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Link to the document for the top of the page.
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Double Scion (Half-Elf)
Power +0, Versatility +0
Dual identity has a few more limitations, and in return you gain access to three more talents. It's a straight upgrade for Half-Elves, but a minor one.
Psychometrist
Power +1, Versatility +0
You gain access to a whole new list of abilities, the Occultist Implements, which means you gotta comb through them to get the gems. The list may seem daunting, but the real bother is that the archetype has implemented some restrictions that results in more bookkeeping than a normal Occultist has. For those few who have played the Occultist, the changes are that the Vigilante doesn't get any Resonant Powers and that each Focus Power has their own specific implement.
You've basically gotta prepare Mental Focus like a wizard prepares their spells, deciding how many uses of a specific Focus Power you think you'll need during a day. Couple that with only getting half your level to your pool of Mental Focus, and there's not much wiggle room. But hey, you don't really have that many Focus Powers anyway. one at level 2, three at level 6, and six at level 12. And three of these are Base Focus Powers which with the exception of Transmutation usually aren't that good.
The Extra Focus Power feat is a godsend, and pretty much mandatory for any Psychometrist. Taking this feat also means that you can take level restricted Implement powers when you qualify. I'd keep an eye out for Legacy Weapon (Transmutation), Mind over Gravity (Transmutation), Soulbound Puppet (Necromancy), and Shadow Beasts (Illusion).
Legacy Weapon can apply weapon abilities such as Bane on the fly, and has the great advantage of being a Base Focus Power. Soulbound Puppet is extremely versatile when you start applying archetypes to it, then it can be a Sage/Figment skill monkey or a Mauler flanking buddy as the situation demands.
Serial Killer
Power +0, Versatility +1
The biggest fault of this archetype is that it trades away your 4th and 6th level Vigilante Talents, so you have a slow start. You're given two Charisma-based abilities that are okayish, and Studied Target which is great for a Stalker who wants accuracy increases.
The main draw is that your Hidden Strike is considered to be Sneak Attack for prerequisites, which means you can actually take SA feats such as Sap Master.
Splintersoul
Power +0, Versatility +0
Dual Identity actually becomes more like two different identities. No longer can you use Vigilante Talents while in your Social Identity, but you gain the Quick/Immediate Change talents faster than normal and can qualify for classes with one of your identities.
Thought Killer / Anaphexia Thought-Killer
Power +0, Versatility +1
Alright, so whoever wrote this archetype obviously had their Vigilante and Social Talents mixed up on the progression table. I don't know at what levels you're actually supposed to gain the abilities, but they should be within one level. Do note that this archetype is taken by priests of a NE deity.
What you're given is protection against mind-reading effects which becomes immunity, and you can also regenerate the tongue you must cut off every day.
Thought-Scent is a hilarious ability which is exactly what it sounds like. You focus on a specific fact or idea, and can smell anyone who knows it. No saving throw and lots of uses per day.
Wildsoul
Power -1, Versatility +0
Arachnid: The abilities are flavorful, but that's pretty much it. At level 18 you can swing through the air like Arachnid-man, or you could simply have a fly speed from somewhere else and not be restricted to "flying" under roofs.
Falconine: A fly speed, and a bonus to perception that doesn't stack with magic items. The only noteworthy ability is Deadly Dive, but that's at level 18.
Ursine: The three most common natural attacks of them all, and a small bonus to Natural Armor that doesn't stack with any you had before. But wait, if you stay for level 18 you can transform into a grizzly bear as if using Beast Shape II, which means all the abilities you gained at level 2, 6, and 12 are obsolete!
***
^Where in Relic Hunter does it modify your Base Attack Bonus?
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Trappings of the Warrior is a set of implements which you can take which then allow you to select a 'panoply' instead of your next implement, and TotW then gives you full BAB if you invest enough mental focus. Usually only occultists can get that but a relic hunter inquisitor can too.
I think the original Relic Hunter review was made before panoplies was a thing, so it's worth mentioning. But even so I'm having trouble seeing how full BAB is the bee's knees. +1 to attack every fourth level, and a slightly faster Power Attack progression.
Is that enough to raise the archetype from -2/-1 to +0/-1, or was the review too harsh to start with?
They probably can, but it wouldn't do them much good.
They'd have to wait until level 12 to qualify for any panoply since that's when they get their third implement school, which is pretty damn late. In addition to that, they still don't get any resonant powers so Trappings of the Warrior wouldn't give them increased BAB.
