Starfinder: "Character Operations Manual" [RPG]

 The 2019 Character Operations Manual was the first major expansion of character options for Starfinder (a bit like the Advanced Players Guide was for Pathfinder 1E).  The Character Operations Manual introduces three new classes, several new themes, new options for the Core Rulebook classes, and loads of new feats, equipment, and spells.  Importantly, it adds to the roles that characters can take in starship combat and provides a Downtime system (important for those 5d6 days passing through the Drift!).  It's not essential for the casual Starfinder player, but for someone who is seriously into the game, it's definitely worth picking up.

Let's start with the cover--great "hero poses" of the the three new Iconics.  If this were the cover to issue # 1 of a new comic book, I'd buy it!  There's no way the interior art can be quite so cool, but it's still very good.  The hardcover has an index at the back and a two-page overview at the front.  The body is divided into six chapters, providing a natural structure for this review.

Chapter 1 is "Theme and Race" (30 pages).  Seven new themes are on offer: Athlete, Grifter, Guard, Law Officer, Noble Scion, Sensate, and Street Rat.  I won't go through them one-by-one, but I'll say generally that they're all done well.  (I always find Starfinder's Level 18 Theme abilities clunkily implemented for such a small reward, but that's neither here nor there).  Each of the Core races then gets two pages of new options, such as alternate ability adjustments (to which I ask, why bother having race-specific ability adjustments at all?), alternate racial traits, feats, and class options.  Some of the new feats have race prerequisites, but not all, and some are pretty powerful (perhaps OP)--like getting arm extensions for androids (so you have reach) or "nanite integration" (allowing failed saves vs a variety of conditions to be re-rolled by spending an RP).  There's a new Crusader connection for mystics, and some surprisingly good stuff for shirrens.  In addition to the Core races, the "legacy" races (gnomes, halflings, etc.) each get a page worth of new material, and it's great to see them supported as well.

Chapter 2 is "Classes", and it's the big one (72 pages) as it introduces three new classes.  Biohackers use fringe medical knowledge to bolster their allies and inhibit their foes, usually by shooting them with injection darts!  I really like the class concept, and they fill the "adventuring scientist" niche well.  I don't understand why Sleight of Hand and Bluff are class skills for them though.  Their ability to identify creatures easily can be a big advantage.  I've seen biohackers at play in several SFS scenarios and in one AP I run, and the players seem happy with them.  (I have heard that some players feel they don't get enough "biohacks" at higher level).  Vanguards are . . . well, I still don't really understand the setting premise for them.  From a design perspective, they're meant to be MMORPG-style "tanks" I guess.  There's some poorly-written flavour stuff about them channeling "entropy" or something, but it just doesn't really fit together.  The class is built around getting hit and then using "entropy points" to do stuff, but it really just amounts to a bucket of vaguely tank-style special abilities.  Definitely not a fan.  Witchwarpers are my favourite!  They peer into alternate worlds and futures and use magic to pluck elements from them to affect their own.  They're primarily a spellcasting class, and admittedly their "Infinite Worlds" special abilities can be a little underpowered--but definitely flavourful and fun to role-play.  Their "grenade shifting" and "thwart ability" abilities can be great.  I had a witchwarper for Starfinder Society, but she got hit by a crit and died at Level 1 (R.I.P. Madrigal Zern!).

After the new classes, each of the Core classes gets four pages of new options.  The Envoy gets some meaningful class features, improvisations, and expertise talents.  I think they still need more high-level options, but it's a start.  In addition to some new tricks, Mechanics get an alternate class feature called "experimental prototype" that allows them to have an experimental suit of armor or weapon instead of an exocortex.  It's a nice addition, and I've GM'd for a player using the experimental armor prototype option.  Mystics get something called "epiphanies" as an alternative to connection powers.  A couple are pretty interesting, like "solar connection" and "wrecking fists".  Two new connections are introduced: "melophile" (music lovers) and "warmonger" (self-explanatory).  Operatives should get nothing (indeed, they should be nerfed!) but instead they get alternate class features like "Stunt and Strike" which allows them to do all sorts of cool stuff in addition to attacking in a round.  Solarians get two new solar manifestations that provide them a ranged attack option ("solar flare") and a defensive option ("solar armor").  Word on the street (okay, the Paizo forums) is they're not especially powerful, but I don't have any firsthand experience.  Soldiers get feat boosts to replace gear boosts, and some are pretty nice like actually making Cleave useful or increasing the number of targets that can be attacked with Spring Attack.  There's also some new fighting styles.  Finally, technomancers get new magic hacks and  variant spell caches.  I especially like the "energy alteration" Level 5 hack--being able to change the type of damage a spell does could really take advantage of a foe's known weaknesses.

It's a big chapter, because in addition to all the class stuff, it also contains ten new archetypes!  Frankly, most of them don't really give much of mechanical value (or give it at far too high of a level for most adventuring).  A few that I did like are the Esotericist (devotees of pure magic who reject magic-tech hybridization), the Fixer (in a criminal organisation sense), Medic (though healing serums are pretty cheap . .. ), and Starwright (though granting spell resistance or incorporeality to a PC for 24 hours seems potentially problematic!).

Chapter 3 is "Feats" (12 pages).  There are a lot that improve what the PC can do in surprise rounds and many that are grenade focused (I like "Cook Grenade"--just don't roll a 1!).  Pistol-wielders may enjoy "Double Tap".  There are three feats in the "Eldritch Lore" line that essentially allow spellcasters to gain additional spells known.

Chapter 4 is "Equipment" (8 pages).  Considering Armory is an entire book of equipment, one might not expect a lot here.  However, shields are introduced (something a lot of players demanded) and there are a variety of injection weapons to support Biohackers.  The "Rad-Out Serum" is surprisingly cheap for dealing with one of the major environmental threats in the game.

Chapter 5 is "Spells" (16 pages).  Mystics and Technomancers get new spells, and the Witchwarper gets its own spell list (drawing plenty from that of the other two classes').  Solid additions overall.  There are a couple I think could prove problematic, like deadly countermeasures and know coordinates.  I thought phantom cycle could be fun.

Chapter 6 finishes off the book with "Other Rules" (12 pages).  It's a boring name for a chapter that's actually pretty handy.  It introduces two new roles for starship combat:  Chief Mate and Magic Officer.  Chief Mate is a sorta cheesy way to get Strength-based (high Athletics skill) PCs more involved in starship combat, while Magic Officer is, obviously, designed for Mystics.  Neither is essential, but I guess it's good to have options--especially when six PCs are on a ship.  There are also new "Open Crew Actions" and "Minor Crew Actions" that provide any character some additional choices.  One of my favourite additions from the book is a selection of Downtime activities.  The system is handled well here, as PCs are given a wide variety of choices that have a meaningful (but not over-powered) impact.  They may just want to Lounge (getting some temp hp and a small morale bonus to saves), do Research (reducing the DC of some Recall Knowledge checks), Retrain (swap some skill ranks), etc.  It's definitely a system I would integrate.

Like most Starfinder hardcovers, the Character Operations Manual is a bit pricey considering its slim page count.  But cost and length aside, I think it contains several valuable additions to the game and is worth owning.