Owen K.C. Stephens's Blog, page 31

A Sucking Maw of Pain and Anxiety (A WFH/Recent Game Industry Trends Retrspective)

Working from home isn’t for everyone, but prior to the pandemic, it was great for me. The problem now is that *everything* is remote. No conventions or casual get-togethers. By the time I do every meeting I *have* to have on zoom, I am too burned out to do remote brainstorming.

There are also problems some people attribute to wfh that, at least for me, aren’t about that. Before when I would do wfh, no one expected me to reply to chats and emails in a quick timeframe. Now, if 15 minutes go past, they wonder where I am. If 7 people ping me at once They aren’t all 7 going to get me attention in 15 minutes. If one of those things is an emergency, the others have to wait. But no one is putting reply expectations in writing. They appear to just seethe, wondering if I am *really* working.

(Note that most of my wfh is contract and freelance, but I have heard it’s even worse for people doing wfh for a single company, most of which seem to have 3 to 4 different ways to communicate remotely, and no system for keeping the volume managable.)

And current work conditions are hampered by things well beyond wfh. For example, more of my friends and colleagues are depressed and in real, dangerous pain than ever before. (So am I.) That mostly isn’t about lack of socialization or in-person meetings. Instead, it’s a response to grief, loss of both actual beloved people and lifestyle options that have ended. It’s a side-effect of loss of faith in humanity overall. And it’s stress dealing with endless uncertainty.

In the tabletop RPG industry in the US, no one feels particularly secure. Small and mid-tier companies could go under with one more shipment being delayed, even when shipping within the US. At bigger companies, layoffs are an ever-present specter.

I’ve had people say “Look, I understand *some* delay, but why is project XX two years late?! Does working from home not work?”

Well, no. It’s because being creative has been a sucking maw of pain and anxiety for more than two years.

“Can’t you just ignore other people’s pain and suffering and calls for help to spend more time working on the game product I want?”

No. I can’t.

And I don’t think I want to work with anyone who can.

And even if I could bring myself to try, the resulting depression that would hit me for abandoning people who crush any protectivity the extra hours were supposed to produce.

No writer, no editor, no publisher, no customer service representative in gaming (or any creative endeavor) is at full capacity atm. I presume the same is true of lots of other fields, but this is the one where people come to me for help and advice.

And the reduced ability in quantity, quality, and responsiveness has fuck-all to do with if they are in an office or not. And if the pandemic totally ended today, it’d be a year or more before they all recovered. And most of them can’t say this, for fear of losing customers.

From Publishers to Assistant Word Miners, from ttRPGs to novels, retail, delivery, medicine — people need to be cut some slack. It sucks, and it cannot and will not be fixed quickly, and it’s not because anyone is malingering.

Thanks for reading to the bottom of my long-ass post.

Support Some Folks!

Normally, this is where I post links to my Ko-Fi and Patreon, and talk about how helpful it is to back them.

But not today.
Today, I am highlighting other people and groups. Because if you want gaming to survive, you need to give what support you can. That might be financial. Or it might be boosting the reach of these means of supporting others.

Mutants & Masterminds Patreon
“Every week, you’ll receive an updated Hero Lab and PDF of a fan-favorite M&M character!” You can also support Green Ronin by buying things at the Green Ronin Store.

Know Direction Patreon
“The award-winning Know Direction Network has news, reviews, and interviews. We have provided over 500 hours of original podcast content, over 300 hours of convention coverage, and over 800 articles from a decorated team of bloggers, including prolific Pathfinder freelancers, a hugely successful third party publisher, and an RPG Superstar winner.

We want to do more. We have plans for additional audio, video, and blog content. We want to get more staff to more conventions. And we want to coat everything we release with a more professional varnish. However, we pay for most of our material out of pocket, and it’s hard to find the funds for these projects. “

Open Gaming Network
“The Open Gaming Network is a family of wiki-like rules reference websites for various Open Gaming Licensed game systems, or similarly-licensed RPG systems.” They have a Patreon. Also, you can support the OGN, and a lot of companies, by shopping at the Open Gaming Store!

Isabelle Thorne (aka Kindalara) is a writer, editor, and creator. I’ve worked with her many times, and am a big fan of her creativity and skill. She has a Ko-Fi, and a Patreon as “Thorny Rose Gaming.” She absolutely deserves your support.

