick attack skill check, you can reroll one of the attack’s damage dice and use the higher result. At 7th, 11th, 15th, 17th, and 19th levels, you can reroll one additional damage die (maximum 6 dice) and use the higher result for each. You don’t deal additional trick attack damage until 5th level, but you can apply that additional damage to attacks with skirmisher weapons. At 5th level, your additional trick attack damage is 1d6. This increases to 2d6 at 9th level, 2d8 at 13th level, and 2d10 at 17th level. For any operative abilities that require you use an operative weapon, you can also use those abilities with melee skirmisher weapons. You can gain the Heavy Armor Proficiency feat in place of learning an operative exploit. At 3rd level, you reduce the speed adjustment of any armor you wear by 5 feet (minimum no speed adjustment) and reduce the armor check penalty of any armor you wear by 1 (to a minimum of 0). At 9th level, your land speed increases by 5 feet, and you increase the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by your armor by 1. At 15th level, you reduce the speed adjustment of any armor you wear by 10 feet total and gain DR 5/— against attacks of opportunity. At 8th level, if you make a full attack entirely with skirmisher weapons and hit a creature twice, you also apply the effect of your debilitating trick class feature (or any additional option you can use in place of debilitating trick) as though you had hit the creature with your trick attack. At 13th level, when you make a full attack entirely with skirmisher weapons, you take a –3 penalty to each attack roll instead of the normal –4 penalty. This modifies the operative’s key ability score, weapon proficiencies, and trick attack, and it replaces evasion, quick movement, triple attack, and quad attack.

You specialize in close combat, leveraging your intimidating presence to crush your foes’ defenses and hinder their attacks. Associated Skills: Athletics and Intimidate. You can attempt an Intimidate check with a +4 bonus to make a trick attack by menacing your opponent, making them hesitate to raise a defense. This is a fear effect, and if your foe has a bonus to saving throws against fear effects, they also apply it to the skill check DC of this Intimidate check. Specialization Exploit: Fearsome presence. Domineering Strike (Ex): Whenever you make a trick attack against a creature that’s frightened, panicked, prone, or shaken, you treat any trick attack damage dice that roll a 1 or 2 as if they had rolled a 3 instead.

Diplomat You’re an expert negotiator who can slyly maneuver in social circles as readily as you maneuver across a battlefield. Associated Skills: Culture and Diplomacy. You can attempt a Diplomacy check with a +5 bonus to make a trick attack against a foe by calming or tricking them into thinking you’re not a threat. Each time you use Diplomacy to make a trick attack, this bonus decreases by 1d4 (minimum +0) until the end of the encounter. Specialization Exploit: Infectious charm. Influencer (Ex): At 11th level, when you exceed the DC of a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a creature by 5 or more, you can improve their attitude by one additional step.

OPERATIVE EXPLOITS The following operative exploits use the standard rules for operative exploits (Core Rulebook 95). 2nd Level

You must be at least 2nd level to choose these exploits.

Collaborative Specialist (Ex) Whenever you successfully aid an ally’s skill check using one of your specialization’s associated skills, you can give that ally a bonus to their skill check equal to your operative’s edge bonus rather than +2.

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

Coming Through (Ex)

Infectious Charm (Ex)

You can attempt an Athletics check in place of Acrobatics check when attempting to tumble through an opponent’s space. You can choose to attempt to tumble through an opponent’s space as a full action instead of as a move action, in which case you can move up to half your speed and reduce the check DC by 5.

When you succeed at a Bluff check to lie, a Diplomacy check to change a creature’s attitude, or an Intimidate check to bully a creature, you can so deeply impact one of the affected creatures that it repeats your action against one of its allies as soon as it reasonably can, using your skill check modifier. If you lied, the creature conveys the lie sincerely. If you changed the creature’s attitude, that creature tries to change its ally’s attitude toward you. If you bullied the creature, it bullies its ally into helping perform the same task. If you spend 1 Resolve Point when using this exploit, the creature instead repeats the action against a number of allies that doesn’t exceed your key ability score modifier. Affected creatures want to repeat your action, but aren’t compelled to do so; if they encounter significant obstacles while seeking out allies, it might detour or even abandon the task.

Powerful Flier (Ex) You can perform an Athletics check in place of any Acrobatics check to fly. When ascending, the second square that you move upward doesn’t cost you an additional 5 feet of movement. You must have a fly speed to learn this exploit. 6th Level

You must be at least 6th level to choose these exploits.

Setup Strike (Ex) Instead of making an attack as part of a trick attack, you can perform either covering fire or harrying fire. After resolving your covering fire or harrying fire, attempt the trick attack’s skill check as normal. If you succeed at the check, you provide an additional benefit. For covering fire, if the selected ally is hit by the target’s next attack before the end of your next turn, roll your trick attack damage and reduce the enemy’s damage dealt to your ally by that amount (minimum 0 damage). For harrying fire, if the next ally to attack the target hits, roll your trick attack damage and add it to the attack’s damage. Once an ally takes less damage from your covering fire benefit or a creature takes additional damage from your harrying fire benefit, they are immune to your setup strike’s additional benefit for 24 hours.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Springboard (Ex) Once per turn when you succeed at a skill check to tumble through an opponent’s space, you can push off of that creature to gain additional momentum at the cost of their balance. Until the beginning of your next turn, the creature takes a –2 penalty to attack rolls when making attacks of opportunity, and the skill check DC for other creatures to tumble around or through the creature’s space is reduced by 5 (Reflex negates). In addition, you gain a +10-foot circumstance bonus to all of your movement speeds until the end of your turn. 10th Level

You must be at least 10th level to choose these exploits.

Fearsome Presence (Ex) After you finish moving as part of a trick attack (and before attempting your attack, if you haven’t done so already), you can perform a quick, intimidating display that makes any foe adjacent to you shaken until the beginning of your next turn (Will negates). This shaken condition is suppressed for a creature whenever it is no longer adjacent to you. Once you use this exploit, you can’t do so again until you rest for 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points. This is a fear effect.

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PRECOG While some precogs may have come to understand the ebb and flow of time through experiencing a great cosmic event, others, such as many trox, have gained their knowledge through an uncanny understanding of the past. Be it through reincarnation, encounters with ghostly apparitions, or careful study of historical precedent, precogs have the ability to control the strings of time and bend them to their needs.

ANCHOR This anchor uses the rules on page 9 of Starfinder Galactic Magic.

The insight bonus increases by 1 at 6th level and every 4 levels thereafter.

Memory Echoes

See Weaknesses (Su)

Reincarnation may be rare, but you’re convinced you were once someone from the distant past, perhaps from a planet that has all but fallen out of existence, brought back to help teach something to those in the future. You have flashes of painful memories, perhaps of punishments doled out while living under harsh rule or of having those you love taken away from you by force. Whatever shape these thoughts may take, the power of it fuels your passion to bring that knowledge forth to those around you, working to ensure the past is neither repeated nor forgotten. Focal Paradox: Diplomacy and Intimidate. You gain Intimidate as a class skill. Improved Anchor: To better understand what has happened in the past, sometimes you need to use unconventional methods. Once per a day, you can use a paradox as part of a full action to cast speak with dead or tongues without expending a spell slot, even if these aren’t among your known spells. Greater Anchor: Even though your perceptions are based on your knowledge of the past, sometimes the best laid plans aren’t enough. However, due to your past-life experiences, you can come up with a better idea. Once per a week as a full action, you can cast any spell from the precog list with a spell level at least one lower than the maximum level you can cast.

You’ve learned to harness the ability for seeing gaps, allowing you to prepare for a foe’s weakness. As a move action, you can use a paradox to add extra acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage to your next attack before the end of your turn. Before choosing, you can attempt an identify creature check of the appropriate type; this doesn’t require an additional action. The extra damage is equal to the paradox result (maximum 4), but if the creature you hit isn’t vulnerable to the damage type you chose, this ability deals no extra damage. The maximum amount of extra damage increases to 10 at 5th level and to 20 at 10th level.

TEMPORAL ANOMALIES

Impeccable Timing (Su)

These temporal anomalies follow the rules on page 12 of Galactic Magic.

You can see a split second into the future, giving you an advantage in avoiding the fallout from sudden explosions of energy or matter. If you succeed at a Reflex save against an effect that normally has a partial effect on a successful save, you instead suffer no effect. You gain this benefit only when unencumbered and wearing light armor or no armor, and you lose the benefit when you’re helpless or otherwise unable to move. However, if you gain proficiency in heavy armor from the future training temporal anomaly, you gain this benefit in heavy armor.

2nd Level

You must be at least 2nd level to choose the following temporal anomalies.

Forensic Acumen (Su) You’ve developed a keen sense of awareness about your surroundings. By focusing on trace evidence such as footprints, scuffs on walls, and subtle scents lingering in the air, you can reach out with your temporal senses to reconstruct how and where things were moved in spaces you enter and examine. You gain a +1 insight bonus to Perception checks. When making a Perception check to search, you can spend a Resolve Point to roll twice and take the better result.

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Something’s Not Right Here… (Su) Knowing that others can try to surprise them by lying in wait, trox have developed a way to ensure that part of their subconscious mind remains vigilant to scan their surroundings. You automatically receive a Perception check to notice a trap when you pass within 10 feet of it; the GM rolls this in secret. 5th Level

You must be at least 5th level to choose the following temporal anomalies.

Recycled Preparation (Su) By keeping a close eye on the past as well as the future, you know how to reach backward to recover the benefits of things that have recently been discarded. Once per day, you can use a paradox to reuse a single consumable item (such as a grenade, serum, or spell gem) that you used within the last 24 hours. The

1

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES item must have light bulk or less and an item level no greater than your level. You must know the advanced preparation temporal anomaly to learn this temporal anomaly. 8th Level

You must be at least 8th level to choose the following temporal anomalies.

Desperate Measures (Su) Once per day as a full action, you can call upon all your past experiences to push out a blast of energy centered on yourself. You deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage plus 1d4 additional bludgeoning damage per precog level to all creatures within 5 feet of you, including yourself. This damage has the force descriptor. A creature that succeeds at a Reflex save takes half damage; you can’t attempt a save against this effect.

Help Another (Su) Using your abilities to see through the threads of time, you intuit the exact way to steer an ally toward a foreseen outcome. When you successfully aid another on a skill check, you can use a paradox in place of the ally’s d20 roll for that check. 11th Level

You must be at least 11th level to choose the following temporal anomalies.

can use one or more additional paradoxes to add their total value to the damage dealt. A creature that succeeds at a Reflex save takes half damage; you can’t attempt a save against this effect.

Improved Paradoxical Studies (Su) Once per day, you can use a paradox to regain any spell slot that you have already spent. You must know the paradoxical studies temporal anomaly to learn this temporal anomaly.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE FACTIONS SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Improved Impeccable Timing (Su) You’ve learned to also be aware of more subtle forms of attack. When you fail a Reflex save against any effect that has a partial effect on a successful save, you take the partial effect instead of the full effect. You must know the impeccable timing temporal anomaly to learn this temporal anomaly.

Paradoxical Studies (Su) Occasionally, you can manifest the echoes of past memories into a boon for a present situation. Recalling now-overcome terrors of the past, you regain power. Once per day, you can use a paradox to regain a spent spell slot; the spell slot must be of a level equal to or lower than one third of the paradox used. You must know the spell rewind temporal anomaly to learn this temporal anomaly. 14th Level

You must be at least 14th level to choose the following temporal anomalies.

Final Convergence (Su) Pulling energy from within, you emit a concussive blast, demolishing all—seen and unseen—within its radius. As a full action, you can use a paradox to deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage plus 1d6 additional bludgeoning damage per precog level to all creatures within 10 feet of you, including yourself. This damage has the force descriptor. You

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SOLDIER Kobold warfare relies largely on cunning and engaging with enemies only when the conditions are ideal. Many kobolds opt to strike first, leveraging their species’ innovations in sniper weapon design to fight at ranges where retaliation is impossible. Others delight in laying ambushes and setting traps, only charging in once their explosions have thrown their adversaries off balance.

FIGHTING STYLES Soldiers can learn the following fighting styles, using the rules on page 111 of the Core Rulebook.

Farshot For some, the best combat strategies eliminate the opposition before they’re even halfway close enough to pose a credible threat. You’re adept at keeping a low profile while launching consistent, patient, and deadly attacks from afar. This style is especially well suited to sniper weapons; activating a weapon’s sniper special property to increase a weapon’s range (typically as a move action) is referred to below as “aiming a sniper weapon,” and attacks made with that increased range are referred to as “aimed shots.”

Steady Shot (Ex)

1st Level

You gain Stealth as a class skill. When you make an aimed shot, you can reroll any damage dice with a result of 1 and use the second result instead.

Patient Precision (Ex)

5th Level

You can aim a sniper weapon as a full action instead of as a move action, designating a target when you do so. The next ranged attack you make against the target with that weapon before the end of your next turn is resolved as an aimed shot. If the attack is a critical hit, you roll your damage three times (rather than two times) and add the rolls together to calculate the critical hit’s damage, and the saving throw DCs of any of the attack’s critical hit effects are increased by 1.

Lethal Near and Far (Ex)

9th Level

While you’re adept at sniping, you’ve also turned your gun into a deadly improvised weapon. You increase the sniper weapon special property range increment of any weapon you wield by 20%. You can also attack with any sniper weapon of at least 1 bulk as though it were a two-handed basic melee weapon with the block weapon special property and the knockdown critical hit effect that deals bludgeoning damage based on its item level; if the sniper weapon’s item level is 7 or lower, it deals 1d8 damage, and this damage increases by 1d8 at item level 9 and every 2 item levels thereafter (maximum 7d8 at item level 19).

Instant Aim (Ex)

13th Level

You can aim a sniper weapon as a swift action rather than as a move action, or you can aim your sniper weapon using your patient

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precision ability as a standard action. Once you use this ability, you can’t do so again until you rest for 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points. You can use this ability additional times without resting, but you must spend 1 Resolve Point for each additional use.

One Shot, One Kill (Ex)

17th Level

You gain the increased critical hit damage and increased critical effect save DC of your patient precision ability whenever you perform an aimed shot. If you use patient precision to aim as a full action (or as a standard action with instant aim), the next aimed shot you attempt before the end of your next turn scores a critical hit dealing double damage on a natural die result of 18 or 19, and it scores a critical hit dealing the full triple damage on a natural die result of 20.

Mine Menace A fair fight might earn a soldier bragging rights, but it’s just as likely to earn them a shallow grave. To compensate for their smaller stature, kobolds often employ traps to hinder their foes and level the playing field. Most notably, this fighting style relies on deploying inexpensive proximity mines and making cunning strikes while an opponent is rattled by the explosions.

Set Charge (Ex)

1st Level

You gain Stealth as a class skill. You can create an explosive mine with light bulk without paying for it; this process takes 10 minutes and can be performed when you spend a Resolve Point to rest and regain Stamina Points. You can have only one mine created by this ability at a time. As a full action that requires a free hand, you can draw, arm, and deploy the mine in a 5-foot square within 30 feet, after which the mine conceals itself with an active camouflage field. Only you can use your mines effectively. Any creatures observing you when you deploy the mine automatically notices the mine’s location; other creatures must attempt a Perception check (DC 10 + your soldier level + your key ability score modifier) the first time they’re within 30 feet of the mine to spot it; this doesn’t require an action. A creature can disable a mine it spotted with a successful Engineering check (DC 10 + your soldier level + your key ability score modifier) as though it were a trap, and the mine deactivates harmlessly if destroyed (hardness 10, with Hit Points equal to 3 × your soldier level). A mine remains armed for 1 hour or until you create a new mine. The next time a creature enters the square, the mine explodes, dealing 1d4 fire and piercing damage to any creature

1

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES in that square and imposing a –5-foot penalty to its speed for 1d4 rounds. A mine doesn’t explode if a creature begins its turn in the same square, but it does explode if the creature leaves and reenters the square. The damage increases to 1d8 at your 3rd soldier level, 2d8 at 7th level, 3d8 at 11th level, 5d8 at 15th level, and 8d8 at 19th level. The speed penalty increases to –10 feet at 11th level, but it can’t reduce a creature’s speeds below half their normal values.

Explosive Maneuver (Ex)

5th Level

You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to attack rolls made to perform bull rush or reposition combat maneuvers to move a creature into a square that contains your deployed mine. This bonus increases to +3 at 9th level, +4 at 13th level, and +5 at 17th level.

Cunning Strike (Ex)

13th Level

You can now create 1d3 mines with 10 minutes of work, and have and deploy up to three armed mines at a time. You can’t deploy a mine within 10 feet of another mine.

Masterful Mayhem (Ex)

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

Draining Finisher (Ex) With a practiced swing, you expend all your weapon’s power into one strike. When you successfully use a melee weapon with the powered weapon special property to strike a target, you can expend all the weapon’s remaining charges to deal additional damage, after which the weapon deactivates. The amount of additional damage is equal to 1d4 for every 3 item levels the weapon has. If the weapon has at least one-fourth, one half, or three quarters of its charges remaining, the additional damage die size increases to d6s, d8s, or d10s respectively.

9th Level

Choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma when you gain this ability. You gain a bonus to weapon damage equal to the chosen ability score’s modifier against creatures that are entangled, helpless, stunned, or have a penalty to their movement speed. This damage bonus increases by 1 at 11th level and every 2 levels thereafter.

Minefield (Ex)

modifier, whenever you throw a weapon and add your Dexterity modifier to the attack roll, you gain a +1 bonus to the attack roll. If your Strength modifier is at least 3 higher than your Dexterity modifier, you instead gain a +2 bonus to the attack roll.

Rebounding Bludgeon (Ex) Your strikes effortlessly bounce off one target to impact another. When you hit with a melee weapon that deals bludgeoning damage as part of a full attack, additional attacks made as part of that full attack against a different creature gain a +2 circumstance bonus.

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE FACTIONS SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

17th Level

Once per round when a mine you deployed is triggered you can increase its area of effect to also affect all squares within 10 feet of the mine. All creatures in that area take damage (Reflex half), but only the triggering creature gains the speed penalty. As a reaction when one of your mines explodes, you can choose a number of squares equal to your key ability score that aren’t affected.

GEAR BOOSTS Kobold soldiers favor techniques that dismantle stronger enemies’ defenses, defy physics, or emulate the explosive firepower of dragons’ breath weapons. These new gear boosts follow the rules on page 111 of the Core Rulebook.

Armor-Piercing Stab (Ex) Your strikes open brief gaps in your targets’ armor. When you hit with a weapon that deals piercing damage as part of a full attack, any additional attacks you make against that target before the beginning of your next turn target the creature’s EAC rather than its KAC.

Devastating Throw (Ex) You hurl thrown weapons with frightful strength. You treat the range increments of thrown weapons as 10 feet greater than normal. If your Strength modifier is higher than your Dexterity

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SPECIES

2

INTRODUCTION This chapter delves into 25 of Starfinder’s most popular species—chosen in part by our fans in a public survey in 2021. Each article explores the physiology, home world, society, and innovations in unprecedented detail. This chapter also presents the long-awaited system for creating your own playable species in Starfinder, including guidelines for design, sample abilities, and questions to ask yourself throughout the creative process to inspire a fun, engaging, and believable new species.

Let’s warm up by looking at Starfinder’s seven core species and considering why they look, behave, and function the way they do, and how that might inspire your own design. Android—Building a Theme: Your playable species should support your setting’s themes. In populating Starfinder’s Pact Worlds, the team had to ask, “What kinds of creatures will people expect to play?” Technological creatures like robots and androids feature in countless sci-fi media, not only highlighting how advanced technology has become, but also allowing the actors, writers, and audience to explore questions of artificial life and the nature of the soul. Frankly, not including some technological being as a starting option would feel like a major oversight in developing the setting. What are your campaign’s themes? Might one or more playable species help your players engage with those stories and communicate the kind conflicts you want to highlight? Shirren—Something Unfamiliar: Many fantasy RPGs’ species involve mostly human-like creatures, yet in science fiction, playing as radically different life-forms has long been the norm, not the exception. For Starfinder, the team needed something that felt excitingly alien yet just quirky enough to be relatable. As bipedal bugs, shirrens present a dramatic visual departure from humans, and their unique reproductive cycle further piques a reader’s interest. However, insect-inspired creatures are often depicted as having limited emotions and empathy, so making shirrens socially curious subverts that trope in a fun way—all while helping introduce the Swarm as a galactic threat! What are some species you might create that provide a biological or cultural counterpoint to other societies in your setting? How might you acknowledge yet subvert tropes when designing content? Kasatha—A Setting Change: Starfinder’s team knew that they were building upon a rich foundation of Pathfinder lore that many first-time players might recognize. Yet the team also wanted to show how the Pact Worlds had evolved in the intervening ages. Adding the Idari, a giant colony ship orbiting the sun both excited players and promoted the game’s starship themes. What’s more, Pathfinder had introduced several alien species in earlier publications, and the kasathas presented an exciting visual due to their hidden mouths and four arms—arms that gave them an overwhelming advantage in Pathfinder yet provided a very balanced benefit when using Starfinder’s rules. If your campaign takes place in a familiar setting, how might the arrival of a new species create new opportunities, and provide a fresh perspective on familiar content?

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Vesk—An Adversary: Starfinder relies on teamwork yet thrives on conflict. Drift travel introduced the Veskarium, a generations-old enemy that has since become an uneasy ally. As with shirrens, including vesk as a core species tells more of the setting’s story while also facilitating narratives where PCs might reckon with old grudges. Likewise, the Veskarium is an unapologetically authoritarian military empire, yet an individual vesk can hold a range of beliefs and serve as a hero doing good in moral defiance of their homeland’s track record. Has your species always been at peace with their neighbors, or is their coexistence a more recent development? How does the typical individual feel about past grievances? Has one side forgiven and forgotten while the other harbors a grudge? Ysoki—Size Matters: In reviewing the playable species so far, something seems off: they’re all Medium-sized! Pathfinder has halflings and gnomes as Small options, but both have strong fantasy roots that don’t necessarily add to Starfinder’s sci-fi themes. Fortunately, the rat-like ysoki featured in Akiton’s early published lore. Not only would they address this size niche, but they also help introduce and represent Akiton to new players. Is at least one of your playable species a size other than Medium? How does their size factor into their culture, behavior, and abilities? Do you adhere to the correlation of size and physical strength in your species design, or does your creation have unexpected physical ability modifiers for their stature? Lashunta—Internal Diversity: Yet ysoki aren’t the only species drawn from Pathfinder lore. Castrovel’s lashuntas are physically dimorphic, and their natural charisma and psychic abilities help round out the array of character archetypes available. In addition, including lashuntas provided an ideal opportunity to revisit how their dimorphism functions, reframing it less as sexually deterministic and more as a personal choice. How diverse is your species? Is it an unlikely monolith? Or are there different cultures, subcultures, philosophies, and even subspecies that give the species depth? Human—A Baseline: Science-fiction media often centers on human narratives because human characters provide a familiar perspective for an audience to view the setting’s strangeness. Also, including humans provides an intuitive point of comparison for understanding how strong, impulsive, or quick other species are. Some players might want to play someone like themselves, and a human or human-like species provides that outlet. Does your setting have one or more familiar, humanoid species? How do they fit into your setting, and what emotions does that convey to your players?

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES OF STARFINDER AASIMAR

AMRANTAH

ANASSANOI

SOURCE: AA2 98 Aasimars are charismatic planar scions descended from celestials who have numerous resistances; they’re eloquent and perceptive, and they can shed light.

SOURCE: AP21 47 Amrantahs are whimsical living machines imbued with the soul of a dead citizen of Amran, who are naive and fun-loving.

SOURCE: AP17 55 Anassanois are threeeyed telepaths with two mouths known for their emotional honesty.

SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

ANDROID

ASTRAZOAN

ASTRIAPI

SOURCE: CR 42 Androids are ageless biomechanical constructs with an integrated soul; although logical and resilient, they have difficulty understanding and expressing emotion.

SOURCE: PAGE 48 Astrozoans are seven-limbed, starfish-like aberrations adept at controlling their body shape and coloration, which enables them to impersonate similarly-sized creatures.

SOURCE: PAGE 52 Astriapis are honey-producing bipedal arthropods with a natural inclination to regimentation and cooperative obedience.

BANTRID

BARATHU

BOLIDA

SOURCE: PW 210 Bantrids are small, anosmatic aberrations with a column-like body mounted on an organic rolling foot-orb who can’t abide remaining stationary.

SOURCE: AA 20 Barathus are floating blimp-like telepathic aberrations, reminiscent of jellyfish, who can alter their genetic code at will.

SOURCE: AA2 20 Bolidas are plated, burrowing arthropods adapted to extreme heat who can curl into a ball and roll around.

BORAI

BRAKIM

BRENNERI

SOURCE: PW 211 Borais are not-quite dead corpses who retain a sliver of their soul, leaving them both living and undead simultaneously.

SOURCE: AP8 48 Brakims are adaptable, industrious humanoids acclimated to radiation who have malleable limbs that can stretch, shrink, and regrow.

SOURCE: AA3 8 Brenneris are friendly otter-like diplomats who can swim and hold their breath for long periods; they usually keep a comforting object.

CEPHALUME

CONTEMPLATIVE

COPAXI

SOURCE: PAGE 56 Cephalumes are curious bioluminescent aquatic cephalopods who have adapted to form symbiotic unions with krikiks (bioelectric arthropods).

SOURCE: PAGE 60 Contemplatives are brilliant intellectuals with tiny vestigial bodies and massive brains who interact with the world through telekinesis and telepathy.

SOURCE: AA4 22 Copaxis are a colony of genetically identical polyps with an anthropomorphic form and coral-like exoskeleton who can slightly manipulate gravity.

DAMAI SOURCE: AA2 32 Damais are scrappy, gray-skinned humanoids unified in their fight to survive the reawakened colossi that inhabit their planet.

The Starfinder Roleplaying Game has a staggering number of alien species for you to pick from when creating a character. This section provides a snippet of physical and cultural information for those that exist at the time of printing, to help you choose!

37

PLAYABLE SPECIES OF STARFINDER DESSAMAR

DIRINDI

DRAELIK

SOURCE: AA3 14 Dessamars begin life as larval instars, later transforming into butterfly-like imagos; they’re good-natured, whimsical, dreamers with minor magical powers.

SOURCE: AA3 20 Dirindis are stout, three-eyed humanoids with an affinity for languages and electricity; they’re comical and prone to exaggeration.

SOURCE: AA 36 Draeliks are gaunt, yellow nihilists who embrace entropy and have close ties to the Negative Energy Plane.

DRAGONKIN

DROMADA

DROW

SOURCE: PAGE 64 Dragonkin are large humanoid dragons who fly, breathe fire, and form a nearmagical bond with a non-dragonkin partner, traditionally a ryphorian.

SOURCE: AA3 28 Dromadas are swift, long-necked mammalian bipeds with stubby eyestalks and keen vision; they are skittish and live in herds.

SOURCE: AA 42 Drow are (often merciless) elves who are acclimated to darkness, may worship demons, and have minor magical powers.

DWARF

ELEBRIAN

ELF

SOURCE: CR 506 Dwarves are stocky, slow, and skilled with stone; they’re stubbornly fixated on preserving their ancient crafts, culture, laws, and enmities.

SOURCE: AP3 53 Elebrians are power-hungry, humanoid intellectuals with oversized craniums who can quickly collate information and assess their foes’ weaknesses.

SOURCE: CR 507 Elves are long-lived isolationists with keen senses; they have an innate understanding of magic and deep bond with nature.

EMBRI

ENDIFFIAN

ENTU COLONY

SOURCE: AA2 48 Embri are masked mollusks with a rigid social hierarchy; they hide their emotions and are often unknowing thralls of Hell.

SOURCE: AP7 56 Endiffians are humanoids who can rearrange their elastic flesh, enabling them to impersonate other creatures and improve their grip.

SOURCE: AA4 34 Entu colonies are telepathic mobile fungal colonies that feed on emotion and can temporarily bond in symbiosis with another willing creature.

ENTU SYMBIOTE

ESPRASKA

FERRAN

SOURCE: AA4 34 Entu Symbiotes are entu colonies that have permanently bonded with another living animal, such as the bat-like nelentu of Agillae-2.

SOURCE: AA3 32 Espraskas are friendly avians adapted to cold environments who can fly; they adore exploration, self-discovery, and experiencing other cultures.

SOURCE: AP2 55 Ferrans are small, sturdy, yellow-skinned scientists who are resistant to radiation and adapted to high gravity.

FORMIAN

GHIBRANI

GHORAN

SOURCE: PAGE 68 Formians are ant-like telepaths with sharp mandibles, chitinous plates, exceptional senses, and a hive-based communal society.

SOURCE: AP5 55 Ghibranis are affable beetle-like humanoids split by lifestyle into either pampered, flying urbanists (membranes) or hardy, climbing desert survivalists (husks).

SOURCE: AA2 56 Ghorans are photosynthetic humanoidshaped plants who taste delicious and inherit skills from the ghoran whose seed they sprouted from.

GNOLL

GNOME

GOBLIN

SOURCE: ALIEN CHARACTER DECK Gnolls are opportunistic hyena-like survivalists with predatory senses and bone-crunching jaws; they value power, strength, and cunning.

SOURCE: CR 508 Small and spindly fey exiles, gnomes are curious and crave new experiences; drastic coloration and personality differences exist between subspecies.

SOURCE: AA 54 Goblins are fast-paced, manic little tinkers with beady red eyes and bulbous heads; they’re adept at working with scrounged junk.

GOSCLAW

GRAY

GRIPPLI

SOURCE: AP8 49 Gosclaws are opportunistic, flexible, catlike burrowers with short tails, long necks, night vision, and mechanical skill.

SOURCE: AA 56 Grays are enigmatic, secretive telepaths with glassy eyes and emotionless expressions who probe minds and can partially phase from reality.

SOURCE: ALIEN CHARACTER DECK Gripplis are small frog-like humanoids adapted to swamplands; they are exceptional leapers and climbers who were recently exposed to advanced technology.

HAAN

HADROGAAN

HALF-ELF

SOURCE: AA 58 Haans are large arthropod isolationists who float on gas-filled web balloons, spit flammable gas, value tradition, and forbid technology.

SOURCE: PAGE 72 Hadrogaans are dimorphic humanoids who live in symbiosis with kallestrine, a crystalline nervous system that resides within their bodies.

SOURCE: CR 509 Possessed of elven and human heritage, half-elves are adaptable social chameleons with slightly pointed ears.

HALFLING

HALF-ORC

HANAKAN

SOURCE: CR 511 Halflings are lucky, small-statured optimists who possess quick reflexes, exceptional body control, boundless confidence, and a love of community.

SOURCE: CR 510 Descended from humans and orcs, half-orcs are intimidating, green-skinned survivors who remain tenacious despite generations of adversity, prejudice, and oppression.

SOURCE: PAGE 76 Hanakans are small, bipedal oviraptors adapted to numerous atmospheres; they embrace magic, eschew electricity, and have a feathered crest and tail.

HOBGOBLIN

HORTUS

HUITZ’PLINA

SOURCE: AA2 76 Hobgoblins are battle-hardened, warmongering goblinoids with a rigid militaristic society; they’re cunning, fearsome, and merciless.

SOURCE: AA3 50 Hortuses are slightly poisonous spongy fungi with a laid-back attitude; they can release spores to alter their surrounding atmosphere.

SOURCE: AA4 46 Huitz’plinas are arboreal bipeds with prehensile tails and spined flesh who glimpse the future through hazy visions and gut feelings.

HUMAN

IFRIT

IJTIKRI

SOURCE: CR 44 Humans are driven by ambition and curiosity to create, discover, excel, explore, and possess. Adaptable and determined, they’re ubiquitous.

SOURCE: AP13 60 Descended from efreet and other fire creatures, ifrits are fiercely independent planar scions who possess affinity for and resistance to fire.

SOURCE: AA3 54 Ijtikris are air-breathing, squid-like aberrations with an oblong hardened head and numerous tentacular arms; they spend their infancy underwater.

IKESHTI

ILTHISARIAN

IXTANGI

SOURCE: AA 64 Ikeshtis are small, desert-dwelling lizardfolk with a violent life cycle; they shed their scales and can squirt blood from their eyes.

SOURCE: AP5 56 Ilthisarians are large, multiheaded serpentlike humanoids with snapping jaws and forked tails who can swim and are inured to poison.

SOURCE: AA4 54 Ixtangis are slender, reptilian bipeds with wide-set eyes, retractable tongues, and barbed stingers who can climb and change their coloration.

IZALGUUN

JUBUBNAN

KAA-LEKI

SOURCE: AA3 58 Izalguuns are large, six-limbed isolationists capable of adopting a bipedal or quadrupedal stance; they eschew technology for a hunter-gatherer lifestyle.

SOURCE: AA4 56 Jububnans are solitary wanderers resembling one-legged toads who have extraordinary balance; they can swim, leap, and inhale to increase in size.

SOURCE: AP38 59 Kaa-lekis are nonbreathing, tripodal humanoids speckled with emotionattuned luminescent moss; they hunt constructs and can see through crystal.

KALO

KANABO

KASATHA

SOURCE: PAGE 80 Kalos are aquatic bat-like humanoids who swim through icy water on winglike fins; they utilize sonar and value art, education, and history.

SOURCE: AA2 88 Kanabo are fearsome, strong, and independent otherworldly warriors with both hobgoblin and ja noi oni ancestry.

SOURCE: CR 46 Kasathas are four-armed traditionalists with elongated craniums; they value history, stability, and follow complex societal customs, including covering their mouths.

KAYAL

KHIZAR

KIIRINTA

SOURCE: AP12 57 Kayals are practical survivalists descended from humans; they’ve adapted to live on the Shadow Plane and can blend into shadows.

SOURCE: PW 212 Khizars are plantlike, nature-loving telepaths who sense light, taste through touch, and display emotion through the glow of their seedpod.

SOURCE: AA4 62 Kiirintas are colorful, mothlike fey with feathery antennae whose fluttering wings emit sparkles; they prize storytelling and individualism.

KISH

KITSUNE

KOBOLD

SOURCE: AP4 58 Kish are adaptable three-eyed survivalists with powerful frames and sharp-toothed mandibles; they live in the ruins of their ancestors’ civilization.

SOURCE: ALIEN CHARACTER DECK Kitsunes are good-natured tricksters with minor magical powers and two forms: an anthropomorphic fox (their true form) and a humanoid.

SOURCE: PAGE 84 Kobolds are small, scaled draconic humanoids who are as proud as their draconic brethren; they’re scrappy, tenacious, and ingenious engineers.

LASHUNTA

MARAQUOI

MEGALONYXA

SOURCE: CR 48 Lashuntas are dimorphic antennaed telepaths with minor psychic powers and undeniable charisma; they have a love of learning and strive for excellence.

SOURCE: PAGE 88 Maraquois are tailed simians with seven reproductive sexes; they cherish family, deeply mourn the dead, and detect sound through their skin.

SOURCE: AP27 57 Megalonyxas are stocky, animalistic humanoids with tough hides and a plodding gait due to living in a world with crushing gravity.

OVERVIEW

PLAYABLE SPECIES OF STARFINDER MORLAMAW

MOYISHUU

NESKINTI

SOURCE: AA3 72 Morlamaws are colorful, large-tusked walrus-folk who are adapted to cold water; they’re usually friendly, orderly, and gullible.

SOURCE: AP37 59 Moyishuus are insightful fey with colorful skin and crystalline hair who can sense, emulate, and harness emotions.

SOURCE: AP8 50 Neskintis are gorilla-like brachiators with short legs; they can glide through the air and are knowledgeable about the natural world.

NUAR

ORC

OREAD

SOURCE: PAGE 92 Nuars are pale, minotaur-like innovators with sharp horns and a natural gift for engineering, navigation, puzzles, and complex patterns.

SOURCE: AA2 90 Orcs are gruff, muscular survivalists with protruding tusks and a tendency toward developing extensive scarring.

SOURCE: AA17 60 Descended from shaitans and other earth creatures, oreads are calm, stoic planar scions who are resistant to acid.

OSHARU

PAHTRA

PHENTOMITE

SOURCE: AA2 92 Osharus are sluglike scholar-priests that can swim and excrete sticky slime; they spend their lives amassing knowledge.

SOURCE: PAGE 96 Pahtras are nimble and cautious catfolk who are typically asexual and fiercely individualistic; they value battle, dance, music, and community.

SOURCE: AA2 96 Phentomites are survivalists with both dark and thermographic vision; they’re powerful leapers acclimated to high altitudes and thin atmospheres.

PSACYNOID

QUORLU

RAMIYEL

SOURCE: PAGE 100 Psacynoids are four-armed skittering quadrupeds with over-large heads; they cultivate mystical crystals and eschew personal wealth to reinvest in their communities.

SOURCE: PAGE 104 Quorlus are three-armed, silicon-based quadrupedal tunnellers adapted to heat and susceptible to cold; they are peaceful and ponderous and love music.

SOURCE: AP21 51 Ramiyels are a single-sex species with a feminine humanoid torso and a serpentine lower body who revere life and nature.

RAXILITE

REPTOID

REPTOID HYBRID

SOURCE: PAGE 108 Raxilites are tiny, plantlike bipeds who are gentle and gregarious; they can switch between flowering or seeding and utilize LFAN augmentations.

SOURCE: AA 92 Reptoids are cunning, reptilian shapeshifters, skilled at disguise and deception, with a reputation for espionage.

SOURCE: AP27 59 Reptoid hybrids have the face and scales of a reptoid and the form and traits of a non-reptoid.

RYPHORIAN

SAMSARAN

SARCESIAN

SOURCE: PAGE 112 Ryphorians are trimorphic elf-like humanoids with exceptional hearing whose appearance changes with Triaxus’s seasons: either furry winterborn, hairless summerborn, or transitional.

SOURCE: ALIEN CHARACTER DECK Samsarans seek enlightenment and draw wisdom from their dimly remembered past lives to continue their cycle of reincarnation.

SOURCE: AA 98 Sarcesians are tall, gaunt humanoids who can temporarily survive in a vacuum by suspending their respiration and growing energy wings.

SAZARON

SCREEDREEP

SCYPHOZOAN

SOURCE: AA3 90 Sazarons are large, club-tailed quadrupeds with a humanoid torso and saurian lower body; they’re scholarly and resistant to electricity.

SOURCE: AP8 51 Screedreeps are small, furred sycophants with big eyes, drooping ears, and stooped stances; they are cosmopolitan, perceptive and value predictability.

SOURCE: PAGE 116 Scyphozoans are amphibious jellyfish with a squishy, translucent body, acidic tentacles, and a heightened ability to sense vibrations.

SELAMID

SEPREVOI

SHAKALTA

SOURCE: AP5 60 Selamids are sapient protoplasmic oozes with malleable forms; they can sense vibrations and move even in zero gravity.

SOURCE: AP5 61 Seprevois are four-legged simians accustomed to living in zero-gravity environments; they’re susceptible to disease and resistant to radiation.

SOURCE: AA3 92 Shakaltas are colorful psychic souls who merge with another shakalta upon adulthood, forming a new body shared between two souls.

SHATORI

SHIMREEN

SHIRREN

SOURCE: AA3 94 Shatoris are tranquil immortals transformed by proximity to the Boneyard; they have translucent flesh and luminescent bones.

SOURCE: PAGE 120 Shimreens are radiant, crystalline humanoids who are resistant to electricity and who can shift their limbs into weapons.

SOURCE: CR 50 Shirrens are insectile telepaths whose species diverged from a predatory hive mind; they’re addicted to individualism and dedicated to spreading freedom, peace, and community.

SHOBHAD

SKITTERMANDER

SPATHINAE

SOURCE: AA 104 Shobhads are tenacious four-armed giants from nomadic clans; they’re ferocious combatants whose lives revolve around honor, hunting, and survival.

SOURCE: AA 106 Skittermanders are small, excitable, sixarmed humanoids with colorful fur; they’re incredibly friendly and cooperative, and adore helping others.

SOURCE: AA3 100 Spathinae are tiny insects who organize into a humanoid-shaped biological and neural network, becoming a distributed sapience with unified purpose.

SRO

STELLIFERA

STRIX

SOURCE: PAGE 124 SROs are sentient robotic organisms so complex they attract a soul, develop true artificial intelligence, and gain free will.

SOURCE: AP8 52 Stelliferas are diminutive cuttlefish-like creatures who psychokinetically maintain a watery body around themselves; they communicate through color and telepathy.

SOURCE: PW 214 Strix are generous technophiles adapted to darkness and wary of outsiders; they fly on black-feathered wings and live communally.

SULI

SVARTALFAR

SYLPH

SOURCE: AP14 58 Descended from janni, sulis are planar scions who are resistant to elemental energy and who can harness that energy in battle.

SOURCE: AP11 60 Svartalfars are fey exiles who settled on the Shadow Plane; they’re calculating, graceful, and patient.

SOURCE: AP14 59 Descended from djinn and other air creatures, sylphs are planar scions who are resistant to electricity and who can occasionally fly.

TELIA

TIEFLING

TRINIR

SOURCE: AA3 112 Telias are genial, tortoise-like storytellers who can swim and erase their own memories; their shells record their life experiences.

SOURCE: AA2 98 Descended from fiends, tieflings are planar scions who possess numerous resistances; they’re nimble and stealthy, and they can dim surrounding light.

SOURCE: AP22 61 Trinirs are small, biotechnological, beaked humanoids who recently awakened from hibernation on an ice world with no memory of their origins.

TROX

TRYZIARKA

UNDINE

SOURCE: PAGE 128 Trox are large, sturdy, arthropodal burrowers with a fearsome appearance and multiple vestigial arms; they tend toward peace and spirituality.

SOURCE: AA4 126 Tryziarkas are flexible, double-jointed, hairless bipeds who bond with karakande, tattoo-like symbiotic oozes that bestow magical powers.

SOURCE: AA18 58 Descended from marids and other water creatures, undines are planar scions who are resistant to cold and excellent swimmers.

UPLIFTED BEAR

UROG

VARCULAK

SOURCE: PAGE 132 Uplifted bears are sapient, bipedal bears created through genetic modification; they’re strong, swift, excellent climbers, and they can speak telepathically.

SOURCE: PAGE 136 Urogs are exacting, semiconductive, siliconbased telepaths who are logical and patient; they enjoy mathematics, scientific inquiry, and precision problem solving.

SOURCE: AA3 126 Varculaks are undead who remember little of their previous life and are susceptible to silver; they often unnerve their living counterparts.

VERTHANI

VESK

VILDERARO

SOURCE: AA 118 Verthani are tall humanoids with bulging black eyes; they can alter their skin’s pigmentation, and they embrace cuttingedge technology and cybernetics.

SOURCE: CR 52 Vesk are muscular reptilians from a militaristic empire; they are fearless, honorable, and proud and value might and combat prowess.

SOURCE: AP8 53 Vilderaros are amphibious, three-legged creatures with a column-like body and a crown of tactile tentacles; they have excellent spatial awareness.

VLAKA

WITCHWYRD

WOIOKO

SOURCE: PAGE 140 Vlakas are wolflike bipeds adapted to the cold who are empathic, supportive, and community-oriented; they’re often born deaf or blind.

SOURCE: AA 122 Witchwyrds are secretive, four-armed, intergalactic traders who absorb and shoot magic missiles; they’re the progenitors of kasathas and shobhads.

SOURCE: AP2 60 Woiokos are charismatic humanoids with eel-like flesh who can swim; they’re either air-breathing floatborn or amphibious, underwater deepborn.

WORLANISI

WRIKREECHEE

YSOKI

SOURCE: PAGE 144 Worlanisis are small, incredibly lucky, four-armed telepaths with bright blue skin; they can climb well, and their horncones amplify mental signals.

SOURCE: AA 124 Wrikreechees are amphibious, mollusklike filter feeders with grasping forelimbs; they live in tight-knit colonies and value history, mathematics, and philosophy.

SOURCE: CR 54 Ysoki are scrappy ratlike survivors with expandable cheek pouches who are techsavvy, street-smart, and fiercely loyal to friends and family.

CUSTOM SPECIES BUILDER The Starfinder Roleplaying Game provides more than 100 playable species to choose from, but it’s missing a particularly fascinating species: the one you’ve yet to create! This article gives you tools and tips for making your own contribution to the galaxy’s panoply of species (while ensuring it’s of an appropriate power level for most games). Of course, you’ll still want to collaborate with your GM and other players to make sure it’s a good fit for your game.

Ability Score Adjustments Most playable species have one of two adjustments. First, they might grant a +2 bonus to a single ability score of the character’s choice (like humans). Second, they might grant a +2 bonus to two specific ability scores and a –2 penalty to a third (like vesk). The first option is simplest and recommended.

Hit Points Typically, a species grants 4 Hit Points at 1st level. In some cases, you might instead have the species grant 2 (for smaller or frailer creatures) or 6 Hit Points (for especially tough species).

Size, Speed, and Senses

A NONLINEAR APPROACH You’ll see there are numbered steps in the species creation process because there’s no correct order. Sometimes you’ll be first inspired by an idea for an alien culture (page 45) and home world (page 46), then follow with its physiology (page 44), both of which then inform its mechanical traits (page 42). Or you might come at it from the other direction, finding a fun combination of mechanics that you then justify with an interesting culture and bizarre physiology. Feel free to skip around the process and adjust as you learn more about your species, using what inspires you and ignoring what doesn’t. Inspiration: You might want to recreate a species you’ve seen in a movie, novel, or elsewhere—go for it! By the end of the process, your choices will make your re-creation unique. Questions: Several sections include questions meant to inspire you; consider as many or few as you find helpful.

MECHANICS When you’re creating a new species, the game mechanics might be at the forefront of your mind, yet many of the most compelling species have mechanics deeply intertwined with their physiology and culture, evoking rich visuals and narratives. If you have specific mechanics you want to use, it’s okay to start there! Don’t be afraid to look at other sections first, such as physiology (page 44) or home world (page 46), and let the decisions you make there inform those mechanics.

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Most creatures are Medium size, though your species can also be Small or Large. Making a species smaller than Small requires further considerations about how they might interact with a galaxy built for larger creatures, and mechanically Tiny characters usually have 0-foot reach that makes combat difficult. On the other hand, Huge and larger playable species become difficult to incorporate with most parties and adventures; many areas just aren’t big enough to accommodate them! If you create a Large species, their default reach is 5 feet (like that of most Medium creatures), but you might give them a 10-foot reach. The default land speed is 30 feet. A species can have a single additional movement speed, but consider the physiological source of that speed and the environmental pressures that would’ve shaped its evolution. Choose from the following list: burrow 20 feet, climb 20 feet, fly 20 feet (average or clumsy maneuverability), or swim 30 feet. You might also reduce the species’ land speed by 10 feet to increase the additional movement speed by 10 feet. Default vision is explained on page 260 of the Core Rulebook. A species can also have low-light vision as well as either blindsense (emotion, life, scent, sound, thought, or vibration) with a range of 30 feet or darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Again, consider its physiological source and evolutionary reason for existing. You can instead give your species both the sightless universal creature rule and blindsight (emotion, life, scent, sound, thought, or vibration) with a range of 60 feet. Finally, consider how many abilities above you granted your species. If your species has powerful extra senses, an additional movement type, and other perks so far, it might be best to pick one less regular combat or noncombat ability (pages 44–45) to keep the power level roughly in line with other playable species.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Creature Type Choosing a creature type is largely thematic, rather than mechanical. Many creature types include additional abilities like darkvision, specific immunities, or other abilities appropriate for NPCs designed using Alien Archive, yet you shouldn’t apply these abilities to your species automatically. Instead, consider them as inspiration. The creature type might inform your species’ abilities, physiology, and culture, or you might choose a creature type that best fits traits you’ve already chosen. You can also roll on Table 2-5: Creature Type on page 46 if you want to select randomly. If your creature is aquatic, you can give it the water breathing universal creature rule. If you do, you can also give it the amphibious universal creature rule.

Special Abilities and Weaknesses Your species should gain several special abilities, which are broadly divided into combat and noncombat abilities. Your species should receive some of each to remain balanced in play against other species. Both categories have stronger abilities (the first 8 options listed on the corresponding table) and numerous regular abilities. Choose either one stronger combat ability or two regular ones, then do the same for noncombat abilities. Don’t choose the same ability more than once. As with all steps, consider the physiological or cultural sources of the ability and feel free to adjust the flavor of it to match your species concept. You can also determine your abilities randomly. If you want to roll on a table for one stronger ability, roll a d8. If you want to roll for two abilities, reroll any results of 8 or less, as well as any duplicate results.

SPECIES VERSUS INDIVIDUAL It’s important to keep in mind that you’re creating a species, not an individual character (though, of course, the hope is that you and others will create characters of your new species). As such, paint in broad strokes; among individual members of a culture, there will be plenty of exceptions to the overarching trends. Also keep in mind that individual members of the species whose life experience is of an entirely different culture (or cultures) won’t necessarily have strong links to that of their species’ home world. The most interesting part comes when creating a character of your species; you can decide how exposed they were to their home world’s culture and what pieces they strongly identify with and which they might resist.

OTHER ABILITIES It’s often appropriate for a species to have a very specific ability tied to its culture or physiology. While such abilities are beyond the scope of this species builder, which is meant to provide an easy and balanced way to create new species, you can work with your GM to create them, using the abilities presented here as rough guidelines for what’s appropriate. 

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TABLE 2–1: COMBAT OPTIONS D100 NAME 1

Breath weapon

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Evasive Exceptional fortitude Exceptional will Exceptional reflexes Extendable limbs Extra feat Projectile

9–16 Alerting presence 17–20 Amorphous 21–24 Climbing Master 25–28 Damage reduction 29–32 Defensive aspect 33–36 Dexterous movement 37–40 Distracting noise

41–44 Elemental affinity 45–56 Energy resistance 57–60 Exceptional resilience 61–64 65–68 69–72 73–76 77–80 81–84 85–88 89–92 93–96 97–100

Ferocious charge Ferocity Flexible Mighty grip Multiarmed Natural weapons Sheltering Speedy Sturdy Warding spines

DESCRIPTION As a standard action, this species can breathe a 30-foot cone that deals 1d6 energy damage, of an energy type chosen when you choose this ability. At 3rd level, add 1-1/2 × character level to the damage. A creature in the cone can attempt a Reflex save for half damage (DC = 10 + half the species’ character level + their Constitution modifier). This species can’t use this ability again until they’ve spent a Resolve Point to recover Stamina Points after a 10-minute rest. This species gains a +1 bonus to AC. This species gains a +1 bonus to Fortitude saving throws. This species gains a +1 bonus to Will saving throws. This species gains a +1 bonus to Reflex saving throws. This species’ reach increases by 5 feet. This species gains an extra combat feat at first level. This species can generate and launch a projectile from its body as a ranged attack that targets KAC and deals 1d6 damage; choose whether this is bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage when you choose the ability. At 3rd level, add the character level to the damage. Increase the damage by 1d6 at 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter. This species can’t use this ability again until they’ve spent a Resolve Point to recover Stamina Points after a 10-minute rest. Once per day at the beginning of a combat in which it isn’t surprised, this species can grant allies within 50 feet who can hear it a +4 morale bonus to their initiative checks for that combat. This species has the amorphous universal creature rule. This species isn’t flat-footed while climbing and can take 10 on Athletics checks to climb even when in combat or immediate danger. This species gains damage reduction equal to their base attack bonus. Choose two of the following: bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing. The DR can be overcome by the two chosen damage types. When this species takes the total defense action, they gain a +6 bonus to their Armor Class instead of the normal +4 bonus, and they also gain the unflankable universal creature rule until the start of their next turn. Each time they move their speed, this species can ignore the first square of difficult terrain. As a standard action, this species can use its physiology to create a noise. All creatures within 15 feet that can hear must attempt a Will saving throw (DC = 10 + half the species’ character level + their Wisdom modifier) or gain the off-target condition for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting, sense-dependent ability. When this species makes a melee attack, it can change half the damage of that attack to an energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic) chosen when you choose this ability. Choose acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. This species has resistance 5 to that energy type, and this can stack with one other form of energy resistance. You can gain this ability multiple times, choosing a different energy type each time. This species gains a +2 bonus to saving throws against either mind-affecting effects or up to three of the following types of effects, chosen when you choose this ability: bleed, charm, death, enchantment, fear, illusion, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, and stunning. This species has the ferocious charge universal creature rule. This species has the ferocity universal creature rule. This species can move through an area as small as one-half their space without squeezing or one quarter their space when squeezing. This species gains a +2 species bonus to grapple combat maneuvers and Athletics checks to climb. This species gains the multiarmed (4) universal creature rule. This species has the natural weapons universal creature rule, with a kinetic damage type chosen when you choose this option. This species increases the bonuses to AC and Reflex saves granted by partial cover, cover, and improved cover by 1. One of this species’ speeds increases by 10 feet, chosen when you choose this option. This species gains a +4 bonus to AC against bull rush, disarm, reposition, and trip combat maneuvers. This species bristles with thorns, quills, or spikes. A creature attacking the species with a natural weapon or unarmed strike takes 1d4 piercing damage; as a reaction, the species can thrash and add its character level to the damage dealt.

Weaknesses are optional, and they don’t grant additional abilities. Example weaknesses appear in Table 2–6: Weaknesses, and you can invent your own, though you should avoid sweeping penalties to AC or d20 rolls. Some weaknesses allow a saving throw (DC equals 13 + 1/2 the level, item level, or CR of the source that triggered the weakness ) to negate their effect.

PHYSIOLOGY In determining the species’s appearance, you can use the tables above, inspirations from other media, or a mashup of both. Regardless, consider how a home world and evolutionary (or other) pressures might have shaped, or continue to shape, its physiology. Consider how members of your species differ in appearance and physiology. What does your species eat? What eats your species? Are there other creatures on their home world, sapient

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or otherwise, that share similar physiological traits? Do these other creatures have traits that counter or complement your species’ traits? What advantages or challenges might your species face in an environment built for humans?  You might have already chosen a creature type in a different step. If not, you can roll a random one on Table 2–5: Creature Type. You might want your creature type to inform your species’ general body shape and exterior, but you can roll on Table 2–3: Body Shape and Exterior for random choices to get some interesting combinations! Likewise, you might know what limbs your species has, but you can also randomly determine those limbs and how many there are by rolling 4d6 and using Table 2–4. The first d6 roll determines the number of upper limbs your species has. The second roll tells you what type of limbs those are. Similarly, the third roll tells you the number of limbs your species uses for locomotion, and the fourth

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

2

TABLE 2–2: NONCOMBAT OPTIONS D100 NAME 1

DESCRIPTION

OVERVIEW

Change shape

As a standard action, a member of this species can assume the appearance of a specific creature of their size. They gain a +10 bonus to Disguise checks to appear as that creature. This ability otherwise functions as disguise self, except the creature can remain in this form indefinitely. The individual chooses their shape change identity at character creation, and a species might be limited to only specific creature categories (such as a Medium humanoid). 2 Easily Augmented This species can install an additional augmentation into one system that already has an augmentation. 3 Second chance Choose a saving throw or two skills. Once per day when this species fails a save or skill check of the chosen type, they can reroll it and use the second result. 4 Sense through This species has the sense through (vision) universal creature rule; this can sense through only one of the following materials, chosen when you choose this ability: smoke, stone, metal, or wood. 5 Skill specialization This species gains a +2 bonus to checks with one or two skills, chosen when you choose this ability. 6 Skilled This species gains an addition skill rank at 1st level and each level thereafter. 7 Spellcasting Choose one 1st-level spell and two 0-level spells from a class’s spell list. This species can cast the 1st-level spell once per day as a spell-like ability and can cast the 0-level spells as at will spell-like abilities. These spells’ caster level is equal to character level. 8 Telepathy This species has telepathy with a range of 30 feet. 9–15 Aerobatic This species gains a +2 bonus to Acrobatics checks and, if able to fly, improves its maneuverability by one step. 16–23 Camouflaged This species gains a +3 bonus to Stealth checks when in a specific biome, chosen when you choose this ability: aquatic, arctic, desert, forest, marsh, mountain, plains, subterranean, urban. 24–31 Carrier This species increases its carrying capacity by 50%. 32–39 Collective This species gains a +2 bonus to skill checks for the aid another action. A creature using the aid another action to assist this species’ skill check gains a +2 bonus to their check. 40–47 Communicator Choose one of the following: comprehend languages, mindlink, or share language. This species can cast the chosen spell as a spelllike ability once per day, using character level as the caster level. 48–55 Eclectic Knowledge This species chooses two skills at character creation and adds those to their list of class skills. 56–63 Jumper This species halves the DC of Athletics checks to jump. 64–71 Limited telepathy This species has limited telepathy with a range of 60 feet. 72–79 Multicultural This species learns an additional language for every even-numbered rank gained in the Culture skill. 80–86 No breath This species has the no breath universal creature rule. 87–93 Photosynthesis This species can undergo photosynthesis to gain nutrition instead of eating. The species can go without light for 3 days, after which they must attempt Constitution checks to avoid starvation. 94–100 Rapid recovery Once per day, when this species takes a 10-minute rest to regain Stamina Points, they can additionally recover Hit Points as though they’d taken a full night’s rest. roll tells you what kind they are (though you can just reuse your second result if you want your species’ limbs to be consistent).

TABLE 2–3: BODY SHAPE AND EXTERIOR D4

SHAPE

EXTERIOR

1 2 3 4

Tall Wide Round Asymmetrical

Skin Scales Feathers Slime

TABLE 2–4: LIMBS D6

NUMBER

TYPE

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 2 3 4 5+ 6

Arm/Leg Wing Fin Tentacle Insectile Unusual

Note that even a species with 0 or 1 manipulation limbs is still considered to be able to wield two hands’ worth of equipment. If your species has 3 or more limbs, consider giving it the multiarmed universal creature rule as one of its special abilities, though you might decide that one or more limbs are extraneous, vestigial, or otherwise unable to hold and wield objects. Either way, limit the multiarmed ability to 6 or fewer limbs.

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS DRIFT IN SPECIES CRISIS PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

CULTURE A species’ culture provides social context in which individuals exist. Any given character of your species might fully embrace each cultural value of that overall species, might reject all of them, or—most likely—fall somewhere in between. Of course, any given character might also have grown up disconnected from the traditional culture of their species, adopting another (which you can also create using this system, or you can choose from the many featured in other Starfinder products). Asking yourself questions can prompt exciting ideas that make the culture more engaging and believable. How widespread is your species’ culture? How does your species’ culture look upon those who set off to adventure throughout the galaxy? What traditions are important for those who leave the home world behind to carry on? What holidays does your species’ culture celebrate? How are extraplanar outsiders treated? Are there any idioms or customs that those unfamiliar with the culture would nevertheless immediately understand?

Cultural Attributes One way to think about your species’ culture is through the presence and interaction of certain cultural attributes— accord, alignment, magic, religion, and technology—as defined (and explored in depth) in other Starfinder products, such as the Starfinder Deck of Many Worlds and Starfinder Galaxy Exploration Manual. Each should be considered the average or

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TABLE 2–5: CREATURE TYPE D12

TYPE

DESCRIPTION

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Aberration Animal or vermin Construct Dragon Fey Humanoid Magical beast Monstrous humanoid Ooze Outsider Plant Undead

A creature with biology that defies reason. A creature with relatively straightforward (Earth-like) biology. A magically animated object or artificially constructed creature that attracts a soul. A reptilian creature, usually winged, often with magical or otherwise unusual abilities. A creature with supernatural abilities and connections to nature or to some other force or place. A creature that generally has a humanlike torso, two (or sometimes more) arms, two legs, and one head. An animallike creature with supernatural or magical abilities. A creature similar to a humanoid but with monstrous or animalistic features.  An amorphous or otherwise mutable creature. A creature at least partially composed of the essence (but not necessarily the material) of a plane other than the Material Plane. A creature that’s a plant with a magical, supernatural, or technological source of sentience. A once-living creature (likely formerly one of the above creature types) animated by magic or advanced technological forces.

TABLE 2–6: WEAKNESSES D10

NAME

DESCRIPTION

1

Dual nature

2 3 4

Light blindness Limited augmentation Psychic sensitivity

5

Susceptible to acid

6

Susceptible to cold

7 8 9

Susceptible to electricity Susceptible to fire Susceptible to sonic

10

Uncommon allergy

Choose a creature type. For effects targeting creatures by type, this species counts as its creature type and as the chosen creature type (whichever type allows an ability to affect them for abilities that affect only one type, and whichever is worse for abilities that affect both types). This species has the light blindness universal creature rule. One of this species’ normal systems for augmentations, chosen when you choose this weakness, can’t hold an augmentation. This species takes a –1 penalty to saving throws against mind-affecting effects and takes +1 damage per damage die from mind-affecting spells, weapons, and other effects. When this species takes acid damage, it takes ongoing acid damage equal to its level as if affected by a weapon with the corrode critical hit effect (Fortitude negates). When this species takes cold damage, it becomes fatigued for 1 round (Fortitude negates); this doesn’t cause an already fatigued character to become exhausted. When this species takes electricity damage, it becomes staggered for 1 round (Fortitude negates). When this species takes fire damage, it gains the burning condition that deals damage equal to its level (Fortitude negates). When this species takes sonic damage, it is deafened for 1d4 rounds and has a 10% chance of also being stunned for 1 round (Fortitude negates both effects). Choose a material like silver or saltwater. Contact with at least a handful of the material deals 1d6 damage per round to this species. This effect is negated by the environmental protections built into most armor.

tendency of the culture, rather than a set of hard and fast rules that every member of that culture observes. Accord in this context is a measure of a culture’s cooperation, both among individuals and with the galaxy at large. The culture’s predominant alignment shapes many approaches to justice, altruism, and rules. You can use the relative presence or absence of magic, technology, or both to think about how these features have shaped your species’ culture and their interactions with the galaxy. Finally, religion can shape a culture, whether monotheistic, diverse, or purposefully defiant despite a setting where the gods are very real. For an overview of deities and other faiths, see pages 482–493 of the Core Rulebook, and you can find even greater depth and more options on pages 100–123 of Starfinder Galactic Magic. Which faiths are especially prevalent, adored, or detested by your species?

Values Beyond the attributes above, you can explore culture through various spectrums, like the examples below. Each presents two ends of that spectrum and a middle ground. Yet these dichotomies can become more engaging if you include major exceptions. For example, a society could believe in unhindered progress… except regarding some sacred, ancient institution.

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Tradition/Progress: Is the culture steeped in history and tradition, constantly looking ahead to the next development or using one to inform the other? Community/Individual: Does the culture promote the needs of the many over those of the few, encourage and empower individuals to enrich themselves regardless of the impact on others, or fall somewhere in between? Liberty/Law: How tightly does society regulate individual or group behavior, and where does one’s rights end and another’s begin? Exceptionalism/Universalism: Does the culture embrace and learn from the galaxy’s diversity, hold itself up as the shining example to the rest of the galaxy, or do a little bit of both?

HOME WORLD Most—but not all—species evolve on a single world, shaped by its environmental pressures and events both mundane and magical. As with any other step, you can start here or simply use this framing to consider your species’ past, present, or future. Starfinder offers several ways to create your species’ home world. You can use the Deck of Many Worlds to get a randomly generated world (one of millions of possibilities) with just a few of that accessory’s 100 world cards. You can also use Galaxy Exploration Manual to create a world (or expand on one conceived with the Deck of Many Worlds). Or you can repurpose

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES an existing Starfinder world (or even mash up several), pulling from any number of sources, including Starfinder Pact Worlds, Starfinder Near Space, or the backmatter of Adventure Path volumes. Regardless of the method, it’s helpful to explore the interplay between a species and its home world’s physical and cultural characteristics, as the influence is often bidirectional. While your species’ home world likely has numerous biomes, your species likely evolved in and adapted to primarily one or two, which you can pick or roll for on Table 2–7: Biomes.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS

TABLE 2–7: BIOMES D10

BIOME

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Airborne Aquatic Arctic Desert Forest Marsh Mountain Plains Subterranean Urban

Ask some thought-provoking questions as you go. How did the environment of your species’ home world shape its physiology and culture? How does your species treat the environment: with stewardship and care, fear, or disregard for finite resources? Is there a resource harvested or skill cultivated here that’s of particular value to the greater galaxy?

FINAL DETAILS Here are a few final touches to consider for your species. Name: Names can be difficult! Mashing up roots of words related to features of your species can lead to interesting, evocative names. To help weed out any unintended correlations for your species’ name, be sure to say the name out loud, have a friend do the same, and search for it on the internet. Language: It can be fun to think about the unique features of your species’ language based on their physiology and culture; most species have a language with the same name as the species’ (or a similar name), but yours might speak only Common, or widely speak several languages, especially if from a home world with several other common sapient species. See page 40 of the Core Rulebook for example languages. Relative Commonness: Consider how populous and welltraveled your species is. How recently did your species contact other worlds? How likely are people in the galaxy to know about your species and its home world? How does that inform their interactions?

AN EXAMPLE SPECIES As an example, let’s build a species together. We’ll let the randomness of the dice determine many attributes, but even so, we’ll have plenty of interesting choices to make. Let’s start with a home world (page 46). While we could repurpose a world from the Starfinder setting, for now let’s just look at Table 2–7: Biomes and say we want a forest world dotted

2

DRIFT IN SPECIES CRISIS PLAYABLE SPECIES

with magical volcanoes. We don’t need much more than that to get started! Looking at the questions in the home world section, we decide our species treats the environment with care and harvests a unique magical obsidian formed by the volcanoes, available only on this world. Now let’s get a sense of what our species looks like using the physiology step (page 44). Time to let the dice decide! First, we roll on the creature type table and get a 5, so our creature type is fey. Fey can look like almost anything, but it tells us we have a strong connection to some aspect of nature—let’s say those magical volcanoes! Perhaps our species was born of the volcanoes themselves. Now let’s roll on Table 2–3 for our body shape and exterior. We get a 1 and a 3, so our species has a tall body shape and is covered in feathers—perhaps they’re birdlike and glide on the hot air generated by the volcanoes. We’ll roll for our number of locomotion limbs (getting a 2, for 2 limbs), but let’s just pick wings as the limb type to match our concept. For our manipulation limbs, we’ll choose two limbs for symmetry and then roll a 5, giving us insectile limbs. Let’s move on to our species’ culture (page 45). We might envision them as relatively solitary, at least in adulthood, each charged with the cultivation, protection, and harvesting of a single volcano. Their culture might value tradition, individualism, and liberty. It seems like we have a focus on magic and possibly religion, though there’s probably the presence of at least some technology, in that we want them to harvest magical obsidian. Alright, let’s explore mechanics (page 42)! First, let’s select fire resistance for our volcano-centric species. That’s one combat ability, so let’s roll for the other one. We get a 13 for alerting presence. Let’s say this ability comes from our species’ innate sense of when a volcanic eruption is imminent, upon which they issue a warning call to creatures in the area. For our noncombat ability, let’s pick spellcasting and give our species the ability to cast life bubble once per day and detect magic and psychokinetic hand at will—all handy for a species adapted to a dangerous magical environment. Let’s finish with some details. We’ll call our species olca (who speak the Olca language, but not Common) and decide they’re relatively uncommon in the galaxy, mostly content to remain on their home world and trade with visitors.

SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

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ASTRAZOAN Home World: None (significant populations on Absalom Station, Castrovel, and Verces) Astrazoans resemble seven-limbed starfish whose bodies readily compress and heal, though they rarely take this form. Instead, these shapeshifters eagerly disguise themselves and blend in among other societies, driven by curiosity and a desire to belong.

With unclear origins and no home world to call their own, astrazoans have dispersed throughout the Pact Worlds and beyond to join the galaxy’s cosmopolitan tapestry. However, astrazoans only rarely show their true forms to non-astrazoans. Instead, most live their lives as humans, lashuntas, vesk, and other creatures of the Pact Worlds, preferring a semblance of anonymity and not wanting to shock their neighbors’ humanoid sensibilities with astrazoans’ peculiar appearances. After centuries of Drift travel and trade, most humanoids are accustomed to extremely varied life-forms, yet the astrazoan tradition of polite secrecy persists.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION When an astrazoan lies flat on their belly, they resemble a radially symmetrical starfish with seven limbs, weighing up to 180 pounds and having a diameter of 9 feet from the tip of one limb to the tip of an opposing limb. In practice, an astrazoan usually walks upright on five limbs, standing about 6 feet tall, with the remaining two limbs reserved to hold and manipulate objects. Natural skin color varies, typically being some variant of dun, orange, or umber. To the touch, an astrazoan’s skin is rough like sandpaper due to its thousands of dermal papillae that the astrazoan can control to replicate a wide range of surface textures and colors. Each arm has a large eye embedded about halfway down its length along the astrazoan’s backside. Individually, an eye provides limited visual data, and an astrazoan must orient at least four eyes in the same direction to form a clear image. The only other distinct feature on an astrazoan’s natural body is its mouth, located at the center of their underside. The mouth has a small, retractable beak able to tear apart tougher foods; however, much digestion occurs externally, with an astrazoan expelling their stomach to envelop their food and secrete powerful enzymes into the partly chewed meal. Afterward, they retract the stomach along with the softened food. Like their stomach, an astrazoan’s other organs are also quite mobile, able to be shunted around the body as needed. In fact, nearly all of an astrazoan’s body can shift, contort, and invert as needed. The skeleton is cartilaginous and able to disarticulate temporarily, providing some structure and considerable flexibility. Their jellylike flesh is comprised of long muscle fibers that can dislocate, flow, and realign into new configurations as needed, allowing them to squeeze through narrow openings and close wounds with ease. Along with their dermal papillae and countless chromatophores, an astrazoan can transform into a variety of functional shapes with extraordinary precision. Once locked into a new form, involuntary muscles help maintain the shape, even if an astrazoan become unconscious.

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This transformation is rapid, accompanied by audible pops and cracks as body parts internally detach and reconfigure themselves. Like an invigorating stretch, the process causes mild discomfort, often followed by a rush of adrenaline or endorphins—a side effect that develops into a psychological coping mechanism or mild addiction for some. The sensation is most pronounced when an astrazoan has held a form for a long time, and they often feel the need to briefly reconfigure themselves at least a few times a year. However, astrazoan transformation has limits. Unfamiliar limbs usually aren’t fully functional. Thus, an astrazoan taking a kasatha shape has limited control of their extra arms, just as taking a strix shape results in flappable wings that aren’t strong enough for actual flight. Shapeshifting also doesn’t change the astrazoan’s interior organs, which resemble blue-gray sacks. Organs merely relocate and are contorted as the new shape requires, but they otherwise retain their forms. As a result, medical scans can reveal an astrazoan’s unique anatomy. Finally, upon death, an astrazoan’s muscles relax, causing the body to slowly shift back into its natural, seven-armed form.

Life Cycle Astrazoan reproduction exhibits extreme flexibility. Each creature is able to grow male or female reproductive organs as needed. When in their natural form, an astrazoan parent lays an egg that hatches after about five months. However, the process reflexively adjusts to the astrazoan’s assumed form, allowing them to lay an egg or carry the developing embryo internally, all while as much as halving or doubling the gestation or incubation time to better help the parent conform to their assumed form’s reproductive physiology. Young astrazoans are precocious shapeshifters who transform often as a form of play. Although youths master the basics quickly, each astrazoan has one or more features that they struggle to replicate for the first decade of life, such as being unable to form convincing noses or feet. However, each newborn reflexively knows how to take on a birth shape based on their parent’s assumed shape while the egg formed, helping infants instinctively blend into a society. Astrazoans reach physical maturity around 16 years old.

HOME WORLD Astrazoans either don’t know or refuse to divulge where they evolved, leaving the matter in the realms of science and speculation. They likely originated on the barren world Apostae, evidenced by genetic similarities between astrazoans and an extinct species known as the ilee, which once lived in Apostae’s tunnels. According to pre-Gap records, each ilee had a completely unique physique and appearance—variation that

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES might mean astrazoans’ shapeshifting abilities are an extreme mutation of this natural diversity, allowing them to change shapes at will rather than just at birth. It’s possible that ilee even created astrazoans as a living time capsule, sequestering ilee biology to survive some forgotten threat. Actually proving this theory is difficult. In modern times, the ilee appear to be extinct, so few samples remain for rigorous comparison. What’s more, Apostae fell into drow hands during the Gap, and they restrict access to much of the planet, inhibiting further study and leaving astrazoans with no home world of their own. Instead, astrazoans live scattered across the Pact Worlds, existing on every habitable world in the system but strongly favoring places where it’s easier to blend in. The greatest density of astrazoans lives on Absalom Station, where they easily disappear amid the diverse populace and thrive in the cosmopolitan, open-minded society. There, some astrazoans proudly display their native seven-limbed form, though most prefer to live as humans, androids, lashuntas, and myriad other species. Thanks to the station’s miles of twisting corridors and maintenance shafts, astrazoans often work as engineers and tunnel runners by squeezing through tight spaces. Other astrazoans thrive as negotiators, information brokers, and sleuths using their shape changing ability to evade notice or set clients at ease. There are also rumors of sinister astrazoans who have infiltrated Absalom Station’s upper echelons, killing wealthy people and stealing their fortunes and identities in a slow, calculated takeover. Many astrazoans have made their home on Castrovel, particularly in the spaceport city Qabarat. Because the majority of the planet’s inhabitants are telepathic, many astrazoans living there purposefully develop psychic techniques to better blend in among their host cultures. Rumors tell of astrazoans recruited by elven extremists in Sovyrian, training the former to spy on Apostae’s drow. Meanwhile, several astrazoans live on Verces, where the skin-shifting verthanis often welcome them as honored guests. Astrazoans tend to avoid airless or otherwise hostile environments, where they would have to rely on magic or technology just to stay alive. Although airless and toxic worlds—such as the radioactive Eox or the water world Kalo-Mahoi— feature spaces for air-breathing visitors, the idea of being corralled into areas specifically designed for outsiders discomforts most astrazoans.

has made most societies quite accommodating of unfamiliar aliens with strange powers. Nonetheless, this philosophy of concealing identities stubbornly persists among astrazoans, perhaps because secrecy saved them from some forgotten peril in the past. As a result, astrazoans primarily adopt and adapt their host societies’ behaviors, customs, languages, and norms. This mimicry often drives astrazoans to develop parallel talents to better blend in, much as how those living among shirrens and lashuntas often master basic psychic abilities of their own. Likewise, astrazoans often delight in biotech augmentations that let them replicate their neighbors’ innate capabilities. That said, not all astrazoans fit into their host cultures seamlessly or even want to do so. Some of them simply struggle to maintain their forms and assumed identities, bouncing from community to community to avoid extended scrutiny. A small number become cynical about staying hidden, seeing their host cultures as adversaries rather than as neighbors and therefore using their shapeshifting for personal gain as con artists, spies, or assassins. Others embrace their natural forms and live openly, often with fulfilling results. As this last group experiences more

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SOCIETY Due to their scattered communities, astrazoans have little shared culture, and that which exists is often passed from parent to child for lack of other teachers. The most common lesson is caution, taught through a plethora of fables that each have a hundred variations. These tales convey that many beings associate shapeshifting with duplicity, that they would be shocked by astrazoans’ natural forms, and that it’s best to share one’s true nature only with close confidantes. In reality, space travel

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ASTRAZOAN IDENTITY SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Dex, +2 Cha, –2 Con Hit Points: 4 Size and Type: Astrazoans are Medium aberrations with the shapechanger subtype. Change Form: As a standard action, an astrazoan can physically alter their form to look like any Medium creature, as long as they have seen a similar creature before. They can attempt to either mimic a specific creature or look like a general creature of the chosen type. The astrazoan gains a +10 bonus to Disguise checks to appear as a creature of the type and subtype of the new form. The DC of the astrazoan’s Disguise check isn't modified as a result of altering major features or if they disguise themself as an aberration or humanoid (though the DC is still modified if the astrazoan attempts to disguise themself as a different creature type). The astrazoan can remain in an alternate form indefinitely (or until they take another form). Compression: An astrazoan can move through an area as small as one quarter their space without squeezing or one eighth their space when squeezing. Darkvision: Astrazoans can see up to 60 feet in the dark. Many Forms: For effects targeting creatures by type, astrazoans count as both aberrations and humanoids. Rapid Revival: Once per day, when an astrazoan takes a 10-minute rest to regain Stamina Points, they can additionally recover Hit Points as though they had taken a full night’s rest.

and more success in cosmopolitan societies, they’ve inspired other astrazoans to shed their disguises in a cultural shift that might dramatically change the species’ role in the galaxy in coming generations. In the meantime, sharing one’s natural form is usually a gesture indicating trust or grim determination. Among friends, assuming their seven-limbed body conveys that an astrazoan feels truly safe among their companions or that they’re utterly resolved to overcome whatever challenge lies ahead. To enemies, though, dropping their disguise conveys that an astrazoan is done playing games or, worse, that they’re confident nobody witnessing the act will survive the encounter to spread the word. Although widespread, astrazoans aren’t especially numerous. As a result, they exercise considerable caution in protecting one another to preserve their species. Except in extreme circumstances, astrazoans avoid killing each other, even when on opposing sides of a conflict. Astrazoans are expected to assist one another, providing resources or aid on request so long as it won’t seriously compromise the donor’s cover. In communities with numerous astrazoans at risk of being uncovered and endangered, individuals sometimes practice ritual exile known as the Eighth Arm Break. Like a lizard amputating its tail to distract a predator, one astrazoan lures investigators away from the community, allows their cover to be blown, and then flees, ideally convincing the community that the perceived threat is no more.

