Non-magical Classes and Magical Archetypes

[Indagare]

So let's take a class like the Cavalier (which basically seems to be a knight). Now, you can have its Oriental Counterpart (Samurai) without too many issues.

But now comes the magic!

The Eldritch Knight (some arcane spell-caster) and the Knight Templar (some divine spell-caster [and, yes, I know this is basically what a Paladin is]) and, for the heck of it, the Psionic Knight (some psychic spell-caster).

Now, in terms of themes, there's not much different between your basic Knight (rides around on horses, has a code of honor/conduct, can use armor and martial weapons) and the magical variants other than, well, they can use magic.

So, in theory, for any given class that doesn't have magic of some variety there could be three variants that have the same basic theme but with magical powers as well.

*:

This won't work quite as well in reverse since a non-magical Wizard or Alchemist is basically a scientist and Sorcerers simply won't work. Similarly, removing divine magic or psychic magic from classes with them leaves one in the same sort of world we live in where there's lots of people of faith but no real miracles or a $19.99 phone call can get one 'real psychic advice from a tested expert'.

I'm just wondering if anyone else sees it this way. I mean it's not too hard to switch a Bard into a Cantor variant (all that would need to be changed is the type of magic and probably some of the spells and performances). But it's a little more difficult switching out from a basic class idea like a Fighter and turning them into either a Magus or Warpriest even though they all would have more or less the same role.

For those curious, I have read the 5E Fighter class in D&D which does offer up as one of its variants a Fighter that can cast spells (called there the Eldritch Knight). I just was wondering how or if that sort of thing could work for Pathfinder.

Thoughts?

[QuidEst]

Vigilante has four casting archetypes. Fighter and Rogue both have one. I'd use those as your basis. Rule of thumb is that 6/9 casting seems to be worth just shy of half of a martial 3/4 BAB class's notable features.

[Indagare]

QuidEst wrote:

Vigilante has four casting archetypes. Fighter and Rogue both have one. I'd use those as your basis. Rule of thumb is that 6/9 casting seems to be worth just shy of half of a martial 3/4 BAB class's notable features.

Hmm, okay, I'll need to check those out, then. I know that 6 casters tend to have a lot more features than 9 casters. After reading through 5E and seeing the built-in variants, I was thinking of redoing classes in Pathfinder along a similar vein. I just wasn't sure where, exactly, to go with this. Probably I'll use Spheres of Power too.