Introduction
Source Tech Core pg. 4
Starfinder is a game of imagination where you can bring nearly any idea to life. This book combines with Starfinder Player Core, expanding on its options and giving you even more ways to play the character you want, as well as introducing tactical rules for building and crewing your very own starship!
More Tech!
Source Tech Core pg. 4
Technology is everywhere in the galaxy. Most mass manufacturers combine magic with tech, creating helpful devices that are so common they’re often taken for granted. Scientific miracles like advanced computers, interstellar travel, and instant communications are incorporated into everyday life in the Pact Worlds. Some advanced societies were already exploring the stars long before the Gap, such as the aether pilots of Verces and Jatembe’s starfaring expedition from Golarion, but interstellar travel didn’t become widespread until Triune’s Signal opened up the galaxy. This divine transmission was received by many societies across space, teaching them how to build starship engines capable of safe and swift travel in the Drift and how to expand their pathways deeper into distant space by crafting Drift beacons. Triune’s church has worked tirelessly to spread new technologies across the galaxy, and most planets throughout Near Space and the Vast have the same types of technology found anywhere else, distinguished only by different manufacturers and styles.
As travel sped up, so did the exchange of ideas and goods across the galaxy. Cultures mixed, and people moved around. Technology on most planets is virtually indistinguishable from anywhere else, with a few regional differences like Castrovel’s psychic infosphere or the hidden tribal tech of Izalraan.
Starfinder Tech Core provides even more options for player characters interacting with technology.
As travel sped up, so did the exchange of ideas and goods across the galaxy. Cultures mixed, and people moved around. Technology on most planets is virtually indistinguishable from anywhere else, with a few regional differences like Castrovel’s psychic infosphere or the hidden tribal tech of Izalraan.
Starfinder Tech Core provides even more options for player characters interacting with technology.
How To Use This Book
Source Tech Core pg. 4
Starfinder Tech Core's new options expand on those in Starfinder Player Core. It's easy to blast off with a new character using the ancestries, classes, archetypes, and items within this book, but a whole galaxy of options comes to life when combining them with Starfinder Player Core.
If you're creating a new character, you're probably interested in the new ancestries, classes, and backgrounds. If you're ready to launch a spacefaring adventure onboard your own starship, you'll be interested in tactical starship combat.
Even characters you've already created can benefit from archetypes, along with new options for feats, items, and spells.
If you're creating a new character, you're probably interested in the new ancestries, classes, and backgrounds. If you're ready to launch a spacefaring adventure onboard your own starship, you'll be interested in tactical starship combat.
Even characters you've already created can benefit from archetypes, along with new options for feats, items, and spells.
Tech Ancestries
Source Tech Core pg. 5
Players will find three tech themed ancestries and a versatile heritage that provide a vast pool of options for their new characters. The SRO option (sentient robotic organisms) allows a character to explore the process of gaining sentience. A living hologram might be a construct that's rebelling against the purpose its creator meant for it. A verthani character can interact with technology in a profound way very few would be able to. And finally, the cyborg versatile heritage allows for any character to increase their ability to integrate augmentations into their bodies.
A GM can also use the ancestries found here as inspiration for campaigns that focus on tech communities or to create NPCs that have a tech focus.
A GM can also use the ancestries found here as inspiration for campaigns that focus on tech communities or to create NPCs that have a tech focus.
Tech Classes
Source Tech Core pg. 5
Players creating new characters have two exciting new tech-focused classes to play around with in the mechanic and the technomancer.
The mechanic is an adventurer who expertly tinkers with and modifies tech gear to draw out its full potential. They take to the battlefield with an exocortex: a mechanic's personalized tool. This can be a drone, an infinitely customizable robot companion; a turret, a powerful, mobile weapon that can be commanded from afar; or a trove of explosive mines that can be ignited as a reaction or blown up on command.
The technomancer is a master of tech and magic, using their knowledge of both to manipulate the fabric of reality with spells and magic hacks. Each technomancer learns a programming language that allows them to overclock a specific type of gear. The DPS++ technomancer can overclock their tech weapon to channel their magic to enhance their attacks or shoot around corners. The FORTRUN technomancer can instead overclock their tech armor, greatly enhancing their defenses while punishing anyone who tries to harm them. A technomancer who learns the ServoShell programming language specializes in empowering their tech minions, overclocking them to improve their offensive abilities— they even have a personalized minibot that can be tinkered with to gain more utility capabilities than any commercially available minibot. And finally, the Viper technomancer can wield hybrid items such as spell gems and spell chips to cast spells outside the arcane tradition without destroying them.
The mechanic is an adventurer who expertly tinkers with and modifies tech gear to draw out its full potential. They take to the battlefield with an exocortex: a mechanic's personalized tool. This can be a drone, an infinitely customizable robot companion; a turret, a powerful, mobile weapon that can be commanded from afar; or a trove of explosive mines that can be ignited as a reaction or blown up on command.
