Archetype Tier List: A Guide to Picking Archetypes (Recovered)

Note: The guide was written by Icy Turbo on the Paizo message boards, but it went defunct in late 2016. It is hosted and updated here.

Archetype Tier List: A Guide to Picking Archetypes 

Last Updated: 4/19/2017

I realized early on that while the class guides have their thoughts and general recommendations for specific class archetype, I have not found any that have all the class archetypes.

I wanted to create a thread for new and old players as a comprehensive list of Archetypes for each class (Barring 3PP or Player Companion archetypes) and how they stand in regards to other archetypes for that class.

So by clicking on the title above, you can let your thoughts be known about what you think of the vast multitude of class archetypes. Let’s discuss what could be considered generally good and generally bad archetypes. The criteria for determining this will be based on the general benefits given by an archetype and how much or how little those benefits outweigh the negatives associated with the archetype, and general strength overall.

As an example template, you want to give the name of the class, the archetype, and your general impression of it. Ranking should be given based on 5 numbered ranks: Great, Good, Average, Bad and Terrible, given as +2, +1, 0, -1, -2 respectively. Some guides only give one number, some give 2 based on the following criteria. 

Finally in no more than a paragraph, describe the reason behind the placement of that archetype, evidence to support its placement, and also it's place against other archetypes.

Note that no matter what, this guide will be partially subjective based on these entries, but hopefully we can all band together to create an overall good list for archetypes.

Key:

Ranking: Ranking is given based on 5 numbered ranks: Great, Good, Average, Bad and Terrible, given as +2, +1, 0, -1, -2 respectively. Some guides only give one number, some give 2 based on the following criteria. 
Power: Power is the overall mechanical power of an archetype, rated based on a combination of the archetypes strengths and overall strength in comparison to the base class and other classes.. This goes from highest (+2) to lowest (-2).
Versatility: Versatility is the overall mechanical versatility of an archetype, rated based on a combination of an archetypes ability to adapt to different situations, and its overall ability to do more than one action well. This goes from highest (+2) to lowest (-2)

Dip: Dip indicates that an archetype is being scored based on its power when multiclassing. Note that some guides will have this, and others will not.

Alchemist

Credited Contributors: Dasrak

Beastmorph

Power +2, Versatility +1

The ability to activate superior versions of the Beast Shape spell automatically with the use of your mutagen is a game-changer. You won't always have a chance to pre-buff, and getting this many benefits from a single action is a huge deal. The lost class features are ones that are seldom used, and the only significant one is the loss of persistent mutagen.

Blazing Torchbearer

Power -1, Versatility +0

Offering some mostly circumstantial benefits, this archetype simply isn't worth the loss of one of your valuable discoveries. However, the total number of tradeoffs are relatively small so although the benefits are meager if you don't need that discovery it could be used.

Chirurgeon

Power +0, Versatility +0

The only real benefit here is the ability to get cure spells as infusions without actually taking the infusion discovery. The other class features are of limited value; anaesthetic is circumstantial, and power over death is very unreliable since you need to both reach the dying target and spend a full round action to apply the extract within 1 turn. Fortunately, the benefits you're giving up are also circumstantial and you can go without them as a means of getting away without the infusion discovery.

Clone Master

Power +0, Versatility +2

At the cost of reducing your bomb damage, you get access to some of the most powerful (and abusable) spells on the wizard list. What you lose in conventional firepower, you gain back with the freeform ability to create minions. There are three serious glaring flaws, however; the main class feature only comes online at the 13th level, which is a long time to wait when your biggest trade-off occurs at the 1st level. Secondly, simulacrums are incredibly expensive, both to create and maintain. Thirdly, if you (ab)use this archetype to its fullest extent expect to have your GM throw the nearest/heaviest sourcebook at you.

Crypt Breaker

Power +0, Versatility +1

This archetype really depends on whether you're looking at a long campaign involving lots of undead and constructs. If you are, then the extra power it offers against them could be quite worthwhile. Against other targets, though, the power loss hurts. The loss of mutagen is not as bad as it looks, since this can be bought back with a discovery.

Ectochymist

Power -1, Versatility +1

The loss of bombs hurts this archetype a lot, and its abilities (while interesting) don't make up for it. For a very specific kind of campaign it might work, but for most characters it's just a bad tradeoff.

Grenadier

Power +2, Versatility +1

Trading out the mostly passable poison-based class features for a plethora of more useful abilities, the Grenadier is a huge improvement for any alchemist that wants to focus on his bombs. The ability to infuse his weapons with alchemical items gives bonus damage at a very affordable cost. A great archetype all around.

Homunculist

Power +1, Versatility +1

A very cool archetype that gives you a customizable familiar at the cost of your niche poison abilities and mutagen, which can be bought back with a discovery. As with crypt breaker, the fact that you can buy back mutagen really helps its viability.

Inspired Chemist

Power +0, Versatility +0

A reasonable archetype that trades Mutagen for an Inspired Cognatogen with no other downsides. Fair trade, especially since you can always buy it back with a discovery later.

Internal Alchemist

Power +0 or -1 (depending on GM ruling), Versatility +0

This archetype is ambiguous as to whether the replacement of the Throw Anything class feature reduces the damage of your bombs. Depending on how your GM rules, this is either a bad archetype or a so-so one. It doesn't provide very much, but aside from the potential loss of bomb damage it doesn't give up much either.

Mindchemist

Power +0, Versatility +0

A fairly straightforward archetype whose only significant drawback can be bought back with a discovery, but whose only significant advantage can also be bought by vanilla Alchemists with a discovery. Overall a reasonable archetype choice if you want Cognatogen at level 1.

Preservationist

Power +1, Versatility +2

This archetype gives up relatively little for access to the Summon Nature's Ally spell line, and with reduced spell level to fit the full progression on your 6-level casting chassis. It is important to take the Planar Preservationist feat to gain access to the Summon Monster spells; they are well worth the feat and give significantly more powerful options than the Summon Nature’s Ally lists. Without this added flexibility of the two spell lists, the versatility meter drops a ranking.

Promethean Alchemist

Power -1, Versatility +1

Similar to the Homunculist, but making steeper tradeoffs for slightly better familiar rules. The loss of bombs, however, greatly hurts this class's ability to contribute in combat. Mutagen can at least be bought back at the 2nd level, but that will hurt until then. Sadly, its biggest unique feature (Promethean Disciple) is available to all alchemists as a discovery at level 6, and due to the high costs of constructs it is difficult to leverage it before then.

Psychonaut

Power -1, Versatility +1

Trade off bomb damage to add a huge assortment of utility spells to your class list. It's practically the definition of a "power for versatility" tradeoff. This archetype is best used if you're playing in a setting where conventional spellcasters are unavailable, giving the alchemist exclusive dominion over these potent divinations.

Ragechemist

Power -2, Versatility +0

This archetype gives you a small increase to your strength when using mutagen, but at the cost of taking accumulating intelligence damage and will saving throw penalties. The archetype becomes much more attractive at higher levels where you can reliably make DC 15 will saves, but as a class with poor will save progression the alchemist will be waiting quite a while to get to that point. Until then, this archetype just puts you at risk of incapacitating yourself and is simply not worth consideration.

Reanimator

Power -1, Versatility +0

This archetype gives you three undead creation extracts, but unfortunately it doesn't give you access to the only one that actually matters. Create Undead and its greater version are completely useless since you don't actually have a way to control the undead creature you create and the list isn't very good to begin with. Lesser Animate Dead prevents you from using the fast zombie template so it's largely not worth the material components cost. All this comes at the cost of a drastic reduction to the power of your bombs. If your GM allows for some of the more obscure variant options for the create undead spell line then this might be worthwhile, but otherwise you should pass it up without a second thought.

Trapbreaker

Power +0, Versatility +1

Trading away the niche poison abilities for some useful trap-based abilities, the Trapbreaker is a great option if you want a Rogue-replacement for your party without giving away any abilities from your archetype. Land Mines are a little hard to use, and probably aren't worthwhile at lower levels where they cost 2 uses of your bomb, but if the situation arises it's a nice trick to have.

Visionary Researcher

Power +0, Versatility +1

The ability to create a mutagen your allies can use is a nice touch, and allows an Alchemist to simply hand off a class feature that may not suit his own build to someone who can make better use of it. While not a game-changer by any means, you trade off so little focus access to this benefit that it's well worthwhile for anyone who doesn't particularly feel like using their own mutagen.

Vivisectionist

Power +2, Versatility +0

Bombs don't fit on every character, particularly melee chemists who have mediocre intelligence and dexterity scores. This is the only archetype that actually trades off bombs for something useful to a front-liner character, and the sneak attack progression is very useful indeed, turning you into a deadly force. What's better, you trade off absolutely nothing else other than your bombs, meaning there is no reason not to pick this archetype if bombs aren't your thing. Sadly, it comes with some pretty evil fluff and is banned in PFS as a result, but if your table hand-waves unwanted fluff then there's no downsides here at all.

Alchemical Sapper 

Power: -1 , Versatility: 0

This archetype trades off a bit much to do its thing. Reduced number of extracts per day, delayed mutagen (which you still need to pay a discovery for when the time comes), and all for class features that are difficult to put into use. The double damage bomb is very nice, but not worth these tradeoffs. On paper it would appear to offer the versatility of breaking holes in walls, but in practice the actual damage values are far too low to do this. Even a 20th level Alchemical Sapper's demolition bomb is barely powerful enough to breach a 6 inch wooden wall on an average roll, and you can just forget about masonry.

Blood Alchemist 

Power: -1, Versatility: +1

Trading off bombs and mutagen (which can't be bought back) this archetype redeems itself by offering a large range of off-list spellcasting ability. While the Alchemical Circles class feature is a bit unwieldly, it still amounts to giving you at-will spell-like abilities. Exactly how useful this archetype is to you depends on just how far you want to cheese this ability. However, it's never going to be broken thanks to the highly limited list of spell-like abilities available.

Construct Rider 

Power: -1, Versatility: -1

The Construct Rider is a double-edged archetype. On the one hand you gain an animal companion at the 1st level and it gains construct immunities, but on the other you lose mutagen and can never buy it (or cognatogen) back and you have to deal with diminished extracts. On its own this trade is fairly close to neutral, but the archetype is missing any rules text on how the companion can be repaired or replaced. This leaves it extremely weak by RAW, as it's dependent on wands or helpful party members to keep its animal companion healthy. Depending on how your GM rules on this matter, the archetype's rating could shift up or down.

Dimensional Excavator 

Power: +1, Versatility: +1

This archetype is somewhat weird in that its biggest downside isn't actually a changed or lost class feature, but rather that it reduces your effective Alchemist level for the purpose of qualifying for discoveries (though thankfully not for the effect of those discoveries). Depending on your build, this may be a big inconvenience or a complete non-issue. However, what you get in return is well worth the trouble, giving you the ability to brew extracts of Create Pit and throw them like grenades.

Ectoplasm Master 

Power: +1, Versatility: +2

The benefit of this archetype is not what it first appears. Adding every Necromancy spell from the Wizard spell list to your class list of extracts looks unbelievably good, but tge archetype does not give you the ability to deliver any of these harmful effects. As a result the vast majority of the extract options you gained are completely useless. An extract of Blindness/Deafness is only useful if you can somehow trick your enemy into drinking it. The real gain is the archetype-specific discovery Ectoplasmic Servant, which allows you to add Summon Monster I through VI to your extract list. All this for the cost of just your Brew Potion feat is amazing.

Gloom Chymist 

Power: 0, Versatility: +1

The Gloom Chymist is an interesting archetype if you can make good use of lighting changes. With the ability to very quickly raise or lower light levels with bombs, a Gloom Chymist can put certain kinds of enemies at a substantial disadvantage while dealing bomb damage. However, the large number of monsters with darkvision but no vulnerability to light means the Umbral Gloom can be very circumstantial. In addition, it can be hard to get darkvision on a player character. This archetype works best if you have some way to reliably benefit from lighting levels, for instance by combining it with the Bramble Brewer archetype.

Interrogator 

Power: -2, Versatility: -1

Trading off bombs and mutagen for the ability to inject your opponent with serums, the Interrogator gets access to a reasonably useful list of debuffs. Unfortunately, all of them are mind-affecting, all of them are melee touch attacks, and all of them can be replicated easily and more effectively by almost any arcane spellcaster class. With most of the reasons to play an alchemist in the first place traded off, it's probably not worth your time.

Mad Scientist 

Power: +1, Versatility: 0

The Mad Scientist trades off two discoveries for two reasonably useful and potentially powerful abilities – but they come at a cost of wisdom damage (or sanity damage, if using that subsystem) and a lack of control over the results. Still, for those who like to play dangerous this is a reasonably easy way to get a nice roulette wheel effect from your extracts.

Metamorph 

Power: 0, Versatility: -1

Trading off extracts and bombs for shapeshifting powers that are broadly similar to a druid's wild shape (focusing on humanoid rather than animal or elemental forms) this archetype delivers reasonably well for someone who wants to play a Hulk. However, the loss of extracts really hurts the class in the versatility department.

Sacremental Alchemist 

Power: 0, Versatility: +1

Trading the raw power of Mutagen for the ability to select domain powers from their deity, as well as swap out one discovery daily to slightly change their build, the Sacremental Alchemist is quite flexible. The exact value of the Sacremental Alchemist depends on your deity's domain selection; this ranking presumes you have more or less free access to pick a deity with a favorable combination of domains.

Tinkerer 

Power: 0, Versatility: 0

This gives you a clockwork familiar at the cost of mutagen (which can't be bought back). At higher levels you also get the ability to create a "clockwork" magic item, although you're limited to owning one at a time and others cannot use it so it's of limited value. With the bomb class feature untouched, this archetype will work well for an alchemist who wants a robotic buddy.

Wasteland Blighter 

Power: 0, Versatility: +1

A superb healing archetype, allowing you to skip on the Infusion discovery and allowing you the ability to deliver your curatives to your allies as a standard action + swift action. Finally, it gives you the ability to break enchantments. The tradeoffs are minor, just giving up your poison resistances while letting you act as a mini-Cleric for a party without a proper divine spellcaster. 

Racial Archetypes:

Alchemical Trapper (Kobold)

Power 0, Versatility 0

This archetype is quite problematic, and while it doesn't quite reach the level of -1 in either category it comes very close. The pain of losing two discoveries at low levels means you don't gain the discovery class feature until 6th level, which is a very long time to wait. The bomb trap is situational, trapfinding is a mediocre class feature and comes pretty late on this archetype. If this is what you want to do, it works, but it's not that great.

Bogborn Alchemist (Grippli)

Power 0 or -1 (depending on GM ruling), Versatility 0

Like other Alchemist archetypes that trade off throw anything, this one's rating depends on whether your GM rules that it affects bomb damage. If it does, the tradeoffs are simply not worth the minor improvements, but otherwise it's a very minor trade for little cost and little benefit.

Bramble Brewer (Half-Elf)

Power +1, Versatility 0

Access to fast healing at low levels is a very potent ability indeed. While it only functions in bright light, and thus isn't available reliably until a party member can afford to cast a daylight spell on you, when you can gain these benefits it allows for considerable amounts of healing between encounters for free. The other abilities are mostly neutral, and while this archetype won't be getting its full benefit when scrounging in a dark dungeon it's not going to be suffering either.

Deep Bomber (Svirfneblin)

Power 0, Versatility +1

While silent bombs are largely useless by RAW (it doesn't actually change the perception check to notice your attack), targeting bomb is a great way to deal with enemies using invisibility or concealment and a few off-list spells rounds things out nicely. You give up relatively little to use this archetype, making it a very appealing choice for a Svirfneblin.

Fire Bomber (Goblin)

Power +1, Versatility -1

This archetype gives you more fire power, but makes non fire-based bombs less effective. The off-list elemental body spell line is nice, but the restriction of only transforming into fire elementals limits its utility. Overall this can leave you extremely vulnerable against fire-resistant or immune foes, even if your fire-based attacks are all the more potent.

Plague Bringer (Ratfolk)

Power 0, Versatility 0

I'll save you actually reading through that huge wall of text that is the plague vial ability: the Plague Bringer can sicken enemies for 1 round/level. That's it. The ability can't be used in conjunction with mutagen, and you need to buy back mutagen with a discovery if you want it. While it's easy to make that buyback, the ability itself is rather mediocre and only redeemed by the fact that it doesn't interfere with your ability to maintain a dose of mutagen, allowing you to carry a dose of each at any given time.

Saboteur (Gnome)

Power 0, Versatility 0

There are exactly two reasons to pick this archetype. The first is to grab the highly prized Hide in Plain Sight ability at the 12th level through its exclusive Greater Chameleon Mutagen discovery. The second is to abuse Complex Bombs to combine bomb discoveries that force saving throws against nasty effects; for instance, combining a frost and force bomb to threaten both to knock the target prone and stagger it. The other things on offer here are largely useless, but you're only paying mutagen (something you can buy back with a discovery) so if you want those other benefits this archetype can work.

Winged Marauder (Goblin)

Power +1, Versatility +2

You trade off mutagen - something you can buy back with a discovery - for an animal companion. True, there are only two options of animal types available to you, but are you really going to complain about being given a flying mount at the 1st level? This archetype delivers exactly what it promises right out of the gate, and with very little tradeoff.

Antipaladin:

Arcanist

Credited Contributors: Dasrak

Blade Adept

Power 0, Versatility 0

This archetype is screams to be used with the Eldritch Knight prestige class. While the black blade is a powerful tool, the archetype suffers several practicality issues. It gives up many exploits and struggles to pick up everything it wants, the weapon-type restrictions on the black blade are unfavorable for a non-magus, and until it gets headway on its prestige class the arcanist struggles with its 1/2 BAB. So while this archetype provides many benefits, it also has many pitfalls.

Blood Arcanist

Power +1, Versatility +1

You trade off a bunch of exploits for access to a Sorcerer bloodline. Provided you pick a good bloodline, this is decisively a positive trade. The biggest downside of this archetype is the large number of exploits paid, and the fact that you're locked out of the extra exploit feat until the 5th level which makes buying them back difficult.

Brown-Fur Transmuter

Power 0, Versatility +1

Essentially you trade a couple of exploits to gain access to improved options for buffing the rest of your party. There are very few options for getting personal spells on to non-spellcasters, and the selection from the polymorph school is pretty good. The specific nature of the spells that benefit means this archetype's usefulness is dependant on party makeup, and the biggest downside of all is that you're stuck being the "furry" at the arcane spellcaster conventions.

Eldritch Font

Power -1, Versatility -2

Losing out on the number of spells you can prepare greatly slows your progression and flexibility. To make matters worse, you trade off a large number of exploits for mutually-exclusive abilities. No matter what you do, you can only use your Eldritch Surge twice per day, so having many different ways to use it isn't as nice as it sounds on paper.

Elemental Master

Power 0, Versatility -1

The number of spells with elemental descriptors is actually a rather small list, so there are only a small number of opposition spells to be mindful but in the same breath there are very few options for your specialist spell type. Overall, the trade is fairly tepid either way, and the large number of exploits sacrificed to do it makes it a negative trade overall.

Harrowed Society Student (credit avr)

Power 0, Versatility +1

The exploit replacements are so-so but the replacement for consume spells is OK, and then you get a few spells off other lists without paying a further cost. Better, you get to pick the spells rather than be forced to a specific list.

Magaambyan Initiate

Power: +1, Versatility: +1

With so much off-class goodies in one place, and the costs nicely distributed across your career, this is a very nice archetype. The Magaambyan Initiate offers the easiest way for an arcane caster to qualify for the Sacred Summons feats while simultaneously giving you limited access to the Druid spell list. While at first glance Spell Mastery as a bonus feat may look useless, hidden in that wording is a little gem: your Arcanist class level counts as your Wizard level for the purpose of qualifying for any feats, meaning this archetype gives you access to all Wizard discoveries. Overall a very nice package.

Occultist

Power +1, Versatility +2

Trading off a couple of exploits for access to one of the best class features in the game, this archetype is an absolute no-brainer for anyone who wants to use Summon Monster spells extensively. The longer duration and shorter casting time makes it a lot more practical, and all without requiring you to even prepare the spell.

School Savant

Power +1, Versatility +1

Gain all the school powers of a Wizard, including the ability to prepare an extra spell every day. While you do need to take opposition schools, the extremely narrow number of spells an arcanist can prepare each day makes it even easier to limit yourself to 6 schools.

Spell Specialist

Power 0, Versatility -1

At the cost of many exploits and permanently locking up a large segment of your daily spell preparation loadout you too can gain a +1 boost to the DC's of your favorite spells. While this trade isn't terrible on its own, paying four exploits and getting some nearly-useless abilities on the side makes it a questionable archetype.

Twilight Sage

Power +1, Versatility 0

With no limitation on its usage per day, the Twilight Sage can use his Consume Life to - at least in theory - keep his arcane reservoir topped up at all times. In practice, getting living enemies of the appropriate HD range to negative hit points without killing them is easier said than done, and the loss of the more practical consume spells ability means you'll struggle if you can't pull it off. The large number of exploits you give up for abilities of questionable value is another big sticking point, but requiring you to fill your daily loadout with necromancy spells is very onerous. If you don't have a good way to work around the necromancy limitation, its versatility rank suffers.

Unlettered Arcanist

Power -1, Versatility -2

Trade off a spellbook for the vastly inferior witch familiar rules, resulting in higher costs to learn spells and a critical vulnerability. Trade off the broad sorcerer/wizard spell list for the much more narrow witch spell list, but without patron spells to supplement it. This archetype is literally nothing but downsides with no redeeming qualities.

White Mage

Power 0, Versatility 0

This archetype does exactly what you might expect, giving your arcanist access to a reliable form of healing. This is particularly nice for role compression on a low-level party, but it does not gain access to the Heal spell and as a result falls behind at higher levels. Past the 9th level it is completely outclassed by the Occultist archetype, which can simply summon a monster with a healing spell-like ability.

Barbarian

Credited Contributors: CWheezy

Armored HulkPower: +1, Versatility: 0

Uncanny dodge sucks, and heavy armor is cool! You eventually get back to the regular barbarian fast movement, and you get a pretty nice bonus against critical hits.

