I know, I know. There's only so many things that could influence how you see these, but these are some of my comments. I'll devote a single post for a single class. Ok? Onwards with it!

ALCHEMIST: This class hasn't changed that much. And, yeah, it's still very efficient and powerful, but given all the improvements in Wrath(mostly from Mythics), I don't necessarily think it's THAT powerful anymore. I definitely feel like it was more powerful in Kingmaker. And I actually don't like it that much. Idk, I feel that its rework in Pathfinder 2 was well deserved. About Archetypes:

* Chirurgeon: This is basically the Base Class+ . One of two actually. This one specializes in defense and support at a practically no cost(yeah, Poison Immunity.../rolleyes). It is an ok Archetype, mostly due to presence of Throw Elixir. You can do nice things if you focus on that, INT Cognatogen and utility bombs(Force, Dispel etc).

* Grenadier: And this is the second pair of Base Class+ . Where Chir focuses on Defense, this one focuses on braindead Offense. Again, thake INT Cognatogen and flatten everything. You have plenty options to adapt to the enemy.

* Incensier: Yeah, I made that word up, so? You know what I'm talking about. It is a nice support option, mostly because Alchemical bonuses / maluses are just so rare. Bomb progression is a problem, but it is a nice little support arch. I fully believe Chir is better, at the end of it.

* Metamorph: What a cool Archetype! Too bad it's almost pointless. Idk, something about it smells...wrong. Also, why does it not have at least some Bombs on earlier levels? And where's Dragonkind 3? As I said, something doesn't add up here. Seems...scuffed, does it not?

* Preservationist: This is not for me. Given the state of Turn Based and how long it takes, I DO NOT NEED MORE COMBATANTS! No way, lol! But it is a very poweful arch that basically allows you to spontaneously summon stuff. While not throwing bombs. And the cost is nonexistent. It's only...it's not Turn Based friendly at all!

* Vivisectionist: What can I say? It's still as ridiculously powerful as it was in Kingmaker. DEX Mutagen + Piranha + Finesse etc + Sneak Att + Trickster = broken. Don't really have to add anything here.

Yeah, I do not allow Alchemist in my TT game group.

ARCANIST: Now here is an interesting little idea. It is, for all intents and purposes, a modern Arcane Caster. I'm just not completely sold on how it's been implemented. I read something about Spontaneous Casting...idk. Also, where's Quick Study? I mean, the class isn't complete without it.

* BFT: In the end, it's nothing special. But who cares about the end when someone breaks the process as expertly as BFT does? Not only can you stack RIDICULOUS bonuses(you can give Seelah +10 STR and +6 CHA on level 4 or something lol), but you can also do creative things like give different allies different Genie types and abuse that Elemental Mythic feat. It is a very cool, very thematic and very powerful arch.

* Eldritch Font: Now, this one I do not like. Idk, just feels like a trap or like level 10+ respec option. Something about this one's wrong. Can't really recommend it unless you like having two spells(even Crossblooded Sorc has more fml).

* Elementalist: Theoretically, it is quite good. Realistically, it is quite average. Can't really recommend it. Can be somewhat cool, but I prefer to leave blasting and otherwise aggressive casting to Sorcs and the likes.

* Nature Mage: I mean, it's a freebie, but why? Just why? Why would you want a Druid themed Arcanist? I mean, every Nature caster already has redundancy built in, so...this feels 100% pointless. Cool and all(can bypass Druid Alignments), but pointless.

* Phantasmal Mage: So very cool! And you become so ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ adept with Illusion! Too bad Shadow x don't really work seamlessly and that Shadow Enchantment isn't a part of the game. Still, if you don't do anything but spam various Shadow Conjurations, PKs, Weirds...you're gonna pull your own weight and in a style! Very good arch! (even better with Tabletop Tweaks, but meh)

* Unlettered Mage: You get Witch spellbook and a Familiar. WITHOUT Patron! And WITHOUT Hex! I mean, ok? What's the point lol?

* White Mage: It's a freebie. Well, almost. Do I think WM is a good healer? Hell, no! But it is a VERY VERSATILE caster. If you don't have anything else to contribute, heal away! For what you "sacrifice"(=1 Exploit lol), you get a ton in return. Just pace yourself.

Brown fur I think you have your numbers wrong.
But, I really like the arcanist, if for no other reason than the munchkins dislike it.

Originally posted by lemurs2:

Brown fur I think you have your numbers wrong.
But, I really like the arcanist, if for no other reason than the munchkins dislike it.

No, they are not. +6(Bull's) and +4(Enlarge) with +6(Eagle's)...yes, BFT buffs even the likes of Enlarge Person. Unsure about bonuses from actual shapeshifts. Wouldn't be surprised if even them got buffed. It really breaks the game.

Don't get me wrong, I like Arcanist too, but in the end? A lot of those arches feel pointless(Nature, Unlettered...???). But who cares when the base class is as fun and as good as Arc is. Just...where's Quick Study lol? And a lot of its exploits feel pointless, there are definite few everyone's going to pick up.

I patiently wait until you get to the prestgie classes, as I would love to hear your verdict on these.

Originally posted by Invisible:

I patiently wait until you get to the prestgie classes, as I would love to hear your verdict on these.

You're gonna wait some. And I might not do it, because I don't have any experience with like half of them, so...I feel like that's a thin ice.

Teacher, is all of this going to be on the final exam?