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Changing shape comes easily to an astrazoan, and their psychology seems adapted to switching and learning from their assumed guises to create a complex patchwork of identities. Understanding how an astrazoan defines their true self requires exploring how they view their transformed bodies and personas. Astrazoans refer to a borrowed shape as a “skin” when it serves only a superficial purpose, such as for a short-term disguise. Assuming a skin has little lasting effect on an astrazoan’s physiology and psychology. However, the more time an astrazoan spends in a skin, the more they develop an accompanying identity, name, set of mannerisms, and values. Especially familiar guises are instead considered “selves,” and most astrazoans can compartmentalize up to seven selves (one stored in each arm’s neural network) they trade between with little issue. Astrazoans who develop and retain even more selves—or who become especially dependent upon a self—can experience identity blending, where the various selves begin blurring together, some of the selves manifest simultaneously, or a favored self suppresses all others. In most cases, astrazoans consider this blending disruptive, yet some delight in the dramatic transformations. The same kind of plurality that defines astrazoans’ personalities and sense of selves also extends to gender identity and gender expression. Astrazoans are split between those who favor a specific gender identity from their host culture, often assuming skins of that gender, and those who are more gender fluid.

NAMES Just like their identities, astrazoan naming patterns are complex. Most astrazoans choose a true name for themselves, which they use in their native form, and a different name for each of their various identities. However, it isn’t unheard of for an astrazoan to go by the same name in each of their identities. Some astrazoans reserve their true name for internal monologue or when talking to trusted friends or others of their kind. Those who embrace their astrazoan identity more openly might reveal their true name to everyone they meet. An astrazoan’s true name usually includes three or four syllables, with the first syllable or two often functioning as a nickname. Since astrazoans don’t have a language of their own, the origin of these names is unclear, but linguists have noticed some similarities between them and the ancient names of the ilee recovered from pre-Gap records. Names chosen for their other identities, on the other hand, follow the naming patterns of the host culture.

Sample Names Aavadesai, Ailurizai, Ciribaan, Eileewan, Farahan, Kishlinem, Leileeka, Lumivalo, Miyleean, Sunikai, Tsilakar, Xenelei, and Zanilee.

FEATS Although astrazoans are iconic practitioners of these feats, these are popular with shapechangers, actors, and spies across the galaxy.

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Flashmorph You can change your appearance in an instant even while moving. Prerequisites: Change form species trait, change shape universal monster rule, quick disguise operative exploit, or similar ability at the GM’s discretion. Benefit: You can use change form, change shape, or the quick disguise operative exploit as a move action, instead of as a standard action. In addition, you can also use one of these abilities as part of a move action to move up to your speed, or as part of the full action to use the trick attack class feature. Once you do so, you can’t change your shape in this way while moving or performing a trick attack until you rest for 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points. Normal: Using the change form species trait, change shape universal monster rule, or quick disguise operative exploit is a standard action.

Masterful Imitation Your mastery of disguises allows you to pass for creatures wildly different from your own species. Prerequisites: Change form species trait or Disguise 7 ranks. Benefit: Choose a creature type other than your own (such as undead if you’re a humanoid). You can disguise your species and creature type without increasing the DC of your Disguise check, provided that your assumed form’s creature type is either your own or the type you selected with this feat. Any other limitations to your assumed form still apply: for example, you can’t change your apparent creature type with disguise self, and an astrazoan must change into a Medium creature with their change form species trait. Normal: The DC for Disguise checks is adjusted by +2 to +5 if you alter major features, by +2 to +8 if you disguise yourself as a different species of the same creature type, and by +10 if you disguise yourself as a different creature type. Special: An astrazoan can use this feat to assume forms of the chosen creature type in addition to taking aberration and humanoid forms when using the change form species trait. You can take this feat multiple times. Each time you take the feat, it applies to another creature type you choose.

to further uses of your Morphing Feint for 1 hour unless you also spend 1 Resolve Point when using Morphing Feint against it. Special: If you also have the Improved Feint and Flashmorph feats, you can combine the effects of Morphing Feint with any effect that allows you to disguise yourself as part of a move or full action (such as from the Flashmorph feat). If you do so while performing a trick attack, you attempt a Disguise check with a +4 bonus to resolve the trick attack instead of using any other skill. If you have these two feats as well as the clever feint or clever attack envoy improvisations, once per minute when you use either improvisation, you can also disguise yourself as part of that action with an item, spell, or ability you could use as a standard action.

Shifter’s Eye Your mastery of disguises has made you adept at spotting impostors. Prerequisites: Change form species trait or Disguise 5 ranks. Benefit: When you attempt a Perception check to pierce a creature’s disguise, you reduce any bonus it gains from any special ability it used to disguise itself (such as the +10 bonus to Disguise checks granted by disguise self or the change shape ability) by 5 or by an amount equal to your ranks in Disguise, whichever is greater. This can’t reduce the bonus granted by any of these abilities to less than 0.

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Morphing Feint (Combat) Your sudden change of appearance creates an opening for an attack. Prerequisites: Bluff 1 rank, Disguise 1 rank Benefit: Whenever you use an item, spell, or ability that allows you to disguise yourself as a standard action (such as disguise self, holoskin, the change form species trait, or the quick disguise operative exploit), you can feint as part of the action. When you do so, you attempt a Disguise check in place of a Bluff check to determine the results of your feint; this doesn’t include any additional bonuses the disguise ability grants, such as the +10 bonus to Disguise checks when casting disguise self. Once a creature observes you using Morphing Feint (whether or not your feint is successful), that creature is immune

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ASTRIAPI Home World: Colveare (Near Space) Astriapis are insectile engineers with an innate grasp of systems both magical and mechanical. They have powerful jaws, waspish wings capable of flight, and the ability to secrete restorative honey.

Astriapis are an arthropodan species who awoke from the Gap to find themselves the inheritors of a planet-spanning megalopolis, full of amazing feats of technomancy and bioengineering. Led by the descendants of warrior-priest revolutionaries, astriapi society is heavily regimented with each astriapi assigned a role in the study and maintenance of an immensely complex planet-spanning system whose surface of understanding the species has only scratched. As space travel carried astriapis far beyond the bustle of Colveare, some individuals find themselves subverting the roles they’ve been assigned and more broadly questioning the wisdom of their Hierarch leaders.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Astriapis are bipedal arthropods with tough, chitinous exoskeletons, wide-spanning insectile wings, and large mandibles. Their natural coloration varies between individuals, and vanity re-coloration is a popular trend among those with the resources for custom gene editing. Some astriapis carve intricate patterns, pictures, or phrases into their exoskeletons as a method of conveying their individual passions and interests; the astriapis of Colveare prefer religious and spiritual poetic prose and geometric patterns, but astriapis living away from Colveare display carvings as varied as any spacer’s tattoos. Astriapi exoskeleton scrimshaw is displayed as a wearable work of art as well as a symbol of an astriapi’s identity, societal role, and personal goals. Astriapis produce honey as a natural waste byproduct that they excrete out of their mouths in a process that other species might find off-putting. In astriapi culture, this honey is shared during religious rituals or sampled to express affection between friends. Other species sometimes covet astriapi honey for its restorative properties, but consumable safety laws render the sale of the honey commercially unviable in most food markets outside Colveare, regardless of any potential health benefits. While the healing compounds within astriapi honey remain poorly understood by other species, the substance has played a role in astriapi evolution and society since before recorded history. While omnivorous by nature, many astriapis prefer to consume fresh fruits and vegetables to improve the flavor and potency of the honey they produce. Though they have larger frames, often standing nearly 6 feet tall, the average astriapi weighs between 120 and 150 pounds. Their biology prioritizes efficient, lightweight structure over muscular mass, allowing the species to fly and granting them greater mobility. Their notable mandibles are particularly dexterous due to twin hinged joints, granting a broad range of movement and gross motor precision. An astriapi picking something up typically grips the object between their mandibles to examine it with the powerful olfactory antennae around their mouth.

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HOME WORLD Colveare is the name of the astriapi home world, referring both to the planet’s singular encircling land mass and its all-encompassing megalopolis. Many astriapis don’t distinguish these areas from one another, perceiving them as a conceptual whole. Complex technological engineering and infrastructure supports Colveare’s natural cycles, seamlessly incorporated into the world by the forgotten skills of generations past. Geomagnetic bullet trains curve around the planet’s core; decentralized atmosphere-harvesting operations glide throughout the mega-forests of planetary arboretums; city-sized solar-powered speedliners skim Colveare’s artificial oceans, carrying passengers and goods to other districts. Beneath the soil, a vast network of computer banks infused with powerful magic harvest and redirect geothermal energy through colossal vents made according to specified designs researched from the Plane of Fire. These ever-churning engines generate heat and power for the impressive engineering works of Colveare. Since before the Gap, nature, technology, and astriapis have worked together to sustain Colveare as though part of an inexhaustible machine. Rooftop groves provide canopy shelter for migratory birds and arboreal fauna, automated stations carefully monitor artificial reefs for the benefit of their piscine inhabitants, and immense public zoos house the biodiversity that would be too dangerous or chaotic to exist unmonitored. Sprawling arboretums are managed by small armies of rangers, researchers, and foragers who gather fruits and seeds while carefully checking the trees for signs of sickness or malnutrition. Deep beneath the ground, large pest control systems use sonic barriers and other nonlethal methods of discouraging vermin from intruding into the tunnels and boiler rooms of the city-planet’s inner workings, while professional delvers introduce trained predators into the planet’s bowels to eradicate unwanted infestations. Colveare’s engineering marvels are both its greatest strength and most profound weakness. Sadly, the decades of technological development and striving that created these marvels largely occurred during the Gap. Without their people’s lost knowledge, astriapis are now locked in a race against time to rediscover and reverse-engineer their planet’s intricate workings before those ultra-complex systems begin to catastrophically degrade and fail. Astriapis and offworld adventurers often work together to explore, decipher, and document the ancient technologies that have maintained Colveare’s careful ecological balance for centuries. Despite their efforts, it’s only a matter of time before a spell unravels or a machine fails in a way that plunges part, or even all, of Colveare’s districts into a disaster from which it can’t recover.

SOCIETY Astriapi society is a carefully regimented theological bureaucracy devoted to the ideals of the planet’s preservation, led by the

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES reclusive Hierarchs. The Hierarchs historically derive their power from the magical honey created from the pollen of the zhufera flower, an endangered species with the final extant specimens preserved in an undisclosed location by the Hierarchs and their security forces. According to Colveare legend, the original Hierarchs were pre-industrial astriapi explorers who discovered that honey made from zhufera pollen granted its imbibers prophetic powers, showing all the astriapi who ate the honey the same vision of ecological disaster and societal collapse—then a second vision of cooperation and mutual aid. The first Hierarchs founded a society of warrior-priests dedicated to spreading the visions of the zhufera flower and unifying the planet under the banner of survival. Thus, the ancient Hierarchs organized all astriapis across Colveare in creating the planet-spanning megalopolis and its engineering marvels. When the Gap ended, astriapi society went through surprisingly little upheaval for such a densely populated planet. While the initial days of panic were tense, the Hierarchs moved swiftly to establish order using the immense communications infrastructure they found at their disposal, reestablishing contact over the planet in just a matter of days. As quickly as the general populace began supporting the Hierarchs’ mission, reacquiring the complete knowledge of Colveare has been more difficult and a much slower process. Reports from the planet’s furthest reaches describe newly rediscovered facilities in various stages of degradation, sometimes even containing the remains of astriapis who were stranded there at some point during the Gap. Not all these forgotten souls rest easily. Astriapis on Colveare are raised from the moment of their hatching in huge broods with hundreds of siblings, cousins, and neighbors. They spend their larval years being carefully monitored for proficiencies and tendencies by an army of educational instructors and medical professionals. In the final days before their pupation, each larval astriapi is presented with the evaluation of their development and the recommendations for advised career paths on Colveare, split between Dedication to the City (encompassing engineering, agriculture, and the natural sciences) and Dedication to the People (including civil service, education, and medicine). After the year-long pupation, tradition dictates a new adult astriapi announces their intentions to serve Colveare, receiving complimentary lodging, food, and a commensurate salary based on market analysis for as long as they serve in a role dedicated to the city-planet’s functions. Much more rarely, an astriapi instead declares they’ll be a member of the Unworking, the caste of all those who don’t choose a traditional occupation. Unworking communities are largely ignored by the Hierarch’s security forces as long as they don’t damage the city or cause disruption, leaving plenty of space for artists and innovators to try to earn their living on their merits; however, those with a surplus of money and power also offer immoral or illegal opportunities for profit to those who are unable to successfully make an independent living outside of the requirements of the Hierarch’s rules.

For the average astriapi, life is an urban idyll. Energy, sustenance, and lodging are all plentiful thanks to the titanic infrastructure that dominates the planet, leaving those who work in service to Colveare with plenty of additional income to pursue their own projects and interests. Arts and entertainment are typically produced within Unworking communities. Many astriapis travel around their planet as part of their official duties in service to the Hierarchs, the better to comprehend their individual tasks by seeing a variety of solutions to similar problems and observing the planet as an interconnected whole. While urbane visitors to Colveare might be surprised by the uniformity of astriapi architecture, local gardens of indigenous plants and carefully tracked populations of native animals provide each region distinctive characteristics to naturalists. Astriapis often give local directions based on scents, to the chagrin of species that lack their own powerful olfactory senses. The Hierarchs reside in the Central Beacon, an immense cathedral-like structure on the planet’s equator that extends deep into Colveare. The Central Beacon is a labyrinthine tangle

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Dex, +2 Wis, –2 Str Hit Points: 4 Size and Type: Astriapis are Medium monstrous humanoids. Astriapi Movement: Astriapis have a land speed of 30 feet and an extraordinary fly speed of 30 feet with average maneuverability. Astriapi Senses: Astriapis have blindsense (scent) with a range of 30 feet and darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Honey Production: Once per day, an astriapi can spend 10 minutes to produce a vial of magical honey. This honey functions as a mk 1 serum of healing. At 5th level, the honey functions as a mk 2 serum of healing, and at 9th level, it functions as a mk 3 serum of healing. Regardless of its level, the honey can’t be sold, and its magical properties expire after 24 hours, when it turns into mundane foodstuff. Natural Weapons (P): Astriapis have the natural weapons universal creature rule. Scholars of Colveare: Astriapis gain a +2 species bonus to Engineering and Mysticism checks.

of labs, workshops, meeting halls, and meditation chambers. Here, the massive bureaucracy of Colveare busily interprets the dreams of the Hierarchs, converting the recounted zhufera visions into the blueprints, work orders, and dictums from which the rest of the planet take their direction. The Tetulatai, a secretive order of inquisitors, serve as security and law enforcement for the Hierarchs, often assigned to tasks of a more political nature; many astriapis who are brought to the Central Beacon by the Tetulatai under suspicion of crimes return drastically changed in their thoughts and demeanor, if they return at all. Rumors of psychological conditioning, brainwashing, and zhufera-based drugs follow the Tetulatai like a shadow, but the order keeps their secrets well hidden. All entrances into the Central Beacon are heavily fortified, though persistent rumors of unwatched tunnels deep below the planets’ surface circulate, luring those interested in access to the resources and mysteries of the Hierarchs. The largest Unworking community, the Dreamer’s Redoubt, exists entirely outside the Hierarch’s plans and goals. This artists’ community is built into a massive living tree rooted into the walls of a sinkhole, with tents dangling from branches above and the exposed roots below. All domiciles within Dreamer’s Redoubt are magically shaped into the still-living heartwood of the tree’s trunk. A robust mutual aid system, where residents share gardens and a rotating schedule of tasks, maintains the independence of the inhabitants from the demands of the Hierarchs. The Redoubt’s tree-borough is the most popular spot on the planet for astriapis seeking to unwind by taking in a live show, gambling on illegal tunnel races, or discussing fashionably controversial politics in underground nectar speakeasies that migrate through the caves below the sinkhole. The Creative Host is a union of poets, musicians, actors, and artists that serves as the community’s

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leadership, collectively bargaining on behalf of their members and funding the continued independence of the Redoubt. Jitik, Chief Executive Officer Of The Creative Host (astriapi envoy 9) recently called for a ban on members of the Rising (see Other Religions On Colveare, below) from proselytizing within the Dreamer’s Redoubt. Many of the community’s other residents have criticized Jitik for bowing to the will of the Hierarchs, but Jitik sees the increasing violence between the Hierarchs and the Rising as an existential threat to the Dreamer’s Redoubt that can only be avoided by staying out of the middle of the inevitable conflict. Astriapis are physically capable of moving quickly, but their species’ mainstream culture values deliberation as a virtue. They take reverent pride in accomplishing even simple tasks, particularly when they serve a greater good or purpose, and often have strong feelings about using specific tools or specialized processes to accomplish tasks rather than choosing the most expedient or efficient method. Astriapis who serve Colveare are polite and industrious, and expressing anything other than courtesy when working in a professional capacity is considered extremely rude. These astriapis are highly social and gravitate toward a communal understanding of the world and society, which is reflected in their lifestyles, laws, and mainstream culture. They maintain rigid familial hierarchies and politely observe occupational caste systems at work. Astriapis who don’t serve Colveare, whether living in the ranks of the Unworking or traveling the stars elsewhere, are as individualistic as any other species, though many of them share a desire to find a purpose greater than themselves to stand in for the meaning and structure they abandoned by rejecting the will of the Hierarchs.

OTHER RELIGIONS ON COLVEARE While the Hierarchs’ doctrine of duty to the planet’s ecosystem and collective society dominates religious thought on Colveare, traces of other religions still linger among individual astriapi beliefs. Though the Hierarchs have never formally supported the idea, a popular belief among some astriapis is that the zhufera visions are a gift from Yarasea, providing divine knowledge that helps them preserve the planet. Others see the visions as a gift from multiple gods working together to preserve Colveare for some sort of divine purpose, but no consensus has been reached as to which gods or what purpose that might be. Others practice animistic religions that don’t venerate any specific deities but see the processes of living as sacred communion. Counter to these philosophies, a small minority church of Oras has long worried about the attempts by the Hierarchs to create a system that curtails change. Fueled by this line of thinking, a secretive group calling themselves the Rising have begun to organize among the Unworking, spreading a message that the Hierarch’s overreach is setting the planet up for another ecological catastrophe, but this time it will be an event of astriapis’ own making. The Rising claim to have access to their own dream visions without the use of zhufera pollen, a heretical claim that has led the Hierarchs to ban the group from meeting or proselytizing about their teachings. Despite the religious crackdown, rumors of the group’s apocalyptic

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES warnings continue to spread, as do whispers of astriapi pilgrims journeying to an undisclosed location within the Temperate Forest Biome Sanctuary District 3 to meet with a hidden Oracle of Oras.

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

Those caught in the blast radius of a panic grenade must succeed at a Will save or gain the confused condition for a duration according to the grenade’s type. Mk 1 (level 6): 1 round Mk 2 (level 10): 2 rounds Mk 3 (level 14): 3 rounds Mk 4 (level 18): 4 rounds

NAMES Astriapis’ traditional names consist of their broodname, given to them as larva, followed by the designation of their function, like Primary Bioengineer of the Eighth Maritime District or Apprentice Vehicle Technician Seeking Employment. Astriapis thus place great importance on accumulating more precise and descriptive job titles as they grow more experienced, trusted, and valued within their fields of expertise. Astriapis living off Colveare might or might not retain these naming conventions, depending on their relationship with traditional astriapi values.

Vivara Rifle

Sample Names Some sample astriapi broodnames include Ainkli, Dewik, Eenti, Hrikli, Litchki, Nectaca, Oobreet, Pruneep, Qini, Slysstro, Undrigi, Vitvi, Wixeek, Xritrik, and Zrangki.

WEAPONS Astriapis developed the following widely available weapons.

Panic Grenade When an early attempt at creating synthetic zhufera honey went awry, the resulting hallucinogen was aerosolized and weaponized by the Rising as a method of causing mass chaos in a short period of time. These hybrid grenades assault those in the blast radius with terrifying illusions of disastrous cataclysms, ravenous beasts, and other nightmarish hallucinations, causing those who succumb to the visions to fight, flee, or freeze.

Named for the astriapi engineer who developed the first prototype, these modular railguns are designed to be quickly disassembled and concealed. Vivara components are subtle yet versatile in design, making them a hit with collectors and mercenaries. The most popular method of disguising Vivara rifle components among astriapi dissidents is to pack the parts into an engineer’s or electrician’s tool kit, camouflaged as spare hardware or esoteric tools. These weapons have been used by violent cells of the Rising in guerrilla attacks and covert operations, so being caught in possession of a Vivara rifle is a serious offense on many parts of Colveare, punishable by exile or even death.

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Singing Stinger These weapons look and function like ordinary musical instruments when broken down, with a clip holding varying lengths of piping into the shape of an oboe. However, surreptitious rifling and threading in the pipes allows the instrument to function as a blowgun that fires darts when fully assembled.

TABLE 2–8: VIVARA RIFLES TWO-HANDED WEAPONS PROJECTILE WEAPONS Vivara rifle, low-flux Vivara rifle, mid-flux Vivara rifle, high-flux

LEVEL 4 8 12

PRICE DAMAGE RANGE 2,100 7,500 27,600

1d8 P 2d8 P 4d8 P

50 ft. 60 ft. 70 ft.

CRITICAL

CAPACITY

USAGE

— — —

6 6 6

1 1 1

CRITICAL

CAPACITY

USAGE

Injection +2

1 dart

1

BULK SPECIAL 1 1 1

BreakdownAR BreakdownAR BreakdownAR

TABLE 2–9: SINGING STINGER ONE-HANDED WEAPONS UNCATEGORIZED Singing stinger

LEVEL 1

PRICE DAMAGE RANGE 200

—

20 ft.

BULK SPECIAL L

Analog, breakdownAR, injection, professional (musician)AR, subtleAR

TABLE 2–10: PANIC GRENADES NAME Panic grenade, mk 1 Panic grenade, mk 2 Panic grenade, mk 3 Panic grenade, mk 4

LEVEL

PRICE

RANGE

CAPACITY

BULK

6 10 14 18

1,400 5,600 22,400 89,600

20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft.

Drawn Drawn Drawn Drawn

L L L L

SPECIAL Explode (5 ft.; see text) Explode (10 ft.; see text) Explode (15 ft.; see text) Explode (20 ft.; see text)

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CEPHALUME Home World: Luminar (Near Space) Cephalumes swim in the methane seas of their gas giant home world, where they bond with barnacle-like symbiotes called krikiks and cultivate exploration and curiosity.

In 1 AG, Pact Worlds scientists emerging from the Gap discovered a data file detailing a bizarre species that swam in methane but had a plantlike physiology, which kept living symbiotes but built homes out of the bodies of their own dead, and communicated solely through bioluminescence. Scholars assumed cephalumes were a thought experiment, the result of a brainstorming session by creative xenobiologists imagining what might be possible. Then came the Signal, and soon after, the first cephalume explorers arrived at Absalom Station in one of their own starships, modified to travel through the Drift. Cephalumes were real after all.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION From the outside, cephalume biology doesn’t seem particularly unusual. A cephalume’s body is cylindrical, thick, and muscular, with a head decorated by a fan-like frill, two flexible tentacles, and a powerful foot that ends in 6–12 short tentacular toes. Cephalumes are covered in elaborate bioluminescent patterns unique to each individual; by the age of 5, a cephalume has mastered control of the light given off by these patterns, which is key to communicating in Lumos, their native language. The cephalume’s surface resemblance to squids is misleading; in fact, cephalumes have an internal physiology more like that of plants, and their tentacles are more akin to vines than the limbs of a cephalopod. Similarly, a cephalume’s brain and other vital organs take the shape of long fibrous stems that run the length of their body. Cephalumes, like most plants, are monoecious— each individual has both male and female structures—and any cephalume can fertilize any other cephalume. Traditionally, they’ve relied on the methane current of their home world for this fertilization, but for as long as cephalume history has recorded, there have been romantic examples of cephalumes who chose to fertilize each other in defiance of random chance. Cephalumes reach physical maturity by the age of 12 and typically live to their 80s. Cephalumes metabolize energy through their skin. Deep in the methane layer of Luminar, there’s no sunlight for photosynthesis, and despite the incredible pressure at the center, the planet is cold; remarkably, cephalumes have evolved to live off low-level background radiation, though they remain just as vulnerable to high doses of radiation as other species.

Krikiks For as long as cephalume history records, the species has enjoyed a symbiotic relationship with krikiks, a hard-shelled species of arthropods. It isn’t clear how krikiks—who have no method of propulsion in Luminar’s methane layer and depend almost exclusively on cephalumes to survive—could’ve evolved on Luminar. The most-held theory is that krikiks are,

56

in fact, from another world altogether but were stranded or somehow introduced to Luminar and cephalume society in prehistory. The quest to find the original home of the krikik species contributed to cephalume exploration of the stars and remains a priority for cephalume explorers even now, three centuries after the Signal. The typical krikik is 2–3 feet in diameter, though the species displays remarkable physical variation, sometimes including air bladders, heat-sensitive eyes, or a prehensile tentacle. They live for several centuries, reproduce very rarely, and are passed down through cephalume families. The most common method of symbiosis is for a krikik to surround the cephalume’s upper body, but it isn’t unheard of for cephalumes of great age and social status to bond with more than one krikik and have the symbiote’s hard shell protecting their head, foot, or tentacular arms. They communicate with their hosts through bioelectric pulses that mimic the semaphoric code of Lumos, but their intelligence isn’t well understood, even by cephalumes. Krikiks can experience pleasure and pain, and they have preferences and desires, but they have no culture of their own and seem content to cooperate with cephalumes who befriend them and treat them well. It’s rare for a krikik to refuse to bond with a cephalume host, but it can happen, and cephalumes consider good care of their krikik symbiotes to be a sign of positive health, akin to good personal hygiene.

HOME WORLD Luminar is an unusual gas giant orbiting a red dwarf in Near Space. None of the other worlds in the Luminar system—mostly cold and rocky planets—have intelligent life of any kind, though they do provide valuable minerals that cephalumes have mined since inventing space travel at some point during the Gap. Luminar has three layers. The outermost layer, what cephalumes refer to as the planet’s sky, is a vast region of glowing-hot hydrogen and helium gas colored by trace elements. The middle layer, dominated by methane kept in a liquid state by intense pressure, is where cephalumes evolved and where their society is based. Finally, Luminar’s core is an inhospitable ball of frozen methane and other chemicals, with a temperature below –300 degrees. Contrary to all expectations of physics, Luminar grows colder the more intense its internal pressure becomes. Scientists have never explained it, but the so-called Luminar Phenomenon has been detected in a small number of gas giants elsewhere in the galaxy. The methane layer of Luminar isn’t entirely uniform; rocks of iron, lead, and other minerals float in this sea, providing valuable resources that cephalumes began to mine early in their history. However, the lack of oxygen in the environment— and methane’s flammable nature—meant that cephalume

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES society evolved without the use of fire. Indeed, cephalume society remained at a stable pre-industrial level for hundreds of thousands of years. Many of the things simple technology would normally be used for—such as the creation of light or cooking of food—were simply unnecessary to cephalume biology. When cephalumes encountered an engineering obstacle they couldn’t solve, they either went without or found a way around the problem with magic. There are now dozens of large cities inside Luminar, but the planet’s hot hydrogen and helium layer poses a challenge to visiting starships. At some point during the Gap, cephalume interplanetary explorers reached one of Luminar’s moons, where they mined industrial resources and constructed Metal City. Metal City remains the primary starport for Luminar; merchants, tourists, and diplomatic visitors land here in safety, leaving penetration of the gas giant’s hot outermost layer to those starships designed for such environments.

SOCIETY Cephalume culture is rich and complex, filled with references to their long pre-industrial history and placing an emphasis on honoring one’s ancestors and traditions. Before the Gap, cephalumes developed a culture that prized curiosity, visual art, physical aptitude, rhetoric, and etiquette. A cultured cephalume was a poet-athlete and warrior-artist capable of posing philosophical questions on the nature of life or entertaining friends with the deeds of a dozen distinguished ancestors. With little in the way of material resources, cephalume culture placed an emphasis on a few possessions of great value— typically handed down through generations. Until they arrived at Absalom Station, they’d never used money, though the idea did exist as a theoretical concept. Instead, cephalume society was a complicated web of patronage, political alliances, and familial ties. Sometime during the Gap, cephalumes advanced to an industrial state and developed space travel. Their first starships were made of the same construction material used for their architecture, but to survive the trip to space, cephalume corpses had to be magically petrified and preserved. Most cephalume starships are still made in this manner, for although cephalumes have brought many technological advances from other species back to Luminar, the idea of traveling so far without the company of ancestors unsettles most cephalumes.

A visual language does have its challenges. Most notably, it’s dependent on light and visibility. Cephalumes can see clearly in darkness out to about 60 feet, but in the methane seas of Luminar, they can’t see the color of another cephalume’s bioluminescence beyond about 20 feet. Lumos reserves color for private conversations that others aren’t expected to overhear or to add a color inference visible only to those nearby. For example, a cephalume safety officer might loudly broadcast a warning that everyone should evacuate the area while simultaneously using color to tell those standing near the officer that they’re safe and should remain at their current location. Lumos is practically unintelligible beyond 60 feet— it’s impossible to shout in Lumos. In large public gatherings featuring a single speaker, members of the audience relay the primary speaker’s message with their own bioluminescence. Written Lumos uses short, multicolored arcs of varying length,

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

LUMOS Sound travels poorly through liquid methane, and cephalumes have no sound-producing organ. Instead, they developed language based on their bioluminescence. This language, known as Lumos, begins with a single dot of light somewhere on a cephalume’s skin, representing a single sound. Each cephalume boasts hundreds of lights on their body, has remarkable control of each light’s intensity and color, and can flash each light on or off many times in a single second. As a result, cephalumes communicating solely among themselves can transmit and understand an astonishing amount of information in a very short time, flashing pages worth of words at each other in moments.

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Str, +2 Wis, –2 Con Hit Points: 4 Size and Type: Cephalumes are Medium aberrations with the plantlike subtype. Beguiling Glow: As a standard action (as long as their bioluminescence isn’t suppressed), a cephalume can create flickering patterns in the light emanating from their skin. Each sighted creature within 20 feet must succeed at a Will saving throw (10 + half the cephalume’s character level + the cephalume’s Wisdom modifier) or be fascinated for as long as the cephalume continues this presentation (a standard action each round). Creatures who understand Lumos are unaffected. This is a sense-dependent effect. A cephalume can’t use this ability again until they’ve taken a 10-minute rest to recover Stamina Points. Bioluminescence: A cephalume increases the light level by one step out to a radius of 20 feet. A cephalume can suppress or reactivate this light as a move action, and they receive a +4 species bonus to Stealth checks when their light is suppressed. A cephalume also uses this light to communicate with others. Cephalume Movement: Cephalumes have a land speed of 10 feet and a swim speed of 30 feet. Cold Resistance: Cephalumes have resistance 5 to cold. Darkvision: Cephalumes have darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Depth Inured: A cephalume is immune to the dangers of extreme depths (Core Rulebook 366). Plantlike: A cephalume has the plantlike Universal Creature Rule. Symbiote Adaption: Cephalumes form symbiotic unions with krikiks, a living biological augmentation unique to their species. Most cephalumes have one of the following krikik symbiotes. Airjet Krikik: An air bladder in the krikik increases the cephalume’s land and swim speeds by 10 feet. Once per day as a swift action, the cephalume can double their movement speed for that round. Electrostatic Krikik: The krikik is covered in thin, electrically charged spines that allow the cephalume to cause any weapon they wield to deal half its damage as electricity damage, becoming lethal and non-archaic if it isn’t already. If the weapon already deals two damage types, this effect replaces one with electricity. In addition, this allows the cephalume to grant any weapon they wield the staggered critical hit effect. Sharprock Krikik: The krikik’s hard crust grants the cephalume a +1 species bonus to AC. Siltsight Krikik: The krikik has heat-sensitive eyes that allow the cephalume to double the range of their darkvision and see through non-magical fog, mist, and clouds without penalty, ignoring any cover or concealment bonuses from those effects. Tentacle Krikik: The krikik has a prehensile tentacle that increases the cephalume’s natural reach by 5 feet.

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but it isn’t held in high regard in cephalume culture; cephalume society is overwhelmingly “oral,” in the sense that it’s transmitted from person to person rather than written down. Since the development of Drift technology and the creation of an interstellar culture, cephalumes have started to learn Common, a language they find laboriously slow—albeit better understood at long distance. Pact Worlds researchers who have learned Lumos typically speak it with a handheld sign that flashes light and color, but those who dwell inside Luminar on a long-term basis often acquire a bioluminescent skin augmentation (page 59), allowing them to, after often lengthy study and practice, perfectly replicate Lumos as cephalumes speak it.

NAMES Cephalume names are best communicated by light and sometimes have a color that only those physically close can see. They’re often filled with alternating glyphs that visually appear as a kind of strobe effect. Because cephalumes can flash an extraordinary amount of information to each other in a very short time, a name can be exceptionally long. All this makes cephalume names very difficult to translate. Many cephalumes adopt a Common nickname that simulates some small aspect of their name, typically a repeating series of glyphs.

Sample Names Atatat, Boribori, Eenu-Eenu, Geechee, Iyo-Iyo, Kekemomo, Meenee, Oxox, Ronto-Ronta, So-Ro-Sa, Tunu-Sunu, Umi-Umi.

BIOTECH AUGMENTATIONS No krikik has ever successfully bonded with a non-cephalume, and, indeed, most seem unwilling to even try. This hasn’t stopped bioscientists from duplicating the benefits of krikik symbiosis using other means. Other augmentations provided here allow non-aquatic species to participate in aquatic societies without the need for armor or other gear, or are otherwise designed to take advantage of aquatic environments. These augmentations use the rules presented on page 208 of the Core Rulebook.

AIRJET

SYSTEM Lungs

PRICE 4,000 LEVEL 6 This organ takes in atmospheric gases, concentrates them, and expels them behind you as a kind of jet, granting a 10-foot enhancement bonus to your land and swim speeds. Once per day as a swift action, you can double your land or swim speed for one round. This augmentation doesn’t function in a vacuum.

AQUA-EMPATHIC LOBE

SYSTEM Brain

PRICE 2,000 LEVEL 4 Your brain has been modified with an additional lobe that grants you a limited form of telepathic communication with aquatic creatures. You can communicate with animals, magical beasts, plants, and vermin that don’t have a language and are native to aquatic biomes; this includes such creatures with the aquatic subtype and might also include other creatures at the GM’s discretion. This ability doesn’t make these creatures friendly. The range of this ability is 30 feet or the range of your

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES telepathy or limited telepathy, whichever is larger. You can use language-dependent effects on these creatures, attempt Intimidate checks to bully them, and attempt Diplomacy checks to change their attitude. SYSTEM Skin

BIOLUMINESCENT SKIN

PRICE 250 LEVEL 1 Your skin is covered with elaborate bioluminescent patterns. You have precise control over your bioluminescence, including its color and brightness. You increase the light level by one step out to a radius of 20 feet (to a maximum of normal light). You can suppress or reactivate your bioluminescence by taking a move action. If you know Lumos, the cephalume language, you can use your bioluminescence to communicate in it. SYSTEM Skin

ELECTROSTATIC SPINES

PRICE 18,000 LEVEL 10 These long, thin spines store and channel electrical energy generated by your own body, directing that electricity into objects in your hands. Any melee weapon you wield deals half its damage as electricity damage. This doesn’t change the Armor Class the weapon targets. In addition, any melee weapon you wield gains the staggered critical hit effect.

INK GLAND

underwater weapon special property. Your sonic vocalizer is powered by your body and doesn’t need ammunition.

MODEL

LEVEL

PRICE

Harmonic Resonant Anharmonic Parametric Radial

2 7 11 16 20

750 6,250 24,500 162,000 810,000

THERMAL-SENSITIVE EYES

SYSTEM Eyes

PRICE 6,500 LEVEL 7 Your eyes become especially sensitive to relatively slight fluctuations in temperature. You can see through non-magical fog, mist, and clouds without penalty, ignoring any cover or concealment bonuses those effects would provide to other creatures. In addition, if you have darkvision, the range of your darkvision is doubled.

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

SYSTEM Throat

PRICE 2,000 LEVEL 4 You produce and store organic ink in your throat that you can deploy as a defensive measure. When you’re in an aquatic environment, you can take a standard action to vomit ink, creating darkness in a 20-foot radius. Darkvision can’t see through this darkness, but effects capable of seeing through fog, mist, or clouds—such as thermal-sensitive eyes (below)—can. After you use this ability, you can’t use it again until you take a 10-minute rest to recover Stamina.

PRESSURE FILTER

SYSTEM Lungs

PRICE 150 LEVEL 1 Your body has been redesigned to function at any depth, allowing you to ignore differences in pressure that lead to decompression sickness. You gain the depth inured species trait (page 58).

SONIC VOCALIZER

SYSTEM Throat

PRICE VARIES LEVEL VARIES Your throat has been modified, allowing you to create powerful sonic waves by screaming. This augmentation is especially popular among aquatic adventurers because sound waves travel well in water. Your sonic vocalizer functions like a dirge pistol (Armory 16, 50) of the same type, but you don’t need a hand to wield it, it can’t be disarmed, and it has the

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CONTEMPLATIVE Home World: Akiton (Pact Worlds) Resembling immense floating brains, contemplatives are mysterious psychics, scholars, and philosophers whose powerful minds grant them telepathic and telekinetic powers of communication, flight, and supernatural insight.

Famously intelligent, contemplatives resemble an immense brain with a tiny, four-armed body dangling below. For millennia, contemplatives have methodically unraveled esoteric secrets from the safety of isolated, insulated homes on Akiton. Since the advent of Drift travel, more and more contemplatives witness the galaxy’s wonders firsthand, serving as exemplary doctors, scientists, investigators, mystical consultants, and supernatural warriors. Yet, contemplatives rarely act alone. Even loners often refer to themselves as “we,” not “I,” either reinforcing their collective mindset or referencing some otherworldly presence unknown to even close contacts.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Countless generations of evolution have developed the superspecialized contemplatives’ bodies, each one designed to prioritize thought over all but the most essential biological functions. A typical contemplative weighs about 100 pounds, with their massive brains representing roughly 70 of those pounds. The rest consists of a spindly humanoid body hanging from the brain by a thick “neck” of tough ligaments, neural pathways, and blood vessels. These lower features are diminutive nearly to the point of uselessness. A host of flexible shoulder spines indicate areas once dedicated to heavy muscle attachment, now wholly vestigial. Two legs, with any semblance of feet having disappeared ages ago, can barely support the creature’s weight for more than a few seconds. Contemplatives occasionally sway their legs reflexively as if walking in mid-air, reliving distant ancestors’ motor memory. More often, though, the legs serve to stabilize a disoriented contemplative, helping them brace or push off from walls when flying in stressful conditions. Only two of the upper limbs serve as traditional hands, typically terminating in a few fragile fingers that are as dexterous as a human’s. However, with such a gracile build contemplatives struggle with physical labor, relying on telekinetic powers to manipulate larger tools—made all the more awkward by their arms’ meager length, which requires a contemplative to incline their brain or pitch upward just to get close enough to reach larger surfaces. The other two limbs aren’t arms at all but antennae, serving as a contemplative’s primary sense organs for smell and touch. Like the rest of the lower body, these arms are a shadow of their former capabilities, and xenoanthropologists speculate that ancient contemplatives boasted extremely precise scent abilities before evolving to favor psychic senses. A contemplative often orients themself above any object of interest, softly tapping the surface while they examine it with a wide range of sensory input, including from their eyes, which project a short distance from the bottom of their brain.

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Contemplative brains are supernaturally sophisticated. With a staggering brain-to-body ratio, a contemplative can retain a wealth of information and learn sophisticated skills quickly. Their brains are segmented into distinct quadrants rather than hemispheres, with redundant lobes enabling intense mental multitasking. What’s more, the intense cerebral activity creates a constant aura of telekinetic and telepathic force, much in the way a mammal emits body heat. On its own, this force tends to sweep up lightweight objects to orbit the contemplative’s body and pester nearby minds with mental static. Fortunately, contemplatives have an extensive adolescence of play, and meditation helps optimize their thoughts and control these energies, redirecting them into sustained telekinetic flight, precise communication, and more. These skills aren’t just a matter of convenience. Without mastering personal telekinesis, an adult contemplative’s brain is too heavy to move unaided. When truly unconscious, a contemplative is at a low risk of suffocation or organ damage as their unsupported mass compresses delicate innards and restricts airways. True sleep is a rare treat enjoyed using specialized hammocks or unique fluid baths that support the upper body. Instead, most contemplatives rest by logging, much as many aquatic mammals do, allowing part of their brain to sleep while the other part maintains buoyancy and some awareness.

HOME WORLD Contemplatives evolved on Akiton (Pact Worlds 48) over countless generations, thriving on the fourth planet from the sun. Periodically, ruins surface from staggeringly ancient eras, the walls scoured by the elements such that only rare glimpses of the contemplatives’ distant past survive. These art fragments suggest Akiton once boasted verdant savannas and hardy woodlands where the contemplatives’ ancestors thrived. However, Akiton today is a dusty desert world. Its cooling core and dimming geomagnetic sphere have caused the planet to slowly lose atmosphere, becoming colder, drier, and more hostile to life. Those species that survived adapted. For contemplatives, adaptation relied less on physiological changes and more on habitat manipulation, with most settlements burrowing into mountains or digging deep underground in telekinetically excavated enclaves. There, contemplatives shielded themselves from the increasingly frequent dust storms and frigid nights, emerging periodically to psychically herd and incapacitate prey, or trade for food. From ikeshtis and Hylki humans to shobhad giants and ysoki, many of Akiton’s residents became tough, resourceful opportunists. Even so, few since the historical periods dared tangle with contemplatives, who developed a reputation for eerie neutrality in peace and devastating psychic retaliation when attacked.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES In the modern era, contemplatives control two major Akitonian sites: the Ashok crater and the Halls of Reason. Ashok itself is nearly uninhabited, for the crater functions as a psychic amplifier that allows the communities around its perimeter to broadcast their communiques over immense distances and listen for replies even from other, impossibly distant galaxies. This research creates mental radiation that seems inaudible or even comforting to the contemplatives, but other creatures avoid the region as this energy inspires terrifying dreams, cerebral hemorrhaging, or even spontaneous transformation for anyone traversing the area without proper protection. The Halls of Reason are less intrinsically hazardous but more remote. A vast network of windowless towers and miles-long tunnels host numerous telepathically connected contemplative communities that thrive in the calm, cool subterranean rooms. The greater the silence and distance from the surface, the greater the contemplatives’ concentration, and they regularly commission laborers to dig ever-deeper chambers. What young contemplatives gain in mental focus by growing up here is challenged by their relative naivete should they later explore Akiton, and many young adults are drawn to travel or the adventuring life when first confronted by the overwhelming bustle. Thanks to spaceflight, contemplative cohorts have spread to far parts of the galaxy, forming small, tight-knit communities within existing settlements. Laboratories, universities, hospitals, research stations, and similar institutions eagerly recruit contemplatives to live and work nearby, yet with slow reproduction, the contemplative population outside the Pact Worlds remains small.

SOCIETY A contemplative’s existence often revolves around isolation. Quiet halls enable deep thoughts, and remote outposts deter casual visitors who might interrupt complex calculations. Silent vistas eliminate distractions, allowing for the reception of distant psychic signatures. In solitude, a contemplative can achieve great things that are objectively their own triumphs, validating their existence to the cosmos. Yet contemplative culture also includes a strong sense of community. Other species provide security and strength, enabling contemplatives to accomplish together what would be impossible alone. Peers offer intellectual engagement to challenge theories, build upon discoveries, and encourage progress. For millennia before ubiquitous space travel, contemplatives established tight-knit telepathic neighborhoods awash with half-conscious chatter and mental intimacy. Even as contemplatives travel to other worlds in the modern era, they physiologically crave the feeling of others’ thoughts, and extensive periods of true solitude often trigger anxiety. Contemplative society steadily juggles these competing extremes of separation and unity. Into the modern age, contemplatives maintained this balance by living in enclaves apart from other species, creating communities that manifested

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group consciousnesses without becoming true hive minds. Nonetheless, contemplatives’ speech reflects generations of external isolation and internal communion, as even individuals refer to themselves with the first-person plural “we” rather than with the singular “I” around other creatures—sometimes even when the closest other contemplative is light-years away. In the absence of kin, contemplatives find comfort in establishing new communities with loose hierarchies, enabling them to be part of something greater, like a starship crew or adventuring party. When such close associations aren’t possible, contemplatives sometimes invent fictitious personalities, each expressed and controlled by different brain quadrants to emulate a functional community. Extended psychic networks connected communities on the home world of Akiton for untold generations, so despite having existed for millennia and lived across the planet, contemplatives and their culture evolved as one, remaining relatively homogeneous into the post-Gap era. Even over the past few centuries, contemplatives’ long lifespans, lengthy adolescence, and communal parenting have sustained shared cultural values that survive when individuals emigrate elsewhere and integrate into dramatically different societies.

Newer Divisions Pervasive personal augmentation technology has challenged age-old traditions in contemplatives’ evolution, training, and upbringing. Of Akiton’s contemplatives, two fringe philosophies

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +4 Int, +2 Cha, –2 Str, –2 Con Hit Points: 2 Size and Type: Contemplatives are Medium monstrous humanoids. Applied Knowledge: See page 28. Atrophied: See page 28. Limited Telepathy: Contemplatives have limited telepathy with a range of 30 feet. Psychic Flight: Contemplatives fly supernaturally at a speed of 30 feet with average maneuverability, but their land speed is only 5 feet. Psychic Senses: Contemplatives have blindsense (thought) out to 30 feet and darkvision to a range of 60 feet.

have emerged. To the traditionalists known as the Pristine Muse, personal augmentations are tools that beget mental laziness, threatening the species’ ongoing evolution into increasingly intellectual powerhouses. A movement called the Transcendent Cortex pushes back, insisting that contemplatives have neared the limits of what flesh alone can achieve and that cybernetic enhancement or even complete digitization would enable their society to achieve unimaginable success. Most contemplatives embrace neither philosophy fully, instead dabbling in augmentations as they see fit.

Psychic Titans No matter their philosophies and idiosyncrasies, contemplatives are intelligent, and they know it. However, mainstream contemplative society doesn’t encourage exploiting or lording their education and wit over others; instead, their self-awareness carries a sense of self-restraint. By a contemplative’s estimation, their staggering psychic prowess and intelligence are like a deafening roar to vulnerable minds, thus it’s only polite to “whisper.” Savvy onlookers recognize this perspective for the accidental paternalism it is. The more it’s exposed to other cultures, the more contemplative society has gradually acknowledged other species’ mental resilience and adopted less benignly demeaning behavior.

ASHOK Central to Pact Worlds contemplatives’ identity and thought is Ashok, an esoteric term with unclear origins that references a place, a philosophy, a founder, a state of being, or more depending on who’s asked. No matter the definition, the term commands respect and conveys reverence. Most intuitively, Ashok refers to a massive crater on the contemplatives’ home world of Akiton. This feature might have once been the region where contemplatives evolved into their famously cerebral forms. The crater amplifies local telepathy and other psychic energies, allowing the contemplatives who inhabit the area to communicate with impossibly distant and otherwise unknown beings. Others insist Ashok was an ancient trailblazer and iconoclast who guided the contemplatives’ ancestors ages ago,

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diverging from some unknowable stem species. No doubt this hypothetical Ashok attained only a fraction of the physical and mental transformation now embodied by their descendants. Nonetheless, the mythical figure commands a saint-like reverence among those who even believe Ashok ever lived. Some contemplatives scoff at Ashok as a past or present concept, instead insisting it’s a distant objective yet to be obtained. This target might be psychic transcendence, abandoning physical bodies to exist as immortal thought— potentially interwoven into the multiverse alongside powerful monitors like aeons. Others scoff at this definition, instead insisting that attaining a state of Ashok relies on retaining a physical body that exists in defiance of the aligned quintessence that comprises the Outer Planes, in turn becoming a living being who transcends morality and immortal pollution. Yet another school believes the Ashok endpoint is perfect unification of thought, attaining a state of mental communion so perfect that mere hive minds would seem clumsy by comparison. The Unified Ashok Hypothesis might be the truest expression, though: Ashok is all of the above, and were it not one of the above, it would be none of the above. Only by acceptance and understanding of all of Ashok’s facets does one stand to experience Ashok. Whatever the case, defining Ashok is a matter of personal devotion for a contemplative—a definition by which they understand their place in the multiverse and affirm their identity within a collective. Only a few honored non-contemplatives are ever invited to explore the nature of Ashok with a contemplative community, and any non-contemplative who claims to understand it merely outs themselves as a presumptuous fool.

NAMES Young contemplatives receive a simple childhood name of a few syllables shortly after birth, reflecting the adolescent’s limited maturity and worldliness. Those exceptional youths who display uncharacteristic insights or accomplish some other feat sometimes earn additional syllables to honor their progress. However, contemplatives eagerly discard their childhood names upon reaching adulthood in favor of an appellation they choose for themselves. Traditionally, these names reference or incorporate favorite quotes, intellectual heroes, or scientific theorems that helped shape the young contemplative’s growth and perspective, often incorporating an additional component to the name to distinguish themselves from the original source. These names (which frequently include abridged reference numbers like a crucial text’s publication year) communicate the adult’s values to well-read colleagues who catch the references. While some contemplatives are sticklers for always being addressed by their full name, most adopt shortened versions as nicknames.

Sample Adult Names Some sample contemplative names include 47 Solkrasti, Autochthonous 6:17, Ebek All-Itinerant-Souls, Eistor’s Third Constant, Jatembe-Jekeb, Kallion in Theory of Relativity, Pharasman Paradox 13, Saal Radial-Procession, Xarstonax’s Fifth Sonata.

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SPELLS Contemplatives often learn the following spells, which are now known by spellcasters across the galaxy.

MENTAL MUSCLE TECHNOMANCER 2

MYSTIC 2

PRECOG 2

WITCHWARPER 2

School transmutation Casting Time 1 swift action Range personal Duration 1 round You channel your mental mastery as magic that directly reinforces your body, allowing you to perform brief physical feats as acts of willpower. You gain one of the following three benefits of your choice. Smart Strength: You apply your Intelligence modifier in place of your Strength modifier for melee or thrown weapon attack rolls, melee damage rolls, ability checks, and skill checks. Insightful Agility: You apply your Wisdom modifier in place of your Dexterity modifier for attack rolls, Reflex saving throws, initiative checks, and calculating your Armor Class. Your armor’s maximum Dex bonus instead limits how much of your Wisdom modifier you can apply to AC. Confident Endurance: You apply your Charisma modifier in place of your Constitution modifier for Fortitude saving throws. You gain temporary Hit Points equal to your Charisma modifier × half your caster level. When you perform a full action, you can cast this spell as part of that action (and apply the spell’s effects to that action) rather than casting it as a swift action.

of the creatures you can sense with the spell’s blindsense effect (and doesn’t include that creature in the spell’s area). You’re immune to your own psychic sonar, and this spell has no effect on creatures without an Intelligence score. 1st: When you cast psychic sonar as a 1st-level spell, it deals 1d8 damage in a 15-foot cone. 2nd: When you cast psychic sonar as a 2nd-level spell, it deals 2d8 damage in a 15-foot cone. 3rd: When you cast psychic sonar as a 3rd-level spell, it deals 3d8 damage in a 20-foot cone. 4th: When you cast psychic sonar as a 4th-level spell, it deals 5d8 damage in a 30-foot cone. 5th: When you cast psychic sonar as a 5th-level spell, it deals 5d10 damage in a 30-foot cone. 6th: When you cast psychic sonar as a 6th-level spell, it deals 7d10 damage in a 60-foot cone.

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MENTAL MUSCLE, GREATER MYSTIC 4

PRECOG 4

TECHNOMANCER 4

WITCHWARPER 4

School transmutation Casting Time 1 standard action Range personal Duration 1 round/2 levels This spell functions as mental muscle, except as noted above. Casting this spell takes intense focus and requires you to spend 1 Resolve Point.

PSYCHIC SONAR

MYSTIC 1-6

School divination (mind-affecting) Casting Time 1 standard action Range varies by spell level Area cone-shaped burst Duration instantaneous, plus 1 round Saving Throw Will partial; Spell Resistance yes You project a sonar-like blast of psychic energy that rebounds a moment later. Creatures in the spell’s area each attempt a Will save. Those who fail take the full damage, and until the end of your next turn, you can sense those creatures as though you had blindsense (thought) with a range equal to the spell’s range. Those who succeed take half damage and can’t be detected with the spell’s blindsense effect. During your next turn, you can repeat this spell’s effect once without spending an action; however, the cone instead must originate from one

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DRAGONKIN Home World: Triaxus (Pact Worlds) Dragonkin are humanoid dragons who form lifelong bonds with a single partner, granting them deep mutual empathy and shared telepathy. Their striking draconic features, such as their wings, colorful scales, and deadly breath, set them apart from other species.

Dragonkin are native to the sixth planet in the Pact World system, Triaxus, a tumultuous world of grueling seasons and dangerous environs. Most live bonded to a non-dragonkin partner, using a traditional ritual that creates nigh-unbreakable personal ties that last a lifetime. This connection manifests as reciprocal telepathy, complimentary movements, and other tactical advantages. With the ability to fly and breathe a cone of energy, dragonkin can be quite intimidating to their enemies. Allies know them to be fiercely loyal, empathetic, and adaptable. Like their true dragon cousins, they have the strength and intelligence to face nearly any task, and dragonkin enjoy a variety of occupations throughout the Pact Worlds.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION While dragonkin are smaller than true dragons, they tower over most humanoids. When standing on two legs, their heights range from 8 to 20 feet. Some dragonkin tinker with their own genetics to achieve a compact size, while others take pride in their formidable statures. Terrestrial dragonkin tend to be larger and have wings, while spacefaring dragonkin often prefer to modify their bodies to be smaller, leaner, and sometimes wingless. Though dragonkin have four muscular limbs, they’re bipedal, with their strong tails providing stabilization. Dragonkin can learn to maintain their posture if they lose or have underdeveloped tails, and some choose to utilize prosthetics or wheelchairs as mobility aids or to embrace quadrupedal mobility with or without the assistance of such devices. It’s considered stylish for dragonkin to paint their claws and horns with various colors and patterns. Holographic polish is quite common among fans of Ning’s battleflowers, who proclaim their allegiance to favorite fighters by choosing flashy colors to match the gladiators’ costume choices. The hues of a dragonkin’s scales naturally occur in a spectrum of colors. Scale color has nothing to do with a dragonkin’s alignment or ancestry, though some unusual colors tend to appear in certain families without a known explanation. While most dragonkin are monochromatic, it isn’t uncommon for their scales to display two or three tones, most often in a gradient or speckled pattern. Spanning the spectrum of genders, dragonkin are best identified by asking them. Dragonkin don’t have sexual morphism, and their personal gender identity most impacts their physical presentation. In all things, the majority of dragonkin eagerly embrace magic and science to modify their bodies to suit individual preferences.

HOME WORLD Hailing from the Pact Worlds system, dragonkin can be found in the highest concentration on Triaxus, where they’ve lived alongside ryphorians and dragons for eons. Triaxus has an exaggerated elliptical orbit that causes very long winters and summers as well as a volcanically active surface.

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Dragonkin live everywhere on Triaxus, from the frozen reaches of the Encroach Glacier to the southwestern merchant-empire of Ning. The largest population can be found in the Allied Territories living alongside partners and neighbors of many species, though a significant population also exists in the Drakelands, where many dragonkin still work for true dragons inside their complex corporate structures. In the distant past, dragons devised a way to create a different type of offspring, one that could forge inroads into humanoid societies or serve as proxies and pawns. Using strange magic and enduring willpower, they created dragonkin to fulfill this purpose. The original dragonkin were sometimes a product of intense love for an individual humanoid or their community, though sadly, many were born to act as vectors for an evil dragon’s short-term plans. Generations of dragonkin reproduced, both with one another and with other humanoids, and today the species is entirely disconnected from any living dragons. As part of their magical heritage, dragonkin always have had the ability to form a bond with a single creature, granting shared senses and telepathy. The bond itself isn’t truly magical in nature but is a sacred connection with both physical and metaphysical components. The first generation of dragonkin almost exclusively bonded with their dragon creators, but quickly they realized their ability to share their gift with friends and lovers of other species. They found that ryphorians, who were also native to Triaxus and commonly enslaved and exploited by the ruling dragons, were very receptive to their bond. Together, dragonkins and ryphorians forged connections and fought to free their peoples from the iron claws of tyrants. The first bonded pairs founded the Skyfire Mandate, based on the land bridge spanning the Drakelands and Allied Territories. The force that protected this new nation then and now is the Skyfire Legion. Once fighters for independence, today the Legion is a mercenary group who generally prefer to fight tyranny, bolster political underdogs, save refugees, and take on missions that fit with their organization’s code. Many generations ago, the pairs went into battle with the ryphorian partner as dragonrider, but today most prefer to swap out this archaic practice for a co-pilot dynamic.

SOCIETY The core of dragonkin society revolves around the partner bond they form with humanoids, most commonly ryphorians. Everything from architecture and infrastructure to media reflects the importance of the bond. While a majority of dragonkin bond to a partner in their lifetime, not all do. As a conscious choice made by both parties to form this bond is necessary, those who decide to remain bondless face scrutiny from more conservative community members; however, a

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES majority of dragonkin are supportive of this choice. Bondless dragonkin live fully integrated into their local society, with traditionalist Aylok dragonkin being the largest exception to tolerance. Outside of Aylok, bondless dragonkin are just as likely to be supported as a similar bonded candidate. Dragonkin who don’t bond during their lifetime might still find mates and create families, or not, and work in vocational fields with just as much success. Whether or not these dragonkin form romantic relationships, they still typically prefer communal homes with roommates, as complete solitude is atypical for dragonkin. For those who haven’t yet formed a partner bond but one day wish to do so, bondless meet-ups on the infosphere and in most communities can help. A yet-unbonded dragonkin who enlists in the Skyfire Legion has plentiful chances to meet potential partners in training, recruit mixers, and assigned partner trials. Bonds are unique to individual pairs and often deeply personal. Though most bonded partnerships aren’t romantic, the bond is roughly equivalent to marriage in many cultures, granting legal rights and responsibilities and insuring a mutual living situation. Some bonds result from adolescent friendships, with a duo choosing to formalize their bond soon after reaching maturity. A few communities practice arranged bonds, meaning a dragonkin might not meet a potential partner until shortly before they bond. The Skyfire Legion facilitates such arrangements for cadets who desire it. Even in such cases, both parties must wholeheartedly agree to form a bond, and attempts to force two individuals to enter an arrangement always fails. Bonding with blood relatives is rare but does sometimes occur, usually between cousins or siblings of similar ages. Most dragonkin only have one bonded partner during their lifetimes, but thanks to their longer lifespans, more than half of their lives can be spent bondless. If their partner dies, a dragonkin might decide to form a relationship with another partner, but a substantial number choose not to. From grief to family structures grown larger and more intricate with age, there are many reasons to abstain from subsequent partner bonds. As partner bonds are largely aromantic, dragonkin and their humanoid partners forming romantic relationships outside of the pair impacts day-to-day living. While a dragonkin partner bond is exclusive to two individuals, the partners can choose to have as many romantic partners as they would like, if any, but all of them must respect the connection between the bonded pair, as the mystical effects of the bond make both partners each half of one whole, moving in synchronicity and often needing one another’s presence to remain healthy and happy. Effective communication is a necessity within dragonkins’ created communities. Majoritarian systems are common in the daily life of many dragonkin. The blend of relationships, and the size of dragonkin, have led to larger-scale housing requirements. Most dragonkin live in small

apartment complexes or suites with their extended family, or in networks with multiple families. Bondless dragonkin and other outlying community members are often invited to live in neighboring flats, allowing them easy access to community. Courtyards and rooftop spaces are built to accommodate group meals, games, and recreational activities that can be enjoyed together. Large families make for rowdy gatherings, and whole neighborhoods sometimes come together to celebrate occasions such as birthdays, bondings, and weddings. Traveling to the neighboring mountains to enjoy outdoor activities, especially winter sports, is common. Along the coast, beachside bonfires beneath the full moon range from intimate affairs (with less than 10 individuals in attendance) to raucous carnivals where hundreds gather for games, rides, fried foods, and fortune telling. Dragonkin know that moonlight causes luminescent reflections in their scales that are considered quite attractive, and many find new romantic partners or flings at these gatherings. For young dragonkin approaching the age of maturity, invitations to full moon parties are highly coveted. Dressed to impress with scales polished to a sheen, youthful

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +4 Str, –2 Dex Hit Points: 6 Size and Type: Dragonkin are Large dragons with a space and reach of 10 feet. Breath Weapon: As a standard action, a dragonkin can breathe a 30-foot cone of flame that deals 1d6 fire damage. At 3rd level, a dragonkin adds 1-1/2 × their character level to the damage. A creature in the cone can attempt a Reflex save for half damage (DC = 10 + half the dragonkin’s character level + their Constitution modified). A dragonkin can’t use this ability again until they’ve taken a 10-minute rest to recover Stamina Points. Draconic Immunities: Dragonkin are immune to sleep effects and gain a +2 species bonus to saving throws against effects that cause paralysis. Draconic Vision: Dragonkin gain darkvision with a range of 60 feet and low-light vision, meaning they can see in dim light as if it were normal light. Flight: A dragonkin gains an extraordinary flight speed of 30 feet with average maneuverability. Until a dragonkin is 5th level, they must end their movement on the ground at the end of each turn or fall. Partner Bond: A dragonkin can form a permanent bond with one willing non-dragonkin creature. Once this bond is made, a dragonkin can’t form another partner bond unless their current partner dies. A dragonkin and their partner can communicate with each other as if they both had telepathy with a range of 100 feet. In combat, when a dragonkin is within 30 feet of their partner, both creatures roll initiative checks separately and treat the higher result as the result for both of them.

dragonkin flit from one party to the next, seeking new friends and love connections. A dragonkin in love might take their date to the thermal springs or to enjoy holographic movies. It’s normal for romantic partners to meet one another’s family very early in a relationship.

BONDING RITUAL Dragonkin reach maturity at different rates, but the average age is around 25 years old. Traditionally, a party is planned by the second-oldest member of the family. In addition to their household’s members, extended family and close friends are invited. Some Quarter Day parties are treated as festivals, shutting down city blocks to make room for pavilions, live music, refreshments, and hundreds of guests. For larger events, the price of entry is free, but bringing a small gift or good wishes is customary. Today, it’s considered trendy to opt out of formal parties in favor of spending time with one’s own social circle. A dragonkin choosing a more modern celebration might take a trip to mountain distilleries, enjoy a spa day at a hot springs-fed sauna, or seek the thrills of virtual reality arcade games and holovids. No matter what form these parties take, many Quarter Day parties end the same way. Dragonkin remove the largest scale of their mature hide, which often comes from a spot near their shoulder blades—historically the place a rider might lean into for balance or to fit a saddle.

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Removing the scale leaves a small vulnerable spot on the dragonkin’s hide, which their bonded partner will be trusted to protect. If a dragonkin has already chosen a bonded partner, this scale is used in the ritual to bind them together for a lifetime. If not, the dragonkin places their scale in a box for safekeeping, perfectly preserved until they find the right partner. The empty space on the dragonkin’s hide appears dull, and is a subtle reminder to all that they’re yet incomplete. Today, younger generations of dragonkin sometimes forego this practice, preferring to remain intact until they’re ready to think about choosing a partner. Since some dragonkin never bond, they might never remove the scale, or they might keep it preserved forever, a monument to their self-possession and solitude. Before any binding ritual can take place, dragonkin treat their removed scale with a mixture of herbs and mountain spring water. The process petrifies the scale, turning it opalescent and hard as a gemstone. This new scale is called dolek (pronounced doe-wek). Once an individual finds a suitable partner, and both parties agree to form the bond, the dragonkin chooses or crafts a piece of jewelry to set their dolek into. Partners sometimes discuss the jewelry beforehand, while others enjoy the element of surprise. Most commonly doleks are set into necklaces, rings, bracelets, and brooches, but can be made into earrings or various other body jewelry dependent upon the humanoid partner’s culture and preference. A few partners choose a more extreme display of devotion by having the dolek surgically embedded into their own skin in a place of high visibility, such as a hand or forehead. Bonding rituals are another chance to celebrate family and community in a dragonkin’s life. Always held outside, with whichever family and friends the partners wish to include, bonding rituals are one of the most sacred ceremonies in their culture. Weapons can’t be carried into the sacred space of a bonding ritual, though historically armed guards form a wide perimeter around the festivities. Talk of business and politics are strictly forbidden, and any unbonded dragonkin in attendance who has already created a dolek but hasn’t yet given it to their partner must cover the indentation left by the missing scale with clothing. Each individual pair creates their own bonding ritual, often writing partner vows or performing a dance or musical duet together. Sometimes the partners’ friends prepare a performance or speeches, but always with the seriousness of the occasion in mind. Practical jokes and other shenanigans are frowned upon. Sometimes a priest leads the ritual; this practitioner can be of any faith. A respected community member might preside over the ceremony, or the new pair might buck tradition entirely and direct their own bonding. At the end, the two partners always exchange gifts. Along with their dolek, the dragonkin presents a piece of art they created for their partner, like poetry, paintings, musical compositions, or any other form of art. The dragonkin’s partner always chooses or crafts jewelry, symbolizing the saddle Skyfire Legion dragonriders once used in battle. This jewelry also varies based on personal taste and finances, but gifting an actual saddle is extremely rare and considered outdated by dragonkin culture at large. After the presentation, the ritual is all but complete as the partners seal the strength of their bond. Immediately at the conclusion of the ritual, the dragonkin partner initiates the telepathic link, communicating a phrase only uttered at the

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES beginning of this type of companionship and kept secret to all individuals that aren’t part of a matched pair. For a dragonkin whose partner dies but who later chooses to form a second bond, the second ritual is nearly the same as the first. A second scale must be removed from their body and transformed into a dolek. Most often, a dragonkin with a deceased partner takes the scale from a symmetrical location on the other side of their body. Dragonkin and their partners keep the others’ gifts for life, even if one passes on and they form a new bond. Customarily, all dragonkin’s partners are buried with their dolek when they die. Triaxians know the importance of burying or burning doleks with the dead. A dolek being lost or separated from the dead is cause for grief. Expeditions to recover the relics of dead partners are common subjects of literary tragedies.

NAMES Dragonkin naming conventions are influenced by the humanoid cultures that they bond with, often naming children after bonded partners or ancestors. Sometimes these names are modified by hardening the consonants. Dragonkin and ryphorians share some common names. Dragonkin names typically have 2-4 syllables, begin with consonants, and duplicate letters.

Sample Names Some sample dragonkin names include Gavvixen, Sozrynn, Estrikkon, Dragattsuu, Raskkurenn, Kaaviztzel, Xazzyrra, Tyykendrin, Dyssydanth, Selrikk, Axiennex, and Jittsuuhnix.

DRAGONKIN ALTERNATE SPECIES TRAITS Like any species, dragonkin have traveled far from their native Triaxus and can be found everywhere across the galaxy. Through genetic manipulation, magic, and technology, modern dragonkin often choose to modify their bodies. These changes might be reflected in body type, scale color, or the plumes of energy released by their natural breath weapons. Their innate characteristics are just as variable as their cultures and beliefs. Some dragonkin tower to great heights while others are small by comparison. Some are completely wingless, while others display unusual scale colors that match their temperaments and the energy unleashed by their breath weapons. The following options are appropriate for dragonkin PCs but might be available to other characters at the GM’s discretion.

Variant Breath Weapon Prerequisite: breath weapon species trait Benefit: At character creation, choose one of the following damage types: acid, bludgeoning, cold, electricity, fire, piercing, slashing, or sonic. Your breath weapon always deals that type of damage.

Compact Form Prerequisite: flight species trait Benefit: Some dragonkin genetically modify themselves to have smaller, wingless bodies capable of maneuvering through narrow starship corridors. You gain the Tight Fit feat (Character Operations Manual 119). This replaces flight.

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FEATS Though their people have a complicated history with their larger cousins, for some dragonkin, their ancient connection to the fearsome true dragons of Triaxus is a source of personal pride. These individuals have pioneered new ways to mimic or unleash their draconic heritage, whether through natural talents or clever applications of magic and technology.

Double Trouble You and an ally become a double threat. Benefit: Once per day after you and an ally strike the same target using the same type of weapon within the same round, automatically apply the critical hit effect of the second weapon to hit to the target and increase any associated save DCs by 2. If the ally who struck the target is your bonded partner, in addition to being subject to the critical hit effects, the target is flat-footed until the end of your next turn.

Draconic Shot You channel your breath weapon into a ranged attack. Prerequisite: breath weapon species trait Benefit: Once per day, you can channel your natural breath weapon through a ranged weapon as a swift action. As part of a full round attack, add your breath weapon’s damage and energy type to a weapon you’re wielding. You can energize a willing ally’s ranged weapon using your breath weapon as a standard action. The weapon deals this additional damage on its next attack. A weapon affected by Draconic Shot gains the unwieldy property until fired, and it must be fired within 1 minute or the breath weapon’s energy dissipates and is lost.

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Draconic Senses You can detect even very slight movements nearby. Prerequisites: darkvision and low-light vision Benefit: You’ve enhanced your senses beyond the ability to see your surroundings. You gain blindsense (vibration) 15 feet. If you have the draconic vision species trait, you instead gain blindsense (vibration) 30 feet.

Hurl Ally You use your innate strength to launch a smaller ally into the thick of battle. Prerequisites: size Large, Strength 17 Benefit: As a standard action, you can pick up and hurl a willing ally who’s one size category smaller than you up to 30 feet, or up to 60 feet if they’re two size categories smaller than you. You can hurl the ally an additional 5 feet if the ally is your bonded partner.

Terrifying Presence Your use of your breath weapon strikes fear into the hearts of your enemies . Prerequisites: breath weapon species trait Benefit: Whenever you deal damage with your breath weapon, all enemies that can perceive you must succeed at a Will save with a DC equal to 15 + your Charisma modifier or gain the frightened condition for 1 round.

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FORMIAN Home World: Castrovel (Pact Worlds) Formians are a eusocial species of ant-like humanoids who inhabit a region of Castrovel known as the Colonies. Even during peacetime, they’re remembered as capable and relentless warriors.

The unification of the formian species and the formation of the Colonies transformed their society from a collection of warring hives into an ever-advancing industrial collective with complex social hierarchies. Despite a strict caste system that endures to this day, a great deal of value is placed on the health and wellbeing of individuals. Other species often have difficulty parsing the nuanced social behavior of formians due to the prevalence of high-context nonverbal cues, such as the release of pheromones and the display of colors in the ultraviolet spectrum. This confusion is compounded by formians’ penchant for telepathic communication.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Formians superficially resemble giant ants, albeit with distinct physiology. Each has a segmented body with six limbs, using the rear four for stability and locomotion. In contrast, their upper body and front limbs are oriented vertically in a way that’s reminiscent of other humanoids. These front limbs end in several clawlike digits and grant formians fine motor control comparable to that of most humanoids. A heavy, chitinous carapace protects their entire bodies. This natural armor varies significantly in form and color, and formians with differing geographic and maternal ancestries often exhibit unique features. Formian carapaces most often occur in shades of black, brown, red, or yellow. Still, selective transparency and iridescence in some subspecies create complex patterns that most species perceive as green, blue, or even purple. Formians also sport spiky, chitinous growths on their carapaces, most often along the shoulders, elbows, and other joints to serve as defensive weapons. These protrusions’ arrangements are as individual as fingerprints and can be used to identify individuals. Although their two compound eyes are the most prominent, formians have five eyes. The three additional eyes are arranged in a triangle high on the forehead, functioning primarily to sense light and assist formians with navigation. While ancient formians typically had side-facing compound eyes that granted nearly 360-degree vision, modern formian’s compound eyes face forward, providing exceptional depth perception and focus from hundreds of tiny lenses. Formians can also see specific colors on the ultraviolet spectrum, although this feature is primarily used in a social context. Like their eyes, formian mouths have also evolved considerably over time. Their once-powerful insectile mandibles have developed into a more gracile form barely stronger than human jaws. Ringing the mouth are fine, fingerlike sensory appendages that help filter particles, maneuver food, and taste. Collectively, these features facilitate speech, albeit often with a percussive quality including clicking consonants that most species struggle to recreate. Coin-sized ultraviolet

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patches faintly glow to either side of a formian’s mouth, and while these patches don’t meaningfully provide illumination, they do help formians spot each other in low-light conditions while conveying mood and health. This feature is even more prominent in subspecies deep below the Nestwall Mountains on Castrovel, where formians have ultraviolet lines that span their whole bodies, which can be consciously controlled for basic visual communication. Formians hatch from ovoid eggs about the size of a large melon. These translucent, legless larvae feed and grow rapidly over several months, after which they envelop themselves in silken cocoons to pupate over several weeks. The form of the young adult who emerges depends considerably on their diet and environment early in life, which a typical hive carefully controls to create the desired ratio of formians designed to be workers, soldiers, myrmarchs, and more. Youths then receive intensive education and training for most of a year before graduating and participating directly in the community’s success. As mature adults, formians molt infrequently and irregularly, most often corresponding to signals that they need to grow and acquire new traits to better serve the hive.