Steve Kenson is creating Icons Superpowered Roleplaying Content.

Joshua Hennington is an up-and-coming freelance writer of tabletop role-playing game content; he’s written for several accredited publishing companies, from Paizo Publishing to Rogue Genius Games, Everyman Gaming, Rite Publishing and more!

Chesley Oxendine is an RPG creator who could use help with medial expenses.

Game writer Ruvaid Virk’s heater went out. In Michigan. In the winter.

Steven Hammond is a freelance ttrpg writer and designer, best known for writing kooky stuff for Pathfinder 2e.

Everybody Games is creating the Eversaga Roleplaying Game… but it’s slow, tough work that takes money.

Ashton is creating illustrations, fiction, and roleplaying game tokens. Also has a Ko-Fi.

Shanwolf is a new streamer, who is also trying to write “Iron Stars, Burning Hearts.”

Ivis K. Flanagan is a Freelance RPG Writer, Gamer, Teacher, Dreamer, and life long Disney Disnerd. She has a Ko-Fi.

Andrew D. Geels is @PinBarbarian on Twitter. He streams at twitch.tv/pinstripedbarbarian. His website is pinstripedbarbarian@gmail.com. He has a Ko-Fi.

Dustin Knight is on Facebook, Twitter, and Know Direction, as well as his own Blog. He has a Ko-Fi, which helps fund his 3pp review stream.

Sen.H.H.S. has been a ttRPG freelancer since 2020. She has an Itch.io store, and a Ko-Fi.

Joseph Blomquist has a freelancer contact card for writing, game design, and illustration work, and a Ko-Fi.

Allie Bustion is creating tabletop games, supplements, and hacks!
Twitter: @madpierrot
ko-fi: http://ko-fi.com/madpierrot
patreon: http://patreon.com/madpierrot
itch.io: http://madpierrot.itch.io/

Shay is an Indigenous tabletop writer, editor, and playtester. They have a Ko-fi.

Minty Belmont has a Ko-fi.

Luis Loza is creating Pathfinder 2E and other RPG content on Patreon.

Isis Woz has a Ko-Fi.

The amazing Eleanor Ferron has an Itch.io Comic and a Ko-Fi.

Liz Courts has an online Portfolio, and a Patreon.

Jacob Blackmon has a Patreon for his art, and another for his Masters of the Universe Action Figure Webcomic.

Sasha Laranoa Harving is a veteran freelancer. She has works for sale on Pathfinder Infinite, and has a Ko-Fi.

Jessica Redekop is a Canadian illustrator and game designer who is starting to get into costuming by way of LARP. She has a Ko-Fi.

The amazing, talented, veteran creator Stan! has a patreon (www.patreon.com/stannex) and an ongoing Kickstarter right now (www.NewStanProject.com)

Mike Bramnik is a Gamer, geologist, geek, and relatively new TTRPG freelance author writing for established settings and crafting soundtracks for RPG sessions. He has a Ko-Fi.

Twenty-Year-Old Files: Game Notes – Myrina

When I am too scattered to write, or need to chew on some design or description problem for a bit while occupying my conscious mind with busy-work, I spend time going through old files on my hard drive. I try to keep archives and backups of everything, each time I move computers especially, but the orignaization hasn’t always been consistent. I literally have a folder under OwensWork/OldWork/OldWork/Games/OldGames/Unused/OldWork.

The files in there are between 20 and 25 years old. Many haven’t been cracked open this century, just being copied and moved and copied from machine to machine to machine.

Every once in a while, I find something that I absolutely do not remember writing, and kinda like. Sometimes I can see the genesis of trends and ideas I have played with since. Here’s an example, which was saved as a WordPerfect document in 2002.

Myrina

Virago leader and champion of the Argive League (for which the third king of Argos was later named), a technologically advanced society in roughly 10,000 BC. Defeated the Atlanteans and Gorgons. Was betrayed in the Battle of Thermondon by the sorcerer-demigod Thrax and badly injured. Thrax’s dark magic drove the Argive forces back, and did significant damage to the land and people around its use. As a result of the betrayal and loss, the Argive League dissolved and, not wishing to fight a war where both sides loose, the Viragos retreated. Myrina convinced the Waves, also known as Enesidaon, to create a city beneath the sea, named Mytilene, where the Virago could live peacefully away from Thrax and his chaotic empire. Having done this, Enesidaon is also moved to grant Oceanic Cities to the remaining Atlanteans and Gorgons (naming the cities Cerne and Neith, respectively).

