| whysp_ranger |
I don't normally weigh in on stuff like this, but my Pathfinder group is going to be diving in with two feet on the playtest and I've been reading through the PDF. The survey's aren't working so I would like to post a few thoughts! I will of course have more as the game progresses.
Likes:
Class Feats - I really like the idea of choosing class feats to create your own archetype instead of a massive list of slightly altered class abilities to sort through. I think that's a smart idea. I also like the same method for ancestry builds.
Backgrounds - Backgrounds are a great addition to D&D and I'm happy to see Pathfinder adopt it. It adds some flavor to a character before it's even out of the gate, helping those who are new to the game come up with backstories and origins for their characters. The feats that are included don't seem to be of equal benefit though, it's possible players will lean toward the same few background options as a result. I found myself looking for a background that felt advantageous as opposed to interesting.
Rogue Finesse - Very glad to see that rogues can use their Dex for damage without needing 2 stacked feats to make it happen.
Ancestries over Races - I know a lot of people have been pushing for a mainstream TTRPG game to adopt this more inclusive terminology. I'm glad it's being implemented in Pathfinder 2.0
Suggestions:
Make Half-Orc and Half-Elf their own ancestries
- I think I can kind of see where the developers were trying to go, with a more template-able race selection for opening up half-ancestries. But I think it might be simpler to make a Half-elf, then they choose what the other half is and can choose feats from both lists (elves, and say dwarves as the other half). As is, I wouldn't want to play a half-race as I feel like it's taking away my character options out of the gate.
Matching Damage Abilities to Weapon Attack Abilities
- Obviously I'm happy to see rogues get the ability to use their dex mod on damage for finesse, but no other class has access to that. Thrown weapons still carry the same accuracy vs power method. It might be realistic, but it's not as much fun. I love freedom to choose whether my character is STR based or DEX based. Having to devote precious ability points into both often means sacrificing another aspect of your character. One thing I loved when I moved from Pathfinder to 5e was how easy it was to be a fighter who uses a whip, or a barbarian who throws hammers. It was fun to create unusual fighting styles simply for flavor (still getting the same damage output as you would with typical weapon builds). Pathfinder 2.0 carries on the tradition of needing several feats to become the character you dreamt of in session 0. I've played 8 Pathfinder campaigns and never have I ever achieved the style of play I wanted out of the character because it required Level 10 or higher. I wasn't looking for anything super optimised or OP. Just for fun and flavor. Consider opening up weapon proficiencies or matching damage to the attack to afford players the option of being different.
Occult
- I'm curious about the use of this word in Pathfinder 2.0. I understand splitting of magic into 4 categories (albiet I don't think it's necessary). I was happy to see the use of Ancestry as it was more inclusive, but I feel that 'occult' has such a negative connotation in religious circles that the use of this word will cause some exclusion from the game. For example, if I wanted my nephews to play D&D, their parents would be okay with it. But they wouldn't be permitted to play Pathfinder simply because of the word occult. I have the same faith as they do, and I'd be lying if I said I'm personally 100% okay with the use of the word, but I can mostly get around it because I have more knowledge around the issue. But I also absolutely understand why they, and others, would be quick to write Pathfinder off as a result. Is there a better word to use here? Otherwordly? I'm not sure what the solution is, but 100% this word will hold some players back. I assume, with the switch from race to ancestry, that inclusion is something that is important to Paizo. It's something to consider.