Starfinder FieldTest 5
Starfinder FieldTest 5
Starfinder FieldTest 5
WE’RE TAKING HEAVY FIRE! likely to lure you into a bad position than the Aeon Guard soldiers,
Welcome to the fifth installment in our series of Starfinder Field who are experts at getting out of the way of enemy fire thanks to
Tests, documents dedicated to giving insight behind our ongoing their Elusive Maneuver reaction. (Or, as Captain Concierge would
process of designing and developing a new edition of the Starfinder say, “they’re big mean cheaters.”) Thankfully, player characters in
Roleplaying Game. This Field Test presents two exciting encounters Starfinder have all kinds of tricks up their sleeves to help get in
against iconic Starfinder villains: the Corpse Fleet and Aeon Guards! an advantageous position. Don’t ignore abilities to enhance your
They’ve got a couple nasty surprises tagging along, too. Do you have mobility when you’re building your PC!
what it takes to defeat them? Well, if you’ve been paying attention Enemy Tactics: We like designing encounters with detailed
to the prior Field Tests, you’ve got some fun new ancestries and tactics for the enemies! All those nice spots to take cover aren’t
classes to build characters with. Why not give it a shot? The first just there for the PCs, after all. In each of these encounters, you’ll
encounter is built for 1st-level characters, and the second is for 5th find that the enemies have specific guidelines for how they behave
level, but this is just an informal Field Test. You’re welcome to use the in the battle. While we don’t typically want to present an exact
encounters however you like! Most importantly, we hope you have round-by-round sequence of actions (because we can’t possibly
fun with it and share your feedback along the way. anticipate what a group of players might do), enemy behavior
should make sense, and we don’t want to overburden GMs with
Encounter Design the responsibility of formulating complex tactics all the time. An
Usually, an encounter for Starfinder is going to be part of a enemy’s abilities usually contribute to these tactics. This is true for
larger adventure, so you’ll have quite a bit more context (and the glass serpent, which is going to have a great time if it manages
consequences of failure!) than the Field Test encounters presented to ambush an enemy, so it’s better for it to lie in wait than charge
here. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t make them feel like a into the fray! Of course, if you’re a cybernetic zombie, your tactics
“real” encounter in an adventure! These encounters have simple are going to be limited by your lack of imagination.
goals (protect the data center; take out the enemy squad hiding in We’ve got many more design principles than these when it
that building), and they’re relatively straightforward. Nonetheless, comes to creating fun encounters and adventures, and we’re all
we’ve tried to follow some of the design principles we’re keeping in looking forward to creating many, many more stories with all of
mind as we create material for Starfinder Second Edition. you! For now, we hope you appreciate playing these encounters
Use the Environment: You’ll notice fun interactions with the and getting a little sneak peek into some of our encounter design
environment in the data center, where you can conceal yourself philosophies. Enjoy, and remember—this is just a Field Test! Have
behind a giant hologram or take cover behind a big computer—but fun with it, play around with different combinations of enemies and
be careful, because the computer might explode when it takes fire! player characters, and feel free to try out your own enemy tactics.
The shopping mall doesn’t have any exploding computers or other Heck, you could even throw a party of Pathfinder characters into
hazards, but it’ll be tough to navigate that terrain (unless you’ve the fray and see how it goes. If you do, don’t forget to share your
got jump jets or ultralight wings!), and there are plenty of spots for experience with us!
the enemies to take cover. Those mean Aeon Guards ignore a bit
of the bonus you get for taking cover, though, so you better get in The Starfinder Team
there quick! And that brings us to… –Thurston Hillman, Managing Creative Director
Positioning Matters: Encounter mode in Starfinder should –Jenny Jarzabski, Senior Developer
feel tactical, and that includes positioning. One Step in the right –Dustin Knight, Developer
direction can make the different between having greater cover or –Mike Kimmel, Developer
no cover at all. An enemy like the cybernetic zombie is much more –Jessica Catalan, Starfinder Society Senior Developer
DATA BREACH OF THE DEAD! SEVERE 1 Coordinated Shuffle [reaction] (move) Trigger An adjacent ally moves
In this Field Test encounter, the player characters are tasked with away from the Corpse Fleet infantry; Effect The Corpse Fleet
defending a data center from Corpse Fleet raiders! The Corpse Fleet infantry follows their ally’s lead, and immediately Strides up to
is a vast, unrelentingly ruthless army of undead. Thankfully for our half their Speed. They must move in the same direction as the
1st-level PCs, this raiding party is quite small. triggering ally.
