Creative Characters (Starfinder): Matchbox

Welcome again to Creative Characters for Starfinder! Sorry about the delay, but I’ve been travelling for inspiration. Did you know that they serve French toast on Pluto? And Ganymede has Italian pizza, no joke. Next, I’m checking out whether they serve Earl Grey on Callisto, but that’s not why you’re here. We just said goodbye to Fortune’s Heist, it’s time for a new group!

This week, we meet Valor Incarnate. Each member packs a punch, and works either in law enforcement or for the good or all spacekind, but don’t call them cops or you’ll put their noses out. “Doing the right thing (and doing it well) doesn’t mean you can’t break any rules.” The group are all level 3 and are designed to be copy and pasted right into any game. Need a group of PCs for still new players? Here’s a good start. Need a group of baddies? (Don’t forget to change their alignment!) Need a level 3 boss for a level 1 encounter? Pick n mix to your heart’s delight!

Our first character today is the meat and fist of the group, Matchbox. His real name is “Mouse Man” but that’s because his parents didn’t know the common tongue when they first arrived in town. He’s trained in close combat as a gladiator and Soldier, and when it comes to any weapon he knows how to use it. His methods may rub against “Miss Goldebarrel” aka the boss, but there’s no denying the results of this ysoki, or his speed at getting into combat. How about his stat sheet?

Matchbox

Ysoki soldier 3 (gladiator)
CG Small humanoid (ysoki)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +0

DEFENSE SP 21 HP 23 RP 4

EAC 17; KAC 20
Fort +3; Ref +4; Will +3

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft.
Melee ember-flame doshko +6 (1d8+5 F)
Ranged shirren-eye rifle, tactical +6 (1d10+3 P)

STATISTICS

Str 14; Dex 16; Con 10; Int 12; Wis 10; Cha 10
Feats Cleave, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (advanced melee weapons), Opening VolleyB
Skills Acrobatics +6, Athletics +5, Engineering +8, Intimidate +6, Medicine +6, Piloting +8, Profession (bookie) +5, Stealth +3, Survival +7
Languages Common, Ysoki, Vesk
Gear golem-forged plating II, ember-flame doshko, shirren-eye rifle tactical, vocal modulator [augmentation], hideaway limb (arm), serum of healing mk II (in [hideaway arm]), 3x serum of healing mk I, industrial backpack, 10 creds walking around money

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Cheek Pouches

Ysoki can store up to 1 cubic foot of items weighing up to 1 bulk in total in their cheek pouches, and they can transfer a single object between hand and cheek as a swift action. A ysoki can disgorge the entire contents of his pouch onto the ground in his square as a move action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Moxie

Ysoki are scrappy and nimble even when the odds are against them. A ysoki can stand from prone as a swift action. Additionally, when off-kilter, a ysoki does not take the normal penalties to attacks or gain the flat-footed condition. When attempting an Acrobatics check to tumble through the space of an opponent at least one size category larger than himself, a ysoki receive a +5 racial bonus to the check.

Scrounger

Ysoki receive a +2 racial bonus to Engineering, Stealth, and Survival checks.

ABOUT

Matchbox likes to shoot from a distance to start combat, then charge in to finish the job with devastating attacks. Thanks to his ginger fur with white spots, and a red overall suit, plenty of opponents assume Matchbox is the technician in the group – so there’s plenty of fun to be had when he has a doshko in hand and not the expected wrench. He made a Vesk cry once from the sheer shock and speed with which he beat up the lizard.

He joined the group Valor Incarnate because it opened up a special line of work for the prizefighter. While show prize fights are always in demand, it’s good to have something to do in the meantime, and this job pays a real packet. “Go and nab such and such, use minimal force,” is basically “Go and make Mr X squeal.” Rachael Goldebarrel met Matchbox during a fight against a duo of wrestling Dragonkin, and while they both got the first move and tried wrestling Matchbox straight to the ground, he caught both their heads and smashed them together, fight over. Goldebarrel approached instantly.

Valor Incarnate themselves do all manner of work for different agencies. Some organizations need someone captured for re-education (“And we only capture. No blood on our hands”), while law enforcement might need a fugitive brought back in, or a witness protected for several weeks. Whatever the job Valor Incarnate can do it. And when it’s time to get your paws (or claws or robot hands) dirty Matchbox is already armed and twelve steps into the fray.

The latest job that the group took on was to safeguard an unremarkable human from a blue-green planet somewhere in the unpopular part of the galaxy simply known as “Erf” (spelling varies). Despite being in his pyjamas and totally overwhelmed by everything that happened to him, the human was safely returned to his own time and place, via the use of a mystical blue box. Matchbox thought this was all a load of whoopie, and for all intents and purposes the ysoki is right, but that matches the heart of any chaotic good space rat.

Before that, they had to safeguard another human, lost 3 million years into their own future, which made Matchbox question just how humans got anything done on a normal day to day basis. Regardless, the randomness of these jobs is what keeps the job interesting to Matchbox. He is learning a great deal about just how useless an individual can be, and it always makes him feel better about knowing how to use his weapons and arms.

His parents have since learned Common and want to change his name, but “Mouse Man” likes the confusion he creates whenever he orders a coffee from StarJavas. He’s never above playing practical jokes when the team is in downtime, but the odd banana peel underfoot DURING a mission is also hilarious.

Join me next time when we meet the boss, Rachael Goldebarrel.



About jtmoriarty

Moriarty, resident evil genius, has a Bachelor of Communications and a Masters of Writing - how better to write your players dooms? He was a penniless writer but has since turned into a paid but still bad one. And yes that's real blood!

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