Version 6
6.0 (May 22, 2023)
The Guide was restructured for Season 6 to better serve the community. We streamlined or removed rules that were needlessly complex or outdated and consolidated rules that were previously separated across multiple pages into a smaller set of more accessible pages.
Sections Moved
[+]
These notes list where sections from Guide v5.04 are located in Guide v6.0, not changes to the text itself, which are listed separately below. Subsections that moved independently are listed separately.
Getting Started tab
Players tab
Game Masters tab
Text Changes
These notes list significant changes to the text, not where sections may have changed locations, which are listed separately above.
Getting Started
Pact Worlds
- Removed lore from Guide
- Removed distinction between "major" and "minor" Factions
Recent History
- Removed this section from Guide (page was entirely lore)
Community Standards and Expectations
- Inserted reference copy of Organized Play Code of Conduct
- Inserted reference copy of Pathfinder Baseline
Players
Player Basics
Player-Created Characters
- Resources: aligned with current practices
- Character Creation Guidelines: added new always available species: gnoll, hanakan, kiirinta, orc, quorlu, raxilite, shimreen, and thyr
- Rebuilding Your Character: added new Training Montage and Extended Training Montage boons
Purchasing Guidelines
- Specified that shopping is allowed between adventures
- Group Purchases: Removed text on selling a dead PC's gear
- Spells: Removed list of disallowed spells (this is covered on the Character Options page)
Before the Adventure
- Added title ("Ways to Replay") / expanded text, including all info on granted & purchased Replays
- Specified One Chronicle Per Character more clearly
During the Adventure
- Infamy: Added reminder of existing policy to notify Organized Play staff of PCs marked as dead for 3 Infamy
After the Adventure
- Added that permanent blindness/deafness are not conditions that require reporting a PC as dead
- Removing Afflictions: removed party's required contributions to clearing afflictions for pregens
- Removing Afflictions: streamlined pregens' contribution to a simple discount
Leveling Up
- Specified that characters must level up immediately when they gain enough XP
- Streamlined text
Record-Keeping
- Removed description of what is on a chronicle sheet
- Clarified text
Applying Credit
- Specified the order of events after applying credit (gain adventure credits, then complete Downtime, then gain XP)
- Specified details on applying held chronicles
Playtest Rules
- Removed 'Resolving Conditions' section
- Updated list of playtests
Player Rewards
Boons
- Added AcP, Chronicle, Fame, Game Reward, and Species Access to the list of types of boons
- Boon Slot List: Removed Faction Slot
- Boons Which Unlock Over Time: Added that 64-page adventures are treated as if they were Adventure Path volumes
Achievement Points
Game Master
Game Master Basics
Who Can Be a GM?
- Your Duties As Game Master: Specified additional details of reporting results
During the Adventure
- Table Variation: Added reminder of existing rule that GMs cannot change DCs
- GM Discretion: Streamlined and clarified, but no rules changes
Ethical Infractions and Infamy
- Streamlined and clarified, but no rules changes
After the Adventure
- Fame: Specified that Fame boxes on chronicle sheets should be crossed of (as Fame is no longer in use)
- Filling Out a Chronicle: Specified that GMs no longer need to sign or initial chronicle sheets
GM Rewards
GM Credit
- Removed rule to otherwise treat a GM chronicle as if they had played a pregen
- Clarified rule that GMs select one (and only one) of the options for scenarios that allow a choice of faction for bonus Reputation
GM Novas
- Added term "table credits"
- Added explicitly existing rule that Adventure Path volumes count as 2 table credits for GMs
- Changed Novas table to use "table credits" in place of "adventures"
- Clarified that 5-Nova evaluations must be from 3 different evaluators
- Updated 5-Nova qualifying scenarios list
- Specified that a passing evaluation is 'better than average' with examples
- Specified limit 3 evaluations per weekend
- Specified 3-month cooldown if not passed
Table Variation and Creative Solutions
Ethical Infractions
- Removed alignment infractions
- Streamlined and clarified remaining rules, but no rules changes
Dealing with the Unexpected
Dealing with Death
- Removed rule on giving PCs marked as dead a blank chronicle sheet
- Removed comments on killing a whole party
Version 5
[+]
5.03->5.04 (May 13, 2023)
- Removed Tonya Woldridge
- Corrected missing hyphen in Linda Zayas-Palmer's name
5.02->5.03 (Sept 15, 2022)
Getting Started
Added a printable Welcome to Starfinder Society section.
Clarified rules regarding player pawns.
Explained issuing chronicles better.
Added ranges for weapons (and speed and capacity for tracking weapons.)
5.01->5.02 (August 30, 2022)
Playable Species
As of the upcoming publication of Starfinder Interstellar Species , Paizo will use the term "playable species" going forward for what had been called "playable race" in prior publications. References throughout this Guide have been updated with the change. The following pages have been updated:
5.00->5.01 (August 20, 2022)
Getting Started
Revise 'no Character vs Character combat' rule (no PvP) & include more examples.
Players
Specify no crafting is allowed during adventures (only in Downtime).
- Clarify that always-available species from Alien Archive do not require ownership of Alien Archive.
- Specify that any deity or philosophy from a source on the Character Options page may be worshipped (subject to normal access and sourcebook ownership rules).
- Specify that multiple deities or philosophies may be worshipped, but only one can give a mechanical benefit.
Correct AcP earned for Bounties at Premiere events (1.25 AcP, not 1).
- Add remaining new boons for Advocates, Cognates, and Manifold Host factions.
