Classes and Archetypes II: Advanced Class Guide part 3

I almost forgot to finish this series!  Let's get this back on track.

• Shaman
• Animist: Even among mystical practitioners, the animist has a strange perspective and even stranger magic. The animist perceives that all things have a spirit, including objects, constructs, illnesses, buildings, and the environment. — This sounds more like a philosophy than a class, but y'know, one can lead to another, I guess.
• Possessed Shaman: For a possessed shaman, merely communing with the spirit world is insufficient. Instead, she invites the spirits to share her body, granting them the chance to experience corporeal existence. In return, they grant her their skills and protect her from otherworldly influence. — This is interesting again; kind of allowing yourself to be possessed by spirits, or having a symbiotic relationship of some kind with them.
• Speaker for the Past: A speaker for the past is a shaman who serves as the voice for spirits from her people's history. A speaker for the past is often an advocate of the ancestors of a specific group, the voice of experience, and a powerful resource that enables the past to aid the present. — Sounds more like a plot device than a player character class.
• Spirit Warden: Not all spirits deserve reverence and respect. Some are twisted and despicable. It's a spirit warden's duty to end these spirits' existence. — A spiritual inquisitor! This kind of reminds me of the YA book series, The Spook's Apprentice.  I haven't read them (although I have seen the rather mediocre movie based on the series starring Jeff Bridges) but I really like the idea or high concept of it.
• Unsworn Shaman: An unsworn shaman never binds herself to one specific spirit, always making new deals as she deems necessary for the circumstances that she finds herself in. While this vacillation weakens the powers she can access from any one spirit, it gives her access to a broader overall range of abilities. — If I ever did anything with the concept of a shaman in the first place, I wouldn't ever make so fine a distinction.  This is more of a tactical split than a conceptual split.
• Visionary: The visionary is a master of divination, drawing upon her intimate relationship with the spirit world to ferret out all manner of secrets and insights about the world around her and beyond. — Another plot device or NPC rather than PC class.
• Witch Doctor: The witch doctor is a healer who specializes in afflictions of the soul. Often misunderstood, she protects her tribe with healing powers, powerful defensive magic, and her own divine "witchcraft." — I don't know what any of that means; all of these shaman concepts tend to run together for the most part.  Very little about this sounds distinctive enough to justify being a separate line item.  Minus the gratuitous dig at mainstream, traditional culture and its "intolerance" of course.
• Skald
• Fated Champion: Many cultures see fate as a limit that is both stifling and unwanted, regardless of the destiny that lurks in the days and years ahead. Among cultures where skalds are the keepers of lore and wisdom, there are those who learn to read the winds of fate and take up the mantle of the fated champion, knowing and embracing their destined paths with strength born of conviction. — I don't really know what that means, but it seems to be really reaching as a concept for a whole class.
• Herald of the Horn: Even the loudest voice can often times be drowned out by the din of battle. Whether with the polished metal trumpet of a standing army or the crude curved animal horn of savage raiders, a herald of the horn sounds his raging song with thunderous blasts, which can bolster allies or shatter castle walls. — a bard that plays a brass instrument rather than singing and using a lute.  On top of that, it's got the armies of Joshua worked in, which is... a very specific thing.
• Spell Warrior: The spell warrior uses his arcane knowledge rather than his rage to turn the tide of battle in favor of himself and his allies. With a clash of bracers and a sonorous chant, the spell warrior's song reaches out to touch the weapons of his allies, lending them arcane power. While his song does not inspire rage, he can use the power of his music to enchant the weapons of his allies and counter the spells of his foes.
• Totemic Skald: The totemic skald forms a close connection to an animal totem. Through the power of this mystical ally, the skald can change shapes, assuming its form as his own. Additionally, the totem animal grants the skald a measure of its spiritual power that he can share with his allies. — There's an awful lot of archetypes that come from a different base class, but then end up getting to the same place.  Is this the third, or fourth (or more) werewolf-style archetype we've seen in this review so far?  Anyway, clearly only one is necessary.
• Slayer
• Bounty Hunter: Whether tasked with bringing in wanted criminals or paid to drag debtors back to their loan sharks, bounty hunters are valued for their ability to capture targets alive. — Yes, well, that is the definition of a bounty hunter.  It does very little to describe what to expect from the archetype, however.
• Cleaner: A cleaner is responsible for destroying or removing incriminating evidence from a crime scene, disposing of corpses and eliminating witnesses as necessary to make a crime look like an accident or a mere disappearance. — An interesting concept, although almost certainly too highly focused to be generally useful in most RPG settings, unless it heavily focuses on urban fantasy crime of some kind.
• Cutthroat: Street-smart and extremely resourceful, cutthroats stalk city streets and alleyways, preying on those unfortunate enough to catch their eye. More opportunists than careful planners, they don't care who they victimize, and they take advantage of whatever circumstances put them near a suitable target. — Another concept that is your typical mookish NPC concept, not really a PC concept.
