Classes & Archetypes III: Advanced Players Guide part 2

Fighter

• Archer: The archer is dedicated to the careful mastery of the bow, perfecting his skills with years of practice honed day after day on ranges and hunting for game, or else on the battlefield, raining destruction down on the enemy lines. — A classic archetype, of course.  Robin Hood.  How can you call yourself a serious fantasy game without enabling this archetype in some way or another?
• Crossbowman: The crossbowman has perfected the deadly use of the crossbow, a simple but cruelly efficient weapon, as a craftsman mastering a lethal tool. — Of course, this just seems the same archetype with a slightly different weapon.  Is that really necessary?
• Free Hand Fighter: The free hand fighter specializes in the delicate art of handling a single weapon in one hand while using his free hand to balance, block, tip, and distract his opponents. While not a brawler, his open hand is as much a weapon as a bow or blade. His fighting school benefits only apply when he is using a one-handed weapon and carrying nothing in his other hand. — I dunno.  This seems like overkill to me.  Then again, if you watch the absolutely excellent 70s The Three Musketeers and The Four Musketeers, you'll see that swashbucklers actually fought like this an awful lot.  Those movies were rather well known for their accurate (ish) fight scenes.
• Mobile Fighter: Where some fighters focus on strength and raw power, the mobile fighter relies on swiftness and mobility, gliding across the battlefield like a steel whirlwind and leaving destruction in his wake. — Given the abstract nature of combat in D&D, this maybe is a bit much.  It's of course even more abstract in m20, so this becomes a tactical variation that has no meaning in any of my games.
• Phalanx Soldier: The phalanx soldier specializes in defensive tactics, using his shield to guard himself and his allies and forming a shield wall like an unbreakable anvil against which his enemies break. — While this is, of course, an actual archetype from the ancient (not Medieval) world, it's a little hard to see how that makes it at all useful to your typical adventuring party.  Since you're unlikely to roleplay a soldier in an army surrounded by your brothers-in-arms, I just don't see the point.
• Polearm Master: The polearm master is schooled in the ancient wisdom that enemies are best faced at the end of long striking pole, lashing like a serpent before clumsy swords and axes can even be brought to bear. — Swords and axes aren't clumsy.  But there are plenty of HEMAs that will tell you that this wisdom is, in fact, true.  Polearms are superior to shorter weapons for the most part.  It's curious that the Migration period Germanic warrior would fight with ranged weapons first (thrown francisca and then angon) then fight with his spear or angon, and only rarely actually used a sword.  A sword was more of a status symbol than a day to day weapon.
• Roughrider: Roughriders study and practice the fine points of mounted combat, drilling endlessly with warbeasts—from noble thoroughbreds to trained monsters—to form a perfect synergy between rider and steed. — A combination of a knight and a cowboy archetype in one package.  Not a bad idea.
• Savage Warrior: Warriors' might is not measured only by their skill with steel, but also by their ability to inflict death with fang and claw, horn and hoof, and every exotic appendage the natural and unnatural world has to offer. — There already is a barbarian class.
• Shielded Fighter: A shielded fighter focuses on both offense and defense, blending weapon and shield in perfect balance to impede his enemies while delivering deadly blows, and even turning the shield itself into a formidable weapon. These fighting school benefits apply when wielding a weapon and a shield simultaneously. — In other words... a fighter.  Y'know, in the actual middle ages, this was just what everyone did.
• Two-Handed Fighter: Some fighters focus their efforts on finding the biggest, heaviest, most imposing weapon they can find and training to manage and harness the weight of their massive weapons for maximum impact. These fighting school benefits only apply when using two-handed weapons. — OK.  If all of these fighter archetypes are defined merely by what weapon they use, this list is going to start getting old.
• Two Weapon Warrior: Trained under great masters who preached the simple truth that two are better than one when it comes to weapons, the two-weapon warrior is a terror when his hands are full. From paired daggers to exotic double weapons, all combinations come equally alive in his skilled hands. — Darth Maul.  Or The Three Musketeers mentioned above, quite often.
• Weapon Master: Devoted to the perfection of a single weapon, the weapon master's meditations upon his favored weapon border on the obsessive, but none can deny his consummate skill. The weapon master must select a single type of weapon (such as longsword or shortbow). All of his abilities apply to that weapon type. — My m20 rules actually accommodate this concept very well, believe it or not.

Monk — I have very little use for this class/archetype in the first place.  I rarely see them played, and I don't know what David Carradine wandering through a pseudo-Medieval Europe like that old 80s show Kung Fu has to do with anything I'd really want to see in my D&D or D&D-ish games anyway.  But, no doubt the monk has its fans.  Because I'm not one, I probably won't have much to say on most of this subset in the list.

• Drunken Master: Most monks lead lives of moderation and quiet contemplation. But the drunken master finds perfection through excess. Powered by strong wine, he uses his intoxication to reach a state where his ki is more potent, if somewhat fleeting. — Well, if you haven't seen the really famous Jackie Chan movie on which this is based, you really should.  It's pretty amazing.  Don't watch the first one, though, watch Drunken Master II, or under it's US release title, The Legend of the Drunken Master. 
• Hungry Ghost Monk: The hungry ghost monk looks to spirits that prey upon the living as models of perfection. He sees the life energy of the universe as a resource to be manipulated, even stealing it from other creatures. It is through this constant influx of energy that the hungry ghost monk reaches his ultimate goal: power—personal, pure, and simple. — A vampire monk based on a Chinese folk story.  Sigh.
• Ki Mystic: The ki mystic believes that violence is sometimes necessary, but knowing and understanding is the true root of perfection. Through meditation and spiritual visions, a ki mystic can see beyond the veil of reality to the underlying truth of all existence. — I have no idea what all that bafflegarble is actually supposed to mean.
• Monk of the Empty Hand: The monk of the empty hand eschews normal weapons in favor of whatever is lying around—rocks, chair legs, flagons of ale, even a simple quill pen all become deadly weapons in the hands of such a monk. A monk of the empty hand draws on his own ki to infuse his improvised weapons with power, and can transform a broken bottle into a magical weapon. — If he's constantly picking stuff up and fighting with it, it's hardly "empty hand" is it?  Kinda reminds me of that guy "Mad Dog" in Ong Bak.
• Monk of the Four Winds: The monk of the four winds is connected to the natural world in a way few other creatures—even other monks—can hope to match. He can call upon the elements and the spirits of the world in times of need, and as he nears his goal of perfection, he gains the ability to slow down time and even defeat death itself. — OK...
• Monk of the Healing Hand: Monks of the healing hand seek perfection through helping others. By focusing their meditations on the flow of life within themselves and all creation they gain an understanding of how to share their ki with others, healing wounds and even bringing the dead back to life. For such a monk, sacrificing himself to save another is the surest way to achieve transcendence. — Yeah, but what exactly is the point in a game that already has clerics?
• Monk of the Lotus: Monks are warriors who hone their bodies into deadly weapons, but some monks eschew violence in favor of a more peaceful philosophy. While a monk of the lotus realizes that combat cannot always be avoided—and is more than capable in a fight—he understands that all creatures are connected, and to harm another is to harm the self. Instead, he strives to find peaceful resolutions to conflicts, and in doing so, hopes to achieve inner peace. — That sounds really, really boring to play.  Plus, kind of a pussy.
• Monk of the Sacred Mountain: The monk of the sacred mountain finds strength and power in the earth beneath his feet. Rather than spinning though the battlefield with the fluid motion of the river, he roots himself to the ground, as immovable and unshakable as the stones of the mountain. — Sounds like a minor tactical variation that I don't see the point of.
• Weapon Adept: While all monks train in both unarmed combat and with weapons, the weapon adept seeks to become one with his weapons, transforming them into perfect extensions of his own body. Through such training, a weapon adept seeks to attain perfection by becoming a living weapon himself. — Oh, so to be good in a combat, he wants to learn to use weapons well!  Well, that's certainly innovative.
• Zen Archer: Some monks seek to become one with another weapon entirely—the bow. The zen archer takes a weapon most other monks eschew and seeks perfection in the pull of a taut bowstring, the flex of a bow's limbs, and the flight of an arrow fired true. — Sounds already like the very first item from today, except with some weird Jedi BS thrown in for good measure.