The psychometric is far more restrictive that you'd think at first glance, mostly due to the very slow advancement of your Focus Powers. While a 6th level Occultist has four implement schools and three focus powers in addition to the base powers, a psychometric has two implement schools and one bonus focus power from the implement school they chose at 2nd level. The next increase is at level 12, when the psychometric gets two more bonus focus powers but none from the new implement school.
As mentioned, the Extra Focus Power feat is top priority for a psychometric. You use maybe two or three focus powers over your whole career, so you've got to choose them with care and take your schools so that you get your bonus powers where you want. Personally I'd take my first three schools in this order: Necromancy, Transmutation, Illusion.
Grab Extra Focus Power at level 3 and get Soulbound Puppet, retrain this feat into something else when you gain this focus power for free at level 6. Then take the same feat at level 9 for flight, and retrain that one into Shadow Beast when you get a transmutation power for free at level 12.
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Power +1, Versatility +0
The intended playstyle is strength based weapon-and-fist, using your Challenge to double up on the damage. You gain a bunch of abilities to help you achieve this, such as Monk unarmed damage, cheating TWF dexterity prerequisites, and ignoring the TWF penalty when attacking the target of your Challenge.
The main problem is that weapon-and-fist normally means you've gotta buy an AoMF in addition to upgrading a weapon, so you're paying 50% more than a TWF build does. Using Handwraps would put you in line with a normal TWF build. You could also simply just do a fist-fist or weapon-weapon build, although you don't ignore the -2 TWF penalty then.
Ironbound Sword
Power +0, Versatility +1
Always having the option of dealing nonlethal is useful, although it replaces the effective 1.5 feats you gain from Weapon Expertise. The save-or-sleep knockout ability is a good trade unless you really want your Banner.
Sovereign Blade
Power -1, Versatility +0
The breath weapon has too few uses, too little damage, and no capacity to pierce SR.
Sword Saint
Power -1, Versatility +0
Iaijutsu Strike is a stylish opener, but not much else. It requires investment to make it your main combat style, and even then it's pretty unrewarding.
Ward Speaker
Power +0, Versatility -1
Trading Resolve for a whole bunch of new abilities would normally be quite good, as we have some good SLAs in the mix. Unfortunately you need to make a one-minute ritual at specific locations between each use, so even if you always have access to these shrines you can only use the Propitiation once per combat.
Yojimbo
Power +0, Versatility +1
A bodyguard archetype that loses mount and gains Armor Training. Advanced options are on the table, so it's a good trade if you don't want a mount.
***
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Full BAB is often overrated, but it does also give you prereqs for feats faster.
Thought I might give druids a shot.
Power -1, Versatility 0
A specialist in flying and flying creatures. The bonuses aren't big, the costs aren't huge except for delaying and limiting wildshape. Getting huge flying animal shapes at 6th level instead of 8th isn't worth delaying every other use of wild shape 2 levels.
Ancient Guardian
Power 0, Versatility -1
A more people-oriented druid, with social skill bonuses, a domain choice that's restricted to ones of society to the exclusion of nature and the elements, and spontaneous calm emotions in place of spontaneous SNA spellcasting. An extra 10' speed in most modes (which stacks with longstrider) when wildshaping for some reason. And the most restricted weapon list there is.
You can still make just as powerful a druid out of this as usual, not every druid finds summoning useful or needs to use a scimitar, but it does cut off some options.
Blight Druid
Power +1, Versatility -2
Never mind what the description says about natural disasters, you're the caretaker of all that's icky about nature whether natural disasters are involved or not. The miasma ability enforces non-social interaction with most NPCs; as a passive aura it's useful as a combat ability though certainly. Between this and the restricted nature's bond choices I'm marking it way down for versatility.
Defender of the True World
Power 0, Versatility -1
Your minor druid abilities get replaced by even more situational anti-fey abilities, and you can't summon fey creatures with SNA.
Devolutionist
Power -1, Versatility 0
An enemy of all sentient life is probably an NPC even if there's no required alignment. You're required to take a very weak choice as an animal companion (no domain allowed) and get a couple of terrorist abilities in place of minor abilities.
Draconic Druid
Power -2, Versatility 0
Like all the archetypes which give drake companions, you pay through the nose for that dubious privilege. Thankfully you're still a full spellcaster unlike the cavalier archetype and aren't completely crippled. Also your wild shape is badly nerfed until 10th level when you get form of the dragon options; you might upgrade it to power -1 at that point.
