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Because every "this sucks" thread needs acounterpart!
Post your favourite archetypes (and preferably explain why).
My list:
1. Qinggong Monk (yes, replacing the bs fiddly Monk abilities was badly needed, thankyouverymuch)
2. Dervish Dancer (yes, Bards who can deliver in melee were badly needed)
3. Dragoon (seriously, who here hoped for a FF4 class archetype? I did.)
Magician Bard. I havn't gotten to try it vet but it's spell selection calls to me.
Zen Archer- similarly. I was blindsided by this one. Delightful. This one takes care of nearly all you need for your niche without you having to use your regular feats.
Weapon Adept- A blind monk with staff mastery. And with this archetype, it can work.
Invulnerable rager- my home group loved it. more into barb=rage then the trapsense anyway.
I haven't really gotten to try it out yet, but from the looks of it, I love the Vivisectionist archetype: it was a great way to provide greater focus to a class that has a lot of options. The fact that you get the defining element of the archetype (sneak attack) at first level makes it all the better.
Not sure about the archetype as a whole, but I do love the Ranger's Focus ability of the Guide; I've always hated the circumstantial nature of the Favored Enemy, so I love having that flexibility.
I'm also really excited by the Master Summoner. I know there are some worries about the action economy of the class when you could potentially have so many summons in play, but I love the ability to summon while having one's eidolon out, I love the extra SLAs, and I think the class also forces you to make interesting decisions regarding how to keep your eidolon useful.
Mobile Fighter
Scroll master Wizard
Tacitian Fighter
Unbreakable Fighter
Armor Master Fighter
Musketeer Cavalier (okay not completely but he's alright)
Strategist Cavalier
Lurking Cavalier (combines well with musketeer)
Beast Rider Cavalier (really really)
Dervish Dancer and Arcane Duelist for Bard
Kensai and Bladebound for Magus
Invuln Rager/Titan Mauler - Barbarian
Sin Eater - Inquisitor
Put another one down for the Alchmist(Vivisectionist). I love it for 2 reasons. First, another class besides rogue with sneak attack. Second, a way to play an Alchemist without being a bomb wielding mad scientist type.
Arcane Duelist. This one says 'swashbuckler' and 'warrior bard' to me, at the very least. 'Red mage' too :)
Bladebound magus for me.
It's the best way i found in any of the RPGs i have played to make Elric into a character.
I think the martial artist (monk) archetype will turn some heads as he goes. Alignment-unrestricted, bypasses DR, gets fighter-only feats for his choice of attacks. This archetype takes the raw monk to his logical DPR limit. Along with the new styles, a dragon style martial artist will definitely be a powerhouse to reckon with.
I'm very partial to unusual builds (or optimally sub-optimal builds) - so the monk of the empty hand speaks to me.
Bladebound magus for me.
It's the best way i found in any of the RPGs i have played to make Elric into a character.It's a great archetype, it is. Though one thing that's always amused me is that, IIRC, Stormbringer was this huge two-handed blade that Elric couldn't wield without its magical enhancement to his prowess. Which would make such a weapon illegal for the archetype, as the Black Blade cannot be a two-handed weapon. XD
In the Elric RPG (yes Elric was made into a pen and paper RPG) it was a bastard sword, so that's i went with.
I haven't read any of the comics (too young for that) but only the books so i will say that in the books Elric* could weild the stormbringer in two hands just fine but when infused with power it could be used one handed. Also the images on the books kinda have it like a bastard sword (a somewhat short one but still).
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Ahhh, I was unaware! :)In the Elric RPG (yes Elric was made into a pen and paper RPG) it was a bastard sword, so that's i went with.
I haven't read any of the comics (too young for that) but only the books so i will say that in the books Elric* could weild the stormbringer in two hands just fine but when infused with power it could be used one handed. Also the images on the books kinda have it like a bastard sword (a somewhat short one but still).
*** spoiler omitted **
iirc it was a (keen?) bastard sword that if an attack with that inflicted at least one point of damage then you took 1d100 CON drain.
Evangelistic.
Bladebound MAgus for the flavor
Zen Archer for the pointy rains of death
Evangelist for the amazing everythign it adds to the cleric.
Dervish Dancer and Arcane Duelist for Bard
Kensai and Bladebound for Magus
Invuln Rager/Titan Mauler - Barbarian
Sin Eater - Inquisitor
+1
The Titan Mauler seems awesome, almost makes me want to play a non caster, also all the new monk love! Styles, and several of the already mentioned archetypes.
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Vivisectionist is almost too good. Imagine if rangers could replace some situational ability with EVEN MOAR DAMAGE. Naturally, sneak attack has so many restrictions, but alchemists have 3 natural attacks on level 2...So powerful, sigh.
I'd like to offer some archetypes that are not only powerful and effective, but fill some much-needed niches. Or were unfulfilled despite the legacy of the the archetype's theme in 3.5:
*Zen Archer definitely qualifies. It's darn effective, it harkens back to a certain ubiquitous feat wayy back and most importantly it takes the class in an entirely different and tasty direction than the vanilla archetype monk. I think the new Martial Artist archetype seems similar so that bears mention too.
*Tactician is Paizo's answer to the old Campaign setting fighter variant. Everyone wanted it so bad that despite some comments such as "If you want a skillful fighter - play a cavalier!"(-JJ, IIRC), they finally bent over and delivered. I'm not exactly sure about the specifics, but an academy trained prodigy of a soldier is a long-lasting trope of fantasy fiction(Nevare Burvelle, anyone?) and now it is possible.
*Invulnerable Rager bears mentioning, naturally. Despite it fast becoming the munchkin favorite, it's success is not merely because of the power, instead the bend of the archetype is very unique in it's conception and reminds me of viking berserks or Gaelic gaesatae, which is just multitudes of cool and awesome. The main ability comes into play almost from the get-go, on second level basically, and remains effective throughout a campaign. Really nice stuff.
*The Scout! Don't forget the Scout!. Yes, one shot of sneak attack every turn won't be winning any dpr contests, but it's a nigh-constant source of SA, something that normal rogues would sorely need and it's a way to get a popular 3.5 class into the system. Works for me. Having a class that relies on Spring Attack and good speed, meaning they benefit from all the movement feats, is a good addition to the game system in general.
*Finally, all bard archetypes. Yeah, yeah, losing Inspire Courage hurts, but the archetypes are basically Paizo's answer to a multitude of 3.5 prestige classes and variant classes. Spellthief, bard/barbarian, Dirgesinger etc. That's what I'm talking about when I 3.5 compatibility. Supporting existing character tropes and class abilites is laudable and most of those archetypes are pretty powerful as well. All my loving.