• Deliverer: Also known as a divine assassin, god's blade, or wrath-bringer, a deliverer is a weapon chosen by a god to punish those who have committed an affront to that deity. Evil deities are more likely to use assassins than deliverers, but some good deities use deliverers to deal with problems of a subtler nature than a cleric, inquisitor, paladin, or warpriest can typically handle. — This is another concept that's popped up several times already, coming from a different base class.  Just sticking "divine" or "holy" in front of the class, basically.  Not very interesting.
• Grave Warden: While paladins and inquisitors use their connection with the divine to fight undead hordes and other horrors of the night, a grave warden relies on knowledge, skill with weapons, and tenacity to put an end to these night-born terrors. — Another theme that's come up several times now already.
• Sniper: Whether it's with a bullet from a sling, a quarrel from a crossbow, or even an expertly thrown dagger, the sniper ensures that a single shot disables his target. — Aren't there already sniper archetypes under various fighter-type classes as well as the rogue?
• Stygian Slayer: A stygian slayer crawls out of the darkest shadows to strike fear into the hearts of civilized folk. He's a merciless killer who can control a sliver of magic, allowing him to arrive unseen, commit murder, and depart without detection. — I like this idea, although any class could provide it, to be sure.
• Vanguard: Vanguards are battlefield commanders who focus on brutally effective combat strategies and lead their allies to bloody victory. Quick to react to danger, a vanguard is a valuable scout, a capable officer, and a skilled tactician. — This is another one that's difficult to do much with as a PC.
• Sorcerer
• Eldritch Scrapper: An eldritch scrapper is usually spoiling for a fight, looking to prove that she's just as tough as a martial character. A veteran of many brawls against opponents who were suspicious of her manifesting magic, an eldritch scrapper has a thick skin and a fighting style that blends weapons with spells. — An odd concept.  A sorcerer, notorious for its lack of melee skills, who wants to fight like a fighter, except with spells?  I dunno.  I'm suspicious in general of concepts who's whole purpose is to take the class and turn it into a kinda sorta facsimile of another class.  It usually doesn't work all that well tactically, and I have to wonder what the point is from a roleplaying aspect too.
• Mongrel Mage: A mongrel mage is a sorcerer whose bloodline is so weak, or mixed with so many others, that her power isn't clearly associated with any bloodline source. A mongrel mage's bloodline powers can change on a daily basis, but always fall short of those of a full-blooded sorcerer. A mongrel mage is a dabbler in all bloodlines but a master of none, and she is looked down upon by true sorcerers. — This seems so incredibly specific to the Pathfinder/Golarion definition of a sorcerer that I think the concept has little, if any, applicability elsewhere.
• Summoner
• Naturalist: A naturalist is a summoner who is in tune with the natural world, using his magic like a lens to focus various animal aspects onto his eidolon. More akin to a hunter than to other arcane spellcasters, a naturalist instinctively masters the power of such creatures as the bear, wolf, mouse, and tiger to make his exotic eidolon the perfect living tool for battle or stealth, and he eventually discovers how to apply these transformations to himself as well. — I think all of the summoner archetypes, and for that matter, even the summoner itself, with its eidolon, is too specific to be likely to be useful to me.  I'll repeat all of the archetypes here, but unless I see one that piques my interest unexpectedly, I'll do so without comment.  This applies to other summoner archetypes from other sources when we get to that point.
• Spirit Summoner: A spirit summoner is an arcane spellcaster whose eidolon is a manifestation of a shamanic spirit. The bond connecting the summoner and this spirit might be friendly, such as a member of a tribe giving flesh to his protector spirit, or hostile, such as an outlander or a rival compelling service from an unwilling spirit. The summoner can draw upon the divine power of this spirit, but is not constrained by the spirit's morals or ethics.
• Swashbuckler
• Daring Infiltrator: Not known for their flashy entrances or for standing out in a crowd, a daring infiltrator uses stealth, disguise, and ruthless guile to pursue her goals. Some of these swashbucklers work to undermine evil organizations, while others are master thieves or mysterious assassins. — This can already be created easily enough with the Rogue, for instance.  In fact, I suspect that most of these archetypes are easily replicated with other classes when it comes to the swashbuckler.  But, on the other hand, fantasy James Bond or Jason Bourne or something?  How can you not love that?
• Flying Blade: While most swashbucklers prefer their battles up close, others prefer dealing death from a distance. — I don't even know what that means for sure.  Sounds more like a minor tactical variation than an actual concept.
• Inspired Blade: An inspired blade is both a force of personality and a sage of swordplay dedicated to the perfection of combat with the rapier. Inspired blades use the science and geometry of swordplay to beautiful and deadly effect. — Huh?  A swashbuckler who likes geometry and science?  Someone was reaching and had just watched the Robert Downey Jr Sherlock Holmes movies, I think.