BTW: a lot of the basic info is on Fextralife, and unlike some other areas of the site, is only very occasionally wrong. :=> That said it's just basic data, no evaluation.

PPl. sometimes ask. Can I see what feats and abilities my class/archetype gets and when from lvl 1-20? It's on Fextralife!

Praise be unto Fextralife, it helped me figure out what I wanted my MCs and mercs to be. Some of this was definitely new to me.

Now if only what they call "romance guides" and "walkthrus" and a section called "endings" that only discusses 1 secret ending which is so secret it's everywhere, were so complete. But, I digress. The "walkthrough" stops at act 4. Now BTW, I know act 5 and act 6 are rushed, but ... still?

Originally posted by Gorwe:

ALCHEMIST: This class hasn't changed that much. And, yeah, it's still very efficient and powerful, but given all the improvements in Wrath(mostly from Mythics), I don't necessarily think it's THAT powerful anymore. I definitely feel like it was more powerful in Kingmaker. And I actually don't like it that much. Idk, I feel that its rework in Pathfinder 2 was well deserved. About Archetypes:

* Chirurgeon: This is basically the Base Class+ . One of two actually. This one specializes in defense and support at a practically no cost(yeah, Poison Immunity.../rolleyes). It is an ok Archetype, mostly due to presence of Throw Elixir. You can do nice things if you focus on that, INT Cognatogen and utility bombs(Force, Dispel etc).

* Grenadier: And this is the second pair of Base Class+ . Where Chir focuses on Defense, this one focuses on braindead Offense. Again, thake INT Cognatogen and flatten everything. You have plenty options to adapt to the enemy.

* Incensier: Yeah, I made that word up, so? You know what I'm talking about. It is a nice support option, mostly because Alchemical bonuses / maluses are just so rare. Bomb progression is a problem, but it is a nice little support arch. I fully believe Chir is better, at the end of it.

* Metamorph: What a cool Archetype! Too bad it's almost pointless. Idk, something about it smells...wrong. Also, why does it not have at least some Bombs on earlier levels? And where's Dragonkind 3? As I said, something doesn't add up here. Seems...scuffed, does it not?

* Preservationist: This is not for me. Given the state of Turn Based and how long it takes, I DO NOT NEED MORE COMBATANTS! No way, lol! But it is a very poweful arch that basically allows you to spontaneously summon stuff. While not throwing bombs. And the cost is nonexistent. It's only...it's not Turn Based friendly at all!

* Vivisectionist: What can I say? It's still as ridiculously powerful as it was in Kingmaker. DEX Mutagen + Piranha + Finesse etc + Sneak Att + Trickster = broken. Don't really have to add anything here.

Only thing I really disagree with is the dex vivi part. 90% of the time if the class can build str it's much better as str. A few extra AC for higher feat investment and 20-40% less damage is meh.

Op, enlarge person is not effected by Brown Fur. If you are actually getting +4 str out of enlarge person that is a bug not deliberate.

OP, why don't you just write a guide at your leisure and post it when you are done? It kind of doesn't fit into the format of these forums very well.

Originally posted by lemurs2:

Op, enlarge person is not effected by Brown Fur. If you are actually getting +4 str out of enlarge person that is a bug not deliberate.

Sure it is. The text of the Powerful Change ability (both in TT and in the computer version) reads "If the spell grants a bonus to an ability score, the bonus then increases by 2."

It doesn't specify the TYPE of bonus, so it works for a bonus of any type. Enlarge Person grants a +2 Size bonus to Str, so a BFT's Enlarge Person will give +4 instead.

(It definitely works that way in-game on WOTR -- I'm looking at a fully buffed Seela in another window right now -- and I can't see any way to read that as a bug.)

In curiosity, what's your reasoning that it shouldn't work?

Originally posted by For_Science!:

It doesn't specify the TYPE of bonus, so it works for a bonus of any type. Enlarge Person grants a +2 Size bonus to Str, so a BFT's Enlarge Person will give +4 instead.

Because EP is not buffing your Str / Dex / AC - it's only changing your size. Alterations of Str/Dex/AC are based on size rules - they're mentioned in spell description only to reduce need to search around the rulebook.

Originally posted by Gorwe:

* BFT: In the end, it's nothing special. But who cares about the end when someone breaks the process as expertly as BFT does? Not only can you stack RIDICULOUS bonuses(you can give Seelah +10 STR and +6 CHA on level 4 or something lol), but you can also do creative things like give different allies different Genie types and abuse that Elemental Mythic feat. It is a very cool, very thematic and very powerful arch.

Actually it's insanely overestimated and mostly useless pick for buff-bot. First : limited amount of spells to buff. Second : spell delay compared with Wizard. Third: "bonuses" aren't really big compared with bard/skald or default paladin/cleric/shaman combo.
Genies are 1/round level so until 20th level when you can make it 24h via mythic feats & arcanist exploits - they're too anoying to be used.

Originally posted by malkavius77:

Only thing I really disagree with is the dex vivi part. 90% of the time if the class can build str it's much better as str. A few extra AC for higher feat investment and 20-40% less damage is meh.

Only after recent patches when devs get tired from player whine and bring us dino bones vendor ;)
Before it STR was highly inferior as you was unable to abuse Legendary Proportions like in Kingmaker.
BTW. I would prefer to disagree about "Piranha" pick - it's a classic newbie trap for a sneak attacker. Seeing it I don't expect much from OP "analysis" honestly