Breaker
-2/-1

Giving up fast movement for a terrible bonus is really sad, especially because sunder is a such a rare ability to use. Plus, it only gives more damage, which isn't a barbarian's problem. Battle scavenger won't do anything useful either, backup weapons are very cheap and finding broken weapons is actually quite rare.

Brutal Pugilist
0/+1

If you want to grapple, this archetype is great! A lot of monsters have grab, so getting a free AoO against them is very powerful. unfortunately, you don't get improved unarmed strike with this archetype. Also, grappling gets much weaker past level 10, as the amount of creatures with built in freedom of movement, or the ability to cast it, increases significantly. Unless you have a way to turn it off, your entire gameplan becomes useless.

Burn Rider
+1/-1

I was going to rate this lower, but it actually has a couple things going for it. Cinder sight is a very powerful ability when combined with certain items or spells, and you get an animal companion, which is awesome. Cinder dance is also pretty cool, especially because you can still charge while staggered, great! Losing fast movement for a much weaker fast movement sucks though, especially because horses are already pretty fast.

Drunken Brute
0/+1

Move action potion drinking? awesome! Losing fast movement kind of sucks but move action potions is pretty great.

Drunken Rager
-1/0

This archetype is sad. You are playing this archetype because you want evasion on your barbarian, which means you never want to spent drunk points. You also don't want to drink in combat, since it takes your whole turn to do it. Raging to pre drink is pretty lame. At least tolerance is way better than trap sense.

Elemental Kin
+1/0

Trap sense is terrible, and more rage rounds is great. Strictly better than core barbarian.

Hurler
-1/0

Fast movement is really strong, and skilled thrower isn't. Being able to move that extra 10 feet will come up much more often.

Invulnerable Rager
+2/+2

DR/- is amazing, and this archetype replaces bad class features with it, and some minor elemental resistance to boot! This archetype is really amazing, and every barbarian should take it. Cannot recommend highly enough.

Jungle Rager
0/-1

While the class features jungle rager replaces aren't great, The bonuses could be pretty good. DR being worse than a regular barbarian holds the jungle rager back from being a +1. This seems like an npc archetype rather than a PC one.

Liberator
0/-1

This is pretty campaign specific, but Hard Hitter is quite good if you face a lot of constructs with hardness. Stealth is also a better skill than climb. Disruptor is ok, but rarely comes into play. Indomitable will is an awesome ability, and losing it for hide from constructs that costs 1 round of rage per round using it sucks ALOT, and also is quite strange flavor wise.

Mad Dog
+1/+1

Full strength animal companion? Awesome! You also get pseudo outflank which stacks with outflank, sweet. You give up 5 rage powers, but a full strength animal companion is worth it I think. This archetype is also quite good if you are playing a small sized race and want to start at level 1 with a mount.

Pack Rager
-2/0

Feats, especially teamwork feats, are significantly worse than rage powers, and you lose 5 of them for teamwork feats. Its pretty sad to ALSO lose dr. This archetype is just ick.

Primal Hunter
-2/-1

Exceptional pull is a feat that does nothing, because every archer will put the adaptive quality on his bow for 1000g. Losing fast movement for nothing is a pretty weak trade. The rage bonus on attack rolls is good, but you can make stealth checks INSTEAD of the will save bonus???? The will save bonus is the best part of rage imo! Throw this archetype in the trash.

Raging Cannibal
+1/-1

Well, the bonuses you get are pretty good, temporary hit points and more rounds of rage, AND a pseudo power attack on your bite with a -1 to hit and +2 bleed, but you are specifically a cannibal, and are probably super evil? You also have to be the same creature type, which is campaign specific.

Savage Barbarian
-2/0

Minor bonuses for no armor? this archetype is pretty sad. Will saves against fear are pretty rare, and losing DR for +1 ac is a really weak trade. No thanks to this archetype.

Savage Technologist
+1/+1

Dex to damage with guns? Awesome! You also get two weapon fighting for free, as long as you use a melee weapon and a gun. The only problem with this archetype is reloading your gun, but overall, quite good.

Scarred Rager
0/0

Losing fast movement for an intimidate bonus is pretty weak, but Tolerance and improved Tolerance are quite good abilities. Scarification will probably do nothing though.

Sea Reaver
-1/-1

Why do they lose Medium armor proficiency? ugh. eyes of the storm is almost useful, and since you are mostly likely picking this archetype for a pirate campaign, savage sailor will come in handy. Marine terror is ok, but losing fast movement sucks, and the limit of only ignore water 1 foot deep seems strange (what about 1 foot, 2 inches deep? What about 10 inch deep water?). Their best ability is probably sure footed, which is actually quite nice, but doesn't make up for the other shortcomings.

Superstitious
-1/0

sixth sense is ok, and eventually you do get blindsense and blindsight, but that is very late game. DR would have come up much more often than extra low light vision.

Titan Mauler
-1/0

Woohoo, you can finally use Large weapons! for a MINUS SIX penalty, ouch. Losing fast movement sucks, their class features do not synergise with each other like you think they would. Evade reach is a nice trick, and Titan rage is quite good. Overall, this archetype is still really sad, and needs a full rewrite.

Totem Warrior
0/0

This archetype does literally nothing, unless there is an errata I am missing.

True Primitive
-1/-1

Trophy fetish is actually pretty good, but having terrible weapon and armor proficiencies and permanent illiteracy does not make up for it. being superstitious about words doesn't even make sense, do you suddenly become a goblin when taking this archetype? Ugh.

Untamed Rager
0/+1

Dirty tricks are great! Losing DR is pretty bad though.

Urban Ranger
+0/+1

Controlled rage is pretty good if you want to be an archer, or a finesse barbarian, but otherwise isn't great. I haven't been commenting on dips but for a finesse fighter this is a pretty great dip.

Wild Rager
+1/-2

Considering most barbarians have a very high constitution, making the will save to not kill your team very difficult. Wild fighting is very strong, but the negative of uncontrolled rage make this archetype unplayable. Its great if you want to troll your fellow players by randomly killing them.

Racial Archetypes

Feral Gnasher
0/-1

You get a pretty strong bite attack instead of fast movement, but losing all your proficiencies makes this archetype weak. Picking stuff up as a free action is pretty cool, and you do get grab on your bite, which is pretty nice, but still not a great archetype overall.

Hateful Rager
+1/-1

Favored enemy is pretty good, but you di give up 3 rage powers. Reduced rage is not much of a penalty, since barbarians get quite a bit of rage anyhow. If you are in a campaign where you can make strong favored enemy choices, this archetype will be quite powerful

Bard

Credited Contributors: strayshift, Icytor44, Hmm

Arcane Duelist(Dip Verse: -1, Dip Power: +1, Full Verse: -2, Full Power: +2):
You lose the knowledge and skill abilities and some performances (suggestion) but gain a host (8) of combat feats and an arcane bond. This is the combat focused 'bardic tank', way better in combat but you do lose a LOT of skill versatility.

Archaeologist
(Dip Verse: +0, Dip Power: +1, Full Verse: +0, Full Power: +1):
You only buff yourself and you have fewer rounds to do it with, however you swap your performances for a huge amount of rogue class features and probably are best defined as a spell-using, non-sneak attacking rogue/bard combo.

Court Bard(Dip Verse: -1, Dip Power: -1, Full Verse: +0, Full Power: +2):
You don't buff you debuff, which actually synergises better with many of your spells that the ability to buff with both spells and performance (e.g. you can have heroism running and also debuff the enemy). You lose some skill and performance versatility and a huge amount of what you do is language dependant but you gain the ability to better shape your performance offensively as well as re-rolls & bonuses to diplomacy. The power rating? If you focus your feats, etc on enchantment magic you can be one of the best enchantment practitioners in the game (ultimately 2nd only to the kitsune sorcerer).

Dervish of Dawn(Dip Verse: -1, Power: +1, Full Verse: -1, Full Power: +2):
Another self-buffing combat bard. You lose some knowledge abilities and a performance but gain some excellent combat abilities. All self-only however.

Dirge Bard

Dip: N/A, Power +1, Versatility 0
Any archetype that gives the bard more spells is always good, and the Dirge Bard is no exception. Losing out on many of the base skill related bard abilities, Dirge bards gain access to necromancy spells, a sizable bonus to saving throws against the majority of necromantic debuffs and effects, reducing an enemy's saving throws for their fear effects, and can both charm and summon undead. Brings a good amount of combat and debuff control to the bard while not removing many features that would hurt Bards in the long run, and they do not lose a single performance. An acceptable archetype for most games.

Animal Speaker
(Dip: Versatility +0, Dip: Power +0); Versatility +0, Power+1
Considered by most a "meh" archetype, it plays mostly like a standard bard who can also talk with animals. It does get two very interesting abilities, though. It can attract rat swarms like the pied piper and it gets Summon's Nature Ally spells just added to its spells known. More spells known is always a slight power up for a bard.

Arcane Healer
(2 level dip: Versatility +1, Power +0); Versatility +1, Power+0
Trades off the versatile performance skill boost for the ability to channel energy a few times a day. If this was based channels off of charisma like Clerics or even oracles, I'd like it a lot better. This may best be compared to Evangelist Cleric, which I think is a stronger cleric/bard hybrid. On the other hand, this will have much stronger skills+bardic knowledge, while the Evangelist Cleric will have more channels and 9th level spell casting.

Arrowsong Minstrel
(2 level Dip: Versatility -1, Dip: Power +1); Versatility -1, Power +1
This bard trades off a lot, including bardic knowledge, for being an exceptional ranged combatant and for having a few wizard spells added to her spell list, especially given the diminished spell casting. On the other hand, if your vision is to be a great bow bard who can dish out the occasional blast, this a pretty awesome archetype for you. I love that it gets precise shot as a bonus feat.

Averarakan Arbiter
(2 level dip: Versatility +1: Power -0); Versatility: 0, Power -1
Dip with something that can self-trigger or give away teamwork feats (I am looking at you, Cavalier) and this archetype becomes something. It is also not a bad archetype for a paired build with another PC who takes teamwork feats, or if you take a dip with bloodrager for a valet familiar. It can be very powerful with pre-planning or a teamwork buddy, but most players won't find the tradeoff of versatile performance for Teamwork feats useful without a reliable way of triggering those teamwork feats outside of your bardic performance.

Duettist
(Dip: versatility +1; power: 0); Versatility +1, Power +2
You trade off bardic knowledge for a familiar. This is a hard trade, but at fourth level your familiars can perform for you, giving you incredible action economy -- allowing you to get off other actions in your turn other than just the inspire courage. In addition, familiars offer a lot wonderful benefits and capability.

Flame Dancer
(Dip N/A) Versatility: +1, Power +2
This bard keeps all the best features that people look for in a bard: Bardic Knowledge, Inspire Courage, Versatile Performance. It also gets a third level ability that allows it to use a bardic performance to allow the entire party to see through fog and mist. If someone else uses obscuring mist, this can convey a huge advantage to the entire party. The addition of flame spells to your spell list at eighth level is just icing on the cake.

Studious Librarian
(PFS Dip: Versatility 0, Power +1); Versatility +1, Power +2
This is a straight upgrade to the core bard. At first level it gets a bonus scribe scroll feat (which in PFS turns into a bonus knowledge skill focus making it very easy to get familiars for this bard.) At sixth level, it gets the ability to cast spells once a day from a spellbook or scroll from the bard, witch, or wizard list. This ability is a free mnemonic vestment that stacks with mnemonic vestment. A very strong archetype that will want a spellbook of its very own. It also keeps most of what people look for in a bard: bardic knowledge, inspire courage and versatile performance.

Sea Singer
[dip: Versatility 0, power 0]; versatility +1, power +0
I could really see this as a great option for a seagoing campaign like Skull and Shackles or Razor Coast. It gets some cute situational abilities that could make it quite a useful character in a sea-going adventure with lots of storms and weather effects. Sea-shanty is stronger than Countersong, Whistle the Wind could have a bunch of uses. Although it mostly trades off bardic knowledge, you keep the bonus to several skills that would be very useful in a sea campaign, and get the opportunity to reroll those skills. It is too bad that the list does not contain planes and arcana though. Although you're limited to monkey and parrot familiars, both of those are pretty useful familiar

Bloodrager

Credited Contributor: UnArcaneElection

Ancestral Harbinger(Dip versatility -1, power -1; Full versatility -1, power -1):
For a Dip, at 2nd level this trades out Uncanny Dodge for Spiritual Weapon (and only once per day) that you aren't going to scale up because you aren't going to take any more Bloodrager levels in a Dip. For Full progression, the Spiritual Weapon upgrades to a weak pseudo-Eidolon, in exchange for Uncanny Dodge and your 6th and 18th level Bloodline Feats, while you gain the ability to cast Summon Monster spells at levels that would make full casters or even 6/9 casters laugh, even though they gain a weak pseudo-Augment Summons (that stacks with actual Augment Summons). This is somewhat better than Greenrager, but not good enough.

Blood Conduit(Dip versatility +2, power +1; Full versatility +1, power +2):
At 1st level, for the cost of Fast Movement (which you can compensate for later with spells), you get an Improved Combat Maneuver feat without needing to take the useless prerequisite feat. Sign me up! Do note that this archetype traces out Uncanny Dodge (2nd level Bloodrager) for its 5th level ability, so only dip 1 level in this. For Full progression, however, this same trade is not bad once you actually get to 5th level -- when you successfully do a Combat Maneuver on an opponent, you get to cast a Touch spell on them as a Swift Action that does not need another attack roll (you use the Combat Maneuver roll that already succeeded). This gets better if you have the trait Defensive Strategist to compensate for the loss of Uncanny Dodge. At 14th level, you get to do this as a reaction to an opponent attempting to do a Combat Maneuver against you, although you do need a separate Touch Attack roll for this (but with full BAB at 14th level, you have a pretty good chance to make it against many of the opponents that would try a Combat Maneuver against you in the first place) -- this replaces Indomitable Will, so get the feat Iron Will to substitute for it.

Bloodrider
(Dip versatility -1, power -1; Full versatility -2, power -1):
If you somehow get a mount that won't evaporate when an enemy sneezes at it, this helps you make your mount better. For a Dip, you do not actually get a Mount -- you need Full progression for this, and in the meantime you lose both Uncanny Dodge and improved Uncanny Dodge, and then you are going to have to come up with Boon Companion to make your Mount good when you finally get it at 5th level, with no room to spare for any dipping into a non-Animal Companion class, because it starts out *4* levels behind you. Also note that many Bloodline Powers will not synergize very well with being mounted, and you will need to invest in additional feats to be able to cast spells reliably while riding, and in many cases mounts (even ordinary ones) will have trouble fitting into places you need to go. Then you will gain the ability to fly, and make all of that obsolete. At least Blood Bond lets you share the benefit of your immunities, resistances, and spells with your Mount, but it's still not great, and okay only for the highly specialized purpose of a Bloodrager who is going to be mounted almost all of the time.

Bloody Knuckled Rowdy(Dip versatility -1, power -1; Full versatility +1, power +1):
For a Dip, the only thing this would do for you at 1st level is trade out Fast Movement for Improved Unarmed Strike, which you could also get with Blood Conduit, and doesn't scale unless your primary class is Monk or Brawler (both of which get this anyway, EXCEPT for the bugged Strangler Brawler archetype). At 2nd level the only thing this does for you is trade out Uncanny Dodge for a Combat Style feat. If for some reason you really want Improved Unarmed Strike and a Combat Style feat and can't make the feats fit in otherwise, this is barely acceptable; otherwise pass. For Full progression, your Unarmed Strike damage does scale, although 2 levels behind a Monk, and you gain Combat Style Master as a bonus feat (prerequisite-free) in place of Improved Uncanny Dodge, and you count your Bloodrager levels as Monk levels when qualifying for and calculating the effects of Style Feats and feats that have them as prerequisites, so if you really want to use multiple Combat Styles, this can work, although it sounds like considerable care in building will be required to get full advantage of this. Do note that you lose Damage Reduction, which only achieves modest levels on a normal Bloodrager, but you do not directly gain anything in return, so you have to make sure you gain power from versatility. Also note that you get 1 less spell known of each level, which hurts your spellcasting versatility in exchange for some of the martial versatility that you gain (if this was not the case, this archetype would be Full versatility +2, power +1).

Crossblooded Rager(Dip N/A, Full versatility +1, power -1):
This lets you mix and match parts of Bloodlines (which is irrelevant for a Dip), but at the cost of a -2 penalty on top of an already bad Will Save. If you can somehow mitigate that FULLY, this archetype actually becomes pretty good (Full versatility +2, power +1). Note that other classes which progress a Bloodrager Bloodline (such as Arcanist with the Bloodline Development Arcane Exploit) may reject Crossblooded as invalid, because it is an archetype that modifies the Bloodline.

Greenrager
(Dip N/A, Full versatility -1, power -1):
This archetype only kicks in at 3rd level, so no Dip rating. For Full progression, what you trade out isn't great, but what you get isn't great either, since the Summons are so far behind what full casters or even 6/9 casters could do. Furious Summoning tries to make up for it by replacing your 9th level Bloodline Feat with a scaling pseudo-Augment Summons (which stacks with actual Augment Summons), but it isn't really enough.

Id Rager(Dip versatility +1, power +0(?); Full versatility +1, power +1(?)):
This replaces Bloodline and everything about it, so it won't work with classes that progress a Bloodrager Bloodline, such as the Arcanist Exploit Bloodline Development. Too bad, too, because this archetype is what Bloodrager gets instead of an actual Psychic Bloodrager Bloodline, which would have been awesome -- maybe too awesome, so it may have been written this way specifically to prevent the kind of power boost that would otherwise be possible. As it is, it does add some versatility even for a Dip, by giving you a floating Skill Focus (that is, floating in character build, not once in play), but good luck finding anything that will progress your Phantom/Spiritualist powers. Note that rating this is difficult, given that the Spiritualist class that is hybridized into this Bloodrager archetype doesn't even have a guide yet. For Full progression, replacement of Bloodline powers continues, giving you a bonus Saves improvement feat, then makes your Skill Focus and Spiritualist/Phantom powers floating in play (although this is time-consuming), then additional Skill Focus. That by itself would be rather lacklustre, but your spellcasting gets upgraded to Psychic (and you qualify for Occult Skill Unlocks), so as long as you can avoid Emotion effects (usually Fear) that shut down Psychic spellcasting, you are in great shape for spellcasting, and can even do it stealthily without the need for Metamagic (which would be very expensive in terms of power for you, with 4/9 spellcasting) Instead of Bloodline Feats, you get a selection of Psychic Feats, and even Extra Rage.

Metamagic Rager(Dip N/A; Full versatility +1, power +1):
This archetype makes no difference before 5th level, so no Dip rating. For Full progression, you trade out Improved Uncanny Dodge for the ability to sacrifice rounds of Bloodrage to apply a Metamagic feat without increasing the level of spell slot expended, and gives you the option to replace Bloodline Feats with Metamagic Feats. Unfortunately, it doesn't do anything about the increase in casting time that Metamagic (except Quicken Spell) causes for spontaneous spellcasters, which considerably limits its utility, so you are going to have to figure out strategies like cast a battlefield control or combination debuff/blast spell (Dazing Fireball, anyone?) right before you charge into a group of enemies to soften them up. You will probably also need to take Extra Rage to keep from running out of Bloodrage, although if you are friends with a Skald (caution: no Bloodrage-dependent Bloodline powers in Inspired Rage unless they are >=20th level), you can alleviate this problem.

Primalist
(Dip N/A, Full versatility +2, power +1):
This only kicks in beyond Dip levels, but being able to replace a lacklustre Bloodline Power with TWO Barbarian Rage Powers is very good, even without being able to take the feat Extra Rage Power to get more.

Rageshaper
(Dip N/A; Full versatility +0, power +0):
This archetype doesn't do anything before 4th level, and in practice the effects aren't really going to kick in until considerably later, since they depend upon Polymorph spells, but the powers you do eventually get have decent potential, but may be troublesome to set-up, and losing Improved Uncanny Dodge does hurt.

Spelleater
(Dip versatility +0, power -1; Full versatility +0, power +1):
For a Dip, at 2nd level, this trades out Uncanny Dodge for Fast Healing 1. The amount of damage healed is going to be small enough that it probably is not worth losing the ability to act in the Surprise Round, which is what you would really want to dip 2 levels of Bloodrager for (if you get the Defensive Strategist trait to make up for this, this improves to Dip versatility +0, power +0 -- losing Damage Reduction still hurts a bit). For Full progression, Swift Action self-healing by consuming spell slots as a replacement for Improved Uncanny Dodge is a decent trade, even though losing more Damage Reduction still hurts. Do note that the loss of Damage Reduction explicitly does not prevent you from picking up Damage Reduction from another source.

Steelblood
(Dip versatility +1, power -2 to +1; Full versatility +0, power +1):
For a Dip, this may work really well or may not work at all for you, because Heavy Armor still gives you Arcane Spell Failure in other arcane spellcasting classes (and Arcane Armor Training is just bad), so the power rating is smeared over a very wide range. The bonus on combat maneuvers is nice for a Dip, but doesn't scale in Full progression. Armored Swiftness replaces Uncanny Dodge, and Armor Training replaces Improved Uncanny Dodge; this stacks with actual Fighter Armor Training, and thereby with VMC Fighter Armor Training, so when the Armor Master's Handbook comes out, if it does for Armor Training what the Weapon Master's Handbook did for Weapon Training, this archetype might get a LOT better (potentially upgrading both versatility and power, provided that you go VMC Fighter). Rounding things out, Immediate Action sacrifice of spell slots to gain a deflection bonus to Armor Class is nice, and probably better than the modest Damage Reduction you give up in exchange. If you want to be a Hellknight Bloodrager, THIS is the chassis to build upon.

Untouchable Rager(Dip N/A, Full versatility -2, power -1):
No effect on a Dip; for Full progression, you trade out ALL spellcasting for spell resistance that you only get during Bloodrage, and that you can't turn off; you have to get all the way to 14th level to have it on (and finally controllable) when not Bloodraging, but it is still always on when you are Bloodraging. Pass on this, unless every spellcaster that you ever meet is going to be hostile, and even then, it still seems to be not very good.