I left out the Ashvawg Tamer because it really is D&D 3.5 and not PF-compatible, and I'll deal with animal shaman/terrain druids later as that's how the doc organises them.
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Let me know if I've missed something or you disagree please, as usual.
Power 0, Versatility 0
In place of nature's bond and wild shape, you get 4 eidolons which you can summon one at a time. Though they get no evolution point pool at all other than the 1 point all (unchained) elemental eidolons get at 4th level, you can target them with spells that would normally target animals and they get the share spells ability. This gives a number of options. Also you get constant energy resistance 5 (all 4 normal elements) at 4th level, which beats resist nature's lure.
Being able to call up your fire elemental friend if the earth elemental eidolon bites it (& repeat a couple times more on a very bad day), and the ability to call an eidolon suited to your current environment is enough to make up for the loss of wild shape I think. Even without an evolution pool the eidolons are better than animal companions - though I might invest in UMD and a wand or scroll or two of some summoner spells to make the most of them.
Feral Shifter
Power -1, Versatility 0
A hunter's animal focus in place of nature's bond and some minor abilities. This is weaker on the whole, but if you want to buff quickly then jump into a fight yourself rather than relying on others it could be useful.
Fungal Pilgrim
Power +1, Versatility 0
Your nature's bond becomes creepy and fungal. This applies to summoned creatures if you take the domain (which has to be plant), your companion if you take an animal companion. +4 Str, +4 Con, -2 Dex, +2 natural armor, -10' speed, 60' darkvision and a couple of odd abilities is a noticeable improvement overall.
Green Faith Initiate
Power 0, Versatility +1
You get less uses of wild shape and lose a couple of minor abilities, but get some useful SLAs and social skill bonuses to make up for it. It's useful overall.
Green Scourge
Power 0, Versatility -1
Spontaneous shillelagh or flame blade, with bonuses for using higher level spell slots, in place of spontaneous SNA. It doesn't look as though you can use metamagic with that if you know such, but it still looks unique and fun. Otherwise a few very minor abilities get replaced with even more situational ones.
If you've a second opinion on some druid archetype let me hear it JiaYou. Even if I end up disagreeing it's interesting at the least!
On the treestrider, ape animal companions are quite bad I think. They're slow as animal companions go, don't have any special combat movement like pounce or a climb speed (which makes the enhancement bonus to climb speed that treestrider gives to the animal companion...interesting, as a mechanic) and definitely fragile with base Con 10 and little natural armor. They're good from 4th level to 6th when they have their size bonus to Str/reach and most of the better companions don't, but overall I'd put that treestrider at -1 Power rather than trying to split the difference between -1 and 0.
the orginial review was overwritten by the nature fang archetype, which is why I'm reviewing it again now.
Huh, no idea how that review ended up there. According to the Version History no review was deleted anyway, so not much harm done.
I'm gonna guess that the Shaman/Terrain distinctions happened because the previous owner mainly used the SRD, and that's how they've done it.
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Edit:
While fixing some formatting issues, I noticed both the Detective and Prankster (gnome) archetypes of the Bard are missing.
The main draw for feral shifter is access to planar focus. Having burrow or amphibious breathing, or retributive cold damage on attack rather then when hit, are all pretty decent bonus tools.
You can't compete with an animal companion, but it's better than many of their domain choices.
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Power +1, Versatility +1
Kill monsters, get trophies, and then steal their powers? Hell yeah.
Half your level on Knowledge checks to identify monsters is sweet. Discern Death is edgier and probably less useful than Object Reading. Access to Favored Enemy against the specific creature variety of your trophies means it's not that useful unless you'll be fighting a lot of humans. The real kicker comes in at level 12, though. That's when you can steal the special abilities from creatures you've made into trophies as per Monstrous Physique III (later IV), and even Spell-Like Abilities. You gotta hunt down the right monsters, but getting access to spells outside of your class list may well be worth it. No Panoplies, though.
Secret Broker
Power +0, Versatility -1
The Divination Implement School isn't the strongest, but this archetype doesn't force you into investing Mental Focus into it either. The secret abilities are useful in an intrigue campaign, but otherwise I'd not lose an Implement and Shift Focus for them.
