[Starfinder] Dreamscarred Press Announces: the Psionics Guide Playtest

[Lord_Gareth]

Just a heads-up, got changes to Specialist coming after I get up in the morning. There's gonna be cuts and abilities moved, so if for some reason you're needing the current incarnation now is the time to save it.

[Lord_Gareth]

Alright, edits are live! Changes include:

• Social Chameleon & Empathic Knack have been edited and made General
• 'Free Action' wording removed
• Banshee Shot has been cut
• Soft edits on Lab Coat & Clipboard
• Field Fleshcrafting (Cryptographer), Adaptive Ammunition (Infiltrator), Empathic Coordination (Morphean) & Oneiromachy (Morphean) added
• The original Oneiromachy proof has been renamed so I could use that name elsewhere
• Hypnotic Hum has had its function reversed (it now protects everyone BUT you)

[EarthSeraphEdna]

Perhaps it is just me, but I still see no reason to be a Charisma specialist. Intelligence and, to a lesser degree, Wisdom still have too much going for them over Charisma. Hobbyist proofs undermine any idea that morphean proofs are supposed to be "better."

Also, I do not see why a specialist would bother with stalwart instead of evasion, when the specialist is a low Fortitude, high Reflex class.

[PsyBomb]

Perhaps it is just me, but I still see no reason to be a Charisma specialist. Intelligence and, to a lesser degree, Wisdom still have too much going for them over Charisma. Hobbyist proofs undermine any idea that morphean proofs are supposed to be "better."

Also, I do not see why a specialist would bother with stalwart instead of evasion, when the specialist is a low Fortitude, high Reflex class.

I actually disagree with both halves of this. For the Morphean specialization, you gain access to several effects over 10th level, and quite a few coordination/tanking/debuff below that. There aren’t enough Hobbyist proofs to get them if that’s your main goal as a Non-Morphean Specialist, though some may be taken as support. This is particularly in evidence levels 8 and below.

As for Stalwart versus Evasion, my main worry on review was actually quite the opposite. Stalwart is an enormously stronger ability, since the truism remains that Reflex is against HP damage while Fortitude is against ability/debuff/death. The saves are way more important when applicable, which we felt keeps things in balance here.

I do look forward to any results you bring past the theoretical, since we could either or both be wrong in practice. This just comes from the limited amount of direct testing I’ve been able to run.

[AlmaPenzare]

What're the skills per level of the Specialist?

[Snowpaws]

I have a rules concern regarding the Soulknife archetype. Archetypes must be chosen at first level in your selected class, but it requires a feat which you can't get until your first level. Technically, as written, you can't choose that archetype if your a single class character.

[AlmaPenzare]

Also, so if a specialist enters an archetype, doesn't that leave them with basically no powers? I'd like to play a specialist soulknife but losing almost every power does not seem worth a soulknife

[Lord_Gareth]

What're the skills per level of the Specialist?

There is no war in Ba Sing Se.

HOW DID I MISS THIS TWICE IN A ROW

I have a rules concern regarding the Soulknife archetype. Archetypes must be chosen at first level in your selected class, but it requires a feat which you can't get until your first level. Technically, as written, you can't choose that archetype if your a single class character.

I have good news for you there my friend. Page 126 of SF core has the relevant text, reproduced here for clarity:

You can gain an archetype when you achieve a new class level in an eligible class matching the earliest level for which an archetype offers an alternate class feature. The archetype is then considered part of the class you gain a level in when you level up. For example, if you are playing an envoy interested in being a Starfinder forerunner, you must select that archetype when you gain your 2nd level of envoy (the first level at which the Starfinder forerunner has an alternate class feature). From that point forward, whenever you gain an envoy class level, you should check whether you gain an an alternate class feature from the Starfinder forerunner archetype, as well as whether any envoy class features are altered or replaced.[...]

Later on the same page ("Other Considerations") there's the textual precedent for prerequisites such as certain class features, membership in particular organizations, or in our case, a feat. You do have to meet all pre-reqs by the time the arch would replace a feature, which in Soulknife's case means you need to have that feat more or less straight away.

Also, so if a specialist enters an archetype, doesn't that leave them with basically no powers? I'd like to play a specialist soulknife but losing almost every power does not seem worth a soulknife

Hrm. Can I ask you to elaborate as to why?

[PsyBomb]

There is no war in Ba Sing Se.

