Other Considerations

While having an archetype may represent your training with or membership in a specific faction, having the archetype is generally not required for you to be considered part of a faction. For example, the Starfinder forerunner (see page 129) is specifically for characters who are part of the Starfinder Society and who have received special training for participation in Starfinder expeditions. However, it is not necessary to take this archetype in order to become a member of the Starfinder Society. The archetype represents only one possible path within the society, not the sole choice for characters tied to that faction.

Archetypes can generally be added to any class, though some archetypes might note they are available only to specific classes or might have other prerequisites you must meet to select them. For example, an archetype that represents training in a specific magic tradition might be available only to mystics and technomancers, while an archetype designed for devotees of an ancient monastery's fighting techniques might be available only to solarians and soldiers. An archetype notes in its description whether it has any prerequisites or restrictions.

Altered or Replaced Envoy Class Features

For any level at which an archetype provides an alternate class feature, an envoy who takes the archetype alters or replaces the listed class features.

D Multilevel 2nd, 4th, 6th, 12th, and 18th Levels: You

don’t gain an envoy improvisation.

D ⁹th Level You don’t gain skill expertise with an

additional skill.

Altered or Replaced Mechanic Class Features

For any level at which an archetype provides an alternate class feature, a mechanic who takes the archetype alters or replaces the listed class features.

D Multilevel 2nd, 4th, 6th, 12th, and 18th Levels: You

don’t gain a mechanic trick.

D ⁹th Level You don’t gain the override class feature at

9th level. Instead, you gain it at 10th level, and you don’t gain the mechanic trick normally gained at 10th level.

Altered or Replaced Mystic Class Features

For any level at which an archetype provides an alternate class feature, a mystic who takes the archetype alters or replaces the listed class features.

D ²nd Level For the highest level of mystic spell you can

cast, reduce the number of mystic spells known by 1. At 2nd level, this means you know two 1st-level spells and five 0-level spells, and at 3rd level, you know three 1st-level spells and six 0-level spells. At 4th level, you know four 1st-level spells, but you know only a single 2nd-level spell (as 2nd level is now the highest levels of mystic spell you can cast), and so on.

D ⁴th Level You don’t gain access to the highest-level

connection spell you would normally have access to.

D ⁶th Level You don’t gain access to the highest-level

connection power you would normally have access to.

D ⁹th Level You either don’t gain the healing touch class

feature or don’t gain a feat you would otherwise gain from reaching an odd-numbered character level (see page 26); this feat could be the one normally gained at 9th level.

D ¹²th Level At 11th level and again at 14th level, you don’t

gain the increase to your channel skill bonus. Your channel skill bonus is thus 1 lower than normal at 11th level and 2 lower than normal at 14th level—it remains +3 and doesn’t increase to +4 until 17th level).

D ¹⁸th Level You don’t gain access to the highest-level

connection power you would normally have access to. If you would already not gain access to your highest-level connection power, you instead don’t gain access to the two highest-level connection powers you would normally have access to.

Altered or Replaced Operative Class Features

For any level at which an archetype provides an alternate class feature, an operative who takes the archetype alters or replaces the listed class features. D Multilevel 2nd, 4th, 6th, 12th, and 18th Levels: You

don’t gain an operative exploit.

D ⁹th Level The amount of damage you deal with your

trick attack is 1d8 lower than normal.

Altered or Replaced Solarian Class Features

For any level at which an archetype provides an alternate class feature, a solarian who takes the archetype alters or replaces the listed class features.

D Multilevel 2nd, 4th, 6th, 12th, and 18th Levels: You

don’t gain a stellar revelation.

D ⁹th Level You don’t gain the zenith revelations class

feature at 9th level. Instead, you gain it at 10th level, and you don’t gain the stellar revelation normally gained at 10th level.

Altered or Replaced Soldier Class Features

For any level at which an archetype provides an alternate class feature, a soldier who takes the archetype alters or replaces the listed class features.

D Multilevel 2nd, 4th, 6th, 12th, and 18th Levels: You

don’t gain a bonus combat feat.

D ⁹th Level You don’t gain the secondary fighting style

or secondary style technique class features at 9th level. Instead, you gain both at 10th level, and you don’t gain the combat feat normally gained at 10th level. You still treat your effective soldier level as your soldier level – 8 for the purposes of your secondary style techniques.

Altered or Replaced Technomancer Class Features

For any level at which an archetype provides an alternate class feature, a technomancer who takes the archetype alters or replaces the listed class features.

D ²nd Level You don’t gain the magic hack class feature

at 2nd level. Instead, you gain it at 5th level.

D ⁴th Level For the highest level of technomancer spell

you can cast, reduce the number of technomancer spells you know by 1. For example, at 5th level, this means you know only two 2nd-level spells and four 1st-level spells, and at 6th level, you know three 2nd-level spells and four 1st-level spells. At 7th level, you know four 2nd-level spells, but you know only a single 3rd-level spell (as 3rd level is now the highest level of technomancer spells you can cast), and so on. D ⁶th Level You don’t receive the cache capacitor class

feature at 6th level. At 8th level, you can gain the cache capacitor class feature in place of a magic hack. Depending on the levels of your archetype’s alternate class features, you may or may not gain additional cache capacitor slots at 12th or 18th level. Regardless of when you gain cache capacitor, the first instance acts as the cache capacitor normally gained at 6th level, the second acts as the one normally gained at 12th, and the third acts as the one normally gained at 18th.

D ⁹th Level Your techlore ability doesn’t increase at 9th

level. It instead increases to +3 at 11th level, and you don’t receive the magic hack normally gained at 11th level.

D Multilevel 12th and 18th Levels: You don’t gain an

additional cache capacitor slot (nor do you gain the option to store its associated spells).