The technomancer is a master of tech and magic, using their knowledge of both to manipulate the fabric of reality with spells and magic hacks. Each technomancer learns a programming language that allows them to overclock a specific type of gear. The DPS++ technomancer can overclock their tech weapon to channel their magic to enhance their attacks or shoot around corners. The FORTRUN technomancer can instead overclock their tech armor, greatly enhancing their defenses while punishing anyone who tries to harm them. A technomancer who learns the ServoShell programming language specializes in empowering their tech minions, overclocking them to improve their offensive abilities— they even have a personalized minibot that can be tinkered with to gain more utility capabilities than any commercially available minibot. And finally, the Viper technomancer can wield hybrid items such as spell gems and spell chips to cast spells outside the arcane tradition without destroying them.
Archetypes
Source Tech Core pg. 5
This section includes options for characters both new and old. Any character can select the dedication feats they qualify for to personalize their character beyond what their class would normally allow.
The mechanic multiclass archetype allows player characters to obtain an exocortex they can use to enhance their existing abilities. An operative, for example, can use a turret exocortex like any other weapon and remotely fire from a different position.
The technomancer multiclass archetype grants spellcasters a powerful tool with the ability to overclock their tech gear and gaining the relevant overclock boost benefits. Other characters can use the dedication to learn cantrips, and later on, spells, which they can then cast to overclock gear. A witchwarper, for example, can easily qualify for the dedication feat's requirements and use a Viper's overclock boost effect to wield spells they otherwise might not be able to cast.
A character with the augmented archetype can greatly enhance their capabilities using augmentations of all kinds, expanding their implant limits and improving the efficiency of their augmentations.
With the grenadier archetype, characters wield grenades with unparalleled explosive flair. A grenadier soldier who selects the Soldier Synchronization feat can even use their grenades with their primary target and suppressing fire class features.
A spellcaster who takes the junkomancer archetype learns the art of junkomancy, allowing them to cast junk spells and recycle junk into powerful magical effects.
Nearly any character can take the nanocyte archetype, gaining access to a wide array of nanite themed powers that allow them to transform their gear and bodies to manipulate the battlefield.
Pharmacologist archetypes are versatile medics who can create medical consumables to aid their allies and can even learn to skillfully wield injection weapons.
Any creature wielding a shield will greatly benefit from the shield ace archetype, learning how to Shield Block and even protect allies from damaging area effects.
The vehicle pilot archetype can make the most out of personal vehicles, wielding them skillfully in a variety of kinds of combat.
The mechanic multiclass archetype allows player characters to obtain an exocortex they can use to enhance their existing abilities. An operative, for example, can use a turret exocortex like any other weapon and remotely fire from a different position.
The technomancer multiclass archetype grants spellcasters a powerful tool with the ability to overclock their tech gear and gaining the relevant overclock boost benefits. Other characters can use the dedication to learn cantrips, and later on, spells, which they can then cast to overclock gear. A witchwarper, for example, can easily qualify for the dedication feat's requirements and use a Viper's overclock boost effect to wield spells they otherwise might not be able to cast.
A character with the augmented archetype can greatly enhance their capabilities using augmentations of all kinds, expanding their implant limits and improving the efficiency of their augmentations.
With the grenadier archetype, characters wield grenades with unparalleled explosive flair. A grenadier soldier who selects the Soldier Synchronization feat can even use their grenades with their primary target and suppressing fire class features.
A spellcaster who takes the junkomancer archetype learns the art of junkomancy, allowing them to cast junk spells and recycle junk into powerful magical effects.
Nearly any character can take the nanocyte archetype, gaining access to a wide array of nanite themed powers that allow them to transform their gear and bodies to manipulate the battlefield.
Pharmacologist archetypes are versatile medics who can create medical consumables to aid their allies and can even learn to skillfully wield injection weapons.
Any creature wielding a shield will greatly benefit from the shield ace archetype, learning how to Shield Block and even protect allies from damaging area effects.
The vehicle pilot archetype can make the most out of personal vehicles, wielding them skillfully in a variety of kinds of combat.
Tech Feats
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Players can choose from numerous tech-themed general feats and skill feats in this section to customize their characters.
Tech Gear
Source Tech Core pg. 5
This section provides all kinds of technological gear, ranging from shields and weapons to vehicles and unique armor.
Spells
Source Tech Core pg. 5
Both players and GMs can use the wide variety of new tech spells in this section to arm their spellcasters with flavorful and powerful new abilities.
Tactical Starship Combat
Source Tech Core pg. 5
This section provides brand-new rules and player options for gripping tactical starship combat.
Gm's Arsenal
Source Tech Core pg. 5
GMs can find enemy starships, hazards, and guidance on GMing tactical starship combat.