Classes in Starfall

 Adapted from Starfinder 2e Player Core

Just as your character’s ancestry plays a key role in expressing their identity and worldview, their class indicates the training they have and will improve upon as an adventurer. Choosing your character’s class is perhaps the most important decision you will make for them. Groups of players often create characters whose skills and abilities complement each other mechanically—for example, ensuring your party includes a healer, a combat-oriented character, a stealthy character, and someone with command over magic—so you may wish to discuss options with your group before deciding!

Classes

The rules within each class allow you to bring a wealth of character concepts to life. Perhaps you want to create an observant but impulsive mystic who can see the pain in someone’s eyes but can’t follow the instructions to bake them a cake. Or perhaps you want your character to be a bullet-spewing veteran who shrugs off bullets when she activates her force field. Maybe they’ll be a cool-headed witchwarper whose far-off gaze seems to look past our reality into potential timelines long lost. The choices you make for your character within their class—such as a mystic’s choice of connection, a soldier’s choice of fighting style, or a witchwarper’s anchor—bring these visions to life within the context of the rules and the world. The entries on the pages that follow describe six classes in Starfinder. Each entry contains the information you need to play a character of that class, as well as how to develop them from their humble beginnings at 1st level to the dizzying heights of power at 20th level. In addition to the class entries, you might need to reference the following sections, which detail additional character options and how to advance your character in level. 

Leveling Up Make your character stronger when you get enough Experience Points to reach a new level.

Archetypes Thematic options that allow you to further customize your character’s abilities. Though these rules are not recommended for beginners, the archetypes in this book allow you to gain abilities from other classes starting at 2nd level. 

Reading Class Entries

Every class entry includes information about typical members of the class, plus suggestions for roleplaying characters of that class and playing these characters in the game’s various modes. Each class provides your character with an attribute boost to a key attribute; a number of Hit Points they receive at each level; proficiency ranks for various abilities, equipment, and skills; special abilities from their class features; and more. Your character’s class entry also provides the information needed when they gain levels, so it will be a vital reference throughout the course of your campaign. 

Playing the Class

The first section of each class describes the interests and tendencies typical of that class, as well as information on how others view them. This can help inspire you as you determine your character’s actions and define their personality, but you aren’t obligated to play your character as this section describes. 

Key Attribute

This is the attribute modifier that a member of your class cares about the most. Many of your most useful and powerful abilities are tied to this attribute in some way. For instance, this is the attribute modifier you’ll use to determine the Difficulty Class (DC) associated with your character’s class features and feats. This is called your class DC. If your character is a member of a spellcasting class, this key attribute is used to calculate spell DCs and similar values. Most classes are associated with one key attribute modifier, but some allow you to choose from two options. For instance, if you’re a witchwarper, you can choose either Intelligence or Charisma as your key attribute. Additionally, when you choose your character’s class, they gain an attribute boost to their key attribute modifier, increasing that attribute modifier by 1. 

Hit Points

This section tells you how many Hit Points your character gains from their class at each level. To determine your character’s starting Hit Points, add together the Hit Points they got when you chose their ancestry and the amount listed in this entry, which equals your Constitution modifier plus a fixed number. Classes that intend for characters to rush into battle with weapons raised gain a higher number of Hit Points each level, while characters who cast spells or engage in trickery gain fewer. Each time your character gains a level, they increase their maximum Hit Points by the amount listed in this entry. For more about calculating your character’s Constitution modifier and determining their Hit Points, 

Initial Proficencies

When you choose your character’s class, they gain a set of initial proficiencies. Proficiencies measure your character’s ability to perform tasks, use abilities, and succeed at checks. Proficiency ranks range from trained to legendary. For instance, a character trained with a battle ribbon can use it effectively to dispatch foes, while a character who is legendary with the weapon might be able to spell out their name in decorative cursive script with just a flick of their wrist! Each class entry specifies your character’s initial proficiency rank in Perception, saving throws, attacks, defenses, and class DC. You gain the trained proficiency rank in several skills. The exact number depends on your class, and some classes specify certain additional skills that you’re trained in. If your class would make you trained in a skill you’re already trained in (typically due to your background), you can select another skill to become trained in. A proficiency rank can unlock various feats and class features, and it also helps determine the modifier for any check you roll or DC you calculate related to that statistic. If your character is trained in Perception, a saving throw, or another statistic, they gain a proficiency bonus equal to their level + 2, while if they have expert proficiency, they gain a proficiency bonus equal to their level + 4. For more about proficiency ranks, see page 24. Spellcasting classes grant a proficiency rank for spell attacks and DCs, which are further detailed in each class’s entry. These classes rarely use their class DC. If something isn’t listed in your character’s class entry, their proficiency rank in that statistic is untrained unless they gain training from another source. If your character is untrained in something, you add a proficiency bonus of +0 when attempting a check or calculating a DC related to that statistic. 

Advancement Table

A table that summarizes the feats, skill increases, attribute boosts, and other benefits your character gains as they advance in level. The first column of the class table indicates a level, and the second column lists each feature your character receives when they reach that level. The 1st-level entry includes a reminder to select your ancestry and background. 

Class Features

This section presents all the abilities the class grants your character. An ability gained at a higher level lists the required level next to the ability’s name. All classes include the class features detailed below, and each class also gets special class features specific to it. Many class features require you to choose between options. Unless the specific ability states otherwise, such decisions can’t be changed without retraining. 

Class Feats 

This section specifies the levels at which your character gains class feats—special feats that only members of that class can access. Class feats are granted beginning at 1st or 2nd level, depending on the class. Specific class feats are detailed at the end of each class entry. 

Skill Feats 

This section specifies the levels at which your character gains feats with the skill trait, called skill feats. At 2nd level and every two levels thereafter, most classes gain a skill feat, though some classes may get them at different levels, like the envoy using adaptive talent. Your character must be trained in the corresponding skill to take a skill feat. 

General Feats 

This section specifies the levels at which your character gains general feats. Most classes grant a general feat at 3rd level and every 4 levels thereafter. At each of these levels, you can select any general feat (including skill feats) as long as your character qualifies for it. 

Skill Increases 

This section specifies the levels at which your character can increase their proficiency rank in a skill. At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, most classes grant a skill increase, though envoys gain them earlier and more often. Your character can use a skill increase to either become trained in one skill in which they’re untrained, or to become an expert in one skill in which they’re already trained. If your character is at least 7th level, they can use a skill increase to become a master of a skill in which they’re already an expert. If they’re at least 15th level, they can use an increase to become legendary in a skill in which they’re already a master. 

Attribute Boosts 

At 5th level and every 5 levels thereafter, your character boosts four different attribute modifiers. This is described briefly in the class.

Ancestry Feats 

This section serves as a reminder of the ancestry feats your character gains at 5th, 9th, 13th, and 17th levels. 

Classes

Mechanic

Perfect for the "jury-rigged" and "scarce resources" theme. Mechanics are vital for keeping ancient tech running or repurposing salvaged components. Field engineers maintaining failing life support on a derelict station, tech-priests who revere ancient machinery, or weapon smiths who craft bespoke (and often dangerous) armaments. Rift-Taint might cause their tech to malfunction or gain unpredictable, chaotic properties. Their exocortex or combat drone could be a Frankensteinian construct of scavenged parts.