Sha’ir
Power -2, Versatility -2
That's a lot of Implement Schools you're missing out on, and having those genie just makes you more vulnerable than if you didn't. If one dies, you lose all the Mental Focus you had invested in it, and can't use any Focus Powers they were connected to for a whole day. You want to hide them as far away from danger as possible, but they must be within 30 ft of you to provide any benefit. So they're just walking, talking, targets. Thematic weakpoints for a boss fight, not so fun as a PC.
In addition to having your implements walking around with low AC and low HP, having fewer spells known and fewer Implement Schools, this also locks you out of Panoplies.
Talisman Crafter
Power +0, Versatility -1
So you craft talismans each day, and they are used in place of your implements. Pretty useful if you're afraid of having to replace a finger bone of a saint often. But this does lock you out of Panoplies.
The Spellbound Talisman ability is simply put the ability to make melee touch spells into ranged touch spells, which is normally achievable by buying a Reach metamagic rod. This becomes a bit better at level 4 when you can spend one point of generic focus to craft a talisman anyone can use, essentially handing out spells to allies.
But unfortunately the restriction on what spells can be used and the high focus cost holds this ability back.
Tome Eater
Power +1, Versatility +0
One book acts as all your implements (no panoplies), and can easily be replaced if you lose it. The Word Sense ability which replaces Aura Sight makes you an incredible librarian, but won't see as much use as the original ability. That said, I doubt you'd be able to keep your job when they realize that you literally eat books.
In return for your 6th level implement and all the Magic Circle class features, you can eat the magic from scrolls and tomes. While I'm skeptical you'll find many chances to eat the magic from enemy scroll-casting, the ability to once per day regain Mental Focus by eating magical writing will be very useful at mid-to-high levels.
The most cost efficient way to regain Mental Focus is to buy (or craft) the Lesser Book of Extended Summoning, which has a caster level of 17 for the modest price of 750 gp. So for the price of a third level potion you can regain eight Mental Focus each day. Great in a pinch at mid levels, and a drop in the ocean at higher ones.
***
I figured "tome eater" was a joke about consuming knowledge. But nope. Literally eats books.
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I figured "tome eater" was a joke about consuming knowledge. But nope. Literally eats books.
My first introduction to that archetype was in an AP. Three glorious words: Otyugh Tome Eater.
Fungal pilgrim doesn't work like an augmented summon. That +4 Str and Con? Comes from the fungal creature template. It'd even stack with augmented summoning.
Is there a cheap method for druids to get standard action summons or minute per level summons? If not, the usage per day cap may be too low for fungal summoning to be very valuable.
There are ways for standard action summons, but the animal shaman archetypes aren't compatible with fungal pilgrim. I should mention the per-day limit for applying fungal creature to summoning, and that the archetype sacrifices wild shape.
Fungal Pilgrim (revised)
Power +1, Versatility 0
Your nature's bond becomes creepy and fungal. This applies to summoned creatures a few times a day if you take the domain (which has to be plant), or to your companion if you take an animal companion. This gives the equivalent of augment summoning and a grab-bag of lesser abilities to the summoned creature or animal companion, which stacks with any actual augment summoning in the case of summoned creatures. The main cost of the archetype is losing wild shape; an endgame ability which gives the plant type (which makes you immune to polymorphing) more or less requires this.
The companion is still better than the summon boost due to fungal pilgrim having no way to summon as a standard action and being incompatible with the animal shaman archetypes which do.
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I figured "tome eater" was a joke about consuming knowledge. But nope. Literally eats books.My first introduction to that archetype was in an AP. Three glorious words: Otyugh Tome Eater.
Hah, keep that thing away from your wizards!
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Power +0, Versatility +0
A couple abilities useful for the dungeon delver, but strangely enough no Trapfinding.
Panoply Savant
Power +1, Versatility -1
A bit more Mental Focus, the ability to use your own caster level for certain magic items, and later on using two Focus Powers at once. The Panoptic Call ability actually lacks a maximum distance, so I guess you could become a master thief by scrying on someone's possessions and calling them towards you. The loss of Shift Focus and the Magic Circles hurts your versatility a bit.
Planar Harmonizer
Power -1, Versatility -2
So you can only take the conjuration Implement School and in return you get to freely scrounge the Wizard's spell list for conjuration spells, adding one spell each level. This limitation feels unnecessarily harsh even for someone focusing on conjuration, since you'll actually run out of Focus Powers to take.
