GM Tools

This section presents an alternate set of DCs for challenging skill checks (Core Rulebook 392) that better rewards characters who have invested many resources into being adept with a specific skill. When you would set a skill check DC that would normally be equal to 15 + 1-1/2 × CR, Average Party Level, or character level, you can instead use the corresponding DC provided in the table below. Similarly, you can replace a skill check DC that would be 10 + 1-1/2 × CR, Average Party Level, or character level by subtracting 5 from the corresponding value in the table below.

You can also use these DCs to replace similar skill check DCs provided in adventures, abilities, or other products. Keep in mind that characters who have made the maximum possible investments in a skill, including class specializations and item bonuses, will likely easily overcome these challenges, and the option to increase these numbers by 5 remains a valid way to represent an especially difficult scenario. You may also choose to use these alternative values only for skill checks outside of combat.

Finally, flat DCs (such as those to swim in various environmental conditions; Core Rulebook 137) remain unchanged, with characters becoming more and more able to overcome basic tasks as they grow in power.

Archetypes in Starfinder allow a player to craft a specific character concept that goes beyond a theme and class, granting specific abilities that are usually unavailable through those means. However, the alternate class features offered by an archetype alter or replace the main features of a class at certain levels. Sometimes, the story of a particular campaign calls for characters who are part of the same organization or who have a shared background. The free archetype variant introduces a way to make such characters while retaining existing class features.

As an alternative to the standard method of leveling by way of gaining experience (Core Rulebook 390), you can use a milestone leveling system. This means that you decide when players level up their characters, rather than tracking and doling out experience based on completed encounters. While some groups may enjoy tracking experience and the incremental measurable reward it brings with each encounter or game session, others want to gradually increase in level over time. This gives you more control over the story pacing and encounter budget, which can help streamline campaign planning.

Published adventures often provide milestones you can use to gauge when a group would level up. You can adjust the pace as best suits your shared campaign. However, keep in mind that it’s satisfying to have sufficient time to explore and use new and improved abilities and equipment before progressing.