Paladin

• Divine Defender: Some paladins see themselves as the last line of defense between the teeming hordes of evil and the innocent folk trying to make a living in a harsh, unforgiving world. These defenders spend their lives protecting others and taking on foes that the common man should not even know exist. To aid them in their holy mission, they have special powers to protect themselves and those around them. — Kinda sounds like... the paladin.  
• Hospitaler: Paladins are known for their charity and for tending to the sick. The hospitaler takes to this calling above all others, spending much of her time healing the poor, and giving aid and succor to those in need. — It's one thing if you want to (more or less) use the name of an actual knightly order, but you should at least understand that order, I think.  Anyway, again—while this may well be a laudable character that if the game were real life we'd be glad to know, it hardly seems like the kind of heroic archetype that, y'know, enables the game exactly.
• Sacred Servant: Paladins as a general rule, venerate the gods of good and purity, but some take this a step further, dedicating themselves to a specific deity and furthering the cause of the faith. These sacred servants are rewarded for their devotion with additional spells and powerful allies. A sacred servant must select one deity to worship. This deity's alignment must be lawful good, lawful neutral, or neutral good. — This is meaningless without the religious assumptions that D&D kinda sorta brings with it.
• Shining Knight: While paladins often are seen mounted atop a loyal steed, the shining knight is the true symbol of mounted bravery. They are never far from their steeds and are always clad in brightly polished armor. — Paladins are already known for their steed, and how polished their armor is hardly seems like an archetypal detail to me.
• Undead Scourge: Undead are an abomination in the eyes of the just and righteous. It is no surprise then that there are some paladins that dedicate themselves to wiping these unholy terrors from the world. — There are a lot of these kinds of classes in the game, but without knowing ahead of time that undead are going to be your major mission in the game, then it kinda seems like why would you ever want to use this class for anything?
• Warrior of the Holy Light: Some paladins use their gifts to focus on the holy light that shines within their souls. With the gifts of purity and redemption, these paladins spend much of their lives helping others find the true path. Unleashing this power takes patience and comes at a steep price. — Huh?
• Antipaladin (Alternate Class): Although it is a rare occurrence, paladins do sometimes stray from the path of righteousness. Most of these wayward holy warriors seek out redemption and forgiveness for their misdeeds, regaining their powers through piety, charity, and powerful magic. Yet there are others, the dark and disturbed few, who turn actively to evil, courting the dark powers they once railed against in order to take vengeance on their former brothers. It's said that those who climb the farthest have the farthest to fall, and antipaladins are living proof of this fact, their pride and hatred blinding them to the glory of their forsaken patrons.  Antipaladins become the antithesis of their former selves. They make pacts with fiends, take the lives of the innocent, and put nothing ahead of their personal power and wealth. Champions of evil, they often lead armies of evil creatures and work with other villains to bring ruin to the holy and tyranny to the weak. Not surprisingly, paladins stop at nothing to put an end to such nefarious antiheroes. — Yeah, OK.  I'm not exactly a neophyte to D&D, so I've been familiar with the anti-paladin for quite a while.  Heck, back in the mid 80s or so, I even had an anti-paladin Ral Partha miniature.  Actually, that's probably still kicking around in my basement somewhere, come to think of it.

Ranger — Given that this is my absolute favorite of the normal archetypes that they've made a class out of, I probably have plenty to say about the subheadings below.  Some I'll like, some I'll hate, and some I'll be meh about, but all of them have to be addressed because I'm such a huge fan of the hunter archetype, and have been ever since watching Errol Flynn as Robin Hood and reading about Aragorn.  Of course, because I like the archetype so much, I've often been dissatisfied with the implementation of it, because I have very specific "requirements" of what I want it to look like myself, so my relationship with class itself (and various alternative versions of it that I've seen) is kinda love/hate sometimes.

• Beast Master: Some rangers, particularly those in primitive lands or who were raised by animals, have unusually strong bonds with animals. Unique among rangers, they can bond with multiple animals of any kind, creating a menagerie of wild yet loyal creatures, like a strange family. — I have to think that there's a kind of 80s barbarian movie vibe to this (not just because they used the same title) but I like the idea anyway.
• Guide: Many rangers are loners, but some choose to use their familiarity with the land to guide others safely through the wilderness. The guide forgoes a favored enemy to focus on the task or foe at hand, and can pass his knowledge and luck on to his charges. — I always thought the favored enemy was kind of a silly mechanic anyway.
• Horse Lord: Rangers of the plains use horses or other riding beasts to hunt their lands, forging a near-mystical relationship with their mounts. Horse lords are unparalleled mounted combatants, the envy of even the most dedicated cavalier. Though called “horse lords” as a generic term, these rangers are not restricted to horses for their animal companions—any creature the ranger can ride is included in these abilities. — From the Huns, Scythians, Mongols, Comanche and the Rohirrim and even the American cowboy, this is one of those iconic archetypes out there, and absolutely has to be enabled, I think.  On the other hand—especially in a dungeon environment like D&D often has, I have to wonder sometimes what the point is.
• Infiltrator: Some rangers study their favored enemies and learn their ways, applying this knowledge to their own abilities and using their foes' strengths against them. Infiltrators are willing to walk a mile in an enemy's shoes so as to learn everything there is to know about their foes in order to more effectively hunt and kill them. — In part because I dislike the favored enemy ability, then I guess I have less use for this particular bullet point.
• Shapeshifter: Most rangers venture into the wilderness, but there are some who let the wilderness seep into them. Whether by curse, disease, ancient rite, a slight lycanthropic influence in the blood, or the corrupting influence of chaos, these rangers embrace the wild to transform themselves into something untamed and feral. Shapeshifters are often held in awe, but are even more often feared. — There are a lot of subtle variations on this theme that we've already seen.  This one has a bit more of a Beorn-like vibe going on.
• Skirmisher: Many rangers rely on spells, but there are some who eschew aid from divine powers for their own reasons. Skirmishers rely on their wits, their wisdom, and sometimes even instinct to aid in their quests. — I consider this almost mandatory for any ranger I play, but I take it merely as a mechanical template that replaces spells with some other abilities.  I'd then go ahead and look for an additional archetype, maybe.
• Spirit Ranger: Some rangers nurture a connection with the spirits that reside in all things. By communing with these spirits, the spirit ranger can gain glimpses of things to come. — I'm not 100% sure what this means, exactly.
• Urban Ranger: For the urban ranger, the streets and sewers of the city are just as dangerous as the barren wastelands or the deep forests. — This is still just a weird concept.

Rogue — the rogue is my second favorite archetype, and I think the class itself does a decent job of emulating it, for the most part.  This is the true "urban ranger" and given that I see most of my settings as a combination of dangerous yet beautiful safari-type wilderness dotted with wretched hives of scum and villainy, it's perhaps not surprising that the ranger and the rogue are usually my favorite classes to play when playing D&D itself.  In fact, I've often multiclassed between them, sometimes.