***
The first uses I thought of were a hyena for tripping purposes, or a giant frog for grappling (SNA II). The giant crab (SNA III) is better at grappling but doesn't have 15' reach, and there's no better tripper at that level. 1d3 hyenas (1, 3 or 4 w/superior summoning) might be better but there isn't always room to use those.
The halcyon druid also loses wild shape until 13th, where they get a possibly awesome if minutes/level form. There are agathions with impressive breath weapons for example.
It costs a trait but you can probably take the lightning subdomain as a tempest or storm druid. That improves them noticeably. While costing a trait is normally annoying, it makes it easier to argue that taking a subdomain off the explicit list is OK.
^Does that trait actually work for Druids? Druids don't get their Domains from a deity.
Strangely, Halcyon Druid doesn't change the Druid's alignment restrictions, even though it is clearly Good-oriented(*) and even though Embody Mask includes the ability to emulate Archons or Azatas if that is what you have chosen for your Bonded Mask.
(*)By the letter of the text of this archetype, a Halcyon Druid could actually be Neutral Evil, although making use of the ability to cast spells from the Good Domain (the replacement Spontaneous Casting ability) would require not worshipping an Evil deity. Interesting loophole for an infiltrator of the Magaambya to exploit . . . .
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I don't think acolyte of apocrypha actually requires that you get your domain from a deity. It does imply it in that it requires you to get a domain and requires you to worship a deity.
Power 0, Versatility -1
In case there's any doubt, Besmara likes her hentai. You can make an effective dirty trick build here (GMs: don't ask how the dirty trick happens unless you have brain bleach handy) then unleash a flurry of tentacles on the entangled and/or blinded enemy. Of course you can do a similar thing with druid spells without needing to spend feats other than natural spell, and without losing most kinds of wild shape the way the kraken caller does.
Leshy Warden
Power 0, Versatility 0
You get a free improved familiar, but your wild shape is limited to plant forms and acts at level-2. And you can summon leshies with SNA. Decent IMO.
Life Channeler
Power 0, Versatility -1
Sacrifice humanoids in order to make one-use talismans which can power your domain spells, or eventually to negate death/energy drain effects affecting you. You lose wild shape for this and can't be good. Plant domain and subdomain spells are OK, it's workable if you can sacrifice enemies for this without infuriating your party.
Planar Extremist
Power -2, Versatility 0
Technically an 'ex-druid' archetype. Diminished spellcasting and no spontaneous casting of SNA. An alignment domain or an unchained eidolon with no evolution pool in place of nature's bond, OK. A bloodrager bloodline for minutes/level in place of wild shape - this is a major step down. Overall significantly weaker than the base druid.
Progenitor
Power -1, Versatility +1
The nature's bond replacements are weak, but you add fey form (all 4, I-IV) in place of elemental form on wild shape. That's useful but not power IMO.
Reincarnated Druid
Power 0, Versatility -1
Auto-reincarnate, and you pay a 2-level delay on wild shape. There's no doubting the cool value but the auto-reincarnate should seldom make a difference.
Rot Warden
Power 0, Versatility -1
Some random spontaneous spells (some good, some terrible) in place of spontaneous SNA, vermin empathy in place of wild empathy, summon swarm 1/day in place of trackless step & venom immunity, 2-level delay on wild shape and you replace elemental form with vermin shapes. It should be workable but there's no obvious synergies to work with.
Swarm Monger
Power -1, Versatility 0
You get a familiar in place of nature's bond, which you can turn into a swarm of similar creatures for minutes/day. Cool but putting your familiar in harm's way is risky at best. The swarm skin which doesn't lose your equipment at 12th level is better.
Toxicologist
Power +1, Versatility -1
The main loss is spontaneous casting; you gain poison use+ and several poison spells added to your spell list, a +1 to save DCs of poison spells, and the vermin shapes to wild shape. It's effective enough but remember how many enemies are immune to poison.
Pretty sure your bonded mask resembles/represents one outsider and you use that one only.
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Power +0, Versatility +0
The archetype doesn't force you into choosing an aquatic companion, but rather changes your Animal Focus class feature to emulate fish. But if you're going underwater the +4 to all saving throws vs water spells and aquatic creatures is well worth it.
Blight Scout / Uprooter Scout
Power +0, Versatility -1
So we're getting something that is Favored Terrain in everything but name, and it's for the Abyss and Abyss-tainted areas. Sucks to lose Raise Animal Companion, though.
