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OK so the game started with 3 players and myself as the DM running the alpha 3 rules, we will convert when beta is released. The starting party consisted of a lvl 1 CE human sorcerer with the infernal bloodline, a lvl 1 NG human sorcerer with the elemental bloodline and fey heritage feats from Complete Arcane, and a lvl 1 TN half-orc monk. What I found out from gaming with two sorcerers is that the different bloodlines actually do lead to different feeling sorcerers. During the raid on sandpoint the monk made a point of putting the CMB mechanic through its paces, bullrush, grapple, and even at one point an improvised throw. The sorcerers used completely different tactics. The elemental sorcerer relied heavily on her ranged touch while the infernal sorcerer never used his once relying heavily on spells. Since we had no cleric we tried to get the most out of the treat deadly wounds skill. The results of which are posted [link]http://paizo.com/paizo/messageboards/paizoPublishing/pathfinder/pathfinderR PG/feedback/alpha3/skillsFeats/treatDeadlyWoundsHealSkillPg59GreatIdeaThatF ailsInPractice&page=1#693314[/link]. The players wound up pinned in an alley during the last fight of the raid. The monk who was acting as shield to the sorcerers fell to an increadibly lucky series of strike by the goblins (two normal goblins and the commando all managed to hit his AC19 and all did 5 damage or more) leading the sorcerers to bottle up in a house till the guard broke up the last of the fight, they were stuck in the house while the monk bled to death in the street.
Just so that you know, we have two houserules in our game that might have an effect on gameplay. The first is for death and dying. A character has his con score for negative hitpoints as per the rules however, the staggered condition is no longer only at 0 but rather at 0 to negative= con bonus hp. Also characters no longer bleed out at a rate of 1 per turn. Now when a character is dying (-1 or greater) they roll a d20. 1= instant death, 2-10= get worse, 11-19= no change, 20= recovered with 1 hp. You have to roll three get worse then you die, and if you have no change for three simultaneous rounds you stabilize. What we like about this is that since it isn't attached to negative hp you can use it for other effects without requiring unconciousness. For example our other house rule is that a nat 20, followed by another nat 20, followed by a confirmation cuts off the enemies limb, which limb is determined by a d12. A character that looses a limb remains concious at current hp totals but is sickened and dying (the d20 roll). In addition depending on which limb is lost they may be disarmed, prone, unable to use their shield etc.
DUDE! You let characters be CE?!?
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So our second session our former monk player rolled himself up a NG halfling cleric of Ghozreh with the extra turning feat. We also had a new player join with an elf (not sure alignment) ranger. both lvl 1. The team went on the boar hunt (used rules for riding dog with a d8 gore) ranger went down to a crit from the boar, but was healed by the cleric. Elemental sorcerer used spells for the first time (Aldern asked the casters to not burn or melt the boar since it was going to be cooked so no acid spray) The rest of the game was concerned with roleplay. Also due to the fact that I rolled randomly to determine what house the family with the goblin stays in and the cleric/rangers decision to sleep on the roof of the church they overheard the boy screaming and because of the elfs ability to detect secret doors and a high perception roll managed to find the goblin and save the family as a whole. CMB came into play as the goblin took several rounds attempting to disarm the clerics dagger, which he did on his third try, however after several misses he fell to the clerics ranged touch attack from his domain (I'm personally not liking the cleric having a ranged touch attack because now he feels like the elemental sorcerer always throwing his TA instead of anything else, except that he occasionally heals)
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DUDE! You let characters be CE?!?
I let characters be whatever they want to be as long as they understand that if they are playing evil characters they have to be Belkars or Richards and not party killing dicks. I make that clear in the beggining that if they roleplay into party disharmony that is more than just banter/practical jokes (I have no problems with characters developing a varsuvious/belkar relationship as long as it doesn't come to PvP) then they will be kicked out.
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Our third session (last session before the Beta release) was memorable and frustrating at the same time. The good and memorable stuff was the roleplaying even though it led to frustration and work for me it was very true to character. first the scene where the young town girl tries to seduce a hero. It went wonderful with her leaving frustrated at the innuendo the CE character was throwing out because they could all tell what was happening. The second time he was by himself so she got him to go with her and when her father dropped in he actually drew his sword for fear of attack which had the father running for guards (he tried to bluff and diplom his way out and failed both times) so he wound up fleeing to the woods and then the party stayed out looking for shelelu for two days lol. when they got back to town they learned that the story had become a town laughingstock and that shelelu had actually shown up while they were out looking for her. This is where frustration set in because the party kept insisting that Hemlock not go to magnimar. I kept trying to convince them, but they just kept arguing that if the goblins attack that the town needs him. Anywho, it ended with them going off north to the thistletop region to try and find the gathering tribes and "cut off the head" of the organization since it's obvious that they aren't capable of organizing themselves.
Anywho I tried my hand at an all ranged combat with some goblins on rocky ledges (the hampered movement of rocky terrain kept the party to ranged attacks) this is a party that dominates at range as long as they are within the thirty feet, once out of that range they loose a little power (except for the archery ranger of course). Now I just have to figure out how to run the game with them missing the glassworks and the catacombs of wrath. Next session is monday we will see how things go.
Interesting campaign review... I think I've been inspired to chronicle my own. I always like reading about how others manage to go thru the same adventures I use. Your group does sound far more chaotic than mine, but maybe that's just how it comes off on paper...?