The kineticist has a reputation for being a pretty weak class, but Phytokineticist really takes the cake. The whole tree can be summed up pretty much as "weaker versions of stuff aether/earth can do that only work on trees". It's a double dose of frustration because the abilities are simultaneously restrictive in usability but not particularly more powerful than other options even when you can fulfill those conditions.
Now, oftentimes stuff like this can be taken as differences in expectations, but some of these talents are so astoundingly weak that I can't fathom why they exist except maybe to make the five elements in OA look strong by comparison. A few that stand out:
Basic Phytokinesis I know the Basic X lines aren't supposed to be super strong, but this is a really silly way to start off the class. This talent gives you the at-will ability to trim trees and shrubs from a distance, and provides you a weaker version of the bard cantrip Sift. Fluff compliant, but still a warning as to what the rest of the class looks like
Roots Literally Earth Walk but worse. The talents are completely identical otherwise.
Brachiation Another cool idea. Less cool when you remember this is the same level other kineticists are flying.
Plant Disguise Five levels after druids never prepared this spell you can turn into a medium sized tree. Yay?
Toxic Infusion This is really the blast I wanted to complain about. So let's look at it. First, it's a level 4 ability, so you can't take it until 8. It requires you to take 3 burn. So that's 24 self damage for activating it. In exchange for all that you get one round of sickened. If they fail a fort save.
There's a greater version you can pick up at 14 that's a bit better, but 1d2 str or dex damage on a poison isn't that impressive at that level either.
Wood Soldiers I really want to love this ability. You get four advanced wood golems and you can give them augmentations based on the seasons if you have the composites for it. That's really cool.
The problem is that it's your 9th level infusion, so you get it at 18... and advanced wood golems. Basically the problem here is that it's nearly impossible for advanced wood golems to pose any threat at all to an enemy a level 18 character is supposed to fight. They'll drop in one or two attacks and even crumple under AoEs while generally only hitting most of those enemies at rolls of 18 or higher and not doing significant damage otherwise.
There's a lot of other talent that are very situational or not very good either, Thorn Flesh, green tongue, both of the woodland strides. But they're also niche enough that maybe you can make them work in the right setting and they don't feel as egregious as some of these.
Sadly void isn't really that much better.
