Sean Foster's page

With:
-Fighter, AC 45, +34 to hit
-Pit Fiend, AC 44, +35 to hit
-Ghoul, AC 15, +7 to hit
Without:
-Fighter, AC 25, +14 to hit
-Pit Fiend, AC 24, +15 to hit
-Ghoul, AC 14, +6 to hit

I like the latter.

I have always assumed that in d20, as a rough rule of thumb, characters need to hit about 50% of the time and monsters 25% of the time. When characters have AC's +1 higher they have a 20% less chance to be hit, AC's +2 higher they have a 40% less chance etc etc. The continued complaint with arcanists seems to boil down to the fact they can inflict damage to multiple monsters (fireball) say 15hp to 6 monsters, and so inflict 120hp in a round where a fighter might be able to dish out 2x 15hp - the paladin superpac* has now argued and designers have listened and have slashed and burned the arcanists.
With this (albiet rough) interpretation PF Designers seem to have gone with +1/Lvl and very minor Proficiency to simplify the math and allow simplification of the numbers. But by doing this, the game limits the 'useability' of monsters. I personally do not like this, preferring the 5e method or better the e6 idea <http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?206323-E6-The-Game-Inside-D -amp-D> in this you get 'respect' by building your character well, not by just going up a couple of levels.

It is suggested d20 gaming 3/3.5/3.75 is like this:
Levels 1-5: Gritty fantasy
Levels 6-10: Heroic fantasy
Levels 11-15: Wuxia
Levels 16-20: Superheroes

I like the 1st two, and can live with the 3rd (bouncing around the trunks of a bamboo forest). But murder hobo games (in the majority) get silly when you are superheros - you wander around laughing in the face emperor etc etc. Though this has happened in history: https://militaryhistorynow.com/2014/10/24/touche-some-of-the-snappiest-come backs-in-military-history/

It seems to me that PF2 is something akin to a computer game like Diablo, where everything scales, and the designers just tweak the monsters skins as they cycle through the levels. I think this is a dangerous move, and did not work for 4e. But we all like different styles of play, 4e being tailored for the wargamers.

With PF2 I am hoping for an advance in d20 roleplaying building on 3e, 3.5, 3.75e, 4e & 5e. I think the level bonus is not needed, not new & not innovative.

I like:
* PF2 Proficiency, purchasing up based on class.
* 3 Actions per turn
* NPC classes (Commoner, Warrior, Aristo & Expert).
* Adding classes to Monsters.
* Non-"points of light" campaigns.
I want an ability for the NPC's of the Sandpoints & Villages of Hommlet of our Worlds, to stay relevant.

* Personal gripe, being a player of an AD&D 17th Level Ranger, for 18 years, why of why have they always been so Drizzit'ly weak since then.

At this point in time the entire previous AP has 84 comments over the six issues. This single 1st Adv of the AP has 150. I think people are looking forward to this...