At 1st level, when you create your character, you gain a background of your choice. This decision is permanent; you can’t change it at later levels. Each background grants two boosts, usually a skill feat, and the trained proficiency rank in two skills, one of which is a Lore skill. If you gain the trained proficiency rank in a skill from your background and would then gain the trained proficiency rank in the same skill from your class at 1st level, you instead become trained in another skill of your choice.
The following backgrounds are specifically designed for the Voidfinder setting, offering a way to tie your character directly to its unique cultures, factions, and locations. In addition, most common backgrounds from Starfinder Player Core and Galaxy Guide are available and suitable for the Voidfinder setting. Backgrounds unique to the Pact Worlds setting of Starfinder may not be appropriate for use in Voidfinder.
Backgrounds
Anomaly Survivor — Background
You are the survivor of a rare and terrifying unexplained event. You may have been the only crew member to return from a voyage after being touched by an unknown entity in Wildspace, or you could have been caught in a localized temporal storm. Whatever the case, you survived an ordeal that has left you physically or mentally changed.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Intelligence or Wisdom, and one is a free attribute boost
You’re trained in your choice of Arcana, Occultism, Survival, or Stealth, and the Anomaly Lore skill. You gain the Assurance skill feat with the skill you chose.
Arcadian Clone — Background
You are a clone created by Apex Dynamics to be a docile servant for the “Arcadia Project” paradise. When a solar flare caused the colonists to become monstrous aberrations, the clones were left to care only for themselves. You are one of the divergent few who gained self-awareness and chose to flee your haunted homeworld, seeking a true purpose and identity among the stars.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Constitution or Intelligence, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in the Survival skill, and either Arcadia Lore or Apex Dynamic Lore. You gain the Skill Training skill feat.
Bloodsport Veteran — Background
Murderball is a hyper-violent, zero-g sport where players use specialized gauntlets to catch and propel an explosive projectile into a roving target aperture, or each other, before it detonates. Ricochet is a bizarre spectacle where teams use rackets to navigate a volatile ball through a deadly, trap-filled obstacle course. You are a veteran of these or other brutal bloodsports, perhaps having fought in the oppressive empires of the Unbroken Chain or the savage fighting pits of the Kraal on Boro Prime.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Strength or Dexterity, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in the Performance skill, and the Sports Lore skill. You gain the Fascinating Performance skill feat.
Chosen by Valera — Background
You were born with a birthmark recognized as the sigil of Valera, the goddess of honor and justice and believe she has chosen you for a great destiny. You may be fated to become the protector for a chosen one, to uncover a long-hidden evil, or to be the catalyst that topples a tyrannical government.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Constitution or Charisma, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in the Religion skill, and the Valera Lore skill. You gain the Student of the Canon skill feat.
Citizen of Riadus — Background
You grew up on Riadus, the seat of the Coalition government and the primary trade hub of the Core Worlds. You are accustomed to the wealth, opulence, and privilege that comes from living at the center of galactic power. This upbringing has given you an intimate understanding of politics and social dynamics.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Wisdom or Charisma, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in the Society skill, and the Riadus Lore skill. You gain the Multilongual skill feat.
Fleetborn — Background
You were born and raised on a starship, accustomed to the hum of engines, artificial life support, and cramped quarters. You might hail from a ship in the elven Chrysanthemum Fleet, a cruiser in the Shadow Fleet of Systems 8, or even a simple long-haul freighter. The deck beneath your feet is your true home.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Dexterity or Constitution, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in your choice of either the Crafting or Piloting skill, as well as the Wildspace Lore skill. You are never clumsy or off-guard while untethered.
Fluxball Player — Background
Fluxball is a popular field sport where teams try to get a ball—which builds up potential energy with every impact—through a shielded goal. The sound of a roaring crowd still sends your heart pumping as you recall your glory days as a player. Whether you retired successfully or were taken out of commission, you maintained your conditioning and are always ready for your next big game.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Strength or Constitution, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in the Athletics skill, and the Sports Lore skill. You gain the Quick Jump or Titan Wrestler skill feat.
Fringe Settler — Background
You grew up in a settlement on the fringes of civilized space, far from quick assistance or defense. Life on the edge has made you self-reliant and accustomed to facing sudden threats. You know how to survive with limited resources when help is not coming.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Constitution or Wisdom, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in the Survival skill, and the Akiton Lore skill. You gain the Terrain Expertise skill feat selecting one of the following terrains: arctic, desert, mountain, or plains
Gallery Child — Background
You were raised by parents who often used the local grid or the Gallery as a babysitter. This constant stream of entertainment and social feeds made you a social chameleon, able to adopt personas and reference obscure media with ease. You can navigate most social situations as a performance, but may struggle with genuine, uncurated connections.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Intelligence or Wisdom, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in the Computers skill and either the Gallery or Media Lore skill. You gain the Digital Diversion skill feat.
Magitech Developer — Background
You see magic and technology as two parts of a greater whole. You might be an academic researcher studying the arcane science of the extinct Thereans. Or, you could be a cutting-edge developer, weaving mystical energies into modern hardware to create new wonders.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Intelligence or Wisdom, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in your choice of either the Arcana or Occultism skill, as well as the Magitech Lore skill. You gain the Quick Identification skill feat.
Omnium Initiate — Background
You have studied the archives of Omnium. Perhaps you visited in a dream or were given a rare opportunity to travel to the celestial archive. Either way, you learned all you could before returning to Realspace.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Intelligence or Wisdom, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in the Occultism skill, and a Lore skill of your choice.. You gain the Assurance skill feat.
Rebuilt — Background
You died and passed into the afterlife. There you remained for an unknown span of time—perhaps days, perhaps decades. Whether by powerful resurrection magic, unfathomable technology, or some esoteric fluke, your soul was pulled back from eternity and placed into a new body. This form might be an identical copy of your original, a completely different organic vessel, or even a fully mechanical construct. This experience has left you profoundly changed, a soul out of time with a chilling, firsthand understanding of both life and death.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Constitution or Wisdom, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in the Medicine or Crafting skill, and the Afterlife Lore skill. You gain the Toughness general feat.
Second-Class Citizen — Background
You were born as a “lesser” in an oppressive society. You might be a non-citizen laborer in the Unbroken Chain, or perhaps an elf with too much human blood in the Chrysanthemum Fleet. You have learned to be resilient and navigate unjust rules just to survive.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Strength or Constitution, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in the Athletics skill and a Lore skill associated with the culture in which you were raised (Chrysanthemum Fleet Lore, Unbroken Chain Lore, etc.) or the people who oppressed you (Elf Lore, Orc Lore, etc.). You gain the Hefty Hauler skill feat.
Starship Mechanic — Background
You are happiest when elbow-deep in a power conduit or coaxing a faulty feydrive back to life. You have a natural intuition for engineering, able to patch, repair, and jury-rig almost any system with scrap and skill. You are the one who keeps the ship flying, the guns firing, and the life support humming.
Choose two attribute boosts. One must be to Intelligence or Dexterity, and one is a free attribute boost.
You’re trained in the Crafting skill, as well as the Starship Lore skill. You gain the Quick Repair skill feat.