Urban Bloodrager(Dip versatility +1, power -1 to +1; Full versatility +2, power +0 to +2):
This makes your Bloodrage less effective overall (and takes away the Shield proficiency that you aren't going to use anyway, but on the plus side you get no AC penalty) in exchange for allowing you to use Charisma-, Dexterity-, and Intelligence- based skills while in (Controlled) Bloodrage; it will not affect your spellcasting from other classes, which is going to depend upon the feat Mad Magic. On the other hand, such benefits as you get from Controlled Bloodrage can be applied to Dexterity, which enables Dexterity-based builds -- hence, the smeared power ratings for both a Dip and Full progression. Note that if you are going for a Dexterity-based build (in either case), it helps to be friends with an Urban Skald. For Full progression, both Blood Sanctuary and the Restrained Magic that replaces it are largely forgettable (the latter is probably slightly better overall), but at 7th level and every 3 levels thereafter, things start getting good (even though you trade out Damage Reduction for this), letting you snag Bard and Magus spells; unlike Bloodline Spells, you can even swap these out later for other spells, in case they become obsolete at higher levels.

Brawler:

Cavalier:

Cleric

Credited Contributors: Silver Surfer, My Self

Appeaser
Power: -2 / Ver: -2

I have seen others disagree but in my mind they must be going blind...... an utterly abysmal archetype. As bad as the Cloistered Cleric.... now that’s saying something!!

Asmodean Advocate
Power: 0 / Ver: 0

OK if you want something a bit RP thematic but other than that... MEH!

Cloistered Cleric
Power: -2 / Ver: -2

Its been said many times what a complete waste of space this is.

Crusader
Power: -1 / Ver: -1

It gives up a fair bit for its selection of feats - if there were some more options it might make a push to 0 or +1 but other than that... no thanks.

Devilbane Priest
Power = 0 / Ver = 0

OK... gives up a domain for Heavy Armour and a few feat options.... depends on the campaign I guess. Almost makes a +1 but not quite due to the domain hit.

Devout Pilgrim
Power = +1 / Ver = +1

Not bad at all, the restricted domain isn’t great but the important thing is that you still keep both. Caravan Bond is potentially very useful.

Divine Strategist
Power = 0 / Ver = 0

OK.... if for whatever reason you are obsessed about winning initiative every time at the expense of everything else then great!... Nothing beats this... But overall I think it just evens out - it needed Wisdom to initiative to really make it work.

Ecclesitheurge
Power = +1 / Ver = -2

For 90% of builds it really isn’t worth it for a variety of reasons - the idea was great but it was poorly designed and didn’t go far enough. However.... there is the glaring exception of the Scribe Scroll build. With some feat investment and the right race, it’s pretty easy to get your UMD bonus high by 7-9th level. Now here comes the clever part..... most deities grant 5 domains and 5-6 subdomains and with this archetype you can shuffle your way through them all, scribing all the non-cleric spells as you go, which for some of the deities is quite significant. The idea gets even more interesting as a cleric of a philosophy where you just handpick all the best domains and subdomains. Even if you never scribe scrolls off a wizard or druid (which you would) you still end up with an impressive variety of spells at your disposal that can be cast with ease. It can get a bit pricey as you get higher but it’s still pretty solid. However, due to the way archetypes are ranked, I have to give it one overall grading - BEWARE it’s +1 power is highly conditional! The archetype still irks me as a golden missed opportunity!!

Evangelist
Power = +1 / Ver = -1

A good option if you want to focus on buffing. However the loss of a domain, channel dice, medium armour and shields is quite a hit and will impact on what you can do overall. In addition the replacement of spontaneous heals/harms is a step down IMO - the spells given not being up to scratch. Gets a lot of undue hype I think.

Herald Caller
Power = +1 / Ver = +2

The best cleric archetype IMO by a long way - makes a really effective summoner and due to basically receiving 3 free feats and a trait, means you still have room to play around with your build. In fact the free feats and a trait make this archetype - even if you don’t invest in sacred summons it still makes a great summoning build. There is enough potential left to get some specialisation in an additional area. For example Feather Domain for an animal companion, Ash for blasting, Void for some more summon buffing, Hangover Cleric ... etc

Hidden Priest
Power = -1 / Ver = -1

Really... what is the point of this?!

Iron Priest
Power = 0 / Ver = 0

Depends entirely on the campaign and what is available.

Merciful Healer
Power = -1 / Ver = -1

OK if what your party needs is 9th level casting with an emphasis on healing, pretty terrible for anything else!

Roaming Exorcist
Power = 0 / Ver = 0

OK.... but incredibly niche and could easily be viewed as a -1.

Scroll Scholar
Power = -1 / Ver = -1

Gives up loads for some very wishy washy abilities...... you don’t even get Scribe Scroll!!

Separatist
Power = 0 / Ver = 0

Very situationally dependent. If you’re in a campaign with restricted list of deities a definite +1/+1. Even if you’re not, you may potentially want a domain purely for its spell list and be prepared to put up with the delayed domain power progression. However, these days there are so many deities available that pretty much any domain combination is viable (including the legendary Travel & Trickery combo!!) - thus its usefulness is diluted. V.good back in the day!

Theologian
Power = 0 / Ver = 0

Gets a lot of hype as a blaster and may be useful in some scenarios, but you are pretty much wired into the Ash subdomain as your sole choice, which although great, is completely fire based - the most common resistance going. The Metamagic feats are OK but nothing to get excited about. There should have been some way to modify your element or maybe give a couple of bonus feats. Deceptively MEH!

Undead Lord
Power = 0 / Ver = -1

Really should be a +1/+1 archetype but was designed poorly. Evil clerics are supposed to be the masters of the undead and this really just falls short. There are some good elements to the build like the bonus feats but the corpse companion is really bad. In my mind it should have further traded medium armour and shield for some better goodies.

Elder Mythos Cultist 

Power +1 / Versatility -1

Being Charisma-based and getting a damage-dealing channel does a lot to make up for the loss of spontaneous casting, and while the domain selection is limited, the domains you can get are pretty awesome. You're still a really crappy healer. But it's a small price to pay for getting to put Cthulhu as your deity and actually mean it.

Druid:

Fighter

Credited Contributors: UnArcaneElection

Aldori Swordlord(Dip N/A; Full versatility -1, power +0): 

No effect on a (short) Dip, but if you are going to be one of those duelists from Brevoy, including a long dip to proceed into the Aldori Swordlord prestige class, then this is for you, although for the latter option, you might want to delay entry until 8th level to get Steel Net. A guide specific to this archetype and the prestige class and their key weapon is available, although it actually somewhat recommends against combining the archetype and the prestige class. This archetype is partially obsolete, but no Aldori Swordlord archetype of Swashbucker exists as of now.

Archer
(Dip versatility +0, power +1; Full versatility -2, power -1):

 Widely criticized as being a terrible archetype to go single-class in even if you want to specialize in archery, this offers a minor perk at 2nd level (Hawekeye) and a more significant perk at 3rd level (Trick Shot -- you start training in the footsteps of Lars Andersen), although the later unique alternate class features take too long to come on line and are usually considered not to be enough to compensate for what you are giving up.

Armor Master(Dip versatility +0, power +1; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

Minor perk at 2nd level is probably better than Bravery in most cases, although perhaps not in a fear-heavy campaign. If you go Full with this, you become really hard to kill, but your damage output will suffer.

Blackjack
(Dip versatility +1, power +1; Full versatility -1, power -1): 

Well-Paid Loyalty is just about straight up better than Bravery, and if you're really worried about about losing on Will Saves versus fear, you can choose Iron Will and Improved Iron Will in place of combat feats (you can also choose Teamwork feats, but most of those are Combat feats anyway). The downside? You have to be a mercenary. The later levels will be really hard for players to use, since they affect Teamwork feats and replace bonus feats, but they might be pretty good for GMs to use to make teams of martials that show those snooty spellcasting players that they aren't as overpowered as they think. (By the way, that last part is supposed to be a joke.)

Brawler
(Dip versatility -1, power +1; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

At 2nd level you get an ability that replaces Armor Training 1, which is a 3rd level ability. Bull Rush, Drag, and Reposition are not the most useful combat maneuvers to get a +1 bonus on (and against), but if you want them, this is your Dip. If you actually go to 3rd level, you get Close Weapon Group Weapon Training (although it probably doesn't count is actual Weapon Training) in place of Armor Training. Later abilities look pretty good for being an anti-spellcaster, but if you are going Full, you probably want the Brawler class instead of the Brawler archetype of Fighter, although getting anti-spellcaster features in addition to a lot more Bonus Combat Feats is hard to say no to.

Buckler Duelist(caution -- name from d20pfsrd.com may be wrong -- Dip versatility +0, power +1; Full versatility -1, power +0): 

If you want to specialize in Disarm, this is your Dip. If you want to specialize in Sunder and use a Falcata as well and go Full, the later trade-offs aren't terrible. It looks like you need to have military training in Taldor, though.

Cad
(Dip versatility +0, power +1; Full versatility -1, power +0):

 If you want to specialize in fighting dirty, this is the Dip for you, but if you want to go Full, consider the Brawler class instead. Strangely, even though you give up all Armor Training, you don't give up Armor Mastery.

Corsair
(Dip versatility +0, power +1; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

In most campaigns you won't need this, but if you are in a nautical or river campaign, you may need this really bad. Reducing Armor Check Penalty to 0 for Acrobatics and (especially) Swim checks eventually even for Heavy Armor could be a real lifesaver. Not taking Armor Class penalty when using Cleave or Great Cleave is also a nice perk.

Crossbowman
(Dip N/A; Full versatility -2, power -2): 

I just have to ask: Is this the worst Fighter archetype ever? If you want to be cool with Crossbows, go Bolt Ace archetype of Gunslinger.

Cyber-SoldierNo effect on a Dip, and too campaign-specific to rate for full.

Dawnflower Dervish
(Dip N/A; Full versatility -1, power +1):
No effect on a Dip; if you want to go Full, you should probably use Whirling Dervish archetype of Swashbuckler instead, although Desert Stride to gain ability to move through difficult terrain (stacking with feats for this) is nice, and being able to move and make a partial full attack (eventually almost a full attack) is also nice.

Dragoon
(Dip versatility -1, power +1; Full versatility -2, power -1): 

This Fighter archetype attempts to be a Cavalier replacement, but doesn't give you a scaling Mount. A Dip could be good if you really want the two feats that replace the 1st level Bonus Combat Feat AND you plan to go with an Animal Companion primary class and Boon Companion or the Nature Soul/Animal Ally/Boon Companion feat chain to get a mount, but if you want to go Full, it is probably better to be a Cavalier; I thought about Dragoon VMC Cavalier, but most of your Cavalier abilities would just take too long to come online.

Drill Sergeant(Dip versatility +1, power +1; Full versatility +0, power +0): 

If you want the Cavalier's Tactician ability but not all the other Cavalier stuff, and you want more Bonus Combat Feats than a Cavalier gets, this is the Dip or Full progression for you. For Full progression, do note that you only get 1 weapon group to use with your Weapon Training; this becomes less painful if you are heading a BIG group of martials (upgrade Full to vers +1, power +1 or even +2).

Eldritch Guardian(Dip vers +0, power +1; Full vers +1, power +2):
Replace your 1st and 2nd Bonus Combat Feats with a Familiar that gets to share your Combat Feats (not just the Bonus ones)? If you need a martial dip and are then going to go into a primary class that has a Familiar, but are not feat-starved, this is the Dip for you. Also, Steel Will is just outright better than Bravery. If you are going Full, your initial trade-offs become amortized quite well, and the action economy improvement is great.

Free Hand Fighter(Dip versatility -1, power +1; Full versatility -1, power -1):

 For a Dip, replacing 1 rank of Bravery with 1 rank of Deceptive Strike is a good trade if you want to specialize in Disarm and Feint; for later levels, the tradeoffs are not very good, and you really want to be a Swashbuckler instead of using this archetype.

Free-Style Fighter(Dip versatility +1, power +1; Full versatility +2, power -2): 

Unlike Martial Master, this archetype is Dip-friendly, giving you Martial Versatility in exchange for your 1st level Bonus Combat Feat, and Escape Artist and Knowledge (Local) in exchange for Knowledge (Dungeoneering) and Ride, so overall an upgrade. For Full progression, progression of Martial Flexibility unfortunately not only replaces all ranks of Weapon Training, but also your 6th level, 10th level, and 12th level Bonus Combat Feats, and Free Fighting Style replaces all ranks of Armor Training (but strangely not Armor Mastery); it encourages you to pick up multiple Combat Style feats, but you have less than the normal number of Bonus Combat Feats to use for these.

Gladiator

Although this actually has a potentially good effect on a Dip if you don’t need Heavy Armor proficiency, it is overall too campaign-specific to rate, even though it is not officially tied to a specific AP, because it uses Victory Points, which I have not heard of anyone actually using.

Learned Duelist(caution: d20pfsrd.com name may be wrong -- Dip versatility -1, power -1; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

For a Dip, giving up Medium and Heavy Armor proficiency may or may not bother you depending upon what you are doing, but trading your 1st level Bonus Combat Feat for what is effectively a limited Dodge (although it stacks with actual Dodge) is not so great. For going Full, if you want to play a Swashbuckler who relies on brains rather than charming personality, and doesn't have to worry about Panache Points running out, this looks like a decent way to do it. I suspect that you may need to hail from a dueling academy in Ustalav to take this archetype.

Lore Warden(Dip versatility +2, power +1; Full versatility +1, power +2): 

If you don't mind giving up Medium and Heavy Armor and all Shields, you get to benefit from more class skills and skill ranks, replacing the first rank of Bravery Combat Expertise (which isn't great but is the prerequisite for an awful lot of things that it shouldn't be) opens up a whole lot of options if you dip 2 levels. If you go Full, you really need to be Dex-based, but you get to be awesome at Combat Maneuvers and continue to benefit from the additional class skills and skill ranks, get the remaining ranks of Bravery (for what they are worth), and you might actually want to use Combat Expertise for partial compensation for your diminished armor proficiency. Know Thy Enemy (7th level) is a decent complement to your Knowledge skills, although it hurts from needing a Standard Action until you get to 14th level (at which it uses a Swift Action); Hair's Breadth is decent anti-Critical defense; Know Weakness (19th level) gets partially superceded just 1 level later by Weapon Mastery, but it's still nice to have it for backup in case you can't use your weapon chosen for Weapon Mastery.

Martial Master(Dip N/A; Full versatility +2, power -1): 

This only starts to have an effect at 5th level; if you REALLY want more than a Dip worth of Martial Flexibility but don't want to be a Brawler, this is for you, although you lose out on Advanced Weapon Training options due to trading out Weapon Training.

Mobile Fighter(Dip versatility +1, power +0; Full versatility -1, power +0):

 For a Dip of 2 levels, the first rank of Bravery is replaced by the first rank of Agility, which is probably worse overall for Full progression, but better for a Dip if your primary class has a bad Fortitude Save; if you want to go Full, you should probably use Whirling Dervish archetype of Swashbuckler instead, and Leaping Attack is not a good tradeoff for Weapon Training; being able to Take 10 and occasionally Take 20 on Acrobatics checks is nice; being able to move and make a partial full attack (eventually almost a full attack) is also nice, except that these benefits take a LONG time to come online; and now that Advanced Weapons Training options are available for Fighters that have Weapon Training, your lack of Weapon Training is really going to hurt at these high levels.

Mutation Warrior(Dip N/A; Full versatility +0, power +1):
No effect on a Dip (unless you go 3 levels, but then it won't scale), but if you go Full progression, if you can afford to give up Armor Training, you can eventually become a real monster.

Pack Mule(Dip versatility +0, power -2; Full versatility +1, power -1): 

For a Dip, even though you get more class skills and skill ranks, losing your 1st level Bonus Combat Feat really hurts; for Dip of 2 levels or Full Progression, a scaling bonus to Sleight of Hand checks to conceal objects on your body and carry more weight is nice, but trading out Bravery for this makes you more likely to bug out instead of using this ability, Weight Training is nice, but your employer should really get you Muleback Cords instead of making you trade out all ranks of Armor Mastery. Finally, why is this an archetype of Fighter instead of Rogue?

Phalanx Soldier(Dip versatility +0, power +1; Full versatility -1, power -1): 

For a Dip, Stand Firm is probably better than Bravery (considering 1 rank of each); for Full progression, it hurts to give up both Armor Training and Weapon Training for alternate class features that in several cases have limited uses per day and/or require you to be not Flat-Footed (although these limitations do not apply to the spear/polearm and Tower Shield bonuses), but if you want to go Roman Legionnaire and can get Uncanny Dodge or the Defensive Strategist trait (which arguably upgrade Full progression to vers -1, power +0), this is for you. Strangely, even though you give up all Armor Training, you don't give up Armor Mastery. This archetype is better for GMs building armies of martials.

Polearm Master(Dip versatility +0, power +0; Full versatility +0, power -1): 

For a Dip, Pole Fighting is nice but doesn't really kick in until higher levels; for Full progression, giving up Armor Training and Weapon Training really hurts (even though you can get effectively the basic bonuses of Weapon Training with polearms), but Flexible Flanker is nice for battlefield control, and Step Aside and Polearm Parry are nice defensive options, although the former is mostly obsolete by the time you get it (due to progression of Pole Fighting).

Relic Master(Dip versatility +1, Power +0; Full versatility +1, power -1):
For a Dip, depending upon what you need, you may be glad for the trade of Handle Animal and Ride for Knowledge (Arcana) and (especially) Use Magic Device as class skills. For Full progression, strangely for an archetype that appears in the Weapon Master's Handbook, this archetype trades out all ranks of Weapon Training (along with Armor Training and Armor Mastery, but strangely not Weapon Mastery). In return, you get to use Item Mastery feats more often, although you have to get Item Mastery feats as character feats and not as Bonus Combat Feats. The Improvised Item Mastery ability that you get at 19th level has the problem that any use of an Item Mastery feat counts against uses of all Item Mastery feats, even though some have a lot more uses per day than others.

Rough Rider(Dip versatility -1, power +1; Full versatility -2, power -1): 

This Fighter archetype attempts to be another Cavalier replacement, but doesn't give you a scaling Mount. A Dip could be good if you are willing to practice with your Mount for 1 hour (maybe you can find a Deific or Empyreal Obedience that you can do this as part of?) AND you plan to go with an Animal Companion primary class and Boon Companion or the Nature Soul/Animal Ally/Boon Companion feat chain to get a mount, but if you want to go Full, it is probably better to be a Cavalier; I thought about Dragoon VMC Cavalier, but most of your Cavalier abilities would just take too long to come online, although if you do go to really high levels, this combination might be better than Dragoon VMC Cavalier. Strangely, even though you give up all Weapon Training, you don't give up Weapon Mastery.

Savage Warrior(Dip versatility +0, power -1; Full versatility -2, power -1): 

If you already have Natural Weapons, this is for you, although for a Dip, Spark of Life is less likely to come up as relevant than Bravery, and by the time it comes up often, your single rank in it will make only a slight difference; for Full progression, the later benefits are probably a decent trade for Weapon Training, although the scaling penalty to Armor Class can really hurt (even with the really late upgrade that eventually reduces this penalty), so if you are going to use this, make sure you have your Armor Class through the roof and make sure you are of a race that has a Constitution bonus.

Shielded Fighter(Dip N/A; Full versatility -1, power -1): 

This has no effect on a Dip unless you go to 3rd level; for Full progression, it makes you a turtle and gives you some options to defend adjacent allies, but hurts your ability to do damage; note that it trades out all of both Armor Training and Weapon Training, although you gain basic bonuses equivalent to Weapon Training for Shield Bashes.

Siegebreaker
(Dip Versatility +0, Power +1; Full Versatility +0, Power +0):
For a Dip of 1 level, Breaker Rush is like getting Improved Bull Rush and Improved Overrun for the price of 1 Bonus Combat Feat, and it even stacks a little bit with the actual feats (which you will need if you want the Greater versions of these feats). For a dip of 2 levels, you get to do a free Improved Overrun in all but name (again stacking a little bit with the actual feat) if you succeed at a Bull Rush (Breaker Momentum) -- this is worth losing the first rank of Bravery for a worse ability (Armored Vigor, which gives you an average of 1/2 Hit Point per level -- definitely less useful than Bravery, even though that isn't stellar itself). For Full Progression, though, losing Bravery for Armored Vigor hurts; the other tradeoffs are decent, but do not really make up for this. At least you get to keep both Armor Training (and Armor Mastery) and Weapon Training (but not Weapon Mastery), so when the Armor Master's Handbook comes out, as with the Weapon Master's Handbook, this archetype may become better to most other Fighter archetypes (which trade out Armor Training and Weapon Training).

Tactician
(Dip versatility +2, power +1; Full versatility +1, power +2): 

If you don't mind giving up Heavy Armor and Tower Shields, you get to benefit from more class skills and skill ranks and replacing all ranks of Bravery with a scaling bonus to initiative. If you go Full, you get the Cavalier's Tactician ability (which gets better if you actually dip Cavalier) at the cost of only the 1st rank of Weapon Training, and you get to expand Aid Another to more allies and eventually a Swift Action Insight Bonus to an ally who doesn't need to be adjacent for only the cost of the 3rd and 4th ranks of Armor Training.

Thunderstriker
(Dip N/A; Full versatility +0, power +0): 

This has no effect on a Dip unless you go to 3rd level; for Full progression, the alternate class features are nice, but only mildly so since you get them only with a Buckler (and often lose the benefits of enchantments on the Buckler), and you give up all Armor Training and half of your Weapon Training for them.

Titan Fighter(Dip vers -1, power -2; Full vers -2, power +0):
The loss of your 1st level Bonus Combat Feat hurts, and the replacement ability doesn't get good until you are well out of Dip range; for Full, this makes you awesome at Combat Maneuvers, but only when wielding oversized weapons, and at the cost of giving up all Armor Training and Weapon Training, except strangely not Armor Mastery and Weapon Mastery.

