First Impressions: Pathfinder 2e (with first House Rules :)

    Well, with the release of the Pathfinder 2nd Edition playtest a few days ago I've been reading the new edition to see what's changed.  Oddly, both kind of a lot and not too much at the same time.  I haven't finished reading this to a degree I consider complete, but I did want to go ahead and throw out some first impressions.  Thus, I may be wrong about anything below, and my opinions may change with further reading and actual playing (maybe someday).

First, the stuff I like...

• You build attributes like in Starfinder - so the default system is that all your attributes (same six) start at 10.  Then, when you pick your Ancestry (new name for race) you get one "boost" that you choose from between two options (so are you the Dex Elf or the Int Elf?) and one boost that you can put anywhere.  Then your Background gives you the same, a choice and a free, finally your Class gives you a boost in that class' primary stat and then you get 4 free boosts to put anywhere.  I like this, it is easier than the old point-buy tables, it kind of grows as you define your character, and while it is guided based on your choices you still have lots of free boosts to put wherever you want.  The older I get the less I like rolling attributes, especially in systems that try to be "rules lite"-ish where there are fewer modifiers and thus someone's (un-)lucky rolls might give them a pretty significant advantage mechanically.
• The simplified action economy - so instead of the move/standard/full/quick/immediate/whateverelse actions of 1e, 2e gives each character 3 actions on their turn, and 1 reaction that can either also be used on the character's turn or used on someone else's turn.  I like it, simpler is better.
• Most class abilities are listed by level and then alphabetically - okay, one of the things I have hated the most about Pathfinder is how they always list everything alphabetically; that is very stupid (for most things) because almost all choices are based on a level of some type.  I was reading Ultimate Intrigue a few days ago and going over the Vigilante class, thinking about making one.  So I start reading the list of class abilities and I see a really cool one, then get to the description's end and discover I have to take another ability first and be such a level.  Oh, so I jump down and skim the walls of text looking for that preq, find it, read it to find it also has another preq and level requirement, so back to skimming the wall of text again.  That just sucks.  Alphabetical is not an organization system, it's the default for when you have no better way to list something.  I will concede however that this is more of my personal hang-up than a real problem, but I loved seeing 2e group things better.
• The layout for abilities and spells is good - the new icons and fonts and little graphics to off-set spell and ability descriptions is nice, again a subjective thing but overall I like it.
• You get a lot to playtest - so the playtest rulebook is over 300 pages, and has all the classes from the original core plus some, and they go from 1 to 20.  There are a ton of spells and magic items.  The playtest bestiary is huge.  The playtest campaign is pretty much a 1 to 20 epic.  You get a lot of material to work with.  Much better than DnD 5th that only had a few levels and monsters if I remember right.

Okay, so now the stuff I don't like so much...