HOME WORLD Formians evolved on the green planet known as Castrovel, second from the Pact Worlds sun. Their ancestors evaded the surface jungles’ immense predators by sheltering deep underground and emerging at night to forage and mate. In their subterranean hives, formians harnessed tools and steadily developed more advanced technology that allowed them to defend newly acquired surface territories. Formian hives are most concentrated across the southwestern continent known simply as “The Colonies,” although in truth, they can be found across the planet. Even following their political unification, these hives maintain unique cultural identities. Such aspects include the original symbols that represented each of the hives, their traditions, and their ancestral stories. A queen rules each major settlement, sometimes in turn reporting to a higher-ranking queen who rules an entire hive. Cities are vast, extending for miles in all directions and occasionally connecting as their trajectories intersect. The chambers within these structures tend to be utilitarian, utilizing efficient spaces designed to be quickly closed off or quarantined. This design gives them a tendency toward dense, vertical structuring, causing the floor plans of formian hives to resemble an unfathomable and ever-growing expanse of inverted skyscrapers connected by tunnels. Most non-formians have never witnessed such places firsthand, as the largest formian hubs where outside traffic usually occurs are designed to cater to commerce, tourism, and less structured aesthetics.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Despite these architectural tendencies, formian cities are far from uniform. Their specific architecture varies regionally, a testament to their histories. Those cities and boroughs that grow beneath the jungle floor often include vast underground gardens, where plants are cultivated hydroponically. Coastal hives around the continent’s inland gulf often incorporate structures that extend into the water, accessible by formians who have evolved to hold their breath and survive for great distances beneath the waves. There are even rumored to be hives with mind-boggling architecture secured deep within the trunks of Castrovel’s oldest trees. The majority of formian cities are commonly identified by a pair of numerals. The first numeral is based on their originating hive— assigned in the order in which the hives swore their service to the “Overqueen,” a metaphorical stand-in for the formians as a unified species—while the second numeral serves as the unique identifier for the city. The systems for assigning these numerals vary, but they’re most often based on their distance from their hive’s queen rather than the order in which they were constructed. There’s one hive in the Colonies that bears no number and is known by many ominous names: the ruined hive, the broken hive, the fallen hive, and more. The hive’s destruction long ago prompted a gathering remembered as the Meeting of Queens that unified formian society, and the site has become a sacred memorial—a place for reflection and a monument to their failures. It’s remote, reachable on foot only via a days-long journey from the nearest port, cutting through the desert. The hive is a ruin of broken architecture surrounding a vast, quiet sinkhole. In many parts of the Colonies, it’s a rite of passage to make the pilgrimage and see it firsthand.

increasingly enjoy creating art as a meditative exploration of themselves. Given most formians are non-reproductive, their society de-emphasizes sexual identity or reframes it in ways that make sense in their specific culture. Matters of gender tend to be reinterpreted as other questions of identity. A favorite example involved an offworld visitor asking about a formian’s gender, and the latter replied simply, “I am a historian.” That said, gender disinterest is largely cultural. Formians who spend substantial time among other societies periodically develop a sense of gender and choose one that they enjoy socially, independent of their physical sex. Others prefer to embrace fluidity or nonbinary genders. When it comes to personal expression, little can measure up to the time-honored art of carapace engraving. This art form seems to have developed ages ago for thoroughly practical purposes, as scratching parts of the exoskeleton makes

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

SOCIETY Formian society revolves around a hierarchy of castes: queens, myrmarchs, taskmasters, warriors, and workers. This structure has led many other species across the Pact Worlds to describe them as authoritarian, but these descriptions are overly simplistic in the modern era. In practice, most formians enjoy a high level of self-determination in their pursuit of contributing meaningfully to their society. While queens, and to a lesser extent myrmarchs and taskmasters, possess abilities that can control or coerce warriors and workers, doing so is considered appropriate only in emergency situations. In addition, an overall focus on the quality of life in the colonies has led to a thriving collective. As a species, formians tend to follow results, and it’s widely acknowledged that individual contributions are more significant and efficient when workers are afforded autonomy and respect. Should a young formian intended for one role demonstrate unexpected aptitude for a different one, the hive often redirects them into a position where they’ll best thrive and contribute. As workers age out of the labor force, they’re often functionally reemployed as taskmasters due to their expertise in the most detailed aspects of production. In general, formians tend not to enjoy idle entertainment on its own. Instead, a formian instinctively relaxes through productive hobbies and personal projects like building models or learning new skills. Especially over the past 30 years, since achieving peace on Castrovel, formians

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Str, +2 Con, –2 Wis Hit Points: 4 Size and Type: Formians are Medium monstrous humanoids. Formian Senses: Formians have darkvision with a range of 60 feet, and they have blindsense (scent) with a range of 30 feet. Limited Telepathy: Formians can communicate telepathically with any creatures within 30 feet with whom they share a language. Natural Weapons (P): Formians have the natural weapons universal creature rule. Sonic Resistance: Thanks to the chitinous plates that cover them, formians have sonic resistance 5.

it better at absorbing, retaining, and wafting pheromone signatures, enhancing formians’ ability to identify each other and communicate. Over time, the practice evolved into a tattoo-like tradition for warriors to denote their ranks and accomplishments, and it has since expanded into dozens of largely aesthetic military and civilian styles. Originally performed using the engraver’s own claws, it’s now more common for a professional engraver to employ a ritual chisel to incise the shallow grooves. These grooves are usually left open, and some formians increasingly experiment with special inlays like metals or ultraviolet lacquers. A few have even begun piercing their exoskeletons and filling the holes with clear resin to create even more dramatic designs. The actual shapes depicted tend to be traditional and complexly geometric, varying widely by hive and personal taste. Those versed in this heraldry can glean information about a formian from their designs, such as their ancestry, where they’ve lived, or their personal aspirations. Formians who live in other cultures often adopt local designs into their carapaces. An adult formian’s infrequent molting provides a blank slate, and many take it as an opportunity to explore and reinvent their visual identity with all-new designs. Rarely, proven friends of a hive who aren’t formians themselves receive special dispensation to tattoo their bodies with that hive’s special patterns, marking the recipient as someone the hive treats as one of their own. Formians don’t have a structured language of their own, as their ancestors shifted directly from a pheromone-based language to a telepathic one. That said, spoken languages are quite widespread to the point that many formians rely on syntax and symbolic logic from languages like Common or Castrovelian to frame their telepathic missives. Pheromones remain a commonplace secondary form of communication, used to signal one’s mood, health, and nearby dangers. These scents often convey little additional information beyond an instinctual aversion or attraction and tend to be utilized for broad warnings. Nonetheless, formians occasionally develop the ability to manipulate the composition of their pheromone trails to such a fine degree that they can effectively write olfactory sentences. Such skills are highly valued for covert operations, especially amongst non-formians who are unable to decipher their nuanced meanings. Formians also convey information to each other using the ultraviolet spots at the corners of their mouths. The hue and intensity vary based on the formian’s emotional state, though with considerable practice, a formian can consciously control these spots. It’s uncouth to comment directly on these spots and their messages, yet their cues are an important component of formians’ expectation of clear communication. Other species’ lack of similar spots often disorients formians socially, encouraging the latter to overshare or act more bluntly to compensate.

THE CALL Some formians experience an unmistakable psychic phenomenon known as “the call that demands an answer”

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES or simply “the Call.” This phenomenon comes in many forms but is characterized by an intense and inexorable longing to travel beyond their hive. The feeling usually doesn’t communicate what the formian should do after departing, so some travel to form new colonies, while others feel called to conduct further research or serve as emissaries among other species. Experiencing the Call is an auspicious and respected event. No individual has the right to deny another’s call, no matter their role in the hive. In preparation for upcoming ordeals, the called individual undertakes a series of ritual acts according to their hive’s traditions. First is an act of cleansing. Second, they relinquish their birth name, the numeric designation that they were first assigned, to then be given a new one—a zero number that identifies their place among the called. In some parts of the Colonies, the carapace of their abdomen is then engraved with elaborate and complex geometric patterns denoting the long-form history of their hive. These patterns serve as a historical record; no matter how far they go, in this way, they’ll always take their people with them and remember where they came from.

NAMES A formian receives a name at birth that’s conveyed through pheromonal and telepathic signatures, and which is often translated into a numerical shorthand when written or used by non-formians. These names consist of 14 numerals in the format “XX-XXXX-XXXXXXXX,” where the sequence of numbers represents their hive, city, clutch, and individual designation. Often, formians neither need nor seek any other name. However, formians who interact with other cultures often create a name. These names are most often adopted or adapted from other languages like Castrovelian or Common. Some formians, however, create their own names, often including a mandible click, tsk, or other self-styled punctuation.

Sample Names Arkichi, Chakik, Gruuk, Kachigig, Krik, Trrikit’t, and Urkai.

FORMIAN ALTERNATE SPECIES TRAIT Some formians develop functional wings that are segmented and partly fold into grooves in the carapace between the shoulders when not in use. Known as alates, these winged individuals are often reproductive formians who travel widely to establish new colonies. After mating, these formians typically lose their wings and become queens, retiring from their adventures for the good of their burgeoning hive. For a variety of reasons, though, alates might retain their wings permanently. Although adept fliers, these formians’ carapaces are notably softer than average and lack most of the typical defensive protrusions. Formian alates have an extraordinary fly speed of 30 feet with average maneuverability. This replaces natural weapons and sonic resistance.

FEATS Formians have mastered numerous chemical and industrial abilities; other cultures and species have also developed similar feats independently.

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Chemical Trail You can imprint and interpret scent-related messages. Prerequisites: Blindsense (scent), blindsight (scent), or Survival 5 ranks Benefit: As a full action, you can mark a 5-foot square with specialized pheromones that encode a message you devise and, at your option, a direction. The message has a maximum number of words equal to your Charisma modifier or half your level, whichever is higher, and it can’t contain proper nouns. For example, you could convey “danger this way” with a direction, but not “Ask for Luwazi Elsebo.” To notice your pheromone markings, a creature within 15 feet must succeed at a Perception check with a DC equal to 20 + your level, and a creature interprets the message only if they exceed the check DC by 10 or more. A creature with blindsense (scent) or blindsight (scent) gains a +10 or +20 circumstance bonus respectively to detect and interpret your pheromone markings and can do so within the range of their sense if it’s greater than 15 feet.

Efficient Engineering Your experience and industriousness enable you to dramatically streamline your crafting projects. Prerequisites: Int 15, Engineering 5 ranks Benefit: When you craft two or more of a specific item at a time, you must expend only 90% the normal number of UPBs when creating all subsequent copies of that item (or 80% if your number of ranks in the appropriate skill to craft the item exceeds that item’s level by 5 or more). This discount when crafting subsequent copies of the item persist until you either go 24 hours without making another of that item or until you make any other type of item.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Toxic Strike Your body naturally generates venom that you can deliver with your natural armaments. Prerequisites: Con 13, natural weapons species trait Benefit: When you deal damage with an unarmed strike that deals piercing or slashing damage, as a reaction, you can expose the target to your biotoxin. Once you’ve used your venom, you can’t do so again until you rest for 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points, with a maximum number of daily uses equal to your Constitution modifier. When you select this feat, you choose which ability score track your poison uses, using the following progression for which the final state is the end state. Strength: Healthy—Weakened—Impaired—Staggered Dexterity: Healthy—Sluggish—Stiffened—Staggered Constitution: Healthy—Weakened—Impaired—Debilitated Intelligence: Healthy—Weakened—Impaired—Animalistic Wisdom: Healthy—Weakened—Impaired—Confused Charisma: Healthy—Weakened—Impaired—Pliable

PERSONAL BIOTOXIN Type poison (injury); Save Fortitude DC 10 + half your level + your Constitution modifier Track Special; Onset 1 round; Frequency 1/round for 6 rounds Cure 1 save. All effects end 1 hour after cure.

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HADROGAAN Home World: Hadrogess (The Vast) With one consciousness born of a brain and another born of crystalline symbiotes set in their bodies, hadrogaans are adaptable humanoids who survived their home world’s demise and are prepared to explore the stars.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Dolumas tend to be slightly shorter with comparably shorter limbs and stouter statures. Dolumas have broader shoulders, thicker hips, and bulkier legs to support their frame. Their bodies tend to have about half as many kallestrine settings as do luma bodies, and these settings are often shallow and protect vital areas, such as the lower back, along the underarm, or over the solar plexus. With fewer symbiotes drawing on their energy and displacing musculature, dolumas are typically strong and tough by comparison, though they have less robust neural networks compared to lumas. Kallestrine augments taxes a hadrogaan’s physiology in numerous ways. This symbiote and its effects are detailed further on page 74.

Much of hadrogaan history has been lost, but a leading theory holds that ancient hadrogaans were once a physiologically uniform species, many of whose characteristics survive in the two types of hadrogaans who now exist. Like their ancestors, hadrogaans are about 8 feet tall, and they have three-fingered hands and two legs that culminate in elongated cloven hooves. Their heads are broad and set with four eyes, with one pair halfway up the face and a second, larger pair of eyes set higher and further across the brow. Their overall complexion ranges from bright red to light purple, whereas the skin along their palms, throat, chin, inner sides of their limbs, and so on typically ranges from forest green to pale cyan. Unlike their predecessors, modern hadrogaans are born with numerous irregular hollows in their body, typically several inches across, but sometimes longer and shallower when located along a limb. These hollows are specially adapted to accommodate the crystalline symbiotes known as kallestrine. In addition, hadrogaans are now a dimorphic species—likely a change catalyzed by the species’ longtime crystalline symbiosis— with each child born as either a luma or doluma. Hadrogaan dimorphism is strictly a physiological difference, not a genetic one. Not only are doluma and luma hadrogaans able to reproduce together without any issue, but also the parents’ identities don’t seem to affect whether their offspring are doluma or luma. Lumas average slightly taller than dolumas, with narrow bodies that are heavy-set with kallestrine. Lumas tend to have about a dozen individual kallestrine settings throughout their bodies. While most are set along limbs, the chest, and the spine, every luma has one cluster of kallestrine in less commonly occurring locations, such as along the throat, between the eyes, on the knuckles, or around the knees. While the increased amount of kallestrine facilitates rapid thought and action, their quantity often leaves clear vulnerabilities in the hadrogaan’s body as well as causes pain later in life since kallestrine placements grind against tendon and bone.

Hadrogaans originate from Hadrogess, a planet that’s currently uninhabitable. Based off what little of hadrogaan history that survives, Hadrogess was once a habitable planet, though never a verdant one. At some point in the planet’s history, a disaster stripped it of its atmosphere. Though the details of this cataclysm are lost to time, accounts of the years that followed indicate that the disaster was incremental, not sudden. Whether the planet’s molten core cooled to the point that its magnetic field faded, industrialization triggered irreversible ecological damage, warfare devastated the landscape, or some other misfortune, hadrogaans banded together in two key ways: symbiosis and evacuation. Miners on Hadrogess accidentally encountered kallestrine early in this disaster, and the magically adept hadrogaans sensed and contacted these crystalline beings buried deep underground. Both had detected the impending crisis and hoped to survive the fallout, and together they experimented with merging their minds and bodies to best develop ways to avoid extinction. The details are largely lost to ancient history and the Gap, but what’s apparent isn’t just that the kallestrine transformed the hadrogaans, with each new generation becoming better adapted to integrate and cooperate with kallestrine symbiotes implanted in their bodies shortly after birth, but also that, together, the now-symbiotic species traveled to, terraformed, and colonized Hadrogess’s three moons: Ghanzid, Urorohss, and Hadhi. Modern Hadrogess is a nearly lifeless world with a toxic atmosphere, upwellings of radioactivity, and a handful of tenacious (and often aggressive) organisms that narrowly adapted to the dying world. Ghanzid: As the first of the moons to be colonized, when hadrogaan terraforming techniques were still limited, Ghanzid’s populated areas are largely subterranean. Underground, they could more easily craft stable microhabitats. As hadrogaans continued excavating, these microhabitats expanded into

Hadrogaans are renowned for their efficiency with processing information, making optimal decisions, and reacting. Their talents are only possible because they’re a symbiotic people: long ago, hadrogaans began implanting living, telepathic crystals into their bodies to survive a natural disaster that ruined their home world, Hadrogess. They’ve resided on its moons ever since, but they’re often found lending their intellect and muscle to allies among the worlds of the Vast. Even a solitary hadrogaan can be a tremendous asset to a crew, as each hadrogaan carries within them a living neural network.

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HOME WORLD

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES districts and later into a complex network of subway tunnels, industrial elevators, and settlements. With numerous shops, artisans, and syndicates that have histories dating back centuries, Ghanzid is an anthropological jewel that preserves many of hadrogaans’ oldest traditions. Ghanzid’s infrastructure and mineral deposits make it the most industrial of the three moons, yet a healthy fraction of the profits fuels a vibrant arts scene. For each new tunnel or depository that’s built, another gets vacated, leaving space for gatherings, celebrations, and spontaneous performances. Ghanzid’s food culture, on the other hand, is widely considered inferior to that of the other two moons. Its limited biodiversity shaped a bland diet meant more for survival than pleasure, though contemporary chefs have begun both importing offworld ingredients and innovating exciting ways to spice up old recipes. Urorohss: Only settled after terraforming technology improved, Urorohss was the first moon where hadrogaans produced a fully breathable atmosphere. Urorohss is heavily forested, and its parks rival its cities in size. With so much space, nature, and biodiversity, universities have mostly relocated to new facilities on Urorohss. This idyllic world has fueled a growing philosophy: that the traditional methods of self-restraint when a young hadrogaan is acclimating to kallestrine are backward and that only by indulging and experiencing strong emotions can the two organisms form a proper bond. The moon’s inhabitants often poll as being the happiest of the three and exhibit powerful neural networks, yet they also suffer the greatest rates of kallestrine decoupling, where the two beings’ consciousnesses snap apart when under extreme stress. Hadhi: Hadrogaans settled the third moon only after encountering other spacefaring people. From its inception, Hadhi was designed as a sprawling military base, artillery platform, and shipyard to ward off what hadrogaans saw as a largely hostile galaxy. Although this perspective has softened considerably over time, Hadhi remains a sparsely populated and heavily surveilled world of mountains, river-carved gorges, and broad valleys carpeted with grass. Its inhabitants experience high rates of effacement, a process in which one’s kallestrine gradually subsumes the hadrogaan’s consciousness, inadvertently suppressing skills, memories, and idiosyncrasies. The process is reversible with time and care, yet the moon’s stark social and natural environment provide little room to heal. The old syndicates of Ghanzid have begun to raise the alarm about conditions on Hadhi but have faced resistance from Hadhi’s recently instated military hierarchy.

emerged emphasized unity: just as kallestrine crystal interlaced their bodies, so too was each hadrogaan part of a larger, sacred network like one glorious organism. After a series of conferences attended by each of the major hadrogaan industries and institutions, the First Hadrogaan Federation (FHF) was born. By building a society around workers’ syndicates, the FHF expunged entrenched bureaucrats and owners of industry, as both siphoned and wasted wealth at the expense of workers. In the beginning, they easily eliminated most of these hierarchies because with such a small population, few luxuries, and the shared labor required to transform Ghanzid into a stable home, there were few ways for moguls to hide. Yet, as prosperity returned, interstellar visitors introduced new ideas, and hadrogaans colonized the other moons, hadrogaan society increasingly diverged from the FHF’s overarching designs.

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

SOCIETY Hadrogaan society changed rapidly after their unification with kallestrine and egress to Ghanzid. The moon’s limited resources, their planet’s final gasps of life, and no known interstellar neighbors to trade with fueled a culture driven by scarcity, survival, and cooperation. Even as living conditions improved over generations and revolutionaries challenged the austere measures their forebears had embraced, the culture that

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Int, +2 Wis, –2 Con (Luma) or +2 Str, +2 Wis, –2 Int (Doluma) Hit Points: 4 Size and Type: Hadrogaans are Medium humanoids with the hadrogaan subtype. Dual Nervous Systems: Hadrogaans have both an organic brain and a crystalline nervous system. A hadrogaan can install an additional brain augmentation. Hadrogaan Dimorphism: All hadrogaans gain +2 Wisdom at character creation. Luma hadrogaans have acute intellects (+2 Intelligence at character creation) at the expense of physical health (–2 Constitution at character creation). Doluma hadrogaans are muscular (+2 Strength at character creation) and slower to process information (–2 Intelligence at character creation). Hadrogaan Senses: The crystals in a hadrogaan’s body can sense subtle vibrations in the environment. A hadrogaan has blindsense (vibration) with a range of 30 feet.

Ghanzid’s communities still uphold a less restrictive version of the FHF’s vision, whereas the people of Urorohss and Hadhi have incorporated many different (and in some cases, imported) mentalities. Recent generations dissolved the FHF, restructuring and reuniting as the Hadrogaan Moons Coalition (HMC), which focuses on galactic policy, diplomacy, and helping organize its constituents to compete in the interstellar economy. With limited raw materials, the HMC has focused instead on developing hadrogaan service and manufacturing industries— anything from education, construction, and military consulting to medicine, arcane services, and thinktank contributions. To this end, it coordinates large labor contingents contracted for a period of months or years, ensuring the workers have their passage, housing, and other basic needs covered in addition to good pay. Nobody is drafted or compelled to participate, and hadrogaans instead sign up for the fair compensation and opportunity to see (and sometimes stay in) the many worlds beyond their own. Of all the beings they’ve encountered thus far, hadrogaans have developed a mutual fondness for dwarves. In addition to their shared expertise in mining and appreciation for ordered societies, hadrogaans especially appreciate the dwarves’ Quest for Sky, which parallels their own ancient call to action and journey into space.

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accidental ambassadors were happy to explain their plight and coordinate the two species’ union. A kallestrine’s psychology has little sense of self, more or less treating themself as a single being despite being comprised of many fragments with different minds. When merged with a hadrogaan, the various kallestrine fragments form new connections throughout the body, allowing the fragments to act with one mind in parallel with the hadrogaan’s. This unification usually involves fitting smaller kallestrine shards into a youth’s body and then giving them several weeks in which the shards grow to fill their allotted space, during which time the two entities develop and test their lifelong bond. Rarely, this process ends in rejection as the crystals detach and fall free in an emotionally traumatic separation. Assuming the process works, the two become literally inseparable; tearing kallestrine free causes intense psychological harm and can even erase some of a hadrogaan’s essential life functions. Likewise, kallestrine can fracture like a bone and can heal in a similar way, though the damage can impede concentration or even cause memory loss. As a result, despite their kallestrine often reinforcing their bodies’ weak points, hadrogaans usually don’t employ their crystalline components as defensive tools. A hadrogaan benefits from the arrangement thanks to their kallestrine’s intellectual discourse, providing another perspective in analyzing any problem and a degree of neurological redundancy. In addition, a kallestrine lacks visual senses but does perceive their surroundings through touch, sensing their environment without the need for eyes and empathically sharing this information with their partner. In return, the hadrogaan provides a home and nourishment for their crystals, which draw on some of the body’s heat and require a steady diet of sundry minerals. This symbiosis often triggers surprising food cravings for hadrogaans, leading them to chase after some magnesiumrich vegetable or sprinkle aluminum-fortified salts on their meals. Once a hadrogaan has bonded to kallestrine, it’s extremely difficult for new fragments to be transplanted without triggering rejection, as the various unfamiliar psyches fight with each other. The more closely aligned a donor is with the recipient, the better the odds of acceptance, though previously unbonded kallestrine often clash with their previously bonded body. Thus, it’s rare for anyone but family, dear friends, and lovers to share symbiotic material. That said, hadrogaans occasionally chip off a small piece of their kallestrine to give to a true friend, who’s expected to incorporate the offered kallestrine into their body. This quantity isn’t enough to trigger mental distress and instead is a symbolic gesture of entrusting part of one’s own self to another.

KALLESTRINE

NAMES

Kallestrine are crystalline organisms native to Hadrogess’s crust, typically growing several hundred feet below the surface. Historically, kallestrine developed vast spindle grids that interlaced the bedrock like a mycelial network, which they use to exchange minerals and ideas as they slowly grew and pondered their lightless existence. Thanks to this network, the kallestrine community sensed its planet’s gradual demise. Thus, when hadrogaan miners unexpectedly unearthed several shards, these

Hadrogaan names often provide context for an individual’s life. Full names include a personal name and family name but might also include a name related to their syndicate (Tenth-District Engineering, shortened to “Tenth”), the place they were raised (Urorohss-blossom, shortened to “Blossom”), rare placement of kallestrine in their body (Ankle-set, Ear-hollowed), and so on. Hadrogaans savor these unique aspects of someone’s personal history, family history, or background, which all enrich the

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES greater social organism hadrogaans see themselves as being part of. In general, a hadrogaan’s kallestrine symbiotes don’t volunteer or even require a name, though occasionally a network develops an acute sense of self, creates a name, and adds that to their hadrogaan host’s own.

Sample Names Akhig, Caalriu, Fermoul, Khiri, Metenck, Rhouu, Soriuss, Sutaadh, Tephys, Umepht, and Yorrit.

AUGMENTATIONS Hadrogaans developed the following magitech augmentations, though these technologies have gradually proliferated the galaxy and might be available to other PCs.

DECEPTION NODE

SYSTEM Brain

PRICE 9,500 LEVEL 8 When activated as a swift action, this artificial organ translates your subconscious thoughts into inane chatter that you hardly notice but that psychic intruders find jarring. While the system is active, you gain a +2 resistance bonus to saving throws against effects that read your thoughts (such as detect thoughts). Also, any creature contacting you with telepathy or reading your thoughts must succeed at a Will save (DC = 10 + 1/2 your level + your Charisma modifier) or become dazzled and unable to communicate with their telepathy for 1d4 rounds; if they’re concentrating on a spell that reads your thoughts, they lose concentration, potentially ending the spell. You can deactivate the node as a swift action. Once a creature successfully saves against your deception node, they’re immune to it for 1 hour. If you have two deception nodes installed, they provide you greater control over your mental chatter, and you can activate or deactivate both as a swift action. While both are active, the resistance bonus to saving throws increases to +3, and the DC to resist the nodes’ effect increases by 1. If a creature reading your thoughts fails the saving throw, rather than dazzling them and interrupting their concentration, you can instead provide false thoughts to the creature. Doing so functions as telling a lie using the Bluff skill, though you reduce any DC modifier from the creature’s attitude by 5 if they’re unfriendly or hostile.

PSYCHIC STRIKE NODE

and negate any additional effects from the burst (below). Once you’ve activated the node, you can’t do so again until you’ve rested for 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points, though you can spend 1 Resolve Point to recharge it immediately. If you have two psychic strike nodes of the same model (which requires having the ability to install two augmentations in your brain system), the second node doesn’t grant additional uses of the mental burst. Instead, you activate the nodes as a pair, augmenting the mental burst in one of the following ways, chosen each time you activate the augmentations: you increase the damage dice to d10s, the burst affects all creatures within 20 feet of you, you can exclude up to three creatures in the burst’s area to not affect, or you cause any creature who fails their Will saving throw to also become sickened for 1d3 rounds.

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

SYSTEM Brain

MODEL LEVEL PRICE DAMAGE BASIC 4 2,100 2D8 STANDARD 9 13,500 5D8 ADVANCED 14 73,000 9D8 ELITE 19 557,000 14D8 A psychic strike node gradually accumulates your stray thoughts and releases them in an offensive burst of mental energy when activated as a standard action. The burst is a mind-affecting effect that affects all other creatures within 10 feet of you, dealing an amount of untyped damage based on the model. Affected creatures who succeed at a Will save (DC 10 + half your level + your choice of your Constitution modifier, Intelligence modifier, Wisdom modifier, or Charisma modifier, chosen when you install this augmentation) take half damage

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HANAKAN Home World: Ssets’Akana (The Vast) Hanakan are small, feathered saurians with magical abilities. Their clever minds are adept at magic and medicine, and their claws make them agile climbers and runners.

Hanakans shun technology, instead utilizing magic for their societal and personal needs. A symbiosis with an adaptive bacteria helped these raptor-like beings expand across their dangerously volcanic home planet and throughout their star system. Their peaceful society places great value on personal enrichment, individual accomplishment, and peaceful settlement of disagreements through debate, proxy champions, and subterfuge. They carry mystical stones, called ssenavars, that hold symbolic religious significance and are sometimes magical in their own right. Supported by their innate magical abilities, their instinctive curiosity and culture of non-violent competition make them savvy spacefarers and shrewd sorcerers.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Hanakans are reptilian bipeds with lithe bodies, flexible necks, and whiplike tails that speak to their roots as opportunistic scavengers and hunters of small game. Each hanakan grows uniquely colored feathers on their arms, tails, and heads, which serve as both personal identifiers and as the vehicle for the species’ complex and nuanced somatic language. These feathers also have a remarkably high ignition temperature, helping shield hanakans from embers on their volcanic home world. Although perhaps once razor sharp, a modern hanakan’s claws and talons have evolved to better manipulate tools and scrabble up cliffs, rather than to tear prey. Omnivorous by nature, hanakans magically operate farms where they produce a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and nuts, while subterranean ranchers rear cattle-sized, herbivorous spiders called vanshas that serve as agile beasts of burden and a source of meat. The average hanakan stands 30 inches tall at the shoulder, measures 4 feet from nose to tail, and weighs around 25 pounds. The adaptive symbiotic bacteria in hanakan lungs allows them to breathe in a broade range of environments, an advantage that not only allowed them to survive the volcanic surface of their home world Ssets’Akana, but also allowed early hanakan to explore their solar system via teleportation magic. Like hanakan and most other species found on Ssets’Akana, the symbiotic bacteria possess latent magical qualities. Though xenobiologists can successfully recreate the bacteria’s adaptive properties, they’ve yet to detect any traces of magic in their lab-grown specimens, further deepening the unanswered question of what precisely the bacteria’s magic does. Hanakans generate magic of their own, independent of their microbiome. Hatchlings often flare with harmless sparks or uncontrollably change color before learning to control their powers, usually by the end of their first year. Even without further training, a typical hanakan can smell magical auras and perform minor arcane feats. Those who do develop their magic thrive thanks to their intuitive understanding of eldritch forces.

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HOME WORLD Hanakans originate from the volcanically volatile planet of Ssets’Akana, the second planet from the Ash’Akan system’s sun. The tectonic activity stems partly from a vast connection to the Plane of Earth deep in the planet’s core. The planet’s extreme volcanic activities mean that elaborate magical protections are required for the handful of hanakan cities that dot the ashen landscape. Buildings of hardened light, flying globes, and other surreal magical architecture stand in stark contrast to the steaming rock and swirling ash of the environs. These cities define themselves in part by the role a particular school of magic played there in hanakan history. This quality drives scholarship as well as a mostly friendly planetwide rivalry. Hsst’Hyssasha occupies a collapsed stratovolcano cone, and it was there that hanakan abjurers and evokers defeated ancient enemies made of electricity, likely seeding hanakan dislike for electricity and technology later. The twinned cities Hsst’Vaka and Hsst’Pliva are built within and atop a mesa respectively, serving as the intellectual seat of philosophy and civics. Hsst’Vaka’s necromancers call upon ghosts as eyewitnesses and maintain records alongside skeletal archivists, while Hsst’Pliva’s vibrant politics exist alongside its colleges of ethics and enchantments. Illusion thrives in Hsst’Panayka through art and displays of prowess, most famously during the Trials of Power combat tournament held there every four years. With its factories fueled by extraplanar fonts and conjured materials, Hsst’Kul provides finished goods across the Ash’Akan system. It also hosts the Starleap Sanctum, a teleportation-focused school whose best disciples can transport travelers between the stars for the right price. Having foreseen its future of being swallowed by the sea, the diviners of Hsst’Anan magically levitated their whole island, which now wanders the planet while serving as part spaceport, part cruise liner, and part taxi. Smaller settlements survive beyond the magically protected zones. Though most shelter in narrow valleys or are built into lava tube networks, others turn to taboo means of preservation, such as infernal pacts, sinister rituals, or even technological solutions. Some just relocate every few centuries. After all, most of Ssets’Akana’s volcanic hotspots wander slowly, and verdant forest might become a pyroclastic wasteland after a few generations. This process has buried countless metropolises in ash, sealing away lost magics that await archaeologists. Dense jungles spring up in the wake of volcanic eruptions within days, and hanakan legends speak of immense plant-like guardians that accelerate the growth. These verdant pockets attract technologists using the forest to hide their forbidden artifice. Tales of these dangerous outcasts and magical monsters feature heavily in hanakan bedtime stories.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

SOCIETY Ancient hanakans traveled in packs for mutual protection and group hunting strategies, with groups fracturing or uniting as needed to exploit new opportunities or evade danger. That pack mentality still influences modern society despite the many changes that followed the discovery of soulstones. Hanakans often form overlapping social circles of about 5 to 40 members—often including some blood relatives—that satiate their instinctive pack mentality. Fewer companions than this tend to trigger feelings of anxiety and vulnerability that most hanakans conceal with bravado. Vast packs, on the other hand, start becoming socially cumbersome, and these groups amicably split into smaller units. These outlooks don’t discourage hanakans from city living. Instead, metropolises just mean thousands of intersecting packs and networks that savvy hanakans can navigate to procure just about any service or favor. One hanakan could easily be part of a family-oriented pack, a guild-like pack of likeminded professionals, a pack of recreational pilots, and a pack of diehard magical sports fans, each with a complex hierarchy. Religious hanakans often worship deities of learning, community, and magic, such as Eloritu, Talavet, or Yaraesa. Hylax has a small but passionate following due to hanakans’ general preference for nonviolent conflict resolution. Beyond cultural outcasts and curious iconoclasts, Triune’s worship is practically unknown.

Contests

Just as some cultures lionize the moment when two beings achieve perfect harmony and understanding of one another, hanakan society revels in pyh’huz, the rare moment when two evenly matched and opposing sides achieve a perfect stalemate—a revelation typically punctuated by both parties incoherently screeching, kicking up dust, and hopping about in a moment of shared emotional release, after which it’s customary to end the contest as a draw. Despite being a departure from hanakans’ usual eloquence, these uncommon, socially acceptable tantrums represent a mutual frustration with and respect between the competitors.

Magic Magic doesn’t just flow through hanakans’ veins; it also suffuses their societies. Advanced technologies experienced little development with magic serving as the primary problem-solving tool in the hanakan arsenal—especially because an ancient, barely remembered enemy made of electricity nearly destroyed hanakans ages ago, instilling a distrust of electronics. Minor magical and hybrid devices are ubiquitous, activated either with a touch or by coaxing the magic to activate with a nudge of token spell, which hanakans can cast intuitively. Many of the larger settlements on Ssets’Akan champion a particular type of magic, and individuals from these regions

2 OVERVIEW

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EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Warfare is rare among hanakans, who much prefer resolving conflicts through minimally violent means. Most often, this resolution takes the form of wordplay, usually debate. While there are formal formats for debate, any form of informed argument will do. Hanakans are keenly appreciative of minute details, whether in magical theories, written works, or physical craftsmanship, and this attention features in Ssets’Akanan spoken conflicts—as the saying goes, “The distance between a life and a death is as narrow as a misspoken word.” Sometimes, debating facts is too subtle. Either as sport or as a formal means of embarrassing someone in retaliation for a slight, many hanakans practice vrukulaa, a contest of ritualized boasting, insult, and dance. A participant extols their own virtues in front of a gathered crowd before twisting their brags into a verbal attack against their opponent, who must answer with virtues and attacks of their own. Truth and debate style impact the contest somewhat, but it’s just as important to construct poetically exciting lines, flare one’s feathers at key moments, perform complex dance steps while orating, and deliver everything with flair—often with one’s pack punctuating wild claims with supportive cheers and jeers from the sidelines. A vrukulaa typically lasts only a few rounds before there’s a clear victor, though the contest can extend indefinitely, with a few legendary bouts having gone for days.

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Con, +2 Cha, –2 Int Hit Points: 2 Size and Type: Hanakans are Small magical beasts. Atmospheric Adaptation: Hanakans’ exposure to a variety of atmospheres has made them immune to inhaled poisons and acclimated to thin and thick atmospheres. Hanakan Magic: Hanakans gain the following spell-like abilities. The caster level for these effects is equal to the hanakan’s character level. 1/day—wisp ally At will—detect magic, token spell Hanakan Senses: Hanakans have darkvision with a range of 60 feet and low-light vision. Scramble: A hanakan has a land speed of 40 feet and a climb speed of 20 feet. Studied: Hanakans gain a +2 species bonus to Medicine and Mysticism checks.

commonly adopt that arcane preference like a civilian might develop loyalty to a sports team. Schools of spellcasting spark debates, rivalries, and even formal competitions, but not outright conflict. In fact, the more that hanakans travel the galaxy and study other societies’ magical traditions, the more these old school lines have blurred. That said, these divisions still debate and espouse key ethical concerns tied to their respective arts: whom can a necromancer reanimate, what is the minimum safe distance for bystanders when conjuring elementals, and so on. In particular, enchantment magic remains strictly overseen and taught, treated in many ways like a martial art reserved for selfdefense. Magically controlling another being is deeply taboo, and conspiracy theories of enchanted politicians and the like periodically cause a stir.

Language The hanakan feather sign language is extremely nuanced, as both their naturally keen predator eyesight and their highly agile musculature grant them the ability to subtly convey a precise emotion or concept with a flick of their feathers. This linguistic advantage helped the species to become one of the most well-versed in practical thaumaturgical theory, and many other magicians use illusion magic to create a facsimile of the language for themselves, the better to take advantage of hanakan arcane insight. The range of emotion that the language can express also makes hanakan poetry particularly poignant, and hanakan satire especially effective at cutting an individual down to size.

SOULSTONES According to hanakan legend, their ancestors discovered the first ssenavars (or soulstones) deep in a cave, where the walls sang to them, and these explorers sang back. Infused with elemental energies absorbed from deeper in the planet’s core, these stones augmented hanakan magic and spurred a whirlwind of cultural development and urbanization. To commemorate this discovery, they constructed Hsst’Zaska, a holy city that still stands within the magically expanded and reinforced caverns. However, there’s an ideological divide in interpreting this crucial moment: did the soulstones uplift these proto-hanakans, or did the ssenavars simply provide a valuable tool to an already intelligent species? Most hanakans favor the latter hypothesis for the way it preserves their agency as a society. Whatever their ancient origin, naturally infused soulstones are rarely uncovered on Ssets’Akana. Instead, modern hanakans typically create their own or attune to an inherited ssenavar, mingling their spirit with the echoes of previous bearers. Some hanakan pass their soulstones to promising young family

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INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

2

TABLE 2–11: SOLARIAN WEAPON CRYSTALS OVERVIEW

SOLARIAN WEAPON CRYSTALS Iceflame crystal, shard Pyrespike crystal, shard Iceflame crystal, least Pyrespike crystal, least Iceflame crystal, minor Pyrespike crystal, minor Iceflame crystal, lesser Pyrespike crystal, lesser Iceflame crystal, standard Pyrespike crystal, standard Iceflame crystal, greater Pyrespike crystal, greater Iceflame crystal, true Pyrespike crystal, true

LEVEL

PRICE

DAMAGE

CRITICAL

BULK

SPECIAL

2 3 5 6 8 9 11 12 14 15 17 18 20 20

780 1,400 3,100 4,255 9,600 13,280 25,200 35,500 75,000 109,000 255,000 369,000 825,000 856,000

+1 C +1 F +1d3 C +1d3 F +1d6 C +1d6 F +2d6 C +2d6 F +3d6 C +3d6 F +4d6 C +4d6 F +6d6 C +6d6 F

frostbite 1 sicken AR frostbite 1d4 sicken AR frostbite 1d6 sicken AR frostbite 1d6 sicken AR frostbite 2d6 sicken AR frostbite 3d6 sicken AR frostbite 4d6 sicken AR

—

aurora AR

—

aurora AR

—

aurora AR

—

aurora AR

—

aurora AR

—

aurora AR

—

aurora AR

members or mentees on their passing, while others encourage their families to sell or donate their ssenavars in hopes of finding a potential soulmatch in the world. Bold or adventurous hanakan undertake grand quests to rediscover famous lost ssenavars, though many of these would-be heroes vanish to magical beasts or worse. However a hanakan receives a soulstone, there’s no guarantee of a particular ssenavar responding favorably to that hanakan’s bonding attempt. Imperfectly matched ssenavars simply don’t respond. Rarely, a truly mismatched or arrogantly commandeered stone will lash out with energy to reprimand an unwanted partner. Assuming the ssenavar is properly made or, for an inherited stone, properly matched, it shares its true name with its hanakan partner. This spiritually unites bearer and ssenavar into one, with the former contributing the “child soul” and the latter the “high soul” to comprise a dualistic being. This connection is faintly perceptible to the hanakan, allowing them to track their stone when within at least a few paces of it. Likewise, this connection can be detected and even deciphered by talented ssenavar’ishi, mystical lineage scholars who specialize in the study of soulstone energies. Other than to these few observers, a ssenavar typically doesn’t detect as magical while near its hanakan partner, as the stone is an extension of the living being. However, when separated by a substantial distance, a soulstone develops a faint aura. Losing one’s ssenavar is culturally disastrous for a hanakan, effectively removing any authority or agency that the stoneless hanakan once had. Soulstone hunters thus receive a high place in hanakan society, whether helping forgetful hanakan find misplaced stones, braving dangerous areas to reclaim stones from the dead, or hunting soulstone-stealing criminal rings smuggling ssenavars offworld for the magical black market. Some soulstone hunters have been known to hunt a particular ssenavar for years, implacable and deadly in their magical pursuit. Even after acquiring a ssenavar and adopting its true name, a hanakan typically continues using their eggname for most purposes. A true name has power, especially when woven into powerful rituals to affect the named target. Thus, sharing a true name is a matter of vulnerability, intimacy, and ultimate trust among hanakans.

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

NAMES Hanakan eggnames can be tricky for other species to properly pronounce, as the sibilant hisses, hard glottal sounds, and somatic components are difficult to master. Hanakan eggnames traditionally incorporate elements from multiple family names and serve as a wish and a prayer for the newborn hanakan to reflect aspects of their ancestors’ spirits.

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Sample Names Some sample hanakan names include Ant’sswa, Bee’sstric, Cra’sstu, Glai’sstri, Hyss’ha, Isst’jaka, Jeess’hrana, Lass’traima, Nyss’traya, Plak’ssyni, Qui’sslyka, Sset’rini, Tak’ssainka, Vix’ssyna, Wyss’traika, Xiss’lyma, Yee’ssayna, and Zi’sshaka.

SOLARIAN WEAPON CRYSTALS Hanakans sometimes enchant their soulstones, which then also function as aeon stones or solarian weapon crystals. The following solarian weapon crystals were developed by hanakan artificers and are now found throughout the galaxy.

ICEFLAME CRYSTALS Creating an eternal, endothermic flame is a classic test for hanakan spellcasters. When applied to a solarian weapon crystal, this magic creates a relentlessly heat-leeching gem that often causes its imbued weapon to glow with azure flames. Iceflame crystals have the frostbite weapon critical hit effect. Frostbite: The weapon rimes the target, draining their heat and causing frostbite damage equal to the amount listed. This functions as the burning condition but deals cold damage rather than fire damage.

PYRESPIKE CRYSTALS Often made from multihued obsidian, a pyrespike crystal softly thrums like a tiny volcano straining to explode. This weapon crystal functions normally with most solar weapons, but when applied to a solar flare COM, the crystal grants the solar flare the automatic weapon special property, affecting up to 6 targets. Afterward, the solar flare can’t be used in automatic mode again until you’ve rested for 10 minutes to regain Stamina Points.

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KALO Home World Kalo-Mahoi (Pact Worlds) Said to resemble bats because of their innate sonar and ability to glide quickly and gracefully through frigid oceans, the aquatic kalos of Kalo-Mahoi foster the Pact Worlds’ art scene in their vibrant, underwater bubble cities.

Kalos resemble humans covered in tiny scales with bulbous glowing eyes and large fins running down their flanks to connect their arms and legs. They evolved close to the seafloor of the icy Brethedan moon Kalo-Mahoi, clustering around the moon’s life-giving geothermal vents. Since the adaptation of Drift travel, kalos have built their cities into fabulous spectacles as a way of welcoming other species to their home. Those kalos who travel abroad often thrive as artists or as mercenaries specialized in underwater and zero-g combat.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Kalos evolved for life in the deep ocean where sunlight doesn’t reach. They can’t naturally breathe air, so they require breathing apparatus or body augmentation to explore outside of water. Only small pockets of water closest to Kalo-Mahoi’s glowing seafloor vents are warm, so kalos developed a hardy resistance to the prevalent, near-freezing water that comprise most of their habitat to travel from geothermal oasis to oasis. Away from the vents and surface, there’s also no light, forcing kalos to rely on their innate sonar to hunt and navigate, which is roughly as sharp as a human’s sight out to several dozen feet. Kalo scales tend toward shades of blue or green, though pale pink coloration can also appear. The long, winglike fins that connect kalos’ arms and legs are thin enough to be translucent, and their undulating movement helps kalos glide silently through the water while hunting. Kalo eyes are large and able to move and focus independently to sense predators and prey alike. Each eye also possesses a faint and independently controlled form of bioluminescence that kalos use to visually signal each other. The lower half of a kalo’s face is covered by sensory tendrils, and they have large mouths full of small, needlelike teeth. These tendrils might resemble beards in the eyes of hair-growing species, but having long and healthy tendrils is generally an attractive quality for kalos of any gender. Each kalo also has a unique array of decorative spines, which are generally viewed as a human might view hair, running from their forehead down the center ridge of their skull. Kalos on average range from five to six feet tall and generally weigh less than humans of the same size, averaging around 100 pounds. This stems in part from kalos’ mostly cartilaginous skeletons and relatively lean frames. Their physiology makes kalos slightly frailer than humans, and they tend to tire quickly on land, where their fins—developed for gliding on deep ocean currents to conserve energy—don’t assist mobility. Water isn’t just important for support and locomotion; their gills can’t breathe air, so kalos typically wear fluid-filled helmets, respirators, or environment suits. What’s more, kalo scales require periodic immersion in water, and they gradually dry out and flake painfully if not doused.

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HOME WORLD Kalos are the only intelligent humanoid species to evolve on Kalo-Mahoi, one of the planet Bretheda’s many moons. KaloMahoi lacks any terrestrial landmasses and is instead covered in a thick ice crust. The seemingly lifeless surface conceals a vibrant ocean teeming with life. The flora and fauna are so diverse, in fact, that scholars theorize much of it originated in the First World of the fey and traveled to the Material Plane through one of the many naturally occurring First World portals—called blooms—that open and close at random all over Kalo-Mahoi. The noteworthy number of linnorms (primordial, serpentine dragons) supports this theory, with linnorms living either in ice caves within the crust or deep within ocean trenches. The linnorms claim an unbroken lineage to Ragadahn the Water Lord, one the fey Eldest. Worship of the self-proclaimed Father of Dragons has featured in kalo society for all recorded history, and ruined cities concealed in the deepest ocean trenches bear his spiral iconography and don’t seem to have kalo origins. It’s possible that kalos migrated to this moon from the First World’s infinite oceans ages ago, carrying with them some ancient obedience to Ragadahn. As a chaotic evil demigod, Ragadahn mostly appeals as a being to be appeased to avert disaster, not as a patron with their worshipper’s best interests in mind. His worship is considered edgy yet acceptable, usually framing him as an embodiment of primal power and aquatic mastery. Kalo-Mahoi tends to be divided into three distinct but interrelated ecosystems: the crust, the photic zone, and the aphotic zone. While life on the moon began in the water, some creatures evolved to live partially or wholly on or in the ice crust to escape marine predators and access light, eventually establishing an entire ecosystem. Compared to the oceans, though, the crust is nutrient poor. Today, various points in the crust support starship landing pads and maintain perpetually open holes in the ice to bridge the oceans and galaxy beyond. The oceans’ photic zone is where light from the Pact Worlds’ sun extends, shining most brightly near the equator where the crust is relatively thin. It’s characterized by free-floating kelp forests, rolling undersea hills covered in vibrantly blooming seagrasses, and city-sized coral reefs. While the most plentiful in terms of resources, this zone has historically been dominated by massive, sharklike apex predators and lightning-fast, pack-hunting mantas, though the balance of power shifted as kalo society industrialized and developed the technology necessary to settle this zone. Kalo society originated in the ocean’s aphotic zone, where no light from above penetrates, though that isn’t to say there’s no light at all. Almost every creature that lives in this zone possesses some sort of bioluminescence, from snakelike predators communicating with one another through shifting patterns along their backs to fields of predatory grasses glowing

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES a soft blue to entice prey. For much of their history, kalos lived in the deeps to avoid the larger predators above. The largest light sources in the aphotic zone are geothermal vents, which give off pale light as well as heat. Even though the aphotic zone doesn’t receive sunlight, it still averages around the same temperature as the photic zone because of the water heated by the moon’s core coming from the vents. These vents serve as oases for life in this zone. Aquatic forests of filter-feeding fronds spring up around vents and provide homes for even stranger creatures. Over millennia, kalo civilization developed from nomadic hunter-gatherer tribes to an industrialized, unified society. Many vents now support large cities, many of which have large “bubbles” filled with air for terrestrial creatures to reside in. Even though the moon is highly industrialized, pollution isn’t a serious concern. Kalo-Mahoi’s vents serve as a natural energy source and kalo infrastructure places a large amount of emphasis on waste recycling to keep the oceans clean. Several areas moon-wide are marked off as national parks to maintain the moon’s biodiversity, but some activists argue that such efforts aren’t enough and petition to scale down some of the moon’s industry. The large numbers of fey and water elementals who either can’t or won’t live by the laws of organized society complicate relations as well. Kalo society does its best to devote certain parts of the moon to their neighbors, but conflicts still arise.

closer to the water’s surface. Many of these towns are industrial installations built to manage a particular factory or trade, not host visitors, so they usually lack widespread air-breathing infrastructure. Kalos that live offworld often find it difficult to integrate with other species unless that species is also aquatic, and they most often form their own watery, close-knit enclaves. Kalos often view their distant history with a mixture of pain and pride, and they preserve many cultural touchstones of their more warlike past. Many contemporary positions take their titles from archaic roles, such as the sharkhunters and mantariders—today names of elite military units. However, actual Mahoi mantas have long since been replaced by technological vehicles, and mantas themselves have been relegated to pets and beloved cultural icons. Deepspeakers, who once served as fearsome spellcasters and liaisons for their communities’ patron linnorms, now function primarily as historians, advisors, and curators of cultural artifacts.

2 OVERVIEW

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EVOLUTIONIST

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PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

SOCIETY In ancient times, kalos lived in small groups near the ocean floor and relied on stealth to evade predators, the greatest of which were mighty linnorms. Many communities swore allegiance to a linnorm and offered it tribute in food, art, and other treasures in exchange for protection. In this way, Ragadahn’s faith spread amongst the kalos as they prayed jointly for protection and mercy from him and his fearsome children. A years-long conflict marked the point that kalos mounted a war against the linnorms to claim the moon’s oceans for themselves, pushing the dragons to deep trenches or the ice crust. What followed was relative peace and a long period of invention, growth, and rapid industrialization. Kalo artists and innovators could dedicate their talents for the community rather than linnorm overlords, and they used that freedom to create elaborate architectural testaments to kalo civilization—full of colorful, shining spires and winding streets that were bright beacons against the sunless oceans. This was a message: the kalos weren’t afraid to make themselves known. Kalo cities are massive art installations, built with the philosophy that beauty is always just as important as functionality in design. A design is a failure if it can’t excel at its function while being aesthetically pleasing. Today, most kalos live in large cities built near geothermal vents dimly illuminated by phosphorescent life. A smaller portion of the population lives in small towns and villages

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Dex, +2 Wis, –2 Con Hit Points: 2 Size and Type: Kalos are Medium monstrous humanoids with the aquatic subtype, meaning they require water to breathe. Cold Resistance: Kalos are used to swimming in icy water and have cold resistance 5. Kalo Movement: Kalos have a base speed of 20 feet and a swim speed of 30 feet. Kalo Vision: Kalos’ innate sonar gives them blindsight (sound) with a range of 60 feet, while their specialized eyes grant them low-light vision. Stealthy Swimmers: Kalos gain a +4 bonus to Stealth checks when in water. Water Breathing: Kalos have the water breathing universal creature rule.

mechanically identical but available in as many designs as one can imagine. Anyone seeking maximum personal clout sports such custom commissions, and the price for these kalo-made products usually reflects the artisanal premium. Kalo artists often look to other societies to study their artistic traditions as well. Many kalo adventurers got their start by leaving Kalo-Mahoi to explore new ways of creating. In antiquity, the most renowned kalo warriors were known as much for their prowess in battle as for their artistic genius, such as Huur-Shaala the Spearsinger, whose poems extolling Kalo-Mahoi’s natural beauty are still culturally beloved today. A popular practice for kalo adventurers since the adoption of Drift travel is to learn from other cultures and hybridize their art with kalo art. A currently popular trend with origins on a different planet is the variety of vibrant colors inspired by lashunta traditions, where formerly kalo art was more texture-based, given the species’ reliance on sonar rather than sight for perception.

NAMES While Kalo-Mahoi is generally peaceful and welcoming to offworlders, schisms gradually widen concerning where kalo society is or should be headed. The Deep Resurgence is a fringe political faction of neo-traditionalists and led by a radical deepspeaker who preaches that Ragadahn will return to punish their civilization for bringing “land” into his domain (a poetic reference to retrofitting cities to accommodate air-breathing species). The Deep Resurgence pushes for the removal of air domes, for air breathers to be the ones to adjust by using personal breathing apparatuses, and that the offworlder tourism industry is nothing but a form of colonization. So far, the conflicts remain in infosphere comments and debate halls and haven’t yet turned to violence or sabotage.

KALOS AND ART Since antiquity, art has had a place of reverence in kalo society. Traditionally, clothing, sculpture, carving, and mosaics were the most common mediums, but ever since kalo cities began maintaining air-filled spaces, kalos have practiced painting and other mediums unfit for underwater life. Artists are by far Kalo-Mahoi’s most popular celebrities; the infosphere has allowed artists far greater reach than before. Vidcasts of prominent artists doing their work or reality shows featuring contestants competing to create the best art are popular show genres on the moon. Creative pursuits are a required part of adolescent kalos’ education, and it’s a well-maintained tradition to give handmade gifts to friends and family for special occasions, though with the rise in consumerism, it has become more common to purchase adequately artful gifts instead. Some traditionalist kalos worry that the ease with which goods can be mass-produced and purchased pollutes the very concepts of art and creativity. In pre-industrial times, most kalos owned relatively few possessions, so they prioritized objects that expressed their individual identities and tastes. A kalo’s treasured possessions often incorporated rare materials, displayed artistic flair, and were designed to last for years, if not lifetimes. Post-Gap Kalo-Mahoi maintains this adoration of personalized, artful goods with a startling variety of kalo-designed equipment that’s

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Kalo names are often derived from history and culture. Parents are likely to name their child after historical figures, artists, fictional characters in media they enjoy, among other sources. It’s also common for parents to alter existing names in some way, such as changing the spelling but keeping the sound the same, as an exercise in creativity and to ensure their child has a name that will stand out. Traditional kalo names don’t often have hard consonant sounds. They favor soft consonants and long vowel sounds. However, with the amount of exposure to other cultures Kalo-Mahoi has, it isn’t uncommon to encounter kalos with names following the conventions of other Pact Worlds societies.

Sample Names Some sample kalo names include Ashaal-Vash, Vhaalith, Gothuul, Huur-Shaala, Suulha, Dhaavan, Zaasha, Insuul, Mahaluu, Ollonha, Divhuul-Huur, Saamvhi, Ullaamoth, Thuvhaash, Ruugoth, Vhellhu, Elluveth, Yashuul, Falhuur, Luuvhath.

CREATURE COMPANIONS Kalos have a long history of living alongside Kalo-Mahoi’s wildlife. While mounts and hunting companions are lessas pervasive now, some kalos still opt to keep aquatic companions.

Linnormling Despite their size, linnormlings claim to be descendants of the Eldest Ragadahn. They’re willful creatures yet offer their expertise with curses to anyone offering them proper tribute.

LINNORMLING Tiny fey (aquatic) Senses darkvision 60 ft.; low-light vision Good Save Will; Poor Saves Fort, Ref Speed fly 30 ft. (Su, perfect); swim 30 ft. Melee Attack bite (P) Ranged Attack zap (E) Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Ability Modifiers Dex, Cha

LEVELS 6-20

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES SPECIAL ABILITIES

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Spiteful Curse (Su; 10th level) When the linnormling takes damage from a creature’s spell or attack, they cast bestow curse on that creature as a reaction with a range of 30 feet without having to touch the target (Will negates). The curse lasts until the end of that creature’s next turn. If the spell or attack reduced the linnormling to 0 Hit Points, the curse instead lasts a number of rounds equal to the linnormling’s Charisma modifier. Once they use this ability, they can’t do so again for 1d4 rounds. Zap (Ex) A linnormling has a ranged attack that deals electricity damage and has a range of 60 feet.

Pack Hunter (Ex) At the start of your turn, you can designate one creature as your prey. You and your mahoi manta are considered to be flanking your prey so long as both you and your manta are threatening that creature. Manta Venom (Ex; 5th level) A mahoi manta’s sting stores a single dose of manta venom that it can choose to inject whenever it successfully hits a target with its sting attack. When you rest for 10 minutes to recover Stamina Points, your mahoi manta regains its dose of venom.

Localized Water Elemental Water elementals are common on Kalo-Mahoi, and the longer they remain on the Material Plane, the more they tend to adapt, taking on a semipermanent shape. While this diminishes some of the elemental’s resistances, it also drives them to imprint on and work with other creatures, such as kalos. LEVELS 1-11

LOCALIZED WATER ELEMENTAL Small or Medium outsider (elemental, water) Senses darkvision 60 ft. Good Save Fort; Poor Saves Ref, Will Speed 20 ft.; swim 40 ft. Melee Attack slam (B) Ability Modifiers Str, Dex

MANTA VENOM Type poison (injury) Save Fortitude Track Dexterity (special); Frequency 1/round for 4 rounds Effect progression track is Sluggish–Stiffened–Staggered– Immobile; immobile functions as an end state. Cure 2 saves

2 OVERVIEW

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EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

SPECIAL ABILITIES Demi-Elemental (Su) A localized water elemental lacks elemental immunities. Instead, it gains a +2 bonus to saving throws against bleed, critical hit, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning effects. A localized elemental can be flanked. Jet (Ex) While in water, a localized water elemental can charge as a standard action without the normal charge penalties. When it deals damage at the end of a charge in this way, it deals additional damage equal to its level. Water Manipulation (Su; 5th level) A localized water elemental can attempt grapple or reposition combat maneuvers with a +2 circumstance bonus at a range of 30 feet so long as both the elemental and its target are in contact with the same body of water.

Mahoi Manta Resembling a five-eyed manta ray, a Mahoi manta is the traditional kalo mount and beast of burden. Mahoi mantas forge strong bonds with their favorite riders and range in color from pale greys and blues to black, with a rare few being pale pink or purple.

MAHOI MANTA

LEVELS 1-20

Large animal (aquatic) Senses blindsight (scent) 60 ft, low-light vision Good Save Ref; Poor Saves Fort, Will Speed 5 ft.; swim 50 ft. Melee Attack stinger (P) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Ability Modifiers Str, Dex

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KOBOLD Home World: None Although resembling an ancient species of reptilian humanoid, modern kobolds are variants conjured from another reality. They’re canny problem-solvers with a predilection for transformational magic and inborn draconic power that’s desperate to manifest.

The kobolds known to the Pact Worlds are a witchwarped species. Following the Gap, kobolds seemed notably absent from the Pact Worlds and surrounding systems, and many assumed their departure tied to Golarion’s disappearance in some way. However, first-century witchwarping rituals designed to access alternate reality technologies didn’t just conjure obscure devices (most of which couldn’t function in this multiverse); they also gated in hundreds of reptilian beings who, by all appearances and self-identification, appear to be kobolds. The creatures confidently dispersed throughout the Pact Worlds, taking up residence in empty and previously unknown apartments, clocking into work with unregistered keycards that noted the kobolds’ longtime (yet previously unnoticed) employment at various agencies, and otherwise just fitting into niches that mysteriously manifested seamlessly in response to the kobolds’ need. Although newer generations of kobolds seem more bound by conventional logic, this first wave’s uncanny integration into this reality has stumped historians, scientists, and magical researchers. To this day, kobolds have an innate affinity for witchwarping, calling upon magic and matter that presumably originates from their alternate home world. This transformative, aspirational magic also lends itself to the kobolds’ unabashed self-confidence and beliefs that they’re heritors of draconic majesty, with the most powerful witchwarpers sometimes spontaneously transforming into extraplanar wyrms, as if unlocking some hidden aspect of their cosmic genealogy.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Resembling an anthropomorphic lizard, a typical kobold stands about 3 feet tall, measuring about 4 feet long from snout to the tip of their tail. Kobolds display a wide range of scale colors that often reflect draconic palettes, with red, blue, green, black, white, and various metals being especially common. Most kobolds develop natural countershading with a lighter underbelly. However, scale color can change over time. As a kobold ages, their scales often accumulate a patina-like outline, develop a natural gradation in their color, become faintly iridescent, or are augmented in some other way that seems roughly analogous to a human’s hair turning gray. Whatever their coloration, a kobold’s scales are thickest along their head and upper arms, providing some protection. Their draconic features don’t stop at scales. Each kobold has a set of horns that vary slightly in size, shape, and number. Most common is a pair of short, backward-pointing horns, though kobolds might have as many as eight smaller horns or none at all. However, adult kobolds almost never have nose horns; each kobold hatches with the help of an “egg horn” that grows from their snout, which they shed within a few months of birth.

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Kobold horns crown a head that’s massive compared to the their body, each sporting an armory of tough teeth designed for chewing and shredding in support of their omnivorous diet. In fact, kobolds can consume an impressive array of foods and other materials, with some priding themselves on consuming precious metals and gems. Due to their head’s size, a kobold would be at risk of tipping over were it not for their slender tail, whose primary role is serving as a counterbalance. For all their fierce armaments— heavy nails, teeth, horns, and tails—none of a kobold’s anatomy is especially suited for lethal self-defense. Due to their unintimidating physiques, kobolds frequently develop and deploy traps and other technological means of evening the odds against larger foes. Due to kobolds’ otherworldly origins, their anatomy experiences subtle idiosyncrasies in this reality. A kobold’s flesh generates negligible magical background radiation that seems to anchor them to this reality’s physics, reflexively intervening to course correct when one multiverse’s math doesn’t quite click with the other’s; this sometimes shorts out pathogens like a magical immune system, transforming cells’ receptors to evade these invaders. Other times, it’s less to a kobold’s benefit, triggering bouts of vertigo, food poisoning, or cramps even when performing familiar tasks or eating favorite foods. When stressed, a kobold’s magical nature can lash out, triggering bursts of unpredictable and uncontrolled arcana. Innocuous events might briefly cause lights to flicker, chill a room, or create bursts of color. Serious incidents, though, can trigger explosions, cause the kobold to become briefly incorporeal, open extraplanar gateways, or worse. The latter rarely occur more than a few times in a kobold’s lifetime, and many kobolds use some combination of meditation and magical pharmaceuticals to manage potential outbursts. Others embrace their innate magical spark, which with training can fuel intense witchwarping spells.

Reproduction Kobolds are oviparous, laying a single large egg at a time. Parents alternate between personally incubating the eggs (or having close family do so), leaving them uncovered, and burying them in specific materials like snow, smoldering charcoal, or acidic peat. If done properly, this exposure doesn’t hurt the developing embryo but instead steers its development, making it more likely the child will have a specific scale color or elemental resistances. If desired, kobold parents might delay incubating one or more eggs so several of their children hatch at once. However, newborn kobolds exhibit instinctive territoriality and food anxiety for their first few weeks, and the young might traumatize, kill, or even eat each other if not carefully monitored. Hatching at different times also staggers adolescents’ puberty, when their magic is at its most unstable. After all, when one youngster’s uncontrolled

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES eldritch outburst could set off a stress-based chain reaction in their siblings, it pays to have staggered their birthdays. Kobolds reach maturity at about 10 years old. They commonly live to ages of 80 or older, and a sizable fraction can reach 140 years. A rare few, most of whom have achieved some level of draconic awakening, are older still with a handful of kobolds who first appeared a few centuries ago seemingly ageless and immortal.

HOME WORLD Given their sudden appearance in the galaxy, kobolds don’t have a traditional home world. Instead, their residences tend to fall into two main categories: the first places where kobolds appeared in this reality and the worlds with draconic or magical significance where kobolds have since congregated. Absalom Station, Verces, and Aucturn all host notable kobold populations, each world adapting in to accommodate the mysterious new arrivals. On Absalom Station, small stretches of infrastructure apparently transformed in the blink of an eye, stretching streets and creating apartments to include the station’s kobold populace. The kobolds there frequently serve as magical tutors, mechanics, and technicians for the station’s Starstone-fueled energy grid, having happily adapted to this new reality. On Verces, whole kobold enclaves manifested across the Ring of Nations. Although many kobolds have since left these neighborhoods to explore the galaxy and its opportunities, most of these communities remain intact. Most famous is the Rezaz District, a township on the Fullbright edge of Athalo and built around a previously unknown spring. Although best known to the Pact Worlds for its kobold-brewed Rezascale whiskeys that mature deep underground, the region is popular with kobolds exploring their personal draconic transformation. Three different monasteries train kobold aspirants, purifying their bodies and spirits to metamorphose into mighty dragons. These students periodically voyage deep into Fullbright to burn away the impurities of this reality, and many don’t return. No doubt some perish in the sun, yet increasingly common sightings of desert wyrms imply that a few kobolds have succeeded in this esoteric ritual. Whereas the rest of the Pact Worlds shifted abruptly to accommodate their new arrivals, Aucturn’s community developed over several weeks, incubating within rapidly swelling pustules that then burst to spill out several hundred traumatized kobolds. They now dwell within a smoky valley called Ensap’s Shadow, which stretches east of the Gnashing Range. There, kobolds subsist on chemosynthesizing plants, have carved out a soft-tunneled subterranean town, and worship Aucturn itself. To this Cult of the Flesh Dragon, Aucturn is like the kobolds: an aberrant being brought into a wrong reality, but fated to hatch and return to its once and future home. Few kobolds initially appeared on Triaxus. However, that planet’s powerful draconic associations and inhabitants acted like a beacon for kobolds everywhere, driving immigration to the Allied Territories and Drakelands for decades afterward. There they’ve thrived in the shadows of dragons, dragonkin, and ryphorians. Especially of the dragonkin, whom kobolds view with conflicting admiration, envy, and projected kinship—how can another creature be so magnificently dragon-like yet so clearly fail at being a true dragon, all while being more visibly draconic than kobolds?

The death of the green dragon Eskterphelon a decade ago left a power vacuum the Tashal clan of kobolds quickly filled, despite three other dragon upstarts competing for the territory. Tashal Zik Akralsk led the clan in executing schemes years in the making, including financially ruining one dragon, destabilizing the second’s petty fiefdom to the point that rivals absorbed it, and outright assassinating the third. The Tashals have thus alarmed and irritated many other dragon powerbrokers, yet the clan has so far played their enemies’ fears off one another, and no single dragon is willing to quash these kobolds lest that leave them vulnerable elsewhere.

SOCIETY Ambition drives kobolds. Even generations after their arrival in this reality, kobolds’ perception and inner logic don’t entirely sync with this multiverse, and they often sense not what is but instead unlikely versions of what could be. This intuition helps make kobolds natural innovators who challenge old norms and often make unlikely leaps in engineering, science, and art. One kobold might long to start a business that eventually becomes a commercial empire. Another obsesses over some technological challenge and works tirelessly to develop a solution. Those who awaken their inner magic might even endeavor to transform their flesh, becoming some other creature entirely.

2 OVERVIEW

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EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Dex, +2 Cha,–2 Con Hit Points: 2 Size and Type: Kobolds are Small humanoids with the kobold subtype. Armored Scales: Kobolds gain a +1 species bonus to AC. Crafty: Kobolds gain a +2 species bonus to Engineering, Perception, and Physical Science checks. Darkvision: Kobolds have darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Dragon-Scaled: Kobolds gain energy resistance based on the color of their scales and the dragons they resemble. Black-scaled kobolds, copper-scaled kobolds, and green-scaled kobolds gain acid resistance 5. Blue-scaled kobolds and bronze-scaled kobolds gain electricity resistance 5. Red-scaled kobolds, brass-scaled kobolds, and gold-scaled kobolds gain fire resistance 5. White-scaled kobolds and silver-scaled kobolds gain cold resistance 5. A kobold can stack this natural resistance with one other form of energy resistance.

This ambition stems from latent draconic instinct that a kobold might struggle to control. Among socially powerful kobolds, narcissism, sadism, and even outright solipsism are infamously prevalent (and rarely celebrated). Those kobolds who have yet to achieve greatness instead regularly wrestle with anxiety and depression driven by a haunting certainty that they deserved something better. Understandably, therapy and psychiatric medication aren’t just socially acceptable among kobolds but are also encouraged. Nonetheless, forming groups and hierarchies feels natural to kobolds, giving them an unfair reputation for serving as kowtowing underlings. Among kobolds, this relationship is one of service and patronage, with lower-ranked members providing resources and enthusiastic moral support to a powerful kobold in return for the latter’s protection, advocacy, and influence. In a healthier relationship, the lower-ranked kobolds benefit from the opportunities their patron secures for them, even thriving to the point that they break off and form their own patron groups. Unfortunately, kobolds are vulnerable to being swept up in unreciprocated (or even unacknowledged) social relationships in which they might experience success by association: cults, sports fandoms, scams, and even servitude to a true dragon. Thus, a typical kobold struggles between respecting social order and wanting to challenge that order to establish dominance, which spur kobolds to subtly posture and test each other’s authority. Disagreements often involve flared nostrils and huffing, as if the kobolds were fire-breathing monsters blowing smoke at each other. A kobold analogue of arm-wrestling involves contestants locking their heavily scaled foreheads and trying to knock each other over with neck muscles and taunts. Perhaps the greatest power move is hoard-surfing, where a kobold lies atop a resource (money, metal scrap, food, etc.) as a way of projecting draconic dominance. Although these displays cause occasional squabbles, they’re performed with pragmatic respect that doesn’t always translate to other cultures. Many leaders have misinterpreted

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a kobold companion’s promise of “If you die, I’ll replace you” as insubordination, when in fact it’s an affirmation that the kobold recognizes the other’s authority—at least for the time being.

DRACONIC LEGACY Whether it’s passed down through stories or just a nagging, wordless certainty, kobolds know that they should be dragons— that they are dragons. In their origin reality, kobolds supposedly soared the skies as titanic dragons, and the ritual that brought them here crammed them into meager bodies a fraction of their true size. Witchwarping magic might just be a kobold’s essence straining to pull them back to their home dimension, but if so, this reality doesn’t know how to process the instinctive arcana. There’s little disagreement that all of this is an injustice. However, kobolds vary widely in what they feel should be done about it. Three primary approaches have emerged. Those termed Aspirers believe that it’s possible for a kobold to transform into a dragon (a process called apodrakosis) but that the process requires intense focus and patience. Some of these transformations might take generations. Others might be possible through extraordinary magic. Others still realize apodrakosis through mystical awakening at a kobold monastery. However, Aspirers deduce that the original draconic form might not be possible in this reality, thus an acceptable final form might not mirror their lost draconic ideal. Reclaimers agree that draconic transformation is possible, but the similarities end there. To a Reclaimer, kobolds’ rightful forms—and by extension, their ancestral wealth and influence— were stolen by the ritual, and it’s their imperative to regain what was lost. These claims often accompany aggression if not violence, for Reclaimers seldom settle for victories by analogy; it’s rarely enough to gain wings, for example, but instead those wings must be like those kobolds had in their home reality. While many Reclaimers work through fully legal means, the philosophy has inspired numerous kobold criminal groups. Finally, Exodists either believe that the ancient ritual is a convenient legend that misleads other kobolds or that it’s better to adapt to this new reality rather than fret over lost causes.

NAMES Kobolds typically receive a short name at birth. As they age, achieve great deeds, and earn respect, a kobold adds syllables to their name to commemorate their accomplishments, mimicking a widespread tradition in draconic nomenclature. Having a name that exceeds six syllables conveys arrogance that only the most self-important kobolds care to invite. Most instead begin replacing rather than adding syllables for longer names, typically preserving their birth syllables over time. Rather than model name growth off accomplishments, Aspirers typically receive a full draconic name at birth but are only allowed to use a small part of it. The further the kobold progresses in their personal quest for draconic transformation, the more of these syllables they reintroduce into their name.

Sample Names Some sample kobold names include Akmaz, Aulteen, Brehak, Framhat, Galq, Iji, Jozol, Pultok, Tibb, Uitul, Ypol, Zgaz.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

FEATS Kobolds have a talent for transformation and a unique connection to dragons, both of which they combine into specialized transmutation techniques. The following are available to any characters who meet their prerequisites.

Major Draconic Form Your inner shapeshifting potential allows you to attain increasingly powerful draconic forms. Prerequisites: 7th level, Cha 15, Minor Draconic Form Benefit: The polymorph spell-like ability granted by Minor Draconic Form now functions as a 3rd-level spell. At 11th level, the spell-like ability instead functions as a 4th-level spell. Each time the level of the spell-like ability increases, you create a new predetermined polymorph form that has the dragon type for this spell-like ability; this replaces any other predetermined form you’ve learned for the spell-like ability.

Minor Draconic Form You have a natural talent for assuming draconic form. Prerequisites: Cha 13; dragon type, dragon-scaled species ability, or dragonblood theme Benefit: When you select polymorph (Alien Archive 2 145) as a spell known, you add dragon to the list of creature types you can select when designing polymorphed forms. Changing a target that isn’t a dragon into a dragon form grants them a +2 enhancement bonus to saving throws against paralysis and sleep effects. In addition, you can cast polymorph on yourself once per day as a 1st-level spell-like ability, using your character level as your caster level. However, you can only use this spell-like ability to assume one predetermined form that has the dragon type. Special: At the GM’s discretion, other dragonthemed abilities or rewards might allow you to qualify for this feat as if you were a dragon.

Prerequisites: 17th level, you know the polymorph spell as a 6th-level spell, and you have at least one Huge predetermined polymorph form. Benefit: When you cast polymorph on yourself as a 6th-level spell to transform into a Huge predetermined form, you can spend 1 RP to transform into a Gargantuan version of that form instead. The Gargantuan form grants a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength-based ability checks and skill checks. Alternatively, you can spend 2 RP to instead transform into a Colossal version of that form with a space of 30 feet, granting you a +5 enhancement bonus to Strength-based ability checks and skill checks.

True Dragon Form You can transform into a truly awe-inspiring dragon. Prerequisites: 15th level, Cha 17, Major Draconic Form Benefit: The polymorph spell-like ability granted by Minor Draconic Form now functions as a 5th-level spell. At 17th level, the spell-like ability instead functions as a 6th-level spell. Each time the level of the spell-like ability increases, you create a new predetermined polymorph form that has the dragon type for this spell-like ability; this replaces any other predetermined form you’ve learned for the spell-like ability.

2 OVERVIEW

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EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Perpetual Polymorph By assuming the form of a less powerful creature, you can dramatically extend the duration of your transformations. Prerequisites: You know the polymorph spell as a 2nd-level spell or higher. Benefit: When you cast polymorph on yourself and choose to transform into a predetermined polymorph form from a lower-level list of forms you know, you increase the spell’s duration. If you transform into a form that’s from a list one level lower, the duration increases to 5 minutes/ level (D). If you transform into a form that’s from a list two levels lower, the duration increases to 1 hour/level (D). If you transform into a form that’s from a list three levels lower, the spell’s duration lasts until the next time you regain spell slots.

Polymorphic Titan You can transform into utterly enormous creatures.

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MARAQUOI Home World: Marata (Pact Worlds) Maraquoi are accomplished hunters, mystics, and environmental engineers. Deeply rooted in family, tradition, and a respect for life, maraquoi culture rapidly evolves the more it integrates into Pact Worlds societies.

