Starfinder Society Characters

Most Starfinder Society Scenarios require the use of a Starfinder Society character or Starfinder Society Iconic Pregenerated character.

Resources and Access

The Character Options page explains which options are approved for Starfinder Society play along with resource ownership rules (that is, what books you need).

Players can choose options their character has Access to in any books or supplements they own that are approved for Starfinder Society play. Players residing in the same household can share owned resources. Ownership of the Starfinder Player Core is not required to choose options from it. In that case, reference rules from the official online source, the Archives of Nethys .

Some options within the game have a rarity trait of uncommon, rare, or unique. Options without a rarity trait are considered common. ^{PC pg. 11}Player Core page 11
(click to close) Unless otherwise specified, you have Access to all common, uncommon, and rare options (subject to the normal resource ownership rules).

Boons and Chronicles can grant access to options not accessible in Starfinder Society play by default. If a character gains Access to an option, then that option is freely available to that character. They can purchase or choose it as usual, but it does not become common.

Iconic Pregenerated Characters

You can use a pregenerated character (or pregen) based on one of the iconic characters (an Iconic Pregen). Playing an Iconic Pregen can be useful when time is short or you want to try out a character class. You can choose any of the Iconic Pregens without owning the associated source.

You can download the Iconic Pregens or request them from your Event Organizer. See Applying Credit for additional rules for Chronicles earned by playing an Iconic Pregen.

Character Creation

Creating a character for Starfinder Society play follows the steps in the Starfinder Player Core with a few additional Starfinder Society-specific rules and benefits.

Character Sheets

There is no standard character sheet format required. Character sheets must be legible, clear, and reviewable by the GM. Blank character sheets for Starfinder can be found at:

• Paizo.com (printable)
• Hephaistos (digital)

Character Creation Guidelines

Follow the standard steps ^{PC pg. 17}Player Core page 17
(click to close) with the additions below.

1. Create a Concept

Your character is a member of the Starfinder Society, so they must be able to work with any other Starfinder and abide by the Society’s motto: “Explore, Report, Cooperate.”

2. Start Building Attribute Modifiers

Starfinder Society characters can use the standard attribute boosts and flaws for their ancestry or the alternate ancestry boosts. Your character can also take two additional attribute flaws to gain one additional attribute boost as described ^{PC pg. 25}Player Core page 25
(click to close).

3. Select an Ancestry

Ancestry follows the normal rules ^{PC pg. 41}Player Core page 41
(click to close) .

Always Available Ancestries

All players have access to all ancestries and versatile heritages in the Starfinder Player Core without needing to own the book. Players can use any ancestries from other sources (such as the Starfinder Galaxy Guide) provided they own a copy of the source and obey any restrictions on the Character Options page.

Home World

When you create a character, you can decide where they have come from, including their port of call, home world, and deity ^{PC pg. 25}Player Core page 25
(click to close) .

Languages

All Starfinder Society characters are literate and speak Common as well as any other languages granted by their ancestry. All Starfinder Society characters have Access to all common and uncommon languages.

4. Pick A Background

In addition to the backgrounds allowed by the Character Options page, players who participated in the Starfinder Playtest have access to special Starfinder Playtest Backgrounds, found in the xxYear 1 Player's Guidexx.

5. Choose A Class

Starting Level: Starfinder Society characters can begin play at 1st, 3rd, or 5th level. Regardless of their starting level, characters begin play with 0 XP. Keep a record of your character’s starting level.

6. Finish Attribute Modifiers

Follow the normal rules.

7. Record Class Details

Follow the normal rules.

8. Buy Equipment

Further information on purchasing equipment is in Purchasing Guidelines. New characters can choose to begin with the credits-only (lump sum) option OR the collection of permanent items + remaining credits option listed below:

9. Calculate Modifiers

Follow the normal rules.

10. Finishing Details

Introduction Notes: The beginning of Starfinder Society games includes character introductions, so consider making a few notes on your character’s appearance, personality, and pronouns to share with other players. The Starfinder Galaxy Guide contains information on the campaign setting you can use for this purpose.

Age: Characters must be at least young adults to be accepted as members of the Starfinder Society.

No Unholy PCs: Starfinder Society characters cannot be sanctified unholy.

Deities and Philosophies

Characters can worship and gain mechanical benefits from any deity listed in the table of gods in the Player Core (beginning on page 35) so long as they follow the deity’s listed divine sanctification rule and the deity is not limited or restricted. (See the Character Options page for whether a deity is limited or restricted.)

Characters can revere deities they do not worship. Revering a deity means that your character might do things like wearing the deity’s holy symbol, attending the deity’s religious services, or performing other acts of obeisance that aren’t rewarded with spells or divine powers. A character can revere as many deities as they wish, but can worship and receive power from only one.

Some deities, such as The Devourer or Urgathoa, require their followers to be sanctified unholy; because Starfinder Society characters cannot be sanctified unholy, these deities cannot be worshiped to gain benefits. Characters can also be agnostic, atheist, or can follow the tenets of philosophies ^{PC pg. 39}Player Core page 39
(click to close) rather than deities.

Edicts and Anathema in Society Play

To allow a wide variety of characters in Starfinder Society play, the rules around edicts and anathema are slightly relaxed. All characters can participate in Starfinder Society adventures without running afoul of their deity’s or classes’ edicts and anathema. Assume the Society has ensured that attempting to perform the primary objective of an official Starfinder Society mission by itself will not cause a character to fall out of favor with their deity.

Likewise, while edicts are valorous actions praised by a deity, a character does not need to perform their deity’s edicts to the exclusion of other activities or if doing so would prevent the smooth progression of play at the table.

