Designed by Jenny Jarzabski
This encounter takes place on a planet deep in the Vast that’s currently occupied by Azlanti Star Empire forces. Talk to your players about why their characters are there. They might be rebel forces infiltrating or attacking an imperial base, prisoners of war escaping a holding facility, spies sabotaging an imperial operation, or deserters who have decided to strike back against their former empire. Playing these roles isn’t required, but might inspire some fun table banter.
The forces occupying this world are Sihedron guards: faceless troopers encased in sleek purple armor who serve their fascist empire without question, cruelly subjugating the peoples of the star systems they conquer. They can’t be negotiated with, and they always shoot first. The Sihedron guards fight to the death to defend their twisted ideology and maintain what they incorrectly believe is their natural superiority.
This encounter occurs after a lull in the battle. The PCs know that a Sihedron squad is converging on their position. Prompt the PCs to get into position and set up for battle, then have everyone roll initiative, choosing skills based on how their characters approach preparing for combat.
Map: Use the urban side of Starfinder Flip-Mat: Enormous Battlefield for this encounter.
Creatures: An elite Sihedron commander leads a squad of 8 Sihedron guards into the fray. Starting positions for this battle can be anywhere, but enemies should begin the encounter at least 100 feet away from the PCs. When combat begins, the commander Leads the Charge, ordering a group of Sihedron guards (one per player at your table) to advance. The other Sihedron guards hang back and attack from a distance, repositioning after the frontliners fall with the help of their commander’s Rally the Troops ability.
Adjustments: If you have six or more players at your table, you’ll likely want to add at least two more Sihedron guards to this encounter. These reinforcements begin by hanging back and sniping from a distance. If the party takes out the other targets too quickly, the backup snipers advance into range of the PCs’ abilities. Another squad of Sihedron guards (using the same statistics) patrol the base. If all the players are having fun and want to keep playing, they can ambush the patrol by succeeding at Stealth checks against the squad leader’s Perception modifier (+16), or alternatively, the patrol ambushes the PCs as they’re trying to carry out their mission!
Design Notes: This encounter is intended to test out the tech playtest classes while providing an open map where ranged attacks, distant spells, turrets, and mines can shine. The encounter provides plentiful enemies to give characters a chance to try out using area attacks and spells against a group. Please let us know in the comments or forums how this encounter played out for your group!
SIHEDRON GUARD COMMANDER / CREATURE 7
[Medium, human, humanoid]
Perception +16; darkvision
Languages Azlanti, Common, Vesk
Skills Acrobatics +13, Athletics +17, Deception +16, Diplomacy +16, Intimidation +16, Society +11, Stealth +13, Warfare Lore +11
Str +4, Dex +2, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +3, Cha +3
Items Sihedron guard armor (as tactical shotalashu armor; darkvision visor), advanced dueling sword, advanced boom pistol (2 tactical batteries)
AC 24; Fort +13, Ref +11, Will +16
HP 115Reactive Strike [reaction] Trigger A creature within your reach uses a manipulate action or a move action, makes a ranged attack, or leaves a square during a move action it’s using; Effect You lash out at a foe that leaves an opening. Make a melee Strike against the triggering creature. If your attack is a critical hit and the trigger was a manipulate action, you disrupt that action. This Strike doesn’t count toward your multiple attack penalty, and your multiple attack penalty doesn’t apply to this Strike.
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] dueling sword +18 (analog, versatile P), Damage 2d8+7 slashing
Ranged [one-action] boom pistol +16 (boost 1, expend 2, mag 20, range increment 40 feet, reload 1, tech), Damage 2d6+3 sonic
Terrifying Takedown [free-action] (emotion, fear, mental) Trigger The commander reduces an enemy to 0 Hit Points or critically hits an enemy with a Strike; Effect The commander makes a gruesome spectacle of their brutal hit. They attempt an Intimidation check to Demoralize all enemies within 30 feet.
Lead the Charge [two-actions] The commander Strides twice. If they end this movement within melee reach of at least one enemy, they make a melee Strike against that enemy. The commander’s allies gain a +1 circumstance bonus to attack the target of this Strike and ignore any cover the commander provides the target.
Rally the Troops [two-actions] (auditory, concentrate, mental) The commander issues an order for their allies to regroup. All Sihedron guard allies within 120 feet of the commander can use a reaction to Stride up to their Speed. Any Sihedron guards who end their movement adjacent to another Sihedron guard gain 5 temporary Hit Points that last 1 minute, or double that number of temporary Hit Points if they end their movement adjacent to the commander. The commander can’t Rally the Troops again for 1d4 rounds.
Tactical Strike [one-action] (auditory, mental) Frequency once per round; Effect The commander calls out an enemy within 60 feet then makes a Strike against that enemy, dealing an additional 1d6 precision damage on a hit. If the hit is successful, the commander changes the tide of the battle, inspiring their allies to greater feats of military prowess. All sihedron guards within 60 feet of the commander gain a +1 status bonus to attack and damage rolls until the beginning of the commander’s next turn.
Illustration by Sol Devia SIHEDRON GUARD TROOPERS (8) / CREATURE 3
[Medium, human, humanoid]
Perception +6; darkvision
Languages Azlanti, Common, Vesk
Skills Acrobatics +9, Athletics +6, Intimidation +6, Stealth +9, Warfare Lore +5
Str +1, Dex +4, Con +3, Int +0, Wis +1, Cha +1
Items commercial Sihedron guard armor (as commercial shotalashu armor; darkvision visor), commercial aeon rifle (consumed aeon stone; 2 commercial batteries), commercial pulse gauntlet (1 commercial battery)
AC 18; Fort +12, Ref +9, Will +6
HP 42
Elusive Maneuver [reaction] Trigger The trooper takes damage from a ranged Strike or spell; EffectThe trooper Steps or Takes Cover.
Speed 25 feet
Melee [one-action] pulse gauntlet +8 (agile, free-hand, powered, tech), Damage 1d4+3 sonic
Ranged [one-action] aeon rifle +11 (aeon, caster, expend 1, mag 10, range increment 60 feet, reload 1, tech), Damage 1d8+2 fire
Coordinated Fire After the trooper attempts a Strike against a target (regardless of success or failure), the next Strike one of the trooper’s allies makes against the same target gains a +2 circumstance bonus to the attack roll. If a Strike with a bonus from coordinated fire hits, the target becomes suppressed until the end of the attacking ally’s next turn.
Sharpshooter When the trooper makes a ranged Strike against a target with an AC bonus from lesser or standard cover, they reduce that AC bonus by 1 for that Strike.
Show No Mercy The trooper gains a +2 circumstance bonus to damage rolls against suppressed targets.Thanks for playing!
—The Starfinder Team
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