THE MALTESE FALCON
A chaotic amalgamation of mismatched hull plating, exposed wiring, and sheer mechanical stubbornness. The port side still bears the faded, peeling yellow and green logo of a UNIFARM AGRI-CORP heavy harvester. The entire vessel was painstakingly salvaged and pieced together from a Diaspora scrapyard.
Deep in the heart of the ship sits the main strategy room, affectionately dubbed "The Round Table" in honor of Galahad, the crew's Android Witchwarper. It serves as the nerve center for the Casablanca Quartet, where chaotic plans are hatched over an upcycled industrial cable spool converted into a holographic tactical display.
THE MALTESE FALCON
SHIP MODIFICATIONS & BAYS
COMBAT PROTOCOLS [PLAYER RULES]
> 🎲 INITIATIVE & ROLES
Roll initiative using the skill tied to your chosen starting role (e.g., Piloting, Computers). At the start of your turn, select an available role. You may change roles each round.
> ⏱️ ACTION ECONOMY
You have 3 Actions. Most specific crew actions require 2 Actions. Use your remaining action to Aid an ally (DC 15), cast a 1-action spell (like Guidance), or strike a boarder.
> 🎯 THE SCENE DC & TARGETING
Attacks target the enemy ship's AC or Saving Throws directly. If an action requires a standard skill check (like Evasive Maneuvers or Plotting a Course), roll against the general Scene DC (DC 18) unless stated otherwise.
> 🔥 PERSISTENT DAMAGE
Persistent damage to the ship triggers at the end of the entire round. An Engineer can spend 2 actions to perform Assisted Recovery, reducing the flat check DC to 10 and granting an immediate extra flat check.
STANDARD CREW ACTIONS
Calculate and execute jump coordinates using Piloting or Computers. On a success, the crew earns 1 Escape Point (EP).
Fire standard weapons (Lasers/Missiles), deploy the Graviton Tether, or execute a Kinetic Ram strike. Compare attack roll against target AC.
Evade incoming fire. On success, grants a +2 circumstance bonus to ship AC and Reflex saves this round.
Mitigate conditions. Reduces the flat check DC for persistent damage to 10 and grants an extra flat check.
Attempt Crafting check against Scene DC. On success, restore 5 HP or instantly regenerate 5 Shields.
Use sensors. Recall Knowledge to learn enemy vessel's current HP, weaknesses, or routine.
Prepare to assist another crew member. Roll relevant skill check to grant a circumstance bonus.
AUTHORIZED CREW ACTIONS (BESPOKE) SYS_AUTH_GRANTED
Roll to mask trajectory. On success, undetected by bio-sensors this round. Enemy must pass DC 11 flat check to target. Grants 1 EP.
Reroute power via brute force. On success, Shields instantly regenerate 5 HP, and Pilot gets +1 circumstance bonus to their next check.
Fire weapons infused with cosmic energy. Deals 2d6+4 damage, plus an extra 1d6 fire damage. (Triggers known enemy weakness).
Bend reality around hull. On success, use your Reaction later this round to force the enemy to reroll a successful attack against the ship.
Blast unhinged corporate extermination slogans. On success, enemy ship is Frightened 1 (-1 to attacks/Piloting). Leaves 2 actions to fire guns.
Physically force a jammed mechanism or valve into place. On a success, the ship gains a +1 circumstance bonus to AC, and the next attack roll made by the ship gains a +1 bonus. Critical Success: Restore 5 HP.
FLESH-HUNTER INTERCEPTOR VISUAL_IDENTIFICATION
A massive, asymmetrical wedge of jagged bone plating and throbbing muscle tissue. Glowing green nutrient paste pumps visibly through transparent external veins.
As the encounter progresses, the Flesh-Hunter's living hull visibly reacts to incoming fire. Chunks of calcified armor shatter to reveal pulsing, angry red musculature underneath. When the interceptor takes evasive maneuvers, it does not use traditional thrusters; instead, the entire ship violently writhes and spasms like a wounded beast in the vacuum. If the spore pods deploy, the green nutrient veins bulge and burst, spewing a thick corrosive bile across the battlefield.
VESSEL STATISTICS
BIOMECHANICAL MODS & BAYS
COMBAT PROTOCOLS & TACTICS [GM GUIDE]
🤖 THREAT ROUTINE (Automated)
Enemy ships do not use PC actions. On its initiative count, it performs this exact routine:
- Ramming Speed or Spore Pods: Attempts to physically block the escape trajectory (reduces PC Escape Points by 1) OR deploys its Acidic Spore Pods to strip shields.
- Splinter Cannon: +13 to hit vs AC. Deals 2d6+5 piercing damage.
(Critical Hit: Adds 1d10 persistent bleed/acid damage).
🎯 Targeting Priorities
The Flesh-Hunter does not target individual crew members. Its attacks are rolled against the Maltese Falcon's AC (21) or appropriate saving throws. Persistent damage affects the ship itself.
