Ultimate Combat Preview #1

Justin Franklin wrote:

On a sorcerer other then a bloodline, what do you trade out?

There are paladin and ranger archetypes that give up spell-casting entirely. Is that an option for the sorcerer? -_^

What would a sorcerer be without spells? That's still the core of the class.

Jadeite wrote:

How about this sorcerer archetype?

Quote:

Battle Sorcerer

The battle sorcerer is no weak arcanist, hiding behind the fighters. Instead, she is a capable physical combatant who mixes magical prowess with fighting skill.
Hit Die
d8.

Base Attack Bonus
The battle sorcerer uses the base attack bonus progression of the cleric.

Class Skills
Remove Bluff from the battle sorcerer's class skill list. Add Intimidate to the battle sorcerer's class skill list.

Class Features
The battle sorcerer has all the standard sorcerer class features, except as noted below.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
At 1st level, a battle sorcerer gains proficiency with any light or one-handed martial weapon of the character's choice. She also gains proficiency with light armor.

Spellcasting
A battle sorcerer can cast sorcerer spells derived from her class levels of battle sorcerer while in light armor without the normal arcane spell failure chance.

A battle sorcerer has fewer daily spell slots than a standard sorcerer. Subtract one spell per day from each spell level on Table: The Sorcerer (to a minimum of zero spells per day). For example, a 1st-level battle sorcerer may cast four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells per day (plus bonus spells, if any).

A battle sorcerer knows fewer spells per spell level than a standard sorcerer. Subtract one spell known from each spell level on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known (to a minimum of one spell per spell level). For example, a 4th-level battle sorcerer knows five 0-level spells, two 1st-level spells, and one 2nd-level spell. When she reaches 5th level, the battle sorcerer learns one additional 1st-level spell, but doesn't learn an additional 2nd-level spell (since two minus one is one).

So you weakened the most important aspect of the sorcerer to give him two feats. (Archetypes are actually really hard to balance).

That is a pretty good translation of the original UA Battle Sorcerer though. It's not just two feats though. It's a BAB upgrade from poor to cleric level. as well as a HD bump.

So you weakened the most important aspect of the sorcerer to give him two feats. (Archetypes are actually really hard to balance).

What feat improves your BAB? That 'archetype' is from Unearthed Arcana and grants a bit more than just a few feats. I agree, however, that it's pricey.

How about this sorcerer archetype?

Quote:

Battle Sorcerer

The battle sorcerer is no weak arcanist, hiding behind the fighters. Instead, she is a capable physical combatant who mixes magical prowess with fighting skill.
Hit Die
d8.

Base Attack Bonus
The battle sorcerer uses the base attack bonus progression of the cleric.

Class Skills
Remove Bluff from the battle sorcerer's class skill list. Add Intimidate to the battle sorcerer's class skill list.

Class Features
The battle sorcerer has all the standard sorcerer class features, except as noted below.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency
At 1st level, a battle sorcerer gains proficiency with any light or one-handed martial weapon of the character's choice. She also gains proficiency with light armor.

Spellcasting
A battle sorcerer can cast sorcerer spells derived from her class levels of battle sorcerer while in light armor without the normal arcane spell failure chance.

A battle sorcerer has fewer daily spell slots than a standard sorcerer. Subtract one spell per day from each spell level on Table: The Sorcerer (to a minimum of zero spells per day). For example, a 1st-level battle sorcerer may cast four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells per day (plus bonus spells, if any).

A battle sorcerer knows fewer spells per spell level than a standard sorcerer. Subtract one spell known from each spell level on Table: Sorcerer Spells Known (to a minimum of one spell per spell level). For example, a 4th-level battle sorcerer knows five 0-level spells, two 1st-level spells, and one 2nd-level spell. When she reaches 5th level, the battle sorcerer learns one additional 1st-level spell, but doesn't learn an additional 2nd-level spell (since two minus one is one).

This is more of an ALTERNATE CLASS than an archetype.

