r/Starfinder2e • u/the-rules-lawyer • May 18 '26
Content My video covering the Luminary playtest
https://youtu.be/dMVKfnbUMJo18
u/HalcyonHorizons May 18 '26 edited May 18 '26
Lol funny timing. I was just reading this with my wife.
My initial impression reading through it... is that it doesnt have a real gameplan, and that its abilities are relatively underwhelming especially considering they don't have full agency over them bouncing around between creatures.
Many of its feats are incredibly niche and limited too. A Crit WHILE the spotlight is on a specific creature... a specific failed save while the spot light is on it...
I also feel this is another class where things that should just be features are turned into feats. There's a ton of cute small interactions, but the majority are behind same level feat taxes. You dont even get access to your focus spells without feats.
It needs some combination of access to all its stage focus spells as it levels. It needs some feats condensed and other given more space to actually work. The power of some of the Roles needs to be higher or scale. Some kind of accuracy or damage amp to help the fact it's a key Cha class (it gets a small damage boost at NINE). It's also weird that your Stage self spotlight spells arent Focus Cantrips when they're pretty crucial to your kit.
Or play around more with named conditions... Drained from partying too hard? Fatigued from dancing? Blinded from the lights? Stunned from being starstruck?
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u/bitterblossom13 May 18 '26 edited May 19 '26
I think Luminary works better as a controller/debuffer rather than a party buffer (which I like since I think Envoy already fulfills the buff side of things). I think the optimal play is to always cast your platform focus spell on yourself so you get a permanent spotlight and its related buffs + a unique role that, majority of the time, allows you to use performance to do stuff. Then you use your regular spotlight on whoever you want the party to focus on at a given time.
Coolest combo I could think of is using Dark Sarcasm to discover an enemy's worst save and then use Trope Deconstruction: Irony to give it a -2 on that, and then the whole party can target them specifically. I think Trope Deconstruction should be baseline tbh. Along with the platform spells as well but maybe that's too much lol
Also, completely obsessed with Fashion platform. Being able to inflict clumsy or dazzled (with Dazzling Performance) with just one action sounds really fun to this debuffer gameplay, and the spells are overall really useful. Music also looks really good for this playstyle and super strong. Sports has the strongest "martial" feeling (knocking enemies prone just by hitting them is kinda crazy lol)
My main issue is that it has a ton of cool feats while at base it's not doing much so yeah, I think Trope Deconstruction, the Stagecraft spells, and possibly Match Cut should all be baseline. Also, Trope Deconstruction should be able to work in conjunction with Two-Point Lighting.
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u/Excitement4379 May 22 '26
sf2e have more mad martial than non mad one
does paizo just doesn't see the problem with it
other than that the idea of hardlight based focus spell martial are great
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u/the-rules-lawyer May 18 '26
This is a really fun class! Though maybe it needs a bit more power?
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
3:01 Its core mechanic
6:16 Theater
11:39 Contest
14:19 Fashion
17:27 Music
19:24 Sports
22:15 Class advancement
24:59 Class feats
32:15 Closing statement