#jinsul

(art by AlexRuizArt on DeviantArt)

While specific worlds might get a whole lot of focus in a setting, the moment that we open up to interstellar travel, worlds can sometimes get a little… flat.

This isn’t a factor of less effort put in, of course, but rather of time effectively managed. When your setting expands to cover a whole galaxy, it is wiser to write broad strokes rather than focus on the minutiae of one world, one country, or even one city in the setting unless you expect the players to spend a lot of time there. In fact, the only time we tend to see a single world in a sci-fi game really focused on in the same detail as a single world in a fantasy setting is when the writer doesn’t expect the reader or players to leave it. (or the body of work becomes so vast that it pays to take a familiar but surface-level world and dive into it).

But the fact of the matter is, even in games where there are multiple worlds with only bare-bones details about it actually written down… that lore and history in theory still exists, waiting to be discovered.

And that’s why there’s so much potential for fun in playing a xenoarchaeologist!

Like the name suggests, these characters are archaeologists, but focused on alien history and artifacts. If a character is delving into ancient alien ruins to learn the history of the people that once lived there, chances are they are this archetype.

Don’t assume these are desk jockeys, however. After all, these are field scientists. Moreover, they are field scientists in a science fantasy game like Starfinder, and that means being able to hold their own and plan for the unexpected.

But what exactly does that mean? Let’s take a look!

The base dedication for this archetype grants additional training in terms of culture and underhanded techniques, as well as knowledge about various archaeological sites both past and newly discovered.

Ancient ruins tend to be protected by all manner of traps and hazards, and a good archaeologist has seen them all, and warns allies when they’re about to trigger something they shouldn’t.

That familiarity also comes in handy when noticing and disabling such hazards themselves.

Many xenoarchaeologists specialize in linguistics, learning ancient languages and knowing enough to help try and decode those they are not familiar with.

Veteran delvers have faced many a danger, to the point where it’s almost certain they have a god of luck on their side, helping them avoid hazards and danger.

A short archetype, but one that promises useful for a science-y type hoping to discover a lot about the ruins they find themselves exploring. The various ways they can protect themselves and others from traps and hazards is nice too. This archetype is a good fit for the envoy or operative, though any with the skills can make use of it just as easily.

As stated, this archetype is meant to reflect characters with an interest in history and uncovering the unknown, but it can also be quite useful for treasure hunters as well, former academics or otherwise. I can imagine that the dichotomy between the two causes some fun conflict when the two interact.

On the planet of Veda, two great nations were once locked in a seemingly never-ending war. On one side, powerful necromancers sent forth waves of dead things to try and conquer the land, and on the other, druids invoked the power of life and nature to counter the deathless horde with elemental and plant alike. Now, only ruins remain. What happened to these two nations? Was there a winner? If so, what happened to the victors afterwards?

Though normally as curt and work-focused as any urog, those who know them understand that Perplexity is as adventurous as they come, and have a knack for keeping others out of danger, usually accompanied by a loud, curt “DON’T” when someone is about to accidently set off a trap.

(art by CazadorR on DeviantArt)

I’ve talked about them before in previous entries, but I do like the solution that starfinder came up with for creature companions, not only providing efficient rules so that anyone can make use of them, but making it so easy to create your own, which let you create any sort of alien critter (and can absolutely be used as a sneaky back-end way to formulate the price of robots for player purchase, for those annoyed that construct creation and price was something never directly addressed).

Anything from familiars to robot guardians to ferocious tamed battlebeasts are all on the table here, but perhaps one last frustration is that one cannot have more than one beloved critter buddy.

…That is, unless you take the menagerie manager archetype!

Contrary to the name, characters with this archetype need not be zookeepers or any sort of professional animal handlers (though they absolutely can be). Instead, all that is really required is a nearly empathic knack for raising, training, and caring for multiple said companions without neglect, and what’s more, they’re simply better at it than other trainers, teaching their pets more tricks and how to act more independently yet loyally much more quickly.

But fret not, GMs, they don’t bring multiple beasts into combat at once. Rather, they train many beasts and companions for a variety of scenarios, and we’ll see exactly how below!

Starting out, these trainers learn the basics of training mounts, combat companions, or simply having a pet squox. Furthermore, their talent for raising multiple pets becomes immediately apparent, though obviously they only bring one of them out into the field at any time, the rest being stored somewhere such as on a ship or their home domicile or base.

Later on, their mastery of companions or mounts increases, and they can push them to move just a little bit faster.

Many companions are chosen for their adorable appearance and demeanor, and others for their fearsomeness, and some for a bit of both depending on what is emphasized or who you ask. With a bit of coaching, these masters can have their pets emphasize adorable or menacing behaviors to aid their master in diplomacy or intimidation, respectively.

Later on, their mastery of their pets improves, and the loyal companions learn how to drag their master to safety if they lose consciousness. (or at least protect their body).

At their zenith, they become true virtuosos of commanding their pets, and not only will they drag them to safety, but they also can retrieve an item for their master so that it is in their hand when they regain consciousness for any reason.

If you love the creature companion rules like I do and want a way to have many that you can switch between, this archetype is right up your alley! Remember that creature companions, unlike companions from Pathfinder, do require financial investment to level up, so at least some of your character’s budget is going to be focused on upgrading the companions that you use a lot. Beyond that, companion choices vary a lot in what they are good at, so consider what your character needs for different situations, such as small, sneaky companions for infiltration work, big strong ones for close combat, and so on. As for class choice, any of them can work out nicely, from the envoy operative with multiple cute but functional pets, to the mystic focused on being a far-future druid, to the mechanic with far many more robotic companions than just one drone, to the combat class with a loyal beast companion as either hunting aid or combat beast, and even various other casters sporting magical familiars.

If you’re going to have multiple companion creatures, it only makes sense to give every single one their own personality, quirks, and more to make them truly characters in their own right, but for some players that may be hard, so there’s no obligation to.

While they were once a beast trainer for the corps, Bulkas is now retired, and spends his time training animals for competitive challenges rather than outright warfare. However, the old hobgoblin still keeps his most loyal pets, which though old and scarred, are just as deadly as ever, much like their master.

The party is on the trail of a hidden jinsul enclave, thwarting their clandestine plans left and right. They’ve successfully proven to be a thorn in the enclave’s commander’s side, but they haven’t managed to catch him yet, especially since every time they see him, he seems to have a new robotic pet armed with deadly weaponry.

Tablo ft. Jinsul-Bad