Justin Franklin wrote:

So you weakened the most important aspect of the sorcerer to give him two feats. (Archetypes are actually really hard to balance).

What feat improves your BAB? That 'archetype' is from Unearthed Arcana and grants a bit more than just a few feats. I agree, however, that it's pricey.

Ah, I missed the HD bump

This is more of an ALTERNATE CLASS than an archetype.

Alternate classes are glorified archetypes.

How about this sorcerer archetype?

Quote:

Battle Sorcerer

The problem with that archetype is that, if I'm thinking "spontaneous arcanist with a blade" I don't go to the sorcerer, I go to the magus. And it seems I'm not the only one. You might find the Cabalist of particular interest.

Sorcerers shouldn't get things just because they're sorcerers. They should get things when the concept actually extends from the core idea of the class. Spell/sword is someone else's gig.

By the same token you could argue that everything is someone else's gig.

By the same token you could argue that everything is someone else's gig.

Not with any particular sense of accuracy.

Kthulhu wrote:

Justin Franklin wrote:

On a sorcerer other then a bloodline, what do you trade out?

First bloodline power.

Second bloodline power.
Etc.

So a different bloodline then.

No, you replace a single bloodline power. Do you really think that a draconic sorcerer with everything minus the claws is really "replacing" the bloodline?

By the same token you could argue that everything is someone else's gig.

I think the point is that every class has it's niche in the game and you don't want to weaken or remove that, for example, no rogue archetype weakens or removes sneak attack, or rage from a Barbarian. Removing spontaneous arcane casting from the sorcerer weakens it's purpose. However I would really like to see a 4 level arcane caster and a 6 level divine caster, I think those are 2 niches that have been missed.

I think the point is that every class has it's niche in the game and you don't want to weaken or remove that, for example, no rogue archetype weakens or removes sneak attack, or rage from a Barbarian. Removing spontaneous arcane casting from the sorcerer weakens it's purpose. However I would really like to see a 4 level arcane caster and a 6 level divine caster, I think those are 2 niches that have been missed.

Inquisitor?

Justin Franklin wrote:

Kthulhu wrote:

Justin Franklin wrote:

On a sorcerer other then a bloodline, what do you trade out?

First bloodline power.

Second bloodline power.
Etc.

So a different bloodline then.

No, you replace a single bloodline power. Do you really think that a draconic sorcerer with everything minus the claws is really "replacing" the bloodline?

But how do you balance that? Is every First Bloodline power of the same power as every other one? I wouldn't think so.

Justin Franklin wrote:

I think the point is that every class has it's niche in the game and you don't want to weaken or remove that, for example, no rogue archetype weakens or removes sneak attack, or rage from a Barbarian. Removing spontaneous arcane casting from the sorcerer weakens it's purpose. However I would really like to see a 4 level arcane caster and a 6 level divine caster, I think those are 2 niches that have been missed.

Inquisitor?

Damn it, I am forgetting a bunch of stuff today for some reason. so just the 4 level arcane caster then. ;)

Kthulhu wrote:

Justin Franklin wrote:

Kthulhu wrote:

Justin Franklin wrote:

On a sorcerer other then a bloodline, what do you trade out?

First bloodline power.

Second bloodline power.
Etc.

So a different bloodline then.

No, you replace a single bloodline power. Do you really think that a draconic sorcerer with everything minus the claws is really "replacing" the bloodline?

But how do you balance that? Is every First Bloodline power of the same power as every other one? I wouldn't think so.

But its the kind of thing they did in the APG in the form of sub-domains.

But how do you balance that? Is every First Bloodline power of the same power as every other one? I wouldn't think so.

Frankly, the game isn't so amazingly well balanced that that really would be that big of a deal. If two different bloodlines have 1st level powers that are so unbalanced, then the unbalance that you're worried about already exists.

I guess for me I see the Sorcerer has already having 30+ archetypes, so I am not all that worried about us not getting an "actual" archetype for the sorcerers.