Tower Shield Specialist(Dip versatility +0, power +1; Full versatility -1, power +0):

 For a Dip or Full Progression, trading Bravery for Burst Barrier is probably about even; if you go to 3rd level, the Tower Shield Training modification to Armor Training (you do NOT give up Armor Training 1 for this) is good if you actually plan to use a Tower Shield, and doesn't hurt you when you aren't using a Tower Shield; for Full Progression, you get to become really hard to kill and provide some defense to adjacent allies, but hurt your ability to do damage; that said, if you get 5 or 6 levels in this and then go into a Tower Shieldadin and/or Stalwart Defender build, the Tower Shield Specialist replacement for Weapon Training 1 becomes a really good trade (upgrades this archetype to vers -1, power +2).

Trench Fighter: Too campaign-specific to rate.

Two-Handed Fighter(Dip versatility -1, power -1; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

For a Dip or Full progression, Shattering Strike is somewhat worse than Bravery; if you go to 3rd level, Overhand Chop improves your damage output, although to get good use of this in a Dip, you need a race that gets a bonus to Strength AND a bonus to whatever other key ability score you have, OR a super bonus to Strength AND no penalty to whatever other key ability score you have (sorry, Orc Scarred Witch Doctor -- you just got nerfed hard-core, while your Half-Orc brethren going conventional Witch just got boosted into the stratosphere). For Full progression, you get significant damage boosts in exchange for giving up all Armor Training, although Devastating Blow (19th level) is underwhelming (consider it as more of a backup in case you don't have your weapon chosen for Weapon Mastery); note that you can only use Weapon Training for two-handed weapons, but you keep all ranks of it, so go ahead and use the last 3 ranks of it for Advanced Weapon Training. A guide for Fighters using two-handed weapons is available (not necessarily using this archetype -- Mobile Fighter is also highly recommended, and some other archetypes get honorable mentions).

Two-Weapon Warrior(Dip N/A; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

No effect on a Dip unless you go to 3rd level (in which case the 1st rank of Defensive Flurry is nice); at higher levels this trades out defense in favor of slicing and dicing with two weapons (eventually including two one-handed weapons) or a double weapon (however, Rules As Written, Defensive Flurry doesn't work with a double weapon, although Rules As Intended it probably should). Note that you give up all ranks of Weapon Training, but get the basic bonuses of Weapon Training with two weapons or a double weapon, and you still keep Weapon Mastery. Even lacking the option to get Advanced Weapon Training later, the upgrade in damage output may still be well worthwhile.

Unarmed Fighter(Dip versatility -1, power +1; Full versatility -1, power +2): 

If you want Improved Unarmed Strike and an almost prerequisite-free Style Feat and don’t mind giving up proficiency with Medium and Heavy Armor and Shields, getting both of these in exchange for your 1st level Bonus Combat Feat is a really good deal for a Dip. For both a Dip and Full progression, Harsh Training is better than Bravery unless you are in a Fear-heavy campaign or you are going to transition to a Psychic spellcasting class (or option of another class that gives you Psychic spellcasting). For Full progression, you become hard to kill even though you trade out all Armor Training as well as Medium and Heavy Armor and Shields, and while you don't the Monk's and Brawler's scaling versions of Unarmed Strike, you still get some damage scaling and the ability to fight dirty, because you still have all ranks of Weapon Training even though the Weapon Group choices are extremely limited (so use ranks after the 1st for Advanced Weapon Training), although at 20th level, it hurts that even if you specialize in Monk Weapons or Natural Attacks, you can only apply Weapon mastery to Unarmed Strike.

Unbreakable(Dip versatility -1, power +1; Full versatility +0, power +0): 

If you want Endurance and Diehard (going Stalwart Defender, perhaps?), getting both of these in exchange for your 1st level Bonus Combat Feat and Tower Shield proficiency is a good deal, especially for a Dip; for both a Dip and Full progression, Unflinching is just plain better than Bravery. For Full progression, you become both hard to kill or disable (despite having no Armor Training) and harder to mind-control than a standard Fighter, although keep in mind that Unflinching is still shoring up a bad Will Save (finally alleviated only at 20th level). You do lose all Weapon Training, so your damage output will suffer.

Vengeful Hunter(caution: d20pfsrd.com name may be wrong -- Dip versatility +1, power +1; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

For a Dip, if you don't mind giving up Heavy Armor and Tower Shield proficiency, this is a good deal, because in return you get Whip proficiency (for which you will need to invest some feats to make it good), more class skills (unfortunately not more skill ranks), and (at 2nd level) Tenacious Tracker, which is better than Bravery unless you are in a Fear-heavy campaign or you are going to transition to a Psychic spellcasting class (or option of another class that gives you Psychic spellcasting). For Full progression, this makes you a skirmisher and controller/debuffer instead of a straight-up frontliner, although this (compared with the lack of increase in skill ranks) makes me wonder why this is a Fighter archetype instead of a Ranger or Slayer archetype.

Viking
(Dip versatility +1, power +1; Full versatility -1, power +0):

 For a Dip, if you need Move Action Intimidate (debuffing Witch Gish, perhaps?), take 2 levels of this For Full progression, if you want to be a hybrid of Fighter and Barbarian (including losing Heavy Armor and Tower Shields), this is for you, although losing your 2nd rank of Bravery without getting anything in return (Fearsome has only 3 ranks with a long gap between your 2nd level and 8th level) is somewhat painful (I wish they had left in the 2nd rank of Bravery, that you get at 6th level). You will probably need to take Extra Rage at least once, due to the delayed Rage progression; otherwise you will have trouble fully compensating for losing all ranks of Weapon Training (although strangely not Weapon Mastery). Or you could just be a Barbarian instead.

Weapon Bearer Squire(Dip versatility -2, power -2; Full versatility -1, power -1): 

If you're In The Rear With The Gear (and that is probably as painful as it sounds), this is for you. It doesn't make much sense as a Dip, and it only makes sense for Full progression if YOU are the Cohort.

Weapon Master(Dip versatility +0, power -1; Full versatility -2, power -1): 

For a Dip, the 1st rank of Weapon Guard is probably somewhat less useful than Bravery, especially if you are in a Fear-heavy campaign or plan to do Psychic Spellcasting; for a Dip up to 3rd level, getting Weapon Training instead of Armor Training is potentially helpful, but it only applies to 1 weapon instead of a whole Weapon Group (so it semi-upgrades this archetype to Dip vers -1, power +1). For Full progression, the early Weapon Training is not as good as it looks -- although you get the full basic bonus progression of Weapon Training 2 levels early, you get no more actual ranks of Weapon Training to use for Advanced Weapon Training, and your Weapon Training still applies to just 1 weapon instead of 1 Weapon Group, although you do keep Weapon Mastery and get some benefits that improve your Criticals, and all the way up at 19th level, you get a Standard Action Touch Attack that ignores Damage Reduction and Hardness, apparently unlimited times per day, and apparently without sacrificing anything this high level (strangely, you keep Armor Mastery, even though you lose all ranks of Armor Training), so this archetype could be decent for a Critical Fisher (upgrades to vers -2, power +1).

Racial Archetypes

Airborne Ambusher(Strix -- Dip versatility +0, power +0; Full versatility +1, power +1): 

For both a Dip and Full progression, gaining Fly in place of Climb is a no-brainer, and you probably aren't going to mind the loss of Heavy Armor and Tower Shields anyway, but losing ALL of your ranks of Bravery in exchange for the ability to select Flyby Attack or Hover in place of a Bonus Combat Feat really hurts; given that you gave up Heavy Armor, I wish that you weren't deprived of Bravery. For becoming a good airborne skirmisher, giving up Weapon Training is probably a decent trade, although strangely you keep Weapon Mastery. You also keep all ranks of Armor Training and Armor Mastery.

Cavern Sniper(Drow -- Dip versatility -1, power +2; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

For a Dip, you get the poor Drow's version of Arcane Archers Imbue Arrow at 1st level in exchange for your 1st level Bonus Combat Feat (also, you exchange Intimidate for Stealth), only you use it with your spell-like abilities instead of spells (be sure you DON'T trade these out for an alternate racial trait), and this gets a lot better if you upgrade yourself with the Drow Nobility feat chain, although you have to go all the way to Greater Drow Nobility for this to become good. (Note: You want to use this with Darkness or Deeper Darkness -- Faerie Fire is already Long range.) For Full progression, you keep these benefits, but the further tradeoffs are not as good -- Quick and Deadly is an okay replacement for a Bonus Combat Feat, but Sniper Training gives you the basic bonuses of Weapon Training with only Bows or Crossbows (to which your Weapon Mastery is also restricted), but this and Greater Imbued Shot take out all actual ranks of Weapon Training. Greater Imbued Shot is a minor upgrade which becomes superfluous once you have Greater Drow Nobility (which you really need to get to make full use of this archetype).

Dirty Fighter(Orc -- Dip versatility +0, power -1; Full versatility +0, power +1): 

For a Dip, losing Bravery for Sidestep is probably a downgrade; for Full progression, this is going to be partly superseded by getting Improved Combat Maneuver feats, but Maneuver Training, Speedy Tricks, and Double Tricks make up for this and the loss of all your Weapon Training ranks (although strangely not Weapon Mastery).

Foehammer(Dwarf -- Dip N/A; Full versatility -2 power +0):
This has no effect on a Dip unless you go to 3rd level; for Full progression, you exchange all ranks of weapon Training (but keep the basic bonuses of Weapon Training for Hammers, as well as Weapon Mastery with a Hammer) and all ranks of Armor Training (which are less needed for a Dwarf -- just don't trade out Slow and Steady) for some battlefield control abilities -- overall, probably an even trade in power, although your versatility really suffers.

Swarm Fighter(Kobold -- Dip versatility -1, power +1; Full versatility -2 power +1): 

For a Dip or Full progression, if you want to be a Mouser Swashbuckler but not worry about Panache (but in exchange, you have to get Weapon Finesse on your own -- or Dip 1 level in Mouser Swashbuckler as well) while being able to get inside Reach wielders' minimum range, this archetype is for you. One of the interesting alternate class features is that at 9th level (Strike the Underbelly) creatures that share your space (regardless of their size) are denied their Dexterity Bonus to Armor Class against your attacks, so if you go VMC Rogue (which eventually gets you Sneak Attack -- upgrade this with Accomplished Sneak Attacker and optionally with a non-Rogue Sneak Attack class), you could start doing some serious damage. On the downside, all of your Bonus Combat Feats at levels 4n + 2 are replaced by Teamwork feats, so only take this archetype if you have allies that will also take these feats; you can't get the Advanced Weapon Training Fighter Tactics (Inquisitor's Solo Tactics for the Fighter), because you trade out all ranks of Weapon Training.

Gunslinger

Credited Contributor: Squirrel_Dude

Bolt Ace 

(Power -1, Versatility 0)

Being able to build a class that's built around a crossbow is nice and all but this class isn’t that much better at it than your normal fighter or ranger specialized into them. That's besides the fact that guns are, mechanically, simply better than traditional ranged weapons when you are able to negate their downsides with class abilities. Gunslingers get ways to ignore the chance of them exploding and make them stupidly affordable (and marketable). You trade out power for still being a ranged combat specialist with slow loading weapons.

Gun Scavenger 

(Power +1, Versatility +1)

It takes you longer to clear your weapon and you can't reduce a misfire chance to 0, but you gain the ability to spontaneously make your weapon have magical effects for rounds/gunslinger level. That's pretty great alone. You also gain on top of that, in place of nimble a dodge bonus while wearing light armor, the ability to decrease a target's dodge or insight bonuses to armor class. Because this is a class that needed more accuracy. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Gun Tank 

(Power +1, Versatility 0)

You get the fortification enchantment as a class ability, that "doesn't stack" because you instead get to rollit twice if you have the enchantment on your armor. Resilience is nice because even successful fort saves can give leave you with problematic effects, but it comes very late for the class. You lose out on 5 bonus feats, which does hurt because you're a pretty feat starved class, but you're effectively getting medium armor proficiency, heavy armor proficiency, shield proficiency, and tower shield proficiency for free at level 1. The archetype doesn't really make you any more versatile, but it does make you more powerful in my opinion.

Gunner Squire 

(Power -2, Versatility -2)

This is an NPC or Cohort archetype. Skip.

Musket Master 

(Power +2, Versatility -1)

This accelerates the rate at which two-handed firearms become better than one-handed ones by giving you move action reloads at level 3. With alchemical cartridges (which you can make for cheap) it will drop you down to free actions. Simply fantastic. If you want to use two-handed firearms, or really any firearms at all, this should be the first archetype you consider and compare everything else to.

Mysterious Stranger 

(Power +1, Versatility +1)

The Mysterious Stranger trades out a focus on perception and sense motive for a focus on skills like bluff and diplomacy, which are better for directly influencing NPCs and enemies. Your will save will suffer slightly, but you gain a in-class luck bonus to it to help balance out the decreases Wisdom. It also comes with the ability to spend grit to add Charisma to damage (awesome), and the ability to spend grit to make a shot that missed deal half damage (okay). The ability to ignore misfire for Cha mod times/day is icing on the cake. Unfortunately this archetype no longer stacks with pistolero.

Pistolero 

(Power +1, Versatility 0)

My thoughts on this class are similar to the Musketmaster. You give up the option to use multiple types of firearms, in exchange for making your character better with a single type of firearm. While I do think two-handed firearms are better in the long run, this archetype does get some pretty nice toys. Most notable it Twin Shot Knockdown which lets a gunslinger, after hitting a target twice, spend 1 point of grit and knock the target prone with no save and no CMB check.

Siege Gunner 

(Power -2, Versatility -1)

 Siege weapons do not fit inside your normal dungeon and are not remotely portable. However, the class is unique in how it is the only one with Int based grit. You don't lose out on normal gun training rules, so you're still good to go there. Nonetheless, you give up all of your feats, and get poor replacements for Nimble and Gunslinger Initiative.

Techslinger 

(Power +2, Versatility -1)

Firearms are "balanced" by being expensive, short ranged and occassionally exploding. Tech firearms are only expensive. Eventually you gain the ability to use heavy weapons as if they were normal firearms for deeds. If your GM is going to give you access to zero rifles and rail guns, have fun. You get to add dexterity to damage with them and ignore detrimental glitches for your favorite weapon from level 5 onward.

Wyrm Sniper 

(Power -1, Versatility +1)

Early on this class is all bonuses, granting a character free proficiency with light siege engines, and knowledge(arcana) as a class skill. From level 7 onward however, the class begins to force you to start focusing in light siege weapons. Siege weapons do not fit into dungeons. You can hang out in this archetype for a little bit, but that's about all. Better this than siege gunner 

Racial Archetypes

Buccaneer (Humans)

(Power 0, Versatility +1)

Similar to the Mysterious stranger, this class uses her Charisma instead of Wisdom for grit. You can drink to regain grit points, and gain a bunch of other neat abilities. While it seems like the class would only be good in a nautical campaign, it's actually going to be pretty decent in any situation.

Bushwacker (Kobolds)(Power -1, Versatility -1)

You lose out on grit points in exchange for an additional way to gain grit points that any gunslinger can get. You have 2d6 sneak attack damage by level at level 4, increasing to 6d6 sneak attack damage at level 20, but lose out on all gun training. You increase range at which you can apply that sneak attack damage with your short range weapons.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Experimental Gunsmith (Gnomes)(Power -1, Versatility +1)

This stuff is all more fun and funky than it is effective. Most of the stat boosts (extra capacity/range/damage) come with pretty awful drawbacks. The best stuff is probably the grappling hook, or the vial launcher, which definitely add some more tools to a class desperate for them.

Gulch Gunner (Ratfolk)(Power -2, Versatility -2)

The class is built around using a slow-firing ranged weapon right next to your enemy. Not just in melee range of them, literally standing next to them. You also dont' regain grit for disabling enemies with fewer hit dice than you. This is effectively "Stand next to sig monster. Get grappled. Die" the class. Skip.

Hunter:

Credited Contributors: Kurald Galain

Blight ScoutPower +0, Versatility +0
The abilities you gain are weak and situational, but you don't lose anything particularly great either.

Divine HunterPower +1, Versatility +2
Given the diverse abilities of domains and their spell lists, there are a lot of tricks you can pull with this. Adding the celestial template to your animal is also a nice touch. You do lose the shared teamwork feats, but you can still take these with your (and your animal's) regular feats.

Feral HunterPower -1, Versatility -1
This archetype basically focuses you on summon spells, adding your teamwork feats to the creatures summoned. However, this begs the question why you don't simply play a druid, who gets all the summon spells several levels earlier, and has several ways to boost them on his own.

PackmasterPower -1, Versatility +0
Instead of one strong animal companion, you'll get two weaker ones. That's really not such a good trade, and several of your class abilities will work only on one of the animals anyway. It's banned in PFS primarily because it slows down gameplay.

Primal Companion HunterPower +1, Versatility +1
As most animal focus abilities are pretty weak (and don't stack with e.g. a belt of strength), switching them for eidolon evolutions is an improvement. Although the pool is limited, there are some nice tricks to be done here, in particular extra attack.

Scarab StalkerPower -1, Versatility 0
It's an interesting alternative set of animal abilities, but overall weaker than the standard set. Still, it's flavorful and you don't lose a lot by taking it.

Verminous HunterPower -1, Versatility 0
The animal abilities here are comparable to your default set, with fast healing as a good new option. However, this archetype locks you into a vermin companion, which is frankly a weak choice.

Investigator

Contributor: Disk Elemental

Cipher

Power +2 / Versatility -2

This is probably my single favorite addition from Ultimate Intrigue. You lose bluff, diplo, and intimidate from you class skills, and most expend inspiration on knowledge skills, linguistics, and spellcraft. However, you get a list of sneaky-type skills that you can apply inspiration to instead.

At first level, you trade out Trapfinding, Trap Sense, Poison Lore, Resistance, and Immunity, for Inattention Blindness. This effect makes you functionally invisible to whoever you focus on, as long as you're in range. The target of your aura has to succeed on a perception check, with the DC equal to 10 + Class Level + Int Mod in order to perceive your presence, as long as you're not doing anything to draw attention to yourself. This is an amazing ability, which turns the Investigator from a melee frontliner, into the best stealth class in the game, bar none. To augment this, you trade out Investigator talents for evasion, resistance to Divination spells, and Hide in Plain Sight.

While this archetype is pigeonholed into being an infiltrator/assassin, it does it better than any other class in the game.

Conspirator

Power -1 / Versatility +0

You start with Underworld Inspiration for free, but need to take a talent to get free inspiration on knowledge, spellcraft, and linguistics. You lose trapsense and a talent to get bonuses to spot scrying sensors.

Nothing in this archetype is worth losing a talent for, making it marginally weaker than a normal Investigator.

Cryptid Scholar

Power -1 / Versatility +0

Getting Monster Lore on an Investigator is excellent, it'll make your already ridiculous knowledge checks even better. Losing studied combat however, really hurts if you want to be a Battle Investigator, but if you're more support focused the bonuses to AC and Saves could easily bump this up to Power +1.

Dread Investigator

Pre-Seven: Power -2 / Versatility -1 

Post-Seven: Power +0 / Versatility +0

There's not much to say about this archetype. You lose 3 Investigator Talents, have your Inspiration delayed until 4th, and your Studied Combat permanently weakened and delayed until 7th. In exchange, you gain resistance to negative energy and death effects, the Undead Anatomy Line, and a couple necromancy spells, including Animate Dead.

Really, I had to break this down into before and after level seven, because that's when all of this archetype's features are finally online. Prior to seven, you're noticeably weaker than any other Investigator, however, once you finally get Studied Combat and the ability to cast Animate Dead, then you're just a base Investigator (minus three talents) with better resistances and undead minions.

Empiracist 

Power +2 / Versatility +2

And now we get to the gold standard of Investigator archetypes, the Empiracist.

In exchange for Poison Lore and Resistance, you get to use Intelligence instead of the normal stat on Sense Motive, Perception, Use Magic Device, and Disable Device. When combined with a trait like Student of Philosophy, or a feat like Orator, Investigator becomes a completely SAD class. You can dump wisdom, you can dump charisma, and still be better at wisdom and charisma skills than any other Investigator. The amount of freedom this gives you when determining a build is completely unmatched.

If you don't have a compelling reason to use another archetype, be an Empiracist.

Forensic Physician

Power -1 / Versatility -1

Trade out your first two talents to get some bonuses to identify disease, and do blood splatter analysis. Carry a scroll of Blood Biography and pass on this archetype.

Hallucinist

Power -Do you, ever, like think, man? (-2) / Versatility: -mmm.... doritos (-2)

Lose all Investigator talents for the first 13 levels, trapfinding, trapsense, keen recollection, poison lore and resistance.

Gain the ability to brew a Hallucinogin, which gives bonuses to perception, and grants extraordinary vision. Low Light at 1st, Dark Vision and See Invis at 7th, Aura Sight at 11th, Blind Sense at 15th. While under the effects of your brew, you can also cast minor image and oneiric horror, by spending inspiration. At 6th, you can study multiple opponents.

This one is... uh... it's flavorful, but fairly weak. Dark Vision and See Invis are 2nd level extracts, Echolocation (which gives Blind Sight) is 4th. The effects of Hallucinogin are quickly out paced by your spells, and the loss of all talents means you can't get Mutagen, Quick Study, Combat Inspiration, Amazing Inspiration, or any of the other things that help Investigator scale into the mid and late-game. Pass.

Infiltrator

Power +0 / Versatility +1

Lose nothing of value (other than trapfinding), to gain the ability to disguise really well, to the point where you can mimic other creatures' voices. If that comes up a lot in your campaign, then up the power level, but otherwise you're trading one situational ability for another.

Lamplighter

Power +2 / Versatility +1

Lose two class skills you don't care about, swap everything related to poison, keen recollection, and trap sense.

In exchange, you get a decent spread of SLAs activated by expending spell slots(including Daylight and Judgement Light), Inspiration to Initiative checks, and Intelligence instead of Dexterity on initiative checks.

The only reason this isn't the default Investigator archetype, is because it doesn't stack with Empiracist.

Oh, and you can light fires by snapping your fingers.

Majordomo

Power -2 / Versatility -2

This is an NPC archetype, meant to interact with the downtime rules. Even if the campaign uses them, losing Alchemy isn't worth the small benefits you get.

