Pathfinder is going sci-fi! Kinda!
Ok, for those of you who enjoy splitting hairs, Paizo’s new RPG, Starfinder, is actually a science-fantasy game. What is science-fantasy? It mixes the best of sci-fi (starships, robots, engineers solving problems with duct-tape and know-how) with the best parts of fantasy (zombies, magic swords, wizards solving problems with magic and a few strong whacks with a staff).
The result of this mix is a game where you can play an android or a dwarf, a soldier or a technomage. The choices for PC races include your classic fantasy options in addition to classic space opera choices (reptile people, insect people, etc.). Already a fan favorite are the ysoki, a quick and clever race of diminutive rodent people.
Starfinder uses a streamlined version of the Pathfinder RPG rules. If you’re already playing Pathfinder, you know most of how Starfinder works. The changes that have been made revolve around speeding up gameplay and adding new genre-specific features like starships. The folks at Paizo have quite understandably assumed that most player groups are going to want their own starship. Not only do we get rules for starship travel and combat, but also customization options so each group can make their ship truly their own.
The core book is a 528 page full-color hardback. It covers everything from character-creation to starships to basic rules to the setting. Starfinder will officially release next week at GenCon. Customers of Dragon’s Lair Comics and Fantasy® can pre-order their copy today.
