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Some of the stuff I've heard about weapon/shield properties is really exciting. So here are some weapon properties/rules that I think some iconic weapons will have.
short bow
The red-headed stepchild of bows. Give it agile, and it gains a niche of "fast bow." Attacking with -0/-4/-8.
rapid shot
One of the main sources of bow power. My guess is that it will now reduce iterative penalties by 2. e.x. -0/-3/-6
crossbows
Bows are all about volleys, crossbows will be about single shots. Since crits now come from accuracy, give crossbows a hit bonus and a large die.
Light crossbow: 1 action reload, 1d8 damage, +1 to hit.
heavy crossbow: 2 actions reload, 1d10 damage, +2 to hit.
Rapid reload dies in a fire. That feat that adds int or maybe wis to damage is the crossbow damage booster.
thrown weapons
These are about switch hitting, so give them a property that lets you use melee special abilities with thrown weapons. So you can fight with a spear, and then power attack with it at range in a pinch.
slings
Slings will be the midpoint of thrown and bows. They can use melee abilities and have longer range then thrown weapons. But you have to deal with a poor damage die. (Maybe a reload? Reload just for staff slings?)
axes
unweildly: they get -1 to iteratives, but get a bigger die then a sword. Like 2d8 for a great axe!
two-handed hammers
heavy: hammers must be readied as an action before you can swing them, otherwise your attacks are at -5. However, they get a much bigger damage die: maybe 3d6!
firearms
Firearms are all American-Civil-War tech-level. They would be the anti-crossbow. Instead of an accuracy bonus, they get an accuracy penalty from the recoil but get a very large damage die to compensate. D12 for pistols? They would use the crossbow wis or int to damage feat option.
Wild speculation about Proficiency and weapon groups:
There are eight schools of magic so there will be eight weapon groups. You will have variable proficiency with weapon groups so that instead of weapon focus: long sword you will improve proficiency with swords weapon group
simple will be a weapon tag meaning you can use it with trained proficiency regardless of your proficiency with its weapon group
exotic weapons will be gated behind expert training in the weapon group
Most weapon groups will offer ranged and melee options as well as one handed, two handed, and light options giving characters a way to specialize but still have options.
Melee
Axes & Picks
Swords
Hammers & Maces
Spears & Pole arms
Flails & Chains
Ranged
Bows
Crossbows
Firearms
My predictions:
All PC weapons will be one die. There's a large focus on getting multiple copies of the base die, and that works better without the confusion of the base die actually being dice. Weapons in a general category (e.g. two-handed weapons) will be distinguished by properties.
We have an interesting case already- rapiers and scimitars used to be very similar weapons (18-20 crit, 1d6, finessable and Dex-to-damage with feat investment). I think from what we've heard, rapier has deadly (+1d10 on a crit) and probably finesse (Dex to attack with no feat) and, while a scimitar has sweep (reduced penalties when attacking multiple enemies) and forceful (bonus damage for repeatedly hitting one target).
Simple weapons will generally have fewer/weaker properties. Small weapons will generally have more/stronger properties. I think we know that daggers have finesse and agile properties- using Dex for attack (no feat) and attacking as -0/-4/-8.
Not wild speculation, but we do know that firearms aren't in the CRB.
Some of the stuff I've heard about weapon/shield properties is really exciting. So here are some weapon properties/rules that I think some iconic weapons will have.
My dream: All weapons are different, like actually different. There should be a mechanical difference between a Warhammer and a battleaxe besides damage type. Also, weapons should have continent labels (like To Xia) and if you are from there it is martial, not is exotic (all simple weapons are simple)
Lost in the middle of one of the megaposts I believe, there were a few sample weapon abilities.
AGILE is the most well known, so instead of -5/-10 on the secondary & tertiary attack you get -4/-8, which is like getting Weapon Focus (then GWF) for the cost of slightly less damage. The hidden bonus is that against low AC opponents (minions), it's also improving your crit range because of >10< mechanics. So now light weapons are quite viable.
There was another where striking a second opponent with your secondary attack was at -4, I believe it was scimitars that had this. Scimitars had another ability I forget.
There's a crit ability which gives bonus +1d6 I believe, which I think goes to those PF1 x3 crit weapons. That means the 19-20/x2 weapons will all be getting something in return too.
It'll be interesting to see what abilities they give to flails.
Maybe they ignore half a shield's AC bonus?
And what about scythes?
Essentially, weapon choices are going to be more interesting I believe and it'll be best to align them with one's preferred action choices. But if one's action choices vary by enemy strength/AC, that adds another wrinkle as do DR & shields. So go heavy with the big ACs & DR/shields, and wield light weapons with the softies?
I wonder how Weapon Finesse factors in. It sounds like the Rogue gets Dex to damage at 1st level, but which types of weapons and how many?
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First let us note all the current weapon properties:
Agile property means 0/-4/-8 for attacks.
Versatile: Can Switch weapon type to one not listed
Finesse: Dex to hit instead of Str if wish
Sweep: +1 to hit a second person in an additional attack (stacks)
Forceful: +1 damage if same person in an additional attack (stacks)
Deadly: +1d10 dam on a Crit