🏁 Ending the Encounter
The encounter ends when either the PCs reach 5 EP (jumping to the Drift) or the Flesh-Hunter is reduced to 0 HP. Award 40 XP for overcoming this Level 4 threat.
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS & EP OPPORTUNITIES [GM GUIDE]
During the pursuit sequence, introduce these environmental hazards at the top of a round. Provide players the opportunity to navigate them creatively using their roles to earn extra Escape Points (EP) outside of the standard "Plot Course" action.
🪨 Hazard 1: Dense Debris Field
The chase enters a chaotic cluster of shattered asteroid rock and derelict ship parts, providing cover but dangerous navigation.
-
Pilot (Acrobatics/Piloting DC 18): Thread the needle through the debris.
Success: Grants 1 EP.
Failure: The ship collides with debris, taking 2d6 bludgeoning damage. -
Gunner (Gunnery DC 17): Blast a clear path through the largest rocks ahead of the ship.
Success: Grants 1 EP.
Failure: Action wasted, standard hazard damage applies if not evaded.
🌩️ Opportunity 2: Mag-Storm Nebula
A localized, crackling magnetic storm disrupts targeting systems but provides excellent, chaotic energy for a jump calculation.
-
Science Officer (Computers DC 19): Map the storm's interference pattern to hide the ship's warp signature.
Success: Grants 1 EP and imposes a -2 circumstance penalty to the Flesh-Hunter's next attack. -
Magic Officer (Mysticism DC 18): Harness the raw, chaotic arcane energy of the storm to forcefully charge the Drift drives.
Success: Grants 1 EP.
Failure: The energy backlashes, draining 1d6 Shields.
PRE-LAUNCH SABOTAGE PHASE [GM GUIDE]
Context: When the players arrive at the Hangar before boarding their shuttle, trigger the Sabotage Phase.
THE GAMBLE: Keep the timer hidden!
The players do not know how much time they have until the outer hangar sphincter opens and the void rushes in. Ask them round by round if they want to board their ship or stay outside to attempt sabotage.
🧪 Sabotage Option: Rupture Nutrient Lines
Requires: Adjacent to lines | Crafting DC 18
Success: The Flesh-Hunter begins starship combat with 1d10 persistent acid damage.
Critical Failure: The pressure bursts early. PC takes 2d6 acid damage immediately.
👁️ Sabotage Option: Spoof Optical Sensors
Requires: Hangar Control Terminal | Computers DC 19
Success: The Flesh-Hunter is blinded. It takes a -2 penalty to Initiative and Attack Rolls during Round 1.
Critical Failure: Terminal locks PC datapad. They cannot use Computers for round 1 of starship combat.
⏳ Narrative Countdown Cues
Do not tell the players they have exactly 2 rounds. Use these sensory details at the top of the initiative order to let them intuit the escalating danger:
- ⏳ Start of Round 1: "The amber warning lights shift to a rapid, strobing crimson. A low, guttural groan echoes through the bio-membranes of the hangar floor as the outer sphincter muscles begin to tense and stretch."
- ⏳ Start of Round 2: "The groan turns into a wet, tearing sound. The massive sphincter dilates slightly, and you hear the horrifying, high-pitched whistle of atmosphere beginning to suck out into the void. The Falcon's proximity alarms start shrieking."
- 💨 Start of Round 3 (The Blowout): "A sound like a thunderclap echoes as the muscular doors fully retract. The air violently rushes out into the cold dark."
⚠️ HAZARD: THE SPHINCTER OPENS
Trigger: At the start of Round 3 (or a time of your choosing), the massive biological doors dilate. The hangar violently decompresses.
🧗 Holding On (The Saving Throw)
Any PC not inside the Maltese Falcon must immediately attempt a DC 19 Reflex save or a DC 19 Athletics check to grab an umbilical line or landing strut.
- Success: The PC holds on but is off-guard. They must spend an action to pull themselves inside the airlock on their next turn.
- Failure: The PC loses their grip and is blasted into the void of space!
🌌 Zero-G & The Void of Space
If a PC is blasted out, apply the following environmental rules:
- Vacuum Protection: Most Starfinder armor has environmental seals. If their armor is sealed, they are safe from suffocation. If their helmet is off, they must hold their breath (rounds equal to Constitution modifier) before they start suffocating, taking 1d6 damage per round.
- Drifting: A PC in the void drifts 30 feet further away from the ship at the end of every round.
- Zero-G Movement: PCs without thrusters (like jump jets or specific spells) cannot move toward the ship unless they can push off floating debris (Acrobatics or Athletics DC 15).
- The Rescue: To save a drifting ally, a PC inside the Maltese Falcon must assume the Pilot role and spend 2 Actions to carefully maneuver the ship to scoop them up in the airlock (Piloting DC 18). On a failure, the ship misses, and they must try again next round while the Flesh-Hunter closes in!