The Void doesn't reward recklessness. Whether you're a medic treating plasma burns in a decompressing cargo bay, an engineer bypassing security protocols while under fire, or a guild operative attempting to grapple a target after already expending two attacks, success often matters more than excellence. The difference between "good enough" and "catastrophic failure" can be measured in lives lost or contracts voided.
Assurance represents the philosophy of the veteran—those who've survived long enough to understand that consistency beats brilliance when the alternative is vacuum exposure. It's the medic who can stabilize a patient even while suffering from radiation sickness. The infiltrator who can squeeze through maintenance ducts regardless of their physical condition. The enforcer who can reliably trip weaker opponents without risking a critical fumble that leaves them vulnerable.
In Starfinder 2e's tactical ecosystem, the Assurance feat represents a fundamental shift in risk management—trading variable outcomes for guaranteed results. This General/Skill feat allows characters to forgo rolling skill checks entirely, instead receiving an automatic result equal to 10 + their proficiency bonus (level + proficiency rank modifier). No ability modifiers, item bonuses, status effects, or penalties apply—just pure, predictable competence.
While superficially resembling Pathfinder 1e's "Take 10" mechanic, Assurance operates under fundamentally different mathematics. Understanding when this feat delivers value versus when it becomes a trap option requires system mastery of Pathfinder 2e's DC scaling, proficiency progression, and action economy.
Assurance Feat 1
Through sheer mental discipline, a minor psycho-reactive feedback loop, or a finely tuned neural processor, you can bypass the unpredictable variables of chance. You can always rely on a baseline level of performance. Choose a skill you’re trained in. You can forgo rolling a skill check for that skill to receive instead a result of 10 + your proficiency bonus (do not apply any other bonuses, penalties, or modifiers).
Special You can select this feat multiple times. Each time, choose a different skill and gain the benefits for that skill.
Assured Adventure Hooks
These adventure hooks are designed to leverage the unique nature of the "Assurance" feat, turning a mechanical bonus into a key plot device within the Starfall Galaxy.
1. The Critical Calibration
The Hook: A rogue AI has seized control of a starship's primary systems, but it can only be overridden through a series of timed, exact manual inputs. Each override sequence must be performed perfectly on a different station. A normal character would have to risk a critical failure on a roll, which would trigger a devastating security protocol. The character with Assurance, however, can guarantee a successful outcome on a specific skill check (such as Engineering, Computers, or even Piloting), making them the only one capable of performing the override
Why it Appeals to the PC: This hook turns the character's feat into a literal key to victory. They are the only one who can be trusted to complete the task without fail, making them the anchor of the mission. The other party members must handle the chaotic environment—defending against drones, fighting the AI's physical manifestations—while the PC performs their delicate, guaranteed-success task.
2. The Bio-Commune's Trial
The Hook: The Khi'Myr Bio-Commune has become aware of the PC's ability. A researcher from the commune believes the PC's "Assurance" is a nascent, involuntary form of their own collective consciousness—a way for an individual to tap into a universal, empathetic understanding of a task. The commune offers the party a lucrative contract: to test a series of their new bio-engineered devices, which require perfect, repeatable actions to calibrate. A single failure could cause a painful feedback loop. The PC is the only one who can safely perform these tests using their Assurance in a specific skill.
Why it Appeals to the PC: This adventure directly addresses the source of the feat, tying it to the biological and psychic themes of the Khi'Myr. The PC can explore the nature of their ability, but they must weigh the benefits of the commune's technology against the ethical implications of their research. It's an intellectual challenge that puts their unique talent at the center of a moral debate.
3. The Unflinching Interrogator
The Hook: A high-value prisoner has been captured, but they are immune to traditional interrogation techniques. They are masters of manipulating emotional responses, lying with such skill that they can even trick the most seasoned interrogator. However, a detective from a major city or a corporate security chief hires the party to use a specific type of interrogation that relies not on emotional tells, but on a series of precise, cold-logic questions and deductions. The PC, using their Assurance in a social skill like Deception or Intimidation, is the only one who can consistently ask the perfect question or maintain a flawless poker face, guaranteeing a successful check to chip away at the prisoner's lies.
Why it Appeals to the PC: This hook highlights the non-combat applications of the feat and positions the PC as the ultimate truth-finder. It's a cerebral challenge where the party must utilize their combat and exploration skills to position the PC, but the final confrontation is a battle of wits that only the PC can win, with guaranteed success.
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