- Add one new boon for each Second Seekers faction:
Game Master
Specify all Starfinder Bounties are repeatable.
Specify GMing one AP volume counts at 2 GM credits for novas.
Pending Year 5 notes
Year 5 began in May; notes about what would change when it started are outdated. Such notes removed and any related adjustments made to:
Minor Edits
Minor edits for typos, grammar, clarity, etc. made to:
4.21 -> 5.00 (May 5, 2022)
Add Minor Factions for season 5: The Advocates, The Cognates, The Manifold Host.
Fix out of date sentance implying that engaging in PvP awards infamy. Non-consensual PvP is never allowed.
Update Campaign Leadership list.
Clarify that you can buy items on a chronicle sheet even if they are not normally allowed in play.
Fix link to mnemonic editor boon.
Version 4
[+]
4.2 -> 4.21 (March 1, 2022)
[+]
Players
- Include in main body of Guide existing rule (limit one companion) from current place in glossary (definition of "companion")
- Add text: 2- and 3-player tables receive the 4-player adjustments
- Add text: Bounties do not grant Downtime
- Add note: see FAQ for more information on species accessed with a boon that have since become always available
- Add SF Bounties to typical AcP rewards table
Game Masters
- Add information on SF Bounties to Sanctioned Adventures
- Remove temporary section on revised rewards (for some adventures published before August 2021) since the affected sanctioning documents have all been updated
- revise and extend GM Credit text, aligning with PFS2 Guide and clarifying
- Remove SFS #1-39 from 5-Nova Qualifying list (sunset date: March 1, 2022)
- Add page navigation links
- Revise definition of "companion" (not limited to class features; does include purchased creatures)
4.03 -> 4.2 (February 1, 2022)
[+]
Getting Started
- Minor revisions to character and pregen references for clarity and succinctness
- Added rules for rebuilding PCs when changes are made to "class features for which there are multiple options (such as a biohacker's field of study)"
Players
- Restored and revised rules on default 2 chronicles per player (1 as a PC, 1 as a GM)
- Extensive revisions due to the elimination of Fame / transition to AcP
- Year of the Scoured Stars boon now available with AcP (and re-added here)
- Clarify that Starfinder Body Recovery is for situations when your party cannot feasibly recover your body themselves
- Remove Year of the Scoured Stars boon; reactivate and restore to Factions and Reputation
- Add Fame boons not converted to AcP boons
- Add Alien Archive Admittance boon
Game Masters
- Listed Nova-qualifying scenarios, including SFS #1-39 sunset as of March 1, 2022.
- Restored Tier 6 Drake Port coilgun.
- Added Character, Evergreen, and NPC definitions
- Revised Fame, PC, and Sanctioned Adventure definitions
4.02 -> 4.03 (Nov 11, 2021)
[+]
- Added note regarding additional information for each faction.
- Added Note regarding Updated Adventure Rewards for early adventures.
- Updated to reflect transition to ACP
- Updated "End of Fame" link in first paragraph to point to most recent announcement.
- Added Note that Chronicles for Adventure Mode adventures are assigned at the end of an adventure
- Added revised adventure reward section to bring early adventures up to similar rewards as later adventures.
- Fixed some weapon entries on the Pegasus that referenced a weapon that did not exist
4.01 -> 4.02 (Aug 3rd, 2021)
[+]
- Degendered text
- Added references to AcP
- removed a reference to "gold"
- Added instructions for downloading chronicle boons
- Minor gramatical edits
- Degendered text
- Added Evolutionist playtest.
- Updated playtest rules to re-insert the requirement that playtest characters must be single-classed.
- Updated the expected date for Galactic Magic.
- Degendered text
- Added AcP costs
- Clarified replay boons.
- Updated "Where to buy" to include new product lines.
- Cleaned up grammar and generally clarified "Filling out Chronicle Sheets"
- Added: When playing an adventure using a SFS character, the chronicle *must* be assigned to that character.
- Added Beginner Box
- Degendered text
- Added limitation that a given special can not account for more than three of the 10 specials needed to qualify for 5 novas
- Degendered text
- Added AcP references
- Fixed minor errors on Azata.
- Incorporated Azata into the Starship overview section.
4.00 -> 4.01 (July 1st, 2021)
[+]
- Added Azata Tiers 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
- Added ranges to starship weapons
- Added missing change in changelog 3.00 -> 4.00
The maximum table size has been reduced to 6. (Tables of 7 players are no longer legal. )
3.00 -> 4.00
[+]
Major Changes
- Players are responsible for Downtimes
- Pregen / GM Downtimes use the skills of the character applied to.
- Purchased condition removal automatically succeeds
- The maximum table size has been reduced to 6. (Tables of 7 players are no longer legal. )
Minor Changes
- Negtive Condition removal clarified and consolidated.
- Applying/transferring weapon fusions text added (free at HQ)
Minor Changes
- Characters can pick (Named?) worlds from the Veskarium / Near Space
Minor Changes
- Added "Boons which unlock over time" section for boons with checkboxes. Two options drafted.
Minor Changes
- Hireling text along the lines of PFS text, re: Hirelings can only perform recall knowledge checks in combat, nothing else.
Minor Changes
- Season Boons are Cumulative boons, not capstone boons.
Minor Changes
- GMs may not chose mutually exclusive rewards on chronicles.
- Page created to host rules for running Sanctioned Adventures
- Sanctioned Adventures
- Modes of Play
- Character Types
- Sanctioning Documents