An anathema in Starfinder Society is always personal. The actions of one PC at a table can never cause another PC at the table to fall. However, other characters are welcome to express their disapproval provided it does not interfere with the progress of the game.

Remember that edicts and anathema exist to create roleplaying opportunities at the table for your character, not to be used by the GM or players to pressure others at the table toward specific styles of play.

Pawns

In Encounter Mode, each PC is represented by a pawn. Each other creature controlled by a PC whose location outside their PC’s square affects the encounter is also represented by a pawn. PCs cannot place more than 2 pawns per adventure, including their own.

Creatures that do not count toward this pawn limit:

• Familiars
• Temporary creatures who last no more than an encounter or two
• Creatures who stay in their controller’s square during combat

For in-person games, the Starfinder Roleplaying Game uses maps with a standard 1-inch grid to determine movement and tactical positioning in combat. You need a physical representation of your character to use on the grid. Paizo partners offer a wide variety of gaming miniatures so you can find just the right figure for your character.

For digital play, use a digital image. Ask your GM for their preferred image format and size.

Purchasing Guidelines

At character creation and between adventures, you can purchase items according to the rules below. The same rules apply during an adventure as long as you are in a settlement with at least 5,000 residents.

* item levels not applicable to AcP purchases unless otherwise specified

Players still follow the normal resource ownership rules (see the Character Options page).

Characters have Access to items on adventure Chronicles applied to that character. Weapons and armor found on Chronicles can be upgraded following the normal upgrading rules.

Any basic equipment weapon or armor your character has access to can be purchased in a precious material version, provided you have Access to weapons or armor made of that precious material. The weapon or armor must still meet any requirements for using that precious material.

No PC to PC Exchanges

In Organized Play, you can never permanently transfer items or funds between PCs, but one PC can allow another PC to use their items (including consumables) during an adventure. This means a PC cannot buy, sell, trade, or donate items to another PC. This rule does not affect the ability of PCs to pool their funds to remove afflictions.

Borrowed items are returned at the end of the adventure in whatever condition they are in at that time. Unused consumables are returned like any other item, but there is nothing to return when borrowed consumables have been used. If you expend a borrowed consumable or another PC uses one of their consumables on you, you can replace the item, though you are not required to do so; such cases are not considered PC to PC exchanges.

Spellcasting Services

All Starfinders have access to spellcasting services related to condition removal at any Starfinder lodge. Spellcasting services are always automatically successful, but never critically succeed. If a spellcasting service requires a counteract check it must be purchased at one spell rank higher than the effect it is counteracting; the check always succeeds. Costs for spellcasting services can be found in Spellcasting Service Costs, and GMs are required to use these costs unless the scenario specifies otherwise.

Spells

Any prepared spellcaster can work with tutors at the Lorespire Complex, using the Learn a Spell activity to learn any common spells or spells they have Access to. This adds no additional material cost beyond the standard cost for the Learn a Spell activity. Having Access to a scroll does not grant Access to the spell, but a character with Access to a scroll can buy a copy of it and learn the spell from it.

Formulas

The Starfinder Society sells formulas to its agents for all items the agent has Access to with the exception of items that have a number restriction on purchasing them. Items with a number restriction, including Unique Items, are so esoteric that the Society does not own the formula and so complicated that it is not possible to reverse engineer the formula even with a legendary degree of skill.

Applying and Transferring Upgrades

The Starfinder Society has specialists at the Lorespire Complex who can improve the grade of equipment, install upgrades, or swap out upgrades for agents in good standing. This service is free and requires no check, but is only available before the adventure briefing or once the adventure is complete unless stated otherwise in the adventure. Only the service of upgrading or installing is free, however. Characters must still pay the usual difference in cost between grades and provide any upgrades to be installed.

You can install or swap out upgrades yourself. This requires a repair kit but does not require a skill check. You can use Downtime Crafting to increase the grade of your equipment.

Selling Gear

All gear is sold back for half of the credits the character originally paid. Equipment that was purchased as part of a bundle, such as a class kit or a magic weapon, can only be sold back as part of the same bundle, and all parts of the bundle must be sold. Partially used consumables cannot be sold back.

A pregenerated character's gear can never be sold, although there is an equivalent discount for removing conditions from pregens at the end of an adventure. See After the Adventure and Spellcasting Service Costs for details.

Recording Purchases

All purchases must be recorded on a Chronicle Sheet or on a separate record tracker.

Rebuilding Characters

When rebuilding your character in any way, you must describe all changes on your next Chronicle Sheet. You can never create a character using Rebuilding or Retraining that you could not build without it.

New Character Free Rebuilds

After playing a new character, you might find aspects of your character you would like to change. Don’t worry! Until you play a game in which your character starts with 12 or more XP, you can freely rebuild any aspect of your character. This counts as building the character for Boons that apply when you build a character. If this would change the character’s equipment, you can sell back equipment at 100% of the credits paid. This otherwise follows the rules for Selling Gear. The character retains their character number.

For retraining options available once your character reaches 12 or more XP, see Player Options: Downtime Retraining.

Rule Changes

The Starfinder Roleplaying Game is a living game, meaning sometimes game elements change over the course of a PC’s career. However, if you begin playing an adventure before the effective date of a rule change, you are not required to use the updated rules for that play of the adventure. Similarly, if a convention or other gaming event begins before the effective date of a rule change, you are not required to use the updated rules for adventures run as part of that event.

If a rule change modifies an element of your character, you could be eligible for a partial rebuild. See Errata Rebuilds for more details.