HOW DID I MISS THIS TWICE IN A ROW

Translation: it is 6+Int, and the playtest document has been fixed. Thanks for the catch.

[AlmaPenzare]

Hrm. Can I ask you to elaborate as to why?

After actually building a specialist with soulknife, I can appreciate it a bit more. However, considering how few powers they get as is, and with no advanced study in Starfinder, the price of having a soulknife is to leave you with at max 5 powers not counting ones gained from class features. While I know they're only a partial manifester, this feels quite limited for what is in the end, a way to get free gold, by giving you a free weapon. I *love* soulknives, but in giving up almost a third of your powers, feels quite brutal.

[AlmaPenzare]

Translation: it is 6+Int, and the playtest document has been fixed. Thanks for the catch.

Hah, I didn't notice the hidden text. I was going to say that is really not a helpful reply. Thanks for letting me know. Apologies if I come off as a little terse, reading my previous message I fear I might have, I'm a huge fan of DSP, I'm just trying to raise my concerns with the class.

I thought you may appreciate this; https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing My build for a level 3 Infiltrator Specialist/Soulknife, just to see how someone from an outside perspective sees building these options.

Also, as a note, I could not find mention of what level an item the soulknife is for the regards of applying fusion seals, I assumed they count as your level

[PsyBomb]

Hah, I didn't notice the hidden text. I was going to say that is really not a helpful reply. Thanks for letting me know. Apologies if I come off as a little terse, reading my previous message I fear I might have, I'm a huge fan of DSP, I'm just trying to raise my concerns with the class.

I thought you may appreciate this; https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing My build for a level 3 Infiltrator Specialist/Soulknife, just to see how someone from an outside perspective sees building these options.

Also, as a note, I could not find mention of what level an item the soulknife is for the regards of applying fusion seals, I assumed they count as your level

The Mind Blade is always supposed to have an item level equal to you character level for all purposes, I’ll make sure that’s more clear in the near future. Going to look over your build shortly as well, having been either main author or major secondary for every piece of it puts me too close to be truly objective without major effort.

EDIT: character looks roughly in line with expectations. Mind going over the reasoning for various choices? Particularly powers, but everything I get the logic for is only going to improve things in the long run. Incidentally, I’m actively jealous of the sheet and want a blank copy.

Also, if the Mind Blade is only being seen as free gold, I’m not doing my job right. The idea is to have its own unique feel. Need to work on that as well.

[Lord_Gareth]

Hah, I didn't notice the hidden text. I was going to say that is really not a helpful reply. Thanks for letting me know. Apologies if I come off as a little terse, reading my previous message I fear I might have, I'm a huge fan of DSP, I'm just trying to raise my concerns with the class.

You're fiiiiiine. Didn't come off bad at all, and frankly me managing to miss that in round two despite being told it multiple times was a little, ah...well it wasn't my greatest moment of authorial competence, let's call it that.

[AlmaPenzare]

Also, if the Mind Blade is only being seen as free gold, I’m not doing my job right. The idea is to have its own unique feel. Need to work on that as well.

Liike I said, Im a big fan of the soulknife, I use a Rageblade/Pyrokineticist in one of my own games as an NPC rival adventurer and he is just a blast to play. The problem here I see is the Soulknife feels very... solitary, you can give it neat description but as it is now it has no skills to pick to let you do cool things with it, it's just a weapon you can describe how you like you can summon at will

As for my powers, my character concept is she's a mild sociopath, only cares for the lives of others if she finds them interesting, and she is guided by what she finds interesting. She studies the rest of the party and is writing a book on them as "Outliers of Society and how they influence one another", basically "Adventurers, Why" and to fuel her passion projects, she works as an infiltrator and assassin for hire. Distant viewing to spectate a site before entry, watch a member of staff leaving, cath his voice, use the augment to shift voice and metamoprhasis to take his appearance and just saunter in. Soulknife is so that she never has to publicly carry weaponry, and can just summon it at will, it's flavored as a bow of psionic energy

PS: I know right this sheet is amazing. Here's a blank one, https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...t?usp=sharing\


And we all have those moments Lord Gareth, it took me having two different people look at my book for me to realise I never actually described what 2 major characters looked like.

[AlmaPenzare]

To expand a little more on the topic of Soulknife, I think having the ability to put different weapon properties, possibly in a sort of "Enchantment bonus" style could be neat, and then sacrificing weapon properties for minor blade skills. I think it would go a long way to give the soulknife a bit more... life, as right now, its kind of just a damage type, and numbers.