The PCs begin this encounter anywhere within 30 feet of the Speed 25 feet
center of the map. Melee [one-action] battleglove +7 (agile, analog, free-hand), Damage 1d4+2
Cover: Numerous objects throughout the data center could be bludgeoning
used as cover, including a pair of pillars to the north, the large Ranged [one-action] autotarget rifle +9 (analog, automatic, range increment
computers in the area, or even the walls if a creature ducks through 40 feet), Damage 1d6 piercing
a door. Ranged [one-action] arc pistol +9 (arc, range increment 30 feet, tech),
Hologram: The hologram in the middle of the data center is Damage 1d4 electricity
difficult to see through. Creatures standing in it become concealed, Fusillade The Corpse Fleet infantry’s ranged Strikes deal 1d4 extra
and creatures outside it become concealed to creatures within it precision damage when the Corpse Fleet infantry is within reach
(or those looking through it from opposite sides). If the monitor of at least one other Corpse Fleet infantry wielding a ranged
generating the hologram (labeled “M” on the map) is destroyed, weapon.
the hologram vanishes, and creatures within 15 feet of the monitor
take 2d4 electricity damage (with a DC 12 basic Reflex save) as the
monitor short circuits. The monitor has Hardness 2, 10 Hit Points,
and weakness 3 to electricity.
Creatures: Two Corpse Fleet infantry arrive through the wide
corridor to the north just as their cybernetic zombie ally stumbles
out of the corridor to the northwest—who said flanking was dead?
This pair of rank and file Corpse Fleet troopers fight as a unit,
grouping up to take advantage of their Coordinated Shuffle and
fusillade abilities. They try to take cover behind the pillars and
draw fire away from their cybernetic zombie ally, whose job is to
destroy computers. The Corpse Fleet infantry are real troopers,
and they do their best to kill as many of their enemies as possible.
However, if only one of them is left standing, the other retreats
when they’re reduced to 10 or fewer Hit Points.
The Corpse Fleet brought along their old pal Grex, an unfortunate
trooper whose cybernetic augmentations are all that’s keeping him
going these days. He’s a cybernetic zombie now, and he mindlessly
follows the orders of his former Corpse Fleet companions. Right
now, those orders are “get in there, kill people, and break the
big computers!” Grex uses one action each round to Strike the
big hologram-projecting monitor in the middle of the room; it’s
undoubtedly the most computer-like object he’s ever seen. Poor
Grex fights until destroyed, possibly causing a bit more damage
with Self Destruct on his way out.
2
DATA BREACH OF THE DEAD!
STARFINDER FLIP-MAT: DATA CENTER
C = CORPSE FLEET INFANTRY
M = MONITOR
C C Z = ZOMBIE
1 SQUARE = 5 FEET 3
CYBERNETIC ZOMBIE CREATURE 1 FIELD NOTES: THE “RANGED META”
MEDIUM MINDLESS TECH UNDEAD ZOMBIE Duking it out in melee is fine when
Perception +3; darkvision everyone is running around with swords
Skills Athletics +5 bigger than their bodies, but in Starfinder Second
Str +2, Dex +4, Con +3, Int –5, Wis +0, Cha –2 Edition, we’re working hard to create a “ranged”
AC 15; Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3 playstyle—the assumption is that most combatants
HP 40, void healing; Immunities bleed, death effects, disease, rely on ranged abilities and Strikes. Lots of encounters
mental, paralyzed, poison, unconscious; Weaknesses electricity in Starfinder 2E are going to feature flying creatures
10, slashing 10 (and player characters!), big distances, sniper rifles,
Cybernetics The zombie’s cybernetics can be disabled for 1 hour grenade launchers, and more. This is a low-level
with a successful DC 15 check to Disable a Device. The zombie’s encounter, so it doesn’t have all those things, but
cybernetics are disabled for 1 hour if it takes any electricity you’ll notice that even our basic zombie enemy has
damage. A cybernetic zombie with disabled cybernetics is a laser gun, and the Corpse Fleet is much better at
slowed 1 and can’t use reactions (including Self Destruct). shooting than it is at stabbing! Of course, there’s still
Self Destruct [reaction] Requirements A cybernetic zombie must use room for melee characters in a ranged meta, just as
this reaction when the trigger is met unless its cybernetics are there’s room for an archer in a fantasy game. Wouldn’t
disabled; Trigger The cybernetic zombie is reduced to 0 Hit Points; it be a shame if a solarian got all up in those creepy
Effect The zombie’s damaged cybernetics explode, dealing 1d8 Corpse Fleet faces and did some serious damage?
