What options offer the most potential for "narrative control"?

[Alzrius]

One of the major issues that comes up when critiquing Pathfinder is that some options offer more narrative control than others. The big one in this regard tends to be full-progression casters versus non-casters.

But leaving aside that fairly major distinction, what specific options - e.g. spells, feats, magic items, archetypes, etc. - offer a great deal of narrative control? Leadership is an obvious choice, but what else?

[The Sideromancer]

Agreeable GMs.

[Deadmanwalking]

Being a prepared caster as opposed to a spontaneous one is huge. Especially if, like a Cleric or Druid, you have the whole list to choose from.

Just being able to use whatever specific spell fixes problem X with a little foreknowledge or time is a huge narrative toolbox right there. And, really, a large part of why asking for specifics is a little misleading. It's not like invisibility or teleport alone offer unstoppable narrative power (though both offer a fair bit), but being able to use either of those or a hundred other options at your whim and as necessary or convenient sure does.

So anything that gives you that.

[Orfamay Quest]

Narrative control is generally about options, not about specific choices.

As an example, there are generally about seven "attack surfaces" that you can use to kill or incapacitate a creature. You can hit its normal armor class, you can force any of three saving throws, you can overcome its CMD, you can hit its touch AC, or you may simply be able to damage it outright.

A first level wizard can easily attack all seven surfaces with appropriate spells. A first level fighter is unlikely to be able to attack more than AC or CMD. The available choice is part of what gives the wizard greater narrative power.

At a higher level, what's the most effective way to get from point A to point B? A high level fighter can walk, can ride, can swim, or can climb. A high-level wizard can add to that flying, teleporting, burrowing, or not going there at all (and, for example, manipulating at a distance or summoning something on the other side). This means that, for example, a fighter, faced with an unclimbable wall, is fundamentally hosed, but a wizard has additional narrative options.

So what you're looking for are options that, in turn, give you more options. A brawler's Martial Flexibility, for example, gives him the ability to have any needed feat, which is arguably more powerful than having five bonus (but fixed) feats that may not be useful in some circumstances.