EDIT: Somehow I had missed that Longarms can get weapon properties, I like this, but I still think it could be expended a little.

[khadgar567]

so any eta for bestiary update as its funded last week.

[PsyBomb]

so any eta for bestiary update as its funded last week.

No specific ETA just yet. We need to get the Psionics Guide wrapped up (at least mechanically) before we can do more than brainstorm on that. It will come, and we are excited to be given the chance to put that one out, but just can’t do much without the rules basis to work on.

[Air0r]

regarding the soulknife topic: I'd drop the feat and bake it's effects into the archetype. keep it as a way for everyone to have access to a personalized insta-weapon.
BUT
I would then make a dedicated class for soulknife as well. bake in the gifted blade archetype from pathfinder. Then basically all of your other soulknife archetypes from pathfinder can become path options (in the same vein how the soldier has a variety of path options). on top of that blade skills are freaking amazing! I sort of can't imagine a soulknife of any kind without them. so I'd keep blade skills as an option, with your path choice giving access to specialized subsets of blade skills.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Also, if the Mind Blade is only being seen as free gold, I’m not doing my job right. The idea is to have its own unique feel. Need to work on that as well.

It'll be very hard to separate that thought process out as long as all the Soulknife archetype actually does is be a high quality weapon in exchange for class features. Granted, it's also a flexible weapon that can't be separated from you and can use other stats to attack, but a weapon it nonetheless remains. It doesn't even provide the weapon all on its own, you need a feat to be able to take it - and one of its features is just another bonus feat.

I think it better fits an archetype than a class, surely, but I would still suggest finding something different or special for the archetype to do mechanically. Even just pulling from the OG Soulknife in 3.5 (understanding how bad it was, of course) it had Psychic Strike, Bladewind, and Knife to the Soul. Why not try to incorporate something like that into the design?

[TheRagi]

Wait, do any of the archetypes in the CRB or PW actually have prerequisites? I think they placed that possibility in the rules, but doesn't seem Starfinder has used it yet.

I second the suggestion of just adding Mind Blade into the alternate class feature at second level with Improved MB, it makes the archetype yummier.

[Air0r]

Wait, do any of the archetypes in the CRB or PW actually have prerequisites?

none as of yet.

[Kaidinah]

After much internal discussion, it has been decided that Sonic Affinity would be dropped from the Maenad. Maenads are already versatile, and have a very powerful combat racial bonus in the form of Outburst.

Changes included:

• Removed Sonic Affinity from Maenads

[TheRagi]

A little late in the game, but here's something:

Aegis
Astral Shields (Su) [2nd Level]: Once per round as a free action, while you are wearing your astral suit, you can spend one or more Power Points to create a temporary astral shield.

Starfinder kinda got rid of free actions (they seem to exist only concerning combat maneuvers connected to natural attacks). This ability should either be a Swift action, if it's meant to be cautionary, or a Reaction, if the aegis was meant to activate it when he's hit (like the elan ability Resilience).

Also, this text:

Key Ability Score: Your Strength helps you fight in melee, while your Dexterity helps you fire your ranged weaponry and dodge incoming attacks, so you can choose either Strength or Dexterity as your key ability score. Once made, this choice cannot be changed. You power both your psionic abilities and many of your crafting masteries with your intellect, so you need a high Intelligence score.

Should be changed to reflect the information on bonus power points (like the text on the specialist doc):

If you have at least 1 level in a class that grants power points (such as aegis or specialist), you gain bonus power points equal to your manifester level x your key ability score modifier x 1/2.

Right now it almost seems as if Intelligence will grant the extra power points.

[Lord_Gareth]

A little late in the game, but here's something:

I'm bringing the rest of ya post to Internal so we can get replies and edits made but I wanted to address this part first - it is not late in the game! We just hit a serious slowdown point because we're trying to get Psion ready to show next, which means finishing out Powers among other things. We are very much still taking feedback on anything that's on the table right now.

[TheRagi]

Skills: Acrobatics (Dex), Athletics (Str), Autohypnosis (Wis), Computers (Int), Engineering (Int), Mysticism (Wis), Perception (Wis), Physical Science (Int), Profession (Cha, Int, or Wis)

The aegis has 9 class skills, yet no other class has an odd number of skills - you might want to add or subtract one to keep it closer to the official specs.