Once her people were safe, Myrina succumbed to her wounds and slept in stasis for thousands of years, until she was awoken in 1920 by the chaotic energies unleashed in random and half-understood rituals performed by occultist members of the Ultima Society who were attempting to wake the Hyperborean divine champion Donar. Myrina discovered Mytilene had waged numerous terrible wars with the Cerne and Neith, which had left all three Oceanic Cities significantly diminished. Upon discovering the Surface World had been broadcasting radio for decades (a technology long though exclusive to the Argive League and a sign the Surface World might be finally advancing to the same technological level as the Oceanic Cities) Myrina choose to travel to the Surface World. She wished to understand how and why the Surface had evolved, and seek any sign of Thrax. She became a costumed adventurers, and when World War Two broke out fought against the Axis.

Myrina is tough, swift, and powerful, as all Viragos are, and is a master of all forms of combat and strategy. She also possesses the Areioi (a divine girdle that grants its wearer the strength of titans and flight of the gods), Ancile (a shield that can turn away any force as long as it is held with conviction), and Harpe (an indestructible adamant blade that can pierce any magic defense).

PATREON
If you are enjoying any of these, please consider adding a drop of support through my Patreon campaign!, or dropping a cup of coffee worth of support at my Ko-Fi (which is also filled with pics of my roommate’s cat).

Factotum, Pathfinder 2e class in 3 paragraphs.

Yep, I’m bringing the Quick Base Class concept to Pf2. In this case, it’s specifically an effort to create a “blank” class that can easily be used to create any multiclass-feeling character combination, which we’ll call the .

Factotum

You are skilled in picking up numerous different forms of training, and excel at flexible combinations of expertise. Your key ability may be any one ability you select. Your Hit Points are 6 + Con modifier. You are trained in Perception and any two Saving throws, and Expert in the remaining save. Trained in 1 skill of your choice + Int mod. Trained in Simple Weapons. Trained in unarmored defense. You gain 2 additional benefits, each of which can grant you an additional 2 HP/level, increase Perception or a Save from Trained to Expert, gain proficiency in a weapon group, or increase proficiency in a weapon group from Trained to Expert.

At first level, select one class. You gain any ability that class gains at 1st level that is not alchemy, ancestry, background, initial proficiencies, instinct, spell repertoire, spellcasting, or a school. You gain the Dedication Feat for that class’s archetype as a bonus feat. If that feat (or any later archetype feat you take) has a version of a class feature you have already gained (such as a bard’s muse), you do not gain a second version of that feature. You also gain the Dedication Feat for a second class archetype of your choice. You can take feats from either archetype when you gain new class feats. Once you have taken at least 2 archetype feats for one of the archetypes, you can take a new Dedication feat.

At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you gain an archetype feat and a skill feat. At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you gain another archetype feat or an ancestry feat. At 3rd level and every 4 levels thereafter, you gain a general feat. At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you gain a skill increase. You can use this increase either to increase your proficiency rank to trained in one skill you’re untrained in, or to increase your proficiency rank in one skill in which you’re already trained to expert. At 7th level, you can use skill increases to increase your proficiency rank to master in a skill in which you’re already an expert, and at 15th level, you can use them to increase your proficiency rank to legendary in a skill in which you’re already a master. At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, you boost four different ability scores. You can use these ability boosts to increase your ability scores above 18. Boosting an ability score increases it by 1 if it’s already 18 or above, or by 2 if it starts out below 18. In addition to the ancestry feat you started with, you gain an ancestry feat at 5th level and every 4 levels thereafter. The list of ancestry feats available to you can be found in your ancestry’s entry in Chapter 2.

(Art by Valia)

Speaking of Pathfinder 2nd edition!

I’m currently running a Kickstarter campaign for the Skaldwood Blight, a 1st-20th level adventure written by Ron Lundeen, Paizo’s Developing Manager and the author with more experience creating official Adventure Paths than any other writer. We’re more than 75% funded in 48 hours, so go check it out!