• Acrobat: Agility and daring are both excellent rogue traits, and their confluence can create spectacular feats of acrobatics. Whether they are daring thieves, infiltrating assassins, or intrepid spies, proper training in acrobatics is a valuable boon for rogues. — Ah, yes.  The gymnast!  McKayle Maroney is not impressed.
• Burglar: Adept at infiltration, trap removal, and lock picking, burglars prey on the homes of the wealthy and forgotten tombs alike. Such riches are guarded with vicious traps and hazards, but the devious mind of the burglar allows her to find such dangers and avoid them. — While I think that this is certainly appropriate for D&D specifically, this one also is a nice archetype for other types of games too.  Jimmy the Hand type guy.
• Cutpurse: Everyone who lives in the city understands that a wealthy man stays wealthy by guarding his purse while wandering the streets and markets. Cutpurses are often trained by guilds to collect the guild's tax from local businesses on a daily basis, whether through intimidation or pickpocketing. Some find themselves taking up the mantle of adventurer, and their talents are generally appreciated in this role, but the cutpurse is still the first person her companions look to when an item goes missing. — While this is a very clear fantasy city archetype, I wonder how you can expand that into something usable by a player character.
• Investigator: Not all rogues work against the law. Investigators use their skills to serve the law, often in the employ of nobles or in the pursuit of noble causes. In some cities cabals of investigators work for rulers or bureaucracies, but often an investigator is a free agent who pursues whatever mysteries come across her path. Of course, not all investigators serve the law. Crime lords and guildmasters often have squads of investigators serving their own nefarious purposes.  — Another great archetype (which we've explored already in other form) that probably isn't necessarily a great fit to the rogue class.  What does the backstab (or sneak attack, as it is now) ability have to do with being Sherlock Holmes?
• Poisoner: Some consider poisoning an evil act. The poisoner knows poison is just a tool toward an end, and is no different than any other weapon. Some poisoners see themselves as great equalizers, as they are able to craft weapons that the weakest of creatures can wield to devastating effect, but most have no lofty delusions about their work. — This is probably a minor archetype mechanically that offers little difference to the class other than a swamp of an ability or two.  Not a bad idea, but probably too specialized for play.
• Rake: The rake is a rogue who is open about her skills and talents, often to the point of being boastful. Usually she has the protection of an important figure who finds her services useful, but sometimes her bravado is enough to keep enemies away. She is often used as a face for the group for diplomacy, gathering information, negotiations, or to gain the most lucrative contracts and quests from local authorities. — "She".  Sigh.  Face from the A-Team certainly shows that this idea works in the ensemble team kind of format that D&D tends to make use of.
• Scout: Not all rogues live in the city. Scouts frequently roam the wilderness, often banding together as bandits, but sometimes serving as guides, as trailblazers, or as companions to a ranger or barbarian warrior. More comfortable with sneaking and hiding outdoors, the scout is still effective in the city and the dungeon. — Using the rogue class to become a ranger analog.  
• Sniper: Some say that the sniper is the worst kind of assassin: a killer who waits silently in the shadows and then strikes from a distance without remorse. Snipers, of course, understand that such protestations about “cowardice” and “honor” regarding their profession are in fact merely the bleatings of sheep fearing the slaughter and pay them no heed. Most snipers take pride in their formidable abilities, which allow them to take life quickly, quietly, and efficiently, then disappear into their surroundings without a trace. — Everyone knows what this means, I think.
• Spy: The best spies are like chameleons, but not only can they change their appearances to fit the situation, they can also change their personalities, allegiances, and even loves if that's what it takes to achieve their clandestine goals. Spies are the ultimate manipulators, and even those who commission their services sometimes find that they've merely served the spies' own interests. — Another great archetype, but one that is probably going to get little play in the group setting that D&D favors.  If you ever do an unusual 1-on-1 type game, you could really make some hay with this archetype, though.  Or if you're not playing and you're writing fiction, of course.
• Swashbuckler: A paragon of mobile swordplay, the swashbuckler is a rogue who focuses almost exclusively on honing her skill at arms and perfecting daring acrobatic moves and elaborate flourishes that border on performance. — Of course, there is a swashbuckler class already, so using the rogue class to try and get there is probably overkill.  There's a lot of overlap in the Pathfinder archetype system, which I suppose gives you lots of wiggle room in terms of how to come up with your character.
• Thug: Some criminals steal with finesse, their victims only discovering the crime when the rogue is long gone and the coin already spent. A thug, on the other hand, cares nothing for finesse. Through both threat and violence, the thug gets what she wants by the promise of force, and has no problem making good on that promise as needed. — Given that the rogue isn't much of a combat specialist or a bruiser, I'd be surprised to find that this archetype works well to actually match the archetype.
• Trapsmith: Some rogues are not content with just disabling traps—they love to build them, finding a captivating beauty in the turning of gears and the slither of ropes over pulleys. The trapsmith may have started out putting together traps in order to better understand how to disable them, but for most, it's long since gone beyond that—they now relish the challenge of creating the perfect combat machine. — I'm not a fan of traps in the game.  A few are... ok.  Specializing in them is absurd.

Sorcerer — I don't have much interest in the specifics of the sorcerer class, and the bloodlines "archetypes" aren't archetypal, there's just interesting tactical variations that have little bearing on my game.  I'll probably present these mostly without comment.

• Aquatic: Your family traces its heritage back to the ocean depths, whether scions of undersea empires left in the wake of nomadic sea-tribes, or the spawn of creeping ichthyic infiltrators into remote seaside villages. The song of the sea hums in your blood, calling the waves and all those within to your command. — Love the subtle reference to Lovecraft.
• Boreal: Descended from inhabitants of the lands of ice and snow, you count among your ancestors giant-kin, troll-born, and frost-rimed spirits. Their savage and raw energies flow down through generations to infuse you to the marrow with the chill of the polar wind, crackling auroras, and the long winter's night.
• Deep Earth: The echoing cave-songs and the rumble and creak of primal spirits deep below the ground thrum in your soul and in all your family line. You are likely slow, steady, and stable in your thinking, little prone to wandering and preferring to instead find depth in contemplation.
• Dreamspun: Your family is a long line of dreamers, who dream not as ordinary mortals do but rather as those who reach through and touch the supernal realm of dreams and the farthest shores of night. Whether it is a gift or curse is not always clear, but your visions of the past and future call you ineluctably to a life of adventure. — Another subtle Lovecraft reference...
• Protean: You have in your veins the ever-changing wildness of primal chaos, the raw essence of unbound creation. Your mind and spirit burst with the constant inspiration of consummate freedom, though you have difficulty following through on a task when another, new and exciting, catches your interest.
• Serpentine: Your bloodline carries the lingering stain of ancient serpent races that ruled when the world was young; your forebears were likely favored slaves anointed by their reptilian masters and gifted with their cold cunning and subtle manipulation. While deception and a mesmeric charm are your birthright, you may struggle for truth in spite of your heritage.
• Shadow: Spirits from the shadow plane dally at times in the world of light, and such as these lay with your ancestors once upon a time, imparting the mystery of shadow-stuff into your lineage. You are often sullen and withdrawn, preferring to skulk at the fringes of social circles and keep to yourself, cultivating an air of mystery and majesty that is all your own.
• Starsoul: You come from a line of stargazers and explorers who delved deeply into the darkness beyond the stars. In touching the void, the void touched them, and your mind, spirit, and body yearn to span the gulf between worlds.
• Stormborn: You trace your heritage to fierce and proud spirits of storm and sky, and living lightning sings in your veins.
• Verdant: Your progenitors infused themselves with raw plant life, binding it into their own tissue and passing it down to their literal seed, giving you innate communion with nature.

Classes and Archetypes III: Advanced Players Guide part 1

Base classes

• Alchemist: The alchemist is the master of alchemy, using extracts to grant him great power, mutagens to enhance his form, and bombs to destroy his enemies. — This is an odd, tactical class with a weird steampunk vibe; a magic-user who brews potions and makes chemical bombs and weird stuff like that.  While it is, admittedly, kind of a clever idea, it's a very esoteric one that hardly fits well with "traditional" fantasy, and I'm not quite sure that I see a place for it except in a setting that specifically makes a point of integrating the idea.
• Cavalier: Mounted upon his mighty steed, the cavalier is a brave warrior, using his wit, charm, and strength at arms to rally his companions and achieve his goals. — This is, of course, the mounted knight archetype; a subset of the fighter or paladin in normal D&D terms that is a bit specialized.  My own games would never actually have a separate class for such a character, but might well include one as a concept.  Maybe.  I don't really do the Late Medieval thing where the mounted knight reached its zenith; I consider "standard" fantasy to be late Early or High middle ages, and I consider much of the rest of what I do to not necessarily map well to the middle ages at all.
• Order of the Cockatrice: A cavalier who belongs to this order serves only himself, working to further his own aims and increase his own prestige. Cavaliers of this order tend to be selfish and concerned only with personal goals and objectives. — I'd venture to guess, before I even go through these, that most of these orders would be fine as character or even group concepts in a FRPG game that had traditional mounted knights.  I'll not comment on most unless I have something unusual to say about it until we get to the next broader base class or the prestige classes.
• Order of the Dragon: Cavaliers belonging to the order of the dragon dedicate themselves to a group of like-minded individuals, be it a mercenary company or a small band of adventurers. These cavaliers believe in loyalty and friendship, and are willing to lay down their lives to protect their allies.
• Order of the Lion: A cavalier who belongs to this order has pledged himself to a sovereign; be it a king, queen, or even the local warlord. Cavaliers of this order are stalwart and dedicated to their cause, willing to go any length to ensure the safety of their lord and his domain.
• Order of the Shield: Cavaliers who join the order of the shield devote their lives to protecting the common folk, from the simple farmer to the honest craftsman. These cavaliers stand before the tide, protecting the innocent from roving marauders and hungry monsters.
• Order of the Star: Cavaliers who join the order of the star dedicate themselves to the protection and service of a faith and its members. Cavaliers belonging to this order tend to follow many of the tenets and guides of the religion that they serve. When a cavalier joins this order, he should select a single religion to serve.
• Order of the Sword: Cavaliers who join the order of the sword dedicate their lives to the code of chivalry, living a life of honor, valor, and fairness. Cavaliers of this order tend to swear service to a lord or a lady. Of all the orders, the order of the sword is perhaps the broadest in terms of its focus and ideals.
• Inquisitor: Scourge of the unfaithful and hunter of horrors, the inquisitor roots out the enemies of her faith with grim conviction and an array of divine blessings. — In general, I'm not a huge fan of character classes that take one class and add a few cleric like magical/holy benefits to it, but the Inquisitor is, however, one case where it actually makes some sense to do so.  I still prefer the holy supernatural to be more plot devicey and somewhat mysterious in meta terms rather than mechanical and especially character based, but the idea of an Inquisitor is a classic one that I normally would make use of in almost any setting, quite honestly.  Heck, even AD ASTRA has room for inquisitors.  Because of the propaganda we've all been subjected to, Inquisitors are often seen as anti-heroes at best and outright villains most of the time, but I see the proper role of an inquisitor as actually being the good guy.
• Oracle: Drawing upon divine mysteries, the oracle channels divine power through her body and soul, but at a terrible price. — By its nature, the oracle is a plot device or NPC.  I think making an oracle a player character was a mistake.  That said, oracles tend to be more pagan, or at least wildly superstitious, whereas I'm heading more towards an overtly Christian paradigm in most of my fantasy. While an oracle plays a major role in, for example, 300, there really aren't any in The Lord of the Rings, as an example.
• Summoner: Bonded to a mysterious creature called an eidolon, the summoner focuses his power on strengthing that connection and enhancing his strange, otherworldy companion. — This is another interesting, although probably really quite unique idea that I'm not sure what to do with except in a setting that specifically uses the idea.  Mine mostly will not.
• Witch: Lurking on the fringe of civilization, the witch makes a powerful connection with a patron that grants her strange and mysterious powers through a special familiar. — I think the witch, especially the heroic yet shunned witch of modern pseudo-pagan liberalism writers, is a post modern archetype that I have no use for.  Otherwise, I see the Witch as merely a villainous take on the same archetype as the sorcerer—which I tend to see are more sword & sorcery-like villains rather than good-natured heroes anyway.

