Find Your Path to the Stars - Paizo Announces New Roleplaying Game

Looks like Paizo still has some surprises up their sleeve. Yesterday, Creative Director James L. Sutter published a blog announcing something completely unexpected. Next August, Paizo will be releasing a brand new roleplaying game.

The Starfinder Roleplaying Game will be based upon upon the Pathfinder rules, but designed with the science fantasy sub-genre in mind. It'll be backward compatible, but ultimately a stand-alone product. The rulebook will contain numerous new races, classes, equipment, and other elements suited for the far-future version of their Golarion campaign setting. Sutter described the default setting as follows:

"Starfinder is set in Golarion's solar system, but far in a possible future - one in which the gods have mysteriously spirited Golarion away to an unknown location, and refuse to answer questions about it. In its place, the cultures of that world have evolved and spread throughout the solar system, especially to a vast space platform called Absalom Station. Gifted access to a hyperspace dimension by an ascended AI deity, the residents of the system suddenly find themselves with the ability to travel faster than light, and the race is on to explore and colonize potentially millions of worlds. But there are horrors out there in the darkness..."

The Starfinder RPG Core Rulebook will be released in 2017 at Gen Con. Furthermore, a monthly Adventure Path will support this new product, offering quality adventures along with interesting rules and setting expansions. However, Starfinder will be released under the OGL, meaning third-party support will be possible.

Strangely, Paizo has also announced they will not be hosting a full public playtest for Starfinder. The reason given is that it would be very difficult with something of this sheer scale. That being said, they will bring in key community members to give input over the next few months.

Personally, I find myself cautiously optimistic about this product. The words "science fantasy" immediately warm the cockles' of my heart and I'm curious to see what they'll do with the mechanics. However, I'm also nervous that Paizo might be going down the same troubled road that TSR did, splitting their customer base in two. I'm also worried about mechanical bloat, but that's really nothing new with d20 games.

How about you, dear readers? Are you excited for Starfinder? Are you cautious like myself? Do you think this is a Harbringer of the End Times? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

5e Musings - The Bard College of the Mountebank

Not all bards are connoisseurs of stories. There are a handful use their abilities for a much more nefarious purpose: deceiving the foolish individuals that inhabit the lands in order to gain fame, glory, or great wealth.

BONUS PROFICIENCIES
When you join the College of the Mountebank at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with disguise kits, forgery kits, and one gaming set of your choice.

BEGUILING WORDS
Also at 3rd level, you learn enhance your carefully woven deceptions with just the right word or phrase. When making an ability check to deceive or persuade a character, you may spend a bonus action to expend one of your uses of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die and adding the number rolled to your roll. You can choose to use this feature after you make your roll, but before the DM determines whether the ability check succeeds or fails.

MAGICAL DISGUISE
At 6th level, you develop a mystical knack for disguising yourself, allowing you to assume a variety of unique masks to enhance your deceptive acts. As an action, you can magically change your appearance. You decide what you look like, such as your height, weight, distinctive features, etc. However, you cannot change your size and your statistics remain the same.

This change lasts 1 hour or until you use this ability again. You revert to your true form if you are knocked unconscious or killed. You can use this ability a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all uses of this ability after you finish a long rest.

MAGICAL TRICKSTER
Starting at 14th level, you can empower your spells to make them harder to resist. When a creature within 60 feet of you makes a saving throw against an enchantment or illusion spell you've cast, you can use your reaction to expend a Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die and subtracting the number rolled from the creature's roll. You can choose to use this feature after the creature makes its roll, but before the DM determines whether the ability check succeeds or fails.

Beyond the Hylian Wall - Races

Several weeks ago, I presented a concept for a Legend of Zelda campaign using the Beyond the Wall rules. Today, I thought I'd post a VERY rough draft of the races that players can eventually use once they discover them within the world.

These races are based upon the suggested rules for non-human characters presented in Appendix II - Optional Rules on pg. 24-25 of Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures - Core Rules. Currently, I have yet to actually test any of these at the table. Feel free to offer suggestions or alternatives in the comments.

GORONS

The Gorons are a humanoid, rock-eating race that dwell in the mountains scattered throughout the land that used to be Hyrule. They are physically imposing creatures, possessing a height and size almost double that of an average human, and develop rocky growths on their backs as they age. Most Goron clans have a friendly, brotherly culture that is fire and passion. Gorons receive the following traits: 

Goron Vision - Gorons may see in any light. So long as their surroundings are not pitch black, they can see as well as humans in full daylight.  

Strength of Stone - Gorons have an endurance far beyond the other races, and therefore have hit dice of one greater die type than their class would suggest. For example, a goron rogue has d10 hit dice instead of the usual d8.  

Clumsy - Gorons are not the most graceful individuals. Gorons may never have a Dexterity score higher than 10.

KOKIRI

The Kokiri are a cautious and secretive race native to Kokiri Forest. They are a child-like people, looking like a human adolescent with slight, pointed ears. The Kokiri are generally seen as a peaceful people who hold great reverence for nature, especially the forests of Hyrule. Kokiri are a very rare sight in the world, with most humans believing them to be only a myth. Kokiri receive the following traits: 

Unaging - The Kokiri maintain their youth for their entire, long lives. Some Kokiri believe they will live forever as long as they remain in their forest home. They automatically resist all forms of non-magical disease and poison and cannot die from natural causes.  

Small Stature - Being small hurts in a fight. Kokiri may never have a Strength score higher than 10, and may only use weapons which do 1d4 or 1d6 damage. 

ZORAS

The Zora are an aquatic race who inhabit the lakes and rivers of Hyrule. They are generally covered in silver scales, giving them a pale blue sheen from a distance. Instead of hair, a large number of Zora have rear-hanging caudal extensions of their heads shaped like a dolphin's tail and large fins upon their arms and legs. They are a very territorial race, fiercely protecting the waterways they call home.

Amphibious - Zoras possess the ability to exist both within the waves and on land. Zoras can breathe both water and air.  

Child of the Water - Zoras are at their best when in the water, allowing them to show off their natural grace and skill. Zoras receive a +2 bonus to Strength and Dexterity ability score checks while fully submerged in water.  

Water Dependent - A Zora's body requires regular submersion in fresh or salt water, growing weaker when they do not. Zoras who spend more than 1 day without fully submerging themselves in water suffer a -1 penalty to all ability score checks. 

5e Musings - New Race: Goblins

Art by Steve Prescott

Goblins are a race of diminutive creatures that are incredibly destructive and vicious. Most other races view them as the humanoid equivalent to cockroaches, lurking upon the fringes of society, scavenging to survive, and being very problematic in large numbers.

Most goblins spend the entirety of extremely short lives among their own tribe, but a small few have decided to venture forth into the larger world, driven by their disturbing curiosity and thirst for power. The majority of these meet untimely ends, but a small few manage to survive, with a tiny handful falling in with strangely accepting groups of adventurers.

GOBLIN TRAITS

Ability Score Increase: Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.

Age: Goblins mature much faster than humans, reaching adulthood around age 12. They age noticeably faster and rarely live longer than 40 years.

Alignment: The majority of goblins tend to be greedy, capricious, and downright cruel. Most goblins tend to lean towards Chaotic or Neutral Evil.

Size: Goblins are roughly 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall and average 40 pounds. Your size is Small.

Speed: Goblins are small, but surprisingly quick. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision: Because of your race's tendency to inhabit dark caves and underground tunnels, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Stealthy: You gain proficiency in the Stealth skill.

Nimble Escape: Goblins are quick and sneaky creatures. You can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.

Languages: You can speak, read, and write Common and Goblin.