Justin Franklin wrote:

Kthulhu wrote:

Justin Franklin wrote:

Kthulhu wrote:

Justin Franklin wrote:

On a sorcerer other then a bloodline, what do you trade out?

First bloodline power.

Second bloodline power.
Etc.

So a different bloodline then.

No, you replace a single bloodline power. Do you really think that a draconic sorcerer with everything minus the claws is really "replacing" the bloodline?

But how do you balance that? Is every First Bloodline power of the same power as every other one? I wouldn't think so.

But its the kind of thing they did in the APG in the form of sub-domains.

But that was only on a specific domain so they knew what they were replacing. I could see sub bloodlines at some point that were the same as the base bloodline, but with 2 or so changes.

Jadeite wrote:

Justin Franklin wrote:

So you weakened the most important aspect of the sorcerer to give him two feats. (Archetypes are actually really hard to balance).

What feat improves your BAB? That 'archetype' is from Unearthed Arcana and grants a bit more than just a few feats. I agree, however, that it's pricey.

Ah, I missed the HD bump

It gets:

HD bump
BAB bump
cast in light armor
light armor prof
martial weapon prof

5 things in exchange for weakened spellcasting. Worth it? YMMV.

Considering it doesn't loose spell levels, not so bad. The big problem is the Battle Sorc was an attempt at a Gish, all be it a spontaneous one. In many ways it's far more 'powerful' then Bards, Magi, or Duskbaldes. It was often a direct path to Eldrich Knight so net -1 caster level in exchange for 17 BAB and a fighter bonus feat (like a plastic toy ring stuck on top).

Given the PF Sorc I wouldn't be so sanquen about allowing a Battle variant. With Bloodlines poweres and 7 to 9 spells it gives me a gut reaction that it would easily outclass the 3/4 caster trying to fill the same role.

Add the PF EK and you've got virtually the pure perfect Gish with extra abilities in addition to the spell casting.

Hey there folks,

We've said this a number of times before but it bears repeating. It is quite hard to create archetypes for classes without a number of class features to work with (being that there is little to swap). You can start swapping out core class features, but then the class becomes less and less recognizable and you run into a mountain of balance issues. This makes the cleric, sorcerer, and wizard all a bit tricky to create archetypes for.

The sorcerer itself is where I actually got the idea for archetypes in the first place. While most do not see bloodlines in this way, if you were to take arcane as the base for all sorcerers (as was our original intent), all the rest are archetypes of that base.

All that said, we are intent on giving options to all the classes. It is impossible to make them all perfectly balanced in terms of quantity, but we try to keep things close at the very least. Due to the complexity of our rules set, these options sometimes take different forms, but they are certain there.

I am sure you will find the options in Ultimate Combat to be a lot of fun and a good addition to your game, even if it is not filled with sorcerer archetypes.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

Hey there folks,

We've said this a number of times before but it bears repeating. It is quite hard to create archetypes for classes without a number of class features to work with (being that there is little to swap). You can start swapping out core class features, but then the class becomes less and less recognizable and you run into a mountain of balance issues. This makes the cleric, sorcerer, and wizard all a bit tricky to create archetypes for.

While you have a bit of a point regarding the Cleric and Wizard, the Sorcerer does not have a shortage of class features they can trade out, following the standard used for trading out other Class's features in their archetypes (See fighter, druid, and alchemist).

• Sorcerer
  
• Cleric
  
• Wizard

While you have a bit of a point regarding the Cleric and Wizard, the Sorcerer does not have a shortage of class features they can trade out, following the standard used for trading out other Class's features in their archetypes (See fighter, druid, and alchemist).

• Sorcerer
  
• Cleric
  
• Wizard

Actually I think that is the point. The Sorcerer Bloodlines are essentially archetypes. The only thing to do differently would be to have a sorcerer with no bloodline at all and have a radically different subset of powers and abilities gained in their place.

Caedwyr wrote:

While you have a bit of a point regarding the Cleric and Wizard, the Sorcerer does not have a shortage of class features they can trade out, following the standard used for trading out other Class's features in their archetypes (See fighter, druid, and alchemist).

