In Starfall, gremlins become "Rift-gremlins": fey adapted to the artificial ecologies of habitats, data networks, and Metronome-bathed transit lanes, treating technology as both forest and prey. They are drawn to places where reality is already thin—Rift scars, Metronome nodes, junk nebulae, and bleeding-edge research sites—and instinctively push complex systems toward failure.
Gremlins have plagued the Universe with cruel tricks for Millenia, and they’ve fully adapted to a galaxy filled with technology. Whether meddling with a comm unit, a starship, or an entire space station, gremlins delight in ruination and chaos.
Many types of gremlins exist across the galaxy. Mech gremlins are an odd, solitary species who often take possession of incredibly powerful machines and wreak destruction on civilizations despite their own physical weaknesses. Infosphere gremlins are entirely digital beings who act more akin to hazards than creatures, but their presence can corrupt data across wide area networks and disrupt entire outposts with misinformation.
Across Pathfinder and Starfinder, gremlins cluster at low levels, often from level −1 to 2, with traits like cold iron weakness, nuisance curses, and sabotage abilities that threaten gear more than hit points. Starfinder’s tech gremlins add sense tech, digital telepathy, and station-specific sabotage, making them ideal first foes that teach players the danger of environmental and system-based threats.
When Encountered gremlins
Hit lightly but interfere with gear, comms, doors, and vehicles.
Reward clever play: luring them into traps, using bait systems, or negotiating.
Create memorable set pieces built around failing systems rather than straight brawls.