• While the default is choosing attributes you can still roll them instead - okay, I know this is to keep the fans happy, but I really wish they had just taken a stand one way or the other.  Do you want attributes balanced or not?  Anybody who whines and cries over it can grow up.
• Why didn't they get rid of the ability scores? - so in 1e your ability scores were used for prerequisites and then forgotten about (I'm sure they could have been used for something, but I don't remember them every being mentioned outside feat preqs).  In 2e every ability boost is a +2 score, or a +1 to the actually-used modifier, and thus it is now impossible to have an odd ability score (unless my complaint above) and I don't remember seeing them used anywhere: so why not drop them completely?
• Still so many precise details - so speed is still in feet, and instead of saying that 'Wizards can cast spells' I get: You have the power to cast arcane spells using the Cast a Spell activity, and gain access to the Material Casting, Somatic Casting, and Verbal Casting actions (see Casting Spells on page 195). [PS- they forgot to list the "Concentrate on a Spell" action, c'mon guys, be complete if you're going to be complete]  I really could have figured that out on my own.  But everything is like that, they constantly break everything down to all the little details.  Yeah, you kind of need to with a more rules-heavy system, but 2e seemed like it was supposed to be a little more rules-lite than 1e, so the super-detailed instructions feel weird.  Like the game doesn't know if it wants to trust you to figure things out or if it wants to spell out everything for you.  And everything is still in feet.  I don't like counting squares, I hung up my ruler after High School when I stopped playing Warhammer 40,000.  So why doesn't the game make a flexible system for foot-counter and mind-theaters.  Like, the base speed is now 25 feet.  So let's give everybody a Speed score, that starts at 0.  Every 5' above or below is a +/-1.  So Human, Speed 0 and Dwarf, Speed -1 are in a footrace.  They both roll Acrobatics, modified by their Speed.  Or, if you're using a grid Speed 0 = 25', +/- 5' per point.  There, a simple system that both sides can use.
• Far fewer abilities than in 1e - Okay, so while 1e was super-bloated with the millions of feats/archetypes/spells/prestige/randomness it still set the expectations for what each class should be generally capable of going into 2e.  I mean, I'd wager anything that most people reading the playtest have at least read 1e if not played it.  So it is very jarring at times just how many things classes used to be capable of that they no longer get, or that are spread out more.  The Wizard from the example above does not get a familiar or Scribe Scroll at first level anymore.  Those can still be chosen, but only from level 2 or every even level after that when you get your class feats.  So if you're a 1e veteran it really feels like you are less useful than before.
• The layout for a single ability or spell is cool, but a lot of them makes my head hurt - the new visual details are nice when used sparingly, but a few pages full of them without break (like the spells chapter) is actually a lot of visual noise to sort through.

    My biggest problem with 2nd edition though is something that I had hope they were going fix.  Let me back up a second.  When Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition came out I was fine with the idea of a more simplified DnD.  Classes get fewer abilities than in 3.5 (never played 4th to compare it to), but that's not inherently a bad thing.  But, in my mind, if you're going to give characters fewer abilities, those abilities need to be broader and more flexible.  Just think about spellcasting.  That is one ability, you can cast spells, but it grows over time and you have a lot of flexibility to choose spells to be a combatant, or debuffer, or buffer, or crowd control (sorry, slipped into MMO-speak there).  The point is, if that was the only ability you got it would be fine because there is so much you can do with it.
    Let's look at another example of "simple but not simplistic" - Ars Magica.  In that RPG all spells are defined by a technique and a form.  The technique defines what the spell is doing and there are only a few: Control, Create, Destroy, Perceive, Transform.  The form defines what you are doing that action to, they are a bit longer list: Animal, Air, Body, Water, Plant, Mind, Earth, Fire, Power.  So a Perceive/Earth could let you sense nearby gold deposits.  Control/Air could make a gust of wind.  Transform/Body could give wings to a person (Transform/Animal same to a cat).  It's a simple system, but it is very broad and flexible (one might actually argue too flexible).
    So if you can only do a few things, I think they should be flexible things so that you can make your little bit go a long ways.
    Which was why I really didn't like DnD 5e [PS- 13th Age made the same mistake IMHO].  So many of the abilities in that game were way too limited.  The one that made me face-palm was for the Bard.  At first level a Bard gets two abilities.  First, they can cast spells.  Cool, that's one of those flexible things.  Second, they can give 1 ally a 1d6 bonus to a roll, Cha-mod times a day.  What?  Okay, 1d6 is a decent bonus, the base "skill levels" only go from 2 to 6 after all.  But just one ally, when Bards used to buff the whole team?  And only a handful of times a day?  So out of the dozens of rolls a single character may make, multiplied by the 4-person default party, the Bard can boost maybe 3-5 of them?  That isn't very impressive.