Top Ten Star Trek Spinoff Ideas

There’s more Trek on the air at once than ever before, with Discovery, Lower Decks, and Picard all current shows, Brave New Worlds coming soon, and some kind of Starfleet Academy show in the works. But if Paramount Network wants all-Trek, all the time, they need more shows! So, here are the best ideas for things no one has suggested is in the works, to create enough different Trek to not overload, while maintaining weekly new episodes year-round. (Mild spoilers for existing shows, so if you aren’t up-to-date on a show and don’t want to be spoiled, don’t read this!)

10. Deep Space K-7

Tribbles. Klingons. Organians. There’s a lot here that would be fascinating to look at, perhaps in the Picard or even Discovery Season 3 eras.

9. Embers

Episode 1 begins in the middle of a multi-sided starship skirmish in an inhabited system. Then, the Burn hits, and all the active ships detonate. Only the ships that were disabled in the fight survive, and now none of them can manage on their own. The system is cut off from the galaxy, and will be for a century. The fate of one system may not matter to the long-term fate of the galaxy, but for the ships’ crews and billions of lives on inhabited systems that can no longer benefit from stellar trade, there’s a real question to whether or not they can survive in the embers.

8.Starfleet JAG

Yes, a scifi show about legal issues is a tough sell. But Star Trek has had several interesting legal drama episodes (on more than one of its series), and a think, for example, a Federal Mobile Circuit Court Ship, going from place to place to sort out complex legal issues (and get into trouble now and then, like all legal procedurals seem to nowadays) could be very different, but also very fun.

7. Mudd and Jones

Harcourt Fenton “Harry” Mudd And Cyrano Jones aren’t friends. They aren’t allies. They definitely aren’t champions of justice or peace. But they ARE resourceful, and after they booth end up in the same Orion prison they are given an opportunity for full pardons, and a considerable payday, if they work together to solve a major issue. Which turns out to be more complex, and go deeper, than anyone expected. Smuggling, piracy, illegal goods, the fringes of society, shadow ports, all places we know Star Trek has, but have rarely seen, become the backdrop of these two’s reluctant adventures and, despite themselves, occasional heroics.

6. Phase II: The Animated Adventures

Yep, do Phase II of the original Starship Enterprise as a serious animated show, with visuals matching the original cast and voice actors doing their best representations of their voices. And maybe include a horta navigator, and a Gorn attaché, and other weirdness that’s cheaper to draw than do live.

5. sQuires

Ten thousand “lower-cases,” young Qs (written as ‘q’s” and ‘queues’) have been unleashed from the Continuum Nursery into the Lower Planes… and while they lack the cosmic power they’ll eventually grow into, and are often influenced by cultural beliefs and legends on the worlds and ships they find themselves (often limiting their potential to become full Qs as they become sidelined into acting as Greek Gods, for example), these q’s can still disrupt the entire galaxy. Most will eventually fade back into the Continuum, a few will evolve into full Qs, but the Continuum is not willing to allow them to be destroyed, or let them run rampant. Trelane, just recently evolved to full Q status, is assigned to wrangle them, and he adopts a merchant ship, the Free Trader Squire, to act as his primary agents in finding, talking down, and if need be quarantining the queues. Whether the crew of the Squire like that, or not. With as many guest appearances by John De Lancie as he feels like sparing.   

4. Assignment: Earth

Set in the modern day, with Gary 7, Carl (Gateway of Forever), and touching on the ongoing repercussions of various Time Wars (and how they created alternate timelines), without being *about* a time war. A hopeful show about how well humanity can do with a little help.

3. Real McCoys

The USS McCoy is a Medical Frigate with a reputation for solving the most perplexing and dangerous galactic medical issues. Totally unarmed, trust deflectors and diplomacy to keep it safe, it often enters hostile territory and missions of mercy, and is so well-respected that even active foes of the Federation over escort it safely through their space.

2. Honor of the Empire

A Klingon-focused show, possibly with a Federation officer assigned to Qo’noS as the fish-out-of-water POV character. Could be set anytime, with characters in a Qo’nos-orbit starbase if it’s after the planet has been evacuated.

