To clarify, is the P2 Wizard:
old school vancian (where each spell must be prepared separately and lost when cast),
or new school vancian (where one uses slots spontaneously from the selection of preparations)?
Old school vancian? Uggh.Old School Vancian. Prepare each slot with a specific spell. Same for every prepared spellcaster.
only for cantrips and focus spells. leveled spells require you to upcast that spell to get the heightened effect. prepared casters upcast by preparing the spell in a higher level slot - spontaneous casters can only upcast a spell by learning it at the level they want to cast it at, unless that spell is one of their signature spells, in which case they can cast it with any applicable slot they wish.Am I noticing correctly that at higher class levels, every spell is autoscaling (heightening?) in power?
What is an "archetype"? Is it something like a multiclassed class or a prestige class?You can make it work after a fashion with a wizard or sorcerer with an Archetype Dedication to a fighting class, but unless its its a free archetype game that's not a cost-free option.
archetypes are basically pf2e's form of multiclassing, yeah. you can pick up archetype feats in place of class feats to pick up features from outside your class. there's archetypes for every class and then a bunch of unique archetypes which i guess you can compare to prestige classes sort ofWhat is an "archetype"? Is it something like a multiclassed class or a prestige class?
Does one give up a class level to take a level in an archetype?archetypes are basically pf2e's form of multiclassing, yeah. you can pick up archetype feats in place of class feats to pick up features from outside your class. there's archetypes for every class and then a bunch of unique archetypes which i guess you can compare to prestige classes sort of
no, no - once you pick a class, you're in it. you get class feats as you level up, and you can take an archetype feat instead of a class feat. you still level up in your class, you just give up a feat from it to take a different feat.Does one give up a class level to take a level in an archetype?
In addition, Archetypes can be of other core classes or they can be more narrowly thematic (e.g. monk archetype vs. dragon disciple archetypes).no, no - once you pick a class, you're in it. you get class feats as you level up, and you can take an archetype feat instead of a class feat. you still level up in your class, you just give up a feat from it to take a different feat.