Mastermind

Power +1 / Versatility +1

You lose Trapfinding and Trapsense, along with Swift alchemy and your 9th level talent.

In exchange, you can allow an underling to use your ranks in diplomacy/intimidate, add an inspiration die to AC, and become immune to any divination spell that grants a saving throw.

All these abilities are excellent, the only reason this isn't a +2 to power, is that they're designed with NPC usage in mind. When you're out and adventuring these abilities (except inspiration to AC) will rarely come up.

Psychic Detective

Power +0 / Versatility +2

Lose poison stuff, swift alchemy, 3rd level talent, ability to take alchemist discoveries, and alchemy.

Gain: 6th level Psychic Casting, Phrenic Pool, slight bonus on saves vs. psychic effects.

Hoo boy. 

This is an interesting, and excellent archetype, but it's very different than the normal Investigator. Whereas the normal Investigator is focused on buffing themselves, the psychic detective plays more like a bard. They get the ability to take a whole bunch of offensive spells, to hamper the enemy, area effect spells to buff their allies or even take summoning spells. You trade the raw power of the Alchemist list for the versatility of the Psychic list.

In my experience, the Psychic spell list isn't noticeably better or worse than the Investigator list, it's just focused on accomplishing different goals. If you want to be a battle Investigator, then stick with alchemy, if you want to be a support/caster Investigator, then Psychic Detective is an excellent.

Questioner

Power +0 / Versatility +2

Lose: poison lore, ability to take alchemist discoveries, alchemy.

Gain: Bard casting, +1 to knowledge checks per 3 levels.

Basically everything I said about the Psychic Detective holds for this, except you're much better as a support than as a caster.

Lepisdadt Investigator

Power -1 / Versatility -1

Lose: Trapfinding, trapsense, poison resistance, poison immunity, 3rd and 5th level talent.

Gain: 1/2 level to Sense Motive and Intimidate checks, +1 to perception and will per five levels, perceptive track investigator talent, +2 studied combat (as a 5th level slayer) against a creature whose tracks you've found.

None of the things you lose are equivalent to the things you gain. If you're spending a decent amount of time tracking down and interrogating suspects, then this might be worth it but other than that, there's little of use here.

Sleuth

Power -2 / Versatility -2

You lose all spell casting. Enough said.

Spiritualist

Power -2 / Versatility -2

You lose all spell casting, except a few very situational divinations.

Steel Hound

Power -1 / Versatility +0

You trade a couple of class features for a gun and amateur gunslinger. You're never going to get dexterity to damage, so the gun is never going to be a particularly viable weapon. Overall it's a noticeable downgrade, solely because it prevents you from taking other, better, archetypes.

Inquisitor

Credited Contributors: Alex Mack

Cold Iron Warden

Power: -1, Versatility: -1

Dip*

You trade out a number of abilities for cool abilities which aid against outsiders. What really kills this archetype for me is the reduction in base Bane dice as this is the inquisitor’s signature combat ability. This archetype does give you a channel ability which is a prerequisite for a number of feats such as guided hand and thus opens up some interesting build options.

Exorcist

Power: 0, Versatility: 0

The trades offered here aren’t great but the ability to inflict the Dazed condition on targets of your judgement is pretty strong so I can definitely see this being useful. Being immune to mind control at level 17 also seems nice.

Green Faith Marshall

Power: 0, Versatility: +1

I like this archetype as Animal and Terrain Domains open up some nice options, such as a familiar, a channel pool or Sneak Attack, you also get to add some nice spells to your spell list with some of the domains. Personally I also prefer the once per week commune with nature to always on Discern Lies but that one is debatable. Wild Step seems like a slight downgrade to Stalwart but also opens up heavy armor for this archetype.

Heretic

Power: +1, Versatility: 0

Dip*

You aren’t trading out a lot for some nice stealth and subterfuge related abilities here. If you manage to acquire a few Sneak Attack Dice the Judgement of Escape can be quite powerful.

Iconoclast

Power: 0, Versatility: 0

This archetype trades out a number of the Inquisitor’s more fluffy abilities for anti-magic abilities. Trading detect alignment for detect magic is weak sauce but the once per day dispel effect seems nicer than discern lies. The other trades seem fair.

Infiltrator

Power: -1, Versatility: 0

You don’t lose much here so this isn’t a terrible archetype but it seems like it’s very much focused on evil characters who practice subterfuge so it’s more of an NPC archetype.

Monster Tactician

Power: +2, Versatility: +1

You trade out Judgement for a 3+WIS times per day scaling summon monster ability with an extra long duration and the ability to hand out teamwork feats of your choosing to summons from level 5 onwards. Smells like power creep to me and banning this archetype for PFS play was prolly justified. If it’s available to you it is a strong option but also switches up the way you play the class as it favors higher wisdom scores.

Preacher

Power: -1, Versatility: 0

Solo Tactics and teamwork feats have become much better over the last few years due to the addition of new and powerful teamwork feats. This archetype trades them out for a powerful reroll ability with limited uses per day. This used to be good for Archers but they have received strong teamwork option over the last few years so this Archetype is really only for the very unimaginative.

Reaper of Secrets

Power: -2, Versatility: 0

While I like the flavor I’m 99% positive that Mind-Game Tactics is strictly inferior to Solo Tactics.

Relic Hunter

Power: -2, Versatility: -1

This is a tough archetype to evaluate as it trades out pretty much all your class abilities and turns you into a Divine Occultist. I’ve tried to work with this and came to the conclusion that it sucks pretty hard if you want to build a melee Inquisitor. Now with all the nifty evocation implements there might be some totally different things you can pull off with this archetype but the fact that it infringes so heavily on your selection of spells makes it really hard to work with. Also the action economy is super s%~*ty compared to a regular Inquisitor.

Sacred Huntsmaster

Power: +2, Versatility: +1

Dip: *

So you are trading out judgement for a full Hunter Animal Companion and the Animal Focus ability. Em yeah sure…this is the Inquisitor's stand out Archetype and in my mind strictly superior to the base inquisitor (and the Hunter). The only reason not to take this is a dislike for furry friends or a preference for…

Sanctified Slayer

Power +1, Versatility: +1

Em so clearly the ACG designers were of the opinion that the Inquisitor is a pretty underpowered class or how else could they have come up with two such unbalanced archetypes. So again all you are trading out is Judgement and in return you get Studied Target, a fairly slow Sneak Attack progression and 4 Slayer Talents. Sure… fair deal. The only issue with this archetype is that Sacred Huntsmaster is even stronger.

Sin Eater

Power: -1, Versatility: 0

So you trade your Domain for an effect that can be easily replaced by a wand of CLW that’s a rough blow. The ability to speak with dead at level 6 is nice but this is still a pretty bad archetype.

Spellbreaker

Power: -2, Versatility: 0

Loosing Solo Tactics and teamwork feats for minor bonuses on saves versus spell DCs seems weak when you consider that Solo Tactics with Shake it Off or Lastwall Phalanx will likely do you more good than the benefits offered here.

Suit Seeker

Power: 0, Versatility: 0

This is another one of those archetypes where you aren’t loosing much and not gaining all too much in return. I like the skill swaps and the choices of Domains and judgements also seem okay so this archetype might work well for certain concepts.

Vampire Hunter

Power: -2, Versatility: 0

This makes you da Vampire Slayer. If you don’t want to make hunting Vampires your full time job avoid this archetype like Vampires do my mom’s kitchen. The removal of the Bane ability really kills this archetype.

Witch Hunter

Power: +1, Versatility: -1

This archetype trades out most of your fluffy abilities for anti-spellcaster abilities and abilities that grant you some nice bonuses to saving throws. I like this trade.

Kineticist

Credited Contributors: PossibleCabbage

Blood KineticistPower +1/ Versatility -1

Water is a solid element, Wrack is guaranteed damage, Bleed damage is often useful, and Foe Throw itself is one of the most fun reasons to play a Kineticist but the real problem is that you won't be able to affect opponents who lack blood (constructs, the undead) until you take a second element. So make sure that the premise of the campaign isn't going to hamstring you, as you're unlikely have fun tromping through the dungeon of golems and skeletons looking for something that bleeds.

Elemental AnnihilatorPower +1, Versatility -2

You give up all of your utility (i.e. non-combat) talents in order to be better at smashing faces. Your damage output certainly will spike with the archetype, but you're going to miss out on the fun stuff (at-will invisibility, being able to fly by shooting jets of flame out of your wrists, etc.) in order to do more damage. It's a significant change in how you play this class, so consider if you really want to play a fighter with a more complicated way of doing damage.

Elemental AsceticPower -1, Versatility -1

You're basically a hybrid of the monk and the kineticist, which is cool and flavorful but "let's add more monk to it" isn't a good way to make any class more effective. You limit yourself to melee range for your kinetic blasts, you take on monk restrictions regarding armor and encumbrance, in return you can use kinetic first for free, flurry with it like a monk, and advance your kinetic fist damage dice as you level. Very flavorful, but you're essentially limiting yourself to being a melee monk with better punching damage, which is hardly an improvement to the class.

Kinetic ChirurgeonPower -1, Versatility -2

You give up all of your abilities to modify your kinetic blast (so no area, or burst damage, no debuffs etc.) in order to be better at using Kinetic Healing, which wasn't very good to begin with. If you really want to be a dedicated healer, don't pick this archetype, pick something that doesn't cause damage to itself or those it heals instead.

Overwhelming Soul
Power -2, Versatility -1

This is a trap. Your first clue is that this archetype swaps out Constitution for Charisma as the statistic that fuels your primary ability, and that might be the worst such swap possible. Additionally you are incapable of taking burn to power up your wild talents. If you're honestly allergic to burn while playing a kineticist, just choose not to take burn and keep Constitution for the stat that powers your abilities (and be able to choose to take burn if the situation really merits it). The only thing that improves this archetype is that you get a straight boost to attack rolls and damage that attempts to replicate the progression of the class power that improves your blasts as you take burn.

Magus

Credited Contributors: Kurald Galain

See handbook for more details.

Beastblade

(versatility +1, power +1)
At level 10+, this gives a great action advantage by allowing your familiar to cast spells. At levels 1-9, this simply doesn't do a lot, but has no substantial drawbacks either (spell recall can be compensated with cheap pearls of power).

Bladebound
(versatility +2, power +2)
On the power side, you get a free magic weapon that on most levels will be better than what you can afford by WBL, and that gets a damage bonus. On the versatility side, you have an intelligent weapon now with several skills and special abilities. No drawbacks.

Card Caster
(versatility +1, power +1)
Adds versatility by allowing you to attach touch spells to thrown weapons, and using spellstrike at range. However, you lose the enchant ability on melee weapons. Despite the name, this archetype is better off throwing e.g. chakram instead of cards.

Eldritch Archer
(versatility +2, power +2)
A very powerful archetype, it lets you fire a full volley of arrows each round AND cast a spell. You don’t need ranged spellstrike, just cast Haste or Slow or something. It eventually lets you deliver touch spells with these arrows, gets a magic bow at half the price, and perception as a class skill. 

Eldritch Scion
(versatility +1, power +1)
This archetype plays very differently than a straight Magus. Depending on the bloodline, this can give you a direct power boost (e.g. Celestial, with its defense bonuses and rerolls), or a versatility boost (e.g. Arcane, which gives three buffs combined for one swift action, and extra opportunity attacks). Around level four you can have enough pool points to keep this up through all combats on a normal day. However, this has the drawback that you can't use your enchant weapon ability much until higher level, you should avoid arcana that cost pool points, and can't use metamagic in spell combat.

Elemental Knight
(vrs +1, power +0)
The main appeal here is the energy reflection arcana, which allows you to bounce elemental spells back at their caster, albeit at a cost. The drawback is that it locks you out of most other archetypes; in particular, the Eldritch Scion is a better pick for the suli (with its charisma bonus and int penalty).

Esoteric
(versatility -1, power -1)
The aim of this archetype is using spell combat and spellstrike unarmed... but a regular Magus can already do that anyway. That makes it pretty pointless. It also gets diminished spellcasting and is forced to use a sub-par weapon.

Fiend Flayer
(versatility +0, power -2)
The only ability you get here is taking constitution damage for extra pool points. That is a pretty bad trade, and that it costs a standard action makes it practically unusable in combat to boot; you should basically never use this. Also, this archetype blocks you from most other archetypes because it modifies the arcana feature.

Greensting Slayer
(versatility -2, power -2)
This is laughably bad. You replace your powerful and versatile enchant ability with... a small amount of sneak damage on ONE attack only, for a swift action and a pool point. Let's skip that.

Hexcrafter
(versatility +2, power +2)
You can now take witch hexes instead of arcana, get one for free, and get a bunch of extra spells on your list, all with no drawbacks. The flight hex is great for any melee character, and the debuff hexes have better save DCs than your spells do.

Kapenia Dancer
(versatility -1, power -1)
The bladed scarf is a lacklustre weapon, and this archetype forces you to use that. With no substantial bonuses and diminished spellcasting, this is basically an inferior version of the Kensai.

Kensai
(versatility +0, power +1)
An offensive archetype that gives a straight upgrade to your weapon damage (including crit rate and extra opportunity attacks) with the drawback of getting less spells per day. Until level 8, all its abilities are easily duplicated by feats; level 9 is where its true power kicks in.

Mindblade
(versatility +1, power +0)
A lateral move, this archetype replaces arcane casting with psychic casting. On the upside, you don't need vocal or somatic components, and get a number of extra spells on your list; on the downside, you can't use metamagic in spell combat, and concentrating becomes much harder. The rules are unclear on whether you can use two mental weapons with spell combat; if so, that would make it pow +1.

Myrmidarch
(versatility -2, power -1)
You get diminished spellcasting and lose half your arcana slots... and in exchange you get the ability to attach ranged spells (which are touch attacks) to your arrows (which are NOT touch attacks). Yeah, that's a pretty bad tradeoff. Take Card Caster or Eldritch Archer instead, and if you want the fighter’s weapon training feature it’s easier to obtain with the Martial Focus feat.

Skirnir
(versatility +0, power +1)
A defensive power boost. Avoid this archetype until level 8 because you can't use it with spell combat until then. At that point, it gives a good boost to your AC and free shield enchantments; and its diminished spellcasting is somewhat offset by the bonded item.

Soul Forger
(versatility -2, power -2)
The crafting abilities granted by this archetype are pretty weak, and come at a hefty cost. You get the added drawback that losing your weapon now makes you lose several class features as well. Another one to avoid.

Spellblade
(versatility -2, power -2)
You gain an extra attach from two-weapon fighting, but you lose the extra attack from spell combat. And you pay spell slots for the privilege, and get arcana that turn this ability off again. How about no?

Spell Dancer
(versatility -1, power -1)
The spell dance ability sounds cool, but all it gives you can be duplicated by spellcasting (e.g. expeditious retreat) and most of its buffs only last one round, as do the fiddly skill bonuses at level 5. This is not bad, but it’s simply weaker than the enchant weapon ability (and feat) which you give up for it.

Spire Defender
(versatility +0, power +0)
Doesn't gain a lot, but doesn't lose a lot either. You get two weak bonus feats, but may want to spend a feat to get your armor proficiency back. The skill bonus is decent, but mostly redundant to flight, and you are locked out of your best weapons. Of course, if you want those feats as a prerequisite for something, this is a decent one- or two-level dip.

Staff Magus
(versatility +1, power +1)
It's a straight improvement of your armor class that stacks with most other archetypes, but has the drawback of locking you into a sub-par weapon. And you get the unique ability to recharge staffs. 

Medium:

Mesmerist:

Monk

Credited Contributors: JAMRenaissance (Icy Turbo)

Drunken Master
Power +2, Versatility 0
The ability to regain ki is incredibly, INCREDIBLY important, and Still Mind is NOTHING to lose in exchange for the ability to regain ki. The other replacements are side grades. but this one makes the archetype.

Far Strike MonkDip Power +1, Dip Versatility -1
Power +1, Versatility -2
Congratulations! You are now a one trick distance pony without even getting the best distance trick (bows). The ability to get a lot of the distance attack Feats is nice, and the thought of throwing a flurry of pellet grenades is cool, but it's nowhere near worth it as a whole.

Hamatulasu Master
Dip Power +2, Dip Versatility 0
Power +2, Versatility +1
This is a huge upgrade to the weak Bonus Feats (Exotic Weapon Proficiency, Weapon Focus, Power Attack, Impaling Critical, and Improved Impaling Critical), plus having the option of trading out Feats for additional Stunning Fists can be useful depending on the build. You're given more options with your Stunning Fists and Ki usage with zero trade-off. Finally, Infernal Resilience will undoubtedly come up more than Purity of Body. An almost pure upgrade to the Monk. Note that Hamatulasu is added to the list of potential bonus feats for ANY Monk, which is why it is not listed above.

Harrow Warden
Dip Power 0, Dip Versatility +1
Power 0, Versatility +2
Idiot Strike's debuff is a huge increase in the versatility of a Stunning Fist, and Mute Hag Stance is a great debuff that not only does not allow a Will Save, but doesn't even require an action. Eclipse Strike will probably not come into play, but anything that lets a Monk make his enemies a bunny is a good thing. This is another "Pure Buff To The Monk" archetype.

Hungry Ghost Monk
Dip Power 0, Dip Versatility +1
Power +1, Versatility +2
Punishing Kick is something of a sidegrade from Stunning Fist, but it does allow more options at first level. The real bonus is the ability to replenish your ki by stealing it from others. You trade the difficulties of regaining ki with the difficulties of being a bad person for stealing life force... which for some makes no difference.

Karmic Monk Dip Power +1, Dip Versatility 0
Power +1, Versatility +2
Karmic Strike is a nice way of getting a small buff every time someone attacks you the first time. The real strength, though, is the ability to switch damage alignments to ignore DR, and to temporarily modify your character's alignment. The latter can be a huge bonus in the right build.

Kata Master Dip Power -1, Dip Versatility +1
Power -2, Versatility 0
RIP Opportune Parry and Riposte. That said, the combination of the available Swashbuckler leaves some nice flavor. Unfortunately, this involves taking the most MAD character class and adding another important attribute (CHA). Good luck with that.

Ki Mystic
Power 0, Versatility +2
Ahhh... THAT'S the stuff. Free ki (and a level earlier), the ability to give allies re-rolls, a bonus to all knowledge skills, divination, AND it stacks with a number of other helpful archetypes. The latter is huge, as a combo of this with Sensei, Monk of the Four Winds, or Master of Many Styles ends up being pretty sweet.

Maneuver MasterDip Power 0, Dip Versatility +1
Another pure buff to the Bonus Feats. The extra maneuver is actually somewhat underwhelming, as you can already substitute most of the more useful attacks for a maneuver except for Grappling, and there are other ways to become good at that (see Tetori, below).

Martial ArtistPower +1, Versatility -2
There aren't a lot of ways to make a Monk worse. Dropping ki to eliminate DR and give SLIGHT bonuses is one of those ways.

Master of Many Styles
Power 0, Versatility +2
The former Must-Have monk archetype is still decent post-buff, but requires a level of system mastery to get anything out of it. Your bonus feats are buffed to accept any first-level Combat Style Feat, and instead of Flurrying, you can have two styles going at once. Again, depending on the styles chosen, this is nice, but it is far from easy to make this work.

(The Master of Many Styles isn't the easiest of archetypes to use, but it is highly versatile. Your first two Bonus Feats must be spent on Style Feats, which are specifically defined as the FIRST Feat in a Style Tree. The 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th feats may be spent on a Style Feat, Elemental Fist, or a Wildcard Feat. The Wildcard Feats are the most interesting, as they let you sub in a higher feat in the Style Tree of any Style you are using as long as you meet the prerequisites. As you rise in level, you meet more prerequisites and have more options with your Wildcard feats.)

Monk of the Empty HandPower 0, Versatility -2
Congratulations! You have now reduced your Monk to a one-trick pony, with that one trick being improvised weapons. This is similar to Far Strike Monk, except even less useful on a practical level.

Monk of the Four Winds
Dip Power 0, Dip Versatility 0
Power +2, Versatility +1
Stunning Fist gets replaced with a scalable damage bonus in a sidegrade. Slow Time's extra actions are nice, but are a severe downgrade from Abundant Step. The Aspects are nice, and replace an ability that isn't stellar.

Monk of the Healing Hand
Power 0, Versatility +1
Instead of healing yourself you can heal others. However, if you have to use this your party has done something terribly wrong. Ki Sacrifice lets you bring people back from the dead, which is definitely a worthy trade off from Diamond Body and Quivering Palm. This is far from as helpful as Ki Mystic, but it stacks with a few other, stronger archetypes.

Monk of the Iron Mountain
Power +1, Versatility 0
Evasion, Improved Evasion, Slow Fall, and High Jump get replaced with passive defenses preventing tripping and undesired movement, damage resistance, and an AC bonus. Not bad. 

Monk of the Lotus
Dip Power +2, Versatility 0
Power +2, Versatility +2
If the Monk is on the front line, the thing s/he will want to Stunning Fist probably has a high Fort save. It also probably has a low Will Save, which makes Touch of Serenity a huge upgrade. An extended duration as you level up is gravy. As well, between Touch of Peace and Touch of Serenity, you can make your enemies into pets for almost weeks at a time with no save. Let's repeat that: you can make your enemies into pets for almost weeks at a time with no save. There is only one archetype option that is an upgrade to Abundant Step; That is it.

Monk of the MantisPower +2, Versatility -2
Trade away those Bonus Feats for the ability to Sneak Attack with your Flurry. Yes please! The problem is that everything afterwards is a downgrade. Stunning Fist becomes less dependable as you level, so you are trading passive defense for additional effects on an iffy attack. It's simply not worth it.

Monk of the Seven WindsDip Power +2, Dip Versatility 0
Power +1, Versatility -1
Trading Stunning Fist for an additional attack with a blade is nice, if you have a dip build that is dependent on unarmed strikes. The bonuses to attack, damage, and AC from Sirocco Fury are in no way, shape, or form worth losing Abundant Step over.

Monk VowsAs a whole, I can't recommend Monk Vows, as the Reward:Cost ratio is just too low. As well, remember that we want to sub out as many abilities as possible, and replacing Still Mind cuts you out of useful archetypes. With that said, if one were to consider taking a Monk Vow, Cleanliness, Peace, Poverty, and Truth seem to be the most bang for one's buck.