Prestige classes

• Battle Herald: A veteran whose masterful tactics and air of command inspire allies to greater feats of heroism. — a charismatic veteran.  I see too many indistinguishable takes on this same concept already.
• Holy Vindicator: A pious warrior who spreads religion at the edge of a sword. — Sigh.  Need I say more?
• Horizon Walker: A scout and wanderer comfortable in even the strangest terrain. — So, how is this different than the ranger that we already have?
• Master Chymist: An alchemist whose mutagens create an alternate, brutish personality. — Jekyll and Hyde, it sounds like.  Not bad.
• Master Spy: An espionage expert specializing in disguises and striking swiftly from the shadows. — Only certain types of games would make this archetype useful, but I like it nonetheless.  I'd be tempted to run (or play in) the type of game that specifically catered to its use, honestly.
• Nature Warden: A master of the wilderness bonded spiritually to a fearsome animal companion. — Sounds like a ranger already, although probably with a stronger dose of the bizarre Green Cult that infects much of our society.  Especially the PNW where Paizo is located.
• Rage Prophet: A bold and barbaric champion who embraces otherworldly powers in order to perfect the art of combat. — A barbarian that's more supernatural, I guess.  I dunno.  I'd have a hard time finding anything useful to do with this concept.
• Stalwart Defender: A master of defending territory and holding the line at all costs. — A fighter with a very specific tactical focus that would only occasionally be useful.  No thanks.

Archetypes

• Barbarian
• Breaker: While most barbarians are skilled at breaking things, some find the need to destroy their surroundings an almost uncontrollable urge when in the middle of a rage. These barbarians are a danger not only to their foes, but also to the very environment around them. — What a strange concept.  No, no player character or protagonist character of any type is likely to found this concept useful.
• Brutal Pugilist: Some barbarians focus on using their bare hands to tear their opponents limb from limb. These brutal pugilists also learn a great deal about various combat maneuvers, using them to cripple or crush their foes. — Yes, I suppose.  The MMA master as a fantasy class, or something.  OK.
• Drunken Brute: Barbarians are known for their ability to consume potent drink, but drunken brutes turn drinking into a combat tactic, using the potent liquor to fuel their rage and grant them additional powers. — The Drunken Master is a pretty well-known archetype after the Jackie Chan movies of the same name.  But the idea of using a barbarian to build such a character is an odd one.
• Elemental Kin: Some barbarian tribes have strong ties to the elemental forces of nature. Their shamans anoint the warriors at birth, tying them to the patron element of the tribe and granting them lasting boons against such forces. — D&D in general likes to do elemental this and that almost as much as it likes to do holy this and that.  While I understand that the four elements isn't exactly a D&D thing, since it has its origin in Classical and Medieval views on science, I still find little use for the concept of elemental as an adjective or focus for anything.  I have elementals in the FANTASY HACK monster list more as nod to the fact that you need to to emulate D&D than because I have any actual interest in them.
• Hurler: A raging barbarian is frightening enough in melee, but some become skilled at throwing objects at their foes before closing in for the kill. — This is a silly idea.  I doubt I'd ever have any use for it.  If it's based on the nominal historical idea of the Frankish "barbarians" throwing their franciscas before charging into melee, that'd be one thing, but I'm pretty sure that's not it.  And making a whole concept around that one tactic is the definition of the tail wagging the dog.
• Invulnerable Rager: Some barbarians learn to take whatever comes their way, shrugging off mortal wounds with ease. These barbarians invite their enemies to attack them, and use pain to fuel their rage. — In general, the hit points mechanic kind of works like this anyway.  I guess maybe this emulates some aspects of your typical martial arts action movie... maybe... but it's otherwise not something that I'd base a character concept around.
• Mounted Fury: Many barbarian tribes are masters of the horse, teaching their members how to ride from a young age. As a result, barbarians from such tribes are even more terrifying when mounted, using their steeds' speed and strength to great advantage. — Of course, there are many historical analogs to this idea, from the Scythians to the Huns to the Mongols to the Comanche.  I think it works.
• Savage Barbarian: Some barbarians are truly savage, having little training in modern arms. These savage barbarians learn to avoid blows and toughen up their skin. — I don't know what to make of this either.  A barbarian that has really tough skin instead of armor?  Huh?  Weird.
• Superstitious Barbarian: Many barbarians distrust magic. While most just shy away from magic, others focus their rage on users of such foul arts. These barbarians are naturally distrusting, and develop keen senses to protect them from harm. — In general, I'd suggest barbarians are more superstitious than most already.  I guess maybe my idea of what a barbarian is is a little different than Paizo's.
• Totem Warrior: A barbarian often has a special totem that is the patron of her tribe. While individual totems vary, those in the tribe that call upon a totem receive similar abilities. — This seems like mere tactical variation in the class rather than a concept that I could use.
• Bard
• Arcane Duelist: A master of the martial applications of steel and spell, the arcane duelist blends both into a lethal combination. — I like the idea of a fencer, or duelist or spadassasin, or whatever you want to call it, with a few magical tricks up his sleeve.  That's actually not far from the Gray Mouser idea, honestly, although he's more frequently represented as a rogue rather than a duelist in D&D terms.
• Archivist: Some bards greatly prefer academic pursuits to the drama (and sometimes melodrama) of their artistic brethren. — In which case, he'd be neither a bard, nor an adventure, nor just about anything suitable as a PC class.  A librarian isn't exactly a pulpish, action archetype.
• Court Bard: Spending years studying all of the finer points of erudition and etiquette, the court bard takes up the role of resplendent proclaimer and artist-in-residence at the hand of nobility, royalty, and the well-moneyed elite who aspire to join their ranks. — It would be the rare game where such a character would be appropriate, but I dunno.  Maybe you can make it work.  Have you ever seen Danny Kaye's The Court Jester?
• Detective: Piecing together clues and catching the guilty with sheer cleverness, the detective is skilled at divining the truth.  — Given that there's already an Investigator class, this seems superfluous.
• Magician: A magician dabbles in performance, but sees it as a means to tap into universal energies and channel them. — A tactical variation that offers little if anything in terms of actual concept.
• Sandman: Combining performance with stealth, trickery, and guile, the sandman uses cleverness to keep others off-balance. — I dunno; that sounds like pretty much any vaguely sneaky character ever.
• Savage Skald: Far from civilization, furious tribes have their own war-singers, work-chanters, and lore-keepers, savaging enemies with song and sword alike. — A duplicate.  The skald is already a class we've explored at length.
• Sea Singer: The sea singer calls the blue waters his home, and is much in demand among sea captains wishing good fortune for their crew and hull as they ply the tradewinds far and wide. — Tacking an environment on top of a class usually isn't sufficient to make it very interesting as a concept.
• Street Performer: Whether acrobat, troubadour, or thespian, the street performer mixes with the masses, singing for his supper. — This isn't really different than the concept for the bard in the first place.
• Druid
• Aquatic Druid: Shepherds of the lakes and seas, aquatic druids guard ecosystems ranging from shallows streams to deep ocean trenches, ministering to their residents and communing with the tides. — As I said, tacking an environment in front of a class isn't enough to make it interesting.
• Arctic Druid: An arctic druid watches over the stark landscape of the far frozen reaches of the world, tending the stunted and rugged life that ekes out its survival in the least habitable climes. — Aaaaand... again.
• Blight Druid: The devoted servants of nature corrupted, ruined, and destroyed, blight druids are the caretakers of lands ravaged by natural disaster. While some are devoted to reforming and reclaiming lands despoiled by the ravages of civilization, others seek out the more rapacious violence inherent in nature and feed the creeping rot and decay that brings an end to all things. — Aaaaanndd.... when your environment isn't even really an environment, then you really are in trouble.
• Cave Druid: Far from the green fields of the world above lies a lightless expanse beneath the surface. This darkling fairyland is not without beauty and natural wonders of its own, and a few druids seek to preserve this hidden realm and purge it of the fell horrors that creep up from below.
• Desert Druid: Not all climates are verdant paradises, but even in the sere deserts there is life—though often hidden from the sun and rarely friendly—and raw, desolate beauty. Here desert druids come to pay homage, protect and maintain the few habitable locales, and witness nature's majesty in all its burning, merciless glory.
• Jungle Druid: The fecund jungles of the equatorial regions are rich in life and ancient tradition; druidical guardians of sacred pools, elder trees, and trembling volcanoes watch over crumbling temples and the inevitable reclamation of lost civilizations by the beating heart of nature untamed.
• Mountain Druid: As more and more of the soft, easy lands become cultivated and civilized, many druids look for refuge and solitude among the eternal peaks of the highest mountains.
• Plains Druid: Out upon the wide and rolling prairies and savannahs, plains druids stand guard over the grasslands. These druids range far and wide, watching over nomadic tribes and wandering herds and preserving the sometimes fragile ecosystem of the wide open spaces. [sic in the original.  Savanna is an ecological region in Africa.  Savannah is a city in Georgia.]
• Swamp Druid: Some druids eschew pleasant glades and groves and instead seek out dank marshes, misty bogs and heaths, and trackless swamps as the place they call home and watch over with care, finding beauty and life in abundance in places few others would willingly enter.
• Urban Druid: While many druids keep to the wilderness, some make their way within settlements, communing with the animals and vermin who live there and speaking for the nature that runs rampant in civilization's very cradle. — This is another weird one, where they take an environment that is antithetical to the class concept in the first place and try to shoehorn it in.
• Animal Shaman: Some druids form a close bond with one type of animal. The following animal shamans represent just some of the possibilities, exploring the unique bond between a druid and her totem. These shamans all possess similar powers, which are explained fully in the bear shaman description. — This is a good archetype for a druidic type character, I suppose, although the list below even Paizo acknowledges differs little from each other besides the animal named.  In general, I struggle with the concept of the druid class at all.  It has nothing to do with the historical druids, and everything to do with Green Cult nonsense.  I don't really like the class very much, and if I used them, I'd do so quite differently.
• Bear Shaman: A shaman with this focus calls upon the mighty bear, titan of the woodlands and mountains, a paragon of strength and ferocity, and yet also a quiet protector rich in wisdom.
• Eagle Shaman: A shaman with this totem calls upon the noble eagle, stern and proud, soaring high above the world with keen and pitiless eyes that miss nothing.
• Lion Shaman: A shaman with this totem calls upon the proud lion, imposing and majestic, the mighty leader of deadly hunters.
• Serpent Shaman: A shaman with this totem calls upon the cunning serpent, the stealthy deceiver who draws the weak minded in and strikes while they are unaware. Some hate its treacherous nature, while others praise its thoughtful pragmatism.
• Wolf Shaman: A shaman with this totem calls upon the clever wolf, capable of roaming alone yet wise enough to run with a pack when facing dangers too great for one alone.

