Librarian Bard - Should I be an Archivist or Studious Librarian

[ajw]

Hi. A couple weeks ago I asked for advice on a librarian face. I was encouraged to check out the Bard. I think I'm convinced, but I'm not sure if I should go with Studious Librarian or Archivist. So, I'd like some help. (For some flavor, our prior campaign just ended and we ended up with a follower who was our party librarian. She recorded all of our heroic feats. We're all starting again as 1st level characters who will do missions our L17 heroes don't have time for. So I'm gonna play the librarian.)

Here are some thoughts based on my own review of the archetypes:

Archivist - gets some improvements to the fascinate performance. But I'm not sure how useful they are. Fascinate only works outside combat. So I'm not sure how useful Lamentable Belaborment and Pedantic Lecture will prove to be.

I think I like Naturalist ability replacing Inspire Courage. It does require a successful knowledge check, so that could be a problem in a vital moment.

Studious Librarian - I really like a free Scribe Scroll at L1.

I also think Comparative Arcane Studies could be useful, as it provides a ton of flexibility.

Critical Research Focus seems 100% useless. I didn't even know about the "research check" mechanic and doubt it would be useful.

My goal is to be a non-combat buffing/knowledge monkey/face for the party. We will have a Samurai, Barbarian, Arcanist and another as-of-yet-undetermined class.

My only real thought right now is to take the Flagbearer feat and ask my DM if I can have my research book in my hand instead of a flag. I'm also hoping he'll allow me to eventually let my book act like a Banner of Ancient Kings. I think he'll allow it, as it functions the same and would add flavor to the campaign.

Anyway, what do you think? I would greatly appreciate any suggestions on feats, traits, or anything else that could help make my character actually useful. I'm also open to suggestions on multi-class options to help. Maybe Oracle? Swashbuckler? Thanks!

[Mysterious Stranger]

Since it seems like the campaign is not using the research rules from ultimate intrigue Critical Research focus is going to be useless. Giving up an ability for nothing is needlessly handicapping the character. So, unless the other ability of studious librarian make up for it this is a concern.
Perfect Recollection also seems to be a less useful than mass suggestion. By 19th level a standard bard can already take 20 on knowledge checks 3 times per day. How often are you going to need to take 20 on a knowledge skill at that level? A 19th level bard with a 10 INT and a single point in a knowledge skill has a +13 bonus. That means they can get always have a roll of 23 for any knowledge skill. If the character has a higher INT and puts more than a single point into his knowledge skills, they will have an even higher guaranteed roll.

Will this character have an above average INT and be putting more than a single rank into your knowledge skills, and will he be taking feats like scholar and skill focus on those skills? If he is doing so the bonus on his knowledge skills will be huge. A 19th level bard with a 14 INT and 6 points into a knowledge skill has a +20 bonus, which means he can get a 30 on the roll by using lore master to take 10, If he takes 20 that jumps up to 40. At that point he can identify a rare CR 25 creature. At 10th level with 3 points into the knowledge skill the bard will have a +13 bonus. If he takes 10, he can identify most CR 13 creatures and by taking 20 can identify a rare CR 18 creature.

The Archivist also gets Magic Lore which helps him decipher scrolls and allows him to disable magic traps. If you take a trait to get disable device as a class skill you can also take care of finding and disabling traps. Scribe scroll is actually not that useful for a bard because they have a limited number of spells known and can cast those as needed.

If it were my character I would go for the Archivist.

[Tim Emrick]

The only one of these archetypes I've seen in play is the Archivist. My wife played one to high level (low teens?) in PFS, and used the Naturalist feature to good effect almost every combat. Her Bard had a good Cha, but an even better Int, which helped her keep her Knowledge skills high. She also got some good mileage out of Magic Lore and Jack of all Trades, especially when the table was short on skill-based classes and/or casters.

She eventually multiclassed into Pathfinder Chronicler, and often used that PrC's Deep Pockets ability to produce just the right low-level scroll for the job, trusting to Magic Lore to cast it without significant effort.

[Mysterious Stranger]

If you really want to boost the knowledge skills, consider playing an elf and taking the feat breadth of experience. If you start with a 14 INT (12 before racial adjustment) and put 1 point into a knowledge skill at first level, you will have a +9 bonus. By 5th level when lore master comes online you will have at least +10 which is enough to identify a rare CR 5 creature. If you invest more in INT and knowledge skills the bonus will be even higher.

[Azothath]

for a support PC take Cleric 1 (likely Wis 12, arch varisian pilgrim) then do the Bard, bard arch, or wizard(enchater) thing. The cleric doesn't have the oracle drawbacks, will net you some weapons, and let you use divine spell list items without UMD. If you're planning on Cha 18+ then Oracle overshadows a low Wis Cleric.
Pal 2 is an option but has a martial focus & for bard that means arch Arcane Duelist.

I wouldn't waste a feat on moving skill bonuses up front unless the game ends around 12th level. Check to see if Retraining is okay as that will give you some flexibility.