    Now, one of the things I loved about Pathfinder was how it took DnD 3.5e and elevated it, fixing some of the crazy and adding some cool new stuff.  So I was hoping Pathfinder 2e would do the same to DnD 5e.  And sadly, no, not really.  I honestly don't see many things in P2e to convince me it's worth leaving or switching my DnD5e games.  And one of those things that Paizo could have fixed that would make me a convert was having more flexible class abilities.
    Let's go back to the Wizard.  So a level 1 Wiz-meister has a few abilities.  They can cast spells, as mentioned above, and that is a good, flexible ability.  They get an Arcane Focus, like the 1e Wiz, that lets them cast a spell without using a slot once per day.  Eh, not a great ability, but they cast so damn few spells it is at least a bonus.  And lastly they get to choose a Specialization.  This is one spell school they are better with (or it slightly improves the Arcane Focus if you want to be a specialist generalist).  They get 1 extra spell slot per level that has to be from that school - okay, it grows over time so that's not that bad.  And you get a special pool of points, called Spell Points even though you can't use them to cast spells, instead you spend them to activate a single Power that each school gets.  You get as many as you Int modifier.  Period.  You never get any more (unless you take a class feat later).  Okay, so that's pretty limited.

    The real problem I have is the power you get, specifically one but this applies to other class powers/abilities too (it's just a great example, I think, of the problems of limited abilities).  So if your Wizard takes the school of Abjuration because s/he likes protective magic, the power you get is "Protective Ward."  What does that do?  Well... it's 2 (of your 3) actions to cast (S,V) effects you and all allies in a 10' burst around you, lasts while you concentrate (for up to 1 min), and gives everybody a +1 to AC.

Oh power, why do I hate thee, let me count the ways....

• It never increases in power - you get the ability at level 1 and it is the same at level 20.  Okay, my apprentice mage appreciates the +1 AC, but I don't think Gandalf is going to use this against the Balrog.
• Spell points only power this - so now I have a new resource to track and it's only good for one thing, unless I take the extra ability at level 8 that absorbs energy damage, then my new resource is good for two things.  Woot!
• It's very limited - so it only effects allies within 10' of you, which means you have to stand right behind your buddies.  Which means that +1 AC isn't going to help when you roll a Reflex save against the Fireball you're all perfectly aligned for.  Catch!
• It never increases in options - so the ability adds to AC, that's it.  Not Touch AC, not any Saves, nothing else ever.  So if the situation doesn't need an AC boost, this has no use at all.

    Okay, so it's easy to complain, how would I fix it?
    House Rules, here we come :)  [yes, I know I'm house-ruling a game in beta playtest, I am me]
   
First, remove the Arcane Focus ability.

Second, change the Arcane School ability to the following:
   
Wizard Mastery (wizard class ability, level 1)
    All Wizards specialize in casting arcane spells, and receive a pool of Spell Points equal to their Level + Int per day, refreshed when they regain spells.  This is exclusive to the Wizard class and cannot be taken with a Foundation Feat to multiclass or given in any Archetype Feats.
    At first level a Wizard must choose weather to apply this ability to one school of magic, or to "Metamagic."  This cannot be changed (?)
    If this is applied to one school, the Wizard can spend Spell Points = the level of a spell, of that school, they know to cast that spell without using a spell slot, all normal casting rules apply.  They also gain a special School Power listed below.
    If Metamagic is chosen the Wizard can spend Spell Points as above but to any school of spells, however they do not gain any bonus powers.

Bonus Powers:

Abjuration School - Protective Ward, Arcane Power, Level 1
  2 Actions to cast (Somatic, Verbal)
  Effects self and all allies close to you.
  Lasts for 1 minute.
All characters effected gain a +1 bonus to AC.
  at 5th level - you can instead choose to give the bonus to one saving throw (Fort, Ref or Will)
  at 10th level - if you choose AC the bonus also applies to Touch AC, or if you choose Saves the bonus applies to two saves
  at 15th level - the bonus always applies to all ACs and Saves
Cost: 1 Spell Point
  You can increase the bonus by spending additional points, up to your level.
  You can increase the duration by 1 minute for each extra point spent, or 2 points for each additional minute if you also increased the bonus.


    This is how I think abilities should go in a "rules lite" game.  Since you gain only a few abilities, each needs to be flexible.  And even better if they grow over time, like you do, to stay relevant.  Now, with this ability at the higher levels it gets pretty intense.  At 15th level you could give a +16 bonus to all ACs and Saves of you and your allies for 1 minute.  That's pretty hardcore.  But think about it, what else could a level 15 Wizard do?  Those are 7th Level Spells, so we're talking Power Word Blind or Reverse Gravity.  And while that bonus would be awesome, it would also almost completely drain the Wizard's Spell Points, so it would be the only awesome thing s/he'd do that day.
    Heck, while I'm hacking Wizards here, let's change how spells work too.  What about these spells?...
   
