Spheres of Power: Archetypes of Power Open Beta

[Arcueid]

That said, I noticed the Occultist archetype in the Protection playtest got removed. Will we maybe see a replacement for it in this book as a result? Once all the Protection editing is done and it's released of course.

Yeah the occultist archetype had some issues and needed a bit more conversion to fix some basic issues. That said it would be appropriate in this book as it was already basically sphere occultist; but it lost much of the flavor of "here are magic items used to cast spells", and most of the drawbacks associated with using those implements. While the archetype was in the Protection sphere book, it really seems like more of a "Sphere Occultist" general archetype with only the full CL in Protection and the extra Ward use to make it more themed towards the book.

The archetype baseline needed these changes (this is going off of the protection playtest version) to be taken into consideration.

1. Keep some link between implements and casting.

Right now an occultist gets 2 implements at 1st, and one more at 2nd + every 4 levels thereafter. Giving 7 total allowing all but 1 of the schools to be picked up.
Then of course you lose more if you grab one of panoplies.
Each implement could be associated with two or three spheres, as spheres don't perfectly line up with spell schools, and as the Occultist levels up and chooses new implements they would expand the spheres available to them.
Example(not alot of these 100% make sense, but its a way to spread 20 spheres over 8 schools)
Abjuration: Time, Protection
Conjuration: Conjuration, Creation, Warp
Divination: Divination, Fate, Weather
Enchantment: Enhancement, War
Evocation: Destruction, Light, Dark
Illusion: Illusion, Mind
Necromancy: Death, Life
Transmutation: Alteration, Telekinesis, Nature


2. Completely change the focus power system.

The associated focus powers (which are gained at every odd level) for each implement (as the archetype offered replacement resonant powers) could be replaced with granting a bonus talent in one of the associated spheres as long as that implement is held. If we change the base focus power of an implement school also (implements gained at 1, 2, 6, 10, 14, 18 and focus powers gained at 3 and every odd level afterward).

The reason for this is the choices on the focus powers list can be compared to spells on the normal Pathfinder list (in some cases being directly spell like abilities), and could be approximated to magic talents in the SoP lists as well. Because these abilities operate on mental focus points (or as this archetype specifies, can also use Spell Points) it is essentially the same as casing a sphere ability.
It does change a core portion of the class, but it would be mostly a horizontal shift of ability and help prevent any issues left in by having base pathfinder spells/spell like abilities when used alongside spheres of power magic talents.

3. Panoplies and sacred implements.

An Occultist can select a panopoly in place of an implement as long as they have the component shcools already known, giving up one implement (a resonant power, plus options, possibly a magic talent) to pick up this other bonus. The most powerful of these is the one that gives Occultist a full BAB progression (not just a bonus on attacks, but a bonus to BAB) so leaving this in could have potential issues when dealing with the SoM content as occultist has the proficiencies to qualify for a martial tradition, and the archetype had them as a mid-caster meaning the feat tradeout was also valid to gain talent progression.
Sacred implements, are picked up in place of a normal implement at the appropriate levels and give an extra focus power along with a -1 penalty to caster level in the "prohibited school" associated with it, similar Wizard specialization schools. This is difficult to implement in SoM, if we go the route having the Occultist to gain magic talents instead of focus powers then it should be done away with.

So the panoplies/sacred implements may be difficult/cause issues if integrated.

4. Resonant Powers and Mental focus

If we take the above sections into account we do somewhat destroy the reason for mental focus outside of resonant powers.
We could simply remove mental focus and instead grant a few extra spell points beyond what you'd normally gain. As mental focus effectively was used to cast extra spells anyways; and instead grant a temporary buff depending on what implement the user currently has active/holding.
Second option is leaving it in, but reducing how many points we get as without having anything else to spend on you'd have no reason not to max out the resonant powers.

Baseline i think this would be the best way (taking some of the suggestions presented in that comment thread for the archetype) to implement this class as a spheres conversion. It keeps the theme of occultist; which is close to antiquarian but would be much more casting themed.