1. These Are the Voyages

An anthology series focusing on a different starship, captain, and crew for every episode. These Are the Voyages isn’t tied to one specific time period, timeline, crew, or culture; the episodes are only united by the fact they are all in A Star Trek universe, and they all focus on a ship and its crew. Some could be showing us the later adventures of characters we know (Captain Sulu! Captain Worf!), others could be non-Federation ships, historic events we know must have happened (the Romulan/Vulcan split, the first Gorn ftl flight, Mirror Universe Spock’s fall, since we have a new Spock actor or two), and even Anaxar.

PATREON
If you are enjoying any of these, please consider adding a drop of support through my Patreon campaign!, or dropping a cup of coffee worth of support at my Ko-Fi (which is also filled with pics of my roommate’s cat).

Doom has come to the Northfells!

Now funding on Kickstarter, the Skaldwood Blight Adventure Path is a complete campaign for Pathfinder Second Edition, taking characters from 1st level all the way to 20th level in a massive book over 250 pages long! A demon lord has invaded the far northern land of stalwart barbarians, righteous priests, and mysterious fey. Can the heroes uncover the demon lord’s many plots, vanquish his minions, and save the Northfells from corruption and destruction? Here is your chance to save the land!

 The Adventure Path’s setting, the Northfells, can be easily dropped into any campaign world. There’s plenty of wilderness adventure, but the Skaldwood Blight’s heroes must delve dungeons, infiltrate insular cities, and negotiate with supernatural forces for vital aid. There’s something in the Skaldwood Blight Adventure Path for every player!

 The Skaldwood Blight Adventure Path began when Paizo, Inc. developer (and veteran adventure author) Ron Lundeen set out to build a compact yet complete adventure path from the ground up on his blog at RunAmokGames.com. The pieces of the Adventure Path have now been compiled, expanded, and reconfigured into a massive book presenting an entire campaign, complete with art, maps, designer commentary, and more!
 This 250+ page book contains everything you need to run the campaign, including:

20 chapters of adventure, one for each level of play, in a thrilling, danger-filled campaign!An overview of the Northfells, a hard region of ice and fury. Menace lurks in every proud city-state, along every trail, and in every frost-shrouded forest!Unique backgrounds suitable for any character!Copious art and maps by industry veterans!

Additional rewards to unlock throughout the campaign include:

Additional backgrounds that tie directly into the campaign’s characters, locations, and plots!An expanded gazetteer of the Northfells, the campaign’s thrilling setting!A designer commentary about building the Adventure Path from the ground up!

By Ron Lundeen, Paizo’s Developing Manager for Pathfinder, veteran and fan-favorite adventure writer, owner of run Amok Games, and licensed lawyer and member of the Washington State Bar Association!

Stretch Goal 1: Northfells Gazetteer [LOCKED – $`15,000]

We’ll provide a four page, high-level gazetteer of the adventure path’s entire setting, including all the key towns the heroes will visit (and even some they won’t, giving GMs room to expand). The gazetteer also includes the dangerous forests, waterways, and mountain ranges of the Northfells, too, as much of the campaign occurs in the wilderness! A map of the entire Northfells is included.

This gazetteer is player-focused, providing tantalizing hints but no spoilers, so it’s suitable for GMs to give to their players.

More Stretch Goals To Be Announced As We Get Closer To Them

Owen Explains It All –Minor Allies for Starfinder

Before we get to any OGL content, an editorial aside:

First, this blog has spoilers for The Book of Boba Fett (and, by extension though less so, The Mandalorian). So if you want to avoid those, don’t read this.

Second, you may be wondering why is this tagged as an “Owen Explains It All” post, when that’s very unlike my normal marketing tone? Well, because this links into a show from the BAMF podcast I’m on, titled “Owen Explains It All!“. We do an episode every two weeks, picking new things from the zeitgeek to use as inspiration for game material, specifically the Starfinder Roleplaying Game.

We have a logo and everything!

One of the thing I have found fascinating about The Book of Boba Fett is that it has focused on empire-building, rather than being a personal badass. I have idea about why that is (and why some people dislike it as an arc for this character), but that doesn’t really matter when I am discussing gamifyable elements of the show.

