Now that we have a bajillion archetypes, I thought it might be fun to metaphorically "narrow the field" by starting a discussion on the most popular ones.
What do you think are the most popular archetypes in PF2e and why? Do you have one or more favorites; if so, what do you enjoy most about them?
For me, I'd say Sentinel is right up there near the top--if not at the top--due to being a cornerstone in many character builds. Seems like I'm constantly seeing it mentioned on these boards and elsewhere. Having high defenses and not dying seems to be a common goal in character ideation.
For my own personal favorites though, I'd have to go with Sorcerer or Wizard Dedication and their follow up feats first. Having even a few low level spells on hand can make for a big narrative difference.
I have lots of fond memories of my Champion/sorcerer using 3rd-level illusory disguise to infiltrate the various criminal organizations in Agents of Edgewatch, or my crit-fishing fighter/diviner spamming true strike from his staff of divination in our homebrew games (I'll be sad to see it go in the coming Remaster).
I'm also quite fond of the other multiclass archetypes and often find myself looking at them before other archetypes. They're just SO versatile!
I also enjoy any archetype that lets you get feats earlier. One such archetype, and one that I believe to be pretty popular on these boards as I frequently see it mentioned, is the Wrestler. Not only does this unique archetype open up a whole new combat style in a really fun way, it synergies well with any number of character builds and concepts. Be it a barbarian looking for new ways to crush their foes, a fighter that wants to effectively lock down tough enemies, a monk wanting aditional attack options even closer than one inch, or a spellcaster that desires defensive training against grab and grapple maneuvers, Wrestler just seems to work for anyone wiling to invest. I particularly like getting Whirling Throw and Friendly Toss on the same character before 10th-level so that I can just start yeeting everybody. LOL.
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My favs:
Sentinel - Obvious
Pathfinder Agent - Great way to tack on a boost to skills, and get Wayfinders.
Rogue Dedication - Skills + Sneak Attack access
Monk Dedication - Unarmed + Flurry access
Dandy - Boost to social skills and narrative power without magic
Beastmaster - Get a combat pet!!
Sterling Dynamo - Absolutely required for a surprising number of character concepts.
For me:
Sorcerer multiclass: access to a wide variety of focus spells and all spell lists.
Witch and Psychic multiclass: the one-cantrip caster archetypes with something extra. Best value, especially since Witch gives you back half a feat if you grab a class feat.
Investigator multiclass: extra skill proficiencies and feats with lots of out-of-combat options.
Monk multiclass: the only way to improve natural attack builds.
Kineticist multiclass: best utility value in the game for a lot of things.
The entire Beastmaster family: yeah, Beastmaster is the best, but sometimes you want to speak with animals at will, or you're running a campaign in Geb and need an undead companion.
It's hard for anything to stack up to the multiclass archetypes, though. The only other thing I've taken is Loremaster, and it just felt like something Investigator should just have as a class feature.
In the category of "things I've seen people take a lot and seem good but I'd never use myself", Wrestler.
Witch is a dull class for me but makes for a great archetype as far as getting interesting focus spells and and spell slots of whatever tradition you choose on top of a free familiar. I'll be interested to see how the dedication changes in the remaster. It's my go to dedication for magus builds.
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Maybe I am just strange in that I like to pick archetypes based on how much interest they add to the character rather than how much better the character becomes at fighting.
I prefer high dex base characters rather than grabbing Sentinel, but that is just me.
I like several of the multiclass archetypes. I have used Rogue, Sorcerer, and Wizard and thought those all worked quite nicely.
For thematics, I really like Exorcist - that looks like a fun archetype to play. But it would really need a specific type of campaign and character. Which I haven't actually played yet.
Some of the alchemy archetypes are interesting. Herbalist, and Poisoner for example. Firework Technician also sounds amusing.
I also do really like Medic - both for its mechanical power and for the theme that it adds.
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I've really enjoyed Martial Artist on my Bestial Mutagen using Mutagenist. Really great fit. He now has d10 Piercing Bite, d8 Agile Slashing Claws, and d6 Bludgeoning <insert body part here>. Follow-Up Blow is fantastic, and I'm looking forward to taking Grievous Blows at 10th.
Maybe I am just strange in that I like to pick archetypes based on how much interest they add to the character rather than how much better the character becomes at fighting.
It's not strange but a hard choice specially in non-FA games because this mean that you will sacrifice one or more class feats diminishing your effectiveness, options, versatility or fire-power depending from what archetype you choose for thematic reasons.
Mechanically?