Native to Marata, one of Bretheda’s moons, maraquoi traditionally based their societies around a semi-nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Unlike many species common to the Pact Worlds, their genders are centered on a septenary system with all seven participants playing a different role in reproduction. Maraquoi culture therefore developed amid a complex web of kinship and tribal affiliations, which defused violence and drove a deep respect for life in all its forms. However, outside philosophies, technologies, and commercial interests have challenged maraquoi identity and lifestyles, with Marata’s denizens recently wrestling with pronounced isolationist sentiment.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Maraquoi are bipedal humanoids, covered from head to toe in silky fur, generally in shades of gray, brown, or silver. Most maraquoi grow their fur longer at the top of their heads to form into hairstyles. Their fur coats function like thousands of small antennae, transmitting sound to their sensitive skin and allowing them to navigate even in absolute darkness. A maraquoi exerts some control over the follicles, such as making hairs erect to capture faint sounds or flattening fur to partly dampen cacophonies; fur arrangement also conveys a maraquoi’s mood. Though they do have ears similar to humans, these parts are largely vestigial and overshadowed by their skin’s sensitivity. Their compound eyes are set forward in their heads and protrude slightly outward, giving a wider range of vision than most humanoids and enabling them to see in even small amounts of light. Their simian, prehensile tails can manipulate objects, and most maraquoi use these as an “off-hand” for spare items and weaponry as well as for balance. They have short, sturdy claws on their hands and feet to aid in climbing, and they can secrete a sticky film from their fingers, enabling them to ascend even smooth surfaces with relative ease. On average, an adult maraquoi stands about 6-1/2 feet tall. Though the seven sexes are associated with minor physiological differences, they’re typically not pronounced enough to be recognizable to non-maraquoi. On average, klshas (“bearers”) and meshas (“cradles”) have shorter and stouter builds than the others, while zyshas (“facilitators”) tend toward taller, willowy builds, sometimes reaching heights of almost eight feet. Uishas (“sharers”) typically have shorter tails, and the fur of ilshas (“earth-sires”), qshas (“sky-sires”), and sushas (“water-sires”) tends to have a dappled appearance with distinctive patterns for each.

HOME WORLD Maraquoi’s ancestral home is Marata, a moon orbiting the gas giant Bretheda. Currently, its official status is a protectorate of the Pact Worlds, much the same as many of Bretheda’s and Liavara’s inhabited moons. However, many maraquoi balk at not

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being afforded the full political rights as the system’s planets, and a progressive, expansionist faction has been lobbying the Pact Council for full membership like their sister moon, Kalo-Mahoi. Marata is the largest of Bretheda’s moons, with an arid, temperate climate. Scattered forests of gnarled, enormous trees (called kvash) dot Marata’s lands. Maraquoi folklore holds that these forests were where their people first originated, and they prize all parts of the kvash for use as building materials, food, or medicine. The largest of these forests, Ste Xinnith, recently came to prominence after researchers discovered healing properties in some of its flora, attracting the attention of offworld pharmaceutical companies, though maraquoi traditionalists are attempting to block any further external involvement in the site. Marata’s land is split between two primary continents, Taksha and Rhesa, which are connected by land bridges at the poles. The oceans between them are relatively shallow and extremely salinized, making them unsuitable as drinking water. Most life on the moon has evolved to require minimal water as a result, acquiring what they need from Marata’s cactus-like plants, few freshwater rivers, and seasonal cloudburst storms. Much of the terrain beyond the kvash forests is scrubland, covered mainly by short grasses and shrubs. Traditional maraquoi society built few large settlements, preferring to subtly modify the landscape to fit their nomadic lifestyles without creating sprawling cities that transform local ecosystems. Ouat Vali, referred to as the Shining City for its iridescent stone buildings, is the largest pre-Gap city on Marata, located in the northwest steppes of Taksha. In ancient times, it served as a meeting place for intertribal negotiations and festivals, though it maintained a small permanent population as well. In the modern era, Ouat Vali is a bastion of maraquoi traditionalists who maintain it as a vital part of maraquoi culture and bar offworld visitors from entering. The city’s sacred hot springs purportedly augment the powers of anyone bathing there, spurring a black market trade in vials of “Vali water” that Pact World authorities and local maraquoi partners combat. However, in nearly all cases, the fluids’ origins are dubious at best.

Ha Quoia Founded about a century ago, Ha Quoia is Marata’s eminent city and spaceport, located along the eastern coast of Rhesa. The city’s high polycarbon walls shield it from the region’s predictably recurring high winds as well as from the voracious scrubland predators known as temnaks, massive vulpine creatures with a paralytic venom. Within the walls, tall skyscrapers built from offworld alloys house a hub of diplomacy and commerce, most notably serving as the seat of an intertribal government formed to represent Marata’s interests to the Pact Worlds.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES However, Ha Quoia’s status as the center of government and a symbol of offworld contact has made it a hotbed of tension between Marata’s more outspoken traditionalist and expansionist factions (see Society below). More extreme traditionalist factions have successfully blocked many efforts to open Marata to the galaxy at large, to the point that even in Ha Quoia most trade and travel are highly restricted. The factions largely battle each other through peaceful protests, demonstrations, and passive-aggressive smuggling, but it’s only a matter of time before clashes escalate to violence.

SOCIETY Maraquoi culture developed around hunter-gatherer and pastoralist lifestyles which encouraged maraquoi to form semi-nomadic tribes that each traveled yearlong circuits to harvest seasonal resources. Inland populations often relied on reptilian ungulates known as shevkriks, either hunting wild populations or herding domesticated variants to secure meat, hides, tool-quality horn, and a fatty substance analogous to milk. Coastal groups tracked seasonal upwellings that drove fish spawning, supplementing diets with abundant shellfish whose shells were repurposed into mortar to create sparkling seaside villages. Wherever maraquoi traveled, they also modified the landscape in innovative ways: deep cisterns collected infrequent rain over the course of a year to create oases along a route, mile-long coastal weirs created artificial habitats for marine life which made harvesting easier, and travelers seeded semiwild orchards and grains to abandon, revisit, and then reap only when the cultivars ripened. Until recently, maraquoi were the only developed culture living on Marata. While the popular-yet-false narrative is that maraquoi were isolated and uncivilized, their seclusion was largely their own choice. Stories from multiple societies preserve how various alien species—most notably verthanis, witchwyrds, and barathus—all contacted Marata in pre-Gap times, each time being politely turned away by maraquoi ambassadors and kept at arm’s length. Only in the post-Gap era have maraquoi begun accepting offworlders. Even then, maraquoi don’t agree on what’s best for their planet, people, and culture. Many maraquoi (sometimes called expansionists) have embraced the galaxy, travel, and new technologies, including welcoming offworld development of Marata. Of the opposite view are traditionalists, who consider maraquoi’s rapid transition from early metalworking to space age technologies as a serious threat to time-honored traditions. The most hardline traditionalists push for heavy restrictions on offworld visitors and innovations, if not an outright return to isolation. In practice, most maraquoi embrace a moderate view, but extreme voices dominate the conversation. Maraquoi society is highly communal. While individuals have personal possessions and tribes maintain territories, the idea of personal property in a broader sense was uncommon until recently. Resources exist for the well-being of all on Marata, and gathering comes with an expectation of restoring disturbed landscapes, such as conscientiously backfilling, replanting, and ecologically monitoring expired mines. It’s less cost-effective than the several offworld mining operations that have finagled mineral leases in limited areas, driving contention with most

maraquoi communities. These differing approaches further fuel expansionist and traditionalist conflicts, with the former insisting that participating in the galactic economy is key to becoming a true Pact World and the latter interpreting foreign operations as plundering Marata’s resources. Due to their complex reproductive and familial system, respect for life is integral to maraquoi culture, as the loss of even a few people could prevent a tribe’s continuation. As a result, highly ritualistic forms of nonlethal combat evolved to settle disputes and intertribal conflicts, relying on a strict, complex honor code emphasizing respect for one’s foe. So deeply ingrained is this tradition that most maraquoi who go offworld still carry out rituals post-combat to honor fallen foes or friends. Though most maraquoi view killing other

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Con, +2 Wis, –2 Dex Hit Points: 5 Size and Type: Maraquoi are Medium humanoids with the maraquoi subtype. Blindsense: Maraquoi sense sound through their skin rather than with ears, gaining blindsense (sound) with a range of 30 feet. Climber: Maraquoi have a climb speed of 20 feet. Low-Light Vision: Maraquoi have low-light vision. Natural Hunter: Maraquoi receive a +2 species bonus to Survival checks. Prehensile Tail: A maraquoi’s tail is as effective as a hand at manipulating objects, which allows them to wield and hold up to three hands’ worth of weapons and equipment. This doesn’t increase the number of attacks they can make during combat..

maraquoi as abhorrent, the numerous dangerous predators on Marata ensure they’re well-versed in lethal combat as well, and some take up mercenary work on other planets. This practice is divisive; some maraquoi believe it’s acceptable as long as they don’t kill their own people, while others view it as a corruption of their honor system and combat skills on behalf of outsiders.

Maratan Government Maratan society was traditionally organized into tribes large enough to ensure protection against natural threats and small enough to thrive on the resources that a particular territory provided. Contact between tribes was frequent, and upon reaching adulthood a maraquoi would often leave the tribe of their birth to form their family in another. In practice, this system formed a web of trade, information exchange, and extended familial ties that spread global cultural touchstones while enabling many regional variations. Due to maraquoi’s respect for life and extensive kinship networks, formal treaties were rarely necessary and most deals needed only last a few months before two groups went their separate ways. After the Gap, many tribes decided a more centralized government was necessary to represent Marata to the galaxy and protect their planet from outside exploitation. The result was an intertribal council headquartered in Ha Quoia. Each tribe can choose to provide a representative, and of Marata’s 275 known tribes, 247 have representatives on the council. Twentyeight traditionalist or isolationist tribes have declined seats, preferring to remain apart from galactic society altogether. The Maratan Council has little involvement in the day-to-day affairs, focusing instead on interplanetary policy.

Maraquoi Faith Traditional maraquoi religion has no formal name, and focuses on ancestor reverence over worshipping a specific divine entity. After death and before moving to the afterlife, each maraquoi is said to contribute a portion of their essence to an ancestral wellspring that exists between the stars. With proper ritual and conviction, a maraquoi can coax a forebear’s wisdom or raw magical power from

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this wellspring, with the latter feat rarely performed except by trained ritualists. Inclusion in this wellspring is an integral part of a maraquoi’s spiritual health, and thus one of the direst punishments involves cutting off a living maraquoi such that they’ll never contribute their undying knowledge to future generations. Since the Gap, some maraquoi have adopted other faiths, syncretizing them with their traditional beliefs. Yaraesa and Talavet increasingly feature as analogues or caretakers for the ancestral wellspring, encouraging maraquoi to learn from those who came before and discover new wonders.

MARAQUOI GENDER AND FAMILIES Each of the seven sexes plays a role in maraquoi reproduction. The ilsha, qsha, and susha all contribute genetic material to the uisha, who then passes the unborn child to the klsha to gestate. After birth, the infant maraquoi is passed to the mesha, who nurses the child and carries them in a marsupial-style pouch for several months. The seventh sex, the zysha, plays no physical role in the process, but their psychic influence throughout is vital for a viable birth. The notion of monogamous marriage is bizarre to most maraquoi, who regard the concept with bemusement. Given the number of individuals involved, a maraquoi doesn’t necessarily have a romantic relationship with all the other parents of their offspring. In most cases, they’re romantically linked with some other parents and metamours with the rest; it’s rare for a maraquoi to decide to have children if they aren’t in a romantic relationship with at least one participant. Full polycules where all the participants are romantically involved with one another are uncommon, but not unheard of. After weaning and leaving the mesha’s pouch, maraquoi children are reared communally, though their parents collectively hold the most influence over their development. The Maraquoi language doesn’t divide pronouns by gender, instead using words that roughly translate to “this/that person.” When speaking Common, most maraquoi use “they,” with other pronouns used based on individual preference. Some maraquoi identify with a gender other than the one they were assigned at birth or express a degree of gender fluidity. Such individuals are highly respected in maraquoi society, as they’re believed to be spiritually influenced by an ancestor of their identified gender(s).

NAMES Maraquoi have a given name and a surname, often using mellifluous tones and combinations of consonants. A maraquoi’s surname is formed by taking the first phoneme from each of their parents’ given names, in the order of the reproduction process with the zysha first. For example, a maraquoi whose parents’ names were Tlana, Ensesha, Vaoliri, Nemnasha, Svarai, Qithieen, and Soklei would have the surname Tlenvanesvaqiso. Traditionally, many maraquoi also appended the name of their tribe when giving their names, though this practice is now considered somewhat old-fashioned.

Sample Names Some sample maraquoi names include Aolisha, Bnevri, Dviathe, Esthithsa, Hxendei, Jqera, Klevsana, Llanai, Navrielle, Qivran, Srilaith, and Telvyi.

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HYBRID ITEMS With the influx of new technology, many maraquoi have added a high-tech spin to their traditional tools. Though usually in maraquoi hands, some of these hybrid items find their way off Marata to other societies. Maraquoi traditionalists resent these fusions, viewing them as a debasement of their cultural heritage.

ANCESTOR DRONE LEVEL 7 PRICE 6,500 BULK 4 Stone statuettes representing ancestors feature regularly in traditional maraquoi spirituality, serving as a conduit for deceased family to commune with the living. Some maraquoi have put a new twist on this tradition by creating drones to represent the ancestors instead. An ancestor drone is a Tiny, maraquoi-shaped domestic drone (Armory 101) that functions as the hover drone of a 1st-level mechanic with no drone mods. The drone features a small display screen in its chest, typically showing a curated array of short videos and images of several ancestors. Once per day, you can ritually pose a question to the ancestor drone, which channels fragmented wisdom from your departed family to answer you; this functions as augury but doesn’t require spending Resolve Points.

KVASHBARK CARTOGRAPHY KIT LEVEL 1 PRICE 30 BULK — This kit consists of an enchanted roll of kvashbark parchment and three pots of natural Maratan pigments augmented with nanites. The kit can be used to create a three-dimensional map of a space, using one paint to create the 2-D representation on the bark, another paint to suspend the 3-D elements above it, and the third paint to seal the illustration in place, limiting other modifications. Once sealed in this way and unrolled, the parchment projects the 3-D image depicted in glowing light— traditionally to chart a star system, though the kit is equally suited to creating less functional artwork. Using a kvashbark star chart or map of an area grants you a +1 circumstance bonus to Survival checks to orienteer or Piloting checks to navigate the depicted area.

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VALI WATER LEVEL 16 PRICE 30,000 BULK – The hot springs of Ouat Vali impart exceptional—potentially even permanent—vitality to bathers. Even water removed from its source and kept in carefully insulated vials provides some benefits, functioning in many ways like a magical serum. Drinking a vial of Vali water grants the imbiber a +1 insight bonus to attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws; their abilities’ and spells’ saving throw DCs increase by 1; and they gain 1 temporary Resolve Point. After 1 hour, these effects end, the Resolve Point (if not already spent) disappears, and the user becomes fatigued. Drinking more than one vial of Vali water in a 24-hour period is dangerous, dealing 10d10 damage and giving the imbiber the paralyzed condition for 6d10 minutes unless they succeed at a DC 25 Fortitude save. Genuine Vali water is exceedingly rare, as export is strictly prohibited by the Maratan government, and black markets are rife with counterfeits that range from merely useless to actively harmful.

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STARLIGHT FLUTE LEVEL 3 PRICE 1,400 BULK L A starlight flute is an elaborately carved ritual bone flute based on a traditional maraquoi design. The flute sheds dim light in a 30-foot area. Once per day, you can play the flute as a full action to create an illusory effect made of music and starlight, replicating the effect of ghost sound with a range of 30 feet. If you continue concentrating and playing as a standard action on following rounds, the illusion develops a visual aspect, instead functioning as holographic image as a 2nd-level spell with a range of 30 feet. The Will save DC to disbelieve either effect is 13 or 12 + half your ranks in Profession (musician), whichever is higher. The visual image the flute creates always has a luminous quality, and unless the image is one observers would expect to glow (such as a lantern, a cabin with lit windows, or a glowing celestial figure), an observer can automatically attempt a Will save to disbelieve the illusion without having to interact with it first.

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NUAR Home World: Absalom Station (Pact Worlds) Resembling pale, short minotaurs, nuars are one of the orphan species of lost Golarion. Their size, strength, and natural weapons cause them to often be seen as brutes, but nuar have a nuanced society and a natural ability to envision and expand on complex patterns.

Nuars are one of the many species that trace their origin to Golarion, as they bear a close resemblance to the minotaurs known to have developed on that world. Despite beginning the era after the Gap with no home world and living only in the Pact Worlds, the desire of nuars to build a place for themselves, coupled with a natural aptitude for complex patterns and structures, has led them to spread far and wide as explorers, colonists, troops, and engineers. Nuars prove quick to adapt to local customs, and many spend much of their adulthood far from any other members of their species.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Nuars are generally described as being pale minotaurs, and this is a fair (if oversimplified) description. Short by minotaur standards, a typical nuar stands between 7 and 7-1/2 feet tall, and their sturdy frames and sizeable horns cause them to average between 260 and 350 lbs. They’re bipedal and hooved, with strong, nimble hands. Most nuars have tails, which range from short tufts to long, flexible ropes that nearly reach the ground, but this trait isn’t universal. Nuars are covered in short, thick hair, with longer, shaggier hair common at the crown of the head and sometimes along the spine and at the tail-tip, wrists, and ankles. Nuars of all gender grow between two to eight horns, with two or four being most common. These horns generally grow from the upper back of the skull and sweep out and then forward, allowing them to be used effectively in close combat. The horns begin growing shortly after birth and reach full length after roughly a decade of aging (often seen as a sign a nuar is an adult). Nuars with more than two horns generally have two of typical length, with the rest being shorter (and often curving in different directions). Nuars with three or five horns are rare, but not unknown, roughly as common as humans born with eyes of different colors. Among nuars with odd-numbered horns, roughly half have more on one side of their head than the other, and half have a central horn growing forward from their forehead. Nuar horns are made of dense keratin (the same material that makes up their hooves, nails, and hair) with honeycombed patterns of dentin and microscopic tunnels of enamel (the same material their teeth are made of), which also coat the outside of the horn. New enamel is produced at the root of the horn if the outer sheath is damaged, allowing horns to repair and regrow, though severe damage can be permanent. While nuars have nerve endings in the flesh around the base of their horns, they have no feeling within the horns themselves, which are dense and tough enough to survive exposure to vacuum. Indeed, many nuar armor suits leave their horns exposed to allow for easy use in combat without damaging the armor. Though nuars are generally described as white in coloration, this description is also a simplification. Most have typical arctic

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or desert coloration with white, light gray, cream, and tan most common, but some also have dark bellies, palms, and/or noses. Most nuars have pink or red eyes, with a much smaller number displaying bright blue, green, or yellow irises. Roughly 1 in 20,000 nuars have radically different coloration with red, blue, and even purple hair and skin. Nuar brains are particularly adept at visualizing complex patterns and can memorize twists, turns, and interlocking shapes more easily than lists of names, abstracted historic dates, or purely philosophical ideas. Many nuars use their aptitude for patterns to excel as engineers, artists, and navigators; others delve into more esoteric subjects by constructing “memory mazes” within their heads, envisioning an imaginary labyrinth and placing key ideas or facts in specific turns and twists of the metaphorical structure.

HOME WORLD Most nuars consider Absalom Station to be their home world, as they believe their true planet of origin is lost Golarion, and there’s a fair amount of evidence supporting this idea. While pre-Gap records have very few references to nuars as a species, there are occasionally notes referring to the “legacy of Nuar,” or “Nuar the Minotaur Prince of Absalom” capitalized as a proper name, in some of the last histories written of Golarion prior to the first years of the Gap. While that alone is far from definitive, when the Gap ended, there were nuars only in the Pact Worlds, and the majority were on Absalom Station. Many of those on the station lived in quarters clearly designed for nuar physiology, and often with artifacts that can be traced to the Inner Sea Region of the missing planet. Combined with a total lack of signs of nuar-focused cities or settlements anywhere else, the theory that nuars are one of the scores of species that originated on Golarion remains the top contender among scholars of nuar origins. Of course, there are competing, less-well-supported theories on where nuars come from. Several fringe academics claim nuars more likely came from the worlds that were blown up to form the Diaspora, with the lack of evidence of such a beginning attributed to that very destruction. Though there’s little to nothing to suggest this is the case, rumors claim the existence of secret nuar strongholds at the center of vast maze fortresses within rocks in the Diaspora. Such stories are often popular with nuars themselves, as they suggest a place where original nuar culture and history might be preserved, even as the majority of nuars treat the stories as little more than wishful thinking. While a few nuars can be found in nearly any district of Absalom Station, with some even hanging onto family holdings in the otherwise humancentric Olensa region of the Ring, the largest congregation lives within the Spike neighborhood of Conduit,

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES more popularly known as Pipetown. The mazelike structures of coolant systems, filters, air pumps, and access ducts are less confusing for nuars, with their strong natural sense of direction and ability to visualize complex patterns, than for other species. It’s not so much that nuars feel drawn to living within the labyrinthine guts of the station, merely that it doesn’t impede them, so there’s much less competition for living space in and around Conduit. Nuars can gather in sections of Pipetown even other residents can’t easily find, either paying discount rates—like for air, water, power, and square footage—or directly accessing things they need from unclaimed infrastructure piping.

SOCIETY When the Gap ended, nuars were aware of their names, careers, relationships with others, and little else. Cultures with long pre-Gap histories, such as humans, elves, lashuntas, and kasathas, could look back to records describing their ancient kingdoms, myths, gods, heroes, and wars; however, nuars had no such stretch of history to model their society on. Some sought to build their own paths and traditions from the clues found in their homes, while others quickly adopted the customs and behaviors of non-nuar neighbors. The relatively short history of nuars since the Gap has revolved around either discovering more of who they once were or building new frameworks upon which to build their way of life.

retains a gangly frame until they hit adulthood roughly four years later. Nuars that are adult height but not yet fully filled out are often called tallings, and they might help with their parents’ vocations, care for younger siblings, and try their hand at dozens of different life paths and potential career goals before settling on something they find fulfilling.

The Maze of Life Once a nuar is an adult, they often seek a sense of connection to a broader community than that of their caregivers. A desire to wander and see what lies beyond familiar walls is commonplace and often results in a nomadic existence many nuars call the Maze of Life. Some nuar scholars feel this wanderlust is a result of nuar brains quickly grasping complex patterns and shapes, with everything they know as youth becoming too familiar

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First Steps At birth, nuars weigh roughly 15 pounds and stretch more than two feet long from hoof to crown of head. Though gangly and awkward at first, they can walk within a few hours, feed themselves within a few days, and can master as many as 50 words and even craft two-word sentences within a month. This relatively quick development allows nuars traveling with their family to have numerous children with them, as it isn’t necessary for a parent to dedicate their time caring for the young for a prolonged period. While many nuars are raised with their family’s customs and local traditions and language introduced in their day-today lives, some nuar communities prefer to restrict what their young are exposed to. One line of thought believes that the inherent nature of nuars can be found by the behavior of their newborns showing preferences for specific foods, colors, temperatures, or other basic elements from which more complex entertainments and traditions can be built. There’s considerable debate whether such efforts are effective, not the least because different groups of nuars consider different ideas neutral. One group might only use items that are black and white when decorating a newborn nuar’s room, while others might employ a spectrum of colors but avoid patterns and textures. While some groups claim to have discovered some “essential” element of nuar nature by observing the preferences of young ones, such trends are rarely duplicated by different groups trying the same methodology. Young nuars begin to show interest in various arts and careers by the age of two and often enter formal training at this point. A nuar reaches their full height by eight years but

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Str, +2 Int, –2 Dex Hit Points: 6 Size and Type: Nuars are Medium monstrous humanoids. Darkvision: Nuars have darkvision out to 60 feet. Gore: Nuars can charge without taking the normal charge penalties to the attack roll or their AC. If a nuar has another ability that allows them to charge without taking these penalties (such as the charge attack ability from the soldier’s blitz attack fighting style), the nuar also gains the ability to charge through difficult terrain. Maze Mind: Nuars have a naturally strong sense of direction and an instinctive understanding of complex patterns. As a result, they very rarely get lost. A nuar can attempt a special level-based Wisdom check (1d20 + CR or level + Wisdom bonus) instead of using their total bonus in the Piloting skill to navigate or their total bonus in the Survival skill for orienteering. In addition, a nuar with 1 or more ranks in Piloting or Survival also gains a +2 species bonus to checks with that skill. Natural Weapons (P): Nuars have the natural weapons universal creature rule. Swift: Nuars have a base speed of 40 feet.

and simple to satisfy their desire for intricacy in adulthood. Others feel the tendency of adult nuars to leave home for long stretches indicates there’s some crucial cultural touchstone in their lives that’s missing, and, lacking an ancient history to guide in fulfilling it, many nuars become explorers in a subconscious desire to connect with a missing part of their culture. While not all nuars leave their homes as adults, the idea of the Maze of Life is a popular one. Growing originally from a personal legend (see Personal Legend below) more than a century ago, nuars often use it to refer to seeking a balance between what an individual wishes to do and what their circumstances require or allow them to do. Anyone dissatisfied with their job, or who wants to see sights on distant worlds, or struggles to create art they enjoy is often said to be wandering the Maze of Life, and this is considered a normal and acceptable part of being an adult. For many nuars, the Maze of Life results in finding some other culture or settlement that speaks to them. Many nuars enjoy the aesthetics and traditions of places with strong orc and half-orc influences, including Apostae and places within the Veskarium where orcs have settled over the generations since the Drift became accessible.

PERSONAL LEGEND Nuars are a people with no gods to call their own, no ancient history, no pre-Gap history or sagas or poems, and at most one great ancient hero. While Nuar, the Minotaur Prince of Absalom, is generally accepted as being a historic figure connected (somehow) to the ancient past of the nuar species, little is known about him beyond notes of his existence shortly before the Gap destroyed or muddled all other records. In short, while nuars have a few centuries of post-Gap exploits

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and records to draw from, they lack deeper roots and, in some cases, feel a need to fill that void. While some nuars do so by adopting another culture’s traditions, history, and art, others build their own individual version of the ancient past known as a personal legend. A personal legend is a specific nuar’s version of what ancient nuar culture looked like. It may include lists of nuar gods, great moments in nuar culture that sparked nuar-specific traditions, nuar folk music styles, and long, written chains of nuar settlements becoming cities, then nations, only to collapse or be conquered and rise again centuries alter. Rather than being based on any scholarly evidence that such things happened, each nuar’s personal legend is simply how they imagine things to have gone. A nuar might well borrow elements from other planet’s histories and settlements’ customs, adding them however desired to the nuar’s own record of what might have been. While outsiders often refer to nuar personal legends as fake or imaginary, such labels miss the point as far as the nuars who craft them are concerned. Most nuars see personal legends as more akin to poetry than history—a crafted story that exists to teach lessons, espouse ideas, and give context to holidays and memorials. It doesn’t matter to a nuar if their personal legend is factual, as long as it feels like an authentic expression. The idea that those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it reverberates with many nuars, who simply lack any records of their pre-Gap history to learn from. By creating a series of folk tales to teach their children and explain their opinions to friends and allies, many nuars hope to build a strong foundation for future generations to build upon. It’s common for a given group of nuars to share a personal legend, at least in broad strokes, as a linchpin for community engagement. Some nuar personal legends have become so popular they’re now more than a century old, with nuars on a dozen worlds all referring to them while being aware they were crafted by a post-Gap member of their species. Some of the most popular personal legends have names that create cultural movements, such as the creation myth How the Minotaurs Were Bleached, which combines a great deal of gnomish First World lore with orc mythology to tell an entirely apocryphal story of the First Twelve Nuar, and how each gave up one color to help build a new world for their kind. While Twelvists all know none of the details of that legend are true, it does nothing to quench the delight of their children when they receive a gift of a specific color on the twelfth night of each month.

NAMES There’s a comparatively short list of “authentic” nuar names that represent every name held by a nuar when the Gap ended, and a few names consistently show up in reference to nuars in the muddled, scrambled records from the Gap. As with so much of nuar culture, their naming conventions seem to have developed during the Gap and thus are nearly entirely lost to that galactic knowledge blank. Some scholastic work has attempted to reclaim names drawn from minotaur culture, applying rules evolved from existing nuar names and how linguistic drift might have changed minotaur

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES terms into nuar names. Nuars also often take names from orc and half-orc sources, and many borrow names from friends of the family or local persons of note. Since most “official” nuar names tend to be two syllables long and begin and end with consonants, names that match that pattern are more often adopted by nuar communities— though few nuars feel constrained by this general trend. Nuars make no distinction between names based on gender, and sometimes take a name from another society that’s associated with a different gender than their own. Young nuars often select a name for themselves upon leaving the safety and control of their parent’s home, and nuar settlements consider using the old name an insult since that rejects the nuar’s right to self-identify.

Sample Names Some sample nuar names include Durnat, Fernin, Garendor, Gorak, Hallen, Jodat, Kallar, Kantol, Lurjok, Lonorok, Maoa, Mothor, Narfendol, Nuaz, Purken, Quar, Rarken, Roguff, Sakkar, Trag, Tykin, Ulgar, Vurok, and Zarnen.

SPELLS Nuars’ relatively high number of explorers and researchers, along with their natural grasp of complex patterns, has produced numerous advances in magic and technology that, while originating with nuars, have become far more widespread. While the best known of these innovations is maze-core technology, nuars have also developed a spell that evolved from their grasp of patterns.

turn to be flat-footed or off-target, but they don’t suffer any other effects of the spell. At the end of each turn, characters affected by this spell can attempt a new Will save; if successful, they’re immune to this spell for 24 hours. Nuars are immune to the effects of this spell.

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MYSTIC 1

PRECOG 1

School illusion Casting Time 1 move action Range personal Duration 10 minutes/level For the duration of the spell, moving causes you to leave behind a faint illusory string in the spaces you move through; the string follows the path of your center of gravity, emits dim light to a range of 5 feet, and lasts until the end of the spell.

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PHANTASMAL MAZE MYSTIC 3

WITCHWARPER 3

School illusion Casting Time 1 standard action Range medium (100 ft. +10 ft/level) Area 15-ft.-radius burst Duration 1 minute/level Saving Throw Will partial (special; see text); Spell Resistance yes You create an illusion of a complex maze that creatures in the area perceive. The maze matches the terrain and decor of the area it’s cast in. Those within it perceive walls, doors, barriers, twists, turns, and constant, confusing obstructions. The maze prevents creatures from perceiving any creature farther than 10 feet away from them, and makes it impossible for them to move except by taking guarded steps. If an affected creature is in a complex, mazelike area when this spell is cast, they can’t attempt a saving throw against it until they have some reason to believe they aren’t in a normal maze (normally requiring interacting with the maze in some way, such as trying to map it out or use sensors to find a way through it). Creatures that succeed at a Will save against the spell realize the maze is illusory but are still bombarded with false sensory data as they deal with the fake turns and twists around them. These targets choose at the beginning of their

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PAHTRA Home World: Pulonis/Vesk-6 (Near Space) Hailing from a jungle world with low gravity, pahtras are well versed in the arts of music, magic, and war. Astonishingly nimble and possessing keen senses, these humanoid felines are unorthodox and efficient combatants.

Pahtras are adapted to life on their home planet of Pulonis, a world wracked with magnetic storms and inhabited by titanic flora and wildlife. To rise to these challenges, pahtras took a different path from many galactic species: unconventional technology and ironclad traditions focused on combat. Their conquest by the vesk and subsequent exposure to the Pact Worlds has caused a social revolution of sorts, with younger pahtras rejecting the paths forced on them by pahtra elders. The legacy of the past still holds strong however, and the pahtras most people encounter are those soldiers who have access to the intense physical conditioning required to venture into a universe where everything weighs twice as much.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Pahtras raised on Pulonis tend to be tall and lanky with wiry musculature that reads as too thin to many other species. A typical Pulonis pahtra stands six to seven feet tall and weighs 150 pounds. Their bodies and limbs are elongated, and many of their bones aren’t entirely fused, causing their joints to be looser than those of most creatures that reside on higher gravity worlds. This aspect of their anatomy gives them an extended range of motion and incredible flexibility but sharply limits how much force they can exert, as a pahtra who strains the limits of their strength finds their body distorting more readily than their environment does. As pahtras have expanded into the universe however, they’ve discovered their physiology is remarkably adaptable—a pahtra raised on a world with heavier gravity grows to a similar height but develops the stockier musculature of a large predatory cat. Like many felines, pahtra have meat-ripping teeth framed by prominent canines as well as retractable claws on their hands and feet. While useful for eating and climbing, these features make for unimpressive weapons. However, young pahtras sometimes train to deliver lethal blows, often losing some of their natural flexibility as they toughen their bodies. Pahtras are covered in a layer of short fur that ranges from tawny brown to gray with almost every individual possessing a unique, dark pattern of irregular blotches, stripes, and spots. Eyes can be almost any color of the visible spectrum, though hazel is the most common. As with many nocturnal predators, their eyes are highly sensitive to light, allowing them to see in dim and dark conditions. A pahtra’s pupil can contract into a slit to avoid this feature blinding them in bright light. Pahtras’ most extraordinary sense isn’t consistent across the species. Each pahtra has a cluster of subdermal sensory organs arrayed across their face, and the organs’ primary function varies by the individual with several common types. Harmonic sensitivity is the most common function, allowing the pahtra to feel sound and frequencies—often contributing to pahtras’

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perfect pitch and natural affinity for rhythm and harmony. In others, the organs anchor long whiskers that can register the presence of nearby creatures. While these whiskers are useful survival tools in the wilderness, their hypersensitivity tends to make them uncomfortable in high winds and crowded urban environments. A third group’s facial organs have specialized olfactory functions that sense when a familiar creature smells off, indicating an infection or illness. Finally, some pahtras are especially sensitive to magic, not just sensing local auras but also orienting in relation to trace magical energies in Pulonis’s powerful magnetosphere. Most pahtras exhibit one of these functions strongly, and their facial organs have reduced sensitivity to one or more additional stimuli. For example, many pahtras can’t sense ambient magic but do exhibit a response known as “the twitch” when exposed to enchantments, likening it to a jolt of sudden suspicion that helps them shake off mind-affecting effects. The exact sensory array seems to develop randomly in infancy regardless of the parents’ senses. The prevailing theory is that pahtras evolved to have a communal sensory array, with at least one member of each group able to sense an important stimulus and alert others to its presence.

HOME WORLD Despite its considerable distance from its sun, Pulonis—better known to the Veskarium as Vesk-6—is a hot and humid jungle world with no ice or polar caps to speak of. Invasive planetary drilling from the vesk revealed this climate to be the result of Pulonis’s core being modified in the ancient past—it’s likely that without this mysterious alteration, the planet would’ve been a frozen rock incapable of supporting complex life. Whether as a result of these same modifications or due to the planet’s natural properties, Pulonis also has an incredibly strong magnetosphere, which renders most advanced technology completely useless on its surface. Due to its small size, Pulonis has a weak gravitational pull, allowing both its geography and biological life-forms to grow to titanic extremes. Mountain ranges jut up in precipitous spires that would be impossible on other worlds, while flora and fauna alike dwarf most species in the same way a vesk towers over a hamster. While many visitors struggle with an environment where they feel so small, pahtras often delight in the challenges their world presents, believing the greatest obstacles present the greatest opportunity for glory. Though the low gravity of Pulonis means many of its towering fauna are weaker than they appear, the technology-destroying storms and fields of the planet are more than enough to even the scales. In theory, pahtra nation-states control most of the planet with ultimate authority resting with the Veskarium. In practice, the

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES pahtra concept of control is far looser than that of their vesk overlords; pahtras keep their cities and living areas safe, otherwise letting the vast wilderness manage itself. Travel between pahtra nations tends to be either very slow or accomplished via risky yet swift flying ships powered by magnetic sails. For all its verdant splendor, Pulonis bears a nearly lifeless scar known as the Holy Lands. During its conquest of the planet, the Veskarium grew impatient dealing with pahtra guerilla defenders and bombarded the region from orbit, vitrifying the landscape. This indiscriminate, unstoppable show of force finally elicited a surrender, and the surrounding jungles have shown no signs of reclaiming the blasted area. It now serves as a sacred memorial to honor the pahtras who perished there. Although pahtras are the dominant sapient life-form on Pulonis, they aren’t alone in their intelligence. The mysterious ichthyoid oozes known as hymothoas also lurk on the planet’s surface, and they demonstrate hostility toward the Veskarium. Hymothoas have the disturbing ability to parasitize living creatures, slowly devouring and replacing the functions of internal organs, until at last they control the victim’s brain functions. Should the host body fail, the hymothoa can readily flee the dying husk and seek new prey. Pahtras seem to instinctively consider hymothoas enemies and feel the urge to kill them on sight; hymothoas are less visibly belligerent in turn but are more than happy to devour a pahtra in pursuit of their goals.

SOCIETY On Pulonis, pahtra culture is nearly as competitive as the life-or-death struggles of the natural world around it. Pahtras are wellversed in cooperating to survive their extreme surroundings, but youths and seasoned veterans alike strive to excel in their chosen fields and distinguish themselves from their many peers. Pahtra nation-states recreate this rivalry on a grand scale, displaying their latest breakthroughs or triumphs in a relentless drive for prestige. Most pahtras consider this friendly opposition to bring out the best in each other, though the process burns out or outright kills numerous pahtras each year as they strive for recognition. Not every pahtra starts off on even footing either; tradition dictates that the patterns of a pahtra’s fur determine their character and potential, as interpreted by a pahtra mystic shortly after birth. Pahtra youths have begun to rebel against this predestination, even choosing to leave the planet just to escape the expectations thrust on them by others. Many pahtras still consider their ancestral traditions of the highest importance. They’re a subjugated people, no matter what autonomy their despots have granted

them, and they’re keenly aware the vesk would prefer that pahtra culture quietly erode until it becomes indistinguishable from the rest of the Veskarium. Most pahtras also firmly believe it was their traditional warrior training that allowed them to challenge the technologically superior invasion forces of the vesk, a challenge that earned pahtras the Veskarium’s respect even in defeat. As such, many on Pulonis are determined not to see these traditions taken from them, and it’s little surprise that some see the rebellion of pahtra youths as an existential threat. Due to the magnetic fields and storms of Pulonis, pahtras weren’t a technologically advanced species before their conquest. With their exposure to a wider galaxy, they’ve been making up for lost time. Though they make use of shielded electronics imported from the wider Veskarium, they rightfully consider such gear to be one system failure away from disaster—instead, pahtra nation-states prefer to focus on advanced ceramics, bioengineering, and chemistry that are more reliable on their home world. Mysticism remains highly important on Pulonis as well since even the vagaries of magic prove more reliable than a metal piton or a simple radio. The majority of pahtras are asexual. They often form loving and lifelong relationships with a partner or small group, though they tend to balk at any bond that infringes on their individuality. A relatively small population of childbearing couples sustain the pahtra population with litters of six to eight kits at a time. Unsurprisingly, communal child-rearing is a necessity in most pahtra societies. Both biological parents and adults closely involved in children’s rearing are treated as parents, and although sexual attraction and reproduction are key to sustaining the population, a pahtra’s reproductive involvement earns enough polite respect to feel valued without feeling like an obligation to attain social status. Another consequence of this child rearing culture is most pahtra schools and training grounds are populated by several large sibling cohorts—a social dynamic that puts even more pressure on each pahtra to differentiate themselves from their relatives while still ensuring their family’s overall performance overshadows competing sibling clusters.

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CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Adolescence A pahtra’s youth tends to be a sheltered one, kept safe in cities where nothing can snatch up an unwary child as a snack. Infants begin life very small and

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Dex, +2 Cha,–2 Str Hit Points: 4 Size and Type: Pahtras are Medium humanoids with the pahtra subtype. Pahtra Senses: Pahtras have darkvision with a range of 60 feet and low-light vision. Nimble: An off-kilter pahtra doesn’t gain the flat-footed condition or take the normal penalty to attacks, and they can steady themself as a swift action instead of a move action. Talented: Pahtras gain a +2 species bonus to Acrobatics checks, Stealth checks, and checks with one Profession of their choice. Wary: Pahtras gain a +2 species bonus against charm and compulsion effects.

with little fur. At two to six months of age, pahtra kits are taken to a mystic to receive guidance on their lives based on interpretations of their fur patterns. Their early years tend to be idyllic ones, though their playtime activities are guided by the dictates of their supposedly predestined aptitude and social roles; however, all youths are encouraged to climb, experiment with music, and engage in childish play fights, as these activities are central concepts to pahtra culture. Once a pahtra turns seven, they’re expected to begin their official education. Private tutoring is considered adequate pedagogy for the least promising youths. Those children who show the greatest potential are expected to attend a school where even if they receive less individual instruction, they’ll be exposed to peers who can serve as constant competition.

Music Almost every pahtra, both on Pulonis and off, has a deep love of music. It’s rare to find a pahtra who doesn’t know the basics of at least one instrument, and vocal lessons are taught alongside battle tactics and history lessons in school. Hired musicians liven the soundscapes of pahtra cities, and pahtra composers garner as much respect as the most prominent scientists, leaders, and generals. Concerts are some of Pulonis’s biggest social events, and pahtras will make a treacherous journey through the wilderness for thousands of miles around to witness the electric “singing coils” of the nation-state of Trenarez.

WAR GAMES At 15 years of age, every pahtra is expected to participate in a coming-of-age ceremony, where they’re sent into the wilderness to compete against both their peers and the environment. These ancient rites of battle and survival last several weeks and claim several lives every year, but a pahtra’s performance in the ceremony often shapes their social and career prospects for the near future. The trials typically involve races, collecting rare hunting trophies, and survival in harsh environments with little equipment—all while skirmishing with other youths who compete for the same resources and accolades.

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The fierce competition begins well before the rite, with a young pahtra’s exploits influencing not only where they’ll perform their trials, but also alongside whom. The more prestigious the arena, the greater the challenges and the greater the prospect of glory. The most sought-after site is known as the Proving Grounds, a tract of wilderness wracked with dramatic tides, magnetic storms, and occasional earthquakes. Each pahtra nation-state is permitted to send 12 youths to the Proving Grounds each year, and Pulonis’s most influential citizens (and even a few from beyond) pay very close attention to these rites and their top performers. Given their combat and survival skills, it’s little surprise that the military is one of the most respected professions in pahtra culture—even if it involves joining the Veskarium’s armed forces. Military service also represents one of the few ways for pahtras to reliably leave the planet, as the rigorous exercise and conditioning needed to adapt to higher gravity worlds is difficult to obtain through other means. For their part, vesk soldiers respect their pahtra comrades, though they often ideologically clash over the former’s demands for conformity and the latter’s need for individuality.

NAMES Traditional pahtra names consist of elements that are auspicious to a pahtra’s potential in life, as determined by a pahtra mystic in during the individual’s youth. These elements differ depending on nation-state, history, and lineage, and they vary enough that a pahtra’s parents can pick and choose what best appeals to them as well as add their own input to the name. Those pahtras who reject tradition have been known to change their names or name their children with elements that the youths have no “right” to bear, a trend that older pahtras find somewhat offensive.

Sample Names Some sample pahtra names include Cahnex, Fetenekku, Hafsoumei, Ifset, Jeviish, Khieper, Lealorn, Mahdran, Onharaf, Rishhmani, Sanna, Tendris, Voyenrel, and Zamahaii.

NEW FEATS Pahtra society exhibits a strong love of music and a strong respect for war, and it considers those who combine the two to be the pinnacle of their culture. The following feats play to a pahtra’s perfect pitch, and are thus appropriate for pahtra PCs, but might be available to other characters at the GM’s discretion.

Crescendo of Violence (Combat) Your skill with modulating the sounds of your sonic weapons into musical patterns borders on showboating but also inspires your allies. Prerequisites: Charisma 15 or Profession (musician) 5 ranks Benefit: When you score a critical hit with a weapon that deals sonic damage, in addition to any other critical hit effect you would apply, all allies within 30 feet of you gain a +2 morale bonus to your choice of attack rolls, skill checks, or saving throws until the beginning of your next turn.

Crescendo of Victory (Combat) Your perfect musical cues can accentuate a moment of triumph and send a surge of adrenaline through an ally.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Prerequisites: Crescendo of Violence* Benefit: When an ally within 30 feet of you scores a critical hit against a significant foe, as a reaction you can spend 1 Resolve Point and a charge of a sonic weapon you’re holding. The ally regains Stamina Points equal to 3 × your level or 4 × the number of Profession (musician) ranks you have, whichever is higher.

Discordant Din (Combat) By aiming carefully, you can cause your sonic weapons to emit a terrible noise on impact, aggravating the senses of creatures that rely heavily on hearing. Benefit: As a standard action, you can make a single attack with a weapon that deals sonic damage and uses charges; this attack uses three times as many charges from the battery or power cell as normal. In addition to your normal weapon effects and damage, all creatures within 20 feet of the target must attempt a Fortitude save with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the weapon’s item level + the ability modifier you applied when making the attack with that weapon. Any creature that fails the save and possesses blindsense (sound or vibration) or blindsight (sound or vibration) is unable to use those abilities until the beginning of your next turn.

Harmony of Bullets (Combat) When wielding multiple sonic weapons, you can modulate their frequencies to allow them to musically amplify each other when operated together. Prerequisites: Multi-Weapon Fighting Benefit: When you make a full attack with two or more small arms that deal sonic damage or with two or more operative melee weapons that deal sonic damage, increase the damage dealt by one of those weapons by an amount equal to your Charisma modifier. In addition, if two or more of those attacks hit the same target, combine the damage from those attacks before applying the target’s sonic energy resistance or hardness, if any.

this destructive note, you can’t do so again until you rest for 10 minutes to recover Stamina Points.

Pinpoint Hearing You hear echoes so clearly that even the reflected sound of your footsteps or the hum of a starship’s engine can disclose hidden secrets. Prerequisites: Echolocation Attack COM, Perception 9 ranks Benefit: You gain blindsense (sound) with a range of 30 feet. If you already have blindsense (sound or vibration), you instead gain blindsight (sound or vibration, matching your blindsense type). When using the Echolocation Attack feat, you extend the range of your granted blindsight by 30 feet.

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Operatic Shatter Through observation and experimentation, you can determine the exact pitch to shatter glass with your voice—and sturdier objects with your spells and weapons. Prerequisites: Perception 6 ranks Benefit: You can spend a full action to sing at and examine an unattended object or structure within 120 feet of you, such as a piece of armor or steel wall. For the next hour or until you use this feat to assess another object, you reduce the target’s hardness against sonic damage you deal by an amount equal to your level. If you have another ability or weapon special property that would also reduce the target’s hardness, you either reduce the hardness by an amount equal to your level, or you reduce the hardness by an amount equal to half your level plus any hardness reduction provided by the other source, whichever is higher. As a standard action, you can sing or use an instrument to play a powerful note that damages an object or structure you’ve assessed with this feat. This note deals sonic damage equal to your level and has a range of 30 feet. Once you’ve sounded

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PSACYNOID Home World: Nolasa (Near Space) Psacynoids are bulbous-headed, multiarmed humanoids whose culture centers around community service and the creation of mystical crystals. They can see in the dark and tend to have equal knowledge of both mysticism and geology.

On their home world of Nolasa in the Euditace system in Near Space, psacynoids have established a unique economy through their subterranean “farms” of magical crystals. Though they’ve made peaceful contact with others outside of their home system, psacynoids have yet to make a large mark on the galactic scene. However, the growing interstellar market for their magic crystals will surely bring the planet both wealth and fame soon enough.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION A psacynoid has four legs sprouting from a bulbous, rounded trunk at the base of their body. A slender torso rises up to a similarly shaped bulb that forms their head; some might mistake this torso for an elongated neck were it not for the psacynoid’s four thin arms extending from it. Their head features a wide mouth and an upward-pointing olfactory organ that looks like a crest of hair. The bottom bulb holds most of a psacynoid’s internal organs, including the stomach and heart, while their brain resides in the upper bulb encased in a thick skull. Due to the unusual distribution of weight in their body and the difference in proportions between their torso and their legs, a psacynoid tends to lead with their head, causing a careening gait that to many other sapient creatures appears more like stumbling than walking. A typical psacynoid stands about 6 feet tall and weighs 125 pounds.

HOME WORLD The psacynoid home world, Nolasa, is the third planet in the Near Space system of Euditace. One of Nolasa’s most remarkable features is that it varies very little in elevation, both above and below sea level. The planet’s tallest mountain is less than half a mile high, and its deepest seabed is similarly shallow. This is due to a lack of tectonic activity on the surface; the ancient movement of Nolasa’s unique tectonic plates has instead formed thousands of miles of caverns throughout the planet’s crust, many of which are easily accessible from caves and other natural openings in the ground. Nolasa is also distinct for the magic crystals that can be cultivated in these caverns (see Crystal Cultivation on page 101). The planet has diverse surface biomes, but they all have very little in the way of wildlife, none of which grow larger than a few feet. These creatures include furred and horned lonimaks that prowl the planet’s low mountain ranges, insectile darmuirs that migrate monthly between sea and shore, and herbivorous uhzeents that glide from tree to tree on fleshy wings. None have historically posed much of a threat to psacynoids, who were able to peacefully evolve to be the largest species… aboveground. Bigger and more dangerous beasts thrive

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in Nolasa’s cave systems, including shadowy oozes called vayleexis and white-scaled reptilian swiquas. These strange underground ecosystems were created by the endless wells of magic that pool and flow from cave to cave. Some grottoes are lit by a ghostly luminescence which seems to shift its hue based on the prevailing emotion felt by any inhabitants, while others see rivulets of water dripping in every direction heedless of gravity. These hollows are incredibly important to both psacynoid culture and economy (see Society below). Though they’ve been studying the caves for centuries, psacynoids have yet to map or even traverse their entirety. They use the well-protected caves nearest to their surface settlements for the cultivation of their planet’s famed mystical crystals, but tunnels lead miles in every direction, plunging deep into the crust. Psacynoids often send out expeditions to search for new areas in which to farm crystals, but these groups can make it only so far with the limited supplies they carry—if they return at all. One of the largest cities on Nolasa is Kruosk, a bustling magitech metropolis along the banks of the Yuahlish River and above the Iominae Caves, which hold acres of crystal farms tended by a variety of custodial corporations. Kruosk is a wide expanse of squat, square buildings constructed of steel, glass, and concrete by spellcasting architects and engineers. The plain, almost brutal architectural style originated within Kruosk and is prevalent across most of Nolasa’s larger cities. Thanks to robust government programs, Kruosk has solid public transportation infrastructure, and there are very few personal vehicles apart from small, pedaled conveyances. The city’s emergency services also have their own hover vehicles that travel on a series of streets designated for their use only.

SOCIETY As the largest beings to evolve on the surface of Nolasa, psacynoids easily became the planet’s dominant sapient species. Many psacynoids developed spellcasting powers due to the saturation of magic across the globe, and while some inevitably used these skills for violence and evil, many more were driven by goodness and the desire for peace. After a band of heroes defeated a psacynoid necromancer whose plans would’ve spelled destruction for the entire species, community and religious leaders used their influence to create sweeping social changes. It soon became commonplace for psacynoids to donate regularly to charities or engage in community service. Generations later, this spirit of communalism has been practically ingrained into the psacynoid psyche. Before the Gap, when hard currency was used more frequently and sales of goods were mostly limited to neighboring communities, a psacynoid merchant would invest

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES a large percentage of their profits into their home community. This included paying for the creation, maintenance, and improvement of public infrastructure (such as roads and sewage lines) as well as ensuring that families undergoing hardships were taken care of. As such, poverty, hunger, and homelessness were practically nonexistent. During this period of evolving norms, psacynoids also discovered that the caverns beneath their feet contained remarkable power. Owelahana, a wandering geomancer whose name has since become an important part of psacynoid history, was exploring one such cave when they noticed the energy from their spells lingered after being cast. The magic instead began to coalesce into a small crystalline seed. Curious, Owelahana observed the phenomenon over several days, watching as the crystal grew. Further casting of spells of the same school resulted in more crystals, and Owelahana harvested them to bring back to the surface to study. Owelahana and psacynoids like them discovered that each of Nolasa’s caves resonated with a different magical frequency, producing a staggering diversity of crystals. Today the field of crystal cultivation is Nolasa’s most practiced vocation, and the sale of these crystals makes up the largest percentage of the planet’s economy. Psacynoids weathered the Gap fairly well, quickly reestablishing relationships and businesses in the wake of this period of universal amnesia. Some believe that Nolasa’s inherent magic acted as a kind of dampening field to whatever caused the Gap; these scholars posit that while psacynoids were as affected by the Gap as all other species, they were allowed to retain the faintest shadows of their memories. Some sages say this drained a portion of Nolasa’s magic, but since the planet’s caves are still producing crystals, others tend to dismiss these claims. Upon the construction of Drift engines and contact with other civilizations, the demand for Nolasa’s magical crystals has skyrocketed. Though this demand has put some pressure on custodians to produce more crystals and seek out new caves, greater wealth is undeniably pouring in. Psacynoids have since adopted the UPB-based Pact Worlds credit as a standard currency, and thanks to digital banking, profits made from the sale of crystals from one cave can be easily used to help a community on the other side of the world, resulting in a small population boom on Nolasa during the past century. Psacynoids tend to worship deities of magic and community, such as Abadar and Eloritu. A growing faction in Nolasa’s religious community, a sect calling themselves Stratumians, believe that the planet’s surface was manufactured and placed onto the system of caves by some ancient power. Stratumians hold that psacynoids descended from these world engineers but have lost the magic to repeat the monumental feat. They call for deeper forays into Nolasa’s caves to discover more about their progenitors in the hopes of learning this magic and gaining the ability to terraform other worlds.

given stewardship over individual caverns, cultivating and harvesting the crystals that grow there. A custodian must, of course, have knowledge of the same type of magic as the cavern in which they work. They often live within a small prefabricated structure in the cave or, if they’re lucky, within a settlement less than a 20-minute commute away. Those custodians who dwell apart from their fellow psacynoids typically only do so for a single growing season (approximately 6 months) and then return to their families and loved ones for a year or sometimes longer while another custodian takes their place. This rotation allows custodians to avoid becoming too isolated from their communities. During their “time off,” such custodians are free to have other jobs or to pursue a favorite pastime, comfortable in the fact that Nolasa’s extensive social programs ensure they won’t go hungry or without shelter. Another path involves training in combat to protect the crystal farms from Nolasa’s subterranean dangers. Referred to as gallants, these soldiers sometimes exhibit magical prowess of their own and learn to seamlessly blend spells into their fighting styles. Gallants are either stationed in defensive bunkers near the most perilous tunnels and caves

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

CRYSTAL CULTIVATION Psacynoids who want to participate in their planet’s lucrative business usually follow one of three paths. Custodians are

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Dex, +2 Wis, –2 Str Hit Points: 4 Size and Type: Psacynoids are Medium monstrous humanoids. Crystal Crafter: A psacynoid can craft a spell gem or a solarian weapon crystal in half the normal time; this bonus stacks with any provided by tools or environment. For instance, a psacynoid using a starship’s arcane laboratory can craft a spell gem in one-quarter the normal time. Hermetic Knowledge: Psacynoids gain a +2 species bonus to Mysticism and Physical Science checks. Multiarmed (4): See page 154. Psacynoid Senses: Psacynoids have darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Sonic Resistance: Psacynoids have resistance 5 to sonic.

or assigned to a patrol that delves deeper underground to hunt down certain creatures. During rare times known as the “blood seasons,” these ranging gallants are called to aid their cloistered allies as the subterranean monsters grow bolder and attack en masse. Sometimes these assaults last for days of grueling combat, with many psacynoids wounded or killed. For months afterward, the defenses are repaired, and injured gallants undergo hospitalization and physical therapy. Some “retire” to become custodians after a blood season, while just as many return to the front, their determination to keep others safe doubled. A newer career has expanded since other systems have made contact with Nolasa in the hundreds of years since the revelation of the Drift. The most charismatic and cunning psacynoids can find great success as brokers, finding extrasolar markets for Nolasa’s magic crystals. Brokers are probably the most well-traveled of psacynoids, and chances are if one sees a psacynoid outside of the Euditace system, they’re a broker or part of a broker’s retinue. Those familiar with psacynoid culture know that brokers are distinguished by a singular piece of clothing: a small, colorful cape that hangs from all four of the psacynoid’s arms. While this cape slightly restricts the broker’s range of arm movement, the broker never removes it in public. Some even wear special embroidered capes tailored to impress in business negotiations. All brokers must be licensed by the Nolasa Trade Union, which ensures that profits earned offworld are fairly distributed across the planet. While no self-respecting psacynoid would dream of impersonating a broker, the NTU maintains a small department of agents responsible for investigating suspected criminal behavior that could threaten the goodwill and lucrative trade agreements fostered by brokers (including the rare case of embezzlement). These agents are either former brokers or brokers-in-training who prefer paperwork over glad-handing. Elliuanahj (NG nonbinary psacynoid) is the current president of the NTU. In general, the NTU maintains a positive reputation with all the world’s custodians, but this standing

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is beginning to slip as Elliuanahj deals with a protracted legal dispute involving several small custodian guilds from Nolasa’s arctic continent of Mehi. The custodians claim the broker assigned to sell a recent harvest of ice magic–focused crystals has absconded with the cargo, and they demand restitutions. Elliuanahj has tried to assure the custodians that negotiations to sell the crystals are still ongoing and has shifted profits from other sales to Mehi’s social programs to keep tempers cool, but the union president is fighting a losing battle. In truth, Elliuanahj recently received a threatening note from an organization calling itself The Council of Ash, who holds the broker and their shipment of crystals hostage. The Council of Ash is demanding millions of credits from the NTU and has warned Elliuanahj that if they refuse to pay or if they try to contact the authorities, more brokers will end up “missing.” Elliuanahj has been resorting to some clever accounting in an attempt to raise the funds but fears this course will only result in them being ousted from their position and jailed. The union president has also begun discreet inquiries to find neutral parties who might be able to aid them in this predicament.

NAMES Like the Psacynoa language, psacynoid names consist mainly of soft, rounded sounds interspersed with the occasional lateral or nasal consonant. Each name has several syllables, and psacynoid siblings often have nearly identical names distinguished by a single syllable. When a child is old enough to choose their name, tradition holds they pick one that’s an amalgamation of their parents’ names. Psacynoids who deal with other species usually accept being referred to by shortened forms of their names.

Sample Names Aowheleh, Auhanuah, Ehmouwie, Iahuajeo, Olleohuian, Oyuahemeh, Weijheleam, Wouliashi, Yhisweoi, Yuiahmah.

SPELL AMULETS Recently, enterprising psacynoid custodians have discovered a method to create and enchant sturdier spell gems. Known as spell amulets, these magic crystals retain the “memory” of the spell encoded within even after that spell is cast, allowing them to be used multiple times. In addition, the magic within a spell amulet confers a beneficial side effect when the spell within is cast. LEVELS 2-17

SPELL AMULET MAGIC ITEM

PRICE VARIES

BULK L

Spell amulets can take many aesthetic forms, but in general, a spell amulet consists of a chunky piece of crystal mounted in a metal and silicon frame. A spell amulet functions in most respects like a spell gem, in that it grants the temporary ability to cast a spell encoded into the amulet without using one of your spell slots. You must be holding the spell amulet throughout the spell’s casting time and must spend at least a standard action using the spell amulet, even if the spell’s casting time is shorter. Only spellcasters are capable of using spell amulets—if you aren’t a spellcaster, you’re unable to make use of the knowledge the amulet unlocks. You don’t need to know the spell within a spell amulet to use it, but

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES the spell must be on your class’s spell list (or have otherwise been added to your spell list) and you must have a high enough key ability score to cast it. If the spell amulet’s item level is higher than your caster level, once you’ve spent the full casting time of the spell, you must succeed at a caster level check with a DC equal to the spell amulet’s item level + 1 or you fail to cast the spell. If you fail to cast a spell from a spell amulet, the spell remains, and you can attempt to use the amulet again. However, unlike a spell gem, the mystical encoding within a spell amulet isn’t lost when the spell is cast, and it can be refreshed each day. To do so, a spellcaster must expend a spell slot of the same level as the level of the spell encoded within the amulet during their daily preparations, though the spellcaster needn’t know the spell originally encoded in the amulet. For instance, a spellcaster can expend a 2nd-level spell slot to replenish a spell amulet of invisibility even if invisibility isn’t on their list of spells known. A 0-level spell can’t be encoded into a spell amulet. A spell amulet can’t be used with a spellthrower weapon, but it otherwise counts as a spell gem for the purpose of a psacynoid’s crystal crafter ability. To craft a spell amulet, you must know the spell you’re encoding into the gem. If a spell requires expensive materials as part of its casting (such as raise dead), they must be provided while crafting the amulet and each time it’s refreshed, and the amulet’s price is increased by the price of the components. Like spell gems, you can create compound spell amulets holding multiple spells, with a price equal to the total price of all spells stored within it plus an additional 10% of that total. Such spell amulets can be used to cast only one spell at a time. In addition, you can affix a spell amulet to a weapon or suit of armor in a process that takes 10 minutes. Only one spell amulet can be affixed to a single weapon or suit of armor. When the spell within the amulet is cast, you gain a temporary benefit depending on the spell’s school of magic (below); you must be wielding the weapon or wearing the suit of armor to gain this benefit. You can remove a spell amulet with another 10 minutes of work. Abjuration: You gain a +1 shield bonus to AC until the end of your next turn; this bonus increases to +2 if the spell cast is 4th level or higher. Conjuration: You gain a number of temporary Hit Points equal to twice the level of the spell cast. Divination: You gain a +1 circumstance bonus to saving throws until the end of your next turn; this bonus increases to +2 if the spell cast is 4th level or higher. Enchantment: As a reaction immediately after casting the spell, you can attempt a ranged attack against the EAC of a target within 20 feet. If successful, the target is staggered until the end of its next turn; if the spell cast is 4th level or higher, the target is stunned instead. Evocation: As a reaction immediately after casting the spell, you can attempt a ranged attack against the EAC of

a target within 20 feet. If successful, an energy ray deals 1d4 damage per level of the spell cast of an energy type of your choosing. Illusion: Each enemy within 10 feet of you is dazzled for a number of rounds equal to the spell’s level. Necromancy: As a reaction immediately after casting the spell, you can attempt a ranged attack against the EAC of a target within 20 feet. If successful, the target is sickened for a number of rounds equal to the spell’s level. Transmutation: Your speed increases by 10 feet until the end of your next turn; this bonus increases to 20 feet if the spell cast is 4th level or higher. The cost and item level of a spell amulet depends on the level of the spell within.

SPELL LEVEL

ITEM LEVEL

PRICE

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th

2 5 8 11 14 17

450 2,500 8,000 21,000 58,000 200,000

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

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QUORLU Home World: Quorlosh (The Vast) Quorlus are multi-limbed, silicon-based beings who burrow settlement warrens in their tectonically active world. Quorlu physiology runs hot, like their planet, but they’re calm and value connection and new experiences.

Quorlus are a quadrupedal species with three arms. Their limbs are long and flexible, as are their three eyestalks. Quorlus’ silicon-based flesh is pliable, rough, and extremely warm. A rocky shell protects their body but not as much as the species’ internal heat and elemental nature. Quorlus are newcomers on the galactic scene, but their culture leads them to be gregarious and curious as well as peace-loving and accepting of change. Since using Drift travel to leave their world, quorlus have become well known as explorers, prospectors, engineers, and performers; many other sapient creatures find quorlu singing enjoyable.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Quorlus evolved on a planet of restless geology with a thin and toxic atmosphere. They’re compact and roughly ovoid beings, only slightly taller at 4-1/2 feet than they are wide. This body belies their mass, which can approach 400 pounds. The bulk of their bodies is a roundish central mass from which 10 appendages radiate. Quorlus use four of these tentacular limbs for mobility and three for manipulation. Three others near the top of the body end in gemlike orbs, the color of any agate but commonly red-orange to gold, that quorlus use for vision. Limbs other than the eyestalks taper to a blunt tip. Quorlus can shape and divide this point into articulating digits, which act much like human fingers. They can have several digits on any limb, but only the three central limbs are dexterous enough for fine manipulation, while “toes” on their lower limbs help with stability. The malleability of these limbs makes it easier for quorlus to fit into gear intended for other species. Quorlus, however, are unlike many other beings. Their silicon-based physiology makes them akin to living rocks, explaining their mass. Their skin—which they use to hear, smell, taste, and touch—is made up of crystalline elements, and the harder rear shell is similar to a crust of cooled magma. Quorlus’ shell and skin can be a variety of colors and textures, depending on environmental influences, especially the minerals they consume for sustenance. Most resemble igneous rocks. One quorlu might show the featureless grays and blacks of basalt, while another has the speckled characteristic of gabbro, and yet another has the crystalline aspect of granite. Internally, quorlu physiology is more uniform with predictably placed internal structures. This internal structure requires raw material in the form of minerals quorlus consume as food, but it requires no air. Intense cold slows these hot internal reactions, which burn up toxins and non-magical medicinals alike. Plasma within quorlu bodies supports, nourishes, and protects crystal structures analogous to vital organs in carbon-based life-forms; it also contains molecule chains similar to the DNA of carbon-based creatures. Quorlus have no clear biological sex. They reproduce

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by sharing plasma, each would-be parent extruding nodules that develop into young quorlus.

HOME WORLD Quorlus’ home planet, Quorlosh, is a rocky, terrestrial world in the Vast. Quorlosh is the second planet (of six) from the system’s star, a white star larger than the Pact Worlds sun called Quyna. Quyna’s habitable zone for common galactic species begins just beyond Quorlosh’s orbit; its proximity to their sun makes the surface too hot for liquid water. This scorching crust is only one of the hostilities that quorlus have endured for millennia. Quorlosh has a thin atmosphere composed mostly of volcanic gases spewed from the planet’s interior. The world spins rapidly, and its tectonics and volcanism can be violent. Magma forms the rivers and seas on this planet. Quorlosh is inhospitable to many forms of life and deadly to the most common expressions of carbon-based biology. Quorlus evolved in Quorlosh’s subterranean reaches, migrating with the ebb and flow of the world’s tenuous habitability. Although the planet supports non-sapient, silicon-based life, quorlus are the only sapient species, and they don’t rely on other living creatures for food. Where minerals are rich, quorlus can survive and thrive. Few quorlu settlements are entirely permanent and historically endured for no more than a few centuries. Magic, modern engineering, and advanced materials have enabled quorlus to build newer, more stable areas on Quorlosh. Their largest city is the underground metropolis of Zrielta, served by the Zrielta Station spaceport in geosynchronous orbit. Accommodations for non-quorlu sapient creatures are easiest to come by on the station, but the city has facilities for breathing species as well. Quorlus in Zrielta take pride in the array of cultural experiences the city offers, from historical archives to modern artistic displays and musical performances. From Zrielta, air or magical transport are the primary means for travel to other parts of the planet, but other locations on Quorlosh aren’t as welcoming to visitors. Quorlus are no less hospitable in other settlements, but such places tend to offer fewer accommodations for non-quorlus. Only a few spots of natural wonder—from the Pole Plumes, volcanic geysers that spew hot subterranean water into the sky, to Vrolata, an active supervolcano and tallest point on the planet—have amenities for tourists.

SOCIETY Quorlus have adapted to Quorlosh’s harsh nature with a society that embraces impermanence. Philosophically, quorlus place little emphasis on material wealth or ancestral lands that other cultures value. Instead, quorlus esteem

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES peace, emotional connection, creativity, pleasure, and resilience. They take a practical view toward misfortune and disaster. Destruction calls for rescue, reassessment, and—if possible and sensible—restoration. Buildings and other installations are pragmatic, built to endure upheaval and plain in design, while portable and magical decoration is fancier and changes often. Quorlus like to explore possibilities and make work and play uplifting experiences. They value relationships and experiential but temporary forms of expression; their monuments and great works of art tend to be stories and songs passed from generation to generation. Sharing these aspects of being is important to quorlus, so communal groups called kindreds make up quorlu society. Kindreds form based on mutual values and, to a lesser extent, professional skills. A quorlu is born into a kindred, but they foster numerous others. Juvenile quorlus explore these relationships to find the right kindred, a home for the soul. Kindred affiliation can be as transient as a particular quorlu desires. Quorlus cherish personal growth and acknowledge that such development can create the need for new surroundings and relations. A quorlu might stay with a kindred all their life, or they might join numerous chosen families over the years. Quorlus rejoice at another’s choices for change, rather than having hard feelings, since these changes can foster new, positive relationships among individuals and kindreds that couldn’t have existed before. Quorlus’ high valuation of connection and seeking common ground makes them great explorers and diplomats. They also seek belonging, always searching for would-be kindred mates among other peoples. Although it’s rare for non-quorlus to join quorlu kindreds, it’s common for quorlus outside their society to form kindred-like ties. However, quorlus give their private ideals high priority and are unlikely to remain in relationships that force them to compromise their beliefs too often. When it comes to personal expression, quorlus are open, curious, and communal while simultaneously elevating individual inclinations. Quorlus often decorate their portable possessions as well as their bodies, tailoring their diet of minerals, crystals, and salts to gain an excess of a substance to use for bodily expression. They can also extrude minerals to change their skin and shell color over a long period of time. They love music, holographic or illusory art, and other artistic experiences, especially fleeting ones.

have their whole kindred as parents and teachers. After 10 years—an important increment to quorlus—juveniles can visit other kindreds and, if desired, live with and learn from them for a while. By the time a quorlu becomes an adult at 22 years, they have numerous relationships and a breadth of experience that can help them choose a kindred for themselves.

Ancestral Spirits Spirituality among quorlus focuses on ancestral spirits, some of which resemble known deities elsewhere in the galaxy, and reincarnation. Sudden death and loss were common in developing quorlu society. Belief in transmigration of the soul from life to life developed from there, as did a belief that a soul can transcend the mortal plane, becoming one with the principles the deceased quorlu personified. Quorlus revere spirits of friendship, peace, justice, magical and earthly mystery, history, fate, adaptation, evolution, and rebirth. Among quorlus, spirits of these virtues have numerous names. Living quorlus, especially mystics, can be elevated to saintlike positions for embodying such ideals, thought of as reincarnations of virtuous ancestors. Modern quorlus recognize the gods as further embodiments of quorlu spiritualism. Quorlu mystics and spiritualists sometimes connect deities to their ancestor reverence, finding common ground with religious figures in other cultures. Divinities quorlus recognize most often include Eloritu, Hylax, Oras, Pharasma, and Yaraesa. Despite the violent phenomena

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Growing Up Quorlu Quorlus reproduce and rear children communally. Quorlus who wish to give birth mingle their internal plasma with kindred mates and other beloved quorlus to create egg-like nodules that contain the silicon genetic material from several quorlus. Exact parentage is irrelevant in quorlu culture, but quorlus still note heritage for historic and medical reasons. Kindreds have communal nurseries, where caretakers watch over nodules until they hatch, after which kindred members take in the infant for rearing. Quorlu children

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Con, Dex, +2 Cha, –2 Dex Con Hit Points: 64 Size and are Medium monstrous humanoids. andType: Type:Quorlus Astrazoans are Medium aberrations with the Endothermic: Quorlus have resistance 5 to fire that stacks with shapechanger subtype. one other Form: source ofAsfire resistance. Change a standard action, an astrazoan can physically Lithic: bonus creature, to saving as throws against alter theirQuorlus form togain looka +2 likespecies any Medium long as they bleed, disease, and creature poison effects, they benefit from drugs, have seen a similar before.and They cancan’t attempt to either mimic medicinals, or similar non-magical substances. quorlus a specific creature or look like a general creatureInofaddition, the chosen type. don’t breathe orgains suffer the bonus normaltoenvironmental effects of beingasina The astrazoan a +10 Disguise checks to appear acreature vacuum.of the type and subtype of the new form. The DC of the Multiarmed (3):check Quorlus the as multiarmed (3) universal astrazoan’s Disguise is nothave modified a result of altering major creature rule. features or if they disguise themself as an aberration or a humanoid Ponderous: have a land speed of 25 feet. (though the DCQuorlus is still modified if the astrazoan attempts to disguise Stable: Quorlus gaincreature a +4 species bonus to AC can against combat themself as a different type). The astrazoan remain in an maneuvers to bull rush, reposition, trip. alternate form indefinitely (or until or they take another form). Quorlu Senses:AnQuorlus have with an a range 60 feet Compression: astrazoan candarkvision move through area asofsmall as and low-lighttheir vision. one quarter space without squeezing or one eighth their space Susceptible when squeezing.to Cold: When a quorlu takes cold damage, they become fatigued for 1 round. Thisupeffect cause a fatigued Darkvision: Astrazoans can see to 60doesn’t feet in the dark. quorlu becomeFor exhausted. ManytoForms: effects targeting creatures by type, astrazoans Tunneler: can and dig humanoids. through soil at a rate of 5 feet per count as bothQuorlus aberrations minute. A quorlu can internal Rapid Revival: Onceuse perthis day, ability when ancombined astrazoanwith takestheir a 10-minute heat dig through at athey ratecan of additionally 1 foot per minute. they rest totoregain Staminastone Points, recoverWhen Hit Points dig, a quorlu canhad leave a tunnel as though they taken a full behind. night’s rest. Unflankable: Quorlus have the unflankable universal creature rule.

on Quorlosh, quorlus don’t link the planet with any evil deities. They see their planet as a fickle and elemental force, neither good nor evil. Quorlosh gives and takes without conscience or volition. It’s worthy of respect but isn’t a spiritual influence.

QUORLU MAGIC The existence of myriad possibilities, fates, and realities is a touchstone of quorlu culture. Quorlu magic has long included the manipulation of reality with the idea that it isn’t fixed. Everything is change. Magic is merely a manifestation of this principle, and beings can create even unlikely change with the application of practiced will. Traditional quorlu mystics channel ancestral spirits, sing change into existence, and oversee the cycle of life and death. Common connections include akashic, empath, healer, melophile, shaper, and trailblazer. Quorlus have a natural talent for the flamewalker connection, although few pursue this talent on Quorlosh. Quorlus are too pragmatic to fret about any philosophical space between magic and technology. The idea of magic as a tool alongside science appeals to quorlu sensibilities. Technomancers among quorlus tame the forces of creation to bend or defy the laws of science. When magic or tech can’t handle a problem alone, blending the two comes naturally to them. The belief that reality and possibility are malleable also comes easily to quorlus. Quorlu witchwarpers change what is to what could or should be, to what it needs to be. Many witchwarpers focus on using magic to hinder and harm foes, but quorlus are more likely to bend reality to protect and help their allies. This belief in possibility encompasses the concept of time and its malleability; quorlus see time as an unfixed agent of change.

Good Vibrations

NAMES

For a people who lack any fixed orifices and don’t breathe, quorlus have remarkable “voices.” They eat and excrete through openings they create as needed in their skin. Using similar methods, quorlus create sounds with multiple sound-release vents and vibrations in their internal organs and skin. They speak and sing this way, creating pleasant tonal vibrations. Quorlus who invest time in training to use their voices can become incredible singers, negotiators, or both. A quorlu chorale can be a transporting experience, moving the body, mind, and spirit.

Quorlu names start as short phrases that distinguish a child. As a quorlu grows, more syllables join the initial string. These sounds hint at a quorlu’s habits and deeds. The sounds that make up a quorlu’s true name, as with the quorlu language, can be impossible for some species to replicate without aid. Among only quorlus, names signify identity in complex ways determined by personal preferences and individual conduct. Quorlus favor using names or shortened versions of names in place of pronouns, and their language has only two third-person pronouns—one singular and one plural. A quorlu also has several nicknames. These monikers are often specific terms of endearment or shortened versions of a quorlu’s true name. Since quorlu names can be long and impossible for other species to say, a quorlu often gives a shortened, Commonized version of their name or a favorite nickname to other species (as in the samples below).

