Starfinder 2e Character Concept #1 - Thaumaturge Champion

Character concept for playing a Thaumaturge with Starfinder 2e playtest rules.
Published

March 17, 2025

Introduction

The group I play Starfinder with is going to be starting a new campaign soon. This blog post is me writing down for myself and for my Game Master what my character concept will be. If Ian reads this, thank you for running our game(s). Having a day of gaming and ordering some lunch is a highlight of my week.

Background

I don’t know what campaign we are going to play. My decisions for my new character may change depending on the setting. With this group I have so far played the following characters.

  • A human Rogue (Noober) for the DnD 5e Descent into Avernus campaign.
  • An android Operative (Buddy) as my main character for our Starfinder 1e campaign.
  • A svartalfar Precog (Eol) as my secondary character for the same Starfinder 1e campaign.

Objective and constraints

Breaking down the problem into objectives and constraints is how my brain works best. Maybe it’s an engineering thing, maybe it’s just me. Setting restrictions whether external (starting at level 1) or internal (primary stat not dexterity) help narrow my choices.

Objectives

Here is what I came up with for goals for this character.

Use a Pathfinder 2e class.

The idea of playing a fantasy class / archetype in a sci fi setting sounds really fun to me.

Be great at skills.

I like skill checks. I like making skill checks even more. From my understanding, Pathfinder and Starfinder 2e both have ways to use skills in combat as well as out of combat, so skills matter even more in this game. First priority of optimization should be to improve chance of success for a few skills. Second priority should be to increase average change of all skills (jack of all trades).

Be competent in combat.

I don’t want to have to write a new character. “If he dies, he dies”, but I want my character to be able to survive combat. This includes reducing damage taken to last longer in fights and increasing damage output to end the fight sooner.

Figure 1 - Rocky 4 Quote

Constraints

Now here are the constraints and assumptions I am making for this character.

Won’t reach high levels.

I’m optimizing for whatever level I’m playing the most. I can’t imagine we’ll hit level 15 let alone level 20. Optimizing for later levels is likely focusing on the wrong thing.

Don’t be a Dexterity based class.

This was a tough decision since Starfinder 2e has a lot of features or mechanics related to cover which makes me think combat will be two groups of characters shooting at ranged. I wanted to go against Dexterity since I have already played 3 characters with this group which were all Dexterity first classes.

Use a different class from other players.

5 wizards get smushed by anti magic golem. 5 fighters wave sticks at flying enemies shooting them from above. Having a party where each member covers a gap is one that is stronger and more fun. As of writing, I believe other people have chosen to play the Mystic, Witchwarper, and Solarian class.

Other

Final constraints that are too short to get their own section.

  • Game will be set in the Starfinder universe.
  • Can use source material from Starfinder 2e playtest or Pathfinder 2e.
  • Using the free archetype house rule. GM preference is for us to use a non-multiclass archetype.

Character concept

Since I hadn’t played Pathfinder 2e and didn’t know the system well, it took a while to go through all the classes. In the end I landed on the Thaumaturge from the Dark Archive source book. It is a martial class whose main ability score is charisma. The two things that drew me into the class were the customizability of the class chassis and the coolness factor of being a occult hunter.

This led me to the character backstory of Reptilian Death Knight!

Veralt of Vivia

Figure 2 - Lizard with sword

Here’s the flavour text for the character.

As a warmongering nation, honour in life and the passage into death is a core part of Vesk culture. Many Vesk pray to Damoritosh for strength in conflict, but those near death’s door look to Pharasma for safe passage into the afterlife. It is no surprise that Pharasma has many followers among the people of Vesk. One group of followers is the Watchers, an ancient order who’s preserve the will of Pharasma among the Veskarium. Members frequently travel though out the Vesk empire, providing their services in the sanctification of tombs and burials. Beside the mundane services they provide, members of the Watchers gather information on possible threats to wheel of life. Any perversion to life through undeath swiftly brings the order to force to root it out. Veralt of Vivia was born into the Watchers. His father the soldier trained him in the art of combat while his mother the priestess schooled him in the mysteries of the universe. Now 20 years old, he now departs from his sect for his coming of age trial. Like all before him, he has been loosed to travel the universe for 5 years outside the support of the Watchers. His success in this trial will be determined by his growth in faith to the Lady of Shrines and the knowledge he brings back to the order. Whether or not Veralt is able to retain his faith in the unyielding cosmos is yet to be seen.

That’s the character concept! I character name was inspired by Geralt from the Witcher. The idea of the Watchers is spun from the Pillars of Eternity games.

Level by level

I’m only going to detail all the choices made for my character. The rest of this post will highlight what I think are important for each level. I also won’t cover all levels since this post is already longer than I’d like.

Level 1

The highlight of this level is Regalia as an implement. The goal with this implement will be to stay with the group while in combat to spread the aura for mitigating fear effects. The bonus to intimidation will also be useful as demoralize as an action in combat should be strong for this character.

Spark notes

  • Ancestry
    • Ancestry - Vesk
    • Heritage - Briskwalker (+5 ft. speed)
    • Attribute boosts - STR CON CHA
    • Ancestry feat - Menacing Snarl (intimidation boost)
  • Background
    • Disciple (Pharasma)
    • Boosts - STR CHA
    • Skills - Medicine and Pharasma Lore
    • Feat - Holy Talisman (+2 initiative once per day)
  • Class
    • Attribute boost - CHA
    • First implement - Regalia
    • Thaumaturge feat - Diverse Lore (-2 Esoteric Lore Recall Knowledge any topic)
    • Skills
      • Arcana - Trained
      • Nature - Trained
      • Religion - Trained
      • Occultism - Trained
      • Intimidation - Trained
      • Athletics - Trained
      • Diplomacy - Trained
  • Free attribute boosts - STR CON WIS CHA
  • Equipment (150 credits)
    • Swarmsuit (70 credits)
      • Basic environmental protection (10 credits)
    • Knife x5 (10 credits)
    • Battleribbon (5 credits)
    • Bone scepter (5 credits)
    • Autorecogition lens (5 credits)
    • Lock, commercial (2 credits)
    • Hygiene kit (2 credits)
    • Holospark (3 credits)
    • Explorer’s canteen (30 credits)
    • Cable line commercial x2 (4 credits)
    • Data chip x3 (6 credits)

Level 2

Time for the dedication! In the theme of knight of a holy order, I went against the objective of a non-multiclass archetype and chose Champion. If breaking this rule is not acceptable, I would likely choose either Sentinel for Heavy Armour proficiency or Soul Warden to continue the Pharasma theme.

Spark notes

  • Skill feat - Intimidating glare
  • Thaumaturge feat - Esoteric Warden
  • Free Archetype - Champion Dedication
    • Pharasma as deity
    • Champion’s aura 15 ft.
    • Sanctification - holy
    • Cause - Justice
    • Skill - Medicine and Stealth
    • Heavy armor - Trained

Conclusion

If you got this far, thanks for reading! If your name is Ian, please don’t murder my character at the start of the campaign.