You just gained a level in real life! What class would you take?

[Red Fel]

I'm torn between two Pathfinder archetypes: Unsworn Shaman or the Synthesist Summoner.

The shaman has a longer ramp-up time, but a higher power level at the end, while the Summoner's "Iron Man" thing would be cool to try.

Ah, who am I trying to kid? I choose the Synthesist.

For Iron Man, you're probably better off with the Aegis.

Compare. First off, the Summoner uses arcane spells, which means it has to worry about components and highly visual effects. And while the Aegis does not receive powers, it is a psionic class and receives power points; if you multiclass or PrC, or harness Power Stones, those points carry, and psionics - as has come up repeatedly in this thread - require neither components or messy visual effects. Second, a Summoner's Eidolon is immediately banished if the Summoner is unconscious; nowhere does the language of Synthesist change that. The Aegis has no such language with respect to his Astral Suit; once formed, it remains formed unless dismissed or otherwise removed. So you can sleep in that bad boy.