Pathfinder Classes in Starfinder

[Xuldarinar]

As the title really. I wanted to see what people had to say about this matter, porting and using pathfinder classes in starfinder.


1. How well do the classes hold up? There are conversion rules, but that doesn't mean all the classes work well under the new system, especially in relation to the classes that were built under it. Which ones would work just fine with the listed conversions, and which ones do you think would need an overhaul to work?

2. What about prestige classes? Are they still worth note? Were they ever? Same goes for VMC.

3. Spellcasters, spell types, and 7-9. Arcane, divine, and psychic spellcasting are not terms any more and while the conversion rules do address the higher level spell casting.. How well would they hold up really? Would it be better to drop the Spells per day and spells known to the Mystic/Technomancer level and just provide casters with 3/4 Base attack bonus advancement, or keep the old potential and make 'old school' spellcasters unique in their 1/2 BaB?

[Wartex1]

Starfinder works best with no Pathfinder classes.

And the semi-official conversion (Starfarer's Compendium) is hugely unbalanced as well. Don't bother with trying conversions for the most part, and focus on concepts. Starfinder is its own system, and honestly Paizo should have cut all ties completely between the two.

[Xuldarinar]

Starfinder works best with no Pathfinder classes.

And the semi-official conversion (Starfarer's Compendium) is hugely unbalanced as well. Don't bother with trying conversions for the most part, and focus on concepts. Starfinder is its own system, and honestly Paizo should have cut all ties completely between the two.

Thank you for your swift response first of all. Now, two things:

1. Why are you even looking at the Starfarer's Companion..? There are official conversion rules in the back of Starfinder's Official Rulebook, so why even evoke a 3rd party mess?

Edit: I've just looked it over.. A conversion that gives cleric a Full attack bonus progression, Heavy Armor, AND Full casting... What the..? :smallconfused:

Edit 2: That was an error they thankfully fixed.

2. What about concepts that are not able to be (easily) represented using what content there is? The sorcerer or the monk, for example.

[Psyren]

Didn't the Alien Archive just drop? I would wait until the monsters have time to percolate through the community before trying to port in classes from other systems. Let's better understand what the system considers "CR 15" for instance.

I would probably dump all the 9th-level casters at a minimum though, and wherever a spell is found in both editions use the Starfinder one. Also, I would only allow PF spells on a case-by-case basis, and even then I would reconfigure them to align more with SF design sensibilities. Starfinder's baseline magic rules for each school would apply too.

Having said that I would think that many of the 6th-level casters and below can be brought over.

[Wartex1]

Thank you for your swift response first of all. Now, two things:

1. Why are you even looking at the Starfarer's Companion..? There are official conversion rules in the back of Starfinder's Official Rulebook, so why even evoke a 3rd party mess?

Edit: I've just looked it over.. A conversion that gives cleric a Full attack bonus progression, Heavy Armor, AND Full casting... What the..? :smallconfused:

2. What about concepts that are not able to be (easily) represented using what content there is? The sorcerer or the monk, for example.

I brought it up because it was made by Owen K C Stephens, the creative director of Starfinder, so a lot of people point to it as pseudo 1st party.

For Monk, the Solarian fills the same conceptual role, and battlegloves fill the "unarmed strike" portion of the deal.

As for a Sorcerer, I think the official answer is supposed to be the Phrenic Adept, but I think switching Mystic from Wis to Cha hits the same mark.

[Xuldarinar]

I brought it up because it was made by Owen K C Stephens, the creative director of Starfinder, so a lot of people point to it as pseudo 1st party.

For Monk, the Solarian fills the same conceptual role, and battlegloves fill the "unarmed strike" portion of the deal.

As for a Sorcerer, I think the official answer is supposed to be the Phrenic Adept, but I think switching Mystic from Wis to Cha hits the same mark.

Owen K C Stevens may be credited but clearly he did not read it. For instance, Tiefling have an option for a +1 racial bonus to armor while wearing armor: KAC or EAC? We don't know. Something under Oath of Protection for paladins provides a dodge bonus to AC: Not only does it not specify the type of AC but also Dodge bonus is NOT a valid bonus type anymore, it would be an insight bonus. Sacred bonuses also appear, which do not exist in Starfinder. Same goes for shield bonus, which should be enchantment. Escape Artist is evoked, which is no longer a skill. I could go on. This is not pseudo-1st party.
Also: Keiji Inafune had a hand in making Mighty No. 9, I will never refer to it as a Megaman game.

On your other notes, while those don't quite satisfy me, you are not wrong. Those would work.
Least the Uskdruid still works under Starfinder almost perfectly, without any need to tweek things, unless I am mistaken: Priest (of Zon-Kuthon)/Mystic (Xenodruid).

[Psyren]

The Tiefling's +1 bonus would be +1 KAC and +0 EAC - generally, for converting monsters EAC is one less than KAC unless it is specifically touch AC.

[Xuldarinar]

The Tiefling's +1 bonus would be +1 KAC and +0 EAC - generally, for converting monsters EAC is one less than KAC unless it is specifically touch AC.

