History TabletopGame / Starfinder

* LaserBlade: The primary weapon of the Solarian class, Starfinder's analog to StarWars' Jedi. Each Solarian is accompanied by a mote of stellar energy, which they can transform into any melee weapon they choose, or make it into a suit of [[ElementalArmor energy armor]] instead. Plasma swords and doshkos are a more mundane counterpart, though they are very expensive.

* SlidingScaleOfGameplayAndStoryIntegration: As mentioned above, the Azlanti race has largely come to believe that they're The {{Ubermensch}} due to getting a larger stat boost than any other race in the game. [[note]]Ironically enough, Paizo would later phase out the Azlanti stat bonuses in Pathfinder's second edition, stating that they came to the conclusion that having the racial supremacists [[TheExtremistWasRight be actually right about their superiority]] sent the wrong message.[[/note]]

** Akiton, based on Mars: fourth planet from the sun; covered in red, windswept deserts; once a lush and vibrant world, but has slowly decayed for centuries; also clearly inspired by PlanetaryRomance stories.

Other civilizations have not been idle in the unknown number of years between ''Pathfinder'' and the present, with Androids, Lashunta, Ratfolk (now called the Ysoki), and Kasatha from ''Pathfinder'' joining Humans and two new alien races, the reptilian Vesk and insectile Shirren, as core races. Of course, if you want to be a [[SpaceElves Elf]], Dwarf, Half-Orc or Halfing IN SPACE, it gives options for those as well.

* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: As mentioned below, the Azlanti race has largely come to believe that they're TheUbermensch due to getting a larger stat boost than any other race in the game. [[note]]Ironically enough, Paizo would later phase out the Azlanti stat bonuses in Pathfinder's second edition, stating that they came to the conclusion that having the racial supremacists [[TheExtremistWasRight be actually right about their superiority]] sent the wrong message.[[/note]]

* CaptainErsatz: The illustration for the Knight of Golarion in the corebook looks suspiciously like a ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' Space Marine.

** Castrovel, based on Venus: second planet from the sun; roughly the same size as Golarian, the Earth analog; with a hot, wild, and dangerous surface similar to the PlanetaryRomance conception of Venus.

* EasilyConqueredWorld {{Justified}}. The Vesk landed on the Skittermander homeworld prepared to engage in a brutal and long military conflict. Much to their surprise, the Skittermanders helped them conquer their own planet as it is implied they are genetically predisposed to help ANY sentient species. Comically, many Skittermanders later became administrators for the Vesk empire because [[KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect that is a job most Vesk hate]], leading to a “who conquered whom?” situation.

* Fly Free or Die

* Against the Iron Throne

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Averted, unlike in ''Pathfinder'', with undead. In fact, Animate Dead is no longer an evil spell, and plenty of the civilian populace of Eox is Neutral. Still played straight with evil outsiders and creatures such as the Swarm.
* ArchaicWeaponForAnAdvancedAge: Swords, warhammers and staves are no less common as they were in ''Pathfinder'' despite widespread use of {{Ray Gun}}s. There are limits however, with very primitive weapons like clubs suffering a damage penalty if used on non-primitive armor.

** While optional, archetypes make a return. Unlike in Pathfinder's first edition where archetypes were class specific, Starfinder's archetypes combine the concept with prestige classes and are available to most any class with some prerequisites(some can only be taken by spell casting classes, for example).

* CreditChip: Most people load the credits they need for daily use onto "credsticks", which also allow the PC's to continue the long-standing tradition of [[MoneySpider looting the bodies]].

* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: As mentioned below, the Azlanti race has largely come to believe that they're TheUbermensch due to getting a larger stat boost than any other race in the game. [[note]]Ironically enough, Paizo would later phase out the Azlanti stat bonuses in Pathfinder's second edition, stating that they came to the conclusion that having the racial supremacists be actually right about their superiority sent the wrong message.[[/note]]

* TheReptilians: The Vesk are something of a riff on this, in light of their appearance and prior hostility towards the Pact Worlds. The traditional reptilian shapeshifting {{Chessmaster}} type appears as well in the form of the Reptoids.

''Starfinder'' is a ScienceFantasy RPG by Paizo Publishing, the creators of ''TabletopGame/{{Pathfinder}}''. Yes, it is, essentially[[note]]and setting-wise, literally[[/note]], Pathfinder... [[RecycledInSpace IN SPAAAAACE!]].

''Starfinder'' is set an unknown number of years in ''Pathfinder's'' future. Golarion, the main world of the ''Pathfinder'' setting, has gone missing, as are any memories or records of what may have happened to it, what it was like, or ''anything'' in a time period spanning several millennia. Even beings whose lives stretched into (or through) that time period have lost all memories. This millennia-long missing period of history is known as the Gap. In Golarion's place in the solar system is now the massive Absalom Station. The remaining planets of Golarion's solar system, all of when bear life, have come together in a federation known as the Pact Worlds.

''Starfinder'' is set an unknown number of years in ''Pathfinder's'' future. Golarion, the main world of the ''Pathfinder'' setting, has gone missing, as are any memories or records of what may have happened to it, what it was like, or ''anything'' in a time period spanning several millennia. Even beings whose lives stretched into (or through) that time period have lost all memories. This millennia-long missing period of history is known as the Gap. In Golarion's place in the solar system is now the massive Absalom Station.

* ANaziByAnyOtherName: The Azlanti Empire hold a dim (read: subjugating) view of any race besides their own, though not without reason: [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration mechanically]], the Azlanti race gets a +2 bonus to ''every'' stat, while most races get +2 to two of them and -2 to a third to balance it.

** In ''Pathfinder'', Androids were common only in Numeria, the Kellid land where a giant spaceship crash-landed ages ago, and started yielding scavenged high-tech item. Lashuntas and Kasathas were around, but likely only to be encountered in a campaign that went off of Golarion onto another planet in the system, and thus quite rare. Ratfolk could be found anywhere, but generally not in large numbers. All of these are now considered core races.

* LovecraftLite: While the mythos (As the ''Dark Tapestry'') had a role in ''Pathfinder'', but it is expanded more in Starfinder as Nyarlathotep was promoted to a major god. In pratical terms, this means more enemies for our adventurers to crush.

** Aucturn, based on Pluto also: more specifically, based on [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos Yuggoth]], as the residence of and gateway for ...[[EldritchAbomination unpleasant things]].

* {{Expy}} the Vesk are highly similar to the Trandoshans from ''Franchise/StarWars'', both being highly [[BloodKnight warlike]] LizardFolk.

** The actual planet Earth (which was established in Pathfinder to exist in the setting) hasn't been mentioned one way or another. (A close look at the the racial picture of the Androids in the core rulebook shows a holographic Earth, but whether this is hinting at anything or just decoration is anyone's guess.)

** Angels and demons equipped with {{powered armor}} [[FrikkinLaserBeams and laser rifles]];