• Mouser: In the hands of a trained warrior, a well-sharpened blade is deadly regardless of size. A mouser moves in close, using her size and skill to her advantage. — Another minor tactical variation.  A swashbuckler who uses a knife!  So what?
• Musketeer: A number of organizations and kingdoms search for warriors who are brave (or foolish) enough to wield firearms on the battlefield. The daring nature of swashbucklers often makes them ideal candidates for such service. — The original swashbuckler archetype, in some ways.  But I personally doubt that giving them a new weapon really makes them an all new archetype.
• Mysterious Avenger: While some swashbucklers fight for queen and country, and others for coin, glory, or just the enhancement of their own reputations, the mysterious avenger fights directly for a cause. Instead of gaining personal glory for her heroic deeds, she keeps her identity hidden in order to better fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. — Another one of the iconic, oldest archetypes within the greater swashbuckling archetype.  Not necessarily a class, but certainly a roleplaying concept.
• Picaroon: While some swashbucklers take pride in their ability to wear down an opponent with great skill at arms and clever positioning, others use firearms to get in close and hit hard. — This doesn't sound materially different from the musketeer concept.
• Warpriest
• Champion of the Faith: Champions of the faith are crusaders who use the power of their divine patron to annihilate the faith's enemies. — Stick Holy or Divine in front of your concept... which, well, it's already a divine/holy concept to begin with.
• Cult Leader: Referred to as fanatics, lunatics, or obsessives, cultists see themselves as genuine devotees of their deity. And the hierarchs of those devotees, the cult leaders, are the most fanatical of them all. Cult leaders are known for turning reasonable hearts toward corrupted teachings and striking at those that get in the way of their agenda. — Another pretty iconic concept, I suppose.
• Disenchanter: While many warpriests focus on threats to the body, the disenchanter focuses on dangers to the mind and the soul. Using the power of his patron, the disenchanter seeks to keep the powers of magic in check. — I'm reminded of all of the dispel cards in older editions of Warhammer.  This is a pretty tactical concept, really, so therefore not super interesting to me.
• Divine Commander: Some warpriests are called to lead great armies and face legions of foes. These divine commanders live for war and fight for glory. Their hearts quicken at battle cries, and they charge forth with their deity's symbol held high. They assume the mantle of leadership to promote the agenda of their faith, and gather armies of devoted followers willing to give their lives for the cause. (Several of the divine commander's abilities reference and interact with the mass combat rules in Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Campaign.) — It's just a commander who can cast some spells.
• Forgepriest: Armorers of exquisite skill, forgepriests take inspiration from their deity to produce the most perfect weapons and armor they can, the better to equip the armies of the faithful. — A plot-devicey NPC, like the dwarfs of Norse mythology, or the Cyclopses of the Greek.
• Sacred Fist: Sacred fists leave behind armor and shield and instead rely on their fists and whatever protection their deity grants. — We've already got a monk.  C'mon.
• Witch
• Hex Channeler: A hex channeler is a witch who devotes herself either to life (healing the wounded and destroying the undead) or to death (slaying the living and aiding the undead). — For neither of these witch archetypes do I see how they're different from shamans or all kinds of other similar archetypes.  The descriptions do little to separate them as something unique in concept.
• Mountain Witch: Mountains can be sanctuaries for witches hunted by society. Here they form bonds with the spirits of the lofty reaches.
• Wizard
• Exploiter Wizard: Contrary to traditional wizardly study, an exploiter wizard forgoes the tried and true methods of arcane focus and arcane schools for the exploits favored by an arcanist. Some wizards regard this blatant exploitation of arcane magic as somehow "cheating," but most exploiters believe this prejudice is closed-minded and overly traditional. — I don't know what this means, because I'm not familiar enough with the concepts of the Pathfinder wizard vs arcanist.  One class which sounds exactly like another class emulating that class that it already sounds exactly like in concept.  Whoop-de-doo.
• Spell Sage: A spell sage has mastered spells of all types, and is able to increase the effectiveness of his own spells and eventually even cast spells from other classes' spell lists. While most wizards focus on a school, the spell sage looks at the particular aspects of individual spells and is not afraid to modify them with interesting bits of insight to gain a deeper understanding of the formulae. — In theory, every wizard should be a little bit unique, with his own focus of study, kind of like a professor, or something.  But I doubt it needs its own rules to do so.
• Spirit Whisperer: Spirit whisperers are a breed apart among wizards, and are often mistaken for witches. While spirit whisperers do gain and store their spells by communing with familiars, the spirits they gain guidance from are somewhat closer to the world and more direct than the powers with which witches typically traffic. These wizards treat such spirits as mentors and friends, conversing with them rather than appeasing them in an effort to gain and use arcane knowledge. — If they're often mistaken for witches or shamans, then why have it be a variant wizard that acts like a witch (which already seems like the same concept as a shaman to me.)  Seriously, Paizo, whiskey tango foxtrot.