Specifically, Boba Fett has a number of minor minions he’s picked up, from droids to Gamorrean Guards to mod bikers, who assist him in social and combat encounters. None of them are a match for him or his significant enemies, but they can tilt a close situation to his favor, and buy him time when he’s at a serious disadvantage. It leads me to want to have simply rules for how useful a few folks below your own skill level to back you up can be, without slowing down gameplay by tracking the positioning and health and gear of numerous NPCs just so they can have a small impact on encounters.

And all of that leads me to Minor Allies, as OGL content

Minor Allies

Minor allies are people who aren’t on the same level as you and your adventuring partners, but are hearty and skilled enough to be of some assistance. A GM may use minor allies as a way to boost PCs for a major encounter (“While none of the ship’s crew are hardened marines, they will back you up as you attempt to retake the bridge.”), as a reward other than just credits (“Your willingness to risk your life to help the miners of Bluroc 17 has convinced a few of their roudier citizens to follow you and work toward your goals.”), or just as a feat a PC can take if they want to have some folks supporting them.

If your character has minor allies, you gains 1 effective minor ally, plus one per six character levels you possess. Minor allies are very limited in what they can do, and their exact position and health are not tracked. Each round a minor ally can attempt to aid another, engage in harrying fire, or grant covering fire. There bonus for any of these actions is equal to half your character level. If a minor ally fails in any of their checks, it indicates they are too fatigued, injured, or low on gear to continue, and they stop being able to assist you.

A minor ally can also be taken out of play by any significant enemy as a standard action, or by any attack (from any source) targeting them that hits an AC equal to 10+ your character level. A minor ally taken out this way is too injured to do anything helpful, but still able to remove themselves from danger.

You regain the use of one minor ally per day (with minor allies healing up and tagging along but staying out of trouble until they are recovered enough to be helpful again).

Expanded Content

In addition to these minor allies rules, I created an option for Afterthrusters, as ystem designed to allow a starship a burst of extra speed… at the risk of damaging the ship. This is bonus content for my Patrons, and is presented exclusively at my Patreon. You can join for a monthly cost of less than a cup of coffee!

Partial Levels for Pathfinder 1st ed

I’m pondering switching to running a Pathfinder 1st edition game after my current Really Wild West game finishes its major story arc. I had thought I might make it an E6 game… but as is often the case I can’t help but think about tinkering with the rules to get something closer to exactly what I want.

Basically, I want to keep the game in the “sweet spot” of levels 3-9 for as long as possible, without players getting the feeling they never get to advance or improve. E6 is one way to do that…. but I’m not sure it’ll give me the feel I really want. So, I came up with the idea of partial levels.

This is still a thought experiment. But essentially, at some levels, instead of going to the next full character level (and all the increases that come with it), there is a span of experience points where you gain a partial level (noted as a decimal, so after level 3 comes level 3.1). Partial levels do NOT give you the advancements of a higher class level, character level, or new class features. But you do gain some benefits, which means a character who went through levels 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 is more powerful (or, at least, more flexible) when they hit level 4 than a character who hopped straight from 3 to 4.That’s intentional on my part — I want characters to get better and better at handling threats of their level, and then when they hop a new level they can reasonably take on higher-level threats as well.

As I currently envision it, each time you gain a partial level, you get:

@1 skill point (still limited to max ranks/level) or +1 language (in case you’ve maxed out Linguistics).
@Extra hp equal to 1/6th your last class level’s max HD size, +1/2 your Con mod (minimum +1 hp total).
@One advancement from the list below. Once you have selected an advancement, you cannot select the same advancement again until you hit your next full level (unless it specifically says otherwise), but such limitations reset once you gain your next full level.