Chameleon Adept
Power -2, Versatility +0
Changing your companion into humanoid form is not only cruel, but incredibly inefficient. The archetype has made sure you won't be able to make it into a competent cohort by blanket banning any manufactured weapons and use of magic items. It's also just as dumb as before, and the duration is too short to matter.
Courtly Hunter
Power -2, Versatility +2
Since your companion is now intelligent, you don't have to bother with Handle Animal or it learning tricks. It's essentially another character that can understand complex orders, with a lot more skill ranks than a normal companion would ever have. And in addition to that, the companion also gains all your skill ranks and class skills.
The Subtle Companion ability is great for getting your companion in where you want, but even so I'd buy a Greater Hat of Disguise or the Ring of Eloquence when possible so that your companion can successfully make social skill checks.
You lose pretty much all offensive class features for these benefits. Could be pretty sweet to communicate over long distances with your Improved Empathic Link in an intrigue campaign, though.
Pelagic Hunter
Power -1, Versatility +0
For aquatic campaigns.
While there are some interesting options for your altered Animal Focus, such as Nondetection, the normal enhancement bonus to physical stats would help you more.
Urban Hunter
Power -1, Versatility -1
The ability to calm down onlookers with a Handle Animal skill check seems ripe for abuse, but will probably be veto:d by your GM when your Dire Rat has slaughtered the fourteenth villager in the town square. The restricted choices of companions isn't great, and losing Hunter's Tactics for a bunch of maneuver feats is a trade that quickly becomes worse as you level up.
***
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If you're keeping the format that the OP used then the blight druid should probably be in this section. Merging the section back in is a quite reasonable choice though.
Power -1, Versatility -1
If you're in an aquatic campaign then likely you have the ability to adventure there from 1st level, which renders most of this archetype redundant. If in a normal campaign then the standard wild shape and spellcasting of a druid is sufficient for a dip underwater.
Arctic Druid
Power 0, Versatility -1
The equivalent of a few zero-2nd level spells as constant abilities is useful in the right environment I guess. The ability to cast fire spells as cold spells is more interesting but it kicks in at level 9, which is a bit late. Also it seems mostly useful outside the intended environment.
Cave Druid
Power 0, Versatility -1
Until the power of the vital-striking hippo was revealed, the cave druid held the record for single-attack damage in its oozy form. This left scars on Paizo developers so that when they finally wrote an Ooze Form spell they nerfed it to uselessness & similarly with the oozemorph shifter. The cave druid was left unchanged though it's fairly meh otherwise.
Desert Druid
Power 0, Versatility -1 (L1-L9) or +1 (L10+)
The environment survival abilities aren't that great (immunity to blindness at 9th excepted) but the interesting part is wild shape into vermin forms using Beast Shape IV (not mere Vermin Shape) from 10th level which is just asking you to dumpster-dive the Bestiaries.
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And the two archetypes I missed earlier
Power 0, Versatility +1
A druid who gets some spells from the psychic spell list and something like the medium class spirit abilities, but who loses wild shape and proficiency in armor. Losing wild shape and gaining abilities with natural attacks may seen an antisynergy, but besides the archetype's totem transformation or the possibility of racial natural attacks there are a number of spells on the druid list which can help. Armor proficiency, well, I guess you're wearing leather armor. Many druids do anyway. The psychic spells offer interesting possibilities. You can do different things with this.
Tempest Tamer
Power -1, Versatility -1
The main change here is that your wild shape can be used only to take air or water elemental forms. It's a straight downgrade, you don't get anything for it. Also since this isn't called wild shape nothing that interacts with wild shape works with it unless your GM takes pity. Why would you take this archetype? I dunno.
Not bad at all, but they get it at 9th level. Summoned cats and whatever are getting obsolete ~ 13th level, that's not the hugest window of opportunity to use it.
If you're keeping the format that the OP used then the blight druid should probably be in this section. Merging the section back in is a quite reasonable choice though.
Hm, the distinction of racial archetypes must also have been taken from the SRD. Might be easier to merge everything and then placing bookmarks in the longer documents for ease of navigation.
I'll have to figure out how to deal with the archetypes that have two names thanks to SRD. Wouldn't want people to look in A-H when it's in G-R.