Considering his focus on crafting, he could also get Life Science, the only crafting skill not on his list.

Astral repair
“Repairing starships or similar incredibly expensive objects still costs UBP as normal.”

What does “incredibly expensive objects” refers to? The repair task on engineering and mysticism costs 10 UPBs per item level when fixing a broken object. Does astral repair require UPBs after a certain item level, or a credits margin?

Form Astral Suit
The amount of time forming this astral suit takes depends on the type of suit being formed.

They all take the same amount of time: one round. Maybe change this to “the type of action required to form this astral suit depends on the type of suit being formed”, just for clarity.

An astral suit can be dismissed as a free action.

Should be changed to either a move (like the solarian with his armor and weapon), or a swift like recommended in the legacy chapter, or worst case scenario, as a standard (just like dismissing a spell).

There are more free actions surviving in the aegis class, and re-reading the topic I saw you addressed this as a design decision. But they mostly seem unnecessary, and will end up only being pointed out by critics as example of 3PP not following the parameters of the core system. I’ll point some of them out and make suggestions - I think getting rid of them will save up on needless grief in the future.

There are only 3 swift actions for the aegis, and about 31 (mentions of) free actions in the whole class.

An astral suit does not function in areas where psionics do not work, and can be dispelled, treating your aegis class level as your manifester level for checks to resist such effects.

From the CRB: Supernatural abilities are not subject to spell resistance, but they don’t function in areas where magic is suppressed or negated. A supernatural ability’s effect cannot be dispelled.

But if you insist in keeping the suit as a dispellable ability, is it treated as a spell and can be formed back right away, or like and object and take 1d4 rounds? And does it need to be formed again, or it comes back up as it was?

Customization [2nd Level]
If it requires an enemy to attempt a skill check, the DC is equal to 10 + 1/2 x your aegis level + your key ability score modifier.

This uses the envoy formula, while the mechanic, mystic and operative use “10 + 1-1/2 × your class level + your key ability modifier”. Not sure why the difference, but does the aegis need this nerf?

You may apply any number of customizations that you have learned to any given astral suit, up to the maximum allowed at your level.

Redundant, and makes the paragraph more complicated than needed.

All-Terrain:
You can spend a Resolve Point as a free action to ignore the dazed, encumbered, entangled, exhausted, or fatigued condition until the end of your next turn.

This can be a swift action easily, just like the Ground usage of resolve points below this bit.

Astral Perfection [20th Level]: Your suit cannot be dispelled or removed against your will by any means, though your astral suit ability still does not function within areas where psionics do not work.

Now this is a problem. Supernatural abilities already can’t be dispelled at all (this includes solarian armor or weapon), and sunder in starfinder can’t target armor. Unless there’s some other way to remove someone’s armor (charm person and order them to do it? Some sort of teleport armor spell?), this part of the ability doesn’t accomplish much.

That’s almost half of the class, I’ll come back later with anything else I come up with.

Looking forward to the psion and the integrator!

[drafghast]

Excellent review, TheRagi. Some of these were things that we were already planning to change, and others had slipped through the cracks or were general design oversights, but all are appreciated. I'll review with internal and see what we can do to patch some of these up :)

[TheRagi]

Onwards to chassis (by the way, the misspelling “Chasses” appears three times in the aegis pages):

Forward Battery [1st Level]
You can spend 1 Power Point as a free action when you make a ranged attack.

I suggest: “You can spend 1 Power Point as part of a ranged attack”. This mechanic is present in a bunch of places, gets rid of the free action and doesn’t hinder the aegis, staying close to the original design.

Those squares count as difficult terrain for one round.

This bit lacks a bit of fluff. Why are they difficult terrain now? Ectoplasmic shards from the ranged attack? Just some help in visualizing what happens when this ability is used.

When you use astral shields, you can create a temporary astral turret instead of gaining temporary hit points. If you do so, one enemy within your line of sight that you made an attack roll against since your last turn takes piercing damage equal to the temporary hit points the shield would have granted. The astral turret otherwise counts as an astral shield for all purposes, and lasts for one round, despite only activating when created.

Is there a range limit to where I can put this turret? Does it need an open square? Does it only occupy one square?

The enemy takes damage from the turret even it the aegis attack roll wasn’t successful?