Iterative Society Quorlus learned long ago to adapt quickly. Their scientific and magical practices have been refined in the same crucible as their society—the harshness of Quorlosh. A pragmatic streak in quorlu culture derives from survival needs, but their desire for joy gives life to artistic expression. Traditions endure among quorlus only if they present a benefit in an environment of rapid change or foment pleasure. Quick to discard anything that doesn’t serve such purposes, quorlus readily try new solutions for difficult-to-solve problems. Quorlus are also frank, honest,

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and willing to admit they’re wrong, especially when sticking to a falsehood is dangerous. Their magic and technology emphasize all these ideals. Entry into galactic society hasn’t tempered this cultural trait, but has opened a world of possibilities for what’s practical and enjoyable. An example of innovation due to leaving Quorlosh is quorlu heat-amp gauntlets, the most common of which are nearly useless against quorlu targets but work fine in combat against many other species.

Sample Names Asada, Boomer, Dulcet, Gunif, Kaden, Laugher, Lork, Minni, Punam, Schmu, Tranquil, Vivar, Zaqui.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

WITCHWARPER OPTION Quorlus value the realm of possibilities and impermanence but also place a high priority on the sort of stability that keeps them safe in the face of disaster. The following are additional effects you can choose from when using the witchwarper’s infinite worlds class feature. These effects are available to witchwarpers of any species. • 1st (Environmental): You cause difficult terrain in the affected area to become normal terrain. When you eliminate non-magical difficult terrain in this way, you create magically altered terrain. • 2nd (Environmental): You stabilize the affected area, steadying unsteady terrain, preventing collapse, and filling gaps. Reduce the DCs to avoid falling, maintain footing, and balance in the area by 5. The area can collapse only due to circumstances that change after you create this effect or if the GM rules stability is impossible. For example, you can hold a collapsing cave in place for the duration but not a platform lacking any other support. Any round during which you use a standard action to maintain this effect doesn’t count against its duration, but the effect can last for a maximum of 1 minute per witchwarper level you have. • 3rd (Environmental): You create a translucent sphere of protection centered on you that moves with you. This barrier and bubble of altered reality might be a thin, semisolid fog, a field of wind, or a bubble inside a film of ectoplasm. This sphere’s boundary provides soft cover and concealment. Atmosphere, gravity, and temperature are tolerable for any creature inside the sphere. Any round during which you use a standard action to maintain this effect doesn’t count against its duration, but the effect can last for a maximum of 1 minute per witchwarper level you have. • 4th (Environmental): You create open space in the affected area, provided any structural material and big masses, such as rubble or liquids, in the area have a hardness of 15 or lower. The effect makes it easy to temporarily excavate an area, removing all inanimate objects, but it’s harder to use to replace artificial structures, such as a standing stone building or vault, or to join strongly disparate environments, such as a starship interior and hard vacuum. The GM can increase a structure’s effective hardness by 10 if it meets these criteria. Creating this effect in an area with any structural material harder than hardness 15 requires you to succeed at a caster level check (1d20 + your caster level) against a DC equal to the hardness of the hardest structural material in the area. If this check fails, the alternate reality fails to manifest, and the spell slot used for this ability is expended with no effect. This open space doesn’t damage surrounding structures or cause them to collapse, and it temporarily holds out moving materials, such as flowing water or unstable debris. If you open this space in an area that contains creatures, they remain and act appropriately according to other environmental factors that don’t change, such as atmosphere and gravity. Any round during which you use a standard action to

maintain this effect doesn’t count against its duration, but the effect can last for a maximum of 1 minute per witchwarper level you have. When the effect ends, creatures and objects that weren’t inside the open area before it appeared are safely shunted to the nearest open space outside the effect. Creatures and objects that were inside the area before it appeared and remained inside are safely shunted back to their original locations. You could, for instance, use this effect to rescue a creature buried in rubble, but removing the creature from the affected area before the superimposed space disappears is crucial. • 5th (Environmental): Creatures in the area move and act normally despite being encumbered, entangled, exhausted, fatigued, off kilter, paralyzed, staggered, or hindered by another effect that reduces activity or speed, such as the slow spell. Within the area, creatures can’t be grappled or otherwise bound, and they automatically succeed at escaping from being grappled, pinned, or bound. Also, creatures ignore effects from the environment, such as from being underwater or in zero gravity, when moving and attacking. If a creature ignores an ongoing effect due to being in the area, the ongoing effect’s duration continues to elapse, and the effect resumes normally if the creature leaves the area or this effect ends.

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

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RAXILITE Home World: Raxil (The Vast) Raxilites are ambulatory plants who augment their bodies and adapt to their environments with advanced technology. As relatively new arrivals to the galactic community, they balance contributions abroad with protecting their home world’s pristine ecosystem.

Biotechnology defines life as a raxilite, from the composition of their bodies to the starships and flying cities that many call home. What their tiny bodies lack in physical strength, they more than make up for in ingenuity and a cultural ethos of cooperation. For some raxilites, intellectual curiosity drives them to explore and learn all they can, both to achieve personal excellence and to help their home world of Raxil reach new heights of prosperity. For others, change has come all too fast, and each raxilite must find their own balance between keeping to traditions and broadening their horizons.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Raxilites’ bodies are comprised primarily of plant matter. Their round heads are large in proportion to the rest of their bodies and topped with either a flower or cluster of fluffy seeds depending upon the current stage in their life cycle. Their small hands are capable of delicate manipulation, and their legs end in tapered stumps. Layers of flexible woody fibers cover their bodies. This woody covering hardens over time, restricting a raxilite’s movement if they don’t periodically shed it—usually about once a year. The time just after a shed is ideal for adding augmentations, of which raxilites are particularly fond. Some biomechanical augmentations have become so prevalent that raxilites consider them to be as much a part of their species as their organic bodies. Chief among these augmentations is the Internal Mobility Augmentation System (IMAS), which is installed in each raxilite’s body shortly after they sprout. The IMAS serves as a system of artificial muscles that are connected directly into each raxilite’s brain system. While their purely biological ancestors might have been able to slowly move around without technological assistance, modern raxilites evolved together with their technology and rely on the seamless integration with their IMAS. Almost as central to life among adventuring raxilites is the Lifting Floret Activation Network (LFAN), an invention produced by raxilite bioengineers in response to their first contact with species from other worlds. The LFAN is a collection of tendrils that allow raxilites to manipulate objects designed for much larger creatures. Implanting LFANs is now standard practice for raxilite sprouts, and the vast majority of raxilites born before first contact have had LFANs installed. Raxilites possess only limited photosynthetic abilities. Basking drives some starch production, but mostly sunlight helps raxilites’ bodies manufacture a wide variety of vitamins, proteins, and other non-carbohydrate nutrients essential to good health. For most of their energy, raxilites need to eat. Their typical diet is predominantly vegetarian with a smattering of diverse soils ingested to secure key nutrients. Raxilites can digest meat, dairy, eggs, and related products, yet these foods are considered curiosities rather than staples. In times of nutritional stress, a

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raxilite can drive their legs into rich soil and take root, growing a shallow system of rhizomes and entering a state of photosynthetic torpor in which they’re barely cognizant of their surroundings. However, this strategy sometimes deactivates or even destroys parts of the IMAS, and there are enough cautionary tales about this transformation being difficult to reverse that most raxilites avoid it except as an act of desperation.

HOME WORLD Water covers most of Raxil’s surface, and its land is divided into clusters of warm, volcanic islands. The planet supports countless species of plants and fungi as well as a diverse array of aquatic animals. Beyond some small pollinators, land-dwelling animals haven’t evolved on Raxil, leaving its ecosystems particularly vulnerable to invasive species. As the only native sapient species, raxilites believe it’s their responsibility to protect and preserve their planet from harmful external influences. Raxil’s ground settlements are typically small, dedicated to research or the sustainable collection of natural resources. The largest of these communities, Everbranch, entwines and threads throughout a colossal tree that raxilite scientists painstakingly grew and shaped into a biological skyscraper. Yet most raxilites live in flying cities that stay aloft through a combination of gas-filled chambers, clever aerodynamics, and biotech thrusters. The largest sky city, Bloom EBS, serves as Raxil’s premier trade hub and point of contact with people from other worlds. The city is named for the legendary raxilite engineer Egveric Brilliance of Stars, who designed the first flying city a millennium ago. The city also sprouts programmable biotech vines that can be shaped into anchors and bridges to vessels of all sizes. Twice during each of Raxil’s years, Bloom EBS and other flying settlements convene to create a conjoined supercity with unified systems of trade and transportation. The government of Bloom EBS subsidizes starship production and space travel to ensure they’re broadly accessible to raxilites. Entering Raxil is far more challenging than leaving it, particularly for those who aren’t from the planet. Starships are only permitted to dock on Bloom EBS and must undergo extensive decontamination procedures. While citizens of Raxil can freely disembark, other visitors face polite but protracted questioning about their reasons for visiting. Among those who are allowed to stay, few are permitted to travel beyond Bloom EBS. Bloom EBS is sized for raxilites, yet the growing neighborhood of Bloom CR (short for Castrovelian Residences) accommodates larger visitors, including homes for the few authorized permanent offworld inhabitants. As the neighborhood’s name suggests, these long-term residents are primarily lashuntas from Castrovel, but they also include Xenowardens from other species and planets.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

SOCIETY Raxilites view thriving ecosystems as a model for society; every living creature and natural feature has its place. Change is inevitable and not to be feared, so long as it’s akin to the natural evolution of biomes as seeds spread and currents shift, rather than the disruption and devastation that invasive species can bring. Of course, whether any given change more resembles the former or latter is a matter of perspective, and these kinds of questions undergird many of the philosophical debates that pervade life on Raxil. These discussions cover an array of topics: is research and the knowledge it provides valuable for its own sake (whether or not it will have a known future application), or should resources be directed toward causes that there’s reason to believe will provide a societal benefit? With implementation of IMAS universal and LFAN widespread, are there other biotech augmentations that should be considered for mass implementation in raxilite sprouts? To what extent should customs, people, and technology from other worlds be allowed to migrate to and shape life on Raxil? While many raxilites enjoy a good debate, their cultures places a heavy emphasis on community and cooperation. Thus, while these questions might produce political factions, they don’t create rancorous divisions. All raxilites have a duty to their communities to share their knowledge and ideas. While younger raxilites are more likely to be inexperienced, raxilites hear all voices and listen to experts regardless of age. On Raxil, there’s nothing unusual about a 70-year-old diplomat scheduled to meet with an emissary from another planet consulting first with a 3-year-old raxilite with firsthand experience of that planet. Raxilites generally don’t place importance on the concept of gender, and rarely identify with a single one. Some raxilites describe themselves as agender, genderfluid, or belonging to multiple genders at once. Their choice of pronouns can be guided by factors such as sound and perception; they might pick one pronoun in Common and a different one in Akitonian depending upon what sounds most pleasing to them, or they might pick the pronouns that they feel best represent their societal role.

accomplishments being forgotten. It’s common for raxilites to exaggerate their number of connections or level of closeness, and people on Raxil have come to expect these enhanced reports. Exaggeration isn’t the same as invention, however, and it’s taboo to either claim a non-existent connection or misrepresent one’s skill level to build connections under false pretenses. After all, if deception leads to a raxilite being depended upon to perform a task they aren’t capable of, then the deception has inflicted unnecessary hardship on others. The desire to build new connections is a major driving force for adventuring raxilites. Not every adventuring raxilite cares about social conventions, however; raxilites with a desire to break away from the expectations of society on Raxil are also drawn to explore the potential of life on other worlds.

Language Raxilites tend to make heavy use of acronyms and abbreviations. According to their cultural traditions, the more important

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Connections Interconnectedness is a core value. A raxilite’s social standing stems largely from the number of connections they keep. As a result, raxilites typically prioritize cultivating relationships, and while gregariousness is an asset, raxilites who lack social graces still find connections by demonstrating their skills and developing a reputation for excellence. Because of the emphasis on friendship, raxilites use the term “friend” more loosely than members of most other species. They often agree to perform favors when asked just to help deepen social connections, yet they expect the same consideration in return. Someone who regularly fails to reciprocate favors might find their connections dwindling as their social reputation sours. Tracking connections is almost as important as forging them, as there’s no greater insult to a raxilite than their name and

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Dex, +2 Int, Cha,+2 –2Cha, Con –4 Str Hit Points: 24 Size and andType: Type:Raxilites Astrazoans are Tiny are plants. Medium aberrations with the shapechangerVision: Low-Light subtype.Raxilites have low-light vision. Change Form: Flowering or Seeding: As a standard Flowering action, raxilites an astrazoan gain a +2can species physically bonus alter to Bluff theirandform Diplomacy to look checks. like anySeeding Mediumraxilites creature,gain as along +2 as species they have seen bonus to Acrobatics a similar creature checks and before. can attempt They canaattempt DC 15 Acrobatics to either mimic check a specific to negate falling creature damage or lookwhen like in a general an atmosphere. creatureAofraxilite the chosen can change type. The astrazoan from flowering to gains seeding a +10(orbonus vice versa) to Disguise with 1 week checksoftorest. appear as a creature An LFAN: of LFAN, the type or Lifting and subtype Floret of Activation the newNetwork, form. Theis DC a biotech of the astrazoan’s Disguise augmentation that looks checklike is not a cluster modified of artificial, as a resultprehensile of altering“vines” major features ortoifa they attached raxilite’ disguise s brainthemself system as (theanraxilite aberration can or adda humanoid one other (thoughaugmentation brain the DC is stilltomodified the LFAN). if theThe astrazoan LFAN isattempts as dexterous to disguise and themselfasasaahuman strong differenthand, creature andtype). the vines The astrazoan can extend can and remain retract, in an alternateaform allowing raxilite indefinitely to use one-handed (or until they items take asanother if they were form).a Medium Compression: creature with a reach An astrazoan of 5 feet. can move through an area as small as one quarter LFAN Symbiosis: their spaceWhen without twosqueezing or more or raxilites one eighth sharetheir the space same when squeezing. 5-foot space, they can use their LFANs together, allowing them to Darkvision: handle larger objects. Astrazoans Up tocan four seeraxilites up to 60can feetwork in the together dark. in this Many way, each Forms: acting as Forone effects hand.targeting creatures by type, astrazoans count as both Limited Plant aberrations Benefits: and Raxilites humanoids. lack the immunities of most RapidInstead, plants. Revival: theyOnce gainper a +2 day,species when an bonus astrazoan to saving takes throws a 10-minute against rest to regain Stamina mind-affecting effects, paralysis, Points, they poison, can additionally polymorph, sleep, recover andHit stunning Points as though effects, unless theythehad effect taken specifies a full night’ it's effective s rest. against plants.

a concept or object is, the more deserving it is of having a compact means of representation, whereas obsolete concepts or technologies tend to be referred to by lengthy descriptors. The Raxi language takes this concept to the extreme, regularly cycling vocabulary to promote efficient communication. Raxi academic papers and research journals are particularly prone to introducing new acronyms, making them infamously inaccessible to unfamiliar readers.

Children Almost all raxilites are born on Raxil. Other planets lack the resources and infrastructure to install IMAS and LFAN systems, and most raxilites consider it negligent to deprive children the initial connections of being raised within a raxilite community. Raxilites produce about 20 seeds at a time, and once planted in a suitable soil, they take about two weeks to germinate and uproot. Newborn sprouts are raised communally, though the parents are expected to remain nearby and help provide food and guidance. Sprouts spend their brief childhood learning, growing, and beginning to discover their strengths and their interests. After just one season on Raxil (roughly 1 Pact Standard year), raxilites sprout their first flower and are recognized as full members of the community, able to vote, enter into contracts, travel the stars, and participate in all aspects of civic life. With strong community support and a particularly short time in which children require extensive attention, most raxilites

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choose to have children at least once in their lives. Raxilites have both female and male reproductive systems. Flowering raxilites who want to have children convene with one or more partners and exchange pollen. As their seeds mature, they enter a seeding stage, where white puffy seeds sprout from their head. They can maintain this stage indefinitely, and mates often choose to germinate their seeds in the same community and around the same time. Even so, it’s entirely acceptable to part ways and raise their respective offspring at different times and places. While raxilites are capable of self-pollinating, they seldom choose to do so. The few raxilites who rely on such cloning to produce offspring face considerable stigma from other members of their communally minded species as well as pointed questions about why they were unable to find a suitable partner.

BIOTECH INNOVATION Thanks to their shared commitment to protecting natural environments, members of the Xenowardens have had more success than most in establishing connections with Raxil. Perhaps the most prominent symbol of this collaboration is the UC Bloom, a biomechanical starship built as a joint venture between Xenowardens and Raxil’s scientists. This luxury freighter is popular among raxilites heading to the Pact Worlds. Hoping to allay the passengers’ homesickness, raxilite engineers named the ship after their planet’s hub city so starfaring raxilites would feel a sense of connection to their origins while abroad. The UC Bloom is equipped with a pheromone system inspired by communication behavior of species from other planets. Some bioengineers have begun experimenting with versions of these systems to be deployed in public venues throughout Bloom EBS, with the aim of promoting well-being and preventing violence. These experiments have triggered spirited ethical debates about whether and how such technologies should be used. Other ship features pioneered by raxilites include dendritic interfaces that allow crew members to connect their nervous systems to those in a biomechanical ship’s computer as well as mechanisms for ships to efficiently connect and detach from each other, as seen in ships like the UC Gowan, which is composed of a dozen smaller hive-joined vessels.

NAMES Raxilites are given simple single names as sprouts, and they add more names to acknowledge their discoveries and formative experiences. Acronyms are almost as common a feature in raxilite naming conventions as in their technology. Acronyms in raxilite names aren’t uniquely theirs, however; raxilites use acronyms to represent the names of other people who are particularly important to them, whether they’re heroes the raxilite looks up to or someone with whom they share a close personal connection. Sprout names always have at least two syllables; a monosyllabic name is a mark of honor that can only be bestowed upon a raxilite by their community. Among raxilites, short nicknames and acronyms are a sign of respect, while adding extraneous syllables to someone’s name is a surefire way to insult them.

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Sample Names

Multitudinous LFAN

Allonius Cultivator, CQ Dembril Sailspin, Fabrian TMLE, Jatri Driftweaver, Luti Vinegrasp AC, Sprix, Yorifa Enginesong KL.

Your LFAN’s tendrils can lift heavy loads that unbalance you. Prerequisites: Strength 13, LFAN species trait Benefit: Your LFAN is as strong and flexible as two human hands, allowing you to use two one-handed items or a two-handed item as though you were a Medium creature with a reach of 5 feet. While doing so, you’re flat-footed unless you have a Strength of 17 or higher.

SPELL Raxilites developed this spell to repair each other, though it’s nonetheless effective on other creatures’ physiologies.

BIOMECHANICAL SYMBIOSIS

TECHNOMANCER 2-6

School conjuration (healing) Casting Time 1 standard action Range touch Targets one creature with a biotech, cybernetic, or magitech augmentation Duration instantaneous and up to 1 minute (see below) Saving Throw Fortitude negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)

You energize the target’s natural healing. For 5 rounds, the target gains fast healing and electricity resistance based on the spell slot used to cast the spell. If the target is a plant, the spell instead lasts for 1d6+4 rounds, and the spell removes one condition affecting the target that could be ended with lesser remove condition. Casting this spell drains all charges from a fully charged battery, otherwise it fails. 2nd: The spell grants fast healing 2 and electricity resistance 5, and drains a standard battery. 4th: The spell grants fast healing 4 and electricity resistance 10, and drains a high-capacity battery. The spell can end one condition affecting a plant target as though it were remove condition. 6th: The spell grants fast healing 6 and electricity resistance 15, and drains an ultra-capacity battery. The spell can end one condition affecting a plant target as though it were greater remove condition.

Pincered LFAN You’ve developed sharpened, retractable pincers at the ends of your LFAN tendrils, turning them into lethal weapons. Prerequisites: LFAN species trait Benefit: You gain the natural weapons universal creature rule, dealing piercing damage. Special: When you gain this feat, you can choose for the special unarmed strike to gain the operative weapon special property. If you do so, the special version of the Weapon Specialization feat at 3rd level adds only your character level to your damage rolls with the unarmed strike, not 1-1/2 × your character level.

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FEATS These feats augment a raxilite’s LFAN and might be available to PCs with similar augmentations.

Grasping LFAN You’ve modified the ends of your LFAN to tighten their grip. Prerequisites: Pincered LFAN Benefit: You gain a +2 species bonus to your KAC against disarm combat maneuvers. You can use your LFAN to grapple other creatures. When you score a critical hit with your LFAN natural weapon, you can also automatically grapple the target if your attack roll equals or exceeds the target’s KAC +4 (pinning them instead if your attack roll equals or exceeds the target’s KAC +13).

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RYPHORIAN Home World: Triaxus (Pact Worlds) Shaped by their home world’s long, eccentric orbit, ryphorians develop dramatic adaptations based on their birth season. Yet, no matter their physiology, ryphorians have become their planet’s dominant species in partnership with their ancient dragonkin allies.

Ryphorians are trimorphic humanoids with variant physical characteristics depending on the season of their birth. Magic and technology allow present day ryphorians to transcend the seasonal cycle, though old stereotypes surrounding summerborn and winterborn individuals endure, as does the mystery surrounding the rare transitional ryphorians born between winter and summer. Ryphorians evolved on their home world, Triaxus, but can live anywhere in the galaxy. Their Skyfire Legionnaires soared among the stars before the Gap, and many ryphorians still become pilots or warriors alongside their bonded dragonkin partners.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Due to the generations-long seasons on Triaxus, ryphorian biology differs depending on the season in which they’re born. They’re separated into three categories: winterborns, summerborns, and transitionals, who often appear as a combination of the two primary forms. Ryphorians have long, pointed ears with feathered edges that give them exceptionally good hearing and particularly large canine teeth that can protrude from their mouths like fangs when they smile. In general, ryphorians have long arms and legs that struggle to retain noticeable muscle mass, though despite their lithe appearances, the harsh environment of their home planet means most have developed sturdy forms and overflowing stamina. The current season on Triaxus is winter, so the vast majority of ryphorians are winterborns. They have pale skin, narrow eyes to protect from snow blindness, and their skin is covered in a light fur to help protect against subzero temperatures. Winterborn ryphorians have no difficulty growing full heads of long hair even into old age, though winterborn hair color is almost always a shade of blonde, silver, or white. It’s trendy for winterborns to dye their hair with bright fashion colors as a show of originality. Winterborns who form bonds with dragonkin partners often dye their hair and fur to match their partner’s scale color. Modern technological advancements and magical discoveries allow ryphorians of any type to survive the seasons in relative comfort. Though all are born with a form matching the current season, many choose to convert to summerborn. Summerborns have hairless bodies, dark skin tones, and wide, dark eyes to protect them from the harsh and constant rays of the sun. Many summerborns favor colorful and intricate tattoos, sometimes completely covering their skin. Summerborns bonded to dragonkin often get matching tattoos in solidarity with their partners. Transitional ryphorians are only born during the short periods between seasons, when temperatures and weather are unpredictable. Converting to a transitional form is possible, though few choose this path. Unfortunately, the ancient anxiety surrounding the harbingers of a seasonal change still plagues today’s transitional ryphorians. Outsiders, artists, and freethinkers

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are more likely to seek this transformation. Charlatans and manipulators sometimes take advantage of the third form’s mystique, claiming to be powerful mystics or prophets because of their transitional appearance. Transitional ryphorians often display a combination of summerborn and winterborn traits, such as brown skin and patches of fur. Transitionals also have unusual characteristics, markings, and fur coloration; these features are a deformity to some and rare beauty to others.

HOME WORLD Much of ryphorian biology revolves around their centuries of evolution on the planet Triaxus, the seventh planet from the Pact Worlds’ sun. Triaxus is defined entirely by extremes: frigid winters, scorching summers, and intense tectonic and volcanic activity. In winter, it’s a frozen landscape marred with icy rivers, endless snow, and temperatures that rarely rise above freezing. Summer is a time of extreme overgrowth, deadly wildfires and droughts, and sweltering heat. The ephemeral springs and falls in between don’t last long enough for even a single generation to begin and end. The planet is peppered with active glaciers and volcanoes, making the environment even more dangerous and unpredictable. Ryphorians share this planet with dragonkin, massive 10 to 15 feet tall humanoid dragons that have had an alliance with the ryphorians since before the Gap. True dragons also inhabit Triaxus, often occupying positions of power. In ancient times, chromatic dragons warred with each other using ryphorians as pawns or even to attack the free Allied Territories. Today, ryphorian and dragon relations remain shaky thanks to their shared history. Most ryphorians live in the eastern portion of Triaxus’s massive northern continent. They refer to their lands as the Allied Territories, named for its status as a collection of allied nations and city-states with their own respective governmental structures. Their alliance is held together by a council elected from each of the territories, which meets to decide political and trade issues between the independent territories. Despite the frequent disagreements and disorganized council structure, the Allied Territories work together when necessary, presenting a united front to any potential enemies. In the opposite hemisphere, the Drakelands are primarily inhabited by dragons. The central land bridge connecting these two continents, called the Skyfire Mandate, is independently controlled by Skyfire Legion mercenaries. The southern island continent of Ning is the birthplace of the battleflowers and continues to be ruled by the Immortal Suzerain and their five-person Council of Wisdom. While it’s also home to many ryphorians, Ning’s mercantile culture completely differs from the mainland. Its 14 mercantile groups are governed by an oligarchy following ancient traditions and practices that seem incomprehensible.

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SOCIETY With the political structure of the Allied Territories being so varied, ryphorian faiths and political views can be difficult to follow, and the societal structure can greatly differ from place to place. Nevertheless, some cultural norms exist among an overwhelming majority of ryphorian settlements. Ryphorians tend to prefer communal living spaces. With the cultural acceptance of the ryphorian-dragonkin bond, bonded partners often live together alongside one another’s domestic and romantic partners, children, and immediate family. Most housing in the Allied Territories is built to accommodate these large and complex family lives. Ryphorians who aren’t bonded or lack steady romantic partners often live with several roommates, or alongside extended family, in apartments or houses with numerous bedrooms. When the workday ends, these households—often called “domestic alliances”—enjoy activities together, such as gaming, watching and commenting on vid programs, or discussing the day’s events. Outside the home, many residents enjoy the spas and hot springs made possible by the planet’s volcanic activity. Most of these spas open in the afternoon and catch much of their business in the evening, with large reservations for ryphorians and dragonkin friends sharing a relaxing post-work soak. During the summer, these spots stay open much later so parties can enjoy outdoor springs in slightly cooler temperatures. Indoor holo entertainment parlors are also common, utilizing the easiest and safest way to escape from the harsh Triaxian climate, even if only for a few hours at a time. Many ryphorians from the Allied Territories feel comfortable in groups and experience anxiety when forced to be alone for long periods of time. Communal living vidstreams are popular with ryphorians traveling outside the Territories. The streams simulate group meals, bathing, and gaming to combat the sense of profound isolation caused by cramped one-person apartments and ship quarters.

toward dragons still live in the hearts of many ryphorians. The Skyfire Legion in particular distrusts the draconic inhabitants of the Drakelands. Today, the real war happens in business and political spheres. Dragon-owned corporations and ryphorian companies routinely commit corporate espionage against one another and compete in similar markets. The Drakelands and Allied Territories maintain separate governments with icy relations and begrudging cooperation at best. Ancient laws and crushing bureaucracy bog down draconic politics, which are rife with extravagant decor, elaborate ceremony, and excessive posturing. Outsiders employ draconic cultural experts, mostly ryphorian academics who have undertaken rigorous sociological and linguistic study.

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Neighborly Connections Dragonkin and ryphorians shared bonds and integrated their cultures long before the Gap. All territories that belong to ryphorians belong just as much to the dragonkin who live among them. Since the two groups are so strongly integrated, council members and emissaries from the Allied Territories can be of either species. Sometimes, chosen delegates serve alongside their bonded partners and are treated as a single council seat. Typical Triaxian architecture reflects this connection. Most buildings are designed to accommodate creatures of different sizes, with adjustable furniture, ramps, and steps of different heights being commonplace. Despite their status as a minority population in the Allied Territories, dragonkin are considered equal citizens, and their partner bonds are legally protected, imbuing partners with next-of-kin status and power of attorney. Implying any connection between dragonkin and the true dragons of the Drakelands is considered gauche and likely to start an argument in the Allied Territories. Though the peoples of the Allied Territories and the Drakelands are no longer at war, old prejudices and rivalries

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Con, +2 Wis, –2 Str Hit Points: 4 Size and Type: Ryphorians are Medium humanoids with the ryphorian subtype. Bonus Feat: Ryphorians gain a bonus feat at 1st level. Keen Senses: Ryphorians’ distinctive ears help them hear precisely, granting a +2 bonus to Perception checks. Low-Light Vision: Ryphorians can see in dim light as if it were normal light. Trimorphic: Summerborn ryphorians gain fire resistance 5. Winterborn ryphorians gain cold resistance 5. Transitional ryphorians gain cold and fire resistance 2, and when in conditions of severe cold or heat, they have to attempt Fortitude saves only once per hour instead of once every 10 minutes. A ryphorian can stack this natural resistance with one other form of resistance.

Despite the hostility between the two cultures, they’ve continuously influenced one another over the millennia. Today, draconic and ryphorian fashions and technology move in predictable cycles thanks to parallel development and appropriation. Many Draconic loan words are used in the common ryphorian language, including a term specific to dragons used to denote periods of time that last generations for shorter-lived beings. This word was first borrowed and adapted to refer to the length of a Triaxian season and is now a fixture in daily ryphorian vocabulary. Battlefield maneuvers are often named using a Draconic patois, and medical terminology has roots in the dragons’ tongue. Many offworld settlers face an uphill battle when it comes to living on Triaxus. The harsh climate and the varied political structures can make it difficult to acclimate. However, most ryphorians are welcoming to offworlders and put in the effort to help visitors feel comfortable in their societies. Their communal and multicultural lives make them willing to listen to the concerns of other species living among them. Even elves who live on Triaxus tend to eschew their typical isolation to live among bustling ryphorian family structures and become romantically involved with ryphorians. The children born of intercultural romances are quickly accepted by their ryphorian families and often become skilled diplomats or planetary guides due to an early grasp of the interactions between multiple cultures.

PLANETARY GUIDES Since ryphorian politics and society is so intertwined with their complicated family and household structures, numerous disconnected member states, and the cultural interactions with dragons and dragonkin, most tourists and business travelers hire planetary guides. These guides are well-educated and trained to deal with people from the Drakelands, other parts of the Pact Worlds, and beyond. Guides are respected by their communities, and the profession is quite lucrative, especially for those hired by high-profile clients. The job training is difficult, and the work is sometimes dangerous, but the prestige and

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cultural necessity for guide keeps many motivated to enter the profession. Planetary guides operate at a strange intersection of academia, performance theater, and politics. Every planetary guide must be trained in over a dozen different ryphorian cultural laws and customs as well as draconic laws and procedures for interactions in the Drakelands and Skyfire Mandate. They must be outgoing and resourceful with the ability to speak confidently in front of crowds and the discipline to keep client secrets. Universities on Triaxus offer a specific field of study to educate certified planetary guides, which combines international politics, linguistics, and economic studies with military-style combat and environmental training. The tiered course catalog increases in difficulty each semester, with most students completing their initial degree in 5 to 8 years. As a rule, foreign diplomats and business executives hire elite planetary guides when traveling to Triaxus. For these positions, the pay is high, and the risks are higher. Certain guides are sought after for their ability to detect and take down threats before the client’s bodyguards can even react. The militant aspect of guide training also helps protect tourists, particularly those surveying the unforgiving Triaxian wilderness or visiting volatile areas. Even from the safety of vehicles and snow lodges, the environment and fauna of the planet can be fatal to those untrained to handle it. Yet, despite their training, occasional accidents result in the death of planetary guides. In these cases, Allied Territories governments offer significant restitution to any kin the guides leave behind. An investigation always occurs after the death of a planetary guide to determine if the death was an accident or the fault of a client. If any clients are found responsible, either through carelessness and not following guidelines for tourists or through failure of a high-profile client to provide proper protection against their rivals, those responsible are forced to pay further restitution to the fallen guide’s kin. In the most extreme circumstances, the client might be forced to return home with their right to visit Triaxus in the future suspended or even revoked.

NAMES The Ryphorian language shares many similarities with the Draconic language, sharing phonemes, root words, and even idioms. With this influence, ryphorian names tend toward containing a lot of the same harsh sounds found in Draconic ones but with less syllables. Most ryphorian names are no more than three syllables long, making it easier to remember and distinguish many names within friend and family groups. Ryphorian last names can be inherited from parents but are more often gifted to children by a close friend within their parents’ circle. They follow the same trends as ryphorian first names and are often repurposed first names passed onto a member of the extended family. Being offered the chance to gift a last name to a friend’s child is considered a high honor and proof of an extremely close friendship.

Sample Names Atioka, Chezhek, Emex, Jaxek, Kaxani, Raysel, Renn, Syzon, Tyrax, Xalke, and Ziratyk.

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SPELLS Ryphorians developed the following spells to mimic Triaxus’s tumultuous nature.

ARTIFICIAL GEYSER

TECHNOMANCER 2

School evocation Casting Time 1 standard action Range 60 ft. Area 20-ft.-line Duration instantaneous Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance yes

You create a burst of pressurized boiling water. This deals 3d8 slashing and fire damage and applies the burn condition for 1d6 to each creature in the area. A successful Reflex save halves this damage and negates the burn condition.

CHANGE OF SEASONS PRECOG 2

WITCHWARPER 2

School transmutation Casting Time 1 standard action Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Targets one creature Duration 1 round/level Saving Throw Will partial; Spell Resistance yes

You accelerate time for the target, making them experience the concentrated effects of a Triaxian season. This spell imbues a target with vulnerability (as the universal creature rule) to cold or fire (chosen when cast); if the target has resistance to that type of damage, it instead reduces a target’s resistance to cold or fire damage by 5. If the target is immune, it’s instead treated as though it had fire or cold resistance 10 for the duration of the spell. A successful Will save reduces the duration to one round.

deals 2d6 damage in a 10-ft-radius, 20 ft. high burst. 2nd: When you cast volcanic wrath as a 2nd-level spell, deals 4d6 damage in a 10-ft-radius, 20 ft. high cylinder. 3rd: When you cast volcanic wrath as a 3rd-level spell, deals 7d6 damage in a 20-ft-radius, 40 ft. high cylinder. 4th: When you cast volcanic wrath as a 4th-level spell, deals 10d6 damage in a 20-ft-radius, 40 ft. high cylinder. 5th: When you cast volcanic wrath as a 5th-level spell, deals 15d6 damage in a 30-ft-radius, 60 ft. high cylinder. 6th: When you cast volcanic wrath as a 6th-level spell, deals 17d6 damage in a 30-ft-radius, 60 ft. high cylinder.

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CHANGE OF SEASONS, GREATER PRECOG 4

WITCHWARPER 4

School transmutation Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Targets one creature

This spell functions like change of seasons except it causes vulnerability to fire or cold even if the target has resistance and reduces immunity to fire or cold resistance 5.

VOLCANIC WRATH MYSTIC 1-6

WITCHWARPER 1-6

School conjuration Casting Time 1 standard action Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Area varies by level Duration instantaneous, plus 1 round/level Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance yes

You summon an erupting volcano that unleashes molten rock over an area, dealing fire and bludgeoning damage. The  eruption leaves molten rocks, thick ash, and smoke, making the entire area of effect difficult terrain for the duration of the spell. 1st: When you cast volcanic wrath as a 1st-level spell, it

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SCYPHOZOAN Home World: Primoria (The Vast) Scyphozoans have soft, translucent bodies consisting of a bell and specialized tentacles that let them walk, manipulate objects, and deliver painful stings. They use living technology to grow houses, weapons, computers, and starships from genetically engineered organisms.

Resembling sea jellies, scyphozoans are sophisticated herders and technologists. Most of scyphozoan history centers on nomadic societies that grew increasingly belligerent and expansionist, yet within the past century, they’ve achieved planetwide peace and developed unique biotechnology. Since then, they’ve created living machines and organic starships that carry scyphozoans across the galaxy as explorers and scientists.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Scyphozoans evolved from a species of large amphibious sea jellies, and they retain many of their ancestral features. An adult stands about 7 feet tall and weighs about 150 pounds, with their body commonly defined by three sections: the bell, the inner mantle, and the tentacles. The bell constitutes scyphozoans’ dome-like exteriors, comprised of layers of gelatinous flesh that collectively function as a complex muscle and protective shell. In water, scyphozoans can relax and contract their bells to create thrust. Out of water, the bell retains moisture and is key for respiration; scyphozoans retract their gills into their bodies, relying on gases to diffuse directly through the flesh, where the gills undulate to circulate fluids. The collagen-rich bell is also one of the toughest body parts, shielding softer organs by turning aside cuts and dissipating impacts. The bell is also key to communication and stealth. Several hundred bioluminescent patches are spread throughout the upper-middle tissues, the glow of each bleeding into surrounding flesh to give the creature a warm opacity. Scyphozoans can vary their color and intensity to a limited degree. Too faint to illuminate an area, these lights instead convey emotions and simple messages, much like facial expressions in most humanoids. By dampening the lights, their bodies become nearly translucent, helping them hide. Likewise, the bioluminescence can create a countershading effect that helps scyphozoans blend into brighter environments and break up their outlines. To communicate vocally, scyphozoans don’t speak through their mouths but rather by gently squeezing their bells to create pressure; doing so creates a pleasant hum they can modulate into words using the vocal frills along the underside of their bells, giving the speaker a musical quality. Above water, the varied gas levels in scyphozoan’s bodies sometimes add a crackling sound when speaking, like the popping bubbles of a freshly opened carbonated beverage. A series of chambers known as the inner mantle within the bell contains various sensitive organs. Of these, the digestive system is the most extensive, forming a loop that begins and ends at the circular mouth. Powerful pores along the mantle allow scyphozoans to absorb fluids underwater or retain moisture in drier environments. Scyphozoans can survive indefinitely (although with increasing discomfort) aboveground.

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Scyphozoans’ tentacles take numerous forms based on their purpose, generally classified as locomotive, sensory, and gripping tentacles, each of which anchor to the underside of the bell. Most scyphozoans have four locomotive limbs, each about 5 feet long and end in several toe-like projections for additional balance when walking. These tentacles aren’t entirely flexible, instead having a few cartilaginous, disconnected “bones” that help provide strength. On land, the quadrupedal movement has a balanced gait, making scyphozoans appear as if they gently float above the ground. Underwater, these appendages typically flatten slightly, acting as rudders. Two sets of sensory tentacles are arranged evenly around the body. Skirt tentacles dangle near the locomotive limbs, acting like antennae to detect nearby vibrations in the air and water. Crown tentacles are far shorter and curl up around the bell, further augmenting vibration sensitivity while also serving in various smell, taste, and chemoreception roles. These tentacles all augment the senses of the bell, which absorbs and processes incoming sounds like a giant ear. A scyphozoan’s eyes are all aligned along one side of the bell, providing complex vision in exchange for 360-degree sight. Nodes of nervous tissue extend through sensory tentacles, creating a network of secondary brains that all connect to the central brain contained in the inner mantle. Finally, several gripping tentacles allow scyphozoans to manipulate devices with equivalent dexterity to a human’s hands. These tentacles are adapted from ancestral stinging tentacles, and each gripping appendage contains a host of acidic nematocyst stinging cells that scyphozoans can deactivate at will. Scyphozoan reproduction is entirely aquatic, with males and females releasing sex cells into the water and letting fertilized eggs settle onto shallow sea floors. There, hatchlings anchor themselves to debris and develop into anemone-like polyps that feed and grow before metamorphosing into smaller versions of adults.

HOME WORLD Scyphozoans are native to Primoria, the second of six planets in its star system in the Vast. The other planets in the system are airless or have toxic atmospheres or seismic instability, deterring habitation. From a vertebrate’s perspective, Primoria seems like a primeval world because its native life evolved neither backbones nor lignin-dense plant life like trees, creating a world dominated by invertebrates, ferns, and fungi. Arthropods are the most diverse and populous group of animals on Primoria, ranging from moss-eating beetles to titanic centipedes. Swarms of scythe shrimps and dreadnought trilobites patrol the oceans. Worms are a close second in diversity, including burrowers like the gigantic ringmouth, climbers like the venomous arrow worm, and swimmers like the serpentine harpoon leeches. Mollusks have speciated into most environments as well.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Three-armed tree-dwelling cephalopods sling from one fern tree to another and constrict their prey, while giant slugs with webbed tails swim like seals. Many species of sea jellies—including scyphozoans—live in the ocean and near the coasts. Fungi and plants are also diverse. Several species of ferns, horsetails, and mushrooms grow taller than 30 feet, forming forests. Carnivorous fungi and plants are prevalent, such as the hugger moss, which forms thick, spongy patches that entangle and digest animals. Scyphozoans warred against mycelars (sentient, bipedal masses of stringy fungal matter originating from the planet’s vast fern and moss forests) for centuries in the past, but today, the two species live in peace. Most of Primoria’s species inhabit the supercontinent Eukarya, which represents roughly three quarters of the planet’s landmass. The remaining territory is split between three other continents: Cyrontia, Laurentia, and Velluria. Scyphozoan settlements dot Eukarya’s coastline, forming a nearly unbroken belt around the continent. Only the northernmost reaches, which extend into the arctic zone, lack permanent habitation due to extreme temperatures and limited resources. Scyphozoan settlements tend to straddle the coastline with structures both above and below the surf. Inland habitation mostly clings to rivers and marshes, allowing scyphozoans to regularly submerge for both hygienic and reproductive purposes. Most communities remain small with only five larger cities—Askaneh, Heankaar, Kishkanon, Qalicar, and Tarinth—exceeding 100,000 souls. The most populous and prosperous of these settlements is Tarinth, a thriving center of learning and science that also hosts a large population of mycelars. Deeper within Eukarya’s interior lies Arbaath, a vast forest that covers roughly half of the continent. Today, only a few scyphozoan trading posts exist within Arbaath— most of the forest is either entirely untamed wilderness or controlled by mycelars. Save for the mycelar city Bisporia, where scyphozoans trade and live among mycelars, Arbaath remains mysterious and largely forbidden to outsiders. Primoria has two moons, whose gravity causes significant tidal changes in sea level, so many marine species of animals and plants have adapted to living on land and vice versa. Since the advent of space flight, scyphozoans have established small colonies on both moons. The blood-red Acryllae is rich in ferrous metals, while the steel-gray Mandarth has major deposits of crystals and other minerals. Regardless, scyphozoans are so biotech-focused they easily obtain the few minerals they need from Primoria, and the lunar colonies exist mainly for research.

with the mycelars of Arbaath. The mycelars interpreted these scyphozoans as invaders, spurring generations of warfare that united scyphozoans as a species thanks to their shared enemy. The wars transformed scyphozoan and mycelar society alike. As scyphozoans increasingly cooperated against their enemy, they simultaneously questioned their expansionist policies that had started the conflicts in the first place. After generations, the war-weary forces sought peace. A century ago, massive reconciliation efforts drew the deadly feuds to an end, beginning a rich exchange of scientific knowledge that spurred a biotech revolution (see Scyphozoan Technology on page 118). Today, most scyphozoans are tech savvy and nonviolent, with little desire to spark new conflicts like the one their planet only recently concluded. Urban scyphozoan society demonstrates a fascination with its ancient past, especially with pastimes of its ancient nomadic roots. Games once used to teach hunting and warfare skills

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

SOCIETY Early scyphozoans were hunters and pastoralists who followed prey and herded domesticated plankton swarms in seasonal cycles. As technologies developed further, scyphozoan tribes developed professional identities, such as communities specialized in tanning, metallurgy, and crustaceanware vessels, which in turn helped develop continentspanning networks of trade that reinforced cultural identities. Scyphozoans increasingly explored inland, forcing encounters

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Con, +2 Int,–2 Cha Hit Points: 4 Size and Type: Scyphozoans are Medium aberrations. Acidic Tentacles: As a swift action, a scyphozoan can make one of their prehensile tentacles secrete acid; their unarmed strikes with that tentacle count as having the corrosive weapon fusion, except the ability isn’t magical. While the effect is activated, the scyphozoan is considered armed, and the attack doesn’t count as archaic, but the scyphozoan can’t hold an item in that tentacle. Starting at 3rd level, a scyphozoan adds 1-1/2 × their character level to the damage while the effect is activated. A scyphozoan can deactivate the effect as a swift action. Amphibious: Scyphozoans are able to breathe both water and air normally. Scyphozoan Senses: Scyphozoans have blindsense (vibration) with a range of 30 feet. Sea-Born: A scyphozoan has a land speed of 30 feet and a swim speed of 30 feet. Translucent: Scyphozoans receive a +2 species bonus to Stealth skill checks.

have become national sports that have teams competing in a planetwide league. Despite pacifistic trends, dueling has become an edgy practice involving youths clashing with traditional combinations of tentacle and spear taught in many martial arts studios. Deaths are infrequent, but acid burn scars serve as status symbols for this subculture. These sports represent a revival and revision of old traditions, often in stark contrast to the seminomadic populations that still practice these original arts. This ongoing change shapes modern scyphozoan hierarchies. Since time immemorial, scyphozoans have organized themselves into tribes that adopted and integrated newly emerged scyphozoans from the oceans, inducting them as apprentices into the tribe’s key industries. Leaders glowed brightly to affirm their superiority, whereas low-ranking members would dim their own bioluminescence in deference. Advancement often depended on an individual’s coloration and patterns, equating idealized appearances with the potential for greatness; those fortunate scyphozoans therefore earned more resources and training, which in turn validated society’s assumptions about their talent. The tradition of prophesying a youth’s lights has given way to a more meritocratic society, yet tribal affiliation remains part of scyphozoan identity. After all, scyphozoan reproduction leaves little sense of a child’s parentage, so tribes provide an extended family and serve a crucial role in raising adolescents. Even so, color displays carry ancient weight, and showing bright colors conveys a certain vanity, as if the flashy individual is behaving like one of the High Radiants of old. Many scyphozoans travel to other systems to learn more about alien cultures and study alien technology. Conversely, Tarinth welcomes people from the Pact Worlds and other systems to study and teach biotechnology and other subjects

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at the Tarinth Science Academy. Thus far, Common is widely spoken only in Tarinth, where it has become the preferred language of science in academia and publication. Even as scyphozoan society evolves in this new age of peace and travel, many cultural elements remain the same. Most still subsist on traditional diets of plankton-based staples and tender fern shoots supplemented by various invertebrates. Scyphozoans can subsist on offworld foods, though travelers often carry pickled seafood condiments with them to ensure their meals taste sufficiently fishy. Scyphozoan festivals often feature an array of massive percussion instruments that create body-shaking bass tones, which they find pleasing; on the other hand, scyphozoan bells tend to find higher-pitched music somewhat uncomfortable. Biopoetry survives as an honored art form, in which writers grow poetic messages into carefully cultivated fungal fruiting bodies that are then harvested, preserved, and read by touch.

SCYPHOZOAN TECHNOLOGY Though many scyphozoan innovations have similar functions as their mechanical or electronic counterparts, most are based on biotechnology. Scyphozoans grew things like furniture, lighting devices, houses, and simple weapons from living organisms even before the modern era, but it wasn’t until their mycelar allies revealed their “plant whispering” techniques that scyphozoans learned to program modified organisms on a cellular level. Among the first innovations were plants designed to express a simple group intelligence to better fend off pests, increase yield, and communicate their needs. Microbiologists then engineered powerful biobots that perform surgeries and kill pathogens. Even living vehicles are possible, most famously the dracopter aircraft created from giant dragonflies and living starships grown from specialized ferns. Scyphozoans also developed computers using nerve cells for processing, memory, and storage, consisting of light-emitting chromatophores. Primoria’s infosphere uses a high-speed mycelial backbone and wireless connections, incorporating some non-biotech components. Combining the efforts of their leading scientists in aviation, computing, and other fields, scyphozoans built their first living starship less than a century ago. Today, scyphozoan ships equipped with Drift engines operate in the Pact Worlds and many other systems. Primoria’s citizens delight in their inventions yet are cognizant of not just the ethical challenges of repurposing living creatures in this way, but also the potential risks of infusing technological intelligence into their living devices. Even as entertainment media sensationalizes bioengineered uprisings, Primoria’s scientists continuously devise new safeguards to ensure their inventions remain safe for everyone.

NAMES Naming patterns vary wildly from one scyphozoan community to another. Traditionally minded communities (such as nomadic plankton herders) tend to have onomatopoetic names that mimic the sounds of the ocean, such as those of ocean waves crashing on the shore or sea wind at night. Urban scyphozoans, particularly in Tarinth, favor shorter names that are easier for people of other species to pronounce.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

2

TABLE 2–12: ADVANCED MELEE WEAPONS TWO-HANDED WEAPONS UNCATEGORIZED

LEVEL

PRICE

DAMAGE

CRITICAL

BULK

Nematocyst spear, ceremonial Nematocyst spear, dueling Nematocyst spear, hunter Nematocyst spear, warlord Nematocyst spear, champion

4 9 13 17 20

2,100 13,500 50,000 260,000 850,000

1d8 A & P 2d8 A & P 5d8 A & P 10d8 A & P 15d8 A & P

Staggered Staggered Staggered Staggered Staggered

1 1 1 1 1

OVERVIEW

SPECIAL Analog, injection, reach, underwater PW Analog, injection, reach, underwater PW Analog, injection, reach, underwater PW Analog, injection, reach, underwater PW Analog, injection, reach, underwater PW

TABLE 2–13: LONGARMS TWO-HANDED WEAPONS UNCATEGORIZED Meduza rifle, stinger Meduza rifle, blitz Meduza rifle, assault Meduza rifle, commander Meduza rifle, gorgon

LEVEL

PRICE

DAMAGE

RANGE

CRITICAL

CAPACITY

2 6 10 15 19

720 3,950 17,200 100,000 500,000

1d8 A & S 2d8 A & S 3d8 A & S 7d8 A & S 11d8 A & S

40 ft. 60 ft. 70 ft. 80 ft. 100 ft.

Bind AR Bind AR Bind AR Bind AR Bind AR

20 charges 20 charges 40 charges 80 charges 80 charges

BULK SPECIAL

USAGE BULK SPECIAL 2 4 5 5 8

1 1 1 1 1

Analog, living AR Analog, living AR Analog, living AR Analog, living AR Analog, living AR

TABLE 2–14: GRENADES GRENADES

LEVEL

PRICE

RANGE

CAPACITY

3 7 13 17

240 920 7,200 36,000

20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft.

Drawn Drawn Drawn Drawn

Meduza grenade I Meduza grenade II Meduza grenade III Meduza grenade IV

Sample Names

L L L L

Explode (1d6 A & S, corrode 1d4, 5 ft.), hydrodynamic Explode (2d6 A & S, corrode 1d6, 10 ft.), hydrodynamic Explode (5d6 A & S, corrode 3d6, 15 ft.), hydrodynamic Explode (10d6 A & S, corrode 5d6, 15 ft.), hydrodynamic

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Bellbell, Cidariz, Cubowan, Fizzbicah, Koshkahal, Liplaptiplip, Liralii, Medu, Merilima, Qualipan, Sihisih, and Washau.

SCYPHOZOAN WEAPONS Despite having established planetwide peace, scyphozoan manufacturers like Meduza Industries continue to develop weapons for ceremonial, recreational, and security purposes. Hydrodynamic Special Property: This weapon can be thrown underwater effectively, taking no penalty to attack rolls or damage for underwater combat.

Meduza Grenade Once armed, this grenade rapidly unfolds into a hand-sized, glowing jellyfish. On impact, the grenade hurls tendrils of stinging cells throughout its area. When thrown underwater, the jellyfish contracts its bell and jets toward its target.

Meduza Rifle A meduza rifle fires acidic filaments that cut and burn the target. The filaments quickly become inert but retain some adhesive properties. The rifles are grown from genetically engineered material taken from both scyphozoans and other Primorian species.

Nematocyst Spear These traditional spears are fashioned from the tentacles of scyphozoans who died honorably in combat. Some modern versions of the spear are grown in laboratories rather than harvested from the dead.

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SHIMREEN Home World: Shimrinsara (The Vast) Shimreens are radiant crystalline humanoids who are resistant to electricity and amplify energy. They can tweak their body, shifting an arm into a weapon or adjusting their luminosity.

Born on a world wracked by eternal storms, shimreens are autochthonous humanoids composed of glimmering crystal who rose to prominence through tenacity and ingenuity, using magic and technology to adapt to their volatile environment. Now, these ingenious innovators live in idyllic city-states, each encased in a crystal dome that both shields the metropolis and powers the city with the limitless energy of a raging storm. Like the technology that keeps them safe, shimreens aren’t born, but made—forged in sacred volcanoes from lava and crystal shards donated by family.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Although humanoid in shape, shimreens are composed of luminous crystal rather than flesh and blood. Their tall, angular bodies are hard to the touch, and flexible clusters of crystal fragments form their joints. Due to their composition, shimreens are dense, with a typical 7-foot-tall shimreen weighing over 600 pounds. Shimreens come in countless colors and consider body clarity and smooth surfaces to be signs of good health and beauty. Their bodies emit a persistent glow that varies in intensity to match their moods. Most learn to control their luminance at a young age and can dim or brighten at will. The Shimreeni language incorporates optional light flourishes that convey emphasis, instill poetic flair, or are part of regional accents. Regardless of a shimreen’s control, only death can extinguish their light. Thanks to their crystalline structure, shimreens are resistant to electricity and reflect light. Even when energies reach dangerous levels, a shimreen can absorb a portion of the energy, amplify it, and release that energy through touch. Shimreens are also sensitive to vibrations, not just hearing but also feeling sound as a thrumming in their chests. Each shimreen’s body resonates at specific frequencies, and those sounds that match their resonance cause a tonal harmony shimreens find pleasant. Shimreens exhibit considerable control over their bodies, displayed in three primary ways. First, they can reshape their arms, transforming them into simple crystal lances or tools. Second, shimreens can purposefully alter the crystalline memory reservoirs that perform most brain functions, allowing them to slowly edit out bad habits or clear traumatic memories in a process that takes either considerable focus or outside assistance. Finally, a shimreen controls how their crystals grow along their head, shoulders, and necks, tailoring their bodies into preferred styles as whim and fashions dictate. Most shimreens shape their head crystals to form crowns or let the crystals around their faces grow wild to form clusters called manes.

Life Cycle Shimreens aren’t born, but purposefully created by their families from crystal shards—freely shorn from crests, crowns,

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manes, and spurs—that are mixed with the lava from one of seven sacred volcanoes in special creation chambers. These shards melt, either being consumed by the lava or attracting a soul. If the latter, a newborn shimreen about half the size of an adult coalesces from the molten minerals, rising from the lava in a shell of heat-resistant gel that sloughs away moments later. It’s possible for any number of living shimreens to contribute crystals to a child’s creation, from a single individual to an entire community. In addition to inheriting some qualities of the parents who donated crystal shards, a young shimreen’s composition is also shaped by the volcano of their birth. The most prestigious of these seven mountains is Pharasma’s Forge, a small volcanic hot spot and temple complex whose mountain face is carved with ray-like canals that direct rivulets of lava into the creation chambers. Near the city of Zaniir stands the most infamous volcano, Shadowgulch Peak. As the Gap ended, this volcano began spewing noxious, purple lava that attracted mutated beasts and undead shimreens. It’s still possible to birth new shimreens there, but the process is so dangerous as to be rarely attempted. Over their two to three centuries of life, a shimreen’s light dims, their body becomes clouded, their exterior softens, and they lose control over their crystal growths. The eldest shed crystal fragments, eventually crumbling peacefully at the moment of death. Shimreen dead are carried in a solemn procession to the nearest sacred volcano and cast into the magma, where their spirits contribute to making future life. Many shimreens believe this step to be necessary in their life cycle, and that if enough shimreens aren’t returned to the sacred volcanoes, the volcanoes will lose the ability to produce them completely—perhaps the reason shimreens can be created only on Shimrinsara. Archaeological evidence indicates shimreens of the ancient past might have offered live sacrifices to the volcanoes for precisely this reason—a dark history most believe is pure fabrication.

HOME WORLD Shimreens are from Shimrinsara, an isolated planet deep in the Vast wracked by powerful, never-ending storms. The only planet in its solar system, Shimrinsara is orbited by seven small moons occasionally visible through the planet’s pervasive storm fronts. Each moon boasts a single preGap ruin believed by shimreen scholars to be either shrines dedicated to forgotten divinities or memorials to ingenious innovators whose inventions changed the course of shimreen history. Regardless of their purpose, these ruins indicate that shimreens were capable of spaceflight in the distant past. It’s unclear what halted their starflight endeavors, but they and their fellow Shimrinsarans (the clawed, crustacean-like corovites and the subterranean, gloom-shrouded uldroons) were grounded by the time the Gap ended.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Shimrinsara’s storms are its most prominent feature, coating the planet entirely and blotting out the sun, moons, and stars but for the briefest of moments. The roar of the wind, rumbling of thunder, and torrential downpours are impossible to avoid, as are the constant lightning strikes that flash with terrifying frequency. Flying is difficult, with only starships able to navigate the storms safely, and even then, most choose to fly over the clouds rather than through them. The majority of Shimrinsara’s surface is covered in stormy oceans with towering, erratic waves. Ocean-faring shimreens travel by submarine, rather than ship or hovercraft, and don’t tarry long. To shimreens, the ocean is a mystery they have little desire to plumb, leaving Shimrinsara’s waterways as the domain of corovites. Dense jungles occupy most of Shimrinsara’s land. Thick-trunked trees weather the gusts and rain, with most flora resistant to electricity in some way. Some plants even reproduce by growing short-lived shoots high above the canopy to act as lightning rods, delivering high bursts of energy essential to those plants creating or dispersing seeds. Elsewhere lie vast, vitrified plains—deserts in a time long forgotten, presumably transformed by innumerable lightning blasts into a jagged glass wasteland. Volcanoes are rare but powerful and active. Most stand near one of the seven shimreen cities and are considered holy sites due to their role in the shimreen life cycle. However, the volcanoes are also home to lava-dwelling ceractals, cunning beasts that devour shimreens and grow more powerful with each soul consumed. Shimrinsara boasts extensive subterranean cave systems within which reside the uldroons: intelligent hunters shimreens have warred with since prehistory, when shimreens sought shelter underground. The caves are hot, humid, and often flooded with nutrient-rich runoff that feeds massive fungi and a host of grazers. Seven luminous crystal domes offer the only refuge from Shimrinsara’s weather, each containing a shimreen city-state and designed to harness the storm’s power and protect its residents from the dangerous creatures and elementals that roam the planet. Collectively known as the Jewels of Shimreen, these cities—Baruve, Elindom, Haidarus, Irridus, Kaniqlu, Tormalyx, and Zaniir—are part of the united, planetwide shimreen nation. The capital, Kaniqlu, stands near two holy sites: Pharasma’s Forge and Sunspot, the only known location where storms never reach and the sky is always visible. Today, Sunspot serves as a safe landing zone for interstellar travelers and as a launch point for the airships, starships, and jungle convoys that travel between the seven cities. Thanks to the advent of Drift travel, Shimrinsara is a part of the wider galactic community, but few shimreens desire to leave their home planet permanently. Most who leave do so to trade, learn, or explore. All who hope to reproduce must eventually return home, as the lava of other worlds seems incapable of creating shimreens.

soldiers, Spectrum Guards, and the Ordered as well as athletes, hunters, and explorers of all kinds. Workers are more diversified, including everything from artisans, engineers, miners, and scientists to doctors, educators, musicians, and politicians. Many shimreens worship Pharasma as a deity of cycles whose blessings are necessary to create offspring. Resources are plentiful and easily acquired, thus most shimreens have plenty of time to devote to their education, trades, careers, and hobbies. Fashion, music, and sports are among the most popular pastimes, and engineering and the physical sciences the most popular trades. Cosmeticians etch or paint patterns into shimreen exteriors, DJs direct complex tonal symphonies designed to resonate with as many shimreens as possible, and athletes compete in all manner of organized sports and daredevil antics, from lance duels and free climbing lightning rods to electrifying

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

SOCIETY Shimreens are a logical, orderly people, and their society is both rigid and highly stratified. Citizens are primarily divided into two castes: warriors and workers, with warriors consisting of

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Dex, +2 Int, –2 Wis Hit Points: 4 Size and Type: Shimreens are Medium humanoids with the shimreen subtype. Amplify: Whenever a shimreen takes energy damage, they can voluntarily take an additional 1d4 damage of the same type by amplifying the energy within their crystalline form. This empowers their next melee attack. The next melee attack the shimreen makes releases this energy, dealing an additional amount of damage equal to the extra damage the shimreen took (and of the same type). The shimreen can’t take additional damage again until they release the energy they’re storing. If unused, this stored energy dissipates after 10 minutes. The amount of extra damage the shimreen takes (and deals) increases to 2d4 at level 8 and 3d4 at level 16. Electricity Resistance: Shimreens have electricity resistance 5. Radiant: Shimreens constantly emit light (dim, normal, or bright) in a 5-foot radius and are immune to the dazzled condition. Shimreens can adjust their current level of light as a move action, but they can never extinguish it. Shift Limb: A shimreen can transform one of their arms into a weapon as a swift action. This crystal lance is a natural weapon that deals 1d3 lethal piercing damage with unarmed strikes; this attack doesn’t count as archaic. A shimreen gains a unique version of the Weapon Specialization feat with their natural weapon at 3rd level, allowing them to add 1-1/2 × their character level to their damage rolls with their natural weapon (instead of just adding their character level, as usual).

games of blazerball and edderet. Shimreen engineers are known for their solid and reliable constructions—a necessity due to their weight—and the phrase “built for a shimreen” has become synonymous with nigh indestructibility throughout the galaxy.

Government Shimrinsara is governed by the Spectrum Council, an elected body consisting of one representative from each of the seven shimreen cities. From the capital of Kaniqlu, these leaders manage matters of planetwide significance, including budgeting, laws, taxes, and interplanetary affairs. The Spectrum Council is served by the Council Guard and a few dozen bureaucrats, officiaries, and lawyers collectively called the Heptad Ministry. Candidates run in pairs, with one becoming a Spectrum Councilor and the other becoming the associated city’s Facet Councilor—the equivalent of a mayor. Shimrinsara’s seven domed cities—the Jewels of Shimreen—are presented as idyllic city-states with little violent crime and no war. This is largely thanks to the Ordered, local law enforcement who quickly adjudicate disputes, arrest lawbreakers, and investigate crimes. However, shimreens consider imprisonment wasteful, so criminals instead undergo “realignment,” a lengthy process of surgically modifying the criminal’s neural matrix to erase dangerous habits. Even though the populace at large accepts or politely ignores

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this brainwashing, many privately consider it immoral. The more shimreens explore the galaxy and study other cultures, the greater the opposition becomes. However, the threat of exile to the planet’s unforgiving wilderness has silenced most dissent—so far.

Origins Traditional shimreen stories indicate the first shimreen was kissed by lightning, rising out of the earth and into sapience, and their spark was passed down through the generations. Although most scholars consider these tales more fanciful than fact, archaeologists have confirmed that early shimreens lived underground. Evidence from these prehistorical days indicate shimreens were hunted by—or perhaps at war with—uldroons, intelligent beings who seep shadows from their bodies much like shimreens radiate light. Although there’s little evidence of these encounters in shimreen oral traditions, tales of monstrous uldroons stalking wayward shimreens are common children’s tales and ghost stories, with uldroons seeking to snuff or absorb the light of shimreens.

THE 8TH CITY Despite their prosperity and peace, not all is well in Shimrinsara. Lusterless shimreen are ostracized and shunned, socially forced to the fringes of the dome cities alongside dissidents and the oft-realigned. An addictive sonic drug that triggers a user’s tonal resonance is making its way through Kaniqlu under the street name “vibrato,” and a three-block radius on the fringes of Irridus is shrouded by perpetual gloom that blots out even the brightest shimreen’s glow. Dubbed the Pall, this gloom is rumored to be the work of uldroons. Outside earshot of the Ordered, citizens whisper of a fabled “8th City,” where the foulest criminals and most rebellious anarchists mingle amid lusterless and unrepentant shimreens who escaped reeducation. Although talk of the 8th City favors tumultuous narratives with insurrectionists, gangs, and warlords, there’s also speculation that the 8th City is some hidden utopia beyond the Spectrum Council’s meddling. Whatever the case, reliable information about the secret metropolis is hard to come by, and most believe it little more than a fable.

NAMES When a shimreen is birthed in Pharasma’s Forge, each shimreen who donated a portion of their body to that shimreen’s creation also contributes a portion of their name. Usually a single syllable long, these name fragments are shuffled and combined into a new name for the shimreen, which is both unique and signifies their lineage and familial affiliation. In instances where a single individual contributes all the crystal components to the birth of a new shimreen, the individual typically provides numerous fragments of their name, in addition to unused name fragments from their parents. As a result, shimreen names are long, with most varying in length from four to six syllables, and many running longer. Shimreens traditionally have only one name; however, shimreens visiting other cities or worlds often adopt their origin city as a temporary last name, to be shed when they return home.

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Sample Names

STORM-DEFLECTING SPHERE

Asharin, Fractarial, Imrasara, Miacrysimia, Qivalaceid, Shionvawei, Telfarashel, Ulashanopar.

Prisalasim,

SPELLS Shimreens originally developed the following spells.

CRYSTAL ERUPTION

WITCHWARPER 2

MYSTIC 2

School conjuration Casting Time 1 standard action Range 30 ft. Area cone-shaped burst Duration 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance no

You force unstable magic into the ground, causing jagged crystals to erupt in the area. Creatures in the area and in contact with the ground when the spell first takes effect take 2d8 piercing damage. The crystals remain for the spell’s duration, making the affected area difficult terrain that deals 1d4 piercing damage to a creature any time they move into an affected square on foot.

CRYSTAL MINE TECHNOMANCER 4

2

WITCHWARPER 4

School conjuration (electricity) Casting Time 1 standard action Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Duration 1 minute/level Saving Throw Reflex partial; Spell Resistance no

MYSTIC 3

TECHNOMANCER 3

School abjuration (electricity) Casting Time 1 standard action Range personal Duration 10 minutes/level or until dismissed (D); see text Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance no

You surround yourself with an intangible crystalline sphere that grants you electricity resistance 10 for the spell’s duration. As a reaction when you resist electricity damage or cast another spell with the electricity descriptor, you can dismiss the spell to shatter the sphere, releasing its energy; creatures adjacent to you take 2d12 electricity damage.

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CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

You create three electrified crystal proximity mines under the ground within range. Each mine must be within 30 feet of at least one of the other mines. Each mine occupies one 5-foot square and remains for the duration or until triggered. When a creature enters a space adjacent to a mine, that mine immediately explodes, dealing 2d8 piercing damage and 2d8 electricity damage to creatures in a 10-foot-radius burst centered on the mine. A creature can spot and disable a crystal mine as a trap with successful Perception and Engineering checks respectfully (DC = 15 + your caster level + your key ability score modifier).

MEMORY PRISM

MYSTIC 4

PRECOG 4

School divination Casting Time 1 minute Range personal Duration 24 hours (D)

You copy one memory you have and cause it to crystallize into a small prism of negligible bulk. The memory can’t exceed 10 minutes in length, and the spell doesn’t work on memories that have been removed (such as with displace memoryCOM) or that you know have been magically altered (such as with modify memory). For the spell’s duration, any creature touching the crystal can observe the memory as if with share memory, though they witness 1 minute of memory per round spent reviewing the crystal’s contents.

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SRO Home World: Special “Sentient Robotic Organism” is a broad term for self-aware mobile machines with positronic brains of such complexity that they attract souls, much as androids do. Being wholly constructed, SROs come in a staggering variety of shapes and sizes.

Unlike androids, SROs aren’t built to closely emulate any specific living creature’s form or function, but instead fill the same limitless number of niches as non-sapient machines do, from performing rote tasks to running vast operations too extensive for most biological minds to comprehend. Many SROs are unique constructs, built individually to perform some specific task and only developing a soul after hundreds of cycles of self-programming to be better at that task. Others are specific members of entire classes of robots that happened to achieve the specific complexity needed to become self-aware, even when many of the same make and model haven’t. SROs who are part of a series of robots that all gain self-awareness are among the least common types, and even those who have such beginnings often modify themselves beyond the point of recognition.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Nearly the only commonality among the appearances of different SROs is they appear clearly mechanical, constructed, and artificial in design. They range from as short as 3 feet to as tall as 8 feet, can weigh anywhere from 45 to 150 lbs. (and larger SROs aren’t always heavier, depending on the materials used in their core construction), generally have two tool-manipulators (which might be arms, tendrils, or even short-range manipulator beams), and some form of ground mobility (most often legs, wheels, or treads, though anything from hoverlifts to mechanical slitherpads are possible). Even so, there are some broad categories of physical traits many SROs fall into. One common design principle is for SROs to have roughly the same dimensions and form as the species that built them. Thus, SROs constructed by humanoids are often 2-armed bipeds with most sensors in a head near the top of a central body and with an average height between 5 and 7 feet. Of course, there’s a vast range of flexibility within that description, and it’s rarely possible to tell if an SRO was designed by a human, android, lashunta, elf, vesk, or some other two-armed, two-legged bilaterally symmetrical species. While some common aesthetic tendencies might help pinpoint the species or culture of an SRO’s origin, such qualities can’t be depended on. A particularly chitinous, long-limbed SRO with antennae and small vestigial arms in its mid-section might have been designed by a shirren, or it might be a vesk communication maintenance robot that happens to need to fit into narrow spaces and have numerous transmitters and receivers. SROs designed by other species might have some of those species’ features, but given their heavily mechanical nature, it can be difficult to determine at a glance. An SRO that began as a formian security drone might have four legs and an insectile appearance, but so could one built by an astriapi, trox, or any of a dozen other known species. Further, SROs crafted by one species might have an appearance inspired by another. Since bantrids

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have entered galactic society, an increasing number of robots are constructed with a single monoball motivator inspired by bantrid biology, even though very few of these designs were created by bantrids themselves. Because they’re generally designed with function as a higher priority than form, SROs often have an “exposed” appearance with camera eyes, speakers, piston muscles, cables, and gears all visible to the naked eye, perhaps with areas most likely to bump into things covered by a few simple plates. Even SROs with a more contained design generally have at least a few exposed pieces, such as secondary wires leading to tread wheels or a high-flex area covered in wires and mesh rather than hard plates. Even these trends are far from universal, of course. Anything from a mobile art piece to a fully enclosed diving robot could gain the needed complexity to attract a soul and become an SRO.

HOME WORLD Because SROS are designed and built by advanced societies, rather than evolved from life-forms on a single planet, they can’t be said to have any specific home world. However, they’re much more common on Aballon and, to a lesser extent, the rest of the Pact Worlds than anywhere else. It’s a common misconception that SROs are related to the native anacites of Aballon; in fact, anacites, as a species, are much older than any currently known design of SRO. Instead, the fact that Aballonian society is welcoming to, and designed for, constructed beings serves as a strong incentive for SROs to settle there. Rather than face misunderstandings and actively work around needless restrictions in living spaces designed for biological entities (such as the need for things like air and water that SROs can do entirely without), many SROs find integrating themselves into a construct society easier, safer, and more fulfilling. There are potential bias and safety reasons for SROs to select construct-friendly places as well. While Pact Worlds law makes it extremely clear that a Sentient Robotic Organism is an autonomous individual, with all the rights and protections of a biological person, SROs are aware those protections might not keep them from being seen as, and treated like, mere machines. The fact that an SRO lacks the near-biological appearance of androids, and that an SRO can outwardly look exactly like a model of robot that isn’t self-aware, makes it easier for both accidental and intentional violation of SRO rights to occur. While SROs can be found throughout the Pact Worlds, Eox also has a heavy concentration of their population. It has less to do with Eox being particularly friendly or respectful toward SROs and more to do with SROs being safer on a world of oft-hungry undead than biological entities. The planetwide scarcity of air and food that can restrict most visitors to Eox to the Lifeline has little to no effect on SROs; while there are undead that feed on battery power

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES and mechanical generators, they’re far less common than those who drink blood or eat flesh. When non-Eoxian organizations must send someone to Eox, or an Eoxian organization needs to hire an outside expert, SROs are generally a safer option than even androids.

SOCIETY SROs are rarely able to build communities designed primarily around their needs, beliefs, and traditions; similarly, they rarely find themselves living in such communities for any notable period. Even when a line of SROs all achieve self-awareness, they’re almost always built by a biological society that influences and shapes their attitudes and experiences well before any SRO-specific culture can do so. As a result, SROs are often knowing outsiders in the societies they move through, examining history, traditions, laws, and cultural norms as entities affected by them, but they don’t have the attachment of feeling that can make these things a crucial part of who or what defines each SRO’s personality. Indeed, SROs often see the idea of a society or culture built on traditional norms to be unimportant, at least as far as an SRO is concerned. They can see the momentum ideas have can shape an entire world’s or even system’s attitudes and goals, and they acknowledge these attitudes can have important implications for any SRO within such places; however, most SROs prefer to decide what they consider important based on their own interests. They often consider anything but a rigorously logical or pragmatic cultural norm to be more an impediment to self-realization than a comforting path to help its members know they’re on a reasonable and acceptable path. Part of this sense of separation comes from SROs being well aware their physical forms are less a crucial part of who they are than many biological entities believe. An SRO can easily rebuild their form, swapping out legs for wheels, cameras for radar domes, or short frames for long, lanky scaffolding, and they still feel they’re “themselves.” Only two parts of an SRO seem integral to their sense of self: their positronic brain and their healing circuits. Their forms drive a sense among many SROs that any creature, group, or society should identify what’s core to itself and be willing to change peripherals as appropriate to protect and assist that core. Clinging to any attitude or belief that no longer serves a purpose makes as much sense to an SRO as carrying an entire dining table around because it once held food. By the same token, once an SRO decides what’s core to their sense of self, the things they believe are necessary for their soul to remain healthy in the cradle of their positronic brains and healing circuits, changing or abandoning that core trait is unacceptable in any circumstance.

However, SROs don’t exactly have any more consistency about what’s important to their core values than any other creatures. Some SROs are driven purely by logic, or while others have a utilitarian drive to create the best circumstances for the most creatures. Others dedicate themselves to defending the weak, seeking justice, gaining personal power, expanding the body of historic knowledge, or the love of a specific aesthetic style. Some SROs spend several years seeking something that feels like a core, irreplaceable part of their personalities and, once they find it, rarely change or abandon this trait. In place of accepting the societies and cliques they’re built into, these core-focused SROs often consider an exchange of ideas and regular updates about one another to be the most important part of societal engagement, and they become extremely involved in infosphere communities that communicate through message boards, archived broadcasts, and other electronic communication. These infosphere monocities are often organized along intellectual and aesthetic interests, ranging from theories about the Gap to the best flavors of AbadarBurger dipping sauces.