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.

Classes and Archetypes II: Advanced Class Guide Part 2

Here's some more from the Advanced Class Guide.  I've got one more part there before I'm done.

• Cavalier
• Daring Champion: While many cavaliers are the champions of old fighting forms, some younger, more daring cavaliers mix a martial style influenced by the lighter armored and more flamboyant swashbuckler forms with the dedication of cavalier orders. — To the extent that the Swashbuckler is a tactical and mechanical version of a mobile, lightly armored stunt fighter, putting them on a horse seems a little unusual as a concept.
• Cleric
• Ecclesitheurge: Eschewing physical armor for the protection of his faith, an ecclesitheurge focuses on the miracles his deity bestows and the breadth of that deity's dominion. — Again, this sounds like a very esoteric D&D related variation, rather than something that I can do much with in another FRPG environment.
• Druid — although I've often suggested that I don't really have room for a druid per se in FANTASY HACK, in reality, the archetypes related to the druid—nature sorcerer, basically, seen through various lenses—is one that I like, so I actually hope to find concepts in here that are usable for me.
• Feral Shifter: A feral shifter internalizes her communion with and mastery over animals. Instead of forming a bond with an animal companion or an aspect of nature, she alters her own essence or being in an homage to the noble creatures of the wild. More in tune with transformation and animal bodies than a normal druid is, a feral shifter blurs the line between humanoid and beast. — This is just a less out of control werewolf archetype, or one of various shapeshifter archetypes.  I don't really have much going on in my system that caters to this archetype, but it is a cultural touchstone, certainly, and I do at least have spells that would accommodate it.
• Nature Fang: A nature fang is a druid who stalks and slays those who despoil nature, kill scarce animals, or introduce diseases to unprotected habitats. She gives up a close empathic connection with the natural world to become its deadly champion and avenger. — Actually, all of my druids, as a concept, would conform to the idea that they stalk and slay those who despoil nature, I think.  I'm not sure what else this means from a mechanical perspective (I'd have to dig further into the PRD to see the specific changes it offers) but yeah—I've already kind of decided that to the extent I have any druids at all, they'd conform to this concept.
• Wild Whisperer: A wild whisperer is an expert at studying, predicting, and explaining animal behavior. She is less interested in plants, fey, and other aspects of the natural world, and uses her gifts to tame or relocate dangerous beasts and soothe the hurts of wounded and sickly creatures. — Crocodile Dundee in fantasy drag!  Yeah, OK.
• Fighter
• Martial Master: There are those who learn the fighting arts though countless hours of repetition and training, while others seem to pick up new stances and forms as if they were born to them. — I have no idea what that means, really.  That's not a concept, that's just... I don't know what that is.
• Mutation Warrior: While most fighters rely on physical fitness and rigorous training to achieve martial superiority, a few prefer to create and imbibe dangerous concoctions that mutate them into fearsome creatures. — Another, more feral and darker take on the Hulk archetype.  Or maybe I should go back further and call it the original Jekyll and Hyde archetype.
• Gunslinger
• Bolt Ace: While most gunslingers are full of sound and fury, a few never soil their hands with powder or smell gun smoke. — An Arrowslinger?  It's the same archetype, just slightly different equipment.
• Hunter
• Divine Hunter: While most hunters heed the call of nature and fight to protect its bounty, some are inspired to serve a higher power. These divine hunters use faith to aid them in their struggles, and their faith infuses their animal companions, making these companions champions of their deities. — I'm not sure what this is except adding a few cleric powers to what is already a hybrid class (so a three-way hybrid?)  I'm also not convinced that slapping "divine" as an adjective in front of an archetype really creates a meaningful distinct variant of the archetype.
• Feral Hunter: A feral hunter has forged a bond with nature that's so strong that she doesn't merely channel the aspects of animals—she actually becomes an animal herself. Though she lacks an animal companion, a feral hunter is in tune with the beast lurking within her flesh and spirit, and lives in a near-wild state of being. A feral hunter often resembles a lycanthrope, but her power comes from her own nature and is not influenced by moonlight or silver. — I've already mentioned how two or three of these archetypes fit this same bill; now here's another.  It'd curious that many of these "archetypes" are really just different approaches to the same archetype.
• Packmaster: Some hunters form bonds with packs of well-trained creatures. Whether such a hunter is a northern berserker running with a pack of timber wolves or a savage warrior dashing through the jungle alongside her herd of dimetrodons, the packmaster revels in the thrill of the hunt and the glory of the kill. A packmaster is more comfortable in groups than alone, and although her animal companions may be weaker than a typical hunter's, what they lack in strength they make up for in numbers. — Less of an archetype, but certainly an intriguing unique character concept.  I like this idea.  Not sure how I would model it in my game; maybe just a house rule that animal companion can have more than one creature as long as the HD total is the same.
• Primal Companion Hunter: Most hunters are skilled at awakening the primal beasts inside themselves. However, some can instead activate the primal essence within their animal companions. These primal companion hunters bestow upon their companions the ability to suddenly manifest new and terrifying powers—whether throwbacks to long-extinct beasts, bizarre mutations from extreme environments, or new abilities crafted through generations of selective breeding. — Kinda a cool concept; change your puma into a sabertooth, or something like that. 
• Verminous Hunter: A verminous hunter calls on the ceaseless, single-minded dedication of vermin to hunt and overwhelm her prey. Where other hunters invoke the cunning, animalistic powers of the alpha predators, she calls on the powers of the lowest life forms, reaching out to the spider instead of the monkey, the mantis instead of the snake, or the moth instead of the owl. — Another good idea, especially for a villain.  Heck, doesn't that kind of describe the villain in the new Jumanji movie, for that matter?
• Inquisitor
• Sacred Huntsmaster: Some inquisitors create a strong bond with an animal companion, and the two of them hunt and punish threats to the faith as an awe-inspiring duo. When they work together as one, there are few that dare to stand in their way. — It's a bit ironic to see this right after I just did a bunch of animal companion classes.  This is hardly a unique archetype; it takes the archetype of one class and grafts it onto another.
• Sanctified Slayer: While all inquisitors root out enemies of the faith, in many orders and churches there's a select group of these religious hunters devoted to one goal, and one goal alone—to terminate the enemies of the faith wherever they can be found. Sometimes these sanctified slayers are given special dispensation to commit ruthless murders for the faith's greater good. Other times, they're simply willing to take the initiative to revel in the zeal of their grisly work. — This seems like already the archetype for the Inquisitor to begin with.  I'm not sure, without reviewing the mechanics, how this is different, but from an archetypal perspective, it's not at all.
• Investigator
