The Starfinder Operative is the member of your group who has trained for that inevitability and has the perfect weapon for the job.
The Starfinder Operative is quick-witted, focused, and thrives in the most high-stakes combat scenarios. They are tactical, highly-trained eagle-eyes who almost never miss their mark. And when there is an Operative in your team, you know people are going to take you a little more seriously.
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The Starfinder Operative Basics
The Operative is a very dexterous class. Quick thinking, quick moving, and fast, precision shooting is a hallmark of the Operative. So it is not surprising that they are a Dexterity based class and take a boost to that attribute at character creation. They begin with expert-level training in Perception, Reflex, and will.
Operatives also start out with training in their Fortitude saving throw, Advanced Guns, Simple Weapons, Martial Weapons, Unarmed Attacks, Light Armor, Unarmored Defense, one additional skill that is determined by their specialization, and a number of additional skills equal to their Intelligence Modifier plus three.
In combat, Operatives are skilled fighters, both from a distance and in up-close melee. They maneuver around the battlefield, can shoot with tactical precision, and are more than capable hand-to-hand fighters. The Operative has a tendency to master their weapons of choice. And as a result, they can inflict destruction on their foes with devastating force and accuracy.
In non-combat situations, a Starfinder Operative will often fall back on their training. Even in places where they aren’t obviously in combat or danger, they will probably keep their head on a swivel and be constantly scanning their surroundings. If their group needs strategic advice, the Operative is the person they’ll go to. And it’s likely that they will interrupt the Operative’s “downtime” spent cleaning or training with their favorite weapons.
Sharpshooter
Operatives have a very specific set of skills, and those skills make them especially good at shooting things very accurately. They all start out their adventure with the Sharpshooter class feature. As a result, they can spot a target’s weakest points, and know how to deal the most damage with their ranged weapons. Sharpshooter also gives them access to the Aim action.
Aim lets the player take careful aim at a single creature, and deals them an additional 1d4 precision damage. As the Operative’s level increases, so does their precision damage, going up at 5th, 11th, and 17th levels.
Specializations
Each Starfinder Operative has a specific set of skills and tactical style based on their specialization. These different specialization define the approach the character will take to most situations as well as grant them a skill, feat, and exploits.
Ghost: Operatives with this specialization are good at slipping into locations, completing their mission, and then slipping back out without being detected or discovered. They are masters of stealth, disguise, and spy-tech. This specialization comes with the feat Ghost Tap and the skill Deception.
Infiltrator: The Infiltrator Operative specialize in bypassing security systems, biometric locks, and secure vaults. While the Ghost will physically sneak into and out of a location for intel, the Infiltrator will sneak in to take that information via hacking. They gain access to the skill Computers as well as the feat Sabotage.
Skirmisher: Skirmisher Operatives specialize in close-quarters fighting and missions. They work best in tight spaces such as alleys or inside of vehicles. It’s not uncommon for them to take jobs as muggers, assassins, or bodyguards. With this specialization, the Operative will have training in Acrobatics as a skill and a skill feat.
Sniper: Operatives with this specialization can target a foe from far away and attack while remaining entirely unseen. They gain training in Stealth as well as a skill feat for Stealth.
Striker: Striker Operatives specialize in hand-to-hand combat. They prefer to fight with their hands or lightweight melee weapons instead of guns. While others may prefer to keep a little distance, the striker would prefer to bring the fight directly to their foe. This specialization comes with the Athletics skill as well as a sill feat in Athletics.
Multiclassing a Starfinder Operative
Anyone who wants to deal a little more damage with a lot more accuracy can multiclass as an Operative. Mystics who multiclass as an Operative will always have a backup attack when their spells run out. And a Soldier-Operative mix will only add more tricks and abilities to the battlefield.
Characters who multiclass as an Operative will gain access to the feats Operative Dedication, Basic and Advanced Gunner, Sharpshooter, Specialized Operative, Operative Resiliency, Operative Exploit, Gun Expert, and Master Spy.
How to Play a Starfinder Operative
Without magic to keep track of, Starfinder Operatives seem like an easier and more straightforward class to play. And in some ways they can be. But like all TTRPG classes, there are always going to be benefits, drawbacks, and things to keep track of.
While playing an Operative, be sure to remember what their most core abilities are. If you’re engaged in battle, always take an aim action. This will focus your attacks on specific targets for additional damage. When you’re out of battle, remember your high dex and battle-ready mindset. Your Operative is likely always on the lookout for danger and ready to react to it at a moment’s notice.
Your Operative’s specialization is the perfect way to hone exactly how you want to use your skills in an encounter. Snipers and Infiltrators are very different play styles, but can be equally helpful at the table depending on the kind of adventure you want to go on.
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