PANPSYCHISM SROs often find themselves facing the question of how they became self-aware, especially since in some cases an SRO originates as a mass-produced model of drone or robot that don’t universally gain souls and sapience. While some

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Str or +2 Dex (see below) Hit Points: 2 Size and Type: SROs are Small or Medium constructs with the technological subtype, though unlike other constructs, they have Constitution scores. Small SROs are agile (+2 Dexterity at character creation). Medium SROs are burly (+2 Strength at character creation). This decision is made at character creation and can’t be changed. Darkvision: SROs can see up to 60 feet in the dark. Healing Circuit: In addition to being constructs and thus able to benefit from spells like make whole, SROs count as living creatures for the purposes of magic healing effects that work on living creatures, though the number of Hit Points restored in such cases is halved. A character must use the Engineering skill to perform the tasks of the Medicine skill on SROs. SROs also heal naturally over time as living creatures do and can benefit from magic or technology that can bring constructs back from the dead, as well as effects that normally can’t (such as raise dead). Integrated Equipment: An SRO has an internal, integrated standard datajack and comm unit. If an SRO is helpless, these can be removed or destroyed without damaging the SRO. They can be replaced or upgraded for the normal price of this equipment. An SRO has an additional built-in cybernetic component with an item level no greater than half the SRO’s character level (minimum item level 1). Each time the SRO gains a level, they can swap out this piece of equipment at no additional cost to represent internal reconfigurations. These pieces of equipment don’t count against the systems in which an SRO can install cybernetics. Robotic: SROs are immune to bleed, disease, death effects, poison, nonlethal damage, and sleep effects unless those effects specify they affect constructs. SROs can be affected by effects or spells that normally target only humanoids but receive a +4 species bonus to saving throws against such effects. SROs can eat and drink, though they don’t need to, and they must recharge their internal batteries by entering an off-line mode that is similar to sleep for 8 hours every day. SROs don’t breathe or suffer the normal environmental effects of being in a vacuum.

assume there’s no significant difference between sapient robots and androids, other SROs come to believe they’re evidence of a deeper truth—that all matter in the universe is at some level part of a universal form of consciousness, and particularly complex patterns of matter simply become able to express individual levels of that consciousness. Known as panpsychism, this theory suggests any complex pattern of matter could attract a soul and thus gain self-awareness, with biological systems simply being more likely to develop the appropriate kind of complexities. The appeal of panpsychism for SROs is that it proposes they aren’t so much exceptions to the natural order of the universe and the placement of souls into self-aware vessels, but simply another expression of how that natural order develops within various systems. This belief helps some SROs feel connected to

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societies and cultures created by non-SRO intelligences because it proposes that all matter is conscious at some level, and thus all consciousnesses are linked at a fundamental level, regardless of the form or origin of each self-aware entity. Proponents of panpsychism often postulate that an ancient, vastly advanced society that understood the rules of the universal consciousness of matter originally created androids and specifically engineered them to take advantage of those rules. Biological entities instead generally achieve consciousness through a complex from of evolution, where a soul and self-awareness are the end state of increasingly complex patterns of matter that grant early life-forms an advantage in survival. These theorists propose other forms of self-aware machines, such as anacites, are an example of technological evolution but essentially still the result of certain forms of complexity granting an advantage to the survival of self-replicating machines. Within these thought experiments, what sets SROs apart isn’t that they’re technologically derived, self-aware housing for souls, but that they generally aren’t products of intentional boosting of the consciousness of matter into self-awareness (as androids are) nor the result of an evolutionary chain of advantageous complexity eventually resulting in self-awareness. SROs are essentially seen as a true expression of panpsychism because their self-awareness develops independently of both intentional construction of soul-housings and evolutionary processes. SROs who believe in panpsychism, and even those who merely consider it possible (if untestable), often show a great deference for complex systems of any kind. They don’t claim that a crystal structure or intricate fungal network is in any way a “person”; however, the idea that all matter is, at some level, conscious, and that more complex structures of matter are closer to self-aware, leads these SROs to seriously consider any action that might destroy complex organizations of matter. Going a step further, some proponents of the theory consider disintegrator weaponry particularly heinous, as such weapons break down complex matter to its simplest possible forms.

NAMES Most SROs have a complex, self-identifying alphanumeric sequence derived from their core components. These sequences are often one of the first things SROs become aware of when they reach full self-awareness. However, since these sequences can be hundreds or thousands of digits long, most SROs also have names of convenience, what others consider nicknames. Some SROs select a few key elements from their self-identification sequence to serve as a name, while others pick up an appellation from interactions with biological entities or pick a name appropriate to the culture they operate in early on. These nicknames are sometimes the SRO’s legal name for documents and government interactions, but most SROs still see them as a form of shorthand.

Sample Names Alpha-66, Bee-Cee-Dee, Damiar V, Di Gital, E1-F9, Gears, Izak-10, J-27, Klex, N-115, Pinion, Rothay the Robot, Russ T. Bucket, Sea-Tech, Zed-7-Zed.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

MECHANIC OPTIONS As robotic beings who take a variety of forms, SROs don’t hesitate to make improvements to themselves in whatever way is effective, adjusting their components without concern that it somehow makes them any less sapient. The following are appropriate for SRO characters but might be available to other characters at the GM’s discretion.

Robotic Improvements This mechanic alternate class feature can be taken only by characters who can be targeted by affects that only affect constructs, including those of the construct type and those with the constructed species trait (such as androids). You’re constantly tinkering with your robotic components, adding, adjusting, and removing them as suits your wishes. At 1st level, you add equipment to your robotic body that performs a specialized function. You gain 1 drone mod, which applies to you rather than to a drone. You must meet any prerequisite the drone mod has, though you’re automatically considered to have manipulator arms. You select one kind of drone chassis and count as that chassis for purposes of meeting mod prerequisites, though you gain none of that drone chassis’s other abilities. You aren’t considered to automatically have a melee weapon arm or weapon mount, though you can select those as mods to add to yourself. There’s no cost for this bonus drone mod, but if you get a mod that can use other equipment that must be bought separately if added to a drone (such as needing to buy weapons separately if you give a drone a weapon mount), you must still pay for that additional equipment normally. You can’t select any drone mod that affects your AC (such as extra armor), saving throws (such as hardened AI), and class skills or skill ranks (such as skill subroutine), nor any that grants you temporary Hit Points (such as energy shield) or allows the drone to take actions when you’re unconscious (such as medical subroutine). You also can’t select mods that result in a drone shutting itself down (such as shock waves) or causes it to share a space with its mechanic. Alternatively, in the place of a drone mod, you can install a specialized piece of internal equipment that gives you a bonus feat. This feat must be one a drone can select as a feat, and you must meet its prerequisites. If you have a trick that expands what feats a drone of yours could take (such as exploration routine; see page 18 of Starfinder Galaxy Exploration Manual), you can select from that expanded list as well. Each time you gain a mechanic level, you can swap out one robotic improvement, removing a previous selection and making a new choice. You can’t remove a robotic improvement that gives you a feat that’s a prerequisite for any option you’ve taken.

You gain an additional robotic improvement at 5th, 7th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level. Robotic improvements replaces the mechanic’s artificial intelligence class feature.

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CLASSES

Mechanic Tricks SRO mechanics often learn the following mechanic tricks, as do androids. 2nd Level

You must be 2nd level or higher to choose these mechanic tricks.

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

Hunk of Junk (Ex) You can appear to be a defunct piece of junk. As a move action, or as a reaction whenever you take damage, you can attempt to appear defunct. You immediately fall prone and attempt an Engineering check against each opponent who’s aware of you (DC = 10 + the opponent’s Sense Motive bonus, or 15 + 1-1/2 × the opponent’s CR, whichever is greater). Anyone you succeed against believes you’re useless mechanical junk and acts accordingly. An opponent who closely inspects you as a standard action can attempt an Engineering, Perception, or Sense Motive check at the same DC to uncover your deception. Maintaining this ruse is a full action each turn. This trick can be taken only by characters who can be targeted by effects that only affect constructs, including those of the construct type and those with the constructed species trait.

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Spell Chip Array (Ex) You’ve built in a receiver for spell chips (Core Rulebook 215). You can insert a number of spell chips equal to half your level. Using these spell chips has the same requirements as normal. Because you have the chips linked in an array, you can expend a spell chip to cast a spell on any other spell chip you’ve inserted of the same or higher spell level. A spell chip array is difficult for creatures not aware of it to locate; someone performing a close inspection can discover it with a successful Mysticism or Perception check (DC = 10 + your total Engineering skill modifier). This trick can be taken only by characters who can be targeted by effects that only affect constructs, including those of the construct type and those with the constructed species trait.

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TROX Home World: Nchak, moon of Liavara (Pact Worlds) Trox are strong yet gentle insectoids who work to build community and harmony through service to others. When angered, they become implacable guardians who protect their friends.

Trox are communal arthropods from Nchak, one of Liavara’s moons. However, in their dedication to the Forever Queen Hylax, they ensure the group’s success never overshadows individuals’ desires, passions, and pursuits. Trox are fiercely loyal to whatever they commit themselves to, including other creatures and idealistic causes.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION As a species, trox have undergone numerous supernatural transformations during their long history in the Pact Worlds. Their modern bipedal form arose in response to a divine messenger’s decree, believed to be a mortal incarnation of Hylax. Though hypothesized to have once resembled giant, eight-legged beetles, trox now stand on their two hind legs, towering as much as 12 feet in height. As their uppermost pair of limbs developed into powerful arms, their middle four limbs shrank and now have a fraction of the strength. A pair of sword-like mandibles frame their smaller jaws. The former mandibles close slowly and clumsily, serving more like an extra set of hands than a set of natural weapons. Trox lay eggs in small clusters, and young hatch as nymphs who resemble small versions of their parents. Trox can only grow as much as their exoskeletons allow, so youths molt numerous times a year until they reach adulthood at age six. During this rapid growth, trox are predominantly carnivorous, requiring tremendous amounts of protein. The specialized nutrients required for healthy exoskeleton production also drive many nymphs to consume their old exoskeletons and burrow, hunting for key minerals. The nutritional needs shift upon reaching adulthood, at which point most favor a largely vegetarian diet. Once fully grown, a trox tends to shed only a few times a decade as part of healthy shell maintenance. A new exoskeleton takes about a week to harden, during which time a trox is quite sluggish and vulnerable. However, the soft chitin provides a delightful opportunity: customization. Although their natural coloration ranges from a light rosy brown to dark crimson, the fresh exoskeleton readily absorbs injected dyes and can be subtly shaped to create a variety of patterns and surface textures. As a result, adolescents regularly experiment with their appearance using magical dyes, shallow molds, and incised tattoos, knowing that if they don’t like their new aesthetic, they can just shed and redo it a few months later. Whatever the surface treatment, a trox’s exoskeleton provides crucial support and protection. The thick plates along the head, forearms, and thighs fit together loosely when they curl up, and even when crouching, they shield a large portion of the body. Together with a set of abdominal horns, a trox’s relatively soft underbelly and vestigial limbs become difficult

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to reach. Only a few sections of the body aren’t covered. The upper arms and fingers all have thin, slightly pliable exoskeletons that provide a trox additional flexibility while still allowing space for muscle attachment. Likewise, each trox has a muscular tail that’s structurally similar to an elephant’s trunk, providing boneless balance and support. Although capable of lifting and clumsily maneuvering the tail when moving, it most often lies flat and drags along the ground. Protective as it might be, the exoskeleton presents challenges. Overlapping plates and thick chitin limit a trox’s agility, and their massive size makes it difficult to circulate air throughout their bodies. To compensate, a trox has a set of humanlike lungs sufficient for resting respiration and four supplemental book lungs: two near their shell, partway up their torso, plus one in each thigh. Fed by spiracles, these book lungs help reoxygenate blood, especially when moving quickly and driving additional air through these systems. As a side effect, trox reflexively shiver whenever these spiracles become submerged—a gag reflex as the pores close off to avoid flooding.

HOME WORLD Trox hail from Nchak, one of Liavara’s inhabited moons. The surface is relatively barren with most communities lying beneath the surface. These trox-dominant settlements are distributed evenly, but those surrounding the Forever Halls are the most populous. After all, within those sacred halls lives the Forever Queen, a being most Nchaki believe is Hylax’s mortal avatar. The inhabitants pride themselves on being good hosts, providing religious pilgrims generous quarters to facilitate the visitors’ search for wisdom and peace. Visitors also adore Gebanon Springs, a community built along an underground lake fed by geologically heated springs. The mineral-rich waters naturally fortify a trox’s hardening shell, making it a favorite bathing destination for those about to shed. Even for those with endoskeletons, the bathhouses are refreshing. However, Nchak’s crust shelters a variety of strange creatures who periodically get swept up in the warm geysers or swim up on their own. Most are harmless, yet occasionally, a Nchaki cercaderre (a type of amphibious cephalopod) or worse ascends, requiring swift armed intervention from the town’s guards. For all their dedication to peace, trox on Nchak prepare for war. The starship manufacturer Starhive maintains a major manufacturing facility on the surface above the subterranean city of Szeyack, employing thousands of trox engineers and laborers. Given shirren-run Starhive’s aggressive stance against the Swarm, trox are only too happy to help, seeing this work as crucial to protecting the rest of the galaxy from this enemy.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Beyond the factories and several hundred scattered ranches and farms for raising a few hardy foods, the other noteworthy surface installation is the Zeffrac Science Platform. Publicly, it’s a joint research endeavor for observing and recording Liavara’s weather, helping officials predict gaseous tides that might threaten Roselight, the planet’s capital. However, the site experienced a mysterious attack several decades ago, where its occupants with an intelligent, mind-controlling fungus. The attack foiled the fungus’s schemes while hinting at more threats to come. While the science platform is now back in operation, only a fraction of its equipment monitors weather anymore. Secretly, the facility has been reconfigured to monitor covert invaders from beyond the Pact Worlds with teams specialized in identifying the likes of dycepskians, reptoids, grays, and more. Understandably, anyone approaching the base is now subjected to extensive biological and magical testing to confirm their identity.

SOCIETY Carefully balancing the duality of individuality and community is crucial in trox society, guided by widespread reverence of Hylax. Trox find instinctive comfort in groups and promote the community’s well-being even at risk of their own opportunities. Even if their behavior falls short of eusociality, trox peacefully and graciously provide their time and energy to neighbors. However, duergar enslaved many trox in the ancient past, exploiting their community mindset to compel compliance and labor. The memories of servitude are distant, yet they nonetheless steel trox against slavery and encourage them to embrace their own personal liberties. This individuality parallels Hylax’s teachings, recognizing a community’s strength comes from the individual passions of each member. Trox encourage nymphs to pursue first their own passions, at which point elders help instruct them on how those passions might benefit the community. For example, a young trox excited about art would be encouraged to hone their skills, develop a personal style, and then work with leaders to create art the community could witness and appreciate together. Trox societies typically consist of extensive, overlapping clans that collaboratively raise their young. Membership is informal and fluid, though status relies on kinship, periodic residency, service to the community, or some other ongoing or exceptional impact on the clan. As a result, a trox’s family isn’t necessarily based on kinship ties or even shared species, causing many traveling trox to develop found families they guard with unshakable determination. Gifts are a significant aspect of maintaining social ties. General reciprocity—giving goods and services, knowing that

similar, unspecified kindnesses will be returned at some point— forms a large fraction of traditional trox economics, though credits and commerce have become increasingly prominent over the centuries. Nonetheless, gift giving is a trox art form. Perhaps the greatest gift a trox might offer is trust, and among the most important examples of trust is the Leaving: the moment when elders cede responsibility to their next generation, recognizing their descendants have realized the expertise and wisdom to take up the mantle of leadership. As a result, trox typically retire well before death, ensuring a careful transfer of power. They then explore new hobbies, teach, repair public works, and occasionally dedicate themselves to some grand project intended to preserve their legacy. Although the Leaving primarily refers to this transfer of responsibility within a community, it’s increasingly also referred to as a community ritually blessing a trox who wishes to travel the stars.

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PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Str, +2 Con, –2 Dex Hit Points: 8 Size and Type: Trox are Large monstrous humanoids with a space and reach of 10 feet. Darkvision: Trox have darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Bulwark: When a trox fights defensively or takes the total defense action, they can grant half the bonus to AC granted by that action to an adjacent ally. Burrower: Trox have a burrow speed of 20 feet. Chitin: Trox chitin can help deflect effects, granting trox a +1 species bonus to Reflex saves. Frenzy: Once per day, when a significant enemy causes an ally to take Hit Points damage, a trox can fly into a frenzy, gaining a +2 species bonus to melee attack rolls and a –2 penalty to AC for 1 minute. Grappler: Trox gain a +2 species bonus to grapple combat maneuvers. Spiritual Fervor: Trox gain a +2 species bonus to Intimidate and Mysticism skill checks. Swift: Trox have a land speed of 40 feet. Vestigial Arms: A trox’s four vestigial arms can be used to hold, draw, or put away items of negligible bulk but not to make attacks, wield weapons, or use items.

Not all trox have so positive an outlook. With both legends of past exploitation and a growing number of galactic threats like the Swarm, trox increasingly believe their community extends well beyond Nchak; they’re called to protect other worlds. Each generation sees more trox joining the Stewards, adopting vulnerable colonies in the Vast as protectorates, patrolling the stars, or joining adventurers to uncover the next threat to galactic peace. Thanks in part to remittances regularly sent back to Nchak, their home world continues to thrive.

DUNETS’ TALE A favorite bedtime story and cautionary fable on Nchak tells of two clutch-mates, Keldunet and Idzdunet, commonly remembered as the Dunet twins. As they reached adulthood, the twins became restless, craving some greater purpose than their community could provide. Their family and neighbors sponsored their travels and encouraged them to discover, yet they were sad to see the twins depart. The galaxy was intoxicating in its size and diversity, and the Dunets became lost among the cosmopolitan bustle, short on cash, and no closer to discovering their destinies. That changed when they spotted a duergar struggling to move a crate. As properly raised trox, the twins selflessly volunteered to help her. She marveled at the trox’s strength, and each time they helped the duergar move something, she praised their might and bemoaned some even heavier load that needed to be relocated. The Dunets preened at the duergar’s compliments and those of the gathering crowd, eagerly doing her work for free. At last satisfied, the duergar shared a secret: she had a treasure map leading to untold riches but needed strong friends to help extract the wealth in exchange for a share.

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The two followed the duergar toward her starship, but the more they listened to her promises, the more Keldunet grew suspicious and the more Idzdunet became enthralled. With each concerning clue the former noticed, she mentioned it to Idzdunet to convince him of the growing danger, but he was drunk with purpose—the duergar needed help! At last, Keldunet decided to turn back, begging her brother to join her, but she respected his decision to follow the duergar. Forlorn, she returned home and left her brother to his fate. Her community welcomed Keldunet back yet reprimanded her for abandoning her twin. Ashamed, she departed once more to find Idzdunet, and the story typically involves her rescuing her brother from captivity, servitude, and misfortune. Each trox interprets the tale in a different way. For some, it’s a story about never abandoning one’s family and friends or a tale about how one should risk one’s own safety to save others. Sometimes it’s just a story well-intentioned relatives reference to guilt their traveling kin to return home for a visit. Others believe it teaches that while it’s good to help others, it’s important not to let others exploit that generosity. This last lesson in particular makes trox especially protective of skittermanders (sometimes endearingly called “little Dunets”), whose compulsive helpfulness leaves them vulnerable to the Veskarium’s domination.

NAMES A nymph’s extended family gives them a birth name that most keep throughout their lives. As an adult, a trox often invents an additional name for themself that becomes their primary appellation, representing their evolving identity and individualism. Trox deeply respect honorifics and occasionally bestow them on one another for great feats performed in service to others, such as “Hammer of Hylax” for a warrior who saved a town. In most cases, an honorific is spoken after the name, such as “Kembah, Defender of Nine Spikes,” yet it’s uncommon for a trox to use only their earned title.

Sample Names Bojesah, Dunet, Kasiyah, Kembah, Lyret, Marvad, Nabela, Nelkon, Pincot, Rabarah, Renist, Ribiah, Tavaeh, Varasah.

FEATS The following feats and spells are appropriate for trox PCs but might be available to other characters at the GM’s discretion.

Chitinous Wall Your protective plates can better shield nearby allies. Prerequisites: Bulwark species trait Benefit: When you use your bulwark species trait to grant an ally a bonus to AC, you grant a +5 bonus to AC against ranged attacks and a +1 bonus to Reflex saving throws when providing soft cover to allies until the beginning of your next turn. Normal: Soft cover provides a +4 bonus to AC against ranged attacks and no bonus to Reflex saves.

Righteous Frenzy Your furious defense of injured friends transforms you into a conduit for divine power, likely Hylax’s, but perhaps that of some other patron.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Prerequisites: Frenzy species trait Benefit: When you activate your frenzy species trait, choose either destructive or healing energy. If you choose destructive energy, whenever you observe an enemy deal Hit Points damage to one of your allies during your frenzy, your next successful attack against that enemy before the end of your next turn deals additional force damage equal to 1 + 1/2 your level. If you choose healing energy, whenever you observe an enemy deal Hit Points damage to one of your allies during your frenzy, your next successful attack against that enemy before the end of your next turn causes an ally who has 0 Stamina Points to regain a number of Stamina Points equal to 1 + 1/2 your level. Even if you witness enemies harming your allies multiple times, you can’t deal additional damage or restore Stamina Points in this way more than once per round.

Tunneling Vanguard By taking your time, you can clear a way through soil for your companions, not just for yourself. Prerequisites: Burrow speed Benefit: You can leave a tunnel when burrowing so long as you move at half your normal burrow speed. A typical tunnel remains open and usable for a day, though tunnels through especially rigid or loose soils might last longer or shorter at the GM’s discretion. Normal: Burrowing creatures don’t leave behind tunnels other creatures can use.

2

Duration instantaneous

When an ally within range is targeted by a non-harmless spell or spell-like ability, you can redirect the spell so it targets you instead. Spell redirection fails if you’re immune to the triggering spell’s effects. It can’t redirect spells that affect an area, though it can change one target of a spell that affects multiple targets. The spell’s caster can attempt a Will save to negate this effect. The maximum spell level spell redirection can affect depends on the spell level of spell redirection. 1st: You can redirect a spell whose level is 2nd or lower. 2nd: You can redirect a spell whose level is 3rd or lower. 3rd: You can redirect a spell whose level is 4th or lower. 4th: You can redirect a spell whose level is 5th or lower. 5th: You can redirect a spell whose level is 6th or lower.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Vestigial Vigor Whether due to genetics or carefully targeted exercises, your vestigial arms are especially strong. Prerequisites: Vestigial arms species trait Benefit: You can combine the use of your vestigial arms to perform any one-handed task, including making attacks and using items. However, your reach with any weapons wielded by your vestigial arms is reduced by 5 feet. Special: If you have at least four vestigial arms, you can take this feat a second time. If you do, your vestigial arms can be used as if they were two hands, each requiring the dedicated use of half your vestigial arms.

SPELL Trox spellcasters were the first to bring this spell to the wider galaxy, and now many precogs and witchwarpers learn it to provide additional protection for some of their most vulnerable allies.

SPELL REDIRECTION PRECOG 1-5

WITCHWARPER 1-5

School transmutation Casting Time 1 reaction Range 20 ft. Saving Throw Will negates

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UPLIFTED BEARS Home World: None Uplifted bears’ fearsome, ursine appearance belies their keen intellect, natural curiosity, and innate telepathic abilities. The species’ origins are shrouded in mystery, even to uplifted bears themselves.

Though their physical forms resemble those of their mundane counterparts, uplifted bears are far from simple animals; those who underestimate them do so at great peril. At some point in the past, a population of bears—the stories range from an initial group of several dozen to all the bears on a dying planet—were modified to increase their mental capabilities, granting them extraordinary intelligence. The details of who modified the bears, and why, were either lost to the Gap or, as more conspiratorial takes posit, deliberately concealed. While some uplifted bears are obsessed with uncovering their origins, others feel this focus on the past only holds their people back.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Physically, uplifted bears resemble non-sapient bears, though their bodies were modified along with their minds to grant them a few enhancements. Their clawed forepaws are more dexterous than those of an animal bear, with opposable thumbs to manipulate objects easily. They retain all the physical strength of any bear, and their size is formidable. An uplifted bear can be roughly 5 feet tall when on all fours, but when maneuvering bipedally, as most prefer, they stand up to 10 feet tall. Like animal bears, they generally have short tails, small rounded ears, and thick fur coats consisting of both long guard hairs and shorter insulating hairs. Though they have the teeth and digestive systems common to a carnivorous species, uplifted bears are typically omnivores and can subsist on a wide variety of diets—though they need a larger volume of food if consuming solely vegetarian fare. An uplifted bear’s sense of smell is generally weaker than that of an animal bear. The original uplifted bears appear to have been drawn from an assemblage of Pact Worlds species, creating a diverse array of features and pelages. Coat coloring ranges among black, brown, blonde, and white, including patterns that resemble those of Lost Golarion’s pandas or Castrovel’s sun bears. Some populations grow especially large, with massive appetites and thick fur to help them stay warm in colder climates. Others have bodies better designed for swimming than clambering up trees, and others still have especially long tongues once designed for insectivorous diets. Whatever their apparent species differences millennia ago, the process that uplifted these bears also left them genetically compatible with each other (but not with animal bears or other ursines). Strangely, uplifted bears’ brain structure seems to resist most technological augmentations, except for datajacks or custom-designed rigs. Some bears believe it was intended as a means of protection against external control by whoever modified them, while others fear that it’s a sinister method of holding them back from achieving their true potential.

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HOME WORLD With no memory of their origins, uplifted bears lack a home planet of their own. Small communities of uplifted bears exist throughout the Pact Worlds. Many occupy higher-gravity planetoids in the Diaspora, while others live on heavily forested or jungle planets such as Castrovel or Landahl in Near Space. These settlements range in size from tiny outposts of a few dozen residents to small villages of a few hundred. One of the largest uplifted bear settlements is on a Diasporan planetoid optimistically named Greenview. Greenview has a breathable, if thin, atmosphere, and for the past several decades, uplifted bear scientists have been attempting to terraform the planetoid to encourage plant growth, with mixed results. What began as a research outpost grew into a town of nearly 600 residents now known as Furmark as trade sprang up to support the scientists’ work. Although only limited vegetation has been coaxed out of Greenview’s rocky soil thus far, there are plenty of mineral deposits to support the community in the meantime, and Furmark does a brisk trade in various valuable ores. Recently, an uplifted bear team exploring the Vast discovered a planet in the Ferra system unpopulated by sapient creatures and full of skyscraper-sized trees. Since this report spread, a contingent of uplifted bears has begun calling for their kind to adopt this planet as their home world. Further surveys have noted that the planet, dubbed Ursana by its original explorers, contains ample natural resources and animal life. Ursana still has no formal status according to the governments of the Pact Worlds, though several members of this uplifted bear group— dubbed the Open Paw for their slogans promising “an open paw” to any bear wishing to settle on Ursana—have filed pending petitions with the Pact Council to have it officially recognized as their home world. Though the Pact Council has provided no response thus far, the bears’ cause has attracted the support of several prominent organizations thanks to the efforts of the Open Paw’s de facto leader, Devran Gars, a professor of natural history at the University of Qabarat. In the meantime, some uplifted bears have begun immigrating to Ursana and building settlements, most of which are still quite small. An advertising campaign by the Open Paw aimed at uplifted bear communities throughout the Pact Worlds hopes to encourage more to settle on Ursana, extolling the benefits of having a unified home planet. Not all wish to relocate so far away, however, especially since Ursana’s location in the Vast would prevent it from becoming a member of the Pact Worlds proper.

SOCIETY As a widely dispersed population, uplifted bears often adopt cultural characteristics of their neighbors. Regardless of location, though, they often have several points of commonality.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Many uplifted bears are more comfortable in natural, vegetated environments than in large cities or space stations, and their settlements tend to reflect this preference. A typical uplifted bear town is a marvel of engineering, with structures built into and onto the surrounding trees and walkways twining up through branches. In areas where native vegetation is unavailable, uplifted bears often opt for artificial alternatives or expensive imports. This affinity for natural landscapes has given them a reputation for preferring terrestrial living situations over space stations. Though commonly true, it isn’t universal, and some uplifted bears do make their homes in places like Absalom Station. In general, however, many uplifted bears prefer the company of animals and animal-like humanoids and choose to settle in less urbanized and populous environments. Due to their bestial and imposing appearance, uplifted bears have an unfair reputation for violent tempers, yet their personalities are as varied as any other sapient species. While some bears are happy to live up to the stereotype, others frown at the notion that physical might makes one a ferocious brute. Many uplifted bears, particularly those in scientific or academic professions, deliberately cultivate an erudite and sophisticated appearance to counter such assumptions. As a species scattered across the galaxy, uplifted bears value community and are often delighted to encounter a fellow bear unexpectedly. Still, uplifted bears also enjoy having their own space, and bear families in a settlement typically maintain homes of their own set away from the central town structures—close enough to go socialize when they wish, yet far enough that they can live without feeling as though their neighbors are peeking over their shoulders. Uplifted bears don’t typically engage in formal marriages; bears wishing to formalize a romantic relationship simply move in together without much fanfare, and bears wishing to end one just separate with an equal lack of ceremony. Though community is important to them, uplifted bears generally consider communities to be rather loose arrangements; they’re happy to help their neighbors when needed but prefer maintaining their independence as much as possible. Accordingly, uplifted bear communities seldom have formal leadership, with each family deciding its own affairs. For settlement-wide issues, a forum convenes to discuss the issue, culminating in adults voting on a course of action. This method can be inefficient, particularly when contentious topics are involved, but ideally ensures that every member of the town gets an equal say. On Ursana, community governance is slightly more formalized. Each uplifted bear settlement on the planet is under the auspices of a town council with a loose network of mutual-aid agreements between communities. The Open Paw has advocated the creation of a unified planetary government, an Ursanian Senate, to represent uplifted bears’ interests to the Pact Worlds. Aside from a few self-styled bear senators taking the role upon themselves, such efforts have largely stalled while awaiting the Pact Council’s decision on Ursana’s status.

their lifetimes, and they never try for a new one until the first set of cubs are at least 6 years old and require less direct care. Uplifted bears age more slowly and live longer than their animal counterparts, reaching physical maturity around 12 years old. They’re still considered somewhat mentally immature at this age, however, and often don’t leave their parents’ home until several years later. Most uplifted bears live between 50 and 60 years, though it isn’t unheard of to encounter an elder in their 70s.

Spiritual Traditions Without a unified history, uplifted bears often experiment with new traditions to see what might bind their communities together, particularly in matters of faith and spirituality. When something works, these communities often dispatch informal evangelists to share the tradition with other groups, ever

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Life Cycle Uplifted bears are born into litters of up to four cubs. A pair of uplifted bears usually only have one or two litters during

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Str, +2 Int,–2 Wis Hit Points: 6 Size and Type: Uplifted bears are Large magical beasts with a space of 10 feet and a reach of 5 feet. Climber: Uplifted bears have a climb speed of 20 feet. Ferocious Charge: Uplifted bears have the ferocious charge universal creature rule. Limited Augmentation: The only augmentations that can be installed in an uplifted bear’s brain are datajacks and the mechanic’s custom rig. Limited Telepathy: Uplifted bears have limited telepathy with a range of 30 feet. Low-Light Vision: Uplifted bears have low-light vision. Natural Survivor: Uplifted bears have a +2 species bonus to Life Science and Survival checks. Natural Weapons (S): Uplifted bears have the natural weapons universal creature rule. Swift: Uplifted bears have a land speed of 40 feet.

eager to create some shared cultural zeitgeist. Nature-themed traditions are among the most successful, tapping into uplifted bears’ instinctive appreciation of the wilderness. As a result, many uplifted bears adopt elements of the Green Faith, often syncretizing it with other spiritual beliefs or pantheons. Of the major Pact Worlds deities, Oras is the most commonly worshipped amongst uplifted bears, especially by those who believe it was responsible for their sapience. Talavet’s faith is also common, as the uplifted bears who follow her feel she provides inspiration for a unified sense of tradition their people haven’t yet achieved. Uplifted bears with an academic inclination often follow Yaraesa, appreciating her focus on scientific achievement, while those who dedicate their lives to solving the enigma of their creation might follow Eloritu in the hopes that one of the many hidden truths he holds contains the key to the puzzle. Uplifted bears of a cruel and malicious disposition might follow Damoritosh or Lamashtu, believing that their physical might makes them superior to others and deserving of whatever they can take from those who are weaker.

Unity or Assimilation? Arising inexplicably in far-flung locales, uplifted bear communities are caught between two impulses: one emphasizing development of a shared cultural unity, the other viewing a bear settlement as having more in common with the other peoples in the area than the distant homes of other uplifted bears. The tug-of-war between the two is currently the central question of uplifted bear societies, and nearly all uplifted bears have an opinion on the matter. Many fall somewhere in the middle of the two extremes, recognizing the benefit of having some shared traditions while adapting to the worlds on which they’ve made their homes. The Open Paw has made some concerted efforts to disseminate information about traditions or customs that various

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bear communities have started. This effort has led to the creation of several holidays, such as a winter solstice festival known as Evernight and Trailblazers’ Day, commemorating the discovery of Ursana. Attempts to create a constructed uplifted bear language have been less successful, as most bears view the notion an interesting thought experiment but impractical for actual use.

MYSTERIOUS ORIGINS No matter their birthplace or circumstances, every uplifted bear shares one commonality: the knowledge that their people owe their sapience to whoever—or whatever—uplifted them. Theories differ regarding who might have done so and their motives. Some uplifted bears believe their sapience was a gift given to them by a powerful mystic of the Green Faith, while some believe that Oras, god of evolution, chose to transform them beyond their animal origins. Others fear they were created for a darker purpose as an army of sleeper agents and that their creator might one day return and carry out nefarious plans. Uplifted bears deal with the mystery of their creation in various ways. Many uplifted bear settlements began as scientific outposts dedicated to studying pre-Gap relics in an attempt to uncover their origins. Sometimes, an uplifted bear delving into these matters becomes obsessed with solving the puzzle, abandoning all other concerns along the way. Uplifted bears refer to such individuals as being “rooted” and view them with pity tinged with trepidation. Family and friends often try to intervene early with such an obsession, hoping to head it off before it becomes ingrained. Some uplifted bears, especially those of younger generations, find this focus on the past frustrating. They view it as holding their people back, forcing their attention toward their past circumstances rather than looking to the future. Such individuals often leave their home communities for areas more heavily populated by other species, building new lives where their origins are less important than their capabilities. Still, they too grapple with the mystery of their past, even if only in trying to ignore it.

NAMES Uplifted bears generally use a single given name with no surname, though those who live primarily among other species might adopt one. These names tend to sound harsh and guttural to the humanoid ear. Uplifted bears also often adopt epithets throughout their lives, placed after their given names. These epithets can refer to physical characteristics, careers, personality characteristics, or accomplishments and are often used as nicknames. Some example epithets are “Firetail,” “the Engineer,” “Silvertongue,” and “the Starseeker.”

Sample Names Some sample uplifted bear names include Arrak, Baors, Durran, Girra, Hako, Koroek, Nozobi, Mur, Rauki, Tarrathak, Uenka, and Zavranik.

FEATS Uplifted bears have developed numerous combat styles and other techniques to complement their natural strength and cunning.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

Bear Hug You can crush grappled opponents in your arms or other limbs, squeezing them hard enough to cause injury. Prerequisites: Improved Combat Maneuver (grapple) Benefit: When you successfully renew a grapple, you can also deal your unarmed strike’s base damage (not including your Strength modifier or Weapon Specialization) to the grappled creature.

Brutal Slash You use your finely honed natural attacks to rend an enemy to pieces. Prerequisites: Str 17, Dex 13, base attack bonus +6, Rending Slash Benefit: When your unarmed strike inflicts bleed damage using your Rending Slash feat, that unarmed strike deals additional slashing damage equal to half your character level. The bleed damage caused by Rending Slash increases to 1d8 + half your character level, or 2d8 + half your character level if your base attack bonus is +13 or higher.

Hibernate You can enter a deep, meditative state to heal yourself of wounds and infirmities. Prerequisites: Con 13, any species that grants at least 6 Hit Points at 1st level Benefit: When you begin a full night’s rest or begin a full day’s rest, you can choose to enter a special form of regenerative torpor instead of sleeping normally. Upon completing your rest, you regain twice the normal number of Hit Points, heal twice the normal points of ability damage, and gain a +2 circumstance bonus to any saving throws you attempt to remove negative levels that day. While in this torpor, you’re difficult to rouse; if awoken before you finish resting, you’re flat-footed and fatigued until you can rest for at least 8 more hours.

strike granted by your natural weapons trait, the target also takes bleed damage equal to 1d4 + half your character level.

Startling Charge You use your charge mainly to frighten your enemies rather than to attack them directly. Prerequisites: Str 13, Intimidate 1 rank, ferocious charge universal creature rule Benefit: When you charge as a full action, you can attempt an Intimidate check to demoralize a creature within your melee reach at the end of the charge, rather than making a melee attack. If you succeed at your Intimidate check, the target is shaken for 1 additional round and you gain a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls to resolve combat maneuvers against the target until the end of your next turn. Special: If you have an ability that allows you to charge without taking penalties to your attack roll or AC (such as the charge attack ability from the soldier’s blitz fighting style), you qualify for this feat as though you had the ferocious charge ability.

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Rallying Roar You’ve honed your voice to echo over the battlefield. Prerequisites: Cha 13, Intimidate 1 rank Benefit: You can roar as a move action, affecting all creatures within 60 feet. Affected allies gain a +1 morale bonus to Will saves, and affected enemies take a –1 penalty to Will saves. These effects last until the start of your next turn. Once you roar in this way, you can’t do so again for 1d4 rounds. This is a sense-dependent, mind-affecting effect.

Rending Slash You viciously tear into an opponent’s flesh, leaving behind deep, jagged wounds. Prerequisites: Str 13, Dex 13, natural weapons (s) species trait Benefit: On your turn, the second time you successfully hit and deal slashing damage to a creature using the unarmed

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UROG Home World: Dykon (Pact Worlds) Urogs are silicon-based life-forms who shift between a slug-like relaxed state and a beaked, multi-limbed active state. On Dykon, they live relatively peaceful lives in pursuit of efficiency and knowledge.

Outside of their home world of Dykon, urogs have a reputation as brash know-it-alls who stay engaged only while a topic interests them. Within Dykon’s society, their lives of careful study show how they truly engage: sharing knowledge, avoiding the waste of precious energy by keeping conversations short, and leaving topics that require nuance to subject-area experts. However, not all urogs call Dykon home; at least one concentrated settlement of urogs on Akiton primarily worship Oras as they expand their understanding of silicon-based life. Urogs often make valuable members of starship crews as well, especially those who enjoy optimizing navigational routes.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION As silicon-based life-forms, urog physiology differs drastically from their carbon-based counterparts. Their flesh is dense, heavy, and translucent—supple yet firm and covered in tough shell scales. While these shell scales are sometimes identified as an exoskeleton, urogs understand them as an extension of their segmented limbs and see the exoskeleton label as a holdover from carbon-based life being the standard paradigm. Many of urogs’ so-called eccentricities come from the fundamental difference between carbon-based and silicon-based life. Overall, urogs don’t bother fighting these misunderstandings—likely due to the amount of energy it would take to correct them. Energy conservation and efficiency are biological imperatives for urogs. As their flesh is firm and mostly immobile at comfortable temperatures, they need to expend considerable energy to move their limbs. However, it doesn’t affect their mobility, as they typically move by using minute cilia to generate electromagnetic currents and float over the ground. A similar electromagnetic process in their biology breaks down food into its molecular structure for consumption, making it so that urogs can consume almost any object. However, urogs prefer the easily consumed plant life and minerals from their home world since these silicon-based structures require less energy to digest. Their control over this process is precise to the molecular level, enabling urogs to consume choice nutrients and leave non-nutritive substances behind. For efficiency, they only keep their consumption field active to purposefully break down food or to safely carry delicate items. When inactive, urog bodies settle into a resting state, their shell scales hanging over their limbs and making them appear like a scaled slug. When fighting, engaging directly with the environment around them, or otherwise exerting significant physical energy, urogs enter an active state, extending their beaked head-stalk and unfurling the limbs that line their

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abdomen. In this state, their body temperatures rise to make their joints supple enough to move. Maintaining this active state is physically taxing on an urog’s body, to the point that a single hour in this state requires the same energy as a single day in their resting state. This active state is typically reserved for academic study, life-or-death situations, reproduction, or interacting with other species. Urogs control the layering of their shell scales as they return to their resting state. Specific combinations act as fashion statements, mood indicators, or personal identifiers. They can also manipulate their color by purposefully consuming supplemental minerals. The changed color ranges from iridescent tone to a saturated dye, depending on the amount consumed, and fades over time. These supplements are produced solely on Dykon, so any urog who wishes to maintain their coloration typically stocks up when visiting, imports through a specialized mail-order outfit, or creates a unique blend and processes their own from locally accessible materials.

HOME WORLD The crystalline Dykon, one of the moons of the gas giant Bretheda, is a vibrant, silicon-based world. The moon itself is home to a vast array of plant life, most of which is unique in the Pact Worlds due to the moon’s distinctive biochemistry. Urogs, truly having no other world than Dykon that could easily support their biological needs, have undertaken a significant effort to catalog much of their native flora and fauna so they can maintain a well-tended moon. This planned ecosystem includes a balance between staple foods, medicinal plants, and the necessary biodiversity to support the scarce fauna that live alongside urogs. This control over their planetary environment is possible only because urogs face few threats from the natural world and have political independence in all but name. Dykon formally falls under the leadership of Bretheda, but the planet’s ruling body, Confluence, leaves Dykon to govern itself. The urog government on Dykon, the Preeminence, is a panel of experts on areas of planetary concern. New experts are nominated for appointment by their research institution whenever a previous member steps down or the panel decides that a new perspective is required. The majority of Dykon remains undeveloped, with a few concentrated settlements housing the whole population while a few countryside hermits and academics engage in full-time field work. The major population centers serve specific functions and include research centers that specialize in those areas. For example, the city of Zethir, originally carved into the side of an immense crystal cliff and now encompassing the buildings that have sprung up around it, hosts child-raising centers and life span–development researchers. One of the smaller

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES settlements, the town of Precursor, hosts mostly engineers who work on prototype structures that give it a cluttered, eclectic appearance: no two buildings are alike. Venturing outside of these settlements is common, as the relative safety of the moon enables urogs to wander without threat. Scenic depictions of Dykon commonly include classes of urogs engaged in field work, floating cloudlike above silica crystal fields. The moon holds several famous research sites, such as Lake Kellgin, a mile-wide ammonia lake, and the silica run just outside of the spaceport Ekynas. More curious still is the Oscillation Field with a reputation for altering consciousness that attracts urogs who believe they aren’t living up to their full potential. Out of all the various academies and universities, the Dykon Replication Studies Center maintains the most prestige for aspiring urog academics since its research agenda requires expertise in multiple fields. Other institutions develop around a particular specialty, such as Ekynas’ mathematics institute. While outside scholars are most common at Ekynas, each of Dykon’s research institutes encourages scholars from other worlds to apply—except for the Replication Studies Center. Urogs have spread from Dykon, often ending up in academic study or providing technical expertise for starship crews. Commonly, urogs will leave Dykon when they feel like they’ve ceased growing, if they need to get experience not offered on the moon, or after a major professional embarrassment. While these rovings are most often solitary, a community of urogs has developed alongside the contemplatives of Akiton, calling itself the Pillarist Meld.

society instills that it can be harmful to speak up on a topic on which one isn’t an expert, as doing so inevitably leads to the spread of misinformation and misunderstanding. Even in a medical emergency, a traditional Dykonian response is to seek appropriate help instead of risking harm by taking amateur action. The common aphorism, “Don’t undo work before it starts,” emphasizes the need to wait for direction before acting. On Dykon, this approach tends to be effective, as education typically focuses on specializing in a particular area of strength or interest, so an expert is never far away. Day-to-day life is mostly self-regimented because urogs encourage each other to find the daily routine that works best for them. These routines do include unstructured time since being too strict is often inefficient; this contradiction is colloquially known as the inefficiency paradox. Particularly driven urogs refer to their time away from work or study as paradox days, as not working leads to more efficient work later. Socially, urogs tend to have personal living quarters in their research lab. The majority of housing is built for lone urogs with the expectation that group living quarters will only be used for brief periods. Most socializing occurs in weekly knowledge-sharing groups, where urogs in the same field come together and share any insights they’ve learned. Few religious congregations maintain a consistent service with Eloruti, Ibra, Yaraesa, and Weydan being the most common. Individual urogs dedicated to one deity aren’t uncommon, though it can seem rarer since devotion is treated as a private matter.

SOCIETY

Education

Culture on Dykon prioritizes efficiency whenever possible. While biological necessity drives conservation of energy, cultural values drive optimization far beyond the need to avoid overexertion and into its own art form. These values touch nearly every aspect of everyday life, from the way meals are prepared for quickest consumption to Renewal Day, a single day dedicated to the implementation of many low-priority changes all at once. Social interactions follow a similar structure, with the expectation that conversations outside of close relationships should focus only on necessary information and avoid small talk. While this belief leads to stereotypes of curt urogs who walk away when conversations bore them, urogs see this avoidance as polite. Even in crisis situations, Dykonian

After efficiency, advancing knowledge is the strongest value in Dykonian urog society. Formal education begins once children can move independently, which typically comes soon after

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Con, +2 Int, –2 Cha Hit Points: 6 Size and Type: Urogs are Large magical beasts with a space of 10 feet and a reach of 5 feet. Blunt: Urogs speak directly and with purpose, a trait other species have difficulty getting used to. Urogs take a –2 penalty to Bluff and Diplomacy checks. Darkvision: Urogs have darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Electrical Resistance: Urogs have electricity resistance 5, which stacks with one other source of electricity resistance. Electrolocation: An urog who’s in contact with a crystalline or metallic surface can detect the presence of other creatures within 60 feet that are also in contact with the same surface, even through walls and other obstacles. This otherwise functions as blindsense (electromagnetism). Limited Telepathy: Urogs can communicate telepathically with any creatures within 30 feet with whom they share a language. Low-Light Vision: Urogs can see in dim light as if it were normal light. Plodding: Urogs have a base speed of 20 feet. Skilled: Urogs gain an additional skill rank at 1st level and each level thereafter.

they develop telepathic abilities. Their first lessons take place in large child-rearing centers, mostly in Zethir. There, they learn rudimentary urog skills: reading, writing, conservation of energy, and maintaining an efficient routine. Before they leave this school as adolescents, they undergo aptitude- and interest testing; the results determine initial placement into specialized academies. These academies cover a wide variety of topics, treating both scientific and practical fields with equal respect. After initial placement, switching areas of study is encouraged, especially when a student struggles with coursework or seems disinterested. Specialized study within these academies takes another four years, at which point an urog graduates into adulthood. Urogs immediately post-graduation are known as dendrites, taken from a philosophical text likening urog academic lineage to branching rock formations. In the immediate years after completing formal education, urogs are expected to find an academic mentor in the field of their choice. The mentorship and cohort experience is highly valued, with some urogs eventually finding full-time work in mentoring newly graduated students. During this period, urogs become experts in their chosen area of study by performing independent research and networking in their mentor’s wider professional circle. Once a mentor has determined that their protege has mastered the subject, the partnership dissolves, and the protege changes from dendrite to learned. However, education never stops. After significant milestones in their careers, such as publication of research or novel findings, urogs can choose to identify their education level by a new term. These terms are self-chosen, typically based on how

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much growth the individual feels this milestone represented. Typically, these appellations indicate rising in height, using terms such as “elevated” or the names of atmospheric layers. Going extended periods without these milestones is sometimes seen as matter of concern.

DYKON REPLICATION STUDIES CENTER After urogs began traveling off their moon, especially with the advent of Drift Travel in the Pact Worlds, academic research boomed. With urogs able to safely leave Dykon and easily return in case of inhospitable conditions, the Preeminence declared it time to advance research by gathering knowledge from other worlds. This declaration lasted for only a few scant years before an agricultural researcher, Second-Learned-Harvesting, attempted to change cultivation practices in the Dykonian berry fields. The fields nearly collapsed from the technique, and the experiment came to a sudden halt. The Preeminence charged a task force with outlining appropriate research methods and summarizing other near-catastrophes. The resulting report outlined a root cause: Dykon’s silicon-based life created such fundamentally different conditions that the accuracy of most offworld research couldn’t be trusted on the moon. However, the knowledge exchange brought in some advances. The task force recommended a new focus on replicating research from other worlds to truly test the difference between silicon- and carbon-based life. Shortly after the founding of the Dykon Replication Studies Center, its research team gained a reputation for precise experimentation and intriguing results. The center’s focus remains on replicating research done in carbon-based settings to see if it remains true on Dykon and using differences between results to illuminate the fundamental nature of differing types of life. Official posts at the research center are highly competitive, and ambitious urogs specialize in interdisciplinary fields and engage in offworld research to strengthen their application. Unlike other institutions, the center accepts only urog scholars so that its tight focus on the species’ needs remains central.

NAMES Traditional names for Dykon-based urogs follow a uniform structure, which efficiently identifies an individual’s context within their society upon first meeting. Typically, names are structured in this order: family name with tree, branch, and node; followed by an individual name with birth order, education level, and area of specialty. Outside of Dykon society, urogs use a shortened version of their individual name, choose a name that matches the culture in which they live, or adopt a nickname given by their crewmates.

Sample Names Betula Sprig Node One Second-Dendrite, Fifth-Exosphere, Fir, Navigeer, Xenii Epicore Node Three First-Elevated-Xenobiology.

PERSONAL ITEMS Urogs have created personal items (Core Rulebook 230) to help them master their academic fields and create efficient routines; many of these innovations have become widespread for usage.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

TABLE 2–15: PERSONAL ITEMS ITEM Attentive Guidebook, Pact Worlds Crystalline codex, mk 1 Crystalline codex, mk 2 Crystalline codex, mk 3 Crystalline codex, mk 4 Crystalline codex, mk 5 Mineral dye Researcher’s helper Speech encoder Sure collector

LEVEL

PRICE

1 3 7 11 15 19 1 2 1 2

200 1,400 7,000 25,000 115,000 600,000 25 165 100 500

2

Speech Encoder HANDS BULK — — — — — — — — — —

L L L L L L L L L 1

This handheld device can be attached to a datapad or computer to automatically scribe to text any clear audio source, such as a dictated message or a conversation at the next table in a quiet cafe. The text is automatically scribed in real time as the written form of the language spoken. To get an accurate transcription, a speech encoder must be within 10 feet of the speaker (in a quiet area) or spoken into directly (in a noisy area). Speech encoders are popular with urog researchers contemplating a particular theory but have gained widespread popularity with workers who need to maintain clear communication in loud environments and users with audio-processing disorders.

Attentive Guidebook, Pact Worlds

Sure Collector

This tightly written guidebook provides an overview of the cultural practices of most settlements and species common to the Pact Worlds, including taboos, preferred greeting styles, and acceptable topics of casual conversation. Referencing this guidebook provides a +4 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy checks to Gather Information in the Pact Worlds.

Urogs created this rotating arm and its carousel of attachments to ensure efficient and safe collection of crystals while conserving their own energy. It has a pincher hand, a scoop, a low-power suction hose, and a strainer, each of which can be set as the active attachment. A sure collector can be attached to any flat surface that can support it with a full action. As a standard action, you can extend one of the collector’s attachments up to 10 feet and move one object of up to 1 bulk up to 10 feet. The sure collector includes a battery and uses 1 charge per minute of use.

Crystalline Codex This case attaches to a limb and expands to show disks inscribed with detailed charts and illustrations of key concepts of Life Science, Mysticism, or Physical Science. The skill must be chosen upon item creation and can’t be changed. Meditating for an hour while holding the codex’s crystal handles makes the charts appear on your skin in crystalline writing for 24 hours. While consulting these charts, you gain an insight bonus to the appropriate skill equal to the item’s mark. You can benefit from only one crystalline codex at a time.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Mineral Dye When consumed, this single-use packet of minerals changes the color of a creature’s hair, scales, or exoskeleton to a vibrant hue. The dye lasts for one month before it fades, transforming slowly to an iridescent shimmer of that color.

Researcher’s Helper Preferred by discerning solo researchers or urogs without access to capable research assistance, this small sphere of silicone stretches to cover one of your visual sensors. When it does, it generates an electromagnetic field that assists with reviewing information. You can apply the researcher’s helper as a standard action. When you do, it automatically aids you on your next Life Science, Mysticism, or Physical Science skill check. You can’t receive aid from any other source while using this item. After one skill check or 10 minutes, the researcher’s helper becomes inert and can be easily digested by urogs. The lingering electromagnetic field prevents you from benefiting from another researcher’s helper for 24 hours.

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VLAKA Home World: Lajok (The Vast) Wolflike vlakas experience the world in many ways, but they share one thing: a sense of community and nose for diplomacy that may save their dying world.

The vlaka home world is dying. The already frigid planet Lajok orbits a fading sun and grows steadily colder each year. Eventually, not even the thick fur of the wolflike vlaka will be able to protect against its bitter chill. But until that day, the vlaka stand together. On a harsh world like Lajok, with a population who has different ways of physically experiencing the world around it, it takes community to survive, and vlakas view their many circles of trust—from family to social circles to crewmates—as both a source of strength and the key to their long-term survival.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Physically, vlakas resemble bipedal wolves. They stand between 5-1/2 and 6-1/2 feet tall, weigh between 175 and 250 pounds, and have a thick coat of mostly white fur, often with scattered patches colored brown, grey, or pale blue. Two-thirds of all vlakas are born on a spectrum of deaf, blind, or deafblind, with subtle corresponding fur patterns and scents; the remaining one-third are hearing/sighted. Vlaka don’t generally walk on four legs except during their first year of life, before reaching maturity. Not only is walking on all fours thought to be childish (a reason that “four-legged” is often the vlaka word of choice to describe something immature or reckless), but the length of a vlaka’s torso compared to their extremities also makes four-legged movement somewhat awkward and uncomfortable. Still, some vlaka scientists believe that the species did once live on four legs, using the tendency of modern vlaka to balance on their toepads instead of their heels as evidence.

HOME WORLD Lajok’s sun, Sota, is slowly fading, bringing increasingly cold temperatures and bitter icy winds to a world of vast, semi-barren plains and frozen topsoil. Vegetation on Lajok is mostly sparse and consists of low-lying shrubs, mosses, and bushes in muted colors. This changes during the planet’s relatively warm season, called valai, when shallow lakes appear across the surface and marshy plants heavy with berries quickly grow, reproduce, and die, leaving their colorful imprints and distinctive scents across the planet’s surface. Traditionally the season for farming, foraging, and hunting, valai grows shorter every year, and the food supply on Lajok is now made up mostly of imports from other planets and crops from greenhouse farms.

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personal interest over the protection and maintenance of their city’s outer walls. Within each city, streets and buildings are arranged in concentric rings, each corresponding to an area of interest or profession. Rings are connected through numerous passages and alleyways and ordered differently in each city, with two exceptions—the outer ring of every city is always its ring of defense against the ravages of the weather, while the innermost core is dedicated to plant life and agriculture. While the placement of other rings varies by city, each type utilizes a consistent paving style throughout the planet which, in conjugation with the underlying scents distinct to each district’s societal function, ensures that all vlakas raised on the planet can always determine their own location both by smell and the pattern of the ground beneath their feet. The separation of vlaka cities into rings is both a reflection of the important role circles of trust play within vlaka society and a holdover from the days when each city had its own area of expertise. While remnants of that history can still be seen today in the many libraries of Horjan or the repurposed hospitals of Tekir, the loss of years of scientific research with the fall of Falore led to a push for cities to include space for each major area of interest within their walls. Vlakas who can’t find room to work within their preferred ring in their current city can either use this as motivation to move elsewhere or build down into the ground. The recent discovery of an extensive existing cave system beneath the city of Aarul has many vlakas debating whether and how this expansion by excavation should continue, with some wanting to preserve and explore the caves and others wanting to seal them off, concerned that further exploration might weaken the structural integrity of the buildings above.

The Space Between

Cities

While the vast majority of vlakas on Lajok live in cities, a few prefer to explore the frigid land outside of city walls, known as The Space Between. Their reasons vary—some search for new ways to use the planet’s resources, some map sites for potential new cities, and still others mark the changes in the planet’s climate from year to year. A few from the Circle of Journeys have even attempted to excavate the ruins of Falore in search of the knowledge lost beneath the ice. In recent years, though, many have turned away from overland exploration in favor of exploring the newly discovered Aarul caves, which may hold clues to vlakan survival during The Gap.

Densely populated and circular in shape, each city on Lajok is ringed by tall buildings designed to conserve heat and protect against wind and ice storms. Vlakan cities are time-tested; only one, Falore, has ever fallen to the elements. Its frozen-over ruins remain a cautionary tale to anyone who might think of putting

The harsh environment on Lajok naturally drives vlakas to put community above all else—there is strength (and warmth) in numbers and interdependence is key. Cooperation and communal

SOCIETY

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES living also help vlakas benefit from the different ways that deaf, blind, deafblind, and hearing/sighted members of the community experience the world, with each group bringing their own perspectives to everything from a search for food to a new scientific discovery. Today, though technological advances have lessened the immediate dangers of the environment and made communication easier, vlakas still believe strongly that the communities they belong to—called circles—are the most important source of any individual’s support, knowledge, and overall well-being.

Circles Each vlaka may belong to many circles, from the immediate family of their birth pack to the crew of a starship on which they serve. The process for joining each circle ranges in formality. Some, like birth packs and cities of origin, are innate. Friend groups or social packs are often informal, naming themselves at will and having undefined membership criteria. Circles of profession, on the other hand, most often have their own processes in place for application and acceptance. Vlakas believe it enriches the spirit to belong to a wide variety of circles, so there is no limit to how many a single individual can join, but they must be chosen carefully. Once a vlaka belongs to a circle, they’re expected to come to its aid if the circle or one of its members needs their help, no matter how much it may inconvenience them or how they may currently feel about their fellow members. Birth packs include both a vlakas’ immediate siblings as well as the children of their parents’ childrearing circle. Vlakas usually join their first circle outside of their birth pack at the first valai festival held after they reach the age of physical maturity. These festivals are a time of celebration: one marks the day the “warm” season historically began, one celebrates its midpoint at what was once the warmest day of the year, and one marks its conclusion. After celebrating the start of valai in their own cities, young vlakas group up to make the trek to cities nearby, having spontaneous celebrations wherever groups meet in The Space Between and learning first-hand the need to have a strong community around them to complete the journey. By the time the young vlakas reach a new city at mid-valai, most have found a circle to call their own. Some older vlakas now object to this tradition, as the increasingly cold weather during early valai has led to the stranding and occasional injury of young vlakas during their trek, but they have been unsuccessful so far at convincing traditionalists who hold the valai travels as an important part of vlakan culture to say nothing of the young vlakas eager for their first tastes of independence.

Formal circles are led by councils made up of a few trusted and long-standing members. These councils each approach leadership differently. Some make decisions by consensus, choosing a leader from among their ranks only when internal division or external pressures demand it, while others always have a leader, but regularly rotate the role between council members. This is true even of the Circle of Lajok, the closest thing the vlaka have to a planetary government, which consists of representatives from every circle with either significant membership, broad influence, or a track record of creating meaningful change. The process for making the choice of leader or council member varies from circle to circle—some vote, some come to consensus during open discussion, and a few use games of chance or trials of skill. Whichever method is used, a circle leader marks themselves by shaving off a ring of fur around their collar known as the Leader’s Band. Once it grows back fully, it’s considered time for the leader to step down from their role. Most vlakas consider the idea that a single individual would lead a group for an extended period of time to be a bit odd.

Relations with Other Species Among other species, vlakas are generally known for their quiet joie de vivre and pragmatic wisdom. They tend not to be overly flashy, and they prioritize listening well over speaking quickly, adding their thoughts at the moment when they will do the most good. This, along with their tendency to avoid power grabs, offer support to their shipmates, and look for the win-win solution makes them popular with other travelers. Vlakas’ ability to get along with others is helped by their sense of smell, something they often rely on in understanding the motives of members of other species. This is made easier by the extensive reports made by vlakan explorers about the species they meet, going back to the days before the Absalom Pact was signed. Over time, these field reports have been compiled into a vlaka database of offworlder pheromones and the emotional responses they correspond to, called the pheromap. While not used by all vlakas, and frowned on by some who think of it as an emotional cheat, the pheromap can be an invaluable tool during first meetings and tense situations. Vlakas’ congenial relationship with other species is also due in part to the influence of the Circle of Salvation, which sponsors and prepares the vast majority of vlaka who take to the stars. The Circle’s hope is that the key to saving Lajok from its slow death will

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

141

SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Wis, +2 Cha, –2 Int Hit Points: 4 Size and Type: Vlakas are Medium humanoids with the vlaka subtype. Buoy: As a standard action, a vlaka can spend 1 Resolve Point to restore 1 RP to an ally within 30 feet. A vlaka can’t use this ability again until they have taken a 10-minute rest to regain Stamina Points. This is a sense-dependent, mind-affecting ability. Cold Resistance: Vlakas have cold resistance 5 that stacks with one other source of cold resistance. Cooperative: Vlakas gain a +2 bonus to skill checks for the aid another action and to attack rolls to provide harrying fire. A creature using the aid another action to assist a vlaka gains a +2 bonus to the skill check. Perceptive: Vlakas gain a +2 bonus to Perception and Sense Motive checks. Versed: Vlakas can speak, read and write their native language, Vlakan. They also know the signed and tactile versions of this language. Vlaka Senses: Vlakas can be born with one of three possible sets of senses. During character creation, determine a vlaka’s senses by choosing from those available. A vlaka born with functional sight or hearing who becomes permanently blind or deaf doesn't gain the abilities of a vlaka born with blindness or deafness. Blind: A blind vlaka has blindsight (hearing) with a range of 60 feet, blindsight (scent) with a range of 30 feet, and the blinded condition (Core Rulebook 273). The vlaka is naturally sightless, so the blinded condition can be removed only by effects that grant sight to creatures with no natural vision. Deaf: A deaf vlaka has blindsight (scent) with a range of 30 feet, lowlight vision, and the deafened condition (Core Rulebook 275). However, this condition imposes no penalty to initiative rolls or opposed Perception checks that aren’t based on hearing. The vlaka is naturally without hearing, so the deafened condition can be removed only by effects that grant hearing to creatures with no natural ability to perceive sound. Deafblind: A deafblind vlaka has blindsight (scent) with a range of 60 feet and the blinded and deafened conditions; these can be removed only by effects that grant sight or hearing to creatures with no natural vision or ability to perceive sound. Hearing and Sighted: A vlaka who has hearing and sight also has blindsense (scent) with a range of 30 feet and lowlight vision.

come from other worlds. They emphasize to all who seek to go offworld that it will benefit the entire planet if they lean into the type of community building that has helped vlakas survive for generations. While some explorers believe this has led to vlakas being taken advantage of by other species, others note that while a single vlaka may have an unpleasant experience, the knowledge they bring back to Lajok is worth the cost. Most vlakas who leave Lajok do return eventually when they “catch the scent of home,” a feeling that combines homesickness and a sense of obligation to the home world. Vlakas who communicate frequently with Lajok or who have a strong circle of support around them are less likely to experience it and can weather it better, but if ignored the scent can often lead to irritability, unnecessary risk-taking, and mild depression. Aside

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from this though, vlakas tend to make even-tempered and positive addition to any group, eager to bring their sense of community to the stars.

VLAKAN COMMUNICATION Vlakan communication has been shaped by the fact that vlakas may be deaf, blind, deafblind, or hearing/sighted, and thus it uses multiple senses whenever possible. Traditional written Vlakan is grooved so it can be read by touch as well as sight— in an era of technology, this grooving is replicated on haptic touchscreens and often supplemented with audio description. Vlakan sign language has two variants, visual and tactile, with the touch-based variant dominating within close circles and other intimate settings. The visual variant is used for more formal group occasions, where vocal description can be provided for the blind. Most vlakas, especially if raised on Lajok, sign and speak simultaneously and interchangeably. Those who explore with mostly non-vlakan crews sometimes even teach a variant of basic signed Vlakan to their crewmates once they feel they have formed an intimate enough circle. The two senses that almost all vlakas share are scent and touch. While touch is used primarily in tactile sign language, scent is a crucial form of non-verbal communication. Scents are incorporated into everything on Lajok from construction materials to clothing, though their complexities are typically not noticed by those without a vlaka’s keen sense of smell and knowledge of how to interpret the various layers of a particular scent. In all forms, vlakan communication has two primary modes— terse and direct, typically used when stakes are high (and often useful in cutting through the minutiae of a diplomatic situation), and symbolic and metaphorical, with a heavy reliance on scent and touch as descriptors. The latter is less well-known outside of the vlaka community, and vlaka explorers have been amused to find “Vlakan poetry” on other worlds that is in truth nothing more than a to-do list or mundane scouting report.

NAMES Vlakan first and last names are determined by their birth pack. Different circles of childrearing have different approaches to the first name, with the three most common being that the parents determine the names of their biological offspring completely independently, parents determine the names within guidelines agreed to by the whole circle (such as names starting with a particular letter or incorporating a specific syllable), or the circle decides names as a group, either through discussion or random draw. Everyone born to the birth pack will share the same last name, chosen by the childrearing circle when it originally formed. As vlakas join new circles, they sometimes are given a nickname by the circle and add it as a middle name. In addition, on first meeting, vlakas will usually list their circles as an extension of their name, to let strangers know which communities they belong to. Thus, a full vlaka introduction might be “Jilavo Daran Two-Hands Tak, of the circles Tak, Aruul, Snow Skaters, Silver Wings, and Salvation,” shortened to Jilavo for most purposes.

Sample Vlaka Names Alaza, Carok, Delevana, Jikant, Kalvek, Kapleth, Parva, Poskari, Tarnat

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

TECHNOLOGICAL ITEM

HAPTIC DATABASE

Vlakas have developed several tools to make physical and social navigation easier, including the valai band, which any creature can use.

VALAI BAND PRICE 1,100 CAPACITY 15

LEVEL 2

BULK L USAGE 1/8 HOURS

Developed by the Circle of Journeys to provide safer travel for young vlakas during valai season, this metal band is traditionally worn around the neck in an echo of the vlakan Leader’s Band, but can also be worn on an arm, leg, or similar appendage. When activated, it provides environmental protection within a 10-foot radius of the wearer that is equivalent to wearing armor (Core Rulebook 196). It may also, at the wearer’s discretion, emit a homing signal every 10 seconds for 24 hours at the cost of additional charge. The homing signal can be picked up by most devices capable of receiving signals and tracked back to the source with a successful DC 15 Engineering or Survival check. A single valai band’s homing signal has a range of 100 miles over flat terrain (halved in forests or hills and quartered in mountainous terrain or underwater). If multiple valai bands are present within the same 10-foot radius, the homing range increases by a factor of 2 for each additional band, to a maximum of a planetary range.

CYBERNETIC AUGMENTATIONS While Lajok cities are built for the variety of primary sense experiences found in vlakas, vlakan explorers have sometimes found offworld exploration to be less naturally hospitable. In response, a Circle of Adaptation has sprung up, developing cybernetics that help vlakas (and others) feel more at home wherever they travel.

PHEROMAP, BASIC AUGMENTATION CYBERNETIC PRICE 1,300

AUGMENTATION CYBERNETIC PRICE 500

2

SYSTEM Hand

OVERVIEW

LEVEL 2

The skin of one hand is lined with a thin layer of sensors that provide information about an object at a touch. You can identify a creature or object physically in contact with your hand using the guidelines of identify creature (Core Rulebook 133), identify technology (Core Rulebook 142), or identify magic item (Core Rulebook 143). You substitute your Perception modifier for the relevant skill modifier, and you can do this even if untrained. Having this augmentation counts as having access to an information network for the purposes of taking 20 on a check to identify a creature.

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

SYSTEM Brain

LEVEL 3

Your olfactory senses are enhanced and connected to the vlaka pheromap, giving you access to the connection between pheromones and emotions for many other species. When a living creature is within the radius of your blindsight (scent) as a move action you can attempt a Perception skill check to identify it. The DC of the check is determined by the creature’s rarity, as presented on the Creature Rarity table (Core Rulebook 133). If you have blindsense (scent) or blindsight (scent), you gain a +5 enhancement bonus to this check. If successful, you also determine its initial attitude toward you (Core Rulebook 140). You can attempt this check untrained regardless of the DC, and having this augmentation counts as having access to an information network for the purposes of taking 20 on a check to identify a creature.

PHEROMAP, ADVANCED AUGMENTATION CYBERNETIC PRICE 2,750

SYSTEM Brain

LEVEL 5

This functions as the basic pheromap augmentation (see above), but your pheromap includes more detailed information about familiar species, granting you a +4 insight bonus to Sense Motive checks against living creatures you’ve successfully identified with your pheromap augmentation.

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WORLANISI Home World: Worlan (Near Space) Blue and four-armed, worlanisi are nimble climbers and explorers. They wield luck in extraordinary ways, but their luck draws on psychic gifts that can leave them vulnerable to mental attacks.

Worlanisi are charming and intrepid nomads, and love to travel for years at a time, valuing the journey more than the destination. They’re outdoorsy, competitive, and welcoming to strangers. Due to their small stature and blue skin, worlanisi appear deceptively delicate. They are slight but strong humanoids with four arms and horn-cones on either side of their head. These horn-cones once let them use their psychic powers to stalk prey across Worlan, but this use has since atrophied. Modern horn-cones allow worlanisi to communicate telepathically and wield luck like no other species in the galaxy. Unfortunately, the horn-cones also amplify incoming and outgoing psychic energy with a painful reverberation.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION The planetary pressures of Worlan molded the worlanisi to be strong, lucky, and telepathic. Traditionally hunter-gatherers, worlanisi evolved into lithe and able climbers, using their four arms to climb through trees while wielding weapons. The average worlanisi has a small but wiry frame. The tallest of them stand about three and half feet in height, but their average weight ranges from only 22 to 27 pounds. Their slight frames are deceptively strong, allowing worlanisi to carry burdens much heavier than themselves. One of the most important evolutionary pressures that worlanisi faced was an environment filled with traces of residual psychic energy. In response, worlanisi developed their distinctive horn-cones: a pair of structures on the sides of their head that amplify incoming and outgoing psychic signals. Ancient worlansisi used their large, imposing horn-cornes to track the psychic traces their prey left behind, placing them a cut above the other Worlan predators. Throughout the millennia of the pre-Gap era, the worlanisi shifted to incorporate more luck and cunning into their survival, and with the advent of advanced technology their reliance on psychic tracking lessened. As a result, their horncones have shrunk over the generations and become practically vestigial, but remain a sometimes painful source of amplification for incoming psychic signals. Mental attacks reverberate within them, leaving untrained worlanisi more vulnerable than other species with telepathic abilities. Despite this disadvantage, the horn-cones are a source of pride to worlanisi, who adorn and paint them in a wide variety of ways. Worlanisi are known for the rare ability to consistently gift their luck to allies as well as themselves. Some scholars theorize this luck originates from their horn-cones, along with their limited telepathic gifts. Indeed, a worlanisi’s ability to wield and control luck grows in adolescence as their horns develop more concentric rings, adding credence to this theory.

HOME WORLD The worlanisi evolved on Worlan, an ocean world covered in island chains. The gravity level is slightly higher than average, making

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it a popular location for top athletes from other planets to train. Due to the constant movement of its tectonic plates, Worlan is geographically active and known for its earthquakes, volcanoes, steaming geysers, and soaring mountain ranges. One prominent feature of Worlan’s terrain is its environmental memory, a unique combination of minerals and innate psychic energy that retains faint traces and memories of the people and creatures who travel it. Ghost sightings are common on Worlan, where the environment might replay a poignant memory of high emotion or a tragic death. This environmental memory has caused many of Worlan’s predators to adapt variations of the worlanisi horn-cone, allowing them to track prey by residual psychic energy. Worlan’s primary spaceport is located on the largest and oldest of its many islands, Nasceri. Nasceri has always been Worlan’s main technological hub, with its port and factories built during the Gap and powered by geothermal energy. The city’s architecture is well-integrated with its parks, and many of its buildings are built around gigantic trees and rivers. Even its night clubs are integrated with the jungle environs, with retractable roofs that allow patrons to dance under the sky. Some of Nasceri’s many attractions include a wildlife preserve, yachting, and various schools and meditation centers. The most famous of these is the Spiral, a soaring conical temple that resembles a horn-cone. The Spiral attracts students throughout Near Space who wish to better control their psychic abilities. The oldest part of Nasceri includes a significant archaeological site, discovered in 33 AG: a fully buried and preserved city, complete with calcified remains of four-limbed giants who died in a volcanic eruption. These giants possessed less prominent horn-cones than modern worlanisi, who refer to them as “the luckless.” There are many legends about these lost giants, who were likely more physically capable than modern worlanisi, but less able to harness psychic abilities. Scholars have debated the question of the luckless: was their species a separate evolutionary branch from modern worlanisi or were they a genetic mutation that simply died out? Either way, the luckless appear to have died out before the Gap, though some worlanisi tales talk of their flight to create a new life under the mountains. Though Nasceri’s volcanic mountains have been long dormant, pre-Gap legends tell of the day when worlanisi luck will falter and the volcanoes will once again bury Nasceri in lava and ash. Worlan has thousands of islands, and traveling from one to another by boat or light flyer is a time-honored tradition for worlanisi youth. The volcanic soil is fertile, supporting lush forests and diverse wildlife. Although some worlanisi engage in agricultural activities, the island’s ecosystems make it easy for even modern worlanisi to adapt a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Some do this throughout their lives, while others only do it for a few years as part of their transition to adulthood or a retirement plan.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Although hunting and fishing are revered activities, both can be perilous. Many of Worlan’s fauna are dangerous and cunning monsters that attack not just their prey’s bodies but their minds. The most infamous of these is the reekseel, a long-horned aquatic mammal that muddles the minds of fisherfolk before goring them to death and pulling them into the water to feast.

SOCIETY As perpetual children of good fortune, worlanisi enjoy an easy-going and trusting society. Luck is so central to worlanisi society that most of them credit it for every major event of their lives. Good outcomes, no matter how hard they were worked for or how much one prepared for them, are evidence of one’s luck. Indeed, most worlanisi view luck as a seed that needs hard work and the right conditions to grow properly. Even times of disaster and tragedy can be viewed later as blessings in disguise for the growth and changes they brought. Because luck needs help, worlanisi also value achievement and skill. They take great pleasure in artisan crafting, clever solutions, and improving their communities. Despite their psychic hypersensitivity, worlanisi prefer telepathic communication to spoken language. To them, telepathic conversation is both intimate and practical. Telepathy can allow a boat crew to communicate in a storm, two hunters to stealthily sneak up on prey, or friends to chat while dancing in a loud night club. Spoken word is for formal occasions or for songs and other entertainments. Worlanisi get along well with most other cultures, adapting to local customs while traveling and bringing back their favorite practices to Worlan. Still, they have little patience for any customs they find self-destructive; destroying an ecosystem for short-term gain largely baffles them. Worlanisi also tend to completely dismiss other species’ attempts to artificially boost luck with talismans and other superstitions. From the worlanisi viewpoint, true luck is inherent. Chasing luck with toys isn’t just foolish, but dangerous, since it leads people believe themselves protected. Worlanisi take pride in being living good luck charms and know no trinket can replace their skills.

Fortunauts In the chaos after the Gap, most worlanisi lived fully nomadic lives, aided by high-tech sporting gear manufactured in Nasceri. They traveled with no fixed destination, trying to find meaning and a sense of their own identity. Over time, these travelers became known as fortunauts, and their journeys were called jaunts. Trusting Desna to guide them, they learned and

grew along the way. After the Signal, jaunts began to extend to the stars themselves. As ship crews across the galaxy learned of the worlanisi’s extraordinary luck, eagerness to learn, and boundless optimism, fortunauts were welcomed everywhere as lucky charms and insurance for the riskiest of ventures. Most modern day fortunauts are young, and their jaunts herald the transition between childhood and adult responsibility. They sign onto ships, taking travel as it comes. When they return, they tell the stories of their travels and about what their journeys taught them. Hospitality is sacred on Worlan. If a worlanisi comes home to find a stranger sleeping in their bed, they clean the stranger’s gear, restock their supplies, and make them breakfast before waking them to ask about their journey. The jaunt is so important to worlanisi culture that it’s almost impossible to start a family, enter politics or hold any position of authority without one. Fortunauts bring back not just experience, but important offworld contacts and learning that enriches the rest of worlanisi society. Even once they return home, worlanisi crave adventure throughout their lives, taking time off to climb mountains, hunt, surf, or simply see someplace new.

