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Haven't seen much discussion about this archetype for the Slayer. I'm most interest in discussion of PFS level play (up to L12), but I interested in any thoughts.
Pros: From L1 can use Studied Target for Intimidate, can choose Enforcer/Intimidating Prowess as Talents, can do nonlethal with butterfly blades, bonus +hit and damage dice progression with butterfly blades, gains Brawler's knock out.
Cons: Loses Slayer's reduced Sneak Attack progression, quarry, tracking abilities
What interests me is that by taking Ranger 2WF combat style, going STR and avoiding the DEX pre-reqs, you become a pretty mean 2WF combatant who doesn't really worry about that loss of Sneak Attack.
L1 +0 hit with Butterfly 1d6 (19-20)
L3 untyped +1 hit with Butterfly Blade (1d8/19-20) -- 2d6 if Enlarged
(Assume Improved Critical taken at L8)
L9 untyped +2 hit with Butterfly Blade (2d6/17-20) -- 3d6 if Enlarged
So, at level 9 you are basically ITWFing with a pair of Improved Critical Greatswords with no TWF penalty. If you can regularly Enlarge from L3-L8, you do so with only a -1 penalty. This is before you factor in Studied Target.
Depending on how you want to spend your feats/talents, you can go Enforcer/Intimidating Prowess and then consider Killing Flourish/Gruesome Display to make the most of your high Intimidate skill.
Your AC will be average and your Will save will need bolstering (either Iron Will or 1/2 Orc w/ Sacred Tattoo & Fate's Favored).
Thoughts on if I'm missing something obviously bad about this archetype?
As always, I'm interested in hearing people's thoughts as well. ^_^
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I think the only real issue with the archetype are that it does lock you into a specific weapon, so people who want to use something else aren't going to want it (the Slayer I'm itching to build twfs with dwarven warshields, for example). Also sometimes people fall in love with the idea of sneak attack's damage potential without being sure they have a way to deliver sneak attacks regularly, so that's a thing I'm generally happy to trade for something good and reliable in a slayer archetype.
I think a twfing intimidate build is about the right track, but the archetype is probably best suited to an urban or intrigue sort of game (not surprising given the book it's from.)
It looks pretty good. You can hold the butterfly swords in one hand and have a potion of enlarge person in the other, then separate them as a free action once the potion's used so that works pretty well.
The only downside is that you are a martial character with no magic, using TWF, with no inherent reach or special mobility. Reach can be solved with enlarge person (& maybe lunge) and mobility can be solved with other feats or magic items, but those do need to be planned for.
Out of combat you can get bonuses to bluff, intimidate, sense motive, disguise and stealth vs. a studied target, but you don't have a lot of dex in this plan - either forget stealth or build for it.