• Sorcerer
  
• Cleric
  
• Wizard

Actually I think that is the point. The Sorcerer Bloodlines are essentially archetypes. The only thing to do differently would be to have a sorcerer with no bloodline at all and have a radically different subset of powers and abilities gained in their place.

Maybe some sort of way to buff their allies, get some bonus feats for free, be able to enchant their weapons with their inborn magic...

Heck, they could even be able to wear heavier and heavier armor without ASF as they level up.

Caedwyr wrote:

While you have a bit of a point regarding the Cleric and Wizard, the Sorcerer does not have a shortage of class features they can trade out, following the standard used for trading out other Class's features in their archetypes (See fighter, druid, and alchemist).

• Sorcerer
  
• Cleric
  
• Wizard

Actually I think that is the point. The Sorcerer Bloodlines are essentially archetypes. The only thing to do differently would be to have a sorcerer with no bloodline at all and have a radically different subset of powers and abilities gained in their place.

Or they could do what they've done with their current Sorcerer Archetypes and swap out selected Arcana, bloodline powers, bonus spells, bonus class skills, bonus feats and not do a wholesale replacement of all the features put under the "Bloodline" class feature. They've done it with Fighters (Armor Training, Weapon Training), they've done it with Druids (Uses of Shapeshift/day), they've done it with Alchemists (Poison Resistance +2, +4, +6, immunity), so why not with Sorcerers?

I think the problem people have with using bloodlines as virtual sorcerer archtypes is that bloodline powers are terrible, It is like you made a class with bravery +1 +2 +3 +4, and all their archtypes switch it from saves vs. fear to saves vs. sound based illusion or magical poison.

In other words the abilities you get from bloodlines are like fluffy add-ons more then class abilities in that it doesn't matter which one you take, you won't notice the difference

1st level what can I do: melee touch attack 3+CHA times per day... I am a spell caster melee isn't my thing, can't I just have another spell?

3rd level what can I do: resistance to some force or another... okay my selection is now more campaign based then fluff based.

9th level What can I do: most often it is a free spell or an ability boosting ability, only I don't get to pick what it is and the ability boost is never CHA, again can't I just have another spell?

15th level what can I do: Free spell+, Most often just another free spell just with an extra side effect thrown on, I'd rather the versatility of picking my own regular spell, so again can't I just have another spell?

20th level what can I do: Whole lots of great stuff that's what! yay! an ability! that I wont ever really get to use.... sooo meh.

In other words the abilities you get from bloodlines are like fluffy add-ons more then class abilities in that it doesn't matter which one you take, you won't notice the difference

With the exception of the Arcane Bloodline, whose abilities are all extremely powerful. Much of the Arcane Bloodline's powers address the weaknesses of the Sorcerer, from adding a free "floating" spell slot with the bonded item, to allowing spontaneous casting of metamagic, to adding additional spells known to DC bonuses. The problem with other bloodlines are that some abilities are GROSSLY awesome (the Abyssal Bloodline's inherent bonus to Strength, for example), while others are abyssmally terrible (the horrendously common "you gain an extremely limited natural attack" abilities).

A bonus to strength... Just what my half bab spellcasting class always wanted

Absolutely shameless plug of the Sorcerer Aid Project

So back on the subject of Flurry of Maneuvers...

The maneuver master uses his monk level in place of his base attack bonus to determine his CMB for the bonus maneuvers, though all combat maneuver checks suffer a –2 penalty when using a flurry. At 8th level, a maneuver master may attempt a second additional combat maneuver, with an additional –3 penalty on combat maneuver checks. At 15th level, a maneuver master may attempt a third additional combat maneuver, with an additional –7 penalty on combat maneuver checks. This ability replaces flurry of blows.

So does this mean it goes -2, -5, -12 or -2, -5, -9? The math either way seems very strange compared to the way Flurry of Blows and TWF works. Could we get an official clarification on this?

Disciple of Sakura wrote:

Incidentally...