So it can be attacked? Does it have unattended object AC (crb 409)? Does it have hardness? I’m guessing it only has 5 hp. How tall is it? Can you use it for cover?

Scorched Earth [9th Level]
At the start of your turn, you can spend 3 Power Points as a free action. If you do so, one ranged weapon that you are wielding gains the unwieldy special property and your choice of one of the blast (15 ft range), explode (5 ft), or line (30 ft range) special properties for one round.

This is powerful enough for a swift action.

Line in the Sand
You can make attacks of opportunity with your ranged weapons against creatures that provoke while within those squares. Any enemy hit by one of your ranged attacks of opportunity

But can they take an attack of opportunity against the aegis, since he’s making a ranged attack within a threatened square? If not, this should go in the text.

Unyielding
You can spend 1 Power Point as a free action at the start of your turn. If you do so, you gain an insight bonus to attack rolls made for attacks of opportunity or as part of combat maneuvers for one round.

This is a great buff, and should demand a swift action. Can you use it for a combat maneuver and then for an AoO, or it is only applicable to one of them? The “or” makes it seem like it's the second.

Under Lockdown
When you create an astral shield, you can spend 2 additional Power Points. If you do so, you can attempt to either reposition or bull rush a creature within your reach as a free action.

A free standard action, although restricted to a couple of maneuvers, seems nasty. I’d change that to at least a move, or just some massive bonuses to a regular combat maneuver.

At the start of your turn, you can spend 3 Power Points as a free action. If you do so, increase your reach by 5 feet for one round.

I’d change this to “as part of an attack or full attack”; spending power points in the act of attacking to suddenly increase reach seems very fitting.

Astral Blockade
The wall extends along five continuous edges in a straight line centered on the chosen edge. The shield provides cover against attacks coming from the far side of the shield but not against attacks originating from the side you’re on. This wall lasts for one round.

So this is north, south, west, east and… diagonal? How long are these walls? And how tall (since flying at that level is very common)? Is the wall transparent? Does it also prevent movement, or can the enemy walk right through it? Cover is kinda crummy, how about DR and/or energy resistance?

As a move action, you can spend 6 Power Points. If you do so, the area within your reach counts as difficult terrain for your enemies for one minute. This difficult terrain hampers even flying enemies.

Same issue as before, what does this look like? A force field, ectoplasmic mist, whirlwind of ectoplasmic shards?

High Velocity
You can spend 1 Power Point as a free action on your turn. If you do so, your ranged attacks this turn gain an insight bonus to damage

“As part of a ranged attack or ranged full attack”...

Scattering Steps
When you make a full attack, you can spend 2 Power Points as a free action.

This is an easy “as part of a full attack”.

You can spend 3 Power Points as a free action at the start of your turn. If you do so, for each target that you hit with a ranged attack this turn, you choose one of the following

These kinds of usage of power points that require an attack to work actually make more sense as part of the attack. Imagine if the aegis spends the 3 power points and then the floor collapses under him, before he can attack - he just wasted resources. If he only spends them when attacking, it prevents such problems.

Once per turn, you can spend a Resolve Point as a free action during your turn to move up to your speed.

Exchanging a second move for a swift + resolve seems reasonable.

Veil of Bullets (Su)
On any turn in which you move more than 5 feet, you can leave an astral gun in each square that you move through. These images are intangible, inactive, and last only a single round, but when you make ranged attacks, you can have that attack originate from any square in line of sight with your astral gun, rather than your current square.

Are these astral guns copies of the gun the aegis is wielding? If he’s wielding more than one at the same time, can he choose between them? Can he copy guns he’s carrying on himself, but not holding nor wielding? Can he copy a gun he no longer has, or something he’s seen but never used?

As a full action you can spend 6 Power Points. If you do so, you can cause your astral guns to all fire at once.

But if you have to move to place the guns and they last only one round, how can you ever use this ability?

Make a ranged attack roll using a wielded ranged weapon against every enemy

This clarifies a lot, but this information should be either moved to the first paragraph or repeated there.

Astral Avalanche
You can spend 1 Power Point as a free action at the start of your turn.

“As a part of a melee attack or full attack”… this is specially good for the melee character, since he’s walking about and is even more likely to have this attacks interrupted. I believe this change would be quite beneficial to the aegis.

While you have an astral shield, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity from movement.

This might be over the top. Maybe he can ignore the first AoO, but full immunity at first level is too much.