• Empiricist: Champions of deductive reasoning and logical insight, empiricists put their faith in facts, data, confirmed observations, and consistently repeatable experiments—these things are their currency of truth. — Yes, well... again, it's suggesting that Sherlock Holmes is a very specific sub-archetype of the investigator, or something.  I think he's more like the most exemplary single investigator, personally.  But is there any investigator who doesn't see himself as a champion of deductive reason and logical insight with his faith in facts, data, confirmed observations and consistently repeatable experiments?  
• Infiltrator: An infiltrator specializes in investigating or disrupting groups from within. He uses his specialized set of skills and alchemical abilities to take the shape of the people or creatures whose company he's infiltrating, or even of specific individuals. — A worthy archetype for spy or crime type stories.
• Mastermind: Although many investigators use their honed senses and cunning insight for personal gain, no one excels at such endeavors like the mastermind. Typically, these investigators dwell at the centers of complex networks of lies, minions, or precious information, from which they dispense commands, threats, and rumors, all carefully crafted to increase the power of their peculiar empires. While masterminds often act as the heads organizations such as criminal families, thieves' guilds, or corruption-riddled bureaucracies, they aren't always evil. — Another archetype that... is really probably more of a narrative archetype than one I'd expect to see mechanics for.  But intriguing nonetheless.  I'll probably actually check out exactly how they modeled it just for the heckuvit.
• Sleuth: A sleuth is an investigator who relies on good fortune and guile rather than alchemy. Having no intrinsic mystical energy, she must forgo the more magical aspects of alchemy to solve her mysteries with wits, gumption, and the fickle consideration of luck. — In other words... every detective from real life ever.
• Spiritualist: While most investigators look to the physical world to gain their knowledge, there are those who seek out knowledge beyond the pale. Those who think that the dead tell no tales are quickly proven wrong by the spiritualist. Instead of toying with chemicals and reagents to find clues, he talks directly to the spirit world to uncover the ways and means of skulduggery and the desperate acts committed in the heat of dark passions. — Reminds me a little bit of that old TV show Medium that was big a few years back, right?
• Steel Hound: Black powder and firearms are a natural extension of the alchemical experimentation that investigators use on a regular basis. Steel hounds are investigators who have taken to using firearms in place of the more mundane weapons their counterparts favor. — An investigator... who carries a gun.  I don't think carrying a gun makes an investigator into a unique archetype.  Even in a semi-Medieval fantasy.
• Magus
• Eldritch Scion: Unlike typical magi, eldritch scions find that their spells and abilities come to them instinctively. — Again, this is merely a mechanical variation on how spells are cast.
• Monk —  in general, I don't see the monk class as compatible with Western Civilization based FRPGs, but there might yet be something usable in here.
• Kata Master: The kata master takes the visual aspect of his martial art to its logical extreme, harnessing his flowing movements and skilled maneuvers as a psychological weapon against his enemies. A kata master forsakes the mental discipline of his more contemplative brethren in favor of flamboyant exhibitions. He often performs in staged fights and tournaments, utilizing stylized forms to amaze the audience and shock and dismay his opponents. — Uh, no.
• Wildcat: A wildcat is a student of the school of hard knocks who dedicates himself to learning how to take down foes by any means necessary. A wildcat isn't afraid to smash a tankard over a foe's head, stomp an opponent's foot, gouge an eye, or generally create mayhem to gain any possible advantage. — Given that my preferred way of playing is rules-lite, this doesn't require anything other than roleplaying to get out of whatever other fist-fighting approach you've already got going on.
• Oracle — yet another alternate spell-casting class to give an alternative to normal D&D magic in the D&D game.  For the most part, I'll probably find these unusable given that I already have an alternative magic system and only one magic system as it is.
• Psychic Searcher: A psychic searcher is devoted to revealing the hidden within the world around her by sensing and communing with residual mental energy, haunts, and fragments of living spirits that can dwell in objects or rooms. — This is also like Medium in many ways, or at least the same archetype.  I like this as a character concept, really, although we've already had it under another class.
• Spirit Guide: Through her exploration of the universe's mysteries, a spirit guide opens connections to the spirit world and forms bonds with the entities that inhabit it. — We've also already had this exact concept in another class too.
• Warsighted: A warsighted's unique gifts are not grounded in strange magical revelations, but rather in her ability to adapt in the midst of a battle with new fighting techniques. The warsighted is a master of combat, as dedicated as a fighter and as flexible as a brawler. — A brawling prophet who uses his gift of prophecy to be a better fighter?  lolwut.
• Paladin
• Holy Guide: A holy guide believes he has a sacred calling to clear the roads of bandits between towns as well as to escort travelers to safety. He must enforce the rule of law in the wilderness and help those that cannot defend themselves against the many dangers of the area. — This doesn't seem much like a paladin archetype.  It's basically just... the local sheriff.
• Temple Champion: A temple champion is a powerful warrior dedicated to a good or lawful deity. She thinks of herself primarily as a servant of her deity and secondarily as an agent of her deity's church. She has a refined understanding of a specific aspect of that faith and gives up standard paladin spellcasting in favor of a warpriest's domain-based blessings and granted powers. — Just some mechanical stunts, it looks like.  The Paladin and Warpriest are already pretty much the same archetype anyway. 
• Ranger
• Divine Tracker: Blessed by his deity, a divine tracker hunts down those he deems deserving of his retribution. His weapon is likely to find purchase in his favored enemy. — We've already seen this exact archetype under another class.  Plus, I don't think slapping "divine" in front of a character class makes it a new concept really anyway.
• Hooded Champion: The hooded champion lives on the periphery of civilized lands, and is often at odds with the forces of law and order. He is frequently a hero of oppressed peoples, lurking in the woods near their homes and trying to right the injustices inflicted upon them by the wealthy and powerful. — It's probably about time that the game acknowledged that Robin Hood was the original example of the ranger class, and that the class has drifted way too far from the details of the archetype, I think.
• Wild Hunter: A wild hunter seeks to emulate the animals around him to keep him safe while he tracks his prey. Instead of studying the traits and behaviors of a favored enemy, a wild hunter studies those of various animals, incorporating those attributes into his hunting strategy. — Uhh.... I'm not sure what to make of this.  It's not much of a character concept, really.
• Rogue
•  Counterfeit Mage: Charlatans and stage magicians use sleight of hand to fake magic. A counterfeit mage goes a step further, parroting the motions and phrases used by arcane casters to activate wands or other magical accoutrements. While counterfeit mages rarely fool a real wizard, their command of the arcane is enough to convince most lay people. — I actually kind of like this idea.  It's not exactly an archetype, but it would make one heckuva interesting character concept.
• Underground Chemist: Underground chemists are part of the fetid underbelly of the alchemical world. While underground chemists can't hold a candle to dedicated alchemists, their use of alchemical substances and potions makes them tricky and dangerous. — On the other hand, what the heck is this?  A fantasy drug dealer?