electricity damage in a 10‑foot radius (DC 15 basic Reflex save).
This ability destroys any technological items on the zombie.
Speed 20 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +7, Damage 1d6+2 bludgeoning
Ranged [one-action] integrated commercial laser pistol +9 (fire, range
increment 40 feet), Damage 1d6+2 fire Ranged [one-action] laser pistol +14 (range increment 40 feet, tech), Damage
1d6+3 fire plus 1d6 void
Development: Once the PCs defeat the undead, congratulations, Decimate the Living The Corpse Fleet officer has trained to
they’ve stopped the data breach! Unless, that is, they’d like to go decimate the living. Their Strikes deal an additional 1d6 void
another round? Feel free to heal up the PCs (raise dead is free for damage (already included above).
a limited time only), maybe swap character sheets, and go again. Lead Salvo [two-actions] The Corpse Fleet officer leads an attack against
Think you can take on a few more zombies next time? an enemy, ordering their subordinates to join the salvo. They
Or maybe you’d all like to die at the hands of a Corpse Fleet make a ranged or melee Strike against a creature. Each undead
Officer? (See below… if you dare!) within 100 feet of the Corpse Fleet officer can immediately use
a reaction to expend ammunition from a ranged weapon they’re
CORPSE FLEET OFFICER CREATURE 4 wielding equal to that weapon’s expend. For each undead that
MEDIUM SKELETON UNDEAD UNHOLY does, the damage dealt by Lead Salvo increases by 1d4, to a
Perception +8; darkvision maximum of 4d4 additional damage.
Languages Common, Eoxian, Necril Unrelenting Flurry [one-action] (flourish) With a menacing laugh, the Corpse
Skills Acrobatics +12, Athletics +12, Corpse Fleet Lore +6, Deception Fleet officer unleashes a flurry of attacks. They make one ranged
+9, Intimidation +9, Piloting +12 Strike and one melee Strike in any order. These Strikes increase
Str +4, Dex +4, Con +3, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha +3 the multiple attack penalty normally, except they don’t increase
Items commercial laser pistol with 2 commercial batteries (10 until after both attacks are made.
charges each), commercial phase cutlass with 1 commercial
battery (10 charges), commercial defiance armor
AC 21; Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +8
HP 55, void healing; Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed,
poison, unconscious; Resistances cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5,
piercing 5, slashing 5
Bolstering Aura (aura) 20 feet. The mere presence of a Corpse Fleet
officer bolsters the undead under their command. Undead that
begin their turn in the aura (including the officer) gain a number
of temporary Hit Points equal to twice their level, to a maximum
of 8. Undead who gain this benefit then become temporarily
immune to bolstering aura for 1 hour.
Reactive Strike [reaction]
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] phase cutlass +14 (analog, modular [slashing or void],
powered), Damage 1d6+7 slashing plus 1d6 void
4
FIRE TEAM FIASCO MODERATE 5 enemies approaching from the west. They rely on Taking
Cover and Stepping in and out of safe firing positions, using
Haven’t you heard—we’re in the middle of an interstellar Coordinated Fire and Show No Mercy to focus on taking down
war! All right, soldiers (and envoys, mystics, operatives, one target at a time. When their glass serpent ally joins the
solarians, and witchwarpers), time for your briefing. There’s fray, they take advantage of the chaos to make multiple ranged
a squad of Aeon Guard soldiers lying low in that ruined Strikes without Taking Cover for a round or two, hoping the
shopping mall to the east. We’ve heard they’ve got some serpent draws the enemy fire. The soldiers fight to the death.
