Clarification on Archetype Replacements - Practiced Strangler

[Ninikilim]

The Brawler gets an AC Bonus at 4 levels: 4, 9, 13 and 18

The strangler archetype says it replaces the AC Bonus. Exact wording posted below.

What I am not sure of is does it replace all 4 AC bonuses? Or just one at 9th level?

Is there a place in the rules that would clarify this better?

"
Practiced Strangler (Ex)
At 2nd level, when a strangler has the grappled condition, she does not take a –4 penalty to Dexterity and does not lose her Dexterity bonus to AC. At 9th level, a grappling or grappled strangler still threatens an area and is still able to make attacks of opportunity while grappling or grappled; when pinned, she is not denied her Dexterity bonus and does not take a –4 penalty to Armor Class.

This ability replaces AC bonus.
"

Thank you

[Azothath]

what you are talking about is the --> Brawler - arch Strangler{what an unpleasant name}. If you check the Archetype Table on --> Brawler Class it says, "Replaces(column) Class Skills; Brawler’s Flurry; AC Bonus; Knockout; Awesome Blow; Improved Awesome Blow." so without an exception it is all AC Bonuses as the basic ability "AC Bonus" is replaced.

[I grok do u]

It replaces the entire AC Bonus class feature, so yes, all the bonus increases as well.

If an archetype only replaces some parts of a feature, such as increases at certain levels, it will spell that out.

For example, staying with brawler, the Snakebite striker replaces 4 of 5 maneuver trainings with Snake feint and Opportunist features. So that archetype would still get a maneuver training at level 15. However, sneak attack completely replaces martial flexibility so the archetype will never get that, nor its upgrades.