A quick note to everyone who doesn't know about the Paizo Fan Meetup this coming weekend (April 25-27). Jason and other Paizo folks will be there, in part to play-test the Alpha 2 rules with 30 fans like myself.
I will be one of the DMs. The last 48 hours have been hellish, trying to absorb the new rules to create a half dozen play-test characters and make sure I can DM without major delays and mishaps. Unlike the PCs, the monsters and NPCs will remain 3.5 stats (mostly). I will be using the new trap, poison and curse rules, though! ;-)
I don't know how much I or others will be posting over the next few days. After all, I'll be in Seattle to game. But I hope to post when I return.
A few very random comments after spending many hours absorbing the Alpha and crafting PCs:
-- Giving the sorcerer Use Magic Device is a major power up for the class, assuming one invests ranks in it. I made a 6th-level half-elf sorcerer. Half elves get Skill Focus for free. She has a 17 Charisma. Her UMG is +15. Let the wands roll. And did I mention she wears glamered mithral chain?
-- The new skill rules really support taking Profession and Craft. When these are class skills (as they usually are), the automatic +3 after taking 1 rank means my human fighter has 4 ranks in Profession (soldier), really playing up his background and fluff with only 1 rank invested!
-- Deciding between bloodlines, domains, schools, etc is proving pretty taxing on my imagination -- so many potential possibilities, but only 1 or 2 are possible. Honestly, I don't think they are meant to be powerful, you know. The abilities support the character's place in the game world, and spellcasters are already the bomb. Oh, proficiency with claws when you are grappled (as the sorcerer PC likely will be this weekend!) might be very useful.
-- Favored class, combined with the +1 hp / level rule, has a noticeable impact on characters. I made an elf paladin. In light of his -2 Con and no bonus hp, clearly a "sub-optimal" choice. But it works well in other ways (which I will post about later).
-- A paladin with an evil outsider bane weapon and divine bond and 2 attacks per round is a nasty SOB. The divine bond ability with a weapon is sweet.
Like everyone else I had some immediate reactions to the Alpha 2. After spending many hours prepping an adventure and PCs, however, I feel... rather impressed. Please everyone, leave the vitriol and power build questions until after we've explored it for real.
