Totem Warrior Archetype - are there any benefits?

[gnrrrg]

"Totem Warrior
"A barbarian often has a special totem that is the patron of her tribe. While individual totems vary, those in the tribe that call upon a totem receive similar abilities. Totem warrior barbarians can select from the following rage powers.

"Rage Powers: The totem warrior is based entirely upon his totem rage powers. In addition to the totem powers themselves, the following rage powers complement the totem warrior archtype (depending on the totem chosen): animal fury*, low-light vision*, night vision*, raging climber*, raging leaper*, raging swimmer*, and swift foot*."

Yet, looking through the rage powers, there is no restriction on any barbarian chosing a totem based power other than them not being allowed to take powers from multiple totems. This restriction isn't removed from the Totem Warrior archetype. So, what are the benefits of playing a Totem Warrior?

[Crysknife]

Nobody knows.
I've made a point of hitting the faq button any time the issue come up in a thread (about once per week).

[gustavo iglesias]

It's fluff. Of the useless kind.

[Alexander Kilcoyne]

I allow multiple totems to be taken by taking the archetype, but I house-rule that the multiple totem ability replaces fast movement.

As written though... Its pure fluff. Any barbarian can be assumed to be a Totem Barbarian.

[doctor_wu]

Yeah is doesn't do anything as written.

[hogarth]

I'm guessing it's an editing quirk. Perhaps totem powers were originally restricted to totem warriors, then they changed their minds without realising that left the totem warrior without any alternate class abilities.

[Starbuck_II]

gnrrrg wrote:

"Totem Warrior

"A barbarian often has a special totem that is the patron of her tribe. While individual totems vary, those in the tribe that call upon a totem receive similar abilities. Totem warrior barbarians can select from the following rage powers.

"Rage Powers: The totem warrior is based entirely upon his totem rage powers. In addition to the totem powers themselves, the following rage powers complement the totem warrior archtype (depending on the totem chosen): animal fury*, low-light vision*, night vision*, raging climber*, raging leaper*, raging swimmer*, and swift foot*."

Yet, looking through the rage powers, there is no restriction on any barbarian chosing a totem based power other than them not being allowed to take powers from multiple totems. This restriction isn't removed from the Totem Warrior archetype. So, what are the benefits of playing a Totem Warrior?

Ultimate Combat says it allows you to take multiple totems such as Dragon, Beast, etc(a restriction others can't).

[gnrrrg]

Thanks Starbuck_II. I must have lost that part during a copy/paste.

[Alexander Kilcoyne]

Starbuck_II wrote:

gnrrrg wrote:

"Totem Warrior

"A barbarian often has a special totem that is the patron of her tribe. While individual totems vary, those in the tribe that call upon a totem receive similar abilities. Totem warrior barbarians can select from the following rage powers.

"Rage Powers: The totem warrior is based entirely upon his totem rage powers. In addition to the totem powers themselves, the following rage powers complement the totem warrior archtype (depending on the totem chosen): animal fury*, low-light vision*, night vision*, raging climber*, raging leaper*, raging swimmer*, and swift foot*."

Yet, looking through the rage powers, there is no restriction on any barbarian chosing a totem based power other than them not being allowed to take powers from multiple totems. This restriction isn't removed from the Totem Warrior archetype. So, what are the benefits of playing a Totem Warrior?

Ultimate Combat says it allows you to take multiple totems such as Dragon, Beast, etc(a restriction others can't).

Yup- but they trade in absolutely nothing for it hence the house rule I use.

Fully compatible with any other archetype as written. Archetypes are meant to be trade in's, not freebie power creep.

[gnrrrg]

Perhaps the intended trade off comes from, "Totem warrior barbarians can select from the following rage powers." which is followed by the list of complementary powers. That is, they can have multiple totems but are limited to their complimentary rage powers rather than having them as a suggested list of compliments like the rest of the archetypes.

[Caedwyr]

That text is identical to the list of suggested complementary rage powers for all the other archetypes. If the intended meaning is as you're suggesting, the text would need to be modified to reflect that intent.

[Alexander Kilcoyne]

No, a limit would be explained far more explicitly.

[Pathfinder Design Team]

It's basically a way for us to list all of the totem rage powers in one place. There is no benefit or drawback to taking the archetype vs. not taking the archetype and just choosing the totem rage powers you want.