kind of nasty beast with them, but nobody’s managed to Never surrender!
survive in there long enough to get visual confirmation. So, The soldiers’ glass serpent ally stays hidden (it’s a great big
that’ll be your job! Get in there, eliminate the opposition, cheater and it’s naturally invisible) until an enemy comes within
and make it out alive! 20 feet, then it uses Ambush and goes in for the kill. The serpent
moves a bit closer to the PCs if three rounds go by without
anyone passing close enough, and it tries to grab someone who’s
The PCs begin this encounter on the western side of the map. isolated from the rest of the group—perhaps a tasty mystic or
Creatures: This encounter tasks the PCs with taking out a witchwarper who’s less likely to beat the serpent in a wrestling
pair of Aeon Guard soldiers, but they get a bit more than they match than a soldier or solarian. The serpent flees if the Aeon
bargained for when they learn the soldiers have a fearsome Guards perish and it’s reduced to fewer than 20 Hit Points. Time
glass serpent ally. It’s hungry, too! to find an easier meal.
The soldiers are ready for trouble, and they’ve taken up
defensive positions where they’ll have good line of sight to GLASS SERPENT CREATURE 5
HUGE BEAST COSMIC
Perception +14; darkvision
Skills Acrobatics + 13, Athletics +14, Stealth +15
Str +5, Dex +4, Con +2, Int –4, Wis +1, Cha +0
AC 21; Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +7
HP 85
Ravenous Invisibility The glass serpent is naturally invisible.
When a glass serpent takes a hostile action of any kind, it
is hidden instead of undetected until the start of its next
turn, as parts of its body become momentarily tangible. A
glass serpent that has swallowed a creature becomes visible
for the next day as its meal is digested. If the swallowed
creature escapes or is otherwise removed, the glass serpent
immediately returns to being invisible.
Ambush [reaction] Trigger A creature passes within 20 feet of the glass
serpent and has not detected the glass serpent; Effect The
glass serpent lunges out of hiding. It Strides directly toward
the triggering creature and makes a jaws Strike against it. The
target is off-guard to this attack.
Speed 45 feet, climb 30 feet, swim 30 feet
Melee [one-action] jaws +18 (reach 15 feet), Damage 2d12+8
piercing plus Grab
Melee [one-action] tail whip +18 (agile, reach 15 feet), Damage
2d10+8 bludgeoning
Concealing Coil [one-action] Requirements The glass serpent’s
last action was a successful Strike with a tail
whip; Effect The creature the glass serpent
hit is concealed from all creatures
except the glass serpent until
that creature moves out of the
glass serpent’s reach or until the
start of the glass serpent’s
next turn.
Swallow Whole [one-action] Large,
2d8+6 bludgeoning,
Glass Serpent Rupture 12
5
FIRE TEAM FIASCO
STARFINDER FLIP-MAT: SHOPPING MALL
A = AEON GUARD SOLDIER
G = GLASS SERPENT
PCS
START
HERE G
1 SQUARE = 5 FEET 6
AEON GUARD SOLDIERS (2) CREATURE 3
MEDIUM HUMAN HUMANOID
Perception +6; darkvision
Languages Azlanti, Common, Vesk
Skills Acrobatics +9, Athletics +7, Intimidation +6, Stealth +9,
Warfare Lore +7
Str +2, Dex +4, Con +2, Int +2, Wis +1, Cha +1
Items commercial aeon guard armor (as commercial shotalashu
armor; darkvision visor), commercial aeon rifle (with 2 tactical
batteries; consumed aeon stone), commercial pulse gauntlet
AC 20; Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +6
HP 40
Elusive Maneuver [reaction] Trigger The soldier takes damage from a
ranged Strike or spell; Effect The soldier Steps or Takes Cover.