Old School D&D style stuff vs real anime D&D stuff. The latter image is from the Japanese versions of the 3.x D&D core books. A sight better than Miallee, I would hope most would agree.

The bit about that being better than Mialee was a joke, right? Cause that wizard was among the worst pieces of art I've ever seen.

We are talking about the same Mialee, aren't we? Hideous elf with widow's peak, Cher hair, gnarly cheek bones, more pockets than you can shake a stick at? Because I'd rather have an elf in a silver body suit, attractive hair, smooth facial features, and magically enchanted red ribbons floating around her any day.

For my money, though, I'd say that Marcel Duchamp's Fountain is probably one of the worst pieces of art I've ever seen.

That's neither here nor there.

For those complaining about the effeminate/androgynous nature of many anime protagonists, they aren't exactly unrealistic. There's a lot of men who look rather feminine in the real world. Whether they'll be swinging around enormous swords is another thing, but that's what makes it fantasy. I tend to prefer the tiny-girl-with-enormous-sword aesthetic myself, though. There's something that I find aesthetically pleasing about it.

I also like the technical skill of a (horribly oversexualized) Vallejo piece as well, but that's not all I want my fantasy art to be. It tends to turn women off of gaming worse than anime, in my experience. But that might just be the women I've met.

All that said, I'd prefer a greater mix of stuff in Paizo's art. I love WAR's art, both for his technique, his obsession to overdetail (I get far too bored to get that intricate), and his proclivity and production capability. I like Toni DiTerlizzi for his washes and soft style, and am sad to not see his art as often anymore in gaming. I like Hiroaki Samura's art for its amazing line quality and capacity to evoke a great deal from black and white pencils, and I like Yoshitoshi Abe's art for the softness and etheral reality his characters have, as well as his environments. I like anime. Not all of it, just like I like science fiction, but not all of it. And fantasy, but not all of it. And humanity, but not all of it. I think the folks who draw a line in the sand and say "keep yer animes out of my X" are folks who really are not actually looking at the sheer variety of artistic expression and stylistic technique that gets lumped under that term. And as an artist who really only found his voice after being exposed to anime, I personally take offense at the narrow-mindedness of that, especially as it pertains to telling me that I shouldn't be catered to in my preferred venue as well. I'd never say not to hire an artist (except maybe Crabapple) or keep out a style of expression, so long as it was appropriate to the medium. I wouldn't expect chibis to show up in Pathfinder (though there were some in the Kindred of the East titles that were actually rather fun and didn't ruin the mood...) but I also wouldn't expect Rainbow Brite.

Anyway... I hope that there's some stuff in UC that makes meleers fun in the higher levels and allows them to contribute meaningfully without having to stand still to do it. I liked Tome of Battle for just that reason, but I know that I won't be seeing that particular style of thing. Just something that makes playing a fighter fun and not a "Why don't I just retire and roll up a wizard?" sort of deal.

So back on the subject of Flurry of Maneuvers...

Flurry of Maneuvers wrote:

The maneuver master uses his monk level in place of his base attack bonus to determine his CMB for the bonus maneuvers, though all combat maneuver checks suffer a –2 penalty when using a flurry. At 8th level, a maneuver master may attempt a second additional combat maneuver, with an additional –3 penalty on combat maneuver checks. At 15th level, a maneuver master may attempt a third additional combat maneuver, with an additional –7 penalty on combat maneuver checks. This ability replaces flurry of blows.

So does this mean it goes -2, -5, -12 or -2, -5, -9? The math either way seems very strange compared to the way Flurry of Blows and TWF works. Could we get an official clarification on this?

I'm mighty curious about this too.

I like Toni DiTerlizzi for his washes and soft style, and am sad to not see his art as often anymore in gaming.

+1000000000000

DiTerlizzi's art was one of the best things about Planescape--and I adore Planescape, so that's saying something.

DiTerlizzi's art was one of the best things about Planescape--and I adore Planescape, so that's saying something.

Yeah, they really had something special going with him and Roph Ruppel that really helped define the feel of the setting, a lot like Dark Sun did with Brom.