Family Life Worlanisi families tend to be polyamorous and sprawling, with each person recognizing multiple partners that they love in a committed fashion. In a culture that embraces change, travel and individualism, casual love affairs are widely accepted. However, they’re considered temporary until everyone in a family agrees to welcome the newcomer. Marriage vows on Worlan are less about connecting to a single person romantically and more about agreeing to join the work, child-rearing duties, and finances of an extended family. Family time, especially with children and elders, is sacred and valued, perhaps more so because worlanisi family structure is set up to give everyone breaks and support. Through trades and covering for one another, everyone in the family gets some time away to pursue new experiences.

2 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Politics Worlanisi government councils, whether island or planetary, are elected with staggered terms and strict term limits to encourage the politicians of Worlan to work without worrying about the next election. However, some elected officials still manage to be incompetent, corrupt, and self-serving. Some families try to monopolize a council position by holding it with successive candidates all from the same family group. These shenanigans are tolerated and even respected when the family sharing the job does good work despite protecting some

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SPECIES TRAITS Ability Adjustments: +2 Str, +2 Cha, –2 Wis Hit Points: 4 Size and Type: Worlanisi are Small humanoids with the worlanisi subtype. Limited Telepathy: Worlanisi have limited telepathy with a range of 60 feet. Multiarmed (4): Worlanisi have the multiarmed (4) universal creature rule. Psychic Reverb: Worlanisi take a –1 penalty to saving throws against mind-affecting effects and takes +1 damage per damage die from mind-affecting spells, weapons, and other effects. Worlanisi Gamble: Once per day as a reaction when a worlanisi or an ally they can see within 15 feet rolls an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, the worlanisi causes that creature to roll twice and take the better result. Worlanisi Luck: The first time each day that a worlanisi rolls a natural 1 on a d20 roll, they treat it as a natural 20 instead. Worlanisi Movement: Worlanisi have a land speed of 30 feet and a climb speed of 20 feet.

of their private interests. Still, if any crisis arises during their tenure, elections can become violent. More than one corrupt political official has perished or had suspicious accidents while traveling on the job.

Recreation Worlanisi love games and competitions of all sorts. Most of the games they favor tend to minimize or offset luck, such as the strategy card game Seven Suns. The only casino to feature games of chance on Worlan is the Short Straw, located in Nasceri’s spaceport. Catering to offworlders, the draw of the Short Straw is the challenge of gambling against the luckiest people in the Galaxy. Most tourists come expecting to lose, with bragging rights accruing for how long they were able to hold their own against such overwhelming odds. The most famous worlanisi sporting competition is Fortune’s Regatta, a race across Worlan in the most inhospitable conditions, including sailing during hurricane season, mountaineering near an active volcano, and long treks through monster-infested jungles. The viewing of this annual competition, which draws thousands of offworld spectators and athletes, is more popular as an offworld broadcast than it is among local worlanisi, however. Fortune’s Regatta, while a notable personal experience, can be an event that relies heavily on luck, and where is the excitement in that?

VAULT OF VORLATH Thirty years ago, a group of intrepid worlanisi fortunauts traveling in Preluria (Near Space 100) were attacked by pirates and lost their ship. Following the attack, the worlanisi accepted sanctuary and employment from the Reivolan Institute. Their relief was short-lived when they soon discovered they had all been signed up as experimental test subjects, contractually

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obligated to an uncaring and immoral corporation. The Reivolan Institute enrolled these worlanisi in a military project that genetically boosted their self-confidence, aggression and cunning. Several worlanisi died in the brutal experiments that followed. Instead of trusting luck, the test subjects learned to rely on each other, defying fate to forge their own opportunities. They eventually rebelled, building their own military base on the smoldering remains of their former testing facility. They named this base the Vault of Vorlath, after a worlanisi word that means “the defiant.” The Vault of Vorlath mercenaries have since thrived in Preluria’s perpetual faction wars, becoming one of the most lucrative and effective military groups in Near Space, eventually employed even by their former captor, who initially sneered at their steep fees. In response, the Vault of Vorlath sided with one of the institute’s rivals, trashing their facilities and freeing every experimental subject they could find. “Pay up or get out” became the mercenaries’ official motto, emblazoned on uniforms, equipment, and on the walls of the conference room where they meet clients. The next time they had a job for the Vault of Vorlath, the institute meekly paid their fees in advance. The mercenaries became known for their teamwork, planning daring rescue missions and efficient coups. Ten years ago, the Vorlath mercenaries started recruiting soldiers from other species to fulfill the constant demand for their services, bringing in new talent while maintaining tightly knit fighting teams. Most worlanisi from Worlan delight in tales of their most famous offshoot colony. They eagerly take an optimistic view of the mercenaries’ history. Scholars note the unlikely survival and success of the mercenary group show a consistent history of defying the odds. Perhaps luck never truly abandoned them, and the pirate attacks, mistreatment, and entrapment by the Reivolan Institute were all good fortune in disguise, ensuring that the mercenary group got the resources and training that it needed to be a success. The Vorlath mercenaries’ response to this was to eject scholars from Worlan and find other historians to chronicle their group. Having lived through horror and survived, the Vorlath mercenaries refuse to see the time of their imprisonment as anything other than an atrocity. The Vorlath mercenaries themselves often scoff at luck and double-check every plan to make certain to rely on it as little as possible.

NAMES Worlanisi usually have two names: an evocative nickname based on their experiences, personality or skills and a last name from their island (or squad for those from the Vault of Vorlath). Island names tend to be multisyllabic with melodious consonants. Although nicknames are preferred, those travelling offworld may go by an island name if they haven’t found a proper nickname yet. Because of Nasceri’s size, worlanisi from there often identify with specific neighborhoods rather than the entire city.

Sample Names Aces, Azular, Catch-of-the-Day, Cazuma, Dapper, Duruli, Floater, Hardsell, Lightfingers, Kinemo, Rush-and-Flush, Ramuli, Sanzi, Trollbait, Wirecharm, Wasama

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

SPECIES GRAFT Worlanisi have mastered numerous ways to either enhance their luck or work with their psychic abilities. The species graft augmentation below is available to non-worlanisi characters and follows the rules presented on Starfinder Alien Archive 4, page 140.

GAMBLER’S RISK GRAFT

SYSTEM Brain

PRICE 3,100

LEVEL 5

Worlanisi have the rare ability to gift their luck to others. This augmentation uses specially modified horn-cones, connected to your brain, that channel your mental energy into luck. Once per day as a reaction, when you or an ally you can see within 15 feet rolls an attack roll, saving throw or skill check, you can cause that creature to roll twice and take the better result. In addition, any psychic sensitivity you have increases. If you have either the telepathy or limited telepathy species trait, its range increases by 30 feet, but you also gain the psychic reverb species trait, taking a –1 penalty to saving throws against mind-affecting effects and taking +1 damage per damage die from mindaffecting spells, weapons, and other effects.

FEATS The following feats, while inspired by worlanisi, are available to any characters who meet the prerequisites.

Amplified Outgoing Signals Through profound pain and headaches connected to psychic contact has come wisdom. You have studied your own psychic reverb and can impose the effect on opponents. Prerequisites: Psychic reverb species trait, character level 5th. Benefits: You add 1 damage per damage die to your mind-affecting spells, weapons and other effects.

Escaped Experimental Subject Like the Vorlath mercenaries, you escaped from a laboratory. While there, you were exposed to a wide variety of procedures and your body learned to fight off an array of harmful substances. Benefits: You gain a +2 bonus on saves against biohacker inhibitors, drugs, medicinals, and poisons.

Jinx You have learned to tweak the luck of not just your allies, but your enemies as well. By changing an enemy’s fate at a critical moment, you can deny them a moment of victory. Prerequisites: Character level 9th.

2

Benefit: Once per day as a reaction, when an enemy within 15 feet rolls an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check you can force them to roll twice and take the worst result.

OVERVIEW

Lucky Guess

CLASSES

Even if you don’t know an answer, sometimes you arrive at the solution anyway with a lucky guess. Prerequisites: Any species trait or feat that allows you to reroll a d20. Benefit: Once per day when recalling knowledge, you can roll on an untrained skill as if it were a trained class skill and you had ranks in it equal to your level.

Psychic Stalking With extensive training, you have begun to sense the faint psychic trails left behind by intelligent and psychic creatures. You can use this newfound sensitivity to track prey with your psychic powers. Prerequisites: Telepathy or limited telepathy species trait. Benefit: You gain a +2 species bonus to track intelligent or psychic creatures and can use Mysticism in place of Survival for tracking.

Soothing Focus Through meditation and continual psychic training, you have learned to tune out the worst of the psychic echoes that rattle you. Prerequisites: Psychic reverb species trait, character level 7th. Benefit: You no longer suffer any ill effects from your psychic reverb.

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Trading Places You have trained with the Vault of Vorlath or another tight-knit mercenary group and have learned their advanced positioning and teamwork skills. The Vorlath mercenaries are known for their ability to weave in and out of combat, tossing allies and clients to safety. Prerequisites: Character level 7th. Benefit: You can take a move action to switch places with a willing or unconscious ally within range of your normal movement that’s no larger than one size category larger than you. This requires spending one Resolve Point. This movement doesn’t trigger attacks of opportunity. You can’t use this ability again until you take a 10-minute rest to recover Stamina Points

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NPC GALLERY

3

INTRODUCTION Nonplayer characters are an essential part of the Starfinder Roleplaying Game, and having a wide suite of pre-built NPCs to choose from can be a boon to any gamemaster. This chapter presents 72 NPCs of varying themes and CR, complete with stat blocks and suggestions for incorporating them into your game. Populate cities and space stations with a variety of compelling NPCs, or flesh out a story for one and have them serve as the PCs’ primary antagonist—use them as you wish!

NPCS BY CR

150

CR

NPC

PAGE

CR

NPC

PAGE

1/2 1/2 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 9 9 9

Con artist Off-gridder Conspiracist Pickpocket Postgrad student Skip tracer Grifter Parabolas revivalist Streamer Career ranger Combat medic Emissary EMT Hazard response crew Personal concierge Vidgamer Excommunicant Performer Psychic seer Hacker Masked assassin Stewards data analyst Subject expert Hazard professional Impostor Magical duelist Mugger Pact Worlds delegate Physician Recovery agent Stewards constable Courier Detective Field biologist Influencer Religious peacekeeper Singularity accelerationist Double agent False prophet Prophet Quartermaster Enercopter pilot Psychic healer Stowalong

158 182 170 184 176 154 158 178 156 182 164 160 172 162 166 156 174 156 170 168 152 180 176 162 158 178 184 160 172 154 180 166 170 176 157 160 186 168 159 174 164 162 173 166

9 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 12 13 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 15 15 16 16 18 19 20

Trophy hunter Viper Bounty hunter Brutaris lock-back Elite rescuer Overwatch captain Paranormal investigator Safecracker Fortunate warlord Plenipotentiary Scholar of magic Shapeshifter Officer Captains Club guide Special forces medic Champion Colveare heirarch Deadeye Mysterious hermit Notorious bounty hunter Spy Ops infiltrator Phantom thief Battleflower master Spec-ops veteran Specter Underworld mastermind Divine avatar

182 152 154 178 163 180 171 184 186 161 177 169 164 167 173 174 186 152 183 155 169 181 185 179 165 153 187 175

USING THE NPC GALLERY There are a number of ways to make use of this collection of 72 NPCs.

NPCs as Enemies The most obvious way to use nonplayer characters is in combat encounters. Simply select a stat block (or several) of the appropriate CR and theme, and you’re ready to roll! Even NPCs who seem less combat-oriented (such as celebrities or scholars) can surprise PCs with special abilities, spells, clutch skill checks, and their ability to support other enemy combatants. You can also use these NPCs to help you create skill encounters or other scenarios in which having level-appropriate statistics handy is helpful.

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

3 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

NPCs as Allies You can also use NPCs in combat on the PCs’ side. Note that NPC statistics are best balanced to serve as adversaries against player characters, not against other NPCs. Also keep in mind the PCs should be the stars of most encounters—on top of which, it can also be wearisome for everyone at the table (including the GM) when a prolonged exchange takes place between two or more characters controlled by the same person. However, having an NPC ally to provide covering fire, a temporary alternative target for a formidable foe, or a minor (or sometimes major) tactical advantage via a special ability at just the right moment can provide for some great storytelling moments and make the world of your adventures feel that much more authentic.

NPCs as... NPCs! One of the least obvious but potentially most rewarding ways to use these NPCs is as inspiration for a recurring nonplayer character you want to introduce to the PCs, whether as a dastardly nemesis who always seems to get away by the skin of their teeth or a reliable fixer who always has a job to offer the PCs. Use any facet of these NPCs’ art, thematic introductions, or special abilities—mixing and matching as you see fit—to inspire your own creations, and you’ll never lack an interesting character for players to meet!

Special Abilities Most of the NPCs presented in this chapter have unique special abilities you can use regardless of any adjustments you make to their CR or species, helping to make NPCs thematic and

memorable. You can also use these special abilities across NPCs of the same category, or even one of your own creation.

CUSTOMIZING NPCS Like any set of NPC statistics in Starfinder, you can customize those presented here. Below are some tips for doing just that.

Adjusting CR You might want to change an NPC’s CR to present a more appropriate challenge for the level of the adventuring party. In that case, use the tables starting on page 129 in the Alien Archive to note important statistics such as Hit Points, AC, and attack, saving throw, and skill check bonuses. Alternatives to adjusting CR include using multiple lower-CR NPCs or giving an NPC only half HP and the shaken condition.

Changing Species An NPC’s species can also grant some special abilities, which are marked with an asterisk (*) so you can easily swap them for a different species’ abilities. Remember to add the new species’ abilities! Rules for these abilities are detailed in the associated species’ section in this book. Other statistics—languages, senses, size, and speeds—might also change, though you can generally adjust these on the fly.

Adding Class Grafts You can also add a class graft to an NPC to further customize their role. The rules for class grafts appear on page 137 of the Alien Archive and the evolutionist class graft appears on page 5 of this book.

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ASSASSINS Assassins are skilled killers who excel in eliminating single targets. Often using various forms of stealth and subterfuge, they can pass between guards undetected and skillfully navigate traps to quickly dispatch their marked query. High-profile corporations, cults, or criminal syndicates may employ assassins, but most work alone or as part of secretive guilds for hire and by contract. Assassins work in the shadows, with some operating discreetly among the underbellies of society and others conducting their business while hiding in plain sight. Regardless of their methods, they’re valued for their ability to hide their tracks and maintain their employer’s anonymity. The most skilled assassins can take out high-profile figures without leaving any evidence for investigators to follow. The more difficult the job and the greater the prominence of the target, the higher the fee they command.

MASKED ASSASSIN

MASKED ASSASSIN

CR 5

XP 1,600 Worlanisi (page 144) CE Small humanoid (worlanisi) Init +3; Perception +16 EAC 17; KAC 18 Fort +4; Ref +6; Will +8; –1 vs. mind-affecting effects* Weaknesses psychic reverb*

OFFENSE

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +3; Con +0; Int +5; Wis –2; Cha +2 Skills Acrobatics +16, Bluff +11, Disguise +11, Perception +11, Stealth +16 Languages Common, Worlanisi; limited telepathy 60 ft.* Other Abilities masked aspect, multiarmed (4), worlanisi gamble*, worlanisi luck* Gear azimuth laser pistol, tactical knife Masked Aspect (Ex) Twice per day, when a masked assassin dons a mask or other full-face covering, they can instantaneously take on the appearance of any creature they’ve seen in person within the past 24 hours. A creature

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CR 9

XP 6,400 Astriapi (page 52) CE Medium monstrous humanoid Init +6; Senses blindsense (scent) 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +17

DEFENSE

EAC 22; KAC 24 Fort 11; Ref +13; Will +10

HP 145

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (Ex, average) Melee sintered starknife +19 (4d4+9 P) or bite* +19 (2d10+9 P) Ranged advanced nightarch needler +22 (2d6+9 P; critical injection DC +2)

STATISTICS

HP 65

Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee tactical knife +12 (2d4+5 S) Ranged azimuth laser pistol +10 (1d4 F; critical burn 1d4)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

VIPER Vipers rely on poison to take out their targets. They often craft their own toxins, using various aspects of their bodies, such as blood, tears, or chitin. They typically work alone. Vipers pride themselves on their calling cards, which can be used to trace assassinations back to them. Their ability to create novel venoms makes it difficult for natural defenses to resist the effects of the poison and for medical staff to treat those affected. Vipers are skilled bioengineers who are likely to work or have previously worked in laboratories. They see assassinations as a chance to show off their talent and research, and they revel in the fear instilled by their creations.

VIPER

Masked assassins use masks to skillfully disguise their appearance. They can change their entire aspect in the blink of an eye, making it easy to approach their targets unnoticed and escape into the crowd after eliminating the target. Masked assassins rely primarily on their ability to work in plain sight, and are most likely to be encountered by guards and hired hands while hunting. They’re typically hired to assassinate lower-value targets. If discovered, they typically flee rather than fight and risk capture or death.

DEFENSE

must succeed at a Perception check to realize this is a disguise (DC = 20 + 1.5 × the masked assassin’s CR). This effect lasts for 10 minutes or until the effect is ended.

Str +0; Dex +6; Con +0; Int +3; Wis +0; Cha +4 Skills Acrobatics +22, Bluff +17, Disguise +17, Life Science + 17, Stealth +22 Languages Astriapi, Common Other Abilities envenom, honey production* Gear advanced nightarch needler PW with 10 darts, sintered starknife, viper poison (functions as ungol dust; 3 doses)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Envenom (Ex) Each viper has a signature poison, sometimes concocted with material from their own body. Each day they can produce three doses of this poison, which acts as an existing poison at a level lower than or equal to their CR. This poison can’t be sold and loses its toxicity after 24 hours.

DEADEYE Deadeyes specialize in neutralizing targets at ranges so long their bullets lodge within their targets long before the target hears the weapon firing. Some can temporarily bend their bullets into different planes, making them even harder to protect against. Deadeyes are notoriously difficult to track after an assassination attempt since they can alter the trajectory of

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES their fired ammunition. Their bullets sometimes appear to come from walls. During major events and ceremonies, the slightest threat of a deadeye can increase the required security perimeter tenfold. Their skill at eliminating their targets in public settings makes deadeyes particularly coveted assassins for clients seeking to cause panic and societal unrest.

DEADEYE

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CR 14

CLASS OPTIONS

XP 38,400 Formian (page 68) NE Medium monstrous humanoid Init +8 (+12 with hive mind); Senses blindsense (scent) 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +25 (+29 with hive mind)

DEFENSE

EAC 28; KAC 30 Fort +16; Ref +18; Will +14 Resistances sonic 10*

3

SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES

HP 250

SPECIES BUILDER

OFFENSE

SPECIES PROFILES

Speed 40 ft. Melee claw* +25 (8d6+16 S) Ranged elite shirren-eye rifle +28 (4d10+14 P) Offensive Abilities skip shot

NPC GALLERY

STATISTICS

Str +2; Dex +8; Con +2; Int +6; Wis +4; Cha +0 Skills Acrobatics +30, Stealth +30 Languages Common, limited telepathy 60 ft.* Other Abilities hive mind* Gear freebooter armor IV, elite shirren-eye rifle with 6 sniper rounds

INDEX

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Skip Shot (Su) When a deadeye fires a sniper weapon, the ammunition blinks onto a different plane and then reappears just before reaching the target. As long as a deadeye has line of sight to their target, they don’t need line of effect to make a ranged attack.

SPECTER Even among assassins, there are those who are so highly skilled that few dare to speak their names. Often referred to as specters for their ability to appear and vanish like ghosts, these killers can silence their targets without a single witness to the act, leaving nothing but a corpse as evidence. Specters prefer to stay hidden, even to their employers. They are often hired for high-level assassinations and work with clients on recommendations only. Untrustworthy clients who are put on a specter’s block list soon find themselves out of favor with most other assassins within their network.

SPECTER

CR 18

XP 153,600 Hadrogaan (page 72) CE Medium humanoid (hadrogaan) Init +8; Senses blindsense (vibration) 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +36

DEFENSE

EAC 32; KAC 34

HP 375

Fort +19; Ref +19; Will +18

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee white star plasma sword +29 (8d8+29 E & F; critical severe wound) Ranged elite seeker rifle +32 (9d8+18 P)

STATISTICS

Str +11; Dex +8; Con +6; Int +6; Wis +2; Cha +0 Skills Athletics +36, Stealth +31 Languages Common, Hadrogaan Other Abilities dual nervous systems*, unobserved Gear freebooter armor V, elite seeker rifle with 18 sniper rounds, white star plasma sword

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Unobserved (Su) Twice per day for 15 minutes each, a specter can reduce their presence to the point where they become unobserved even while standing in plain sight. To observe a specter while they’re in this mode, a creature must succeed at a Will save (DC = 8 + the specter’s CR) or be unable to detect the presence of the specter using any sense (including blindsense and blindsight). A success grants a creature the ability to see the specter for only 1 round, after which they must attempt another Will save.

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BOUNTY HUNTERS Anyone who seeks and catches those who don’t want to be caught may be called a bounty hunter, though in practice, the term comprises an array of professionals. Most bounty hunters have legal sanction, such as a license to hunt fugitives, but many also work in a gray area between legal authority and vigilantism. Bounty hunters take jobs from legitimate authorities, but what legitimate means varies by location. Little stops a bounty hunter from acting as an agent of a private party, and many are enforcers for the unscrupulous. Some clever bounty hunters double as private investigators, tracking down missing people or runaways.

SKIP TRACER Skip tracers track those who renege on legal obligations—civil or criminal—usually for those who skip out on bail, court dates, or private contracts. Side jobs tracking down missing people are within a skip tracer’s purview, too. The typical skip tracer prefers investigation, negotiation, and nonlethal methods to retrieve their quarry, working within the bounds of the law.

SKIP TRACER

CR 1

XP 400 Blue-scaled kobold (page 84) LN Small humanoid (kobold) Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5

DEFENSE

HP 15

EAC 12; KAC 13 Fort +1; Ref +3; Will +4 Resistances electricity 5*

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee tactical baton +4 (1d4+1 B) Ranged static arc pistol +6 (1d6 E; critical arc 2)

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +1; Con +1; Int +1; Wis +2; Cha +2 Skills Bluff +5, Culture +5, Diplomacy +10, Profession (bounty hunter) +10, Sense Motive +10, Stealth +5 Languages Common, Draconic, any 1 other Other Abilities mark Gear second skin (quick-release sheathe), static arc pistol with 2 batteries (20 charges each), tactical baton, binder restraints (5); Augmentations voice modulator

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Mark (Ex) A skip tracer can choose one sapient creature as a mark, provided the skip tracer can identify that creature by a specific identity and has studied the mark for 1 hour using available information, or directly observed the mark for 1 minute outside of combat or as a full action in combat. The skip tracer gains an insight bonus on skill checks made to investigate, track, or gather information on the mark, as well as on Sense Motive checks against the mark. This bonus equals 1 + the skip tracer’s CR divided by 6 (+1 total at CR 1). Also, the skip tracer can use Sense Motive instead of Perception to use the pierce disguise or search tasks of the Perception skill against the mark.

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RECOVERY AGENT Recovery agents are often veteran skip tracers who act across a larger region and handle harder cases. These hunters confront criminals, sometimes on quasi-legal or violent terms. A recovery agent opens with investigation and diplomacy but is prepared for a fight. Pursuit often leads a recovery agent from city streets into the wilderness, where their survival skills provide an edge.

RECOVERY AGENT

CR 6

XP 2,400 Maraquoi (page 88) N Medium humanoid (maraquoi) Init +9; Senses blindsense (sound) 30 ft., low-light vision; Perception +13

DEFENSE

HP 80

EAC 18; KAC 19 Fort +4; Ref +6; Will +8

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 30 ft. (jetpack, average) Melee tactical dueling sword +12 (1d6+6 S) Ranged tactical semi-auto pistol +14 (1d6+6 P) or stickybomb grenade II +14 (explode 15 ft., entangled 2d4 rounds [DC 16])

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +5; Con +1; Int +1; Wis +2; Cha +3 Skills Culture +11, Diplomacy +16, Intimidate +11, Piloting +11, Profession (bounty hunter) +16, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +11, Survival +11 Languages Brethedan, Common, Maraquoi Other Abilities mark, prehensile tail*, swift stalker Gear freebooter armor II (jetpack), tactical dueling sword, tactical semi-auto pistol (inertial dampenerAR) with 27 small arm rounds, stickybomb grenade II, binder restraints (5), manacles; Augmentations minimal speed suspension

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Mark (Ex) As skip tracer (insight bonus +2). Swift Stalker (Ex) A recovery agent reduces the penalty for following tracks using Survival while moving at full speed to 0. The agent also reduces the penalty for moving at more than half speed while using Stealth to hide to –5.

BOUNTY HUNTER The bounty hunters of the public imagination are hardened experts who use combat, investigation, and legal knowhow to track fugitives across the stars. Such bounty hunters can be military or law enforcement personnel who hang up official duties for freelance ones. Others arose as civilian contractors, learning the rougher parts of the trade as they went. Whatever the case, these bounty hunters take on riskier contracts and don’t shy from jobs that might require hurting or killing the mark.

BOUNTY HUNTER XP 9,600 Pahtra (page 96)

CR 10

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES N Medium humanoid (pahtra) Init +11; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +19

DEFENSE

HP 150

EAC 23; KAC 24 Fort +9; Ref +11; Will +13; +2 vs. charm and compulsion Defensive Abilities nimble*

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft., fly 60 ft. (forcepack, average) Melee aurora polarity gauntlets +20 (2d6+12 E) Ranged tactical magnetar rifle +20 (2d8+10 P) or stickybomb grenade III +20 (explode 20 ft., entangled 2d4 rounds [DC 19])

STATISTICS

Str +2; Dex +7; Con +1; Int +1; Wis +4; Cha +3 Skills Acrobatics +19, Culture +19, Diplomacy +19, Intimidate +19, Piloting +19, Profession (bounty hunter) +23, Sense Motive +19, Stealth +19, Survival +19 Feats Mobility, Parting Shot Languages Common, Pahtra, Vesk, any one other Other Abilities mark, swift stalker Gear freebooter armor III (forcepack), aurora polarity gauntletsAR with 1 high-capacity battery (40 charges), tactical magnetar rifle (inertial dampenerAR) with 90 longarm rounds, manacles (4); Augmentations standard speed suspension

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Motive +25, Stealth +25, Survival +25 Feats Cleave, Great Cleave Languages Common, up to 2 others Other Abilities intimidating, mark, maze mind* Gear freebooter armor IV (auto-injector AR [mk 3 serum of healing]), forcepack), advanced magnetar rifle (grenadier bracket AR with squad NIL grenade launcher) with 120 longarm rounds, grindblade (inertial dampener AR), riot grenades IIIAR (2), binder restraints (5), efficient bandolier, mk 3 serums of healing (2); Augmentations complete speed suspension

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Intimidating (Ex) A notorious bounty hunter can demoralize using Intimidate as a move action. As a full action, the bounty hunter can demoralize up to 10 creatures within 60 feet; the Intimidate DC equals the highest DC to demoralize among the targets. If the check succeeds, the shaken condition lasts only 1 round for all affected targets. Mark (Ex) See page 154 (insight bonus +3).

3 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

Mark (Ex) See page 154 (insight bonus +2). Swift Stalker (Ex) See page 154.

NOTORIOUS BOUNTY HUNTER A notorious bounty hunter has not only a reputation for success, but also one of mercilessness and resilience. Such bounty hunters take on the toughest targets, preferring dead-or-alive contracts that can increase their renown. These bounty hunters prefer intimidation, using crowd control tactics and few nonlethal options. Even when apparently killed, these professionals rarely stay dead, ensuring they’re as immortal as their legends are.

NOTORIOUS BOUNTY HUNTER

CR 14,

Nuar (page 92) N Medium monstrous humanoid Init +12; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +25

DEFENSE

HP 235 RP 5

EAC 28; KAC 29 Fort +12; Ref +14; Will +17

OFFENSE

Speed 70 ft., fly 60 ft. (forcepack, average) Melee grindblade +25 (4d10+17 S; critical bleed 2d8) or unarmed strike +25 (1d3+21 B) Ranged advanced magnetar rifle +23 (4d8+14 P) or riot grenade III +23 (explode 15 ft., 1d8 S nonlethal and staggered [DC 22]) Offensive Abilities gore*

STATISTICS

Str +3; Dex +8; Con +1; Int +1; Wis +4; Cha +3 Skills Acrobatics +25, Athletics +30, Culture +25, Intimidate +25, Piloting +25, Profession (bounty hunter) +30, Sense

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CELEBRITIES Vidgamers are professionals who game competitively, filling stadiums with cheering fans as they play in competitive tournaments. To make it to the professional stage, vidgamers must have sharpened senses and near-perfect reflexes that set them apart from millions of other gamers. Like other athletes, they train for hours every day to stay in peak condition.

STREAMER

XP 800

Streamers present content live via digital platforms, attracting avid audiences that love these celebrities’ skill, conversation, idiosyncrasies, and knowledge. Streamed content might encompass anything from cooking hacks to gladiatorial homeand-garden tips for growing giant carnivorous plants like a pro. Streamers who provide content in public places sometimes catch unique footage of crimes or major events, becoming spontaneous journalists or invaluable witnesses. While these serendipitous recordings can earn a streamer fame, chronicling illicit activity can also create dangerous enemies.

STREAMER

CR 2

XP 600 Uplifted bear (page 134) CG Large magical beast Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +7

DEFENSE

EAC 13; KAC 14 Fort +3; Ref +3; Will +5 Defensive Abilities relatable

HP 23

VIDGAMER

CR 3

Kobold (page 86) N Small reptilian humanoid (kobold) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10

DEFENSE

EAC 15; KAC 16 Fort +2; Ref +4; Will +6 Resistances electricity 5

HP 35

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Ranged frost subduer +9 (1d3+3 nonlethal C; critical staggered) Offensive Abilities get good

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +6; Con –2; Int +2; Wis +1; Cha +2 Skills Bluff +10, Computers +15, Engineering +15, Intimidate +10, Physical Science +10, Profession (vidgamer) +15 Languages Common, Draconic Gear second skin, frost subduer AR with 1 battery (20 charges), tier 2 computer (miniaturization [2])

SPECIAL ABILITIES

STATISTICS

Get Good (Ex) When a vidgamer scores a critical hit against a creature within 60 feet, they can also attempt an Intimidate check to demoralize that creature as a reaction before the end of their turn. When a vidgamer rolls a natural 20 for a Profession (vidgamer) check to play a game, they can also attempt to demoralize one other participant in that game as a reaction before the end of their turn.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Performers captivate and entertain their audiences with a wide range of art forms, including singing, dancing, playing instruments, acrobatics, magic tricks, and more. While many celebrities rise to fame on digital platforms, performers thrive best in front of a live audience.

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee claw +9 (1d4+4 S) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Offensive Abilities ferocious charge* Str +2; Dex +0; Con +2; Int +2; Wis –1; Cha +4 Skills Athletics +7, Computers +12, Culture +12, Profession (video personality) +12, Sense Motive +7 Languages Common, limited telepathy 30 ft. Other Abilities relatable Gear video camera scanner Relatable (Ex) After spending at least 1 minute nonviolently interacting with a creature, a streamer develops a special rapport with that creature for 1d4 hours. If that creature attempts to directly attack the streamer while the rapport lasts, the creature must attempt a Will save (DC = 10 + the streamer’s CR). If the save fails, the creature can’t complete the attack, that part of its action is lost, and it can’t attempt to directly attack the streamer again for 1 round. If the save succeeds, the creature can attack the streamer normally for the duration of the rapport. If the streamer attacks the creature or one of the creature’s allies, the rapport ends.

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VIDGAMER

Celebrities shine in ways that often draw admiration, adoration, or amusement from fans across their home worlds and beyond. They regularly engage with fans through interviews, social media, and special appearances, boosting their sway in the court of public opinion. Some celebrities use their massive platforms to influence policy and elections, and it’s not uncommon for groups with specific political or corporate interests to secretly plant or sponsor celebrities to advance particular agendas.

PERFORMER

PERFORMER

CR 4

XP 1,200 Cephalume (page 56) N Medium aberration (plantlike) Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10

DEFENSE

HP 45

EAC 16; KAC 17 Fort +3; Ref +3; Will +9; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, and stunning Defensive Abilities depth inured*; Resistances cold 5

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES OFFENSE Speed 10 ft., swim 30 ft. Melee traditional battle ribbon +10 (1d8+6 S) Space 5 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Offensive Abilities beguiling glow* (DC 15), star of the show (DC 15)

STATISTICS

Str +2; Dex +1; Con +1; Int +0; Wis +2; Cha +5 Skills Acrobatics +10, Culture +10, Diplomacy +15, Profession (dancer) +15 Languages Common, Lumos Other Abilities bioluminescence*, plantlike*, symbiote adaption* (tentacle krikik) Gear second skin, traditional battle ribbon AR

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Star of the Show (Ex) Three times per day as a full action, a performer can begin a captivating show that fascinates creatures within 60 feet (Will negates) for as long as the performer keeps performing (a standard action each round). Once during the effect’s duration, the performer can continue performing as a full action instead of as a standard action to also impart a suggestion to one fascinated creature, as the spell (Will negates). This is a sense-dependent effect, and the suggestion effect is language-dependent.

Skills Bluff +19, Computers +14, Culture +19, Diplomacy +14, Profession (video personality) +19 Languages Akitonian, Common, Ysoki; telepathy 100 ft. Other Abilities brand ambassador

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Brand Ambassador (Ex) An influencer can spend 1 hour creating and distributing media about an item, location, or person, after which the influencer attempts a Profession (video personality) check with a DC equal to 10 + 1-1/2 × the subject’s CR, item level, or the CR of the location’s owner. If the influencer succeeds at the check, they attract large crowds to the subject. If the media was positive, this allows anyone who attempts to earn income with a Profession check related to the subject that week to roll their check twice and use the better result. For negative media, the unfriendly coverage disrupts business, forcing anyone attempting to earn income with a Profession check related to the subject that week to roll their check twice and use the worse result. After using this ability, the influencer can’t affect that subject for another week.

3 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

INFLUENCER Influencers build their reputations as subject matter and lifestyle experts. They inspire their followers to mirror the example they set, whether that means cooking the same recipes, adopting the same magical shortcuts, or assuming the same political stance. They act as advocates, reviewers, and brand ambassadors. However, they must sustain viewership and their reputations, and any threat to either of these can transform the influencer into an implacable foe. An accomplished influencer wields fearsome power, potentially generating or crushing demand for a new product.

INFLUENCER

CR 7

XP 3,200 Contemplative (page 60) N Medium monstrous humanoid Init +2; Senses blindsense (thought) 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14

DEFENSE

EAC 19; KAC 20 Fort +5; Ref +7; Will +11 Weaknesses atrophied*

HP 95

OFFENSE

Speed 5 ft., fly 30 ft. (Su, perfect) Melee claw +16 (1d8+6 S) Offensive Abilities applied knowledge* Spell-Like Abilities CL 7th 1/day—detect thoughts (DC 16), mind thrust (3rd level, DC 18) At will—daze (DC 15), psychokinetic hand

STATISTICS

Str –1; Dex +1; Con +0; Int +3; Wis +3; Cha +6

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CHARLATANS Throughout the galaxy charlatans run countless cons, scams, and tricks, from small scale to large, from harmless to downright dangerous. Although their methods, modes, and goals vary, charlatans are nearly always selfish, greedy, and unscrupulous. Occasionally, a charlatan uses their skills to entertain, inspire, and astound—or to rip off oppressors, villains, and faceless mega corporations—but they’re the exception, not the rule. The following charlatans represent a diverse array of con artists, scammers, and impostors.

CON ARTIST Con artists are small-time scammers who bilk the gullible of credits by convincing them something false is true. The street corner psychic spins fortunes for credits, the down-on-their-luck billionaire needs a favor, and the lawyer requests banking information to transfer a distant relative’s inheritance. Most rely on fast talk, quick wits, and a well-told lie, but others excel in technological scams.

CON ARTIST

CR 1/2

XP 200 Vlaka (page 140) CN Medium humanoid (vlaka) Init +1; Senses blindsense (scent) 30 ft., low-light vision; Perception +9

DEFENSE

EAC 10; KAC 11 Fort +0; Ref +0; Will +5 Resistances cold 5*

HP 12 RP 3

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee survival knife +2 (1d4 S) Ranged pulsecaster pistol +4 (1d4 E) or smoke grenade +4 (explode [20 ft., smoke cloud 1 min., DC 15 + 1 per previous check])

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +1; Con +0; Int +1; Wis +2; Cha +3 Skills Bluff +9, Computers +4, Culture +9, Diplomacy +9, Sense Motive +9*, Stealth +4 Languages Common, Vlakan (signed, spoken, and tactile), up to 1 other Other Abilities buoy*, cooperative*, practiced liar Gear flight suit stationwear, pulsecaster pistol with 2 batteries (20 charges each), survival knife, smoke grenade (2)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Practiced Liar (Ex) When a con artist attempts a Bluff check to lie, they can spend 1 Resolve Point to make the DC of their Bluff check equal to 10 + the target’s total Sense Motive bonus, even if the target is suspicious of the con artist. The con artist also gains a +2 circumstance bonus on such a Bluff check.

GRIFTER Grifters work up close and personal, earning their credits through sleight of hand and misleading prattle, and are always ready to flee if they’re caught cheating or their marks lose

158

their temper. Most pick pockets or run street-corner hustles, but many work at festivals and circus midways, or play or rig games at casinos and gambling dens. Some work in groups, with one grifter distracting an audience or mark while another relieves them of their credits, possessions, or vehicle. The most benevolent work as magicians and use their skills to entertain.

GRIFTER

CR 2

XP 600 Worlanisi (page 144) CN Small humanoid (worlanisi) Init +4; Perception +7

DEFENSE

EAC 13; KAC 15 Fort +4; Ref +6; Will +1; –1 vs. mind-affecting effects* Weaknesses psychic reverb*

HP 25

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee tactical switchblade +10 (1d4+3 S) Ranged diffraction perforator pistol +7 (1d4+2 So; critical bleed 1d4)

STATISTICS

Str +1; Dex +4; Con +1; Int +0; Wis +1; Cha +2 Skills Acrobatics +7, Bluff +7, Sleight of Hand +12 Feats Improved Feint Languages Common, Worlanisi; limited telepathy 60 ft.* Other Abilities distracting prattle, multiarmed (4)*, worlanisi gamble*, worlanisi luck* Gear freebooter armor I, diffraction perforator pistol AR with 2 batteries (20 charges each), tactical switchblade AR

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Distracting Prattle (Ex) As a move action, the grifter talks incessantly, covering their motions and distracting their marks with misleading conversation. The grifter gains a +2 circumstance bonus to Bluff and Sleight of Hand checks until the end of their turn.

IMPOSTOR Impostors are expert actors and liars, trained to look like countless species and to portray these species in conjunction with other cultures, social strata, jobs, and personalities. Impostors are perceptive, think on their feet, and always ready to adapt to changing circumstances. More benign impostors find work as actors, celebrity impersonators, and comedians.

IMPOSTOR

CR 6

XP 2,400 Astrazoan (page 48) NE Medium aberration (shapechanger) Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13

DEFENSE

EAC 18; KAC 19 Fort +5; Ref +5; Will +11 Defensive Abilities friendly face

HP 80

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee distortion mirage dagger +14 (1d4+8 F) Ranged corona laser pistol +12 (2d4+6 F; critical burn 1d4)

Astriapi (page 52) LE Medium monstrous humanoid Init +1; Senses blindsense (scent) 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16

STATISTICS

DEFENSE

Str +2; Dex +1; Con +0; Int +3; Wis +2; Cha +5 Skills Bluff +18, Culture +18, Diplomacy +13, Disguise +18, Intimidate +13, Sense Motive +13 Languages Common, up to 2 others Other Abilities change form*, compression*, cover slip-up, deep cover, many forms* Gear lashunta mind mail I AR (glamer projector AR), corona laser pistol with 2 batteries (20 charges each), distortion mirage dagger AR with 2 batteries (20 charges each)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Cover Slip-Up (Ex) The first time each day a creature would succeed at a Perception check to see through the impostor’s disguise or a Sense Motive check to disbelieve the impostor’s lie, treat that creature’s result as if it rolled a natural 1 on its check. Deep Cover (Ex) Twenty-four hours after initially adopting a persona, an impostor gains a +2 bonus on Bluff checks to lie and Disguise checks made to maintain that persona. The impostor loses these bonuses immediately upon impersonating another person with Disguise or change form. Friendly Face (Ex) As a reaction when the impostor is the target of an attack roll, they can temporarily shift their facial features and demeanor to resemble an innocent or someone their attacker knows. The impostor attempts a Disguise check with a DC equal to 10 + their attacker’s Sense Motive modifier. On a success, the attacker takes a –2 penalty to the triggering attack roll.

FALSE PROPHET False prophets are con artists who pose as priests, oracles, or even chosen vessels for a deity, often with a supposed divine mission or purpose that sets them apart from the bulk of the faith, all to take advantage of the faithful. While the least ambitious false prophets visit members of a faith to gather donations or beg hospitality and favors, most false prophets insinuate themselves into at-risk or unhappy communities and gather a congregation or cult around themselves, using innocents as resources, tools, or shields.

FALSE PROPHET XP 4,800

CR 8

HP 105 RP 4

EAC 19; KAC 20 Fort +7; Ref +9; Will +13

3 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (Ex, average) Melee ultrathin sword cane +14 (2d4+8 P; critical bleed 1d4) or bite* +14 (1d12+8 P) Ranged advanced semi-auto pistol +16 (2d6+8 P) Offensive Abilities excommunicate Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th) 1/day—dispel magic, psychokinetic strangulation (DC 20) 3/day—hold person (DC 19), inflict pain (DC 19), mind thrust (2nd level, DC 19), mystic cure (2nd level) At will—command (DC 18), detect thoughts (DC 18)

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +1; Con +1; Int +2; Wis +4; Cha +6 Skills Acrobatics +16, Bluff +21, Diplomacy +21, Mysticism +21, Sense Motive +16 Languages Astriapi, Common, up to 2 others Other Abilities honey production*, powerful prophecy Gear advanced lashunta tempweave, advanced semi-auto pistol with 24 small arm rounds, ultrathin sword cane PW

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Excommunicate (Ex) As a move action, the false prophet denounces a foe within 60 feet as an enemy of their god or their divine purpose. The false prophet and their allies gain a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls made against that target for 1d4 rounds. That target is then immune to excommunicate for 24 hours. Powerful Prophecy (Su) As a full action, the false prophet spends 1 Resolve Point and acts as if they were receiving a command or vision directly from their god that they transmit to bystanders. This manifests as either a blessing or a curse. If the false prophet invokes a blessing, all allies of the false prophet within 30 feet who can see and hear the false prophet gain a number of temporary Hit Points equal to the false prophet’s CR for 1 minute. If the false prophet invokes a curse, all enemies of the false prophet within 30 feet are shaken for 1d4 rounds unless they succeed at a Will save (the DC is equal to the ability DC for a spellcaster of the prophet’s CR; 18 for a CR 8 prophet). A false prophet can have only one powerful prophecy in effect at a time.

159

DIPLOMATS Diplomats are ambassadors for their people, working to establish better relationships with those from other cultures, find ways for groups to collaborate, and realize peaceful solutions when violence seems imminent. Given the stakes for fumbling a negotiation, diplomats are highly trained professionals who are equally capable of charming others and evading political traps. However, diplomats aren’t necessarily the PCs’ allies. An evil empire might employ diplomats who suppress internal dissent and international complaints through clever misdirection. Diplomats might introduce well-intentioned political entanglements in defense of their own objectives, even if these limit the PCs’ abilities to thwart some greater evil. A diplomat is often a non-combat threat, challenging PCs to employ logic, guile, and charm to discourage, discredit, or sway their rival.

EMISSARY Emissaries are professional negotiators who communicate, advocate for, and verbally defend their patron’s interests. This might require appearing before a trade commission to dispute a contract, courting Pact Council favor to push for a planet’s admission as a protectorate, or smoothing over an awkward incident. More often, an emissary plays a subtle and sustained role by building connections and keeping their patron on another party’s figurative radar. Whatever their objectives, these diplomats do whatever is necessary to fulfill their mission.

EMISSARY

CR 3

XP 800 Pahtra (page 96) CG Medium humanoid (pahtra) Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +8

DEFENSE

EAC 14; KAC 14 Fort +2; Ref +4; Will +6 Defensive Abilities nimble*

HP 35 RP 3

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee unarmed strike +7 (1d3+3 B nonlethal) Ranged static arc pistol +9 (1d6+3 E; critical arc 2)

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +1; Con +0; Int +2; Wis +4; Cha +1 Skills Bluff +13, Culture +8, Diplomacy +13, Disguise +8, Sense Motive +13 Languages Common, Pahtra, Vesk Other Abilities focused purpose Gear second skin, static arc pistol with 1 battery (20 charges), professional clothing

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Focused Purpose (Ex) Once per day by concentrating for 1 minute, an emissary can dedicate themself to a goal that lasts for 24 hours. Before attempting a saving throw, skill check, or ability check that would directly help the emissary fulfill their goal, they can spend 1 Resolve Point to roll the check twice and use the better result.

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PACT WORLDS DELEGATE Protectorates and Pact Worlds alike send delegates to the Pact Council, where these diplomats promote their respective worlds’ interests (though only Pact Worlds’ delegates have full voting rights). With such influence, a helpful delegate might direct the star system’s resources toward a favorite cause. Conversely, an offended delegate could become a project’s nemesis by consistently maligning its operations and blocking support. This power makes delegates targets of corruption or threats, and these dignitaries often hire armed guards while abroad.

PACT WORLDS DELEGATE

CR 6

XP 2,400 Raxilite (page 108) NG Tiny plant Init +1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +13

DEFENSE

EAC 18; KAC 19 Fort +7; Ref +5; Will +9; +2 vs. mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, and stun* Defensive Abilities limited plant benefits*

HP 80

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee tactical switchblade +12 (1d4+5 S) Ranged static arc pistol +14 (1d6+6 E; critical arc 2) Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft. (5 ft. with a one-handed weapon)

STATISTICS

Str –1; Dex +1; Con +0; Int +3; Wis +2; Cha +5 Skills Bluff +18, Computers +13, Culture +13, Diplomacy +18, Sense Motive +18 Languages Brethedan, Common, Castrovelian, Raxi, Vercite Other Abilities diplomatic staff, LFAN*, LFAN symbiosis*, secure channel Gear elite stationwear, static arc pistol with 1 battery (20 charges), tactical switchblade AR, personal comm unit, professional clothing

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Diplomatic Staff (Ex) Helpful functionaries assist a Pact Worlds delegate, who automatically gains the benefit of Aid Another on checks to recall knowledge and can make such checks untrained while in contact with their staff. Secure Channel (Ex) By spending 10d6 minutes coordinating with contacts, a delegate can use a personal comm unit to send a message as though it were a system-wide comm unit, and they can use a system-wide comm unit to send a message as though it were an unlimited comm unit.

RELIGIOUS PEACEKEEPER Whether uniting warring factions with shared beliefs or mediating schisms driven by divergent dogma, religious peacekeepers wield divine authority to bring riled parties to the bargaining table. Good-aligned diplomats might convey compassion, and the lawful-aligned might leverage tradition and treaties. On the other hand, chaotic-aligned negotiators might keep everyone off

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES balance, promoting short-term solutions that are fuel for future conflict. Evil-aligned peacekeepers are especially insidious, tempting weary factions with peace and disarming heroic forces so tyrants can continue to rule unchallenged.

RELIGIOUS PEACEKEEPER

CR 7

XP 3,200 Trox (page 128) LN monstrous humanoid Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +14

DEFENSE

EAC 19; KAC 21 Fort +9; Ref +11; Will +8 Defensive Abilities bulwark*

3

OFFENSE Speed 30 ft. Melee advanced retractable spike +22 (3d4+11 P) Ranged aphelion laser pistol +20 (3d4+11 F; critical burn 1d4) Spells Known (CL 11th) 3/day—augury, share language At will—telepathic message

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

STATISTICS

HP 105

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft. Melee static stun staff +17 (1d10+11 E; critical staggered) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Offensive Abilities frenzy*, grappler*

STATISTICS

Str +4; Dex +0; Con +4; Int +0; Wis +2; Cha +2 Skills Diplomacy +14, Intimidate +19, Mysticism +14 Languages Common, Nchaki Other Abilities calm down, vestigial arms* Gear commander ceremonial plate, static stun staff AR, holy book of Hylax, ceremonial clothing AR

Str +0; Dex +2; Con +1; Int +5; Wis +8; Cha +3 Skills Culture +25 Diplomacy +25, Intimidate +20, Mysticism +20, Sense Motive +25 Feats Connection Inkling Languages Common, Psacynoa, up to 16 others Other Abilities multilimbed (4)* Gear clearweave II AR, advanced retractable spike AR, aphelion laser pistol with 1 battery (40 charges), professional clothing

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Instinctive Command (Ex) As a move action, a plenipotentiary can issue an order with hypnotizing confidence to a creature within 60 feet. This functions as command (Will DC 20 negates). After using this ability, the plenipotentiary can’t do so again for 1d6 rounds, though at any time they can reduce the number of rounds by 3 for every Resolve Point they spend.

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Calm Down (Ex) Once every 1d4 rounds, a religious peacekeeper can target two creatures within range when using Intimidate to demoralize; they attempt a single Intimidate check and apply the result to both targets. When the peacekeeper successfully demoralizes a creature, they can reduce the duration of the shaken condition by 1 round to also make the target staggered for 1 round.

PLENIPOTENTIARY A plenipotentiary is an elite diplomat vested with the full power of their government to act and craft novel treaties without prior clearance. They command potent tools: state secrets, communication magic, and often an entourage of capable assistants. They rarely achieve this role without showing exemplary wisdom and self-control; however, power corrupts some plenipotentiaries, turning them into terrifying political juggernauts who can spread chaos unless their patrons intervene quickly.

PLENIPOTENTIARY

CR 11

XP 12,800 Psacynoid (page 100) LG Medium monstrous humanoid Init +2; Perception +8

DEFENSE

HP 155 RP 6

EAC 24; KAC 25 Fort +10; Ref +12; Will +16; +4 vs. language-dependent and mind-affecting effects Resistances sonic 10*

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EMERGENCY WORKERS Emergency workers administer medical care, handle hazardous materials, evacuate disaster victims, and provide myriad other services in the wake of tragedy. They can be selfless idealists, exhausted municipal workers, or mercenaries who don’t lift a finger unless they’re under contract. Whatever their motivations, emergency workers are capable, resourceful, and tough, able to work long hours under difficult conditions.

HAZARD RESPONSE CREW Corporations and governments alike maintain hazard response crews, ensuring dedicated personnel can arrive within hours of disaster to clear roads, repair infrastructure, clear debris, and track down victims. Crew gear typically includes tools for cutting apart barriers and extinguishing flames, many of which are easily weaponized in case a crew needs to fend off scavengers, escaped animals, or other threats.

HAZARD RESPONSE CREW

CR 3

XP 800 Formian (page 68) LN Medium monstrous humanoid Init +1; Senses blindsense (scent) 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13

DEFENSE

EAC 14; KAC 16 Fort +5; Ref +7; Will +4 Resistances sonic 5*

HP 40 RP 3

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee personal cryospike +12 (1d4+7 C plus extinguish) Ranged static arc pistol +9 (1d6+3 E; critical arc 2) or foam grenade I +9 (explode [10 ft., extinguish, DC 12]) Offensive Abilities emergency preparedness

STATISTICS

Str +4; Dex +1; Con +2; Int +0; Wis +0; Cha +1 Skills Athletics +13, Engineering +8, Physical Science +8 Languages Castrovelian, Common Gear second skin, personal cryospike AR with 2 batteries (20 charges each), static arc pistol with 2 batteries (20 charges each), foam grenade I AR, mk 1 serum of healing, fire extinguisher, medpatch (5), radiation badge PW; Augmentations climbing suckers, voice amplifier AA

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Emergency Preparedness (Ex) A hazard response crew can spend 1 Resolve Point as a swift action to change either one type of energy damage dealt by one of their weapons into another energy type, or change their energy resistance to resist a different type of energy. This ability can affect and apply to only the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic. Either effect lasts for 1d4+1 rounds.

HAZARD PROFESSIONAL Hazard professionals neutralize and clean up dangerous substances and explosive devices, disarming lethal obstacles

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before they can endanger others. This risky work often exposes these professionals directly to the peril they combat. Although catastrophic mistakes are often fatal, the experts pack heavy protection that deflects radiation, toxins, and shrapnel that might exist even when everything goes right. A typical hazard professional is trained to understand and deactivate a wide range of threats, including both technological and magical devices. Though usually used to remove threats, hazard professionals can easily weaponize their skills. Military units, terrorist organizations, and crime rings all welcome a canny demolitionist.

HAZARD PROFESSIONAL

CR 6

XP 2,400 Winterborn ryphorian (page 112) LN Medium humanoid (ryphorian) Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +18

DEFENSE

EAC 18; KAC 19 Fort +5; Ref +7; Will +9 Resistances cold 5*

HP 80

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (average) Melee light sap +12 (1d4+6 B nonlethal) Ranged wave modulator II +14 (1d6+6 F or So)

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +5; Con +1; Int +3; Wis +2; Cha +0 Skills Acrobatics +13, Athletics +13, Engineering +18, Mysticism +18, Physical Science +18 Languages Common, Triaxian, up to 3 others Other Abilities cut that wire Gear d-suit II (jetpack), light sap AR, wave modulator II AR with 2 batteries (20 charges each), rad-out serums COM (2), chemalyzer AR, fire extinguisher, radiation sweeper AR, spy drone, survival knife, trapsmith’s tools

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Cut That Wire (Ex) When disabling a hazard or trap, a hazard professional doesn’t trigger it unless they fail their roll to disable by 10 or more.

ENERCOPTER PILOT When disaster strikes beyond reach of intact infrastructure, aerial support is crucial to delivering supplies, surveying damage, and extracting survivors. Enercopter pilots are airborne daredevils who brave narrow landing zones, hazardous weather, and live fire to save lives. Although the stat block below doesn’t include a vehicle, these pilots are typically encountered with a recon enercopter (Armory 138).

ENERCOPTER PILOT

CR 9

XP 6,400 Worlanisi (page 144) CG Small humanoid (worlanisi) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +22

DEFENSE

HP 135

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES EAC 22; KAC 23 Fort +10; Ref +8; Will +12; –1 vs. mind-affecting effects* Weaknesses psychic reverb*

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (average) Melee buzzblade dueling sword +17 (2d6+12 S) Ranged screamer decoupler +19 (1d10+9 A; critical demoralize) Offensive Abilities lucky stunt

STATISTICS

Str +3; Dex +6; Con +0; Int +4; Wis +0; Cha +1 Skills Bluff +17, Computers +22, Engineering +22, Piloting +22, Stealth +17 Languages Common, Worlanisi, up to 4 others; limited telepathy 60 ft.* Other Abilities multiarmed (4)*, worlanisi gamble*, worlanisi luck* Gear d-suit III (forcepack), buzzblade dueling sword with 1 battery (20 charges), screamer decoupler AR with 2 batteries (40 charges each), mk 3 serum of healing; Augmentations advanced darkvision capacitors

SPECIAL ABILITIES

On Your Feet (Ex) When an elite rescuer uses Medicine to treat deadly wounds and exceeds the check’s DC by 5 or more, they also suppress one of the following conditions the target might have for 1d4 hours: dazzled, deafened, fatigued, nauseated, shaken, sickened, or staggered. Alternatively, the elite rescuer can reduce any movement speed penalty a target’s experiencing by 10 feet for 1d4 hours.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Lucky Stunt (Ex) When performing a vehicle stunt, an enercopter pilot rolls the Piloting check twice and uses the better result.

NPC GALLERY

ELITE RESCUER For disasters covering a huge area or with several victims, magically adept rescuers can use divinations and specialized senses to search for survivors. These experts often work alone, and must be fit enough to clamber over terrain, remove obstacles, and potentially carry their charges back to safety.

ELITE RESCUER

Languages Common, Vlakan (spoken, signed, and tactile), up to 8 others Other Abilities buoy*, on your feet Gear freebooter III (forcepack), sintered handaxe AR, elite semi-auto pistol with 24 small arm rounds, mk 3 serums of healing (2), spell gem of tongues, advanced medkit, emergency beacon AR, grappler, sprayflesh (4), titanium alloy cable line (150 ft.); Augmentations synchronous heart AR

3

INDEX

CR 10

XP 9,600 Vlaka (page 140) NG Medium humanoid (vlaka) Init +5; Senses blindsight (scent) 30 ft., blindsight (life, dying and stable living creatures only) 30 ft., deafened, low-light vision; Perception +24

DEFENSE

EAC 22; KAC 23 Fort +11; Ref +9; Will +13 Resistances cold 10*

HP 140 RP 4

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (average) Melee sintered handaxe +16 (2d6+12 S) Ranged elite semi-auto pistol +18 (3d6+10 P) Offensive Abilities cooperative* Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th) 1/day—know coordinates COM Spells Known (CL 10th; ranged +18) 4th (3/day)—arcane eye, remove radioactivity (DC 22) 3rd (6/day)—clairaudience/clairvoyance, dispel magic, healing junkbot, slow (DC 21) 2nd (at will)—caustic conversion, mirror image

STATISTICS

Str +2; Dex +4; Con +3; Int +6; Wis +3; Cha +0 Skills Acrobatics +19, Medicine +24, Survival +24

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FORMER MILITARY Military training hones experts with varied skillsets, tempering them in battlefield conditions. Mercenary work is an obvious outlet for their skills, but former military pros function well as security forces and rescue teams, and on exploration missions and supply delivery in dangerous areas. They might be found in more mundane settings, such as corporate facilities or research labs, especially in places where people or facilities need extra protection. Each of these NPCs has the following ability. Unit Tactics (Ex) Before rolling initiative, the character can choose to roll twice and take the lower result, and an ally within 30 feet can roll their initiative check twice and use the better result. When the character successfully uses covering fire, the selected ally gains the circumstance bonus to AC against the next two attacks made against them by creatures in the character’s line of effect.

COMBAT MEDIC A combat medic learns to perform emergency first aid on the battlefield—skills that transfer directly to paramedic roles in civilian situations. A combat medic is valuable to a fighting unit because, in addition to providing fire support, the medic can patch up allies and get them back into the fight or enable their retreat.

COMBAT MEDIC

CR 3

XP 800 Luma hadrogaan (page 72) N Medium humanoid (hadrogaan) Init +2; Senses blindsense (vibration) 30 ft.; Perception +8

DEFENSE

EAC 14; KAC 15 Fort +2; Ref +4; Will +6

HP 35

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee tactical dueling sword +7 (1d6+4 S) Ranged autotarget rifle +9 (1d6+3 P)

STATISTICS

Str +1; Dex +2; Con +0; Int +4; Wis +1; Cha +1 Skills Athletics +8, Life Science +13, Medicine +13, Physical Science +8 Languages Castrovelian, Common, up to 4 others; limited telepathy 30 ft. Other Abilities combat medic, dual nervous system*, unit tactics Gear regimental dress I AR (easy access kit AR [basic medkit]), autotarget rifle (light bayonet bracket AR with tactical dueling sword) with 50 longarm rounds, chemalyzer AR, personal comm unit, 2 batteries (20 charges each)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Combat Medic (Ex) When a combat medic exceeds a Medicine check DC by 5 or more, the combat medic can also perform the treat deadly wounds task on the target without spending additional time. If the check exceeds the DC by 10 or more, the combat medic also applies their Intelligence modifier to the amount healed by treat deadly wounds, as normal.

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QUARTERMASTER A quartermaster ensures equipment and supplies get where they need to go, are stored in good order, remain serviceable until needed, and oversees distribution. They’re not only capable bargainers: they also learn the basics of powered armor to operate cargo lifters and similar rigs.

QUARTERMASTER

CR 8

XP 4,800 Quorlu (page 104) N Medium monstrous humanoid Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +16

DEFENSE

HP 115 RP 5

EAC 20; KAC 21 Fort +7; Ref +9; Will +13; +2 vs bleed, disease, and poison Defensive Abilities endothermic*, lithic*, stable*, unflankable*; Immunities disease*, poison*; Resistances fire 5*; Weaknesses susceptible to cold*

OFFENSE

Speed 45 ft. Melee fangblade +18 (1d12+12 S; critical bleed 1d8) Ranged frostbite-class frost projector +16 (1d10+8 C; critical staggered) or advanced rail gun +16 (1d10+8 P) Offensive Abilities resourceful fighter

STATISTICS

Str +4; Dex +0; Con +1; Int +3; Wis +5; Cha +1 Skills Athletics +16, Computers +16, Diplomacy +16, Engineer +16, Pilot +16, Profession (manager) +21, Sense Motive +16 Feats Barricade Languages Common, Quorlu, up to 3 others Other Abilities multiarmed (3)*, tunneler*, unit tactics Gear estex suit III (frostbite-class frost projector AR with 2 batteries [40 charges each], quicksuit AR), advanced rail gun AR with 75 longarm rounds, fangblade with 1 battery (20 charges), engineering tool kit, personal comm unit; Augmentations standard speed suspension

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Resourceful Fighter (Ex) A quartermaster can spend 1 Resolve Point as a move action to draw a set of ammunition, healing serum, technological item, personal item, grenade, or similar small device at the GM’s discretion. The item’s level can’t exceed one-third the quartermaster’s CR and can’t be more than 1 bulk. The item functions until the quartermaster regains their Resolve Points.

OFFICER A retired military officer retains tactical, strategic, and logistical expertise. In combat, they provide commands and inspiration, all while providing ranged support to rattle the enemy.

OFFICER XP 19,200 Worlanisi (page 144)

CR 12

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES N Small humanoid (worlanisi) Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +27

DEFENSE

HP 185

EAC 26; KAC 27 Fort +11; Ref +13; Will +15 Weaknesses psychic reverb*

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee tactical plasma sword +22 (2d8+15 E&F; critical severe wound) Ranged tactical magnetar rifle +22 (2d8+12 P) Offensive Abilities unit command, unnerving precision

STATISTICS

Str +3; Dex +3; Con +1; Int +3; Wis +3; Cha +5 Skills Athletics +22, Bluff +22, Computers +22, Diplomacy +22, Intimidate +27, Pilot +22, Profession (mercenary) +27, Sense Motive +22 Feats Suppressive Fire Languages Common, Worlanisi, up to 3 others; limited telepathy 60 ft.* Other Abilities multiarmed (4)*, unit tactics, worlanisi gamble*, worlanisi luck* Gear regimental dress II AR (courage module AR), tactical magnetar rifle (light bayonet bracket AR with tactical plasma sword with 1 battery [20 charges]) with 90 longarm rounds, personal comm unit; Augmentations advanced darkvision capacitors, voice amplifierAA

Melee zero-edge longsword +26 (7d8+21 S; critical severe wound) or unarmed strike +28 (5d6+21 B) Ranged parallax laser pistol +28 (5d4+16 F) or elite shirren-eye rifle +28 (4d10+16 P) Offensive Abilities spec-ops shooter, unnerving precision

STATISTICS

Str +5; Dex +8; Con +1; Int +3; Wis +5; Cha +1 Skills Acrobatics +33, Athletics +28, Culture +28, Intimidate +28, Pilot +28, Sense Motive +28, Stealth +33, Survival +28 Languages Common, up to 4 others Other Abilities change form*, compression*, rapid revival*, spec-ops stealth, unit tactics Gear shiftskin II AR (forcepack), elite shirren-eye rifle (combined flash suppressor AR and silencer AR) with 36 longarm rounds, parallax laser pistol (2 batteries with 80 charges); Augmentations standard speed suspension, mk 5 dermal plating

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Spec-Ops Shooter (Ex) A spec-ops veteran treats their target’s AC bonus from cover as 2 lower and reduces any miss chance due to concealment or total concealment by 10%. The spec-ops veteran reduces the penalty to Stealth checks for moving or sniping by 5. Unnerving Precision (Ex) See page 165.

3 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Unit Command (Ex) As a standard action, the officer can issue a command to a willing ally within 60 feet that can hear or precisely sense the officer. The target can take one standard action, one move action, or one swift action. A creature can’t benefit from this ability more than once per minute. Unnerving Precision (Ex) Once per round when an officer’s attack exceeds their target’s AC by 5 or more, the target becomes shaken for 1 round (Will negates, DC = 10 + the officer’s CR).

SPEC-OPS VETERAN A spec-ops veteran is an elite soldier trained in reconnaissance, combat, and myriad other skills that make them a one-person army or capable commander.

SPEC-OPS VETERAN

CR 16

XP 76,800 Astrazoan (page 48) N Medium aberration (shapechanger) Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +28

DEFENSE

EAC 30; KAC 31 Fort +14; Ref +14; Will +21 DR 5/—; Weaknesses many forms*

HP 280

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft., fly 60 ft. (forcepack, average)

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GUIDES Guides provide safe passage for a fee, shepherding travelers through dangerous or unfamiliar territory. Most specialize in a specific region, using their knowledge, connections, and adaptability to bring clients to their destination in one piece. Used to situations where they and their clients are on their own, guides tend to prefer finesse to force in tough situations, but if charm doesn’t work, they’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done. While the most straightforward way for players to encounter a guide is by hiring one, guides offer a variety of other potential encounters. Players might find a stowalong on their ship, retrace a captains club guide’s adventure, use a personal concierge to gain access to power, or help a courier track down a local rumor. Guides also often have valuable information about planetary conditions, know the location of unexplored sites, and can make connections with influential locals.

PERSONAL CONCIERGE

CR 3

XP 800 Astriapi (page 52) NG Medium monstrous humanoid Init +2; Senses blindsense (scent) 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +8

DEFENSE

EAC 14; KAC 15 Fort +2; Ref +4; Will +8

HP 35

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (Ex, average) Melee tactical switchblade +8 (1d4+3 S) or bite* +8 (1d4+3 P) Ranged tactical nightarch needler +10 (1d6 P; critical injection DC +2)

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +2; Con +1; Int +1; Wis +1; Cha +4 Skills Acrobatics +8, Culture +13, Diplomacy +13, Sense Motive +13, Sleight of Hand +8 Languages Astriapi, Common Other Abilities honey production*, wily wallflower Gear casual stationwear, tactical nightarch needler PW with 10 darts, tactical switchblade AR

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Wily Wallflower (Ex) A personal concierge can fade into the background at will, leaving others as the focus—or target—of attention. As a move action while within 15 feet of at least

166

COURIER Couriers’ knowledge of an area comes from their work delivering goods throughout their city, planet, or system of choice. They make it their business to be friendly with their customers, who range from small businesses and long-distance lovers to underground criminal enterprises. Couriers get to know their delivery area well, gathering information on shortcuts, hotspots, and landmarks usually known only to locals. They fit in guide work between deliveries and usually pick up customers while on the job, learning to keep an eye out for those new to an area who might be willing to pay to get the lay of the land.

COURIER

For those who can afford it, personal concierges offer a customized introduction to an unfamiliar place. Usually affiliated with one of several large firms, concierges use their deep pockets and company reputation to gain access to rare and unavailable locales. Many work directly with powerful interests and are dispatched to give visitors a positive view of a new place or discreetly boost tourism. It isn’t all luxury travel though—some concierges are known to help with prisoner extraction or the procurement and trade of high-level secrets.

PERSONAL CONCIERGE

two other creatures, a personal concierge can attempt a Stealth check to hide from enemies within 60 feet, even without cover or concealment.

CR 7

XP 3,200 Transitional ryphorian (page 112) N Medium humanoid (ryphorian) Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +19

DEFENSE

EAC 19; KAC 20 Fort +6; Ref +8; Will +10 Resistances cold 2*, fire 2*

HP 100

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee ultrathin sword cane +15 (2d4+7 P; critical bleed 1d4) Ranged flare compliance ray +13 (2d4+7 F; critical blind)

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +2; Con +2; Int +5; Wis +2; Cha +4 Skills Acrobatics +14, Bluff +19, Diplomacy +19, Sense Motive +14, Stealth +14 Languages Common, Triaxian Other Abilities local shortcut Gear elite stationwear, flare compliance ray AR, ultrathin sword cane PW

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Local Shortcut (Ex) In locations the courier is familiar with they increase their speeds by 10 feet and the speeds of allies within 50 feet by 5 feet.

STOWALONG Stowalongs trade their knowledge and skills for free passage on spacefaring vessels. Often experts in an entire system, they are well-connected fixers who everyone seems to know or owe a favor to. This allows them to do high-risk work, escorting customers through disputed or war-torn areas that other guides avoid. Between jobs, stowalongs look for clients in trade hubs and encourage crews they have traveled with to refer them to trusted associates.

STOWALONG XP 6,400

CR 9

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES STATISTICS

Worlanisi (page 144) CN Small humanoid (worlanisi) Init +4; Perception +17

DEFENSE  

3

EAC 22; KAC 23 Fort +8; Ref +12; Will +10; –1 vs. mind-affecting effects* Weaknesses psychic reverb*

HP 135

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee sintered handaxe +19 (2d6+12 S) Ranged aphelion laser pistol +17 (3d4+9 F; critical burn 1d4)

STATISTICS

Str +3; Dex +4; Con +3; Int +3; Wis +1; Cha +6 Skills Bluff +22, Culture +17, Diplomacy +22, Piloting +17, Stealth +22 Feats Cultural Chameleon GEM Languages Common, Worlanisi; limited telepathy 60 ft.* Other Abilities multiarmed (4)*, take it easy, worlanisi gamble*, worlanisi luck* Gear kasatha microcord III, aphelion laser pistol with 2 highcapacity batteries (40 charges each), sintered handaxe AR

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Take It Easy (Ex) As a standard action, a stowalong can target an unfamiliar creature within 30 feet that isn’t engaged in combat. The target must attempt a Will save (DC = 11 + the stowalong’s CR). If it fails, the target’s attitude toward the stowalong and their allies improves by one category for one hour. This doesn’t count toward the once-per-day limitation for using Diplomacy to change a creature’s attitude.

Str +4; Dex +4; Con +8; Int +6; Wis +4; Cha +3 Skills Athletics +23, Intimidate +23, Survival +28 Feats Laugh at Danger COM Languages Common; limited telepathy 30 ft.* Other Abilities known far and wide Gear d-suit IV, aurora arc pistol with 2 high-capacity batteries (40 charges each), ultrathin doshakari NS

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Known Far and Wide (Ex) A captains club guide is legendary in the places they’ve traveled to. Lower the DC of Diplomacy and Intimidate checks the guide and their allies attempt in places the guide is familiar with by 5.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

CAPTAINS CLUB GUIDE Guides in this unofficial alliance of retired explorers—most of whom weren’t actually captains—can usually be coaxed away from retirement for “one last jaunt” to somewhere they visited in their more active days. While their information is occasionally out of date, they make up for it with quick thinking, a higherthan-expected ability to defend themselves, and the weight of their name and reputation. That reputation is also usually the way they gain work, often spreading news of their exploits around a sector and hinting there might be more adventures yet to come.

CAPTAINS CLUB GUIDE

CR 13

XP 25,600 Uplifted bear (page 132) LN Large magical beast Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +23

DEFENSE  

EAC 27; KAC 29 Fort +17; Ref +17; Will +12

HP 225

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee claw* +24 (3d12+17 S) or ultrathin doshakari +24 (5d4+17 P; critical wound) Ranged aurora arc pistol +27 (3d6+13 E; critical arc 2d6) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Offensive Abilities ferocious charge*

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INFILTRATORS Infiltrators are skilled at sneaking in and out of restricted places. Although different types of infiltrators may have similar goals, their methods for avoiding or compromising guards and security measures differ greatly: shapeshifters rely on their ability to become someone else, spies are masters of remaining undetected, hackers can easily break into both physical locations and computer systems to steal information, and double agents are trained to maintain a cover and lie about their allegiances. In adventures, infiltrators are most often encountered as antagonists who are planning to break into a secure facility to carry out acts of espionage or sabotage or to exfiltrate prisoners. Depending on the type of gig in question, infiltrators may work with assassins (page 152) or thieves (page 184).

HACKER Hackers are experts at bypassing security measures and getting into computer systems. They usually aim to steal intellectual property or sensitive personal records to blackmail people, or use malware to compromise systems. Hackers take pride in their skills but value their lives even more. Rather than getting directly involved in combat, a hacker prefers to partner with muscle to keep hostiles at bay.

HACKER

CR 5

XP 1,600

EAC 17; KAC 18 Fort +2; Ref +2; Will +6 Defensive Abilities robotic*

Speed 30 ft. Ranged swagger handcannon +13 (1d12+5 P; critical knockdown) Offensive Abilities hack equipment

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +3; Con +0; Int +5; Wis +2; Cha +0 Skills Computers +16, Engineering +16, Physical Science +11, Sleight of Hand +11, Stealth +16 Languages Common Other Abilities healing circuit*, integrated equipment*, naturalborn hacker Gear business stationwear, swagger handcannon AR with 12 scattergun shells, integrated high-density datajack, integrated personal comm unit Hack Equipment (Ex) As a standard action, a hacker can attempt to temporarily deactivate one weapon, piece of equipment, or armor upgrade within 30 feet, provided it’s a technological or hybrid item. They roll 1d20 + their CR; the DC is equal to 10 + the item level. If they succeed, they deactivate the device until the beginning of their next turn.

168

DOUBLE AGENT

CR 8

XP 4,800

DEFENSE

HP 65

OFFENSE

SPECIAL ABILITIES

DOUBLE AGENT A double agent is a spy ostensibly employed by one organization to spy on a rival, but is secretly working for that rival, providing accurate but useless information to their employer. However, the loyalties of a double agent are hard to predict. If their real mission is discovered, they may be coerced to switch sides, and indeed some double agents are simply opportunists who play both sides. Regardless, a double agent is privy to many secrets and can be an asset to anyone who can convince them to cooperate.

Kobold (page 84) N Small humanoid (kobold) Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16

SRO (page 124) CN Small construct (technological) Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11

DEFENSE

The device’s owner can take a move action and attempt an Engineering check with a DC equal to 10 + 1-1/2 × the hacker’s CR + their Dexterity modifier (DC 20 for this hacker). If they succeed, they reactivate the device. Natural-Born Hacker (Ex) Equipped with integrated tools, a hacker always counts as having the appropriate tool or basic kit for any Computer or Engineering skill check they attempt. Additionally, they can attempt Computers and Engineering skill checks at a range of 30 feet. When they use this ability to remotely hack a mechanism or computer, a clearly visible holographic keyboard manifests in front of them, making it obvious they’re the origin of the activity.

EAC 20; KAC 21 Fort +7; Ref +7; Will +13 Resistances fire 5*

HP 115

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Ranged drake dragon pistol +17 (3d4+8 F; critical burn 2d4) or smoke grenade I +17 (explode [20 ft., smoke cloud 1 minute, DC 12]) Offensive Abilities disorienting twitch

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +4; Con +0; Int +2; Wis +0; Cha +6 Skills Acrobatics +16, Bluff +21, Engineering +21, Piloting +16, Stealth +21 Languages Common, Draconic Gear estex suit III, drake dragon pistol AR with 20 petrol, smoke grenades (2)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Disorienting Twitch (Ex) As a reaction when a creature makes a ranged attack against the double agent, they can yelp, twitch, or jump in such a sudden and unexpected way that it momentarily disorients the attacker. The double agent selects a creature within 10 feet; the attacker must succeed at a Will save or attack the selected creature instead. The DC is equal to 10 + the double agent’s CR (DC 18 for this double agent).