Champion - LoH and reaction are great
Psychic - easy focus spell
Gunslinger - fake out (aid source)
Swashbuckler - one for all (aid source)
Witch - life boost and free familiar
Alchemist - utility and energy mutagen
Bard - lingering cantrips
Monk - midgame flurry access
Druid - for level 4-10 monk abuse
Rogue - dread striker, sneak attack
Sentinel - AC fix
Acrobat - acrobatics scaling for kip up
Blessed one - alt LoH source
Captivator - casting
Medic - medicine bot
Snarecrafter - late game control+burst
Cavalier/beastmaster - movement fix
Of the seven player characters in my campaign, three have taken archetypes.
The rogue Sam was designed from the beginning to be a magical trickster, so a 2nd-level Sorcerer Multiclass Dedication with draconic (arcane) bloodline was planned from the beginning, too.
The druid Stormdancer was the party healer with a few Heal spells and Battle Medicine feat, so she multiclass via a 2nd-level Cleric Dedication for more healing spells. But when a primal sorcerer built for healing joined the party at 6th level, the cleric archetype fell by the wayside and is used only for using wands and scrolls of divine spells.
On the verge of 16th level, the rogue Binny decided to tame a jubjub bird as an animal companion. I told the player that she could if her 16th-level feat was an archetype that granted an animal companion. She chose Mammoth Lord.
When I construct an NPC with multiple specialties, I simply throw the abilities together without explanation, so I don't use archetypes. However, when I converted my PF1 gun-toting bloodrager to PF2 for a cameo appearance, I experimented with a homebrew Bloodline Instinct for barbarian class and wanted to see how few other homebrew changes were required to re-create the character. Pistol Phenom archetype provided her firearm abilities, so I did not need to homebrew those.
My personal faves:
Dandy: very low cost for adding pretty potent social ability and amazing flavor. Firebrands only made it better.
Rogue/Investigator: good way to get skills, easy to slot in one of the.
Alchemist: I love consumables, and for only 3 feats, you get a lot of pretty decent ones
Champion: not too hard to fit onto most casters, and it's a great way to make a tanky mage. Lay on Hands is an amazing focus spell that can be an action filler; Champion's Reaction lets casters who normally.dont have many exciting ways to use their reactions a way to use it, and even some domain spells add a nice amount of utility
Psychic: right out the gate, you can get some nice reaction or one action spells to help fill out whatever you need more of, and it's pretty low investment to get a second one
Medic: low investment, great payout
Sentinel: not dying is nice, and it's bot greedy for feats
Bastion: Not dying is nice ×2, plus nimble shield hand lets me pretend to be S&S from monster hunter
Witch - life boost and free familiar
Life boost?
Witch - life boost and free familiarLife boost?
focus spell from basic lesson. Spell level x2 fast healing for 4 rounds. Unlike other witch focus spells doesn't require sustain. It's ranged which can be useful over LoH's touch range.
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A little surprised marshal hasn't been mentioned, yet. Especially since some consider it almost brokenly effective for just about any Cha-focused character that can fit it in, such as a barbarian investing in Intimidation, a support bard, a champion, a summoner, a thaumaturge, etc.
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The Magaambyan Attendant / Halcyon Speaker combo is excellent for Arcane and Primal casters. With the right feats, you potentially have access to every spell in the game up to 7th rank.
I like archetypes that make me do more things, expecially if they are for other people as well. I really do not like sentinel
my favourite archetypes are ones I like the idea of for character ideas like dragon disciple or red mantis assassin although mechanically I do feel let down by them
my favourite archetypes are ones I like the idea of for character ideas like dragon disciple or red mantis assassin although mechanically I do feel let down by them
with some luck they might get remastered (I would certainly expect that for DD)
my favourite archetypes are ones I like the idea of for character ideas like dragon disciple or red mantis assassin although mechanically I do feel let down by themwith some luck they might get remastered (I would certainly expect that for DD)
red mantis assassin at least has to be touched for the spell school removal so maybe (I'm hoping) that'll also get a bigger look at
my favourite archetypes are ones I like the idea of for character ideas like dragon disciple or red mantis assassin although mechanically I do feel let down by them
yeah, they are not great mechanically. Lets hope for the remaster
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Acrobat for giving you legendary acrobatics for the cost of one class feat. And then there are a couple feats that are generally useful for nearly anyone. I wouldn't necessarily put it on every character, but I don't think it's bad for anyone. Other than crowding out other options.
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I would really like to see more archetypes around skills that had a similar benefit of progressing your proficiency.
At times, only being able to advance 3 skills feels very limiting. I would probably even settle for most archetypes only advancing the skill proficiency to Master and not Legendary (for the price of one class feat).
