Starfinder Differences

[liamfisher]

They both say cast - which is a significant change from Pathfinder.   So they would incur AOO.   Had this come up at Dcon with the spell gems on the Welcome boon and we agreed at the table that it was an AOO.

I pretty much agree. What about cases where the computer with the Spell Chip is in a different location than the person activating it? Remote access is a thing, after all.

So, remote access spell gems for healing?

"Hey, what is this personal comm doing lying here?" followed by Fireball.   
 

Or you could have them on a computer and access it via a commlink?

It says it enables you to cast the spell, so it would be at your location with you doing the dance and taking the risks.

Yeah, maybe even have every caster in the party subscribe to the computer, so they all have access to the team's cache of Spell Chips, rather than purchasing redundant copies just to make sure that whoever needs it has one available (Remove Condition and Mystic Cure IV, I'm looking at you). Also, you just have to hold your computer/commlink to have access to your whole cache, rather than needing to spend actions retrieving the proper Spell Gem.

Its tough to get Pathfinder scroll mechanics out of my head. I think Spell Gems always use the caster's caster level and ability modifier, rather than being set by the creator.

Yeah, they use your level and save mods.

[also]

This is awesome! I was actually just thinking about making a dex-y weapon solarion cause they don't get heavy armor proficiency. Had to reconsider since there's no weapon finesse! Shame!

[Edward McGee]

You can take Heavy Armor Proficiency as a feat.

[dbrain]

This is awesome! I was actually just thinking about making a dex-y weapon solarion cause they don't get heavy armor proficiency. Had to reconsider since there's no weapon finesse! Shame!

Melee weapons with the Operative keyword can use Dex to attack (but not damage), no feat required. They only get half the benefit of Weapon Specialization, though.

[Edward McGee]

Thurston Hillman answered some more questions about Hirelings.

A couple of other questions, if I may.

1) For any check that requires tools, do I need to provide them? My specific example is Medicine - do I need to provide the Medkit? As this sets the DC for Treat Deadly Wounds, I feel it's important.
2) It says the Hireling doesn't gain any benefit from spells, but what about gear? Can I get an engineer's toolkit, for instance, and let it grant the +2 to my Hireling's roll?
3) How many ranks does a hireling have in a skill? I assume it's my level, but I wanted to check. If we want a hireling to repair or craft an item, for instance.
4) The hireling can't be employed in combat, but can they use engineering or mysticism to disarm traps outside of combat?
5) Can the hireling take 10 or take 20?

Looking forward to the clarification.

Thanks.

Answers!

1) Yes.
2) I will adjust it to include bonuses from gear as well. Though they should still need to consume gear when required (such as treating deadly wounds)
3) I'll add this into a more comprehensive FAQ list. For now, it should be assumed that hirelings cannot craft items for PCs.
4) Yes. Outside of combat they can use these abilities (assuming the trap is detected)
5) No.

[Edward McGee]

This is awesome! I was actually just thinking about making a dex-y weapon solarion cause they don't get heavy armor proficiency. Had to reconsider since there's no weapon finesse! Shame!

Another option that is hotly debated and favored by many is to take 1 level in Soldier, Typically Blitz style. In your case you would choose Dex as your key attribute.

Pros: As long as your Dex is higher then your Cha it will be the stat your resolve points are based on. You get Heavy Armor proficiency along with nearly every weapon. Blitz adds an unnamed bonus to your initiative and speed.

Cons: Any Solarian abilities you take that have a save will be based on your charisma. You delay all of your Solarian abilities by a level. You don't automatically gain Weapon Specialization in those extra Soldier weapons when you hit Solarian 3. Though the feat Versatile Specialization at level 5+ will solve that.

[liamfisher]

Thurston Hillman answered some more questions about Hirelings.

   A couple of other questions, if I may.

   1) For any check that requires tools, do I need to provide them? My specific example is Medicine - do I need to provide the Medkit? As this sets the DC for Treat Deadly Wounds, I feel it's important.
   2) It says the Hireling doesn't gain any benefit from spells, but what about gear? Can I get an engineer's toolkit, for instance, and let it grant the +2 to my Hireling's roll?
   3) How many ranks does a hireling have in a skill? I assume it's my level, but I wanted to check. If we want a hireling to repair or craft an item, for instance.
   4) The hireling can't be employed in combat, but can they use engineering or mysticism to disarm traps outside of combat?
   5) Can the hireling take 10 or take 20?

   Looking forward to the clarification.

   Thanks.

Answers!

1) Yes.
2) I will adjust it to include bonuses from gear as well. Though they should still need to consume gear when required (such as treating deadly wounds)
3) I'll add this into a more comprehensive FAQ list. For now, it should be assumed that hirelings cannot craft items for PCs.
4) Yes. Outside of combat they can use these abilities (assuming the trap is detected)
5) No.

The caveat on your #1 is you can't use it in combat,  so you'd have to stabilize and survive otherwise
since the skill use takes 1 minute. 

Also they have a flat/undefined int mod, right?  So at best you could get is your level in HP back.   

So you are spending fame for the equivalent of a low grade 50 credit serum of healing that can't 
act if you are unconscious.

[Daniel H]

I interpret the "The ally does not participate in combat" clause as it gets no initiative and none of its own actions in combat. But if you use your own actions you can still benefit from the skill bonuses it provides. But yes, if you are unconscious it doesn't function as you have no standard action to use as you would any other skill.

[liamfisher]

I interpret the "The ally does not participate in combat" clause as it gets no initiative and none of its own actions in combat.  But if you use your own actions you can still benefit from the skill bonuses it provides.  But yes, if you are unconscious it doesn't function as you have no standard action to use as you would any other skill.

Right but for the cost of the fame for this, you're better off just using a serum, it's more cost efficient
and heals you more.

In either case you still have to be stable and have a standard action to use.

They can't do anything in regular or ship combat, but they CAN help repair things or fix
stuff in between. Participating in combat means doing anything during a combat round.

They are literally just a roll when you wouldn't normally be able to make one, but only
outside of a combat round.   I was told I couldn't use one for an engineer while I was 
piloting. Same as why a drone can't be your engineer as well.

[Daniel H]

The way I interpret it is a bit different from what I've read. You can't pilot and have it be your engineer, then it effectively has an initiative and actions of its own. But all its doing is just effectively giving you ranks in that skill with a set modifier.

But if you are just being the engineer, then you can make the roll with its modifier instead of your own if you want. As it's not really an ally, just a boon that gives you 3 skills that it provides the ability to access. That's why I don't think the clause "does not participate in combat" means you can't have it take it's own actions, for mechanical purposes it's just a skill modifier, not a real person.

I may be too lenient in how I read it, so I'm going to post on the thread the dev has been responding to make sure I'm not.