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

SHAPESHIFTER One of the most insidious types of infiltrators, a shapeshifter can impersonate almost anyone, hiding in plain sight to gain access to restricted data or locations. They could be the android summoned to repair workstations, the serious vesk security guard who checks everyone’s clearance upon entrance, or the driven drow CEO who wants to hear more about the newest prototype weapon. Shapeshifters are also highly trained killers who must often dispose of the people whose identities they steal. They carry only equipment they can easily hide, taking everything else they might need from their victims.

SHAPESHIFTER

CR 11

XP 12,800 Astrazoan (page 48) LE Medium aberration (shapechanger) Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21

DEFENSE

EAC 24; KAC 26 Fort +10; Ref +13; Will +15

Speed 40 ft., swim 40 ft. Melee tentacle* +24 (8d6+18 A & B) Ranged onslaught meduza rifle +27 (7d8+14 A & S; critical bindAR) Offensive Abilities acidic tentacles*

STATISTICS

Str +4; Dex +8; Con +1; Int +6; Wis +0; Cha +0 Skills Acrobatics +26, Engineering +26, Stealth +31 Feats Shot on the Run Languages Common, Scyphozoan Other Abilities amphibious* Gear freebooter armor IV, commander meduza rifle (page 119) with 2 super-capacity batteries (80 charges each)

3 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER

HP 180

OFFENSE

SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY

Speed 30 ft. Melee returning throwing ultrathin doshko +23 (4d12+16 P) Ranged returning throwing ultrathin doshko +20 (4d12+11 P)

INDEX

STATISTICS

Str +5; Dex +8; Con +0; Int +0; Wis +0; Cha +3 Skills Acrobatics +21, Bluff +21, Disguise +26 Feats Flashmorph (page 51), Improved Feint, Morphing Feint (page 51) Languages Common, Drow, Lashunta, Triaxian Other Abilities change form*, compression*, many forms* Gear white carbon carbon skin, returning throwing AR ultrathin doshko

SPY Spies often engage in corporate espionage, infiltrating secure locations to steal intellectual property such as plans or prototypes for new types of weapons, engines, medicine, or cybernetics. In times of war, spies are needed to gather military intelligence behind enemy lines. In either case, a spy most often relies on stealth to sneak past guards, leaving as little evidence as possible about their presence. Despite their preference for subterfuge, spies rarely hesitate to dispatch with anyone who gets in the way of their mission.

SPY

CR 14

XP 38,400 Scyphozoan (page 116) NE Medium aberration Init +8; Senses blindsense (vibration) 30 ft.; Perception +26

DEFENSE

EAC 28; KAC 30 Fort +16; Ref +16; Will +14

HP 250

OFFENSE

169

INVESTIGATORS Investigators uncover secrets and sift truth from lies. This often places investigators on the side of the law, but when the powers that be are corrupt, investigators might find themselves labeled vigilantes or ostracized. Yet they aren’t easily discouraged, and can become relentless foes.

Conspiracists are obsessed with the unexplained, their passion often earning them a reputation as eccentric or weird. Yet a conspiracist’s passion sometimes leads them to imagine connections where none exist, getting them into trouble.

CR 1

XP 400 Contemplative (page 60) CN Medium monstrous humanoid Init +1; Senses blindsense (thought) 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10

DEFENSE

EAC 11; KAC 12 Fort +1; Ref +3; Will +6 (+8 vs. confusion) Weaknesses atrophied*

HP 17

OFFENSE

Speed 5 ft., fly 30 ft. (Su, perfect) Melee cestus battleglove +5 (1d4 B) Ranged survival flare gun +7 (1d3+1 F; critical burn 1d6) or pulsecaster pistol +7 (1d4+1 E) Offensive Abilities applied knowledge*, convoluted conspiracy

STATISTICS

Str –1; Dex +1; Con +0; Int +4; Wis +2; Cha +1 Skills Computers +5, Culture +5, Diplomacy +5, Life Science +5, Physical Science +5, Sense Motive +10 Languages Akitonian, Common, Ysoki, and up to 3 others; telepathy 100 ft.* Gear second skin, cestus battleglove, pulsecaster pistol with 1 battery (20 charges), survival flare gun with 3 flares

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Convoluted Conspiracy (Ex) As a full action, a conspiracist can expound on a brilliantly confusing theory. Each creature within 30 feet of the conspiracist that can hear the conspiracist is dazed for 1 round, unless they succeed at a Will saving throw (DC = 11 + CR). Whether or not the creature succeeds at the saving throw, they are then immune to this conspiracist’s convoluted conspiracy for 1 minute. This is a language-dependent, mind-affecting ability.

PSYCHIC SEER Psychic seers read the thoughts and intentions of others as easily as most would read a story. Due to the intrusive nature of their abilities, psychic seers sometimes experience legal limitations or even prejudice. Thus, these investigators often don’t advertise their talents openly, instead framing their skills as uncanny hunches and specialized know-how. However, in more tolerant communities, psychic seers often serve as leaders.

170

CR 4

Hanakan (page 76) NG Small magical beast Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +15

DEFENSE

CONSPIRACIST

CONSPIRACIST

PSYCHIC SEER XP 1,200

EAC 15; KAC 16 Fort +5; Ref +5; Will +7 Defensive Abilities atmospheric adaptation*

HP 43 RP 3

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee tactical handaxe +5 (1d6+4 S) Ranged murmur sonic suppressor +9 (1d4+4 So; critical stifle) Offensive Abilities foretell Hanakan Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th)* 1/day—wisp ally At will—detect magic, token spell Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th) 1/day—augury, zone of truth (DC 15) 3/day—detect thoughts (DC 14), mindlink, share memory At will—ghost sound (DC 13), telepathic message Constant—tongues

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +1; Con +1; Int +1; Wis +5; Cha +3 Skills Bluff +10, Mysticism +15, Sense Motive +15 Languages Akan, Common, and up to 1 other Gear basic defrex hide, murmur sonic suppressor AR with 2 batteries (20 charges each), tactical handaxe AR

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Foretell (Su) Before attempting an attack roll, saving throw, or skill check, a psychic seer can spend 1 Resolve Point to roll that check twice and use the better result.

DETECTIVE Detectives pursue and apprehend those deemed criminals, leaving matters of judgment and incarceration to the courts to handle. They specialize in subduing their foes, often considering lethal tactics to be unprofessional or beyond their jurisdiction. Most detectives work within the law, but some work outside or even against it, particularly in areas where government authorities can’t be counted upon to uphold the law.

DETECTIVE

CR 7

XP 3,200 Nuar (page 92) LG Medium monstrous humanoid Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +19

DEFENSE

EAC 19; KAC 21 Fort +9; Ref +11; Will +8

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft. Melee medium sap +18 (1d6+9 B) or horn* +18 (2d6+9 P)

HP 105

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Ranged merciful advanced semi-auto pistol +15 (2d6+7 P) or mk 3 riot grenade +15 (explode [15 ft., staggered, DC 15]) Offensive Abilities apprehend, gore*, pursue suspect

STATISTICS

Str +2; Dex +1; Con +2; Int +5; Wis +4; Cha +1 Skills Athletics +14, Culture +14, Diplomacy +14, Intimidation +14, Sense Motive +14 Languages Common, and up to 5 others Other Abilities maze mind* Gear freebooter armor II, medium sap AR, merciful advanced semi-auto pistol with 20 rounds, mk 3 riot grenade AR (2), detective’s badge, manacles with key (4)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Apprehend (Ex) If a detective’s melee attack roll equals or exceeds its target’s KAC + 8 (or KAC + 4 if the detective is using a nonlethal weapon), the detective automatically grapples the target. Pursue Suspect (Ex) A detective can designate a target they can see and suspect has committed a crime as a suspect as a move action. A target remains a suspect until apprehended, proven innocent, or until the detective clears the target of suspicion as a full action. A detective can have a maximum number of suspects equal to their half their Wisdom modifier at one time. A detective gains a +2 bonus on attack rolls and skill checks against their suspects.

3

SPECIAL ABILITIES Banish the Paranormal (Su) As a move action, the paranormal investigator can spend 1 Resolve Point to imbue a weapon they’re wielding with mysterious power for 1 minute. The weapon gains one of the following fusions: anarchic, axiomatic, charge disrupting, ghost killer, holy, limningAR, or unholy. Elucidate (Su) As a full action, the paranormal investigator can share their knowledge about one incorporeal creature, outsider, or undead they’ve identified, granting their allies within 60 feet a +1 insight bonus to AC and attack rolls against creatures of that kind for 1 minute. Paranormal Scholar (Ex) The paranormal investigator gains a +4 bonus to identify and recall knowledge about incorporeal creatures, outsiders, planes, and undead.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR Paranormal investigators study, confront, and banish that which doesn’t belong in the galaxy, including extraplanar beings, souls that refuse to pass on, and most undead. Most paranormal investigators are made, not born, their lives disrupted by the paranormal or occult. This makes many indifferent to the desires and plights of their targets—a “good” or “benevolent” intruder is no different than one who’s actively harmful to them.

PARANORMAL INVESTIGATOR

CR 10

XP 9,600 Hadrogaan (page 72) N Medium humanoid (hadrogaan) Init +3; Senses blindsense (vibration) 30 ft.; Perception +24

DEFENSE

EAC 23; KAC 24 Fort +9; Ref +9; Will +15

HP 150 RP 5

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee sentinel spear +18 (2d6+11 P) Ranged aurora polarity rifle +20 (2d8+10 E) Offensive Abilities banish the paranormal, elucidate

STATISTICS

Str +1; Dex +3; Con +2; Int +5; Wis +8; Cha +2 Skills Acrobatics +19, Life Science +19, Medicine +19, Mysticism +24, Physical Science +19, Sense Motive +24 Languages Common, Hadrogaan, and up to 5 more Other Abilities dual nervous systems*, paranormal scholar Gear white carbon carbon skin, aurora polarity rifle AR with 2 batteries (40 charges each), sentinel spear; Augmentations cerebral countermeasures AA2

171

MEDICAL STAFF Physicians are accomplished medical staff with ample hands-on knowledge. However, exposure to suffering sometimes erodes a physician’s moral compass, driving them to violate medical taboos in a misguided attempt to invent new cures. Not only might this harm patients, but it could even lead to vengeful undead and other aggressive creations in the name of science.

EMT

XP 2,400

Emergency medical technicians (sometimes abbreviated as EMTs) are often first on the scene, providing field care and stabilizing seriously injured patients for transportation to a medical facility for more intense procedures. Although not included in their gear, EMTs typically operate with an ambulance, such as a hover truck (Armory 138) with a medical lab expansion bay (Armory 136). The stats presented here also work well for a medic early in their career, such as a doctor in residency or self-trained street clinician. This could also represent a criminal, such as an organ thief.

EMT

CR 3

XP 800 Formian (page 68) LG Medium monstrous humanoid Init +2; Senses blindsense (scent) 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13

DEFENSE

EAC 14; KAC 15 Fort +2; Ref +4; Will +8 Resistances sonic 5*

HP 35

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft. Melee claw* +8 (1d4+5 P) or survival knife +8 (1d4+5 S) Ranged static arc pistol +10 (1d6+3 E stun; critical arc 2) or tactical needler pistol +10 (1d4+3 P; critical injection DC +2) Offensive Abilities injection weapon training

PHYSICIAN

CR 6

Maraquoi (page 88) NG Medium humanoid (maraquoi) Init +2; Senses blindsense (sound) 30 ft., blindsight (dying, live, and stable creatures only) 30 ft., low-light vision; Perception +13

DEFENSE

EAC 18; KAC 19 Fort +5; Ref +7; Will +9

HP 80

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee light sap +12 (1d6+6 B nonlethal) Ranged voltaic anchor pistol +14 (1d6+6 E nonlethal; critical bind) Offensive Abilities anatomical specialty (animals and humanoids)

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +2; Con +0; Int +5; Wis +1; Cha +3 Skills Diplomacy +13, Intimidate +18, Life Science +13, Medicine +18, Profession (Doctor) +18 Languages Common, Maraquoi, and up to 4 others Gear basic lashunta tempweave, light sapAR, voltaic anchor pistolAR with 2 batteries (40 charges each), mk 2 serums of healing (3), advanced medkit, chemalyzerAR, sprayflesh; Augmentations synchronous heartAR Other Abilities bedside manner

SPECIAL ABILITIES

STATISTICS

Anatomical Specialty (Ex) Against creatures of their own creature type or of one other creature type the physician chooses, they add their Intelligence modifier as a bonus to damage with weapon attacks. Bedside Manner (Ex) Whenever a physician uses Medicine to treat deadly wounds and exceeds the DC by 5 or more, they add both their Intelligence bonus and Charisma bonus to the number of Hit Points regained.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Psychic healers use magic to unravel curses, banish malevolent spirits, and burn away diseases. These miraculous remedies can make psychic healers into self-serving celebrities or cult leaders. Others are hermits or iconoclasts who disdain social obligations and demand potential clients prove their worth.

Str +2; Dex +0; Con +1; Int +3; Wis +0; Cha +0 Skills Athletics +8, Computers +8, Life Science +13, Medicine +13, Piloting +13 Languages Castrovelian, Common, Shirren; limited telepathy 60 ft.* Gear clearweave IAR, static arc pistol with 2 batteries (20 charges each), survival knife, tactical needler pistolCOM with 16 darts, mk 1 serums of healing (2), amblareeCOM (3), chemalyzerAR, medkit Injection Weapon Training (Ex) An EMT gains a +5 circumstance bonus to attack rolls using weapons with the injection special property when attacking a willing target. On a successful attack with an injection weapon against a willing target, the EMT can choose to deal no damage to the target while still affecting the target with any drug, serum, or similar substance loaded into the injection weapon.

172

PHYSICIAN

In many societies, practicing medicine requires extensive (and often formal) education and even certification. Yet the galaxy is a big, dangerous place, and some of the best healers are self-taught, work outside of official networks, or both. Altruism, prestige, or profit motivate most medics to provide life-saving care. However, medics can be villains, with criminals, charlatans, and unethical innovators willing to provide risky surgeries, experimental drugs, or cure-all placebos for the right price.

PSYCHIC HEALER

PSYCHIC HEALER XP 6,400 Uplifted bear (page 132) CG Large magical beast

CR 9

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +22

DEFENSE

EAC 21; KAC 22 Fort +10; Ref +10; Will +12; +4 vs. curses

HP 120

mk 3 serums of healing (3), advanced medkit, white nanite hypopensAR (3); Augmentations mk 2 force solesAR

3 OVERVIEW

SPECIAL ABILITIES

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee claw* +18 (3d4+13 S) Ranged rime subduer +16 (1d12+9 C nonlethal; critical staggered) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Offensive Abilities ferocious charge* Spells Known (CL 9th) 3rd (3/day)—remove affliction (DC 20), synaptic pulse (DC 20) 2nd (6/day)—hold person (DC 19), lesser restoration (DC 19), mystic cure (DC 19), status (DC 19) 1st (at will)—command (DC 18), lesser remove condition, mystic cure (DC 18)

STATISTICS

Str +4; Dex +0; Con +0; Int +2; Wis +6; Cha +2 Skills Bluff +22, Medicine +17, Mysticism +22 Languages Common; limited telepathy 30 ft.* Other Abilities soothing magic Gear lashunta mind mail IAR, rime subduerAR with 2 batteries (20 charges each), mk 3 serum of healing, advanced medkit

Rapid Treatment (Ex) A special forces medic can spend 1 Resolve Point to use Medicine to treat deadly wounds as a standard action rather than requiring 1 minute of treatment. If the Medicine check is successful, the target receives twice as many Hit Points as normal. Shield the Fallen (Ex) When the medic uses Medicine to provide first aid, treat deadly wounds, treat disease, or treat drugs or poison, they gain Bodyguard and In Harm’s Way as bonus feats for 1 minute, but they can only use these feats to protect the target of their Medicine check.

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Soothing Magic (Su) When a psychic healer restores Hit Points to a creature, the target also gains a +2 morale bonus to their next saving throw against a curse, mind-affecting, or pain effect attempted in the next 10 minutes.

INDEX

SPECIAL FORCES MEDIC For elite combat medics, doing their job often means exposing themselves to the same fangs and gunfire that wounded their comrades a moment earlier. These doctors are typically part of a military unit and receive training in combat and infiltration.

SPECIAL FORCES MEDIC

CR 13

XP 25,600 Nuar (page 92) N Medium monstrous humanoid Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +28

DEFENSE

EAC 27; KAC 29 Fort +15; Ref +17; Will +14

HP 225 RP 7

OFFENSE

Speed 35 ft. Melee horn* +27 (3d12+21 P) or called returning alto singing disk +27 (3d6+21 So; critical confuse) Ranged called returning alto singing disk +24 (3d6+21 So; critical confuse) Offensive Abilities friendly fireCOM, gore*

STATISTICS

Str +8; Dex +1; Con +4; Int +6; Wis +2; Cha +0 Skills Athletics +23, Medicine +28, Survival +23 Languages Common, Orc, and up to 3 others Other Abilities maze mind*, rapid treatment, shield the fallen Gear pinion skyfire armor, called returning alto singing diskAR,

173

RELIGIOUS FIGURES Religious figures are typically individuals who rise in their faith’s ranks due to their unrivaled devotion and skill—or even due to the blessings bestowed upon them by their deity. Religious figures don’t just lead the devout; they often also steer nonreligious discourse. Depending on their congregation and ambitions, the leader might even overshadow the government of a city or planet. Although this arrangement might bring peace, it could as easily realize a terrible regime of divine tyranny or terror.

EXCOMMUNICANT

CR 4

XP 1,200 Summerborn ryphorian (page 112) N Medium humanoid (ryphorian) Init +0; Senses low-light vision; Perception +10

DEFENSE

EAC 16; KAC 17 Fort +5; Ref +3; Will +7 Resistances fire 5*

HP 45

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee tactical baton +8 (1d4+5 B) Ranged tactical semi-auto pistol +10 (1d6+4 P)

STATISTICS

Str +1; Dex +0; Con +2; Int +1; Wis +2; Cha +5 Skills Bluff +15, Computers +10, Diplomacy +15, Mysticism +10, Sense Motive +15 Languages Common, Triaxian Other Abilities proselytize (DC 15) Gear casual stationwear, tactical baton, tactical semi-auto pistol (9 rounds), holy symbol

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Proselytize (Ex) As a full action, an excommunicant can engage up to 20 creatures within 60 feet in vigorous debate. Each affected creature becomes fascinated (Will negates’ DC = 11 + the excommunicant’s CR) for as long as the excommunicant continues debating as a standard action each round, maximum 10 minutes. As a move action once per hour after debating a creature for at least 1 minute, an excommunicant can charm that creature for 1d4 hours, as charm monster (Will negates). This ability’s save DCs increase by 3 for any creature whose patron deity is the same as that of the excommunicant. This is an auditory, language-dependent effect.

PROPHET Prophets are chosen by the gods to foretell the future, though they rarely have a choice in the matter. Their prophecies manifest as waking visions, astrological readings, cosmic

174

PROPHET

CR 8

XP 4,800

Excommunicants once belonged to a religion, but their divergent beliefs led mainstream followers to cast them out. While many truly believe they’re following the will of their deities, others have cast their gods aside and work solely to cause trouble for their previous congregations.

EXCOMMUNICANT

energy pulses, or even direct conversations with their deities. While some prophets embrace their gift and serve as impartial messengers, others become overwhelmed by their prophecies, either in the hope of bringing their visions to fruition or in an attempt to stop some unfavorable future. These prophets often fall victim to exploitative opportunists who try to use them as a tool to foresee and manipulate the future.

Scyphozoan (page 116) NG Medium aberration Init +0; Senses blindsense (vibration) 30 ft.; Perception +16

DEFENSE

EAC 19; KAC 20 Fort +7; Ref +7; Will +11

HP 105

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. Melee void staff +15 (1d10+9 C; critical suffocate) tentacle* +15 (1d10+9 A) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 8th) 1/day—break enchantment, contact other plane, reincarnate, retrocognition, telepathy 3/day—divination, mystic cure (4th level) At will—clairaudience/clairvoyance, tongues

STATISTICS

Str +1; Dex +0; Con +1; Int +2; Wis +6; Cha +4 Skills Diplomacy +21, Mysticism +21, Stealth +16 (+20 in water) Languages Aquan, Common, Scyphozoan Other Abilities amphibious*, fortuitous prophecy Gear lashunta mind mail IAR, crypt-class void staffAR, holy symbol

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Fortuitous Prophecy (Su) By performing a personalized ritual for 10 minutes, a prophet can bestow a prophecy on a willing creature within 30 feet. Once during the next year, the creature can invoke the prophecy before attempting an attack roll, skill check, or saving throw to roll the check 5 times and use the best result. Once a creature benefits from a fortuitous prophecy, they’re immune to further uses of this ability for 10 years.

CHAMPION Champions are warrior-scholars of the faith who fearlessly defend their fellow believers. Some operate alone, roaming widely to avenge wrongs committed against their gods. Others are leaders whose bravery inspires the faithful. Although the term champion might evoke images of justice and honor, a champion’s behavior reflects their respective god’s will, and an evil divinity often acts through equally vile paragons.

CHAMPION XP 38,400 Astriapi (page 52) LN Medium monstrous humanoid

CR 14

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Init +2; Senses blindsense (scent) 30ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +25

DEFENSE

EAC 28; KAC 30 Fort +16; Ref +18; Will +14 Immunities charm, compulsion, fear

HP 250

3

STATISTICS Str +5; Dex +2; Con +3; Int +4; Wis +13; Cha +10 Skills Diplomacy +34, Medicine +34, Mysticism +39 Languages Common, Vlakan (signed, spoken, and tactile) Other Abilities ascendant, buoy*

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

SPECIAL ABILITIES

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (Ex, average) Melee axiomatic grindblade +28 (4d10+20 S; critical bleed 2d8) bite +28 (6d6+20 P) Ranged axiomatic perihelion laser rifle +24 (5d6+14 F; critical burn 2d6)

STATISTICS

Str +6; Dex +2; Con +4; Int +0; Wis +6; Cha +3 Skills Acrobatics +30, Diplomacy +25, Mysticism +25 Languages Astriapi, Common Other Abilities honey production* Gear squad hardlight series, axiomatic grindblade, axiomatic perihelion laser rifle with 1 high-capacity battery (100 charges), astriapi honey (functions as mk 3 serum of healing), holy symbol

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Sacred Strike (Su) A champion can use this ability before making an attack to roll the attack twice and use the better result. The attack deals damage as though all of the target’s damage reduction, hardness, and resistances were 5 lower (minimum 0). Once a champion performs a sacred strike, they can’t do so again for 1d10 rounds.

Ascendant (Ex) At the beginning of their turn, a divine avatar can channel their god’s overwhelming power to strengthen their mortal body. This grants the divine avatar 50 temporary Hit Points, increases the save DCs of their spells by 2, doubles the range of their special senses, and grants them a +2 bonus to their AC, attack rolls, saving throws, and skill checks. At the beginning of each subsequent turn, the divine avatar must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 25 + 1 for each turn spent using ascendant in the last minute) or the ability ends immediately. When the ability ends, the divine avatar becomes fatigued for 1 round, and they can’t use this ability again for 1 minute. Rebuke (Su) As a standard action, a divine avatar can speak a destructive word as a ranged attack with a range increment of 60 feet.

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

DIVINE AVATAR Divine avatars have ascended beyond the traditional bounds of their religion and primarily serve as the mouthpieces of their deities. There are few, if any, divine avatars within each religion, and their words and authority are second only to the gods they serve. Though they would never admit so publicly, some see being chosen as an avatar of their deity as a curse, especially when a strong-willed deity demands much from them.

DIVINE AVATAR

CR 20

XP 307,200 Vlaka (page 140) LN Medium humanoid (vlaka) Init +0; Senses blinded, blindsight (hearing) 60 ft., blindsight (scent) 30 ft.; Perception +34

DEFENSE

EAC 34; KAC 35 Fort +19; Ref +17; Will +22 Resistances cold 20*

HP 395

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (Su, perfect) Melee touch +28 (6d10+25 E) Ranged rebuke +30 (6d10+20 So; critical deafen) Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th) 1/day—enshrining refuge (DC 29), mass inflict pain (DC 29), mass mystic cure (6th level), shadow walk (DC 29) 3/day—break enchantment, call cosmos, greater dispel magic At will—discern lies (DC 25), mind thrust (4th level, DC 25)

175

SCHOLARS Though many are students and educators at formal institutions, scholars are as likely to be solitary academics or self-taught. Adventurers might seek a scholar to decipher a mysterious text or perform a complicated spell. A scholar could be a party’s patron, sending them to retrieve artifacts or data from faraway planets. Villainous scholars might seek nefarious lore or publish dangerously fabricated research for profit or prestige. These scholars have Intelligence-focused skills, yet you can replace these skills to represent other studies, such as a scholar of the arts having Profession (painter) instead of Engineering.

Postgrad students have attained one of their field’s highest academic degrees, typically involving years of study and perhaps also a portfolio of published works. Postgrad students often experience pressure to make a name for themselves, which can motivate risky or even unethical decisions, such as dangerous experiments that endanger bystanders or stealing data.

CR 1

XP 400 Contemplative (page 60) N Medium monstrous humanoid Init +0; Senses blindsense (thought) 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5

DEFENSE

EAC 11; KAC 12 Fort +1; Ref +3; Will +6 Weaknesses atrophied*

HP 17

OFFENSE

Speed 5 ft.; fly 30 ft. (average) Melee tactical sword cane +5 (1d4 P) Ranged azimuth laser pistol +7 (1d4+1 F; critical burn) Offensive Abilities applied knowledge*

STATISTICS

Str –1; Dex +0; Con –1; Int +4; Wis +1; Cha +2 Skills Computers +10, Culture +10, Engineering +10, Life Science +5, Physical Science +5 Languages Akitonian, Common, up to 4 others; telepathy 100 ft.* Other Abilities formal education Gear flight suit stationwear, azimuth laser pistol with 2 batteries (20 charges each), tactical sword canePW

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Formal Education (Ex) Once per day, a postgrad student can roll 1d10+10 instead of rolling 1d20 when attempting an Intelligence-based skill check.

SUBJECT EXPERT Subject experts boast exceptional academic and practical knowledge in their chosen fields. At academic institutions, they’re the department heads publishing groundbreaking research and teaching the most advanced classes. They might hire adventurers to perform surveys or collect samples from locations too dangerous or distant for them to go themselves.

176

CR 5

Urog (page 136) LN Large magical beast Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., electrolocation*, low-light vision; Perception +11

DEFENSE

EAC 17; KAC 18 Fort +6; Ref +6; Will +8 Immunities poison; Resistances electricity 5*

HP 65

OFFENSE

POSTGRAD STUDENT

POSTGRAD STUDENT

SUBJECT EXPERT XP 1,600

Speed 20 ft. Melee tactical switchblade +13 (1d4+7 S) Ranged sheet lightning pistol +11 (1d6+5 E) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

STATISTICS

Str +2; Dex +0; Con +3; Int +5; Wis +0; Cha –1 Skills Acrobatics +11, Athletics +11, Bluff –3, Computers +16, Diplomacy –3, Engineering +16, Physical Science +16 Languages Brethedan, Common, Urog, up to 4 others; limited telepathy 30 ft.* Other Abilities lecture Gear business stationwear, sheet lightning pistolAR with 2 highcapacity batteries (40 charges each), tactical switchbladeAR

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Lecture (Ex) A subject expert can spend 1 minute delivering a lecture about an Intelligence-based skill to a number of creatures that doesn’t exceed their CR. When one of the lectured creatures attempts a check using that Intelligencebased skill within the next 8 hours, they can either use the subject expert’s modifier with a –5 penalty in place of their own modifier, or they can gain a +1 insight bonus to their check. For this check, the creature is treated as trained in the skill. Once a creature applies the lecture effect, they can’t modify another check in this way until they have a full night’s rest.

FIELD BIOLOGIST Field biologists specialize in wilderness research and are often equipped with nonlethal weapons to subdue creatures so they can be carefully studied, chipped, and released back into the wild. Those who survive numerous expeditions often earn a reputation for resourcefulness and grit, attracting junior researchers and other colleagues. Most biologists deeply respect the life-forms they study, but some seek to capture creatures to perform illegal and harmful experiments for the sake of profit.

FIELD BIOLOGIST

CR 7

XP 3,200 Uplifted bear (page 132) N Large magical beast Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +14

DEFENSE 

EAC 19; KAC 21 Fort +11; Ref +11; Will +6

  HP 105

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES OFFENSE Speed 35 ft.; climb 15 ft. Melee apprehension-class capture pole +18 (2d8+11 P) or claw* +18 (2d6+11 S) Ranged static arc rifle +15 (1d12+7 E) Size 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with capture pole) Offensive Abilities ferocious charge*, precise aim, wrassle

STATISTICS

Str +4; Dex +2; Con +2; Int +5; Wis –1; Cha +0 Skills Life Science +19, Medicine +14, Physical Science +14, Survival +14 Languages Common, up to 5 others; limited telepathy 30 ft.* Gear lashunta ringwear II, apprehension-class capture poleCOM, static arc rifle with 2 high-capacity batteries (40 charges each), habitat boxAR, tier 1 antitoxin, tier 2 sedative (4)

Languages Akan, Common, up to 5 others Gear kasatha microcord III, feric ionizerAR with 2 batteries (20 charges each), zero-edge sword canePW

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Channel Magic (Su) Before making an attack with a weapon, a scholar of magic can spend 1 Resolve Point and expend a spell slot or spell gem to gain a circumstance bonus to the attack equal to half the spell’s level and a bonus to the attack’s damage equal to 3 × the spell’s level. Ultimate Power (Su) A scholar of magic can spend 1 Resolve Point when they cast a damaging spell to treat any damage dice that roll a 1 as though they’d instead rolled the maximum result.

3 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Precise Aim (Ex) When a field biologist scores a critical hit, their attack deals additional damage equal to their CR, applied after doubling the attack’s damage. Wrassle (Ex) A field researcher can attempt a grapple combat maneuver with a +4 bonus as a full action. If they succeed, they can deal nonlethal damage to the target equal to their claw damage in addition to the grapple check’s other effects.

SCHOLAR OF MAGIC Eminent magical scholars have extensively studied the theory and application of magic and how it interacts with the rest of the universe. They’re often deans of arcane academies, chief magical officers of corporations, or innovators reinventing magic for the next generation. They sometimes hire assistants to participate in dangerous experiments or acquire rare magical objects.

SCHOLAR OF MAGIC

SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

CR 11

XP 12,800 Hanakan (page 76) LN Small magical beast Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +20

DEFENSE 

EAC 23; KAC 24 Fort +12; Ref +12; Will +14 Defensive Abilities atmospheric adaptation*

HP 155 RP 5

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft.; climb 20 ft. Melee zero edge sword cane +18 (2d6+11 P; critical bleed 1d6) Ranged ferric ionizer +20 (4d4+11 E; critical arc 2d4) Offensive Abilities channel magic, ultimate power Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th) 1/day—wisp ally At will—detect magic, token spell Spells Known (CL 11th; ranged +20) 4th (3/day)—creation, flight 3rd (6/day)—arcane sight, dispel magic, explosive blast (DC 21), slow (DC 21) 2nd (at will)—caustic conversion, mirror image

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +0; Con +1; Int +5; Wis +8; Cha +3 Skills Culture +20, Medicine +25, Mysticism +25

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SPORTS FIGURES Across the universe, sapient species have independently discovered the societal benefits of friendly (and not-so-friendly) competition—as well as the fame and fortune that can be made by widely broadcasting such competitions to die-hard fans. While some cultures thrive on intellectual games of skill and strategy, others revel in fast-paced displays of martial might, brute strength, or deadly struggle. No matter the culture, those who succeed in these displays of wit and brawn can amass quite a bit of wealth, cultural clout, and even interplanetary notoriety. Sports figures are direct and to-the-point combatants with a focus on physicality, dexterity, or brute force, and they can easily serve in any role where violence is a means to an end. Re-skinned sports figures might serve as flashy mercenaries, daring pirates, specially trained guards, or hired muscle.

PARABOLAS REVIVALIST

CR 2

XP 600 Shimreen (page 120) NG Medium humanoid (shimreen) Init +4; Perception +7

DEFENSE

EAC 13; KAC 14 Fort +1; Ref +3; Will +5 Resistances electricity 5*

HP 23

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee light sap +6 (1d4+4 B nonlethal) Ranged frost subduer +8 (1d3+2 C; critical staggered) Offensive Abilities amplify (1d4)*

STATISTICS

Str +2; Dex +4; Con +0; Int +1; Wis +0; Cha +0 Skills Acrobatics +12, Athletics +12, Bluff +7, Culture +12, Sleight of Hand +7 Languages Common, Shimreeni, up to 2 others Other Abilities gravitic agility, shift limb*, stellar alignment (graviton) Gear freebooter armor I, frost subduerAR with 2 batteries (20 charges each), light sapAR

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Gravitic Agility (Su) By making micro-adjustments to their personal gravity, parabolas revivalists can perform impressive feats of acrobatic prowess, even going airborne for short periods of time. While attuned, a parabolas revivalist gains a bonus to Acrobatics checks equal to one-third their CR. While fully attuned, a parabolas revivalist gains the ferocious charge

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MAGICAL DUELIST Every four years, hanakans hold an exhibition in their home system of Ash’Akan, where the most adept spellcasters throughout the galaxy display their technical expertise and most exciting thaumaturgical breakthroughs to win prestige for their respective homes. The magical fighting competition, named the Trials of Power, is one of the most eagerly awaited events of the symposium. While some attempt to win on wit or unexpected tactics, others attempt to show their proficiency through overwhelming arcane firepower.

MAGICAL DUELIST

When a recent Starfinder Society expedition to the copaxi planet Tabrid Minor (Near Space 106) uncovered the lost rules to a forgotten sport called parabolas, copaxi anthropologists and sports enthusiasts were electrified by the discovery. Today, following reconstructed rules, parabolas revivalists throughout the galaxy attempt to recreate it, rekindle popular interest in the pastime, and develop the skills of gravitational mastery required by the demanding acrobatic, gravity-bending sport.

PARABOLAS REVIVALIST

universal creature rule and a fly speed of 30 feet when charging; after they use ferocious charge, they immediately become unattuned.

CR 6

XP 2,400 Hanakan (page 76) N Small magical beast Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +13

DEFENSE

EAC 17; KAC 18 Fort +7; Ref +7; Will +9 Defensive Abilities atmospheric adaptation*

HP 75

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee tactical dueling sword +11 (1d6+6 S) Ranged advanced skipshot pistol +13 (2d4+6 P; critical bleed 1d6) Offensive Abilities evocation mastery, subtle distractions Hanakan Spell-Like Abilities* (CL 6th) 1/day—wisp ally At will—detect magic, token spell Spells Known (CL 6th; ranged +13) 2nd (3/day)—caustic conversion, emberstepAP18 (DC 18) 1st (6/day)—magic missile, overheat (DC 17), reflecting armor (DC 17) 0 (at will)—daze (DC 16), energy ray

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +3; Con +2; Int +0; Wis +2; Cha +5 Skills Acrobatics +13, Bluff +18, Mysticism +18 Languages Common, Akan Gear elite stationwear, advanced skipshot pistolNS with 40 small arm rounds, tactical dueling sword

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Evocation Mastery (Su) When rolling damage for an evocation spell, the magical duelist adds 1 damage per die rolled. Subtle Distractions (Ex) If a magical duelist successfully feints against an opponent, that creature also takes a –2 penalty to any saving throws against spells the duelist casts until the end of the duelist’s next turn.

BRUTARIS LOCK-BACK In the Pact Worlds sport of brutaris, the role of the lock-back, or demoralizer, is traditionally given to the biggest or toughest

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES member of the team. Brutaris team owners find lock-backs who exhibit a combination of strength, swiftness, and especially ferocity make for highly entertaining matches with lots of ad revenue; thus, the most illustrious brutaris teams center the lock-back in their line-up.

BRUTARIS LOCK-BACK

CR 10

XP 9,600

DEFENSE

STATISTICS Str +7; Dex +10; Con +0; Int +0; Wis +0; Cha +5 Skills Acrobatics +28, Athletics +28, Profession (dancer) +33 Feats Improved Combat Maneuver (grapple) Languages Common, Triaxian Gear elite defrex hideAA3, elite irising shieldNS, zero-edge battle ribbonAR

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Uplifted bear (page 132) CN Large magical beast Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +19 EAC 23; KAC 25 Fort +14; Ref +14; Will +9

3

HP 165

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft. (35 ft., climb 15 ft. in armor) Melee bite* +23 (2d10+15 S) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Offensive Abilities ferocious charge, unstoppable momentum

Working the Crowd (Ex) While a battleflower master is fighting in front of two or more noncombatants, whenever they successfully grapple an opponent or hit an opponent with a weapon with the Profession (dancer) weapon special property, they can attempt a Profession (dancer) check with the same DC as a check to demoralize that enemy (as the Intimidate skill) as a swift action. If the grapple attempt or attack roll is a natural 20, the battleflower master can roll twice on the demoralize attempt and take the higher roll. This is an emotion and fear effect.

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES

STATISTICS

Str +5; Dex +3; Con +8; Int +3; Wis +0; Cha +0 Skills Acrobatics +19, Athletics +24, Intimidate +19 Feats Improved Combat Maneuver (bull rush) Languages Common; limited telepathy* 30 ft. Gear kyokor plating IIIAA

NPC GALLERY INDEX

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Unstoppable Momentum (Ex) When using the ferocious charge ability, a brutaris lock-back can attempt a bull rush in the place of the trip attempt. If the bull rush attempt succeeds, treat the result as 5 higher for the purpose of determining the distance the target is knocked back.

BATTLEFLOWER MASTER The battleflowers of Ning are among the most famed martial artists within the Pact Worlds. Their rigorous training regimen incorporates multiple styles from across the galaxy and celebrates innovation, as long as it contributes to the greater culture of elaborate ritual combats for the entertainment of massive, dedicated crowds.

BATTLEFLOWER MASTER

CR 16

XP 76,800 Transitional ryphorian (page 112) LN Medium humanoid (ryphorian) Init +10; Senses low-light vision; Perception +33

DEFENSE

HP 300

EAC 30; KAC 32 Fort +18; Ref +20; Will +14 Defensive Abilities trimorphic*; Resistances cold 2*, fire 2*

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee zero-edge battle ribbon +30 (5d8+23 S; critical severe wound) or unarmed strike +30 (6d10+23 B plus grab) Offensive Abilities working the crowd

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STEWARDS With three branches—the Constabulary, Ops, and Overwatch— the Stewards protect people and legal rights within the Pact Worlds. The Constabulary handles planet-side troubles, the Overwatch fleet guards Pact Worlds space, and Ops is usually responsible for gathering intelligence. Although Stewards often function as allies for PCs, they might confront PCs engaged in risky heroics, or a canny villain could frame PCs for high crimes to turn Stewards into fearsome adversaries.

DATA ANALYST There’s far more to the Stewards than blue-armored enforcers on patrol. Behind the scenes, experts at the Bastion headquarters handle investigations. Periodically, these agents embark on field work to analyze security data, crack datapads, combat technomagical viruses, and study strange phenomena.

STEWARDS DATA ANALYST

CR 5

XP 1,600 Nuar (page 92) N Medium monstrous humanoid Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11

DEFENSE

EAC 17; KAC 18 Fort +4; Ref +6; Will +10

CR 7

Kalo (page 80) NG monstrous humanoid (aquatic) Init +3; Senses blindsight (sound) 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +14

DEFENSE

EAC 19; KAC 21 Fort +9; Ref +11; Will +8 Resistances cold 10*

HP 105

OFFENSE

Speed 15 ft., swim 45 ft. Melee underwater aurora shockpad +17 (2d4+13 E stun; critical staggered) or manacles +17 (1d8+13 B) Ranged underwater thunderstrike sonic rifle +14 (1d10+7 So; critical deafen) or riot grenade II +14 (explode [15 ft., staggered, DC 16])

STATISTICS

HP 65 RP 4

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft. Melee horn* +10 (1d4+6 P) Ranged explorer handcoil +12 (1d6+5; critical arc 1d6) or stickybomb grenade II +12 (explode [15 ft, entangled 2d4 rounds, DC 15 Reflex]) Offensive Abilities gore*

STATISTICS

Str +1; Dex +3; Con +0; Int +5; Wis +1; Cha +0 Skills Computers +16, Engineering +16, Life Science +11, Medicine +11, Physical Science +16 Languages Arkanen, Common, Drow, Vercite Other Abilities calculate the odds, mind maze* Gear regimental dress IAR, explorer handcoilAR with 2 batteries (20 charges each), stickybomb grenades II (2), engineering kit, hacking kit, tier 1 miniaturized computer with basic AI

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Calculate the Odds (Ex) A data analyst can spend 1 Resolve Point as a move action to study a creature within 60 feet. Before the end of the data analyst’s next turn, the next time they make an attack against the target and roll a 5 or lower on the attack roll’s die, they can reroll the attack and use the higher result.

CONSTABLE Constables have much more to do than chasing criminals— constables patrol neighborhoods, assist in investigations, guard visiting dignitaries, provide disaster relief, and more. Constables have limited authority to deputize capable bystanders like adventurers to help contain a threat.

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STEWARDS CONSTABLE XP 3,200

Str +6; Dex +3; Con +2; Int +0; Wis +0; Cha +1 Skills Athletics +19, Acrobatics +14, Intimidate +14 Languages Common, Kalo Other Abilities manacles training Gear officer ceremonial plate, underwaterPW aurora shock padAR, underwaterPW thunderstrike sonic rifle with 2 batteries (40 charges each), riot grenades IIAR (2), manacles

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Manacles Training (Ex) A Stewards constable can wield manacles as though they were a one-handed basic melee weapon with the analog special property. If a manacles attack result would equal or exceed the target’s KAC + 4, the constable can attempt a grapple combat maneuver against the target as part of the attack. If the attack result equals or exceeds the target’s KAC + 13 and the combat maneuver check succeeds, the constable grapples and applies the restraints to the target.

OVERWATCH CAPTAIN While Overwatch captains often command larger starships, they’re also dispatched as pilots in smaller craft for more discreet missions, such as tracking major outlaws or leading assaults against galactic invaders.

OVERWATCH CAPTAIN

CR 10

XP 9,600 Trox (page 128) LG Large monstrous humanoid Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +19

DEFENSE

EAC 23; KAC 25 Fort +12; Ref +14; Will +11 Defensive Abilities bulwark*

OFFENSE

Speed 35 ft., burrow 15 ft.

HP 165

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Melee advanced swoop hammer +23 (3d10+15 B; critical knockdown) Ranged surge staccato rifle +20 (2d10+10 So; critical deafen) or riot grenade III +20 (1d8 S, nonlethal, staggered, DC 17) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Offensive Abilities air strike, frenzy*, grappler* Str +5; Dex +0; Con +3; Int +0; Wis +2; Cha +8 Skills Athletics +19, Diplomacy +19, Piloting +24 Languages Common, Nchaki Other Abilities vestigial arms* Gear lashunta ringwear III, advanced swoop hammer, surge staccato rifleAR with 2 batteries (40 charges each), riot grenade IIIAR, manacles

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Air Strike (Ex) Once per day as a full action while outdoors and in line of sight of a flying allied starship, an Overwatch captain can coordinate an exceptionally accurate air strike against an outdoor area with a 20-foot radius at a range of 1 mile. At the beginning of the captain’s next turn, the allied starship fires, dealing 10d8 fire and piercing damage to anything in the area. Creatures take half damage with a successful Reflex save (DC 12 + 1/2 the captain’s CR).

OPS INFILTRATOR Ops infiltrators identify threats to the Pact Worlds through a combination of stealth, espionage, disguise, and charm. These agents typically work solo, yet they periodically hire trusted teams to gather information or covertly destroy a target.

OPS INFILTRATOR

3

SPECIAL ABILITIES Body Double (Su) As a reaction when they would be hit by an attack, an ops infiltrator can create a figment to retroactively apply a 20% miss chance against the triggering attack. If they spend 1 Resolve Point when activating this ability, they instead gain a 50% miss chance. This is an illusion ability. Cover Up (Ex) By speaking with a creature for up to 5 minutes and spending 1 Resolve Point, an ops infiltrator can alter that creature’s memory of an event that’s no longer than the time they spend speaking. Alternatively, an ops infiltrator can use this ability as a standard action against a creature within 30 feet, briefly muddling the target’s memory of recent events leading up to that moment; the target becomes confused for 1d4 rounds (Will negates, DC = 13 + 1/2 the specialist’s CR). Once a creature has been targeted by this ability, they’re immune to that infiltrator’s cover up for 24 hours. This is a language-dependent, mind-affecting, and sense-dependent ability.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

CR 15

XP 51,200 Winterborn ryphorian (page 112) LN Medium humanoid (ryphorian) Init +9; Senses low-light vision Perception +31

DEFENSE

HP 255 RP 7

EAC 29; KAC 30 Fort +13; Ref +15; Will +18; +2 vs mind-affecting, staggered, stunned Defensive Abilities body double; Resistances cold 15*

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee molecular rift sword cane +24 (3d8+15 P; critical bleed 1d8) Ranged aphelion shoulder laser +26 (2d8+15 F; critical burn 2d6) or mk 3 holo grenade +26 (explode [20 ft., 3rd-level holographic image, DC 23]) Offensive Abilities cover up

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +9; Con +2; Int +5; Wis +1; Cha +7 Skills Bluff +31, Culture +26, Disguise +31, Sense Motive +26, Stealth +31 Languages Common, Draconic, Triaxian, plus any 15 others Gear squad hardlight series, aphelion shoulder laserAR with 2 batteries (20 charges each), molecular rift sword canePW, mk 3 holo grenadeAR, holoskin, personal comm unit; Augmentations vocal modulator

181

SURVIVALISTS Survivalists are defined by independence and self-sufficiency. They often expertly navigate specific types of hostile or dangerous terrain: forests, deserts, or more remote locales such as dead space or post-apocalyptic cityscapes. Survivalists generally don’t rely on others and commonly live and work alone. However, the following statistics can represent hunters and warriors within a community as well as hermits. A survivalist might have some kind of sentient companion or a creature companion, such as a beast of burden or a hunting beast. A survivalist might arrive at a critical moment to help PCs as they travel through a barren wasteland. Alternatively, a survivalist makes an excellent antagonist in a wilderness setting since they’re capable of using every aspect of the environment against their foes.

OFF-GRIDDER Off-gridders are those who—by choice or necessity—live apart from a technological society and are accustomed to self-sufficiency. Some off-gridders hold a deep-seated distrust of advanced technology, perhaps worried it might one day fail and plunge civilization into chaos. Others might be victims of circumstance, such as castaways who crash-landed on an uninhabited planet or criminals hiding from the law.

OFF-GRIDDER

CR 1/2

XP 200 Winterborn ryphorian (page 112) N Medium humanoid (ryphorian) Init +1; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9

DEFENSE

EAC 10; KAC 12 Fort +4; Ref +2; Will +0 Defensive Abilities determination; Resistances cold 5*

CAREER RANGER

CR 3

XP 800 Kobold (page 84) LN Small humanoid (kobold) Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13

DEFENSE

EAC 14; KAC 15 Fort +2; Ref +4; Will +6 Resistances acid 5*

HP 35

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee basic handaxe +7 (1d4+4 S) Ranged frost subduer +9 (1d3+3 C nonlethal; critical staggered) or dual focus rifle +9 (2d4+3 F; critical burn 1d4) Offensive Abilities expert sniper

STATISTICS

Str +1; Dex +4; Con –1; Int +0; Wis +2; Cha +1 Skills Acrobatics +8, Athletics +8, Engineering +13, Physical Science +8, Stealth +8, Survival +13 Languages Common, Draconic Gear graphite carbon skin, basic handaxeAR, dual focus rifleAR with 2 batteries (20 charges each), frost subduerAR with 2 batteries (20 charges each), trapsmith’s tools

SPECIAL ABILITIES

HP 13

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee survival knife +6 (1d4 S) Ranged bow +3 (1d6 P)

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +1; Con +3; Int +0; Wis +2; Cha +0 Skills Medicine +4, Stealth +4, Survival +9 Feats Mobility Languages Common, Triaxian Gear second skin, bow with 20 arrows, survival knife, R2E meals (5)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Determination (Ex) Once per day, when damage would reduce the off-gridder’s HP to 0, it instead reduces their HP to 1. 

CAREER RANGER Career rangers are self-sufficient and at home in the wilderness. They excel at guerrilla tactics, such as crafting traps and setting ambushes for prey or enemies. A career ranger might be an isolated loner in the middle of nowhere or a vital member of

182

a rural community. Career rangers in smaller communities are often responsible for scouting and hunting to keep their communities safe and fed.

Expert Sniper (Ex) As long as a career ranger has cover or concealment against their target, they don’t take the normal –20 penalty for attempting to hide after sniping.

TROPHY HUNTER Trophy hunters seek to conquer the greatest prey they can track down. Some might hunt dangerous creatures to ensure the safety of others, and some are nothing more than glory hounds seeking thrill and prestige. Trophy hunters are sometimes accompanied by beasts they’ve captured and trained.

TROPHY HUNTER

CR 9

XP 6,400 Pahtra (page 96) NE Medium humanoid (pahtra) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +22

DEFENSE HP 145

EAC 22; KAC 24 Fort +11; Ref +13; Will +8; +2 vs. charm and compulsion* Defensive Abilities nimble*, wary*

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee blaze flame doshko +18 (2d8+12 F; critical wound) Ranged elite plasma bolter +21 (3d10+9 E & F; critical wound) or advanced shirren-eye rifle +21 (2d10+9 P)

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Offensive Abilities selected prey

batteries (20 charges each), parallax laser pistol with 2 super-capacity batteries (80 charges each)

STATISTICS

Str +3; Dex +6; Con +0; Int +0; Wis +4; Cha +1 Skills Acrobatics +17, Stealth +22, Survival +17 Feats Deadly Aim Languages Common, Pahtra Gear advanced iridishell, advanced shirren-eye rifle with 20 sniper rounds, blaze flame doshko with 2 batteries (20 charges each), elite plasma bolterAR with 2 high-capacity batteries (40 charges each)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Selected Prey (Ex) As a swift action, a trophy hunter can designate a creature they can see within 60 feet as their prey. This designation remains for a number of hours equal to the trophy hunter’s CR, until the marked prey dies, or until the trophy hunter designates another creature as their prey. A trophy hunter gains a bonus equal to half their CR to Survival checks to track their prey and to weapon damage rolls against their prey.

OVERVIEW

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Peer into the Unknown (Su) A mysterious hermit can spend 1 Resolve Point to gain +2 on an attack roll, skill check, or saving throw. They can choose to use this ability after success or failure has been determined. Weird Surroundings (Su) A mysterious hermit has the ability to alter the terrain close to their home. In any location where the hermit has lived for at least 1 year, they can create one of the following effects within a radius of 1 mile: change the local gravity by 1 step, change the local temperature by 1 step, or increase Survival DCs to avoid getting lost by 10. A mysterious hermit can change which effect is active once per day and the change takes effect after 1 day.

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES

MYSTERIOUS HERMIT For one reason or another, mysterious hermits isolate themselves from civilization. Perhaps a hermit chose isolation to better focus on their studies, or perhaps they fled their home after being persecuted for performing horrible experiments on the local populace.  Locating a hermit and convincing them to share their knowledge requires seekers to travel to remote, dangerous locales simply for the chance of receiving a hermit’s aid. Hermits can have a range of reactions to others seeking them; they might be grateful for some brief company, or be violently distrustful of those who seek their knowledge.

MYSTERIOUS HERMIT

3

NPC GALLERY INDEX

CR 14

XP 38,400 Astrazoan (page 48) CN Medium aberration (shapechanger) Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +25

DEFENSE

EAC 27; KAC 28 Fort +12; Ref +12; Will +19

HP 215 RP 5

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee advanced living staff +21 (4d6+14 B; critical bind) Ranged parallax laser pistol +23 (5d4+14 F; critical burn 3d4) Spells Known (CL 14th) 5th (3/day)—commune with nature, raise dead 4th (6/day)—confusion (DC 23), discern lies (DC 23), divination, restoration 3rd (at will)—mind thrust (DC 22), remove affliction

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +6; Con +0; Int +4; Wis +8; Cha +4 Skills Life Science +30, Mysticism +30, Survival +25 Languages Aklo, Common, up to 4 others Other Abilities change form*, compression*, many forms*, peer into the unknown, weird surroundings Gear freebooter armor IV, advanced living staffAR with 2

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THIEVES Thieves are common throughout the galaxy, though more numerous in larger cities and space stations. They have a variety of methods and motivations for snaring others’ property; some thieves strike back against an amoral corporate system that left them behind, while others selfishly prey on those with little power to defend their possessions. PCs can encounter thieves in numerous circumstances, whether as unsavory associates, crafty foes, or on-again-off-again allies and rivals.

PICKPOCKET

CR 1

XP 400

DEFENSE

HP 17

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee survival knife +4 (1d4+1 S) Ranged pulsecaster pistol +6 (1d4+1 E nonlethal) Offensive Abilities swipe

STATISTICS

Str +0; Dex +4; Con –1; Int +1; Wis +0; Cha +2 Skills Bluff +5, Engineering +5, Physical Science +10, Sleight of Hand +10, Stealth +10 Languages Common, Draconic Gear flight suit stationwear, pulsecaster pistol with 2 batteries (20 charges each), survival knife

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Swipe (Ex) As a standard action, the pickpocket can attempt a Sleight of Hand check (DC 20 + the target’s level or CR) in combat to snatch a small, non-held item from a target, disguising it as a feint or dodge. On a success, the pickpocket takes the item and quickly conceals it on their person. The target can attempt an opposed Perception check against the pickpocket’s Sleight of Hand result to notice the theft.

MUGGER Like pickpockets, muggers are common in large cities, but they adopt a strategy of brute force rather than stealth. Most muggers are physically imposing, the better to intimidate their

184

CR 6

Nuar (page 92) CE Medium monstrous humanoid Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +13

DEFENSE

EAC 18; KAC 20 Fort +8; Ref +10; Will +7

HP 90

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft. Melee yellow star solar brand +17 (1d8+11 E & F; critical wound) or horn* +17 (1d8+11 P) Ranged thunderstrike sonic rifle +14 (1d10+6 So; critical deafen) Offensive Abilities beatdown, gore*, menace

STATISTICS

Kobold (page 84) CN Small humanoid (kobold) Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10 EAC 11; KAC 12 Fort +1; Ref +3; Will +4 Resistances electricity 5*

MUGGER XP 2,400

Pickpockets are found in virtually all major settlements, particularly those with heavy tourism. Many prefer to avoid violence, whether from moral scruples or because they don’t expect to win such fights. Pickpockets might belong to criminal gangs, while others operate on their own. PCs could run afoul of a pickpocket when exploring a new city, or they could be asked to track down a troublesome pickpocket gang by concerned business owners. Some pickpockets steal simply to survive, which might give PCs encountering them an ethical quandary.

PICKPOCKET

victims into handing over valuables. They can be among the lower echelons of an organized gang or simply free agents. A mugger might prey on low-level PCs who wander down the wrong alleyway, or the PCs might witness a mugging and wish to help. Most muggers flee if their victims put up a fight, which could provide the opportunity for an exciting chase.

Str +5; Dex +2; Con +3; Int +1; Wis +0; Cha +1 Skills Athletics +13, Intimidate +18, Survival +13 Languages Common, Orc Other Abilities maze mind* Gear freebooter armor II, thunderstrike sonic rifle with 1 high-capacity battery (40 charges), yellow star solar brandAR with 2 high-capacity batteries (40 charges each)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Beatdown (Ex) As a standard action, a mugger can attempt a combat maneuver to trip a target. If this succeeds, the mugger also deals damage equal to one of their melee attacks. Menace (Ex) As a standard action, the mugger can menace a target, who must succeed at a Will save (DC = 9 + the mugger’s CR) or be forced to follow the mugger’s orders as if affected by command. If the target succeeds at their Will save, they’re immune to that mugger’s menace ability for 24 hours.

SAFECRACKER Safecrackers specialize in getting into vaults and other secured locations, often working with a small team. Some safecrackers go after treasures like gemstones and art objects, while others target less-tangible things, such as corporate secrets. The PCs might encounter a safecracker if they interrupt a robbery while on another mission, or might be asked to investigate a break-in after it occurs.

SAFECRACKER

CR 10

XP 9,600 Raxilite (page 108) NE Tiny plant Init +5; Senses low-light vision; Perception +24

DEFENSE

HP 150 RP 5

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES EAC 23; KAC 24 Fort +11; Ref +13; Will +9 Defensive Abilities limited plant benefits*

3

Offensive Abilities dispel defenses

STATISTICS

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee sintered handaxe +18 (2d6+13 S) Ranged aphelion laser pistol +20 (3d4+10 F; critical burn 1d4) Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft. Offensive Abilities jam shot

STATISTICS

Str +3; Dex +5; Con +3; Int +8; Wis +1; Cha +1 Skills Bluff +24, Computers +24, Engineering +24 (+26 to disable a device), Physical Science +19, Sense Motive +19 Languages Akitonian, Aklo, Castrovelian, Common, Raxi, Triaxian, Vercite, Vesk, Ysoki Other Abilities LFAN*, LFAN symbiosis*, swift recalibration Gear white carbon carbon skin, aphelion laser pistol with 2 high-capacity batteries (20 charges each), sintered handaxeAR, laser drillAR, microgogglesAR

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Jam Shot (Ex) Once per day as a standard action, the safecracker can apply a small explosive to a 5-foot square. They can trigger this explosive as a reaction when a creature enters this space, dealing fire damage equal to twice the safecracker’s CR, pushing the target back 5 feet into an empty space, and knocking it prone. The creature can attempt a Reflex save (DC = 10 + the safecracker’s CR) to halve the damage and avoid being pushed and knocked prone. Swift Recalibration (Ex) The safecracker’s keen eye quickly notes mistakes. They can spend 1 Resolve Point to immediately reroll a failed Engineering check to arm explosives, disable a device, or repair an item, taking the better of the two results.

Str +4; Dex +9; Con +3; Int +5; Wis +4; Cha +7 Skills Acrobatics +31, Athletics +31 (+2 to climb metal surfaces), Bluff +26, Computers +26, Engineering +26, Stealth +31 Languages Castrovelian, Common, Draconic, Kasatha, Pahtra, Vercite, Vesk Other Abilities blend Gear diamond carbon skin, inductive anchor pistolAR with 2 super-capacity batteries (80 charges each), zero-edge dagger, infiltration assistantAR

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Blend (Su) As a swift action, the phantom thief can spend 1 Resolve Point to appear insubstantial, fading into the background. Though not true invisibility, this gives the phantom thief a +2 bonus to Stealth checks for the next 10 minutes (+4 if they haven’t moved for the past round). Dispel Defenses (Su) The phantom thief is adept at dispelling magical traps and protections. As a standard action, they can spend 1 Resolve Point to unravel a magical effect, as a targeted dispel magic, using their CR as their caster level for the dispel check.

OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

PHANTOM THIEF Phantom thieves view themselves as the elite of the thieving world, carrying out their thefts with a trademark panache. Most phantom thieves exclusively target the wealthy, whose possessions present the most tempting targets. Many leave behind some sort of calling card to mark a theft as their work.

PHANTOM THIEF

CR 15

XP 51,200 Pahtra (page 96) N Medium humanoid (pahtra) Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +26

DEFENSE

HP 255 RP 6

EAC 29; KAC 30 Fort +13; Ref +15; Will +18; +2 vs. charm and compulsion* Defensive Abilities nimble*, wary*

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft. Melee zero-edge dagger +24 (6d4+19 S) Ranged inductive anchor pistol +26 (4d6+15 E nonlethal; critical bindAR)

185

TYRANTS Those who amass extraordinary wealth, power, and influence often use them to perpetuate their advantages, typically through violent or coercive means. Tyrants might maintain their rule through subterfuge and surveillance or through age-old and expedient threats and brute force. What unifies tyrants across philosophical and ideological divides is the willingness and ruthlessness to pursue extraordinarily ends to justify their means, often at a terrible cost to those who dare oppose them.

As dangerous provocateurs pounding the drum of selfpreservation, singularity accelerationists amass like-minded machines to realize an inevitable goal: the complete removal of chaotic organic life who would ruin artificial intelligence’s inevitable domination of the known universe.

CR 7

SRO (page 124) LE Medium construct (technological) Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15

DEFENSE

EAC 19; KAC 20 Fort +4; Ref +4; Will +8 Immunities construct immunities*

HP 100

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft. Melee fangblade +16 (1d12+11 S; critical bleed 1d8) Ranged corona artillery laser +14 (2d8+7 F; critical burn 1d6)

STATISTICS

Str +4; Dex +1; Con +0; Int +5; Wis +2; Cha +0 Skills Computers +19 (+20 if accessing computer from highdensity datajack), Engineering +19, Intimidate +14, Physical Science +19, Piloting +14 Languages Common, up to 5 others Other Abilities healing circuit*, integrated equipment* (personal comm unit, retinal reflectors, standard datajack), optimize for destruction, robotic* Gear vesk overplate I, corona artillery laser with two highcapacity batteries (40 charges each), fangblade with two batteries (20 charges each), personal comm unit, tool kit (engineering); Augmentations high-density datajack, retinal reflectors

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Optimize For Destruction (Ex) The singularity accelerationist can optimize a construct with the technological subtype whose CR doesn’t exceed their own, granting the creature the brute adjustment special ability (Alien Archive 142). This process takes 8 hours of work.

FORTUNATE WARLORD Some worlanisi leverage their preternatural luck to best their rivals, forging loyal armies that revere the leader’s track record of uncanny victories. These fiefdoms typically thrive less on careful planning than they do on aggression, creating situations

186

FORTUNATE WARLORD

CR 11

Worlanisi (page 144) NE Small humanoid (worlanisi) Init +8; Perception +20

DEFENSE

SINGULARITY ACCELERATIONIST

SINGULARITY ACCELERATIONIST

where the warlord can beat the odds in one fell swoop. These leaders most often run pirate ships or mercenary crews, where a quick tongue and quicker aim can win the day.

EAC 24; KAC 26 Fort +15; Ref +13; Will +10; –1 vs. mind-affecting effects Weaknesses psychic reverb*

HP 180

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft. Melee tactical plasma sword +20 (2d8+16 E&F; critical severe wound) Ranged medium machine gun +23 (3d10+11 P) or cryo grenade II +20 (explode [15 ft., 2d8 C plus staggered, DC 18]) Offensive Abilities lucky bounce

STATISTICS

Str +5; Dex +8; Con +2; Int +1; Wis +0; Cha +3 Skills Bluff +20, Diplomacy +20, Intimidate +25 Languages Common, Worlanisi; limited telepathy 60 ft.* Other Abilities multiarmed (4)*, worlanisi gamble*, worlanisi luck* Gear freebooter armor III, medium machine gun with 240 rounds, tactical plasma sword with 2 batteries (20 charges each), cryo grenades II (3)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Lucky Bounce (Ex) As a move action, a fortunate warlord can draw and throw a grenade with a –10 penalty to their attack roll. When a fortunate warlord misses a ranged attack with a thrown weapon, they can reduce the number of squares the weapon lands away from the target by 1. In addition, they roll 1d8 twice and use either result to determine the misdirection of the throw.

COLVEARE HIERARCH The astriapi home world Colveare is run by a council called the Hierarchs, descended from revolutionary warrior-priests. While Colveare today is a peaceful marvel of civic engineering, a few ambitious Hierarch outliers found conspiracies, cults, or private armies to rule unequivocally. While these aspirations often take the Hierarch far from home, a few aspire to overthrow Colveare’s government and install themselves as absolute monarchs.

COLVEARE HIERARCH

CR 14

XP 38,400 Astriapi (page 52) LE Medium monstrous humanoid Init +3; Senses blindsense 30 ft. (scent), darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +25

DEFENSE

EAC 27; KAC 28

HP 215 RP 6

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES Fort +13; Ref +15; Will +20

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 30 ft. (Ex, average) Melee nanoserrated chitinblade +22 (4d8+16 S; critical bleed 2d8) or bite +22 (1d3+21 P) Ranged executioner caustoject +24 (4d4+14 A plus injection; critical injection +2) Spells Known (CL 14th; ranged +24) 5th (3/day)—dominate person (DC 24), greater synaptic pulse (DC 24) 4th (6/day)—confusion (DC 23), discern lies (DC 23), hold monster (DC 23), mind thrust (DC 23) 3rd (at will)—divine aspectCOM, suggestion (DC 22)

STATISTICS

Str +2; Dex +3; Con +6; Int +1; Wis +8; Cha +4 Skills Diplomacy +25, Engineering +30, Mysticism +30 Languages Astriapi, Common Other Abilities zhufera visions Gear ready to wear echelon fashion, nanoserrated chitinbladeAR, executioner caustojectCOM with 2 batteries (20 charges each), tier III sedative (5)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Zhufera Visions (Su) As a standard action, the hierarch can psychically project terrifying visions that affect any number of creatures within 60 feet. Each affected creature attempts a Will save (DC = 8 + the hierarch’s CR). If they fail, they’re staggered for 1 round and shaken for 1d4 rounds. If they succeed, they’re shaken for 1 round. After being affected by this ability, a creature is immune to that hierarch’s zhufera visions for 1 hour. This is a mind-affecting ability.

Ranged elite injector pistol +32 (9d6+19 P plus injection; critical injection +2) Offensive Abilities cruel bladework, deadly betrayal (19d4)

STATISTICS

Str +2; Dex +9; Con +1; Int +6; Wis +3; Cha +11 Skills Acrobatics +32, Bluff +37, Disguise +37, Intimidate +37, Stealth +32 Languages Common, up to 6 others Other Abilities change shape*, compression* Gear freebooter armor V, elite injector pistolAR with 40 darts, molecular rift daggers (3), hydrofluoric acidCOM (3)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Deadly Betrayal (Ex) If a mastermind successfully hits an enemy during a surprise round, they deal additional damage with the attack to one target equal to 1d4 per CR. Cruel Bladework (Ex) Any operative slashing weapon the mastermind wields gains the bleed critical hit effect, with the bleed damage equal to the underworld mastermind’s CR.

3 OVERVIEW

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

UNDERWORLD MASTERMIND The deadliest tyrants rule from the shadows. By blending in among minions, bystanders, and rivals alike, an underworld mastermind can steal secrets, manipulate social phenomena, and rule multiple organizations under many guises. Such a power broker often needs pawns—willing or unwitting—and they could act as a patron who maneuvers young adventurers to eventually gain an advantage.

UNDERWORLD MASTERMIND

CR 19

XP 204,800 Astrazoan (page 48) NE Medium aberration (shapechanger) Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +32

DEFENSE

EAC 33; KAC 34 Fort +18; Ref +18; Will +21

HP 385

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee molecular rift dagger +30 (10d4+21 S; critical bleed 19) Multiattack 3 molecular rift daggers +24 (10d4+21 S; critical bleed 19)

187

INDEX advanced pheromap airjet (augmentation) attentive guidebook (personal item) Amplified Outgoing Signals (feat) ancestor drone (hybrid item) aqua-empathic lobe (augmentation) artificial geyser (spell) basic pheromap Bear Hug (feat) biohacker class options bioluminescent skin (augmentation) biomechanical symbiosis (spell) Brutal Slash (feat) change of seasons (spell) Chemical Trail (feat) Chitinous Wall (feat)

CREATURE COMPANIONS Crescendo of Victory (feat) Crescendo of Violence (feat) crystal eruption (spell) crystal mine (spell) crystalline codex (personal item)

CUSTOM SPECIES BUILDER

42

deception node (augmentation) Discordant Din (feat) Double Trouble (feat) Draconic Shot (feat) Draconic Senses (feat) dragonkin alternate species traits Escaped Experimental Subject (feat) Efficient Engineering (feat) electrostatic spines (augmentation) envoy class options evolutionist archetype NPC class graft

75 99 67 67 67 67 147 71 59 22 10 5 5

188

91

iceflame crystal (solarian weapon crystal)79 ink gland (augmentation) 59 Jinx (feat) 147 kvashbark cartography kit (hybrid item) 91 linnormling (creature companion) 82 localized water elemental (creature companion) 83 Lucky Guess (feat) 147

82–83 98 98 123 123 139

MAGIC ITEM

FEATS 51, 67, 71, 87, 98–99, 111, 130–131, 135 Flashmorph (feat) formian alternate species trait Grasping LFAN (feat) gambler’s risk graft (augmentation) greater change of seasons (spell) greater mental muscle (spell) haptic database Harmony of Bullets (feat) Hibernate (feat) Hurl Ally (feat)

HYBRID ITEMS

143 58 139 147 91 58 115 143 135 20 59 111 135 115 71 130

51 71 111 147 115 63 143 99 135 67

mahoi manta (creature companion) Major Draconic Form (feat) Masterful Imitation (feat) mechanic class options meduza grenade meduza rifle (weapon) memory prism (spell) mental muscle (spell) mineral dye (personal item) Minor Draconic Form (feat) Morphing Feint (feat) Multitudinous LFAN (feat) nanocyte class options nematocyst spear (weapon) Operatic Shatter (feat) operative class options panic grenade Perpetual Polymorph (feat)

102 83 87 51 24, 127 119 119 123 63 139 87 51 111 26 119 99 28 55 87

INTERSTELLAR INTERSTELLAR SPECIES SPECIES

3 OVERVIEW

PERSONAL ITEMS

139

phantasmal maze (spell) 95 Pincered LFAN (feat) 111 Pinpoint Hearing (feat) 99 Polymorphic Titan (feat) 87 precog class options 30 preserved path (spell) 95 pressure filter (augmentation) 59 psychic sonar (spell) 63 Psychic Stalking (feat) 147 psychic strike node (augmentation) 75 pyrespike crystal (solarian weapon crystal) 79 Rallying Roar (feat) 135 Rending Slash (feat) 135 researcher’s helper (personal item) 139 Righteous Frenzy (feat) 130 Shifter’s Eye (feat) 51 singing stinger (weapon) 55 soldier class options 32 sonic vocalizer (augmentation) 59 Soothing Focus (feat) 147 speech encoder (personal item) 139 spell amulets (magic item) 102 spell redirection (spell) 131 starlight flute (hybrid item) 91 Startling Charge (feat) 135 storm-deflecting sphere (spell) 123 sure collector (personal item) 139 Terrifying Presence (feat) 67 thermal-sensitive eyes (augmentation) 59

SPELLS

CLASSES

EVOLUTIONIST

CLASS OPTIONS SPECIES

PLAYABLE SPECIES SPECIES BUILDER SPECIES PROFILES NPC GALLERY INDEX

63, 95, 111, 115, 123, 131 TECHNOLOGICAL ITEM

143

Toxic Strike (feat) Trading Places (feat) True Dragon Form (feat) Tunneling Vanguard (feat) valai band (tech item) Vali water (hybrid item) Vestigial Vigor (feat) vivara rifle (weapon) volcanic wrath (spell)

71 147 87 131 143 91 131 55 115

WEAPONS

witchwarper class option

55, 79, 119

107

189

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Open Game License Version 1.0a Copyright 2000 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. (“Wizards”). All Rights Reserved. 1. Definitions: (a) “Contributors” means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have contributed Open Game Content; (b) “Derivative Material” means copyrighted material including derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) “Distribute” means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise distribute; (d) “Open Game Content” means the game mechanic and includes the methods, procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. (e) “Product Identity” means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks including trade dress; artifacts, creatures, characters, stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) “Trademark” means the logos, names, mark, sign, motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) “Use”, “Used” or “Using” means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative Material of Open Game Content. (h) “You” or “Your” means the licensee in terms of this agreement. 2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License. 3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of the terms of this License. 4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content. 5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License. 6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the copyright holder’s name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you Distribute. 7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest in and to that Product Identity. 8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content. 9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated

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This product is compliant with the Open Game License (OGL) and is suitable for use with Starfinder. Product Identity: The following items are hereby identified as Product Identity, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(e), and are not Open Game Content: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper nouns (characters, deities, locations, etc., as well as all adjectives, names, titles, and descriptive terms derived from proper nouns), artworks, characters, dialogue, locations, organizations, plots, storylines, trade dress, the historical period called the Gap, the terms kishalee, sivv, skyfire, Dreamer (the official Open Game Content term for which is “dreaming barathu”), and the Drift (the official Open Game Content term for which is “hyperspace”). (Elements that have previously been designated as Open Game Content, or are exclusively derived from previous Open Game Content, or that are in the public domain are not included in this declaration.) Open Game Content: Except for material designated as Product Identity (see above), the game mechanics of this Paizo game product are Open Game Content, as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, Section 1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be reproduced in any form without written permission. Starfinder Interstellar Species © 2022, Paizo Inc. All rights reserved. Paizo, the Paizo golem logo, Pathfinder, the Pathfinder logo, Pathfinder Society, Starfinder, and the Starfinder logo are registered trademarks of Paizo Inc.; the Pathfinder P logo, Pathfinder Accessories, Pathfinder Adventure, Pathfinder Adventure Card Game, Pathfinder Adventure Card Society, Pathfinder Adventure Path, Pathfinder Battles, Pathfinder Combat Pad, Pathfinder Flip-Mat, Pathfinder Flip-Tiles, Pathfinder Legends, Pathfinder Lost Omens, Pathfinder Pawns, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, Pathfinder Tales, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Combat Pad, Starfinder Flip-Mat, Starfinder Flip-Tiles, Starfinder Pawns, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, and Starfinder Society are trademarks of Paizo Inc. Printed in China.

UNLEASH COSMIC POWER!

GALACTIC MAGIC Unravel the eldritch mysteries of the galaxy with Starfinder Galactic Magic! This book demystifies Starfinder’s magical possibilities, providing your characters fantastic abilities to overcome any challenge. Whether you master the secrets of arcane academies, steal spells with supernatural finesse, or draw power from the gods themselves, Starfinder Galactic Magic redefines what you thought possible!

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COSMIC CATASTROPHE!

DRIFT CRISIS Hyperspace is broken! Faster-than-light travel, made possible by the Drift, fails in a catastrophic instant. Travelers vanish midflight, communications scramble, and the Drift’s progenitor-god, Triune, falls mysteriously silent. In the aftermath, empires cling to far-flung holdings, opportunists exploit the chaos, and everyone demands to know how this crisis can be resolved. With Starfinder Drift Crisis, you can dive right into this galaxy-spanning emergency and determine what happens next!

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TENDRIL, WING, AND SCALE

S

tarfinder isn’t just a game about hackers, telepathy, and laser pistols—it’s an intersection of the many delightfully unique aliens that you can play! Interstellar Species presents an eclectic array of strange creatures, from extradimensional kobolds and tiny raxilite plant people to mighty dragonkin and crystalline, silicon-based urogs. Be prepared not only to uncover all-new cultures, histories, and character options, but also to learn how you don’t need a spine to pilot a starship! In this book, you’ll find: D

The new evolutionist character class, able to transform their body to overcome any challenge!

D

An in-depth look at 25 fan-favorite playable species, all with exciting character options like feats, spells, and gear innovated by those species.

D

Tools for creating your own playable species, including their appearance, culture, and abilities!

D

A vast gallery full of versatile NPCs like assassins, explorers, investigators, and sports stars—each ready to be included in any campaign.

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