Classes and Archetypes II: Advanced Class Guide Part 1

As is probably not surprising, the Advanced Class Guide has tons of class material, and therefore can't be done in a single post.  I envision it'll probably end up being three before I do all of the archetypes listed therein.

Because this is alphabetical, I'm going to be reviewing archetypes for classes that hadn't even debuted yet; i.e., I've only done the Core Rulebook, where as a class like the Alchemist comes from a book that's further down the line in the PRD.  While this is maybe a little bit awkward, it's not really so bad for my purposes, because I'm exploring archetypes by name and brief description, not really digging into the mechanics of such.
Advanced Class Guide
Hybrid classes  (This is more a mechanical conceit than an archetype conceit; it's all about putting two core classes' archetypes together in a blended form.  But sometimes the concept is itself a viable archetype, so I'll go through them.  There are archetypes (in the Paizo mechanical sense) of these hybrid classes too, so we'll see more of them as we go.)

• Arcanist: Blending the power of the sorcerer with the versatility of the wizard, the arcanist draws upon a reservoir of power to bend magic to her will. — Because I already have no distinction between sorcerer and wizard, this is not something I can use.  It's not an archetype, it's a mechanical stunt.
• Bloodrager: Fusing the frenzy of the barbarian with the bloodline might of the sorcerer, the bloodrager calls upon innate power to give himself extraordinary abilities. — a character that uses extreme emotion and an accident of genetics to fight with magical powers... I dunno.  That seems way too specific to be considered any kind of archetype.  But I can see an interesting character being built around that concept. 
• Brawler: Focusing on hand-to-hand combat, the brawler mixes the martial artistry of the monk with the specialist training of the fighter. — This is basically just an attempt to make a fighter capable while unarmed.  This is more of an Eastern tradition than a Western tradition, but I can see where it maybe has a place.
• Hunter: Though both the druid and ranger can have animal companions, the hunter takes this bond to the next level, forming a deadly duo with her savage ally. — a martial character who really focuses on an animal companion.  I like that concept.  I don't really have a great way to model that in FANTASY HACK other than the existing animal companion rules, so it would have to be more of a roleplaying gig; create an Outdoorsman or someone else who has an animal companion and fighting type skills, and maybe pick up a few spells to augment your animal companion a lot or something.
• Investigator: With the rogue's cunning complemented by the alchemist's magical talent, the investigator is a peerless problem solver. — I actually have an example of this archetype as my very first DARK•HERITAGE m20 iconic character; not that I've looked at them in a long time, but he would work just as well as a FANTASY HACK iconic; he's an older human 3rd level Expert with a few spells.
• Shaman: Calling on the divine power of the oracle and the hexes of a witch, the shaman communes with her spirit animal to unleash doom upon her foes. — This is another mechanical stunt class that combines two archetypes that aren't archetypal; they're just different mechanical takes on the same archetype.  Now, granted, one could make the case that the witch and the oracle aren't really the same archetype when it comes to mythology and folklore, but in terms of fantasy as we know it, it'd be pretty tough to distinguish them.
• Skald: Sharing fury through song and deed, the skald takes the rage that lives in the heart of the barbarian and inspires it in others using the performances of the bard. — The skald is really a specific cultural archetype; the viking historian/bard character.  It seems very narrow to me.  Interpreting that as a hybrid of the barbarian and bard classes is even more weird; but again, I don't think the bard makes much sense in an adventuring milieu anyway.  I'd create a skald by merely making a Viking character who has some extra ranks in a skill that would make him a historian and/or performer.
• Slayer: Mixing the precise strikes of the rogue with the special training of the ranger, the slayer hunts down his foes with ruthless efficiency. — This could be addressed by my Appendix II stuff; give the major bonus of the Rogue's sneak attack along with a minor bonus that is outdoorsy, or something.  Really, the more I think about it, the more I think the Sneak Attack is too narrow itself, though.  Not that I have an alternative, but I sometimes wish that I did.
• Swashbuckler: Combining the prowess of the fighter with the determination of the gunslinger, the swashbuckler is an acrobatic melee combatant. — Combining the fighter with ... the gunslinger?  That's odd.  Almost everyone sees the swashbuckler as an archetype that straddles the line between fighter and rogue in the normal D&D class architecture.
• Warpriest: Blending the cleric's divine might and the fighter's martial skills, the warpriest brings the fight to the enemies of his faith. — Sounds like the same mechanical niche as the paladin, but without the lawful goody-two-shoes restrictions.

