Xanaqui's page

The playtest nerfed spellcasting by three elements;

A) Lower number of slots per day
B) No automatic scaling
C) Individual effects weakened

...which critically shrunk its old cubic power.
If they decide to give back one or two of those elements back, what is your order of preference?

C) Honestly, it depends on the effect. Some of this weakening was needed - fireball has done way too much damage in Pathfinder and its predecessors. The main thing I'd do is increase durations on most buffs. I think de-auto scaling them is enough of a nerf on all but the strongest buffs. Alternatively, have duration scaling for buffs (ex: base 1 minute. +2 Spell levels for duration of 10 minutes. +3 for duration 1 hour).

A) Specifically, I'd give 1-2 additional LV 1 slots at LVs 1-2, and probably keep them in (so a LV 20 caster would have an extra LV 1 spell or two over the current table). The problem that would address is that it's really easy to run out of spell power before getting LV 2 spells. Other than that, the slots/day seems fine, since the lower-level slots are still somewhat (or in some cases very) effective at higher levels.

I like the absence of auto-scaling, if I may quibble about the exact scaling for some spells. It was a cause of problems (in 1E) for at least: most damage spells (otherwise known as all the ones I'd consider using), Greater Magic Weapon, Resist Energy, Protection from Energy, Barkskin and Mirror Image.

...

B. Was casters doing damage ever a thing? Not seen that in my PF1 games. Damage is the martial's thing, so why even try to compete? Hence, why not let the fool casters that focus on damage have [i]some[/1] usefulness?

"B. Was casters doing damage ever a thing? Not seen that in my PF1 games. Damage is the martial's thing, so why even try to compete? Hence, why not let the fool casters that focus on damage have [i]some[/1] usefulness?"

In PF1, yes, yes it was. The effectiveness depended on the ruleset, and you have to be careful how you did it (since it was easy to get into low-damage traps), but PF1 casters using the "correct" items and rules (Mythic is a particularly strong spellcaster boost, though it isn't the only one) can easily out-damage martials by mid levels. By high levels, my Bloodrager (which I'm taking as an example because, while they're a pretty good Barbarian, they're a horrible spellcaster) stopped using their measily 100 or so damage/strike on their main weapon for damage spells in non-trivial fights against 2+ opponents.

Even at low levels, assuming no particular ruleset or items, the simplest answer is to make certain that your areas of effect (AOE) hit many opponents. My guideline in 1E was that I'd rarely use AOE without being able to hit at least 3 opponents. I'm guessing that in 2E, I'll adjust that upwards to 4, because it looks like it's harder to manipulate save DCs in the caster's favor, and the damage scaling is less favorable.