Imagine a book on the First World with DiTerlizzi on board...

DiTerlizzi's art was one of the best things about Planescape--and I adore Planescape, so that's saying something.

Dem hips. :P

You just made (another) sale.

I think the problem people have with using bloodlines as virtual sorcerer archtypes is that bloodline powers are terrible, It is like you made a class with bravery +1 +2 +3 +4, and all their archtypes switch it from saves vs. fear to saves vs. sound based illusion or magical poison.

Take a look at what many of the trade outs are for the Preservationist Alchemist, or for many of the Alchemist archetypes for that matter. Trading out +2 to saves vs poison seems to be fairly popular.

To all of you who say guns don't belong in a fantasy campaign, my Giff General, Gen. Franklin Victorio "Hazard" von Boom, smirks meaningfully in your direction from my Spelljammers campaign and offers his dueling credentials.

More to the point, I am looking forward to the gunslinger classes, and know that my players are looking forward to all of them.

I suspect that there is a sorcerer bloodline based on The Way of the Gun already in existence.

Hey there folks,

We've said this a number of times before but it bears repeating. It is quite hard to create archetypes for classes without a number of class features to work with (being that there is little to swap). You can start swapping out core class features, but then the class becomes less and less recognizable and you run into a mountain of balance issues. This makes the cleric, sorcerer, and wizard all a bit tricky to create archetypes for.

The sorcerer itself is where I actually got the idea for archetypes in the first place. While most do not see bloodlines in this way, if you were to take arcane as the base for all sorcerers (as was our original intent), all the rest are archetypes of that base.

All that said, we are intent on giving options to all the classes. It is impossible to make them all perfectly balanced in terms of quantity, but we try to keep things close at the very least. Due to the complexity of our rules set, these options sometimes take different forms, but they are certain there.

I am sure you will find the options in Ultimate Combat to be a lot of fun and a good addition to your game, even if it is not filled with sorcerer archetypes.

Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing

This is just my opinion, but I think part of the wizard/sorcerer problem people have is that the sorcerer can't have the cool wizard stuff, but the wizard gets the cool sorcerer stuff. The 2 biggest things the sorcerer gets are spontaneous metamagic (swiped via rods) and bloodlines (now available to anyone via feats). The wizard gets several other things that the sorcerer can never, ever, have. Introduce a few desirable things for the sorcerer in a book with the tag line "wizards can never have this" and many of the complaints will lessen. (I'm not mentioning spells, as both classes get pretty much the same ones)

Now back to Ultimate Combat.

I am glad to see gun archetypes for multiple classes to be honest. That way if we run a campaign where such things are allowable, we won't have everyone picking the same class.

This is just my opinion, but I think part of the wizard/sorcerer problem people have is that the sorcerer can't have the cool wizard stuff, but the wizard gets the cool sorcerer stuff. The 2 biggest things the sorcerer gets are spontaneous metamagic (swiped via rods) and bloodlines (now available to anyone via feats). The wizard gets several other things that the sorcerer can never, ever, have. Introduce a few desirable things for the sorcerer in a book with the tag line "wizards can never have this" and many of the complaints will lessen. (I'm not mentioning spells, as both classes get pretty much the same ones)

I didn't undestand the choice of the bloodline feats in UM. It makes no sense, in my humble opinion, give away class features. And the book has not only that: compare new bloodlines with arcane discoveries (and again, if you lower the preparation time for spells, another weakness of the wizard goes away).

I am glad to see gun archetypes for multiple classes to be honest. That way if we run a campaign where such...

True. I'm really curious to see it because I've a very special campaign in mind :)

I didn't undestand the choice of the bloodline feats in UM. It makes no sense, in my humble opinion, give away class features. And the book has not only that: compare new bloodlines with arcane discoveries (and again, if you lower the preparation time for spells, another weakness of the wizard goes away).

