I was given a copy of A Cosmic Birthday by Paizo to give my honest review about it.
A Cosmic Birthday is the first playtest adventure for Starfinder Second Edition. It takes the characters from first level through fourth and takes place on Absalom Station where there are many strange things going on. Power surges and portals are opening up and the players are not immune to these effects.
The game opens with the players meeting with Julzakama about a job to clear out an impounded ship. On their way to the ship, their elevator malfunctions, dropping the players into the Ghost Levels with no way of contacting the outside world. Along their trip through the levels, they are met with malfunctioning robots, Newborn Disciples, and oozes.
One of the really cool things about this adventure happens in Chapter Two. While running through the streets of Little Akiton, the players are given the option of many different side jobs to help out. They can take any or all of them depending on how they feel, including helping find a lost pet. Once they have completed all of the jobs, or gotten enough exp to get to third level, the situation on Absalom Station escalates.
All in all, this is a good introduction into Starfinder Second Edition. If you try it out during the playtest, be sure to give your feedback!
A Cosmic Birthday is the first playtest adventure for Starfinder Second Edition. It takes the characters from first level through fourth and takes place on Absalom Station where there are many strange things going on. Power surges and portals are opening up and the players are not immune to these effects.
The Adventure
The game is broken up into three chapters, each a complete short story in itself. Chapter One plunges the characters into the Ghost Levels, an extradimensional space hidden alongside Absalom Station, as they take a routine elevator ride. Chapter Two sees our heroes in Little Akiton during a shelter in place order due to the strange phenomena going on. Chapter Three has our heroes going back to the Ghost Levels to prevent Charity Substation from melting down.The game opens with the players meeting with Julzakama about a job to clear out an impounded ship. On their way to the ship, their elevator malfunctions, dropping the players into the Ghost Levels with no way of contacting the outside world. Along their trip through the levels, they are met with malfunctioning robots, Newborn Disciples, and oozes.
One of the really cool things about this adventure happens in Chapter Two. While running through the streets of Little Akiton, the players are given the option of many different side jobs to help out. They can take any or all of them depending on how they feel, including helping find a lost pet. Once they have completed all of the jobs, or gotten enough exp to get to third level, the situation on Absalom Station escalates.
The Background
Now in the background of the story, there is a new cosmic entity trying to be born. Its emergence is what is causing all of the power fluctuations and strange phenomena to happen, including turning its cultists into eldritch entities. This event will have rippling effects across the Pact Worlds for years to come because it brings about The Newborn or Aucturn’s Child, a god of birth, cosmic horrors, paradigm shifts, and renewal.Should You Try It?
This adventure feels well thought out and well laid out in its execution. There is very little flipping back and forth to find the pertinent information you need for any given encounter, stat blocks are right there, and tips are given for how to keep the game flowing without getting derailed by the minutia of it all. There is also a section on the Newborn and its followers.All in all, this is a good introduction into Starfinder Second Edition. If you try it out during the playtest, be sure to give your feedback!