Dance of Mischief
When you make a full attack, you can spend 2 Power Points as a free action.
You can spend 3 Power Points as a free action when you hit an enemy with a melee attack.
Once per turn, you can spend a Resolve Point as a free action during your turn to move up to your speed.

Two integrations into attacks, and once again, a swift + resolve for an extra move.

Echoes of Steel (Su)
Your melee attacks deal additional damage equal to the number of your afterimages adjacent to your target.

Is this only one extra point of damage per image? If so, the text should be “deal 1 additional point of damage per afterimage adjacent…”

Are these afterimages obvious, or could an enemy be fooled by them? Maybe add a “translucent” or “transparent” to their description.

If you do so, you can move up to twice your speed, making a melee attack against each enemy that you move adjacent to.

It’s a full attack + movement, but causing a lot of AoOs on the way. Maybe add a little AC bonus against AoOs? Or is this feeding from the first level ability that makes the aegis immune to AoOs from movement? Maybe move that from level 1 to here.

Mix It Up
When you use astral shields, you can choose to gain 5 fewer temporary hit points. If you do so, you can take a guarded step as a free action.

This is complicated, since I suggested changing astral shield to swift action, and you can only have one of those in a round. But sacrificing your swift action + temporary hit points might justify a guarded step as an extra move action.

Battle Pattern
When you draw a weapon, you can also put away any currently wielded weapons as a free action.

“put away a currently wielded weapon as part of the same action”. Any is a bit much, since we have races with multiple arms.

When you hit an enemy with a melee weapon, you can spend 3 Power Points as a free action. If you do so, you can make a single attack with a ranged weapon against that enemy as a free action.

“As a part of a melee attack, you can spend 3 PP to make an extra single attack with a ranged weapon against the same target”

When you hit an enemy with a ranged weapon, you can spend 3 Power Points as a free action. If you do so, that enemy is flat-footed for one round.

“As a part of a ranged attack, you can spend 3 PP. If the attack is successful, the enemy is flat-footed”

You can spend a Resolve Point as a free action when you take a guarded step to instead move up to half your speed.

“As part of a move action to take a guarded step, you can spend 1 resolve point to instead move half your speed”.

--

On the whole free-actioning of power point usage; there’s a bunch of places where spending power points has no actions connected to it, which might also cause some problems ahead.

If “as a part of” isn’t an interesting solution, and since PP are a new mechanic to the system, you might consider using a unique term for it. “You can boost a melee attack with 3 power points to make an enemy flat-footed”, or “You can enhance your guarded step with 2 power points to move an extra 5 foot” and such.

This will probably require an explanatory paragraph on the psionics chapter.

[TheRagi]

To wrap up, customizations.

Adhesive Feet
You also count as if you had boot clamps, and are able to walk on flat surfaces (such as the hulls of ships) in zero gravity.

Boot clamps are mentioned only in the zero gravity section of the book: "A creature anchored to a solid object (such as by the boot clamps available with most armor)".

A similar effect is mentioned in the armor section: “Unless otherwise specified, the boots include a functionality that can anchor your feet to a solid surface in a zero-gravity environment, allowing you to orient yourself or return to normal footing when needed”

So I assumed Astral Armor and Astral Juggernaut already had this built in them. Or is this supposed to benefit only aegis using Astral Skin and no regular armor?

you can spend 2 Power Points as a free action when you would be knocked prone to stay on your feet.

This can be easily replaced by a reaction.

Diehard
You gain the benefits of the Diehard feat, except that you automatically stabilize without having to spend Resolve Points to do so.

May I suggest “Dieharder” as a replacement name for this customization?

I’d add “as long as you have resolve points left”, otherwise, this is a tiny form of immortality during combat.

Frightful Presence
you can spend 2 Power Points as a free action when you successfully hit a creature with an attack to make them shaken for 1 round.

“As part of an attack”.

Hardened Strikes
your unarmed attacks lose the archaic keyword.

"archaic special property"

you may spend 2 Power Points as a free action. If you do so, your unarmed strike is charged with psionic energy, and deals an additional 2d6 damage on its next hit. Your unarmed strike stays charged for one minute or until it successfully hits, whichever comes first.

As a free action I could spend 2 power points for each attack on a full attack, but since it remains charged for a 1 minute it seems the intention is to benefit a single attack - so I suggest going for a swift action.