*Learn 4 new spells (prepared spellbook/familiar caster)(May take a second time to learn 3, and a third to learn 2.)
*Learn 4 new uncommon or 2 new rare spells (prepared divine — only Core and APG spells are gained automatically. All other official hardbacks are “Uncommon,” and other allowed spells are “rare.”)(May take a second time to learn 3 uncommon or 1 rare, and a third time to learn 2 uncommon or 1 rare.)
*Learn 1 new spell from another class list. (Spell is considered part of your class list now, and you gain is as a bonus spell known. Treat its spell level as as +1 spell level, an additional +1 spell level if it is a different magic source, an additional +1 spell level if from a class with a different highest level spell.)
*Gain the lowest-level feature you do not have of an archetype you qualify for which normally replaces or modifies a single class feature, as a bonus feature (to a max of those gained at a level equal to your linked class level)
*Select up to 4 cantrips you know to gain the buffed versions of.
*Gain the ability to prepare 1 more cantrip each day (characters with a spellcasting class feature only).
*Gain a heroic aura no other PC in the group has. (Characters with no spellcasting class feature may select this a second time. Characters with no class feature that grants supernatural, spell-like, or spell access ability may select it a third time.)
*Gain a Skill Unlock, based on your ranks in a skill
*Gain an Improved Skill Unlock (For a skill you have already taken Skill Unlock, treat your effective ranks as being 5 higher for purposes of determining your skill unlocks.)
*Gain a Greater Skill Unlock (For a skill you have already taken Improved Skill Unlock, treat your effective ranks as being a total of 10 higher for purposes of determining your skill unlocks).(Characters with no spellcasting class feature only.)
*Gain a combat feat for which you meet the prerequisites.
*Gain the Combat Trick version of a combat feat you already possess. (If it takes Stamina Points equal to 1/3 your bab or less, you can use it at-will. If it takes up to your bab in SP, you can use it 3/day. If it takes more Stamina Points that your bab, you can use the combat trick version 1/day.)(Fighters may select this more than once.)
*Gain a general feat for which you meet the prerequisites.
*Gain a feat (other than combat or general) for which you meet the prerequisites
*Gain a trait in a category you already have a trait
*Gain 5 skill points (still limited by max ranks/level)
*Increase an even ability score of 16 or less by 1 point.

For the specific campaign *I* am considering running, partial levels kick in once PCs hit 3rd. each partial level takes the same XP that would normally be required to get to the next full level (using the slow XP chart). There are 3 partial levels between each level from 3rd through 8th, and 4 partial levels between each level from 9th level up. If a game started at 3rd, it would take a long LOOONG time to reach 9th 9since at level 4.1, you are still mostly facing CR 4-5 threats, and thus gaining 4th-5th level XP), but you’d also have boosted your character 24 times by then.

This XP chart only goes to 10th level, but I could continue it past that with relative ease. Also, once you hit 20th, it might be all partial levels from there allowing PCs to advance without their effective character level continuing to increase.

Level XP

1 0

2 3,000

3 7,500

3.1 12,000

3.2 16,000

3.3 20,500

4 25,000

4.1 34,000

4.2 43,000

4.3 52,000

5 61,000

5.1 74,000

5.2 86,000

5.3 98,000

6 110,000

6.1 128,000

6.2 146,000

6.3 164,000

7 182,000

7.1 206,000

7.2 230,000

7.3 254,000

8 278,000

8.1 316,000

8.2 344,000

8.3 382,000

9 420,000

9.1 465,000

9.2 510,000

9.3 555,000

9.4 600,000

10 645,000

PATREON
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Blaster, A Starfinder Class in 2 paragraphs and 1 sentence

Quick Base Classes are a design challenge to build a new character class (in this case, for Starfinder) using elements from existing classes, but doing so in a way that produces a very different play experience. I did a bunch of Quick Base Classes back in 2015 (specifically focusing on those I could create with “two paragraphs and one sentence”), but never got around to making any for Starfinder, despite having lots of ideas. Now that there are several more new base classes for Starfinder, some of those ideas are more easily finished. So, here’s a new Quick Base Class, designed to create a very different kind of ranged combatant.

BLASTER

(Art by warmtail. Hey, Starfinder characters can wear cloaks too, you know!)

Blasters are specialized evokers of energy, who use innate ability, magic, or psychic abilities (or even implanted super-science technology) to form and project powerful blasts of energy. They are valued as combat specialists, while also still understanding some of how the mystic world works. Use the HP, SP, skill points, class skills, and proficiencies of the vanguard. Dexterity is your key ability score. You gain a bonus combat feat (as the solider class feature) at 2nd level, and every 3 levels thereafter. At each class level you learn one evocation technomancer or witchwarper spell of your choice with a maximum spell level equal to 1/3 of your class level. The base save DC for these spells (if any) is equal to 10 +1/2 your class level +your key ability score, then modified by feats and other modifiers normally. You can cast each spell once per day, and may select the same spell more than once as you gain levels. When you recuperate*, you regain the ability to cast one spell of your choice you have already cast that day.