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] pulse gauntlet +9 (agile, critical [brawling], free-hand,
powered, tech), Damage 1d4+2 sonic
Ranged [one-action] aeon rifle +11 (aeon, caster, range increment 60 feet),
Damage 1d8 fire
Coordinated Fire After the soldier attempts a Strike against a
target (regardless of success or failure), the next Strike one of
the soldier’s allies makes against the same target gains a +2
circumstance bonus to the attack roll. If a Strike with a bonus
from coordinated fire hits, the target becomes suppressed until
the end of the attacking ally’s next turn.
Sharpshooter When the soldier makes a ranged Strike against a
target with an AC bonus from lesser or standard cover, they
reduce the AC bonus by 1 for that Strike.
Show No Mercy The soldier gains a +2 circumstance bonus to
damage rolls against suppressed targets.
7
WEAPON TRAITS
We’ve got some nifty new weapon traits in Starfinder Second Caster: This weapon can be powered by casting a spell
Edition. Here are the ones used in this Field Test, but this list isn’t (including a cantrip) with two or more actions. If you do, resolve
exhaustive. There’s lots more fun on the way! the spell normally. Once the spell is cast, if it had the acid, cold, fire,
Aeon: You can fit one aeon stone or spell gem into this weapon electricity, spirit, sonic, vitality, or void trait, the
as a single action with the interact trait. While you weapon deals damage of that type instead
possess the weapon with an aeon stone in it, you of its usual damage until the end of your
gain all the benefits of the aeon stone as if it were next turn or until you cast another spell.
orbiting your head. While the weapon has a spell If the spell deals more than one type
gem attached, you gain a number of bonus of damage, choose one when you fire
battery charges equal to the spell gem’s item the weapon. If the weapon has the aeon
level × 5. These charges regenerate during Pulsecaster Pistol trait and a spell gem installed, you can use one of the
your daily preparations. In addition, you previously listed traits if the spell of the spell gem
can use the spell gem while wielding the slotted in the weapon has that trait, and this does not require you
weapon, though using the gem in this manner still destroys it. to cast the spell and is a constant effect.
Analog: This weapon eschews advanced electronics, computers Critical: This weapon uses the critical weapon specialization of
systems, and electric power sources, but was manufactured and the listed weapon type rather than its own.
calibrated using advanced technology. This weapon is immune to Modular: The weapon has multiple configurations that you
abilities that target technology. Weapon runes (GM Core 236) don’t can switch between using an Interact action. Typically, switching
function on this weapon unless this weapon also has the archaic between configurations of a modular weapon allows it to deal
trait. different types of damage (listed in the trait, such as “modular B, P,
Arc: The attack arcs to the closest enemy creature within 10 feet or S”), though it’s possible for a modular weapon’s description to list
of the initial target. If the secondary target’s AC is lower than your more complicated configurations, including additional traits (such
attack roll result, you deal electricity damage to that creature equal as “modular B (forceful) or S (finesse)”).
to 1 per weapon damage die. Powered: This melee weapon uses a
Automatic: In addition to battery. You can activate or
a normal Strike, you can fire deactivate a powered weapon
this weapon using the Auto-Fire with an Interact action or as
action. part of drawing or stowing it. This
Auto-Fire [two-actions] (area, attack) You weapon comes with a commercial
hit each creature in a cone with a range battery installed and uses 1 charge per
equal to half the weapon’s range increment day (rather than 1 charge per attack). If you try to attack with
Aeon Rifle
without making an attack roll. Any creatures a powered weapon that’s out of charges or is deactivated, it
in the area take damage equal to the weapon’s functions as an improvised weapon.
damage (basic Reflex save against your class DC plus the tracking Tech: Weapons with the tech trait incorporate electronics,
value of the weapon). This damage is area damage. Creatures that computer systems, and power sources. Sometimes the weapons
critically fail this save are subject to effects that occur on a critical use such little energy that they can rely on integrated power
hit with this weapon, including the weapon’s critical specialization sources (such as melee weapons that don’t have a magazine) while
effect. Auto-Fire has an expend equal to the number of targets in others drain batteries with attacks. Weapon runes (see Pathfinder)
the area × 2. do not function on this weapon.
8
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Developers • Bill Fischer, Michelle Y. Kim, Mike Kimmel, Dustin Knight, and Landon Winkler Starfinder Field Test #5 © 2024 Paizo Inc. Authors:
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