Qinggong Monk
Power +2, Versatility +2
Let's be clear. Every Monk is a Qinggong Monk.

If you don't like a class feature, you sub it out with one you do like. Here are some recommendations. 

• Slow Fall and High Jump: Barkskin, Truestrike, Scorching Ray 
• Wholeness of Body: Gaseous Form, Heroic Recovery, High Jump (if subbed out earlier), Remove Disease 
• Diamond Body: Dragon's Breath (Note that nothing says you can't change the type of dragon with each usage, which does provide versatility), Discordant Blast (very few things are resistant to sound), Restoration, Ki Leech, Shadow Step 
• Abundant Step: Shadow Walk 
• Diamond Soul: Abundant Step (if subbed before or taken out of the archetype), Shadow Walk, Battlefield Mindlink, Diamond Body (if subbed or taken out of the archetype)(NOTE: You probably want to sub out Diamond Soul no matter what, depending on how strict your GM is in enforcing the Spell Resistance when you are willing. Anything from the Diamond Body list on up is probably sufficient for this substitution) 
• Quivering Palm: Blood Crow Strike, Cloud Step (don't forget that you need a Slow Fall speed), Cold Ice Strike, Ki Shout, Sonic Thrust 
• Timeless Body: Any of the Quivering Palm choices are appropriate, plus Strangling Hair 
• Empty Body and Perfect Self: Nothing is really worth subbing out.

Sensei
Power +1 Versatility +2
Wanna be Mr. Miyagi? You lose Fast Movement, Flurrying, and most of your bonus feats, but you gain bardic performance and the ability to confer other abilities onto your friends. The cherry on top is Wisdom to Hit, which makes this one of only two archetypes that successfully makes the Monk less MAD.

Serpent-Fire Adept
Power +1, Versatility +2
You lose your Stunning Fist, Bonus Feats, High Jump, Slow Fall, and Wholeness of Body in order to gain Chakras giving scaling damage resistance, flight, a breath weapon that bypasses energy resistance, healing/condition removal, staggering opponents, and true seeing. Yes, this is worth it.

Sohei
Power +2, Versatility -1
You gain the ability to use all martial weapons and armor, can give a mount your monk abilities, and can use your ki to enhance your weapon. Why the negative Versatility? It costs eleven class abilities. If there is a second standalone archetype for a Monk besides Zen Archer, this is it.

Spirit MasterPower -1 Versatility -1
You gain a wide variety of abilities dealing with the incorporeal and minor manipulation of positive/negative energy. Nowhere near worth the sacrifice.

Terra Cotta MonkPower -2, Versatility -2
Just... no.
(To clarify, while the archetype has flavor, half of the abilities you gain work solely underground or in trap heavy games by replacing abilities that are good for every game. It is a clear downgrade in power and versatility because of it.)

Tetori
Power +2 Versatility -1
Congratulations! You are now a one-trick pony... except Grappling is a good trick (and the second best one-trick pony Monk). Your feats are chosen for you, but all useful, and your abilities all sync well with grappling, with the grab ability, constrict ability, and the cancellation of magical methods of escape. Losing High Jump and Abundant Step are the only real negatives. This is another high-level archetype.

Weapon Adept
Dip Power +2, Dip Versatility 0
Power +2, Versatility -1
Perfect Strike is a pure upgrade, trading a questionably useful ability for a useful one. Free Weapon Focus and Specialization is worth delaying Evasion and losing improved evasion. Uncanny Initiative is worth it and... well, no one ever makes it to the capstone anyway. 

Wildcat
Power -2 ,Versatility -2
No amount of combat maneuver bonuses are worth totally losing your ki pool. That is all.

Zen ArcherPower +2, Versatility 0
Congratulations! You are a one trick pony with the single best trick available. It is a great trick and a lightning-fast Pony. Take the great stuff from Weapon Adept, tack on Feats all designed for your bow, add Wisdom to hit (making this the other less-MAD archetype), the ability to make attacks of opportunity, and a bunch of other goodies. This is the only archetype that raises the Monk up a Tier in power, and is the template for any other combinations of archetypes. 

Ninja:

Occultist:

Oracle

Credited Contributors: Kurald Galain

Ancient Lorekeeper (Racial: Elf)Power +2, Versatility +2
The wizard spell list is arguably the best in the game, and clearly better than what pretty much every mystery offers as bonus spells. As there are basically no drawbacks to this archetype, every elf or half-elf should take this.

Black-Blooded
Power +0, Versatility +1
This is less of an archetype and more an extra set of revelations; more choice is always good. Black blood spray is decent for a melee character. Dark resilience is good at higher levels. Darkvision is probably not worth the slot. The curse is problematic if channel energy is your main source of healing, though.

Community Guardian (Racial: Halfling)Power -1, Versatility -1
This halfling archetype grants a pretty bad spell list, and two very weak but mandatory revelations. If you want an ability like this, just take the life revelation's channel ability, it's much better.

Dual-CursedPower +2, Versatility +1
Again, basically an extra set of revelations. Misfortune is an extremely powerful ability, and you can find a secondary curse that offers only minor drawbacks.

Elementalist
Power -1, Versatility -1
Another extra set of revelations. That said, it has mediocre bonus spells and its mandatory first revelation is pretty weak. The abilities at level 11 can easily be obtained with your spells, and at lower level too. Even the capstone is not very good.

Enlightened PhilosopherPower +0, Versatility +1
Getting all knowledges on your list is pretty good, as is the slowly growing bonus to intelligence, and the capstone is excellent. You don't lose a lot for taking this, but you may end up with worse bonus spells than your mystery would give you.

Planar OraclePower +0, Versatility -1
The bonus spells and the mandatory revelation are pretty weak; the capstone is not all that impressive either. This archetype simply doesn't do a lot.

Possessed
Power +1, Versatility -1
Here, the bonus spells are a mixed bunch, but Screech in particular is pretty good. The revelation you must take is not so great at the start, but can be a life-saver at level 7 and up.

Psychic SearcherPower +0, Versatility +2
Finally, an archetype with real alternate abilities! Inspiration provides a great bonus to your skills, and there are some good investigator abilities you can take at level 3, such as empathy or inspired alertness. The downside is that the bonus spells are very situational.

Purifier (Racial: Aasimar)Power +1, Versatility -1
You gain some good bonus spells, but the mandatory revelations are pretty bad (your armor weighs half as much, seriously?!). The holy terror ability at level 9 is pretty good though, considering that fighting evil outsiders is a common theme in many campaigns.

Reincarnated (Racial: Samsaran)Power -1, Versatility -1
Another one to skip; weak bonus spells and two mandatory revelations that are passable but not very good.

Seeker
Power +1, Versatility +1
You gain trapfinding and a very good bonus to concentration and spell resistance checks. The seeker magic ability is very good, but comes online pretty late, and there are traits with the same effect.

Seer
Power +1, Versatility -1
Yep, it's another mystery-disguised-as-archetype. The bonuses from natural divination are pretty good, the bonus spells not so much.

Shigenjo (Racial: Tengu)Power -1, Versatility -1
You gain a ki pool at level 7, but you don't actually gain any of the abilities that make a ki pool good, such as a monk's extra attack or a ninja's vanishing trick. Quivering palm is pretty weak compared to cleric spells at that level, and the only real gem on the bonus spell list (divine power) is already on your list anyway. So overall, not very impressive.

Spirit GuidePower +1, Versatility +2
You gain access to any hex from the shaman's spirit list, and can pick a different one each day. How this interacts with the Extra Hex feat is unclear, but regardless it is a huge boost to your versatility.

StargazerPower +1, Versatility -1
Just for once, an archetype with a very good bonus spell list, and adding perception to your list is always useful. However, the two mandatory revelations are not very good, as you probably won't be adventuring outdoors at night very often.

WarsightedPower +0, Versatility +1
You lose a number of revelations in exchange for the brawler's flexible feat. For the more martially inclined oracles, this is a decent boost, especially as many mysteries will eventually run out of good revelations to pick.

Paladin

Oath of Vengeance 

Power +1 / Versatility -0 

You can trade Lay on Hand uses for Smite uses in exchange for just a bad Channel Energy. This gives you a LOT more uses of a limited ability and you don't even have to give up LoH uses when you don't want to. With the right (wrong?) party setup (charisma heavy weapon users) the 11th level "trade" might hurt a bit, but it won't matter for most.

Sacred Servant 

Power +1/+2 / Versatility +1/+2 (deity dependent) 

In exchanges for less smite uses (more on that in a bit), a fixed but solid choice of Sacred Bond and Aura of Resolve on the class with the highest saves in the game, you get more spells, more spell options, a domain. Oh and you get component free castings of three of the best spells in the game that alone can get you a huge effective spell list. What Planar Ally your patron grants can vastly up the power of this archetype, but even the worst is still a solid boost to the base Paladin.

Combined Sacred Servant+Oath of Vengeance is more than the sum of its parts. Sacred Servant gives additional uses of Lay on Hands, which can fuel Oath of Vengeance's ability to trade LoH for smites and more than makes up for Sacred Servant's reduced Smite progression.)

Combat Healer Squire 

Power -3 / Versatility -1 

Gives up some of the best abilities for awful ones. Explicitly intended as an NPC archetype.

Divine Defender 

Power -2 / Versatility -2 

A defensive archetype that gets rid of one of the best defensive abilities the class has! Spontaneously adding abilities to armor isn't as nifty as doing it to weapons as 1: Armor abilities aren't situational 2:Doesn't actually help you beat an effective cap 3: Are replicated by spells

Divine Hunter 

Power ? / Versatility ? 

It's an archetype based on a particular combat style. Seems good if you're going for that, bad if you're not. Can't comment

Empyreal Knight 

Power -1 / Versatility -1 

Some of the trades here might be OK on their own (Divine Grace for Celestial is awful though), but there's absolutely no focus. You can summon a bunch of monsters, but have traded away your abilities that could support them

Iroran Paladin (Enlightened Paladin) 

+?/+? 

Again, special purpose I can't judge.

Psychic:

Ranger

Credited Contributor: Alex Mack

Battle Scout

Power -1, Versatility -1

A really bad archetype! It forces you to take the companion bond which is essentially a non-class feature and gives you an ability that is only applicable when you get to choose and prepare the terrain for your next battle. Oh and even when you do so the benefits are rather minor. Pass.

Beastmaster

Power -1, Versatility +1

Losing a combat style feat hurts (especially since the level 6 feat tends to provide the largest power boost) but you get to choose your ACs from the Druid list and can have multiple ACs (like one for scouting and one for fighting).

Corpse Hunter

Power 0, Versatility -1

In an undead campaign this is prolly a good option otherwise I’d pretty much always pass.

Deepwalker

Power 0, Versatility -1

Assuming that underground is probably one of the more common terrain types I think the trades offered here are slightly advantageous. Still the benefits aren’t that great and there’s usually better things you can trade these abilities out for.

Demonslayer

Power +1, Versatility -1

If you wanna slay demons this is your archetype. I like most of the trades (especially the scaling saves bonus and the expanded spell list) but again I’d only want to go for this if I knew exactly what I’m up against.

Divine Tracker

Power 0, Versatility 0

Dip ***

An easy way to aquire IUS or EWP with a number of nice weapons. Also if you don’t want an animal companion I think getting access to two Blessings is prolly among the best trades on offer. I’d prolly try to pick up 1 standard action buff blessing and one which offers some out of combat versatility. If you feel like you get plenty of time to apply buffs pre combat in your games this might actually be an advantageous trade. If you were gonna use your fists or an exotic weapon for a build this is prolly a +1.

Dragon Hunter

Power -1, Versatility -1

Even in dragon focused campaigns you likely won’t be fighting dragons on a daily basis so I’d gladly pass here.

Dungeon Rover

Power 0, Versatility -1

The abilities provided here seem pretty on-par with what your loosing it adds a bit of trap flexibility but on a whole I think I’d only want to pick this archetype if I knew that the campaign was gonna be a biggo dungeon crawl.

Falconer

Power -1, Versatility 0

Dip *

You get a full AC from level one and it has to be a bird (not a roc sadly). Bird’s aren’t the best animal companion’s and you lose your level 6 combat style so overall I think this is a weak archetype. It might be interesting for dips if you have an odd multiclass build with another animal companion class but that seems a rather marginal scenario.

Freebooter

Power -1, Versatility +1

Dip *

You trade favored enemy and Animal Companion for two decent buffs both of which require a move action to activate. I see that as a fairly weak trade but Cleave or Vital Strike Builds don’t mind having good things to do with their Move Action. In aquatic campaign the level 7 ability is pretty good making this a more interesting trade in such situations. I can also envision situations where one might prefer the first level ability over FE so this might be interesting when dipping two levels of ranger.

Galvanic Saboteur

Power 0, Versatility 0

The Ranger Archetype for an Iron Gods campaign. I don’t think you’d want it anywhere else as the trades are very specific to battling constructs and firearms.

Groom

Power -1, Versatility 0

A somewhat minor archetype which seems more geared to NPCs. It doesn’t trade out anything overly good but also doesn’t give you anything special and loosing Track for what is kindof a non ability seems weak.

Guide

Power 0, Versatility +1

Dip *

This is an interesting archetype as it provides one of the best trades for Favored Enemy with Ranger’s Focus which provides a sizeable swift action single foe buff a limited number of times per day. However it also swaps out the animal companion for a really cruddy ability. The other trades are fairly well balanced and possibly slightly in this archetypes favor including a once per day pounce ability at 11. If you never wanted an AC definitely consider this archetype. As a dip you might prefer Ranger’s Focus to Favored Enemy.

Hooded Champion

Power -1, Versatility -1

I really want to like this archetype because you know who doesn’t like Robin Hood but the more I think about it the worse it gets. The main draw here is panache, which in and of itself is a nice ability but a) it works of Charisma a dump stat for rangers if there ever was one and b) Longbows have a 20 crit range so recharging that prolly small Panache pool isn’t gonna be all that easy… also none of the deeds strike me as overly interesting.

Horse Lord

Power -1, Versatility -1

I think there’s better options for mounted combatants than ranger. Also none of the trades offered here are very good or come too late (Strong Bond at 12) so this seems like a weak option.

Ilsurian Archer

Power +2, Versatiliy -1

This archetype is amazing. Too bad it only works for archers oh wait archery is among the best combat styles anywhow and this makes it much better. Spells are nice and dandy but don’t compare to always on static modifiers to hit and damage which are particularly strong for a combat style like archery. You also get a number of bonus feats however these are a bit lackluster but the combo of bullseye shot and pinpoint targeting does add some flexibility to your arsenal.

Infiltrator

Power +1, Versatility 0

Dip *(deep dipping…)

I find infiltrator to be a somewhat interesting archetype not because what it has to offer is super amazing but mainly because what it trades out (Favored Terrain) is not an ability I value very highly. Note that in evaluating this archetype I’m assuming that Adaptions can be activated as free actions. The main issue with this archetype is that it isn’t all that great if you choose FE(Human). If you choose FE(Giant) however you all of a sudden have access to Lunge as of level 3 that is actually pretty amazing, similarly a +2 natural Armor bonus, Darkvision or a +10 bonus to speed, a climb or swim speed are all very sweet abilities. Now if I were an Ilsurian Archer and didn’t care so much about who my favored enemies are…

Shapeshifter

Power -1, Versatility -1

Shifter’s Blessing can provide some nice bonuses but sadly only work a very limitged number of times per day. This wouldn’t even be a bad trade for favored terrain but the archetype also forces you into the Natural Weapon Combat Style which only works for Natural Attack or Vital Strike builds. The latter trades also take away some of the Ranger’s cooler abilities so that’s another minus.

Skirmisher

Power 0, Versatility -1

Dip * (If you are moving into a PrC after ranger 5 this will be better than spells most of the time)

Ah the Skirmisher, admittedly my favorite Ranger Archetype. Let me explain why it’s awesome before explaining why it sucks. Three of the tricks are vastly superior to the others and make this archetype awesome: Vengeance Strike (you count as your own Ally!!!), Surprise Shift (extremely powerful for any build that likes making many attacks), Skill Sage. The bad: While you gain new tricks every two levels you only have one pool of uses and it grows very slowly compared to spells per day. You lose access to wands which is a considerable blow to flexibility. I’d recommend this archetype for low level play and spells for higher levels. However the better action economy of tricks is awesome at all levels. Also this works better for low wisdom Rangers than Spells. Then again only fools build low wisdom rangers…

Sky Stalker

Power 0, Versatility 0

You don’t loose anything by picking up this archetype and can upgrade your AC to a Hippogrif. This seems okay but not amazing.

Spirit Ranger

Power -1, Versatility +2

If you want to play a more mystically inclined Ranger who’s constantly asking trees for advice go ahead ye dirty tree hugger… as the Ranger spell list is full of situational spells having some spells you can cast spontaneously is a pretty sweet ability just not as sweet as a cuddly loving baby wolf who will eat your enemies.

Toxopholit

Power 0, Versatility 0

This is cool but doesn’t do all that much. But it also doesn’t lose much so have fun splitting arrows if that’s your thing.

Trapper

Power -1, Versatility -1

Dip **

The best one level dip if you want full BAB and trapfinding. Otherwise giving up spells for traps seems like a very weak trade.

Trophy Hunter

Power ?, Versatility 0

I don’t know much about firearms but if I did I’d prolly be playing a gunslinger…

Urban Ranger

Power 0, Versatility +1

I feel like this is a slight upgrade to the base ranger as I prefer trapfinding to endurance and like the skill trades. This used to be the better rogue now that unchained is around it’s just a full BAB alternative.

Warden

Power -2, Versatility 0

Ouch this is so bad it hurts and should be strictly for NPC.

Wild Hunter

Power 0, Versatility +1

This a decent trade for favored enemy. The archetype gets a bit worse if you plan on trading out your animal companion.

Wild Stalker

Power 0, Versatility 0

I love Rage and I love Rangers so I might not be overly objective in evaluating this archetype but I find it a fair trade as I consider the sizeable Perception bonus a pretty major boon to a ranger. The way it’s worded you get rage at level 4 a rage power at 5,6,10,10,14,15 and so forth while only skipping your second level combat style so you get a nice bag of abilities.

Witchguard

Power 0, Versatility +1

Dip * (3 levels for bodyguard builds)

Prolly the best way to build a bodyguard. Also the only way Rangers can access divine Favor which I see as a considerable boon to any martial. If you wanna build a tanky ranger for a spell casting heavy group this is a pretty strong option.

Woodland Skirmisher

Power -1, Versatility –1

A really poor trade on a whole. The only selling point for this archetype is the access to druid spells but I don’t see any super amazing things on the druid list that aren’t on the ranger list.

Yokai Hunter

Power 0, Versatility 0

Another one of the more campaign specific archetypes. I like a number of the alternate ability especially the blindsense ability so if there’s a lot of spirits and stuff in the campaign this is prolly a strong choice.

Rogue:

Samurai:

Shaman:

Skald

Credited Contributors: Kurald Galain

Demon DancerPower -1, Versatility -2
This is pretty bad. It locks you into one particular set of rage powers that you could have picked anyway, and that aren't too great for most characters. Worse, it can force all party members to keep attacking the same enemy even when that's tactically not a good idea. There's no real benefit to this archetype.

Dragon SkaldPower -1, Versatility +0
You replace a useful feat with three niche spells you don't particularly need, and a broad bonus to skills with a narrow bonus to other skills. It's somewhat weaker than the standard skald, but if you like the flavor it's not a bad choice.

Fated ChampionPower +1, Versatility +0
The main appeal of this archetype is its initiative bonus. Well, that's always good to have. The other benefits are niche, and its capstone ability can be more-or-less duplicated by the first-level spell Saving Finale, but the archetype doesn't lose a lot either.

Herald of the HornPower +1, Versatility -1
You basically trade the versatility of spell kenning for a good bonus to save DC, and a nice counter to enemy enchantment spells. However, you can't use two-handed weapons or shields with this archetype, and the horn of blasting ability is decidedly mediocre. It's good for a skald focused on casting.

Spell WarriorPower 0, Versatility +1
Skalds don't make good counterspellers; even with the bonuses from this archetype, they still aren't very good at it. The weapon song, however, adds much needed versatility to the Skald, and allows them to give rage powers to party members without them being under the effects of rage. Overall, a slightly above average archetype.

Totemic SkaldPower +2, Versatility -1
You gain the wildshape ability, although only to one form; the best choices here are the bear and tiger. These also give your allies a welcome boost to constitution or dexterity, assuming they don't have a belt that increases it. You do lose the versatility of spell kenning, but it's a strong archetype overall.

War DrummerPower +0, Versatility +0
You are locked into a sub-par weapon but gain enough bonuses with it to make up for that. Instead of gaining knowledges, you become even better at socializing. Plus you get a fun if very niche siege ability at level 7. This is basically an even, and flavorful, trade.

 

Slayer

Credited Contributor: Mythraine

Bounty Hunter

Power +1 / Versatility +1

The ability to use Dirty Trick (one of the best combat maneuvers in the game) as a free action with a bonus to boot is very nice. The Submission Hold is an even trade for a talent, and incapacitate gives a little bit more versatility for those times you want to question the guards. It does lock you into a Dirty Trick and Grapple build to maximize effectiveness, which can be feat intensive.

Cleaner

Power -1 / Versatility +1

Could be helpful in a very specific campaign to hide dead bodies. More of an NPC archetype to thwart a murder mystery type adventure.

Cutthroat

Power 0 / Versatility -1

The choice of skills to replace Track are good, but annoying to be only usable in an urban environment. The other class abilities are meh - normal slayer talents would be preferable.

Deliverer

Power +1 / Versatility -1

A god with a good favored would be a nice boost. Though the other powers depend on fighting an opponent with an opposing alignment. But without an effective way to determine alignment, it's uncertain how the Slayer would know what the opponents alignment is. It also makes it a bit circumstantial, but like a Ranger's favored enemy, if the campaign pre-determines a bunch of similar enemies (e.g. Devils in Hell’s Rebels), the Deliverer could be used to good effect.