I would really like to see more archetypes around skills that had a similar benefit of progressing your proficiency.
At times, only being able to advance 3 skills feels very limiting. I would probably even settle for most archetypes only advancing the skill proficiency to Master and not Legendary (for the price of one class feat).
Personally, I would like every class to advance one key skill automatically just because like playing my FA Alchemist/Inventor, like, that auto scaling crafting really did open things up just enough that I felt a lot more rounded
The interesting part is that Sentinel is complained as one of the most boring archetype for some people but is the most popular (not exactly most liked but most used) archetype until now. Showing how the utility of an archetype still the most relevant aspect in a archetype decision.
The current TOP 3 when I was writing this post was:
1st - Sentinel
2nd - Marshal and Medic
3rd - Champion, Psychic, Rogue and Beastmaster
I think that the same conclusion could be said to other archetypes. Marshal is one most popular due its buffs similar to some bard feats and buffs (curiously even more than bard archetype), Medic due its ability to do non-magical healing and condition removal, champion probably due reactions, divine allies and extra armor for casters, rogue due the extra precision damage and Beastmaster due the advantages of have a companion.
1. Rogue: I think this is the highest value archetype. You get a lot for the investment. You can pick up some very nice lower level feats that are worth a higher feat investment like Mobility and Gang Up.
2. Some caster dedication depending on what you want to do. Sorcerer and Cleric are both good. I like to pick up buffs on martials, so I tend to go with Occult or Divine list archetypes.
3. Archer Dedication is great for a caster wanting to add a ranged weapon 1 action option. Also not bad on a ranger to pick up Point Blank Shot and crit specialization on all shots.
4. Undead Master if you want to add an undead pet to your character. Great for building Necromancers.
5. Animal companion archetype if you want to have an AC instead of an undead pet.
6. Marshal is cool if you want a battle commander type of feel. The Dread Marshal feat is pretty nice. Greater for intimidation focused classes.
7. Sentinel for boosting armor on a class without the proficiency.
IMO Champion is actually far better to get armor proficiency than Sentinel until level 13.
Level 10 I think. Mighty Bulwark is probably the best thing the Sentinel archetype grants.
I read most of the comments an think that most people enjoy either the multiclass archetypes and/or the generic ones (marshal, sentinel, acrobat etc). There seems to be less love for the Golarion-themed ones (firebrand braggart, halcyon speaker, hellknight armiger etc).
I am one of those who love the generic ones and TBH wish there was more at the expense of the Golarion-themed ones).
Champion Archetype very good for any defender build. Forgot about that one.
IMO Champion is actually far better to get armor proficiency than Sentinel until level 13.Level 10 I think. Mighty Bulwark is probably the best thing the Sentinel archetype grants.
IMO depends from your character chassis.
For medium armored martials Sentinel archetype is better due its access to heavy armor and follow the same armor progression of your class.
For casters Champion dedication usually is better because you jump directly to heavy armor and as casters aren't better than expert in your unarmored/light armored proficiency so you can get expert in heavy armor using Diverse Armor Expert.
The only problem of champion archetype for casters is the MAD required (Str 14 and Cha 14). What makes it to work better in sorcerers, summoners, bards, cha based psychics and clerics but requiring some Str investment but is completely MADness for Int casters.
*This remembers me how Int based casters are more penalized in this game.
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As a goblin merchant starting with zero class feature that helps in combat, I figure the best thing I can do to support the party in combat is to buy, trade for, or find all the consumables I can carry. So the alchemist archetype has been a big benefit helping me be more accurate throwing consumables.
As the story goes, one of my distant ancestors was granted 1 wish by a Ginnie, so they asked the Ginnie to teach them how to make gold. So the Gennie shared their bloodline and taught my ancestor several cantrips and spells that were very useful to merchants and not much else. In each generation of my family, at least one of the children is borne with the same gifts.
First level is rough but we start adapting after that and learn 1 or 2 more useful spells but we're still merchants at heart. Long term, I think I may take a new archetype every time I am able to. I like the idea of a well-traveled merchant having lots of different skills. Will likely be looking at future artchetypes that use charisma and benefit social skills
Soulforger because shardblades
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I took in the Cleric dedication because it let me have Prestidigitation. It clears all the salt out of my feathers after a dip in the briny! My whole clan is pretty much followers of Gozreh anyway...
I am not that enamored of the Ranger feats, and will spring for the basic Dogma/Expanded Cantrip feat, allowing me to prepare four of the five cantrips I know (marked with the *):
* Detect Magic
* Prestidigitation
Read Aura
* Shield
* Stabilize