Archetypes: Similar abilities that don't replace themselves.

[Dark Immortal]

If an archetype grants an ability which is similar to a feature granted by its original class but the archetype replaces an entirely different ability and makes no mention of the similar class feature, what happens, does one supersede the other or do you gain two similar but different abilities?

[RDM42]

Example?

[Dark Immortal]

Let's say a druid archetype gave you an ability called Attuned With the Woodlands. It gives you the ability at level 3. The ability allows you to change your shape into any small or medium animal once per day. At fourth level you can change shape two more times per day +1 additional time for every two levels thereafter.

All animals you change into gain the plant subtype. The ability will never once mention the phrase 'Wild Shape' but it will follow a similar progression but gives you fewer options on what you can change into.

This ability replaces Trackless Step.

Obviously Wild Shape and Attuned with the Woodlands are very similar....but they are different abilities. Further, Attuned to the Woodlands replaces Woodland Stride.

Spell slots are reduced and venom immunity, and thousand faces are gone as well, swapped out for abilities that only work while using Attuned to the Woodlands.

That example work?

[Broken Prince]

I think a real example would be much more helpful.

[Ace of the Flesh Puppets]

Ki Mystic monk archetype.

They gain a ki pool in place of Still Mind, not in place of Ki Pool. In theory, this grants two separate ki pools to the Ki Mystic.

[Maezer]

Technically you get would get 2 separate similar abilities. But often its the result of a typo.

Ala, the pistoleer's pistol training not replacing the gunslinger's gun training (pre errata). But it was pretty obvious it was suppose to. Try to use common sense, and consult with the GM.

[Dark Immortal]

Not too much, actually. My false example mirrors the reality pretty well.

At third level a ki mystic gains an ability called ki mystic.
It grants a pool of ki.
The amount equals your wisdom modifier.
At level four the ki mystic ability changes the amount of ki it provides to 1/2 monk level +Wis mod +2.
The ki mystic ability gives +2 to all knowledge checks as long as you have 1 ki in your ki pool.
The ki mystic ability let's you spend a point of ki to add +4 to a skill or ability check.

Ki mystic replaces still mind

At level 4 a monk gains an ability called a ki pool.
It provides 1/2 monk level + Wis mod in ki points.
Etc.

People are arguing that by raw it is somehow a single ki pool.

But if ki mystic replaces ki pool, then why does I not say that? You know what it does say it replaces? Still mind.

Drunken ki replaces still mind. It provides ki points to spend and can be infinitely refilled. They can spend ki to move five feet without provoking, or to do additional d6's of damage. Where are the arguments that drunken ki replaces the regular ki pool class feature? Its similar in some ways.

I play in pfs and already I know that this is going to be a problem. I don't want table variation and I don't want to be told to rebuild (again). And this issue could easily come up again with new archetypes. Look at my first (almost identical) example. They're the same thing.

All I have found is nothing but precedent for ki granting classes/features stacking with each other or being separate. Nothing I have seen is showing a replaced ki pool on any class that has one (ninja is closest and it stacks). So it seems odd that a class designed to use ki more than others is in doubt about whether they get a useful amount of ki to do (expensive) ki abilities with.