Archetypes

• Alchemist
• Inspired Chemist: Akin to a mindchemist, inspired chemists use a type of cognatogen that, instead of increasing their mental ability scores, grants them an inspiration pool like that of an investigator. This inspiration provides an inspired chemist amazing powers to avoid danger, but takes a toll on both physical power and health. — I have to admit that I have no idea what this is even talking about, but I never really got involved in the specifics of the alchemist class in Pathfinder.  This sounds suspiciously like a mechanical stunt specialist than an actual archetype, though.
• Arcanist
• Blade Adept: A small number of arcanists learn to use blades as part of their spellcasting and in combat. While these blade adepts are not as capable with a sword as a true master duelist, their combination of swordplay and arcane power makes them quite deadly. — D&D related games seem like they're always after the Holy Grail of a class that combines martial skill with magical ability. The concept, in my opinion, is flawed from the get-go, though.  What people want when they crave this "archetype" is the Mary Sue who can do everything and is just better and more capable than everyone else.  Which... isn't really a problem, I guess.  That's a common theme in many fantasy stories.  But it's a poor fit for a game like D&D.  Rather than try to create it in a balanced way through the rules, it's probably better left for something like what you do when you have a smaller group, and you create Gestalt characters.  Using something derived from the old Unearthed Arcana rules.  Well, not the old, old Unearthed Arcana, but the 3.5 version of it, anyway. Just go into it boldly, accepting that such a character has all of the abilities of two classes and is thus better than any other class option, and structure your game around the idea of being able to do that, is my recommendation.
• Blood Arcanist: Though most arcanists possess only a rudimentary innate arcane gift, the blood arcanist has the full power of a bloodline to draw upon. — So it sounds like the class that's already a hybrid of wizard and sorcerer is leaning more towards sorcerer, with more of a dash of wizard.  This is too finely grained separation of mechanics for me.  Who cares?  I mean, I see why players of a highly mechanized and tactical game would want mechanical and tactical variety, but this simply doesn't translate at all into the exercise that I'm doing.
• Brown-fur Transmuter: Frequently called "brown-furs," these transmutation-focused arcanists are known for transforming themselves into animals. What few realize is that these specialized arcanists excel at turning themselves—and others—into all kinds of creatures. — Wow, I actually really like this idea!  Kind of a werewolf who's more of a magical werewolf, and not tied to the specifics of lycanthropy, etc.  I mean, if Harry Freakin' Potter can do something similar, why not us, right? I think this archetype is merely best modeled in my system with spell selection and roleplaying, but what an interesting character concept!  I really like it.
• Eldritch Font: For some arcanists, the power bubbling up from within is nearly too much to contain. They become adept at shaping this magical energy without needing to bind it up in spells. — It also occurs to me that many alternate classes, and based on the description, this sounds like it applies here, are really an attempt to model a different type of magic system than D&D normally has.  Maybe something that resembles the magic system in some specific novel, for instance, or something like that.  That doesn't actually make it a different archetype, exactly, but I can see the point.  However—I tend to believe that a setting should have a magic system, and other settings should have other magic systems.  More than one active magic system in the same setting is... weird.
• Elemental Master: Arcanists with an affinity for elemental forces sometimes focus on one and display its power in everything they do. — I'd simply do this with spell-selection, description and roleplaying.
• Occultist: Not all arcanists peer inward to discern the deepest secrets of magic. Some look outward, connecting with extraplanar creatures and bartering for secrets, power, and favor. — The same could be said for this.  I like this whole idea of magic, though, that it's a fundamentally inhuman process and requires bargaining or exploiting some kind of entity from outside.
• School Savant: Some arcanists specialize in a school of magic and trade flexibility for focus. School savants are able to prepare more spells per day than typical arcanists, but their selection is more limited. — This isn't an archetype; it's a tactical variant.
• Spell Specialist: Where most arcanists are broad in their study of magic, a spell specialist has her power focused in a few spells. Spell specialists are able to warp and twist the magic of their signature spells in ways other casters cannot. — The same is true here.
• Unlettered Arcanist: Some arcanists store their spells as whispered secrets within familiars instead of on paper. — While this may make a colorful character concept, I can't imagine dedicating even a mechanical variation to this idea, much less pretend like it's an archetype.
• White Mage: A white mage is an arcanist touched by a divine power and gifted with the ability to heal others. — Aaaaannddd... again.  Most of these archetypes simply aren't "archetypes" in the normal sense; they are merely mechanical skins that play up a specific concept, turning it into a stunt that becomes that character's specialty.  I actually think that offering that kind of thing in a rules-heavy system is not at all a bad idea, but for my purposes, where I'm going through these looking for character concepts that can be used in another system, they are too esoteric and metagamey to actually be of much use. I actually expected exactly as much with regards to much of the magical class archetypes, classes and prestige classes, but still—it's one thing to expect something, and another to see it actually unfold before your eyes.
• Bard — given that I don't even like the bard class at all, I doubt I'll find much to like in the archetypes that it has, but I'll dutifully review them all anyway.
• Flame Dancer: A flame dancer studies the movements of fire, adding its grace to his repertoire. He seeks truth in fire's burning essence, and uses his performance to unleash the power of fire against those who dare oppose him. — A singing, dancing wizard who casts fireballs against his foes.  Coming soon to Dungeons & Dragons: The Musical.  WTF is this?  Seriously?
• Voice of the Wild: Most bards are inspired by the art of civilization, yet the voice of the wild's muse is the grandeur of nature. The voice of the wild has discovered nature's magical secrets, and can use his performance to bring out the bestial side in his allies. — While I kinda sympathize with the core conceit, being an avid outdoorsman of sorts myself (who's coming up on a year since my last big hiking trip, and I really could stand to get away and not have to see anybody for a week right now, believe you me) I don't see how singing John Denver songs to your adventuring party to make them perform better is a concept that works for anything at all that I envision good fantasy to be.
• Bloodrager
• Blood Conduit: Blood conduits learn to channel their arcane might directly through their flesh, without the need for mystical words or gestures. — I don't find the notion of "a fighting sorcerer who doesn't need to use words or gestures" a sufficiently compelling idea by itself.  Again, it's so highly dependent on the standard D&D magic system that it only works—maybe—in that system.
• Bloodrider: In the world's wild lands, a mount is an advantage in both everyday life and the dealing of death. In many barbarian tribes, the true stature of a warrior is determined by his skill and ferocity when fighting astride his mount. A number of bloodragers not only are skilled in the art of mounted combat, but have learned to channel their arcane energies directly into their mounts. — Magical pony emotional warriors.  D&D for little girls, it sounds like to me.
• Crossblooded Rager: While most bloodragers manifest only one bloodline, there are some who, through some quirk of heredity or the conjunction of other powers, manifest two. This combination of two distinct bloodlines can create a versatile and powerful rager who stands out among the horde. — This concept is meaningless without the specifics of the sorcerer class magic system.  So, no—no can use.
• Greenrager: Typically, nature finds its greatest harmony with divine magic, but sometimes a connection with the natural world manifests itself through the arcane current in the veins of the bloodragers called greenragers. These bloodragers funnel their eldritch heritage into abilities that allow them to call powerful allies from nature and empower them with their bloodrage. — While mechanically this is nothing like a druid (I presume) in reality, the concept is exactly the same.
• Metamagic Rager: While metamagic is difficult for many bloodragers to utilize, a talented few are able to channel their bloodrage in ways that push their spells to impressive ends. — Use one class to get a handful of abilities that normally belong to another class!  Sigh.  Not a usable archetype.
• Primalist: While bloodline powers come from the very essence of a bloodrager's being and are often strict and immutable, some bloodragers tap into ancient traditions and primitive wisdom to enhance their rages with something more primal. The primalist mixes his bloodline with more traditional rage powers. — What in the world does any of that even mean?  It sounds like the barbarian/sorcerer hybrid class that actually gets to lean towards barbarian a bit more than the other variants.  O.... K....
• Rageshaper: All bloodragers blend the unpredictable surge of arcane power with the savage fury of battle lust. For most, their rage is a conduit for the eldritch power locked in their heritage, but for a rageshaper, the latent magical energies in his blood bring about physical transformations and facilitate the blending of arcana and aggression into a deadly synthesis that few other barbarians (or even other bloodragers) can match. — I think most people would simply call that a variation on the "werewolf" archetype.
• Spelleater: Where other bloodragers learn to avoid or shrug off minor damage of all sorts, spelleaters tap into the power of their bloodline in order to heal damage as it comes, and can even cannibalize their own magical energy to heal more damage and continue taking the fight to the enemy. — This one I can actually see as being a unique concept or idea.  I could probably find some way to come up with a "convert magic into healing" stunt for m20.
• Steelblood: Most bloodragers prefer light armor, but some learn the secret of using heavy armor. These steelbloods plod around the battlefield inspiring fear and delivering carnage from within a steel shell. — A barbarian and sorcerer hybrid, but... get this, get this!  He WEARS ARMOR!  Sigh. Since the only reason that neither barbarians nor sorcerers wear armor anyway is an esoteric detail of how it works in D&D that bears no resemblance to real life (and thus not to many other fantasy settings either).  How creative.
• Untouchable Rager: While most bloodragers are known for their inexplicable ability to focus their bloodline into a horrifying mix of martial terror and spellcasting fury, from time to time a bloodrager's bloodline acts differently. Instead of empowering the bloodrager, it shields the bloodrager from magic of all types, often keeping the bloodrager untouched within the midst of magical effects. — This seems like a VERY narrow character concept.  It's not terrible as far as character concepts go, but I really have to wonder how often it matters in most campaigns.
• Brawler
• Exemplar: A versatile soldier who inspires her companions with her fighting prowess, an exemplar is at home on the front lines of battles anywhere. — I presume that if I read the specifics there's more to this concept than the description seems to imply, because... that's not much of a concept by itself.
• Mutagenic Mauler: Not content with perfecting her body through natural methods, a mutagenic mauler resorts to alchemy to unlock the primal beast within. — It kind of sounds like a watered down version of The Hulk archetype.  Not a bad archetype, I suppose, but "mutagenic mauler" isn't exactly a name that rolls off the tongue.
• Shield Champion: Stalwart in battle, a shield champion has perfected an entire martial discipline relying only on her hand-to-hand fighting skills and her ever-present shield. What she forgoes in weapon versatility and improved combat maneuvering, she makes up for in her ability to turn her defense into a weapon. — Speaking of archetypes that come from Marvel Comics, is it just me, or does this sound like Captain America?
• Snakebite Striker: With her lightning quickness and guile, a snakebite striker keeps her foes' attention focused on her, because any one of her feints might be an actual attack. By giving up some of a brawler's versatility, she increases her damage potential and exposes her opponents to deadly and unexpected strikes. — This sounds more like a tactical specialty than anything else.  I'm not quite sure how else to characterize it just based on the description, so I don't know what I could do with it.
• Steel-breaker: The steel-breaker studies destruction and practices it as an art form. She knows every defense has a breaking point, and can shatter those defenses with carefully planned strikes.
• Strangler: A strangler is trained to choke the life out of her victims with her vise-like grip. Some stranglers are self-taught and are little more than brutish murderers, unhinged sociopaths, or opportunistic alley-bashers. Others are members of murder cults or specialized schools of assassination, trained since childhood to kill with their bare hands. — While in fiction, I can see this as a workable archetype, I'm not sure what to do with it in game.  Most likely, this concept is to force the mechanics to make the concept viable.
• Wild Child: The wild child works with his sworn animal friend to conquer the challenges that lay before them. This kinship could come from being lost in the wilderness and raised by animals or growing up with an exotic pet. — The name has always been a pet peeve of mine, but the concept is fine.  Is it really going to resemble Tarzan, though, because if not, then what's the point?