You are right, but here is the thing: You should not have to run something published for and converted to a system through conversion rules. Was it really that much work to throw on an extra character in some places? And that is far less glaring than the other errors.

[Wartex1]

Owen K C Stevens may be credited but clearly he did not read it. For instance, Tiefling have an option for a +1 racial bonus to armor while wearing armor: KAC or EAC? We don't know. Something under Oath of Protection for paladins provides a dodge bonus to AC: Not only does it not specify the type of AC but also Dodge bonus is NOT a valid bonus type anymore, it would be an insight bonus. Sacred bonuses also appear, which do not exist in Starfinder. Same goes for shield bonus, which should be enchantment. Escape Artist is evoked, which is no longer a skill. I could go on. This is not pseudo-1st party.
Also: Keiji Inafune had a hand in making Mighty No. 9, I will never refer to it as a Megaman game.

On your other notes, while those don't quite satisfy me, you are not wrong. Those would work.
Least the Uskdruid still works under Starfinder almost perfectly, without any need to tweek things, unless I am mistaken: Priest (of Zon-Kuthon)/Mystic (Xenodruid).

I never said it was quality or pseudo-1st party, but that a lot of people have been considering it that because its a RGG product (which Owen runs).

But yeah, the content is super unbalanced, most of it doesn't actually work, and it just feels bad all around. The only thing I really liked about the book was the shields, since in Starfinder there aren't really any options for shields except the temporary energy shield armor upgrade.

[Geddy2112]

For some classes, there is no reason to port them over because they have the same thing in starfinder.

Soldier and Operative are just Fighter and Rogue with a different name. Envoy is not a perfect match to bard, but comes pretty close.

[Psyren]

I'm willing to bet there will be more detailed conversion guides later for specific classes. Or at the very least, a forum post will work on some and they'll get popular. Either way, what's the hurry? Just play the core classes until then.

[Xuldarinar]

I never said it was quality or pseudo-1st party, but that a lot of people have been considering it that because its a RGG product (which Owen runs).

But yeah, the content is super unbalanced, most of it doesn't actually work, and it just feels bad all around. The only thing I really liked about the book was the shields, since in Starfinder there aren't really any options for shields except the temporary energy shield armor upgrade.

I, just some random guy, looked over this book and could of fixed most of their problems by replacing words. Minor edits of things that should of been caught. The cleric class, and the other class conversions... really is all that could be done for some of these. Or at least drop the cleric back to a 3/4 progression..

The shields are nice and we get some decent artwork out of it. I'll say on the shields though, Why do they give a circumstance bonus to AC, when they conversion rules dictate they aught to give an Enchantment bonus to KAC and/or EAC?



[B]Back on topic:

Theres no hurry just its something I was musing about. I've a campaign concept that hinges upon the usage of Pathfinder classes (to start anyways) though.

[Psyren]

Back on topic:

Theres no hurry just its something I was musing about. I've a campaign concept that hinges upon the usage of Pathfinder classes (to start anyways) though.

Which classes specifically? Because my strong recommendation would be, again, to throw out any caster above 6th-level spells entirely. You can approximate such classes via other means in ways that are less likely to be disruptive (e.g. replacing Druid with Hunter.)

[Xuldarinar]

Which classes specifically? Because my strong recommendation would be, again, to throw out any caster above 6th-level spells entirely. You can approximate such classes via other means in ways that are less likely to be disruptive (e.g. replacing Druid with Hunter.)

Well, that I am not sure. I was most curious about the Sorcerer, and other such full casters even but that aside, but your recommendation is to throw that out so it makes it moot, though we could always look to its related classes; The Arcanist (thrown out), the Bloodrager (which means using a 4 level caster in place of a 9), the Oracle (thrown out).. Or just allow the Dragon Disciple and see how that works..


How about the medium and the kineticist? Paladin and antipaladin (I know how to emulate it under the system but still)?

[Psyren]

Medium would be totally fine and in fact I would recommend that and/or Occultist to replace the Wizard and Sorcerer. The fact that they're psychic is irrelevant because all magic is untyped in Starfinder and lacks components anyway, so you can think of it as all being psychic if you want.

Kineticist I can't really recommend as it's a confusing mess even in its native game, plus you run into headaches dealing with the various blasts and AC types, and you'd have to evaluate every talent and infusion individually to make sure it's in line with SF's power level, etc.

The Paladins should be fine crunchwise. Thematically though I'm not sure if classes that can "fall" should really be a thing in SF. There are guidelines in the CRB for dealing with the mount.

[Wartex1]

Paladins and more of the thematic classes are getting archetype equivalents in the Pact Worlds book.

[CharonsHelper]

Well, that I am not sure. I was most curious about the Sorcerer, and other such full casters even but that aside, but your recommendation is to throw that out so it makes it moot, though we could always look to its related classes; The Arcanist (thrown out), the Bloodrager (which means using a 4 level caster in place of a 9), the Oracle (thrown out).. Or just allow the Dragon Disciple and see how that works..

How about the Magus? They even have a spontaneous archetype. I haven't played a Starfinder game yet, but using spells through a sci-fi weapon gets all sorts of coolness points.