I'm going to be the one to say it, the Warlock in the playtest was better and more diverse than the 3 Arcane casting Archetypes we got given in the end. I can understand why they'd want to have the base vigilante to be no spellcasting to make it easier on themselves but in the end we got 3 specific archetypes with none of the diversity the original Warlock had.
The Magical Child focuses on the familiar and uses the summoner's spell list. The summoner's spell list is lacking because it expects the character to also have a strong combatant with them and not a familiar. Familiars != eidolon or animal companion, either would have made sense. Even a Familiar with the animal companion progression would have made sense. In the end you don't have much effectiveness and are resorted to be somewhat useless in combat or be a fighting type.
The Cabalist right off the bat wants you to be attacking with weapons. It's bleed ability is interesting and the magus list is all about attacking which helps with it's honed in concept. It doesn't have much diversity but for an Archetype that's fine.
Now the Warlock, which was once a part of the base class with 15 specific Talents (not counting casting increase) now only has 5. It was once a class direction that itself had options and ways you could play it. Did you want your vigilante side to be a sneaky caster? or cunning? or attacking from the shadows? or throwing bolts or bombs? Well now your choice is Bolts. No choice, just bolts. You get them at 1st instead of 4th but still just bolts.
Everyone complained that they had to spend vigilante talents on spellcasting improvements. They had the option to not spend them, to have lighter spell casting and more interesting abilities. The Archetypes don't give you that ability, you're forced into having less Talents and full level 6 casting progression. This subclass should have been kept within or Split with a Caster Vigilante class and a Non-caster vigilante class. That could have given Caster based social traits which aren't going to be a thing ever because casting is only specifically archetypes.
There is my rant. I liked the Warlock Vigilante. I can't find myself to make a spellcasting vigilante I enjoy. I don't want to blast, I don't want to stab and Magical Child is lacking in effectiveness. Hopefully they'll make a better spellcasting archetype in the future but for now it's shelved.