Energy Touch
Arcane, level 1
Evocation
  1 Action to cast (S)
  Touch attack, instant
Choose a damage type: fire, cold, electric, acid.  On a hit you do 1d6/character level of damage.

Energy Ray
Arcane, level 2
Evocation
  2 Actions to cast (S,V)
  Ranged Touch attack within 10'/level, instant
Choose a damage type: fire, cold, electric, acid.  On a hit you do 1d6/character level of damage.

Energy Zone
Arcane, level 3
Evocation
  3 Actions to cast (S, V, M)
  Targeted point within 10'/level or self (see below), instant
Choose an area of effect: Burst or Cone.
  If you choose Burst, pick a point within 10'/level for the spell to explode at.  Everyone within 5'/level of that point must make Reflex saves against damage below.
  If you chose Cone, everyone in a cone 5'/level in front of you must make a Reflex save against damage below.
Choose a damage type when cast: fire, cold, electric, acid.  The spell does 1d6/character level of damage.

    Here the idea is to make lower level spells always useful, but still not as good as higher level spells.  So at spell level 1 you can attack in melee, and at character level 20 be doing 20d6 of damage.  That's impressive.  I'm not sure you want to walk up to the Balrog, but if you do he'll feel it if you hit (and eat you if you miss).  Make that a 2nd level spell and you can attack from the comfort of behind the party, again always doing a decent amount of damage.  As a 3rd level spell you can damage whole groups of people.  So your damage-dealing area and personal safety while doing so increases with the level of the spell - but in a pinch even the 1st level spell could save your backside against a monster who charged at you.  And all of these use a similar, easy to remember progression that can be easily balanced against other things.  What do I mean by that you ask?  Well, let's imagine another spell in the same rules as the ones above, but for a Cleric instead...

Planar Strike
Divine, level 1
Domain varies (see below)
  1 Action to cast (S)
  Touch attack, instant
When cast choose one of the domains you posses.  You deal 1d8/level damage to a creature type listed for that domain below.  However, this spell instead heals creatures as listed below.  You do 1d4/level damage to all other creature types.
Domains:
  Death - harms living, heals undead
  Life - harms undead, heals living.
  Plant/Animal (I would make this one domain, Nature) - harms constructs, heals plants or animals
  Artifice - harms plants/animals, heals constructs
  Knowledge - harms outsiders, heals any spellcaster



    And again, we could up the cleric version to ranged and area-effects at higher levels.  Now, comparing between the two, Clerics do more damage but to fewer targets, and also gain a benefit that they can heal with the same spell so they are also more versatile.  That might be too much, maybe the healing part needs to be separated into another spell so they're not too much better than Wizards.  Or maybe not, either way since we've established 1d6/level as a clear damage threshold, if we want to play with that or add things to it we can see it clearly instead of burying effects across dozens of spells.
    We could also add the cleric stuff to the wizards stuff, like this:

Energy Touch
Arcane, level 1 (Evocation)
Divine, level 1 (domain by type: Fire, Water/ cold, Air/ electric, Earth/ acid)
  1 Action to cast (S)
  Touch attack, instant
Choose a damage type (of domain you have if divine): fire, cold, electric, acid.  On a hit you do 1d6/character level of damage.

    So now this can be a Wizard spell, or a spell for Clerics of the appropriate domains.  If we want we can change the two, like making it a level 2 Divine but level 1 Arcane, if that's how we want to balance things.

    Simple and flexible, grows with the character, I think those are the cornerstones of making abilities for more "rules lite" games like Pathfinder 2e or Dungeons and Dragons 5e - but sadly I seem to be the only one who thinks that way, because the games themselves seem to be very precise and focused with most of their class abilities.  Oh well, I like making up house rules anyways :)