Powerful Build
Whenever you are subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for a Combat Maneuver, you are treated as Large if doing so is advantageous to you. You are also considered to be Large when determining whether a creature’s special attacks based on size (such as grab and swallow whole) can affect you. This doesn’t stack with similar abilities—in such cases, you apply only whichever is more beneficial to you.

There are no size modifiers concerning combat maneuvers in Starfinder. The same is true for Grab as well, but Swallow Whole actually has restrictions on the size of creatures that can be eaten. I’d change this to a bonus against combat maneuvers, but Adhesive Feet already does that, partially. Maybe a customization that gives bonus against other maneuvers?

Beginning at 8th level, whenever you make a successful melee attack, you can spend 2 Power Points as a free action to make a bull rush attempt against the target.

This is one of the few official exceptions to free actions, but it only shows up for monsters in the Alien Archive. There’s precedent, at least.

Speed
You can spend 2 Power Points as a free action to double this bonus for one round.

If you don’t want to get in the way of the withdraw and run full actions, this should be “as part of his move action or full action to do one of the two mentioned above”; otherwise it’s a swift.

Energy Resistance
You gain energy resistance 5 against one of acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic.

“one of” seems to be a leftover.

you can take this customization again, selecting an additional energy type of the ones above to resist.

So you have to decide the energy type when choosing the customization, not each time you apply it to the suit? That should be made clearer in the first sentence.

Harness Power Stone

Aegis can use psionic powers using this? Handy!

Stubborn
You gain this benefit only while unencumbered, and you lose the benefit when you are helpless or otherwise unable to move.

Is this a paste mistake from Evasion, or movement is really that important when resisting health and mental effects?

Astral Vision
blindsense (thoughts) out to a range of 30 feet.

Why not scent or vibration? Detecting thoughts hardly makes sense from an “augmentation of senses”. It gives a psionic-y feel to the customization, though, but maybe change the fluff text a bit.

Energy Blast
Astral cannonades jut from your astral suit, barraging your foes with every attack. Whenever one of your ranged attacks misses a creature, you can spend 2 Power Points as a free action.

“As part of each attack”, to cover full attacks as well.

Extra Armaments
Astral arms, bristling with weaponry, extend from your astral suit. Whenever one of your melee attacks misses a creature, you can spend 2 Power Points as a free action.

“As part of each attack”, to cover full attacks as well.

Extra Passenger
A creature can be loaded and unloaded into your astral suit as a free action by you, but the creature can take no actions until its next turn.

Swallowing another character strikes me as a full action.

Reach
All of your melee weapons and unarmed strikes gain the reach weapon special property.

How about a little something for the large races, since there are so many of them available. Another 5 ft of reach?

Fortification
before the critical hit’s damage

A little "'s" escaped there.

--

Done.

Overall, the class has a lot of buffs, but very few silly abilities. It probably makes for an efficient warrior, but not a very remarkable one.

I wish more chassis had stuff that affected the battleground like Artillery, with their tossing of difficult terrain and astral turrets, at early levels. The others show up at 9th or 15th.

I’ll build a 7th level aegis to use against a 5th level party and see how it goes.

[TheRagi]

Ah, one more thing!

You should add a paragraph about armor upgrades in the Form Astral Suit entry, explaining they can be installed in the suits just like in regular armor. Mechanically I believe the only difference is what happens to the upgrades when the suit is dismissed - they just fall on the floor? Get sucked into the ectoplasm and come back when the suit is formed again?

The upgrade slots are mentioned in the suits description, but they are important enough to be highlighted.

Astral Skin
You gain no armor bonus from your astral suit when you wear it in this fashion, but it still provides one upgrade slot per 5 aegis levels and has light bulk. An astral suit in this form is a skintight suit, does not count as any type of armor or provide any environmental protection, and can be worn underneath other armor without penalty.

This is problematic, since upgrades must be installed in armor - maybe just add “the astral skin is considered light armor when it comes to installing armor upgrades”. But can you use both the astral skin armor upgrades and the armor upgrades from the regular armor you are using? That would be a nice bonus to this suit.

[drafghast]

You are a machine (the good kind).
I will definitely review and respond to each of these points, but for now, consider your advice heard, noted, and in discussion internally.
I'm pleased that you didn't find any outright silliness, and I will see what we can do about making it a little more distinctive/cool. Also, I am quite interested as to how that mentioned encounter goes.
Glad you liked it overall :)