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Archives of Nethys

Pathfinder RPG (1st Edition) Starfinder RPG Pathfinder RPG (2nd Edition)

Mechs | Terrestrial Vehicles | Starships | Vehicle Modifications

Starship Examples

Armor | Armor (Bulkheads) | Armor (Hulls) | Base Frames | Computers | Crew Quarters | Defensive Countermeasures | Drift Engines | Expansion Bays | Interstellar Drives | Manufacturers | Other Systems | Power Cores | Security | Sensors | Shields | Special Materials | Thrusters | Weapons | Weapon Properties

Expansion Bays

Source Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 298
Most starships have room within their hull for one or more expansion bays, each of which can be converted to function in a wide variety of roles. Unfilled, these bays are simply storage space (and count as cargo holds), and for many large transport vessels, they remain this way. If a starship’s bays are instead used for guest quarters, the ship can serve as a transport vessel for soldiers, travelers, or refugees. If its bays are filled with medical bays and guest quarters, the ship becomes a mobile hospital.

The following options are available for most ships that have available expansion bays. If an option requires multiple bays, this is noted in its description; if it must consume PCU to function, the amount is listed in the table on page 300. An entire expansion bay must be used for a single purpose, even if it gives you multiple instances of that option. For example, if you select escape pods, that expansion bay gains all six escape pods—you can’t combine three escape pods and one life boat.

The PCU requirement and the Build Point costs of the expansion bay options can be found on page 300.

Ghost Drive

Source Starship Operations Manual pg. 26, Starfinder #6: Empire of Bones pg. 49
PCU 10; Cost (in BP) 5
A ghost drive can be installed only on a Large or smaller starship. During the helm phase, as a crew action, a science officer can attempt a Computers check (DC = 10 + 1-1/2 × the starship’s tier) to activate the ghost drive. If the check is successful, the ghost drive becomes active and the vessel in which it is installed becomes insubstantial.
An active ghost drive has several effects in starship combat. The drive pulls power from the thrusters, so the insubstantial starship’s speed is 2 lower and its distance between turns is 1 higher. An insubstantial starship can move through hexes containing enemy starships without allowing those foes to make free attacks; conversely, the insubstantial starship can’t make free attacks on ships that pass through its hex. The starship’s science officer can freely deactivate the ghost drive at the beginning of the helm phase; otherwise, the effect continues indefinitely.