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First I am sorry if any of this has already been brought up but I have stayed away from the boards until I could read everything through twice and comment on things that struck me. Most things that I had no problem with I let alone. Thanks for reading.
Pathfinder RPG Alpha 1
Races: Pgs 4-7
Overall: I don’t agree with the +2 ability bonus that every race gets the PHB abilities are good enough.
Elf: Don’t really like unnatural beauty maybe if it was a bonus to social skills instead of automatically indifferent.
Gnome: Gnome magic seems a bit much maybe just one or two of the spell-like abilities.
Half-Elf: Elf blood…. Should also apply to whatever the other half is. (Qualify as both elf and human.
Half-Orc: Orc blood same as above.
Classes: Pgs 8-19
Advancement: I realize that some people want a fast game with lots of leveling up or taking their time. However I don’t see the need for a bunch of separate tracks. If I want them to level slower then I will do it same for fast progression.
Starting Hp: I like the racial option best as it makes race a more important choice.
Cleric: Not sure on domain powers. Will comment fully when I reach them. Otherwise seems ok.
Fighter:
Weapon training: weapon groups’ need reorganized.
Armor Training: Would be more useful if it was set to groups like weapons are. Light, Medium, Heavy, and Shields.
Armor Mastery: Same as above.
Weapon Mastery: Seems fine but I think I will try and see if making it a group of weapons is overpowered. Also needs to be able to be disarmed by a similarly trained fighter.
Rogue:
Sneak Attack: The wording states that the Rogue cannot sneak attack anything that has vital organs she cannot reach. This should be changed since it is supposed to be finding a weak spot. Even the gargantuan red dragon the party is facing has a weak spot even if the Rogue can’t reach the vital organs.
Bleeding Attack: With so much to keep track of already adding a number of points into damage every round doesn’t make it any faster. Maybe just add the damage once instead.
Minor and Major magic: Really cool abilities but I would limit them to certain spells that apply to roguish endeavors.
Defensive Roll: Why only at) hps. It may make it too powerful but I think a rogue should be allowed to use it anytime. Nothing like sneaking up on the enemy commander stabbing him and then when he thinks he has split you in half he finds your fine.
Wizard:
School Powers: More when I reach them.
Skills: Pgs 20-31
I really like the extra skill at every even level. However I prefer skill points to the flat skill bonus. It shows that I am better at some things than others. So maybe just give an extra skill point per level at every even level.
Skills that I have input on will be next.
Flying: I like that being skilled in flight has an effect. However I don’t see why this can’t be added into acrobatics.
Perception: I like the skill but it seems to be doing a whole lot. Half the stuff listed I wouldn’t even ask for a check on. (Notice a battle in particular.)
Feats: Pgs 32-39
I don’t personally like the ordered feats such as Overhand chop, backswing, and devastating blow. Too much trying to track what was done in the last round. Just a nitpick.
Combat Pgs 40-45
I love the CMB it just seems elegant. Grapple seems better as well but I will have to try it out in game.
Turning: I like that turning can heal as well but I think it should be a choice the cleric can make. If the party is surrounded buy undead and their necromancer leader and the fighter almost has him down I sure wouldn’t want to heal him. Same goes for the other direction if I rebuke I don’t want to hurt my party.
Spells and Magic: 46-59
Arcane Schools: I like the idea but I think it is way overpowered. At later levels spellcasters already dominate play. Giving them all these spell-like abilities just makes it worse.
A possible solution could be that every time a specialist would gain a spell-like ability he instead gains the ability to cast a spell from his school of study as a sorcerer would. The amount of time a study he spends on his chosen school allows him to tap into the magic and spontaneously cast a spell. The spell would be of the highest-level spells he has at that level. The universalist causes some problems with this however since being able to cast any spell would make them much better than a specialist. I would make a universalist wizard able to recall a spell of the same level as the ability once day or maybe to use spontaneously one spell of that level that is in his spellbook but wasn’t memorized that day.
Domains: I would handle these about the same way as above but make the spell from the proper domain.
The rest seems ok. Overall I have to say I am very impressed with the work in the alpha and I am looking forward to the next piece released. I hope that something I wrote is somewhat helpful in polishing this up for next year.
I look forward to reading everyone’s comments.