Playtesting to start next week. Pointers?

[joela]

I've joined a once-a-month group to test out PFRPG Alpha. For those who have already been playtesting, any advice to players? I'll be playing a wizard (race TBD). 1st level, and the AP is Paizo's CotCT.

[joela]

Bump.

No advice?

[Archade]

Here's my advice ...

1) Encourage a grappler character, a fighter as the base line, a wizard or cleric in the party mix-up

2) I'm allowing WOTC splatbook content, and there's been some interesting interaction between the two ... if you allow splatbooks, I'd say keep doing it to see what happens.

3) Go over the rules ahead of time with players, so they see the differences. I'm handing out what I'm using from Alpha 2 tomorrow, and explaining the differences ...

4) Make sure players know that if something is playtested and broken, you'll revise/rebuild/revoke the changed rule/character/magic item/thing.

[joela]

Archade wrote:

Here's my advice ...

Thanks, Archade! I'm especially interested to see how grappling pans out.

Note that I'm not the DM. However, he's on the messageboards, too, so we'll both be providing feedback.

[tergiver]

Here's my advice (mostly from the DM perspective):

1. Try to stick with SRD rules if possible, unless it will impair your fun. Paizo can't really patch non-SRD things, but it is useful to see how 3P interacts with the rest of 3.x.
2. Encourage people to try the CMB rules - and try to set up a couple of monsters that will use them
3. Try to keep track of combat and skill challenges fairly carefully -
A) How did new rules work?
B) What happened differently than in 3.x?
C) What problems did the players have with the new rules?
D) Are the changes for the better or worse?
4. Have a brief debriefing at the end of the session
A) Did everyone have fun?
B) What did they like? Dislike?
C) What problems do they see?