First: has any official changelog as far as rules at large goes been compiled yet? I don't mean specific player options, but more grand scale changes? Asking as the usual GM of my group. Planning to do a full read-through, naturally, but is there a cliffnotes on the noteworthy differences from the playtest?
Second - and serious answers only, thanks: has there been any word on why the design team decided to limit an entire - and rather vast in terms of examples - heroic archetype (the dex fighter) behind one subclass of Rogue? I could see the limitation if the idea is to release future subclasses that grant it for the sake of controlling what has access to it in the name of balance, but I'm otherwise a bit stumped why they didn't release a version of it that's a general feat requiring level 3 and... I dunno, 12 Strength if they're worried about a single ability boost's difference which doesn't make up the damage die size loss anyway. It can't be too powerful or they wouldn't have let the Rogue keep it. And you can't dump Strength to drive up Dex with the way character creation works in PF2. Not that Paizo has any issue with stat dumps evidentally, since my understanding is that they let Charisma go back to being one. Point being, have they said they might playtest it in the Advanced Player's Guide or given an official reasoning for the limitation that holds up under examination?
TL;DR: is there a changelog from the playtest, and what's the word regarding making the Rogue (Thief) ability more generically available?
1) some people have been trying to compile the changes but there are way too many to list and they are probably missing many things. Check out general discussion for more information.
2) you mean besides the multiclass archetype? That's it.
1) Gotcha. Will do and thankee.
2) Actually, the rogue multiclass archetype doesn't do it, unless I'm misreading it badly. I'd be satisfied with that solution, otherwise.
I think that Dex fighters are still viable, even without getting Dex to damage. The fighter has +2 to hit over a rogue just from proficiency, and has better options for things like dual-wielding finesse weapons. Double Slice is better than Twin Feint.
I hadn't considered dual-wielding. Fair, I'd like to see it in action, though I get the sinking feeling going Strength based on a Fighter is going to be the superior option in basically all respects, especially since they increased motive to be Strength-based by making heavy armor less terrible - a change I like, I should add. It also doesn't address the concept of the singleton swashbuckler or duelist. So, valid, but not quite satisfying in terms of covering all character concepts, and having mechanics that don't sync with narrative can be jarring.
Hm. Then I look forward to the implementation. Dex to damage isn't what made Swashbucklers so good in PF1, it was adding level to damage. Hopefully they'll see their way clear to not overcorrect.