Executioner (Sczarni Executioner)

Power +2 / Versatility -1

AKA The Assassin-as-a-base-class. Requires an evil alignment, but if in a campaign that allows this (e.g. Hell’s Vengeance) this is a nice archetype that tapers into the actual prestige class nicely, though the prestige class is not required to function well.

Grave Warden

Power +1 / Versatility -1

AKA The Undead-Slayer Slayer. The new abilities are focused to fight undead, though they do not overtake the archetype to make it useless against other foes too much. Being able to assassinate undead at 10th level is nice.

Pureblade

Power +1 / Versatility -2

AKA The Aberration-Slayer Slayer. Less useful that the Grave Warden as aberrations are usually more rare in a standard campaign. Also the replacement features are more specific. Though at 8th level, Steely Mind is very nice for the low Will save Slayer.

Sniper

Power +1 / Versatility 0

Perfect for the classic Sniper trope. Very few changes to the standard slayer but all quite nice for the shooters out there.

Stygian Slayer

Power 0 / Versatility +2

Invisibility as an SLA? Gaseous Form as an SLA? Yes please! Plus the ability to use spell completion and spell trigger items for all illusion spells up to level 4? Sign me up! But losing medium armor and shield proficiency does make you more squishy. But with this archetype you're more of a out-of-sight, in-the-shadows style striker, so maybe it evens out.

Vanguard

Power +2 / Versatility 0

Probably the easiest choice for a power-boost to the standard Slayer. Adding 1/2 level to initiative (replacing Track) is VERY nice. Tactician once per day is good. The Slayer's version of Ranger's Companion Bond is nice and always acting in the surprise round just tops it all off.

Sorcerer

Credited Contributors: Dasrak

Crossblooded

Full: Power +1 / Versatility -2

Dip: Power +1 / Versatility +1

The Crossblooded Sorcerer trades off the lifeblood of the Sorcerer class - spells known. This is a crippling penalty even with the human favored class bonus to shore it up, and also effectively slows your spell progression since you only have one spell known when you first gain access to a new spell level. However, as a dip the Crossblooded archetype is much better, giving access to two separate bloodline arcanas to another spellcasting class. The loss in progression always hurts a spellcaster, but this is one of the few classes where a dip could be worth the cost - provided you pick a good bloodline combination.

Dragon Drinker

Power -1 / Versatility +0

A rather weird archetype with a rather extreme focus on dragons, it unfortunately trades off one of the better bloodline arcanas for a significantly worse one and loses access to the draconic bloodline's rather good list of bloodline feats. The other tradeoffs are mostly neutral, and not worth the power-down. Just take the dragon-crafting feat if you want to do this stuff. It's not like you'll be tripping over dragons very much in the 1-4 level range…

Eldritch Scrapper

Power +0 / Versatility +0

This archetype is largely relegated to Dragon Disciple and Eldritch Knight builds. If you can put it to good use then the tradeoffs are quite nice, but most Sorcerers simply can't make very good use of martial flexibility to begin with so.

Razmiran Priest (aka False Priest)

Power +2 / Versatility +2
(Note: One of the few Archetypes that must be discussed beyond the original post. This Archetype is considered worthy of going beyond the scale given in this document of +2/+2. However in keeping this in line with every other rating, the max score for this archetype will stay at the current max, even if it could be higher. If you are a DM, we encourage you to look at this archetype, and determine if it fits at your table or not.)

The Razmiran Priest trades off exceptionally little to gain access to one of the most powerful abilities a 9-level caster can get: simply by owning a divine scroll, you can cast it from your own spell slots. You do need to make a use magic device check, but as if that wasn't easy enough for a Sorcerer already the archetype gives you a bonus to that skill! The sheer number of spells this gives you access to is astronomical.

Mongrel Mage

Power +0 / Versatility +0

On paper, the Mongrel Mage gives you access to any bloodline you want. In practice, its Mongrel Reservoir is highly limited and it can only use these abilities a few times per day. The loss of bloodline feats and the significant delay in earning bloodline spells is also incredibly infuriating. However, if you want to be able to swap bloodlines on the fly this archetype delivers in a functional manner.

Seeker

Power +0 / Versatility +1

There are some extremely powerful bonuses to your bloodline spells here. Pick a bloodline with a good spell list and you can get a lot of leeway here. Unfortunately the metamagic reduction does not stack with other metamagic reducers, but the sheer number of spells you get a reduction on makes up for this. Effectively gaining trapfinding is nice, if you've got the intelligence to support that much skill investment.

Sorcerer of Sleep

Power -1 / Versatility -1

Lose your bloodline power for a bonus to skill checks related to drugs. Even if you're playing a drug dealer, you should probably pass on this as nothing else here redeems this horrifically bad tradeoff. Remember kids, winners don't do drugs.

Stone Warder

Power: +2, Versatility: -1

The Stone Warder is a very pigeonholed archetype; it only functions in select environments (though fortunately fairly common ones), it locks you out of a very large range of spell options, and you're stuck with an exceedingly limited selection of bloodlines. However, in return the Stone Warder gains a caster level bonus of unmatched magnitude, capping out at a whopping +5 to all your spells at the 20th level. That alone is a lot of power.

Tattooed Sorcerer

Power +1 / Versatility +1

Gain a familiar, gain an ability to help keep that familiar safe, trade eschew materials for a more useful feat, and enhance your bloodline spells. The tradeoffs here are all easily worked around.

Wishcrafter (Racial: Ifrit)

Power -1 / Versatility +1

The bloodline arcana is probably a wash, but replacing your bloodline spells with spells of your choice but a level lower is a classic trade of power for more versatility. The bloodline feat replacements are probably the reverse, harder to use but more powerful when you can, but not enough to undo the overall effect IMO.

Umbral Scion 
Power: -1, Versatility: -1
The Umbral Scion is a flawed and niche archetype. Encroaching Darkness is a great ability – provided you have darkvsision and your enemies don't. Sadly, the opposite is usually the case and that makes it counter-productive for PC's. The reduced spellcasting is a rather steep price to pay (though mercifully you still get normal spells known) and it's not until 13th level that you finally get to the meat of the archetype – a DC bonus to the spells you want to be spamming. This archetype will only work well for specific characters in specific campaigns. 

Spiritualist:

Summoner

Credited Contributors: Dasrak

Blood Summoner

Versatility: +2, Power: +2

Planar Binding as a SLA is just nuts. With its greatly shortened casting time it's much more practical, it no longer takes up valuable spells known, and Blood Offerings makes it incredibly easy to pull off. The class features you give up aren't even very important, and pale in comparison to the benefits. While you do have to wait a while for this archetype to deliver on its main promise, once you have it you're in an exceedingly good position. The only real downside to the archetype is locking you into dealing with evil outsiders; if you're okay with that, it's nothing but gravy.

Broodmaster

Versatility: +0, Power: -2

This archetype trades off one powerful minion for multiple weak minions. It has draconian limitations that prevent you from using natural attacks effectively, leave your eidolons with horrifically low hit point totals, and keeps them pretty under-sized. The concept is cool, but the execution is terrible; use the Master Summoner if you want a horde of minions.

Counter-Summoner

Versatility: -1, Power: -1

Trade off one of your best class features for an incredibly niche ability that's only useful in very specific circumstances. The only thing keeping this off rock bottom is that the archetype at least does what it promises to do and is very effective at shutting down enemies who use summon monster spells.

Evolutionist

Versatility: +0, Power: +0

The primary attraction of this archetype is free transmogrify, letting you re-customize your eidolon daily. Unfortunately, this only arrives at 12th level and before that point you're basically paying an archetype for access to a limited version of the retraining rules. Fortunately the tradeoffs are all manageable.

First Worlder

Versatility: -1, Power: -2

So you trade off the Summon Monster spell line for the inferior Summon Nature's Ally spell line. Then your eidolon gets nerfed into the ground with a significant inferior chassis. The only redeeming quality of this archetype is the ability to summon Pugwampi's, a monster with an extremely abusable ability. Aside from that one incredibly niche application, it's a straight power-down.

Master Summoner

Versatility: +1, Power: +1

The Master Summoner is perhaps the only archetype that really lives up to the class's name, and boy does it deliver! Completely dropping all the restriction on the SLA, you're free to rock out and spam summons as a standard action with insanely long durations. You're unfortunately stuck with a neutered eidolon, but who cares; that's not the focus of attention anymore.

Morphic Savant

Versatility: +0, Power: +0

Sadly incompatible with Master Summoner, the Morphic Savant gets a nice list of benefits but pays for each in turn with restrictions or other catches. The ability to essentially have three different eidolons and change which one you're using every day is incredibly good, and a 50% chance for extra summons is really neat, but those are some steep tradeoffs to get the benefits.

Naturalist

Versatility: +1, Power: +1

While you are stuck with the inferior Summon Nature's Ally spell as your SLA, you get a plethora of options to enhance your eidolon. The ability to change them as a swift action as often as you like is what really pushes this archetype to the front of the crowd, letting you pick whatever benefits are best suited to the particular moment in time.

Spirit Summoner

Versatility: +1

Power: +1

While you must sacrifice your Summon Monster ability to enter this archetype, it gives you class features that can be used while your eidolon is still active so the trade can be incredibly positive despite giving up such a powerful ability. From there, the archetype has good synergy and a few of the spells it can add to your class list are real gems.

Story Summoner

Versatility: +0, Power: +0

The benefits of this archetype are extremely sparse, but you don't lose too much either. The only major downside of this archetype can be completely avoided by being true neutral, but if your alignment is even one step away from true neutral it introduces a rather nasty weakness for your eidolon and becomes considerably less attractive.

Synthesist

Versatility: -1, Power: +1

This archetype is extremely controversial, and has a lot of very powerful benefits but it comes with a rather big price tag. By combining the eidolon and summoner into a single form, the amalgam creature is much more durable and effective. However, because you're no longer two separate creatures you no longer are able to take separate actions. This means where a vanilla summoner effectively gets to take two turns (one with the summoner, one with the eidolon) a synthesist only gets to take one. The loss of individual feats and skills on your eidolon and the ability to actually work as a team is another flaw.

Unwavering Conduit

Versatility: +0, Power: +0

Essentially the lawful version of Morphic Savante, everything that was said about that archetype goes about this one. What you're trading isn't too bad, but there just aren't too many benefits here.

Wild Caller

Versatility: +0, Power: +0

The downgrade from Summon Monster to Summon Nature's Ally isn't nice, and a +4 bonus to some charisma checks against fey is pretty darn niche, but aside from that this is a cool way to get a plant eidolon and the downsides won't have serious consequences if this is really what you want to do.

Fey Caller (Unchained only) 
Power: -1, Versatility: -1
This appears to be the Unchained Summoner's equivalent to the First Worlder archetype for the chained Summoner. It's an improvement over its predecessor, but it's still a general downgrade. The Summon Nature's Ally spell is inferior to Summon Monster, and the Fey Eidolon isn't a very favorable form – with the primary benefit of having access to spell-like abilities that simply duplicate spells your Summoner can already cast.

God Caller 
Power: 0, Versatility: 0
This archetype gives you some decent ability to act as a party face – good for a charisma-based class like the Summoner – but the tradeoffs are all slightly negative. At low levels this isn't bad, but as the trades keep racking up throughout your career it starts looking like a worse and worse deal. How bad it is depends on how long you expect your career to go for; if you're looking forward to a capstone, you probably want to skip this archetype. If you think your campaign will end around 10th level, it's a perfectly fine way to get Diplomacy and Intimidate as class skills. 

Swashbuckler:

Warpriest:

Witch

Credited Contributors: UnArcaneElection

Alley Witch

(Dip versatility -1, power -1; Full versatility -1, power +0): 

Archetypes that replace the 1st level Hex can be a pain because they prevent you from taking Extra Hex to compensate for trading out a Hex, particularly if you are stacking this with an archetype like Cartomancer that replaces the 2nd level Hex. That said, if you are doing some kind of dip for an Arcane Trickster or spy type of character for which the 1st level Hex substitute (Speak to the City) is really helpful, the tradeoff might be worth it (in this case, upgrade to Dip versatility -1, power +0 or even +1). For Full progression, the same thing applies, but you also trade out the 6th level Hex for an ability to imbue other characters with your Hexing ability (Hex Trader), but unlike the spell Imbue with Spell Ability, if one of the imbued tokes gets stolen, you can't get your shared Hex back until you recover the token or it is used (possibly with dire consequences to you and/or your friends, and for some Hexes possibly requiring multiple uses), so be very careful whom you hand these out to. Do note that Alley Witch replaces all your Patron Spells, but this is strangely worded as altering your Familiar instead of replacing your Patron, which in a strict Rules As Written interpretation would prevent you from combining it with any archetype that alters or replaces your Familiar.

Beast-Bonded 

(Dip versatility +1, power +0; Full versatility +1, power +1): 

Although this archetype doesn't explicitly state a substitution at 1st or 2nd level, you can move one of your character feats over to your Familiar at any level, so this adds a bit of versatility, assuming that your primary class is going to continue to advance your Familiar. For Full progression, you trade out your 4th level Hex for a minor boost in your Familiar's power; at 9th level, you trade in another Hex for the ability to turn into a copy of your Familiar or a giant version thereof; what you really want this archetype for comes at 10th level, though, where you trade out another Hex (actually a Major Hex) for free backup of your Familiar or yourself (not both at the same time, though -- that would be really overpowered) -- either one that is about to die gets to move into the body of the other. You'll still want to get a new body for whoever lost theirs, but assuming that one of you manages to escape death, this buys you a LOT of time to do that, and in the meantime you aren't totally hosed with respect to the ability to prepare spells (as most Witches would be). This also lets you use your Familiar in combat or for scouting with less worry, even though this takes quite a while to come online. If you make it up to Grand Hex levels, I wonder if you can use Forced Reincarnation to reincarnate your own body if you have to flee into your Familiar to avoid death (or vice versa if your Familiar's body gets killed)?

Bouda 

(Dip versatility +1, power +0; Full versatility +0, power +0): 

It is no surprise that several Witch archetypes are EeeEEviiiiil! This is the first of these (and it includes a Code of Conduct in all but name) -- in particular, with a likely connection to Gnolls and/or Lamashtu. For a Dip, this archetype gets added versatility in that your primary class DOESN'T have to progress a Familiar, because this archetype trades it for a Bonded Object (fetish) that stores your spells instead; it doesn't give you a pseudo-Spell Recall like a Wizard's Bonded Object, but instead it gives you the ability to deliver Touch spells as Ranged Touch spells a few times per day. In addition, as your 1st level Hex, you get Bouda's Eye, which is like Evil Eye but once per day lets you inflict 2 debuffs simultaneously (3 simultaneously if you take the actual Evil Eye Hex); like Evil Eye, it only scales once (at 8th level), so this is usable (if not great) for a Dip. Note that unlike most Hex substitutes, Bouda's Eye is described as an actual Hex, so it qualifies you for the Extra Hex feat. For Full progression, you trade your 10th level Hex (actually a Major Hex) for what basically amounts to a Hyena-specific Wildshape, except that you get prerequisite-free Natural Speech and Natural Spell to use with it (although not with any actual Beast Shape spells or other Wildshape that you might gain).

Cartomancer 

(Dip versatility +1, power +1; Full versatility +1, power +1): 

This is the Witch's Answer to the Card Caster Magus archetype, and again it replaces your Familiar with a Bonded Object (Spell Deck). Although again it doesn't give you a pseudo-Spell Recall like a Wizard's Bonded Object, for the cost of your 2nd level Hex it gets you prerequisite-free Deadly Dealer (although you may want to get Arcane Strike eventually anyway), and at 3rd level it gives you the option to deliver Touch spells instead of Deadly Dealer card damage with thrown cards. WARNING: DO NOT USE DEADLY DEALER BEFORE 3RD LEVEL! Only at 3rd level do cards from your Spell Deck gain the resiliency to avoid destruction when used this way, and you MUST NOT lose any cards from your Spell Deck, or it becomes unusable. Although you are explicitly allowed to use cards that are not from your Spell Deck with Deadly Dealer (but these do not gain the aforementioned resilience), it would be all too easy to accidentally emulate Yosemite Sam tying himself to the wrong rope, and throw one of your Spell Deck cards. For Full progression, this archetype doesn't make any further substitutions, thus leaving you free to combine it with a decent number of other archetypes. Other than the warning of severe risk for user error at 2nd level, this archetype has cool written all over it, even if it isn't super-powered.

Dark Sister 

(Dip versatility +0, power +0; Full versatility -1, power -1): 

At 2nd level, in exchange for your 2nd level Hex, you become a professional Town Gossip (skill-based, so uses per day limited only by the skills), and can increase the DC of any Fear spell once per day; the first part of this doesn't scale with level, and so is usable (if not great) with a Dip, whereas the second part of this scales with level with respect to uses per day (1 per 2 levels). At 8th level you trade in another Hex for the ability to cancel a beneficial effect that a target would receive from one of its allies and inflict moderate Wisdom Damage; however, the extremely limited uses per day and the potential for the caster of the beneficial effect to overcome this with a Will Save (not Caster Level Check) really hurt this. At 10th level, in exchange for a Hex (actually Major Hex), you gain an alliance with a Night Hag, although the extremely limited duration and uses per week really hurt this. Also, this archetype replaces some of your Patron spells. Even if I wanted to be EeeEEviiiiil, I wouldn't choose this archetype for Full progression.

Dimensional Occultist 

(Dip versatility -1, power +0; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

Although this archetype does replace the 2nd level Hex (with Dimensional Augmentation, allowing you to increase the caster level of spells in return for minor material components and increased casting time), the uses per day are limited initially, so it only gets good later. For Full progression, you trade your 8th level Hex for the ability to use Contact Other Plane with reduced chance to botch it and greatly reduced time of debilitation if you do botch it; you trade your 12th level Hex (actually Major Hex) for Dimensional Waypoints, which lets you improve the accuracy and safety of your Teleport and Plane Shift spells to a limited number of points (initially only 2, but this gets to be more every 2 levels). This archetype requires you to take the Dimensions Patron (which is not in the standard list of Witch Patrons).

Gravewalker 

(Dip versatility +0, power +2; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

We're really digging EeeEEviiiiil here, although technically Evil alignment is not a requirement. Only this time, we're digging -- or more likely digging UP -- graves. For a Dip, this replaces the 1st level and 4th level Hexes to get 2 powers at 1st level: Aura of Desecration (bolsters Undead and increases the DC of channeled negative energy -- also see Hex Channeler below), which scales with level with respect to radius but not with respect to effect within this radius, and Bonethrall (you get to mind-control Undead), which scales with respect to caster level instead of class level. It is not clear that the scaling of the latter ability is limited to Witch caster level, but even if it is, this would still be pretty good if you can get subsequent classes to progress your Witch caster level (for instance, a prestige class such as Agent of the Grave), and if necessary, the trait Magical Knack can be used to compensate for minor deficiencies in caster level. In addition, this archetype replaces your Familiar with a Bonded Object (Spell Poppet), which, instead of giving you a pseudo-Spell Recall, allows you to deliver Touch spells as Ranged Touch spells anywhere in your Aura of Desecration, starting at 3rd level, with no limit on uses per day other than how many spells you can cast. At 8th level you get to possess your Undead minions as if using Magic Jar, but with your Spell Poppet acting as the receptacle (make sure that this and your body stay safe). This archetype replaces some but not all of your Patron spells with spells you need to be proficient at Undead-centric Necromancy, so DON'T choose the Plague Patron, which is meant for Necromancers who do not have this archetype, and will get you duplicate Patron spells, because one of the replacement spells is Animate Dead as a 3rd level spell (like a Cleric) instead of a 4th level spell (like most arcane spellcasters, including non-Gravewalker Witches).

Hedge Witch 

(Dip N/A; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

Finally, an archetype for Good Witches, although Good alignment isn't technically a requirement. This doesn't do anything special for a Dip, but for Full progression, at 4th level you gain a standard Cleric's Spontaneous Spellcasting ability in exchange for a Hex (and you don't even have to actually learn the Cure-series spells to use them with this ability). The 8th level Hex replacement (Empathic Healing) is less exciting, because it only works if you are susceptible to whatever condition (Poisoned or Diseased) you are taking from whatever creature into yourself, and as far as I can tell from the wording, you don't even get to use your own (bad) Fortitude Save to mitigate the effects on yourself. Better to invest in something that will actually cure the condition, but I suppose it's nice to have this as a backup in case that fails. This archetype specifies that your Patron should have "a Healing theme", but does not specify a Patron or replace any Patron spells; normally, you would want the Healing Patron, but the Endurance Patron also fits thematically and could work mechanically. For extra bad status removal, combine this archetype with Herb Witch (see below), which is more powerful (although less flavorful) than combining it with Hex Channeler (see further below).

Herb Witch 

(Dip versatility -1, power +0; Full versatility +0, power +2): 

Yet another archetype that replaces your 1st level Hex, although the replacement gives you some serious bad status removal capability, of which the substitution of Profession (Herbalist) for Craft (Alchemy) scales with level, although unfortunately for a Dip, this substitution is for practical purposes mandatory even though it is technically optional. (If you find a primary class/archetype which can make the same substitution, upgrade this archetype to Dip versatility -1, power +2.) In addition, your 2nd level Hex must be the Cauldron Hex, although at least this qualifies you for the feat Extra Hex, unlike most Hex substitutes. This archetype restricts Patron, but leaves you with a choice of several (including Healing but unfortunately not Endurance), so you could combine it with Hedge Witch (see above), although the 2nd level Hex restriction means that you can't combine it with Hex Channeler (see below). The Patron list includes Death and Plague as well as Healing -- this archetype can be used for Good or Evil.

