Supporting Laid off Paizo Workers
Stealing this outright from Reddit. Apologies to u/AAABattery03 (aka Mathfinder on YouTube):
For those unaware: Paizo had a massive restructuring the other day. While the thread yesterday had plenty of good discussion about supporting Paizo, buying their books, etc, what I want to bring attention to is directly helping the ones who got laid off as well.
Many of them have made BlueSky posts discussing their feelings on the matter. [...]
All that being said, there definitely has been a learning curve for me to get use to the system and out of my DnD 5e mindset. I know some of the first session I ran could have been much better if I had been more comfortable in the system. I would recommend any new GMs to stick to premade adventures to start with before getting in to Homebrewing stuff. The premade stuff really helps you learn the system and all the options you have available to you.
Mechanically, I like the tools Paizo gives GMs in Pathfinder and Starfinder for non-combat encounters. I like having a series of varying skill checks my players use to figure something out, get some where, or what have you. How traps/hazards work feels very different and IMO much more interesting where there are usually several ways can handle it. I also really like the 3 action economy, it feels like it gives players more options for what they can do.
Having run Starfinder 2nd edition for well over a year at this point, I started during the playtest, I have to say, as a GM, I really like it.
I like the setting of Sci-Fantasy and how they’ve blended magic and tech. The silliness and humor are also a lot of fun to play with giving me the opportunity to jump between darker serious stuff and ridiculous stuff. The setting also made it easier for me to transition to Paizo’s 3action economy from DnD 5e.
@IcarusGames On Sunday, I’m running my Starfinder 2e players through second half of mission that them led onto formerly missing and now warped luxury space cruise liner filed with undead. They will start the session following a “Trail of Wrongness” through the massive ship. Hopefully they will be able find out what happened to the ship and the previous team who went missing while investigating the ship, without becoming new victims.
I think one of my favorite little things my Starfinder group does is come up with "episode names" for each session in our shared notes. Last session was long but still a good, "These Are Not The Sensual Delights I Was Looking Forward To." The session before that was "Lt. Cheeks Got New Eyes!".
Just ran my players though the first half or so of the Starfinder 1e Society Scenario Lost Revelry, which I converted to Starfinder 2E. So far it’s been a fun one. They rolled very well on all their skill checks on the Vigilance, my wife rolled 4 or 5 natural twenties.
Gradually getting more written for the adventure my players will be starting in a month or two. I have their evasion of enemy ships while flying through an asteroid field plotted out as a series of skill checks. While I want them to succeed I had to include some stakes, so if the critically fail some of the checks they could be destroyed or captured.
I have a growing urge to run an Outer Worlds inspired lost colony style Starfinder campaign, but more anti-capitalist. Specifically set in a colony founded by people who launched from the Golarion system in sleeper ships during what became the Gap and didn’t arrive a wake up until well after Triune’s signal.
I might need to run this after my current campaign ends later this year. Assuming the world is in state where that is even possible.
Between the horrors of the US, work, and rebuilding from major water damage in the kitchen, it’s been hard finding motivation for anything enjoyable or positive. However, I have finished writing and creating everything for act 1 of the 4 act “mission” my players will be embarking on in Starfinder. They won’t be reaching this mission for a couple of months, but it feels good to at least have act 1 done and ready to run this early. Just 3 more to go…
Kichae
TreeVor