Side Step (Sp): You can create a temporary fissure in space by expending 1 point of mental focus. You can use this ability as part of a move action taken to move. The fissure begins in any square you designate and allows you to teleport to any other square you can see within 10 feet per occultist level. Stepping between these locations requires you to expend 5 feet of movement, and the movement through the rift does not provoke attacks of opportunity. This otherwise functions as teleport. You must be at least 7th level to select this focus power.
So...
In which ways does this function as teleport?
Can you bring other creatures with you?
Can you suffer a mishap?
Any other oddities?
It functions as teleport in all ways that it hasn't specifically overridden.
Can you bring other creatures with you?
You may also bring one additional willing Medium or smaller creature (carrying gear or objects up to its maximum load) or its equivalent per three caster levels. A Large creature counts as two Medium creatures, a Huge creature counts as four Medium creatures, and so forth. All creatures to be transported must be in contact with one another, and at least one of those creatures must be in contact with you.
Can you suffer a mishap? In theory yes, it depends on how "familiar" the GM thinks you are with a spot you can see. Personally I'd say it counts as "very familiar" so no matter how bad the roll is you get no mishap. (I'd like to say it automatically arrives on target, like greater teleport, but I can't justify that from RAW. A mistake on the writer's part, methinks.)
Can you suffer a mishap? In theory yes, it depends on how "familiar" the GM thinks you are with a spot you can see. Personally I'd say it counts as "very familiar" so no matter how bad the roll is you get no mishap. (I'd like to say it automatically arrives on target, like greater teleport, but I can't justify that from RAW. A mistake on the writer's part, methinks.)
Unless it is a place you have been often, where you feel at home, if you can see the spot, it is only considered "studied carefully".
"Studied carefully" is a place you know well, either because you can currently physically see it or you've been there often.
You have a 94% chance of arriving on target and only a 1% chance of a mishap.
Illusions could reasonably cause some ugly mishaps here.
I agree with the above as far as RAW, but I also think the author didn't know everything they they were doing by just comparing to teleport.
If you or your GM are interested in going beyond RAW: The intent was probably just to allow actions after arriving, per teleport and unlike dimension door. I have no idea whether or not they intended to allow you to bring others, both dimension door and teleport allow that, but similar class abilities usually specify that you can but that you pay separate movement cost for everyone that comes with you.