Hex Channeler 

(Dip versatility +0, power +0; Full versatility +0, power +0): 

If you want to channel energy like a Cleric, this is the archetype for you. Unfortunately, even though only the 2nd level Hex replacement is mandatory, in practice you need to replace as many even-level Hexes as possible to make it good (although due to the broken nature of Meditation Crystals, it is actually possible to get quite good use out of just the single die of channeling that you start with -- hence the lack of lower ratings -- if Meditation Crystals get Errata'd to keep you from getting a lot from a little, this archetype degrades to Dip versatility -1, power -1). Furthermore, it has the same restriction as Cleric with respect to the correspondence between your alignment and what kind of energy you can channel. Fortunately, this ability has the clause that you use your Witch level as your Cleric level "for all other effects dependent upon channel energy (except increasing the amount of damage healed or dealt)" -- this means that you do not lose out on Save DC for damaging creatures with your channeling even if you couldn't replace all of your even-level Hexes with energy channeling dice (because, for instance, you combined this with another archetype, and maybe left 1 even-level Hex as a normal Hex to qualify for Extra Hex even though the other archetype also replaced your 1st level Hex). For fun, even though it isn't optimal, you can combine this archetype with Gravewalker (see above) on the Evil side, or with Hedge Witch (but not the more powerful Herb Witch) on the Good side.

Ley Line Guardian 

(Dip versatility -1, power -1; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

This archetype is frustrating because for the foreseeable future it probably fills up the archetype slot that would have been occupied by a Sorceress Witch -- that is, a spontaneous spellcasting Witch (translating your Patron into Bonus Spells and removing your Familiar altogether) -- and it has a couple of undesirable features baked in, even though the Sorcerer-style spellcasting at least alleviates one of the Witch's weaknesses (small number of spells per day). One of these is that you trade your 1st level and 8th level Hexes in for an ability that lets you increase your caster level for the next spell you cast (and this only improves slightly at 8th level), but at the risk of staggering yourself for a number of minutes equal to the spell level if you fail the associated Fortitude Save -- and you have a bad Fortitude Save. The other is that when the archetype was made into a spontaneous spellcaster, it WASN'T changed away from being Intelligence-dependent. Now, that is not always a bad thing, but sometimes you want a different primary spellcasting ability score (for instance, playing a race that gets an Intelligence penalty), and spontaneous spellcasting would have been a great excuse. Between this and the recent undesirable change to Scarred Witch Doctor (see below), the lesson is that you can't have a Witch who can't spell.

Medium 

(Dip versatility +0, power +1; Full versatility +1, power +2): 

This archetype is not at all related to the Occult Adventures class of the same name -- they serve different purposes. Not everybody needs to be able to fight Incorporeal creatures, but if you need this, you need it bad. Note that the wording of the 2nd level Hex substitute DOESN'T say that it applies only to Witch spells, and it not only gets you free Ectoplasmic Spell, but also gets you a few free uses of it per day; this ability doesn't scale with level, so you can Dip and get it, although needing 2 levels for this is a bit painful to take out of any other spellcasting class (Magical Knack is a must-have). For Full progression, for the cost of another Hex at 6th level, you get a No Save, No Spell Resistance anti-Undead (not just Incorporeal) mind-reading ability that you can use any number of times per day per target; anti-Undead Inquisitors will wish that they could have this, but it is too high level for a Dip. If you get to capstone levels, this archetype hurts for having to replace your 20th level Hex (actually Grand Hex) with the ability to become Incorporeal for up to 20 minutes total per day -- this isn't a bad ability, but I hate having to replace a Grand Hex with it, since by that level, you probably can find other ways to become Incorporeal if you need to (if you go all the way to 20th level, this archetype degrades to Full versatility +1, power +1; this hurts less if you are allowed to go beyond 20th level).

Mountain Witch 

(Dip versatility +0, power -1; Full versatility +0, power +0): 

This is the first of an incomplete set of elemental-themed Witch archetypes that are odd due to being rather non-parallel, as well as currently lacking a Fire-themed member and an Electricity-themed member: Mountain Witch (Earth-themed), Sea Witch (Water-themed; see below), and Winter Witch (Cold/Ice-themed; see below). For a Dip or Full progression, you can select a Stone Spirit Shaman Hex in place of any Witch Hex except for the 2nd level Hex substitute -- this option helps versatility overall, but for a Dip this is compensated by the 2nd level Hex substitute being a very situational pseudo-Wild Empathy, and for Full Progression this is compensated by your Patron being fully replaced in all but name (although technically, the lack of a Mountain Patron name might allow you to qualify for some other archetype that doesn't replace the 2nd level Hex but that has a specific Patron restriction; on the other hand, a strict Rules As Written interpretation would probably forbid you from taking any such archetype unless it replaced no other Hexes, since you get optional Hex replacement at any level -- expect table variation).

Sea Witch 

(Dip versatility -1, power -1; Full versatility -1, power +0): 

This is the second elemental-themed Witch archetype. Like Mountain Witch, it replaces all your Patron spells (which hurts Full progression versatility), although oddly it also has a mild restriction on what Patrons you can choose. Dip versatility and power is hurt by replacing the 1st level Hex with a situational pseudo-Wild Empathy, although you also get free Know Direction at will when near large bodies of water -- this is a Cantrip/Orison, but it is not on the Witch spell list (why didn't they just add it to the spell list of this archetype?), so this and the pseudo-Wild Empathy for water-dwelling and near-water creatures could be okay for a waterborne campaign, such as Skull & Shackles, but you wouldn't want this archetype for most campaigns; on the other hand, if you start out in such a campaign, and then get dumped somewhere else, it isn't so terrible that you would be a fish out of water.

Synergist 

(Dip versatility +0, power +0; Full versatility +1, power +1): 

This is sort of like Beast-Bonded with respect to keeping your Familiar safe, but trades out some of the ultimate security (the Immediate Action merge) in return for getting online sooner -- soon enough to be good for keeping your Familiar healthy even at 1st level (unfortunately replacing your 1st level Hex), and this even gives you your Familiars Low-Light Vision or Darkvision when merged (if you don't already have Darkvision of your own and your Familiar does, this archetype upgrades to Dip versatility +1, power +1). For Full progression, as you level up, you gain more abilities of your Familiar when merged, and the wording doesn't say that you can't do this with an Improved Familiar, so go ahead and get creative. You get several upgrades in this ability, but only trade out Hexes at 1st level, 8th level, and 14th level.

Veneficus Witch 

(Dip versatility +1, power -1; Full versatility +1, power +1): 

This is the poisoner Witch archetype. Poison isn't all that easy to get good use out of, and the Toxic Words 2nd level Hex substitute that it gives you reduces the DC of both your Hex and your poison by 2 if you use both at once. On the other hand, since most Hexes are (short) ranged, if you do manage to build for the serious debuffing needed to overcome this DC reduction, AND you manage to get hold of effective poisons, this can work, although you will really want Full progression to get more debuffing Hexes (with increasing DC) for this purpose, including the 10th level Hex (actually Major Hex) substitute that upgrades Toxic Words so that the DC reduction for the combination is only 1. You also get Poison Use (starting at level 2), plus the option to select a limited set of Alchemist Discoveries in place of any of your remaining Hexes.

White-Haired Witch 

(Dip versatility -1 to +0, power -1 to +2; Full versatility -1, power +0): 

I used to think of this archetype sort of like Vivisectionist Alchemist, replacing a major class feature entirely with a completely different class feature more oriented towards melee combat (although in the case of White-Haired Witch the replacement is a greater fraction of class features than for Vivisectionist Alchemist). But in recent months, this archetype makes me think of Donald Trump, enthralling masses with voodoo proclamations and attacking opponents with his hair/toupee (okay, I made that last part up). For a traditional Dip of 1 or 2 levels, your White Hair/Toupee isn't very good, having a reach of only 5 feet, but I have seen builds posted in the Paizo messageboards that do Dips of 4 levels to not only extend the reach to 10 feet, but also get the Universal Monster Ability Grab, and the combination makes this much better (hence the very smeared Dip power rating); some of the posted builds (which also dip in several other classes) are scary grapplers, although note that since these tend to involve some archetype of Monk, you will be super-MAD in a build like this; such combinations deserve further study, and the full set of such combinations may have not been completely explored (hence the smeared Dip versatility rating). If you do decide to go Full progression with this archetype, you will have the problem of trying to do attacks and Combat Maneuvers with 1/2 BAB, which hurts a lot; on the other hand, if you do manage to figure out a way around this, you get some nice additional abilities -- and as one bit of help, Full progression is not especially MAD, including the fact that you use your Intelligence modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls and Combat Maneuver checks. At 6th level, you get the ability to pull opponents; at 8th level, you get to strangle them, which is especially good against spellcasters unless they can cast without Verbal components. At even levels starting with 10th, you can select from a limited set of Rogue Talents, and at 18th level, this improves to Rogue Advanced Talents. Do note that these are pre-Unchained Rogue Talents and Advanced Talents -- this archetype might need a bit of an update to correspond to Unchained Rogue. Also, some of the choices of available Rogue Talent are odd, such as Minor Magic and Major Magic; however, Minor Magic could actually be useful if you really need some Cantrip that isn't on the Witch spell list, such as Mage Hand if you want to do something really crazy like go Arcane Trickster (although this would also require you to Dip and/or go VMC Rogue and take the feat Accomplished Sneak Attacker to get Sneak Attack).

Winter Witch 

(Dip versatility -2, power +1; Full versatility -1, power +1 to +2): 

This is the third elemental-themed (Cold/Ice) Witch archetype. This archetype gives you a DC boost to Cold-based spells at the cost of not being able to learn Fire-based spells, and it doesn't say that this applies only to your Witch spells, so presumably this also applies to your primary class if this is only a Dip for you. You also get constant Endure Elements against cold, and Ray of Frost is added to your spell list (which may be important if you want to go into the Winter Witch prestige class, although in that case you want Full progression instead of a Dip -- see below, although some kind of Crossblooded Sorcerer Cheese Dip might be up your alley). Note that you get a limited choice of Familiars and Patrons (for the latter, strangely a now fairly old Errata banned the Vengeance Patron instead of just converting the Fire spells to Cold spells.) For Full progression, the only Hex substitution is at 4th level, which gets you scaling cold resistance, which is okay but nothing to write home about. Where this archetype really shines, however, is that it is as yet still the only way to get into the Winter Witch prestige class (hence the smeared power rating), which was strangely not just rolled into the archetype (which only progresses Witch spellcasting, so you can't even use a Winter Witch archetype Dip to get another spellcasting class into the progression). The Winter Witch prestige class gives you full progression of all Witch class features except for a 1 level interruption of spellcasting progression (and adds 3 more useful Cold spells to your spell list), and for the cost of 3 forced Hex choices (of which all are potentially useful), it gives you several additional abilities (distributed among battlefield control, movement, debuffing, and damaging) that don't cause you to actually lose any Hexes. If that inability to learn Fire spells is really getting in your way, you could also go VMC Wizard (Evocation:Admixture) to get around this.

Racial Archetypes

Bonded Witch 

(Half-Elf; Dip versatility +0, power +0; Full versatility +1, power +1): 

This is the only Witch archetype that does not replace a Hex. It replaces your Familiar with a Bonded Object, although instead of giving you a pseudo-Spell Recall like a Wizard's Bonded Object, it gives you a specific list of spells that can be chosen for the once per day Bonded Object spellcasting. The specific list of spells depends upon the type of Bonded Object chosen; in some cases, the spells are actually lower level spells modified by Metamagic. Unlike the Bonded Objects of almost all other Witch archetypes, you can enchant your Bonded Object without needing the corresponding Magic Item Creation feat, just like a Wizard with a Bonded Object. Familiar is the only thing that it replaces or alters, so it is compatible with all archetypes that do not replace or alter Familiar.

Dreamweaver 

(Changeling; Dip versatility +0, power +1; Full versatility -1, power +1): 

For a Dip, trading out Heal for Sense Motive as a class skill is generally good, even if you want to invest in healing -- Sense Motive is overall a better skill to have in class and invest multiple skill ranks in. For a little bit more of a Dip, the 2nd level Hex substitute gives you a DC boost when casting Mind-Affecting spells on creatures that you put to sleep with a spell or Hex. For Full progression, this archetype oddly says that your Patron is normally Portents or Stars, but then proceeds to replace all of your Patron spells with spells for Psi-Ops. The 6th level and 10th level Hex substitutes are also very good for Psi- Ops. If you are a Psi-Ops type and are a Changeling, this archetype is for you -- just make sure that you take the Witchborn alternate racial trait, so that you get a racial +2 boost to Intelligence instead of Wisdom.

Scarred Witch Doctor 

(Half-Orc/Orc; Half-Orc Dip versatility -1 to +0, power +0 to +2; Orc Dip versatility -1 to +1, power -1 to +1; Half-Orc Full versatility +0, power +2; Orc Full versatility +0, power +0): 

The recent Errata that replaced the Constitution-Dependent alternate class feature with Fierce Intelligence changed this archetype immensely. Before this change, this archetype was great for Orc (and to a lesser extent Half-Orc) Gish Witches (even without going Eldritch Knight and/or VMC Magus), who could use their massive Strength bonus to make up for 1/2 BAB up into mid-levels and pump Constitution hard to boost both their spellcasting and their survivability (if using pre-Errata Scarred Witch Doctor, alter the rating to Half-Orc & Orc Dip versatility -1, power +1; Half-Orc Full versatility +0, power +1; Orc Full versatility +1, power +2). Now, though, Paizo has decided that you can't have a Witch who can't spell, and so severely nerfed Orc Gish Witches, but didn't think Fierce Intelligence through very carefully. Not only did they apparently forget that the floating ability score +2 bonus can go anywhere on a Half-Orc, thereby making Half-Orc Scarred Witch Doctor but otherwise conventional Witches stupidly overpowered in standard Full progression, but this new alternate class feature as worded is apparently not confined to Witch spells -- expect table variation, though, if for no reason other than that some GMs might get a heart attack from you doing a triple cheeseburger combination of Magical Knack, Scarred Witch Doctor Dip, Crossblooded Sorcerer Dip, and Wizard primary class (hence the smeared versatility and power ratings for a Dip). This archetype replaces your Familiar with a Bonded Object; unlike a Wizard's Bonded Object, it does not give you a pseudo-Spell Recall, instead giving you bonuses to Heal and Intimidate and to Saves against Pain effects, but like a Wizard's Bonded Object (Fetish Mask) and unlike almost all other Witch archetype Bonded Objects, you can enchant it at 5th level as if you had Craft Wondrous Item without actually needing the feat. Furtheremore, if you are inclined to join the Hellknights (as a Signifer), your Mask can also become your Hellknight Signifer Mask, and Hellknight Signifer levels stack with Scarred Witch Doctor levels for determining what enchantments you can add to it. The final Dip-relevant alternate class feature is Scarshield, which improves survivability, but hurts low-level versatility by replacing your 1st level Hex, and scales in both duration and effect with class level, so it isn't very good at low levels.

Wizard

Credited Contributors: Dasrak

Arcane BomberPower: -2, Versatility: -2 

Bombs are a pretty cool class feature, especially at level 1. Unfortunately this archetype just gives up way too much to do it, and to make matters worse you cannot apply discoveries to those bombs in any fashion. You lock yourself out of school specialization and have less spell power, you don't get cantrips, you don't get an arcane bond, and as this wasn't already bad enough you have to take a whopping four opposition schools. Just be an Evoker if you want to blow things up.

Exploiter WizardPower: 0, Versatility: +2

The sheer number of options afforded by Arcanist Exploits is dazzling, and the Wizard can put them to excellent use. What holds this archetype back is that you're locked out of the arcane school, and as such get fewer spell slots per day and miss out on all the cool class features that can afford. It's a steep tradeoff but with excellent rewards.

Familiar AdeptPower: -2, Versatility: -2

So let's see... lose three bonus feats, take an extra opposition school, you must use a specific familiar archetype and that archetype gets nerfed, you have to use the Witch familiar rules rather than the Wizard spellbook rules resulting in higher cost to learn spells and a catastrophic point of weakness... uh, where are the benefits? Oh, here they are at the bottom! Once per day your familiar gets to use a nearly-useless spell-like ability! Absolutely atrocious.

Pact WizardPower: 0, Versatility: -1

This archetype doesn't even have the decency to give you the Sacred Summons feat for free, making you purchase it yourself. Ultimately it's all too little to be worth giving up an extra opposition school, but you could make it work if you really wanted to.

Primalist
Power: +1, Versatility: 0

An interesting archetype that offers some cool options, but only if you're the gambling sort. While the benefits aren't really that outstanding, the tradeoffs are relatively low. Although on the other hand, maybe my standards have been lowered a bit after reading Familiar Adept... shudder…

Scrollmaster
Power: 0, Versatility: +1

While the stuff you get at level 1 is interesting, using fragile magic scrolls as weapons and armor proves to be about as practical as you'd expect. The real meat of this archetype is what you get at level 10, Improved Scroll Casting. Although it's only one class feature, the tradeoffs for this archetype are very mild and make it overall a good selection.

Scroll ScholarPower: 0, Versatility: +1

Trading away little of value in return for some cool abilities, it's a solid archetype. The biggest downside is that it locks you into being a Diviner specialist, with the other tradeoffs being unambiguous upgrades.

Shadowcaster
Power: +1, Versatility: +1

Good tradeoffs across the board that will suit any darkness-oriented wizard quite well, and all without affecting the arcane school class feature and thus leaving it perfectly compatible with almost any wizard build. It is held back from a "great" ranking by the fact that it only really shines on illusion specialists, and while other wizard builds can benefit from this archetype, they won’t to quite the same degree.

Siege MagePower: -2, Versatility: -2

This archetype is so outlandishly impractical outside of siege combat as to be laughable. It might be useful for an NPC who will only ever be encountered on an open battlefield with a siege engine at his disposal, but for an adventurer the practicality of this archetype is a big fat zero.

SpellslingerPower: -1, Versatility: -2
(Power -1, Versatility 0 [Dip])

The deep tradeoffs of the spellslinger are somewhat redeemed by some very cool benefits. The lack of a specialty school, the extra opposition schools, the lack of cantrips, and some utterly draconian misfire rules really hold it back. However, with multi-classing the Spellslinger can sidestep most of the downsides the archetype imposes while still grabbing the main benefits and can perform much better.

Spell SagePower: +1, Versatility: 0

This archetype is defined by insanely good abilities tempered by limited usage per day and steep tradeoffs. It greatly expands on what the Wizard is capable of, but with steeply limited usage per day and trading off significant class features for access.

Spirit BinderPower: 0, Versatility: 0

Essentially this archetype gives your bonus feats to your familiar, with everything else being mostly fluff. It's a neutral tradeoff if there ever was one.

Spirit Whisperer

Power: 0, Versatility: 0

While this archetype offers severe downsides, including trading off the spellbook for the inferior witch-style familiar and the loss of the arcane school, it does offer some very unique and promising abilities.

Sword Binder

Power: -2, Versatility: -2

The Universalist Wizard suffers on two fronts, lacking specialist spell slots and also having one of the most underwhelming class features of any wizard school in Hand of the Apprentice. This archetype attempts to rectify this problem by removing every class feature other than Hand of the Apprentice. The only useful ability on this archetype (the ability to hold the charge on a missed range touch spell) is ruined by the fact that it forces you to target AC rather than touch AC to use this ability, practically ensuring you will always miss. To add insult to injury, you trade off your 10th level bonus feat for a spell-like ability that duplicates a limited version of a spell you can already cast. This archetype is as close as you can get to trading away all your class features for nothing.

Arcane Physician 
Power: -2, Versatility: 0
A lot of verbiage for an archetype that functionally is just letting you use and craft wands of Cure Light Wounds. In return, however, you lose out on your arcane school. This is a massive cost for a very minor gain. Just invest skill ranks in Use Magic Device instead.

Bonded Wizard 
Power: 0, Versatility: 0
This archetype trades off most of your bonus feats to gain a number of useful but minor spontaneous abilities. Most of these effects can be duplicated by spells the Wizard already knows, so the trade-off is negative for the most part, but there are enough generally useful effects here that can be called upon spontaneously that the tradeoff isn't bad.

Elder Mythos Scholar 
Power: 0, Versatility: 0
This is a rather niche archetype whose values varies drastically depending on what kind of campaign you're in. All of its abilities are heavily double-edged, and are applicable only against specific kinds of enemies or specific kinds of situations. This makes it very difficult rate, since it's obviously intended specifically for those kinds of campaigns. Bottom line: if you aren't bothered by an increased cost to scribe spells, you can work with this archetype.

Hallowed Necromancer 
Power: 0, Versatility: -1
While this archetype has a noble goal – a necromancy specialist that very specifically does not create undead – most of the abilities it offers just duplicate the effect of existing spells that any wizard can learn. You're essentially trading off useful class features and taking on additional restrictions in exchange for abilities you already have. While it's not too harmful if you already intend to avoid undead creation for RP purposes, there's really no point in taking this archetype.

Instructor 
Power: +1, Versatility: +1
This archetype is rated on the presumption that the Leadership feat is not banned at your table. If Leadership is banned at your table then it's +2/+2 and is essentially game-breaking. This archetype gets you the primary benefits of Leadership many levels earlier, lets you use Intelligence instead of Charisma for your leadership score, and guarantees you a Wizard cohort with the same specialization as you. The loss of your familiar is the only real trade-off, making it an easy tradeoff in any game that allows Leadership.

Pact Wizard (Haunted Heroes) 
Note: This archetype is completely different from the Pact Wizard published in Familiar Folio, and is rated as a separate archetype. It is likely an oversight on Paizo's part that two unrelated archetypes were accidentally given the same name. 
Power: +2, Versatility: +2
Did you ever wonder what it would look like if someone were to just cram all the most overpowered abilities they could think of into an archetype and give it no meaningful downsides? Wonder no more, because the Pact Wizard from Haunted Heroes is here! Featuring spontaneous conversion of spell slots, learning a limited selection of spells from another class list, metamagic reduction, gaining oracle class features, and the ability to reroll missed checks with massive bonuses to guarantee success. What do you lose out on? Just your bonus feats. How this monster ever made it into a published product will forever remain a mystery.

Undead Master 
Power: 0, Versatility: 0
There is basically one reason to take this archetype: Animate Dead as a 3rd level spell. This allows an arcane Necromancer to get rolling at the same time as his divine counterparts. At higher levels, it's less useful since the difference between a 3rd and 4th level spellslot on a spell you'll only prep once or twice per day isn't a gamechanger anymore and is not worth the archetype's tradeoffs. If retraining is available at your table, this archetype should probably be retrained away around the 10th level since it no longer offers substantial benefits at that point.