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Power -1 / +1 (Lv 13+ as a Caster), Versatility +1
Allies can also target your familiar for the purpose of using the Share Spells and Deliver Touch Spells abilities, although you get them both later and nerfed. The -2 CL penalty means you can't use your highest level spells unless you can raise your CL above the minimum level required to cast.
At lv 13 your familiar can choose one ally to calculate all the usual statistics like HP and BAB, which means you can get another frontliner with a well chosen polymorph spell. This makes the archetype useful even if you don't have any other casters in the party.
Occult Messenger
Power +0, Versatility +1
Psychic Unlocks, and a scaling competence bonus to the relevant skill checks. It loses Deliver Touch Spells, but I've never been a fan of letting your familiar free during combat.
Parasite
Power -1, Versatility -1
Creepy. Seems like you're supposed to let your familiar sneak up to a sleeping target, and let it burrow into them to control them later.
Pilferer
Power -1, Versatility +0
The constant nondetection is nice, but your familiar is not going to succeed on any Steal maneuvers unless you throw magic items at it.
Prankster
Power -1, Versatility -2
It loses way too much if you're a caster, but it gains a couple nice SLAs at first level. If you're dipping into a class which has a familiar, and you're martial, it might be something to consider.
Protector
Power +2, Versatility +0
A good choice for both martial and casters, this familiar effectively doubles your HP pool and gains the In Harm's Way feat line.
Sage
Power +0, Versatility +2
Instead of sharing skill ranks with your familiar, it gains its own pool of skill ranks. Stacks with the Figment archetype for an easy +8 racial bonus to three skills.
School Familiar
Power -, Versatility -
You need the Familiar Adept Wizard archetype to qualify for taking these familiar archetypes. See the Familiar Adept archetype review instead.
Soulbound Familiar
Power +0, Versatility -1
One once per day SLA, but you lose both Alertness and Scry on Familiar which you'd find more use for.
Valet
[Dip]
Power +1, Versatility +2
So it doubles your crafting speed, magical as mundane, and shares all your teamwork feats. Extremely useful, and given to you at familiar level 1. Since its statistics (HP, BAB, Skills) are based on your total class levels, dipping for a Valet familiar is common for teamwork feat shenanigans. Do note that the master only treats the familiar as if it had item creation feats for the purpose of doubling your crafting speed with Cooperative Crafting. It can't craft magic items by itself while you're out adventuring.
The loss of Improved Evasion does make it more squishy, but the ability to move both before and after delivering harmless spells counteracts this. Instead of ending its turn next to an enemy capable of full-attacking, it can use the soft cover given from allies to avoid any AoO and return to safety.
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Power -1, Versatility -1
Largely meaningless changes, but the tree shape at will replacing alter self at will at 13 is a step down and the delay to wild shape isn't paying for anything.
Mountain Druid
Power 0, Versatility -1
Besides the forgettable stuff you get an admittedly late version of the goliath druid, with wild shape into giant forms at L12+. Losing a thousand faces for statue at will at about that level is annoying. OTOH the replacement for venom immunity applies to enough effects to be an upgrade.
Plains Druid
Power +1, Versatility 0
Speed bonus, nice. Hide in plain sight when prone in natural terrain (plus stand up as an immediate action in the surprise round) at L4 - you can build a character around this. Bonuses when charging and against charging at 9th level - also good. Then replacing a thousand faces with evasion is one of the few trades up for this ability. Overall this is pretty good.
River Druid
Power -1, Versatility -1
A bunch of abilities you will never care about.
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Power 0, Versatility 0
Your domain options now include Destruction (Rage) among others, which is certainly a better option than an ape animal companion. Standard action summoning of primates (ape at SNA III, dire ape at SNA IV, young/advanced/giant templates allowed) isn't great but sometimes its better to have a so-so summon in a standard action than a good summon 1 round later. The totem transformation options are fairly good and while wild shaping into primates may sound like a waste of time, at least you can pick up and use equipment. I'd call this balanced overall.
Bat Shaman
Power 0, Versatility +1
Your domain options include Darkness (Night) and Trickery (Deception) and while a bat animal companion isn't perfect, it's doable if you prefer to go that way. Standard action summoning applies only to dire bats (SNA III, young/advanced/giant templates allowed) which are bad enough value you probably shouldn't do this. The totem transformation options include flight and blindsense; useful. You could make a sneaky druid which uses this archetype.