Next edition we'll see the sorcerer deleted entirely! 'Sorcerer' will just describe a wizard that has taken a series of bloodline feats. :P

I'm seriously considering melding the two classes into one in my houserules. There just doesn't seem to be enough difference between them.

Absolutely shameless plug of the Sorcerer Aid Project

I've gotta say. That is super cool in so many ways.

This is just my opinion, but I think part of the wizard/sorcerer problem people have is that the sorcerer can't have the cool wizard stuff, but the wizard gets the cool sorcerer stuff. The 2 biggest things the sorcerer gets are spontaneous metamagic (swiped via rods) and bloodlines (now available to anyone via feats). The wizard gets several other things that the sorcerer can never, ever, have. Introduce a few desirable things for the sorcerer in a book with the tag line "wizards can never have this" and many of the complaints will lessen. (I'm not mentioning spells, as both classes get pretty much the same ones)

That pretty well sums it up. Practically everything the sorcerer gets, a wizard can get too, with a bit of investment (including the ability to cast quite a few spells spontaneously). Whereas there are things the wizard gets that the sorcerer just plain cannot have. Do all sorcerers have the Afterthought archtype?

Abraham spalding wrote:

Absolutely shameless plug of the Sorcerer Aid Project

I've gotta say. That is super cool in so many ways.

It's currently just the raw stuff from the thread. If you have comments for it, dig up our thread about it and help us fine-tune the balance or add your own ideas. :D

That pretty well sums it up. Practically everything the sorcerer gets, a wizard can get too, with a bit of investment (including the ability to cast quite a few spells spontaneously). Whereas there are things the wizard gets that the sorcerer just plain cannot have. Do all sorcerers have the Afterthought archtype?

In my humble opinion, is that wizard is getting serious good stuff every book.

Is not a sorcerer problem. Just compare "warrgh I have claws" with "I act in the suprise round and add half level to initiative".

The most anime thing in the whole preview is obviously

This is just my opinion, but I think part of the wizard/sorcerer problem people have is that the sorcerer can't have the cool wizard stuff, but the wizard gets the cool sorcerer stuff. The 2 biggest things the sorcerer gets are spontaneous metamagic (swiped via rods) and bloodlines (now available to anyone via feats). The wizard gets several other things that the sorcerer can never, ever, have.

Having a metamagic rod that gets you ONE feat 3x/day isn't the same thing has having all your metamagic feats available all the time. (especially in a campaign where the rods aren't generally available for MagicMart purchase) Yes wizards (and anyone else including sorcerers) can take bloodline dips but that is at the expense of making investments in attributes and feats that most wizards have no interest in doing. None of them get the full meat of the bloodlines, that's still a sorcerer exclusive.

Conversely almost all of the wizard exclusives are items that sorcerers have no use for as they do not research or prepare spells.

Well the things I want most for sorcerers are feats that enhance bloodline powers, add abilities/traits that fit there bloodline and spells that fit there bloodline but are not on there spell list.

Also that last one about the spells also applies to the Oracle

Examples:
1)claws lasting a minute per daily use
2)gaining bloodline bonus spells earlier
3)more powerful ray attacks
4)gaining holy smite, delay poison, holy aura, etc. for celestial bloodline
5)gaining low light vision, darkvision, a tentacle attack, see invisible vs fey, +1 natural, extra skill points, etc.

Also the ability to change out a bloodline spell for something else just as or more fitting

Ex: poison spell from the fey bloodline for confusion, illisionary terrain, beast shape II, command plants, etc.

The ability to trait there first level bloodline power for a familiar or better skill points.

To me the whole debate about not having a sorcerer archtypes is silly as like Jason said that all bloodlines other then Arcane are archtypes. Now back about the book I really interest in the wizard archtype Arcane Bomber as I play as Alchemist/wizard and want to see how well it will sync together or if the spellslinger"gun mage" will be better fit.

Hopes for classes
Alchemist discroveries- improved bomb throwing ie rockets discovery from one of the 3rd party makers increase the distance by 20 feet.

Rogue- Improved Sneak Attack :increase in sneak attack damage ala 4th ed