So, the wife and I decided to make some PCs. We're going to be running the Adventure Path with a friend or two, and figured 'we have heard almost nothing positive about this playtest, and what we've read seems questionable, lets give it a try!'
Here's my thoughts, as someone who played 3.5 when it came out, and swapped to Pathfinder as DnD became something unrecognizable.
I feel like Pathfinder is becoming its own enemy. The systems are all, in theory, highly functional. They work, in a vacuum, and that's fine. In practice, however, I found this playtest to be stifling.
I rolled up (not that I rolled anything at all or even touched dice during the creation process, which doesn't feel right) using the Stat Boost system a human sorcerer, dragon blooded. I chose the feat to gain a bonus class feat at level one.
I chose familiar, thinking I would get something akin to 1e's familiar choice. Instead, I get a mostly useless generic stat block placed onto whatever tiny creature I want, with Master abilities that are mostly useless to a non-prepared caster, unless I'm reading something wrong. I guess 40ft movement and deliver touch is okay, but I still have to blow an action to command my cat to do something? Speaking is no longer a free action, I guess. (what's worse, I find out MOUNTS work the same way, and if you don't use an action to MAKE it do something, your horse just... sits there.)
So, there's my cat. I chose my spells, all of which seem wildly imbalanced. 1d8 to TWO targets for a cantrip, at range? Electrical Arc is the new longbow, I guess. And yet Summon Monster lets me summon... a broom. Alright. Or One (1) Rattyboi. I'll stick with reliable zapping, ty. I could always transfer a shocking grasp through my cat, but why risk him?
Back to the bloodline, I get Dragon Claws. That's nice I guess. I can do 2d4 damage in melee and resist 5 electricity damage. Took me about a decade to find where the Spell Points are listed, considering it's in a tiny paragraph, at the end, tucked away.
Set up some skills, wondering what signature skills give me at level one (nothing?) and assuming eventually I'll care about the +3 as opposed to +2. I guess that's... exciting?
So, finished it up. Bought some mundane items, a staff (which does as much damage as my claws, sort of) and looked it over.
Underwhelming is what best encapsulates it. I feel like the spells are not exciting, the bloodline powers boring and uninspired, and the best abilities gated behind absurdly high levels. Even the Greater Power is a relatively boring 5th level spell. Draconic Power, capped off by... a fly spell? Lame.
All in all, heightening spells seems neat, but sorcerer, formerly my favorite spellcasting class, has left a bland and unexciting taste in my mouth. For the first time since I've played a Paizo product, I am NOT excited to play my new character.
Someone tell me I'm wrong. What am I missing out on here?
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This is only the beginning... to my merit :P it took shorten than i thought to people realize they will be playing the same numbers over and over, not matter what they build.
Will differ a little over VERY high levels (uahh, i am master athletic instead of master acrobat, i have +1 over you)...
And than people will just WoW it out and realize that their geat make much more impact than even high level abilities and everyon will fight for the next plus one in the weapon. (And god protect your party if for some plot reasons they are imprisioned and forced to fight with normal gear at high levels).