Phhase
2023-05-24, 03:23 AM
So I'm building my first character in Starfinder (as someone familiar with Pathfinder and Pathfinder 2). I've decided to make a master hacker-style character and I've got a few questions about equipment and hacking.
The character, which I'm tentatively calling Rohammer, is gonna be a Medium SRO, which comes with the benefits of a built-in Datajack and Comm Unit. The campaign is going to be an investigative-style one with us as lawful officers, but I'm still free to choose a theme besides, which I also wouldn't mind input for (I'm thinking Idol, Law Officer, Paranormal Investigator, or maybe Roboticist).
Firstly, I'm having some trouble choosing between Operative and Mechanic. Operative gets tons of skills and skill points, sniper weapons, and some great Exploits and Specializations that can get me things like Cloaking Field, Elusive Hacker, or Glimpse the Truth at level 5.
On the other hand, Exocortex Mechanic gets longarms and several interesting utilities, like Combat Tracking, and especially Sample Scanner. Plus it lets me access personal drone mods, eventually.
I suppose if I wanted to use snipers I could use my SRO cybernetic aug slot to take Weapon Learning Subroutine.
But there's still a few questions I have.
The Mechanic Custom Rig states that it can be integrated into one's body in the brain, eyes, or arm slot. It also states that it can be combined with a datajack. Since an SRO's integrated datajack doesn't count against cybernetic augment limits, would a custom rig integrated with it also not cost a slot (presumably the SRO was designed for this), or otherwise?
There's also one itching question I have about hacking. The Computers skill says that comm brodcasts can be user interfaces. Does this mean I can use a comm unit with my Custom Rig in order to hack a comm-connected device at distance, as long as I can properly ping it? Further, since using a Datajack removes the need for an interface after a fashion, does having one essentially mean you can plug into any information-carrying network wire or such and follow it to hack its source/destination? And lastly, the Computers skill states that using a hacking kit, one can hack a machine over a network or importantly, an infosphere (which basically means internet, I think).
If all that's true, and wireless connection and hacking works essentially the same as one would expect, then what's the point of the Remote Hack mechanic feature? Does it just allow one to hack otherwise closed systems from distance using some sort of...short-wave interference or, funnily, rohammer* exploit?
And last, if I'm going to multiclass, how do I calculate aggregate saves and base attack bonus? Also, are ability increases and feats based on total level or class level?
*For reference, Rohammer is a complex hardware/software exploit that allows one to execute arbitrary code by using the electromagnetic fields created on a machine's circuit board to flip nearby bits. Its nigh-unstoppability is matched only by its impracticality and finickiness.
Anyways, any insights would be great.
The character, which I'm tentatively calling Rohammer, is gonna be a Medium SRO, which comes with the benefits of a built-in Datajack and Comm Unit. The campaign is going to be an investigative-style one with us as lawful officers, but I'm still free to choose a theme besides, which I also wouldn't mind input for (I'm thinking Idol, Law Officer, Paranormal Investigator, or maybe Roboticist).
Firstly, I'm having some trouble choosing between Operative and Mechanic. Operative gets tons of skills and skill points, sniper weapons, and some great Exploits and Specializations that can get me things like Cloaking Field, Elusive Hacker, or Glimpse the Truth at level 5.
On the other hand, Exocortex Mechanic gets longarms and several interesting utilities, like Combat Tracking, and especially Sample Scanner. Plus it lets me access personal drone mods, eventually.
I suppose if I wanted to use snipers I could use my SRO cybernetic aug slot to take Weapon Learning Subroutine.
But there's still a few questions I have.
The Mechanic Custom Rig states that it can be integrated into one's body in the brain, eyes, or arm slot. It also states that it can be combined with a datajack. Since an SRO's integrated datajack doesn't count against cybernetic augment limits, would a custom rig integrated with it also not cost a slot (presumably the SRO was designed for this), or otherwise?
There's also one itching question I have about hacking. The Computers skill says that comm brodcasts can be user interfaces. Does this mean I can use a comm unit with my Custom Rig in order to hack a comm-connected device at distance, as long as I can properly ping it? Further, since using a Datajack removes the need for an interface after a fashion, does having one essentially mean you can plug into any information-carrying network wire or such and follow it to hack its source/destination? And lastly, the Computers skill states that using a hacking kit, one can hack a machine over a network or importantly, an infosphere (which basically means internet, I think).
If all that's true, and wireless connection and hacking works essentially the same as one would expect, then what's the point of the Remote Hack mechanic feature? Does it just allow one to hack otherwise closed systems from distance using some sort of...short-wave interference or, funnily, rohammer* exploit?
And last, if I'm going to multiclass, how do I calculate aggregate saves and base attack bonus? Also, are ability increases and feats based on total level or class level?
*For reference, Rohammer is a complex hardware/software exploit that allows one to execute arbitrary code by using the electromagnetic fields created on a machine's circuit board to flip nearby bits. Its nigh-unstoppability is matched only by its impracticality and finickiness.
Anyways, any insights would be great.