At 1st level you gain the Blast ability, which functions as the solar flare option of the solarian’s solar manifestation class feature which has the augmentation of any one solarian crystal of your class level or less (which you may change each time you gain a new blaster level). Treat your blaster level as your solarian level for this ability. At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, you may add one energy damage type to those you can cause with your Blast. At 4th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, you may select an additional solarian weapon crystal you have available to add to your Blast. You can only have one crystal active at a time, and can change your active crystal as part of the action to make your first blast attack each round. When you gain a new level, you can change any one of your available solarian crystals. At 13th level, you gain solarian’s onslaught.

You gain no other class features.

*”Recuperate” is my proposed term for when a character takes a 10-minute rest and expends a Resolve point to regain Stamina points.

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Partial List of Very Fantasy Words (Update!)

As I do from time to time, I’ve updated the Revised, Partial List of Very Fantasy Words (which can be found here)!

So if you want to have a banneret use axinomancy to gird himself against a spadassin’s gainpain, these are the words for you!

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Mynchen, A Pathfinder 1st Edition Class in 2 paragraphs and 1 sentence

Quick Base Classes are a design challenge to build a new character class (in this case, for Pathfinder 1st edition) using elements from existing classes, but doing so in a way that produces a very different play experience. I did a bunch of Quick Base Classes back in 2015 (specifically focusing on those I could create with “two paragraphs and one sentence”), but never got around to using the wealth of material that came out for PF1 later to make new versions. So, here’s a new Quick Base Class, designed to create a very different kind of supernatural martial artist.

Mynchen

(Art by warmtail)

Mynchen are spiritualists and combatants who depend not on speed of sinew or might of muscle, but on mental focus and mystic power gained through mastery of their own body and mind. In many regions, mynchen gather in holy orders that act as a check on the might or more traditional military forces, and accept the physically weak, slow, or frail into their orders to train them to impact the material world through insight and personal conviction rather than muscle and agility. The mynchen uses the hit dice, proficiencies, base attack, base saves, class skills, skill points, unarmed strike, AC bonus (including Wisdom to AC), fast movement, starting wealth, and starting age as an unchained monk. She gains ki strike as an unchained monk at the same levels, but rather than lawful at 10th level her attacks gain her own alignment (and becomes a force effect if she is neutral). A mynchen treats her mynchen level as her monk level for all prerequisites.

The mynchen gains the spirit fighter class feature. This allows her to add her Charisma modifier to her hit dice gained from the mynchen class, rather than Constitution. She may also choose to add her Cha rather than Con to her Fortitude and rather than Dex to Reflex saves. A mynchen may add her Wisdom modifier rather than Strength to melee attack and damage, her Cha rather than Dex to ranged attacks (and to damage if she could normally add her Str or Dex), and her Cha rather than Dex to AC — for multiclass mynchen she cannot apply more of her Cha or Wis bonuses to these than her mynchen class level. At 1st level the mynchen gains the spirit fist class feature, which works as the mesmerists’ hypnotic stare, except it affects the first creature each round the mynchen hit and damages with a unarmed, natural, or weapon attack. The mynchen also gains painful stare, and bold stare at 3rd level, and every 4 levels thereafter. At 1st level, 2nd level, and every other level thereafter, the mynchen gains the mind over body class feature, which acts as mesmerist tricks. She uses her mynchen level as her mesmerist level, can only target herself with her tricks, and can implant a trick in herself as a move action. At 5th level, the mynchen’s unarmed, natural, and weapon attacks gain a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage. This increases by +1 every 4 levels.

The mynchen gains no other features.

Expanded Post: Although part of the point of this exercise was to make a class in two paragraphs and one sentence, I went ahead and presented it in a more traditional form, with a class progression table and such, exclusive for my Patrons. So…

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If you enjoy any of my articles, please sign up at my Patreon, for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month! (Of, if you prefer, you can drop me a single cup of appreciation at my Ko-Fi.)

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