Bear Shaman
Power 0, Versatility -1
Your domain options include Protection, or while a bear animal companion is terrible a grizzly bear is probably allowed by the archetype, and it's workable. Standard action summoning applies to bears (grizzly bear [SNA III] or dire bear [SNA VI], young/advanced/giant templates allowed) which aren't good options but acceptable if you're in a hurry. A bonus wild shaping into bears isn't that good. The totem transformation options are OK if not special. You can use this but there are better.
Boar Shaman
Power -1, Versatility -1
Seeing pigs as your ideal is about as useful as you expect overall, but it does come with decent domain options - Destruction (Rage) or Protection. Summoning boars or wild shaping into them isn't useful, and the totem transformation options aren't good. Don't idealise pigs.
Dragon Shaman
Power 0, Versatility -1
Besides the usual druid domains you can choose War; War's domain spells are more useful to a druid than a cleric. Neither a croc nor a lizard makes a good animal companion so you will be taking one of those domains. Sadly the only creatures you can use standard action summoning on are monitor lizards (not crocodiles despite their being an animal companion option for you) and they're not worth the effort. Similarly I doubt you'll often wild shape into lizards. OTOH the totem transformation options include flight and from 8th level you add 1d6 fire damage to any bite attack you may get. Workable if not great.
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Power +1, Versatility 0
Cat lovers get decent domains; if you don't like Animal then Glory, Nobility, and Sun are options, and of course a big cat is one of the best animal companions. Standard action summoning of cats has plenty of good options, as does wild shaping into felines. The totem transformation options are OK. Lion shaman is the second best of the animal shamans.
Saurian Shaman
Power +2, Versatility 0
While you can take an interesting domain like War lets be honest, you're taking a dinosaur animal companion here. Standard action summoning of dinosaurs gives you flying options, swimming options, and of course in-your-face-and-rip-it-off options. Ditto wild shapes. The totem transformation options are only OK but how much can you ask of one archetype? This is the best animal shaman archetype by far.
Serpent Shaman
Power 0, Versatility 0
Charm and Trickery are good domain options that most druids don't get. A constrictor snake is a good animal companion if you prefer (I'm less impressed by the poisonous snakes as companions). Summoning constrictor snakes as a standard action has its uses, and wild shaping into either constrictor or poisonous snakes could be effective in combat or if you need to climb or swim. The totem transformations aren't that good but this archetype is certainly workable.
Shark Shaman
Power 0, Versatility -1
If the game isn't at least partly underwater there's no reason to take this archetype, so for this review I'm assuming that your game is. Even then a shark animal companion is a pain more often than a boon, so take the War domain or the more normal druidic Animal or Water (Death isn't a good idea without other class features for using undead). You get some useful summons as standard actions but the enhanced wild shape is limited to a shark only which isn't the best. The totem transformations aren't great. Workable but not good.
Wolf Shaman
Power 0, Versatility 0
Among other possibilities you can take the Travel domain here, notoriously one of the best. A wolf animal companion does not compare. Between dogs, wolves and dire wolves you have OK standard action summons options at many levels. There are several canines which you can take advantage of the +2 levels to wild shape into. The totem transformations aren't that great though. A useful if not standout archetype.
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Boar Shaman
Power -1, Versatility -1
Seeing pigs as your ideal is about as useful as you expect overall, {. . .} Don't idealise pigs.
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And whatever you do, never try to teach a pig to sing.
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Shark Shaman
Power 0, Versatility -1
If the game isn't at least partly underwater there's no reason to take this archetype, so for this review I'm assuming that your game is. Even then a shark animal companion is a pain more often than a boon, so take the War domain or the more normal druidic Animal or Water (Death isn't a good idea without other class features for using undead). {. . .}
It just occurred to me that you could go VMC Wizard (Necromancer or Undead Necromancer) to cover this if you want to use Undead.
If you want to Fight Undead, or get the Pharasmin version of the Death Domain and go VMC Wizard (Life Necromancer) to cover this, although that option doesn't work as well, and you don't have the option to go VMC Hallowed Necromancer Wizard (although that isn't a very good archetype itself).
@pad300
Someone was sneaky and stole it before I could review it! No idea who it was, though.
<_<
>_>
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@JiaYou
Hm, yeah that original review doesn't sound right. Though, it'd be pretty good if you qualified for rage powers at your ranger level, but I'm confident you're supposed to use your level-3.
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@avr
Great work! Now there's only the Eagle Shaman, Swamp Druid, and the racial archetypes left of druid. As far as I know at least.