Cleric Archetype Stacking

[Dagearg]

Hi everyone! I have some questions regarding the Pathfinder archetype stacking in first edition, in particular for the cleric class.

The Advanced Class Guide (page 74) states:

"A character can take more than one archetype and garner additional alternate class features, but none of the alternate class features can replace or alter the same class feature from the base class as the other alternate feature."

But I've seen several online guides like https://rpgbot.net/pathfinder/characters/classes/cleric/archetypes/ or https://cbrayton.github.io/Archetype-Crawler/ that shows that the Ecclesitheurge and Separatist archetype are stackable.

However, the Ecclesitheurge description in the Advanced Class Guide (page 91) reads for this archetype Domain Mastery class feature that:

"This ability alters the domains ability"

And the Separatist archetype description in Ultimate Magic (page 32) for the Forbidden Rites features states that:

"In all other respects, this ability works like and replaces the standard cleric’s domain ability"

So, are these two archetypes stackable because one alters and the other one replaces the Domain feature? (Instead of both archetypes replacing or altering that feature).

Also, for ex-classes, the Antihero Handbook (page 12) states that, for ex-classes archetypes:

"If another archetype the character had before she became an ex-member of her class replaces the same ability as the ex-class archetype, she loses the old archetype in favor of the new one; otherwise, she can retain both archetypes as normal."

Does this mean that if the current archetype alters (not replaces) any class feature the ex-archetype alters or replaces, is it OK to stack both archetypes?

[Eldonauran]

1) Since it alters the same ability (even if functionally it doesn't overlap much), it would not stack. I see no problem with allowing it in the house rules through. I'd allow it as a GM. Specifically, one restricts the powers you get from the second domain and the other lowers your effective level for the powers of the second domain (and lets you pick one not on your deity's normal list). They both change something about that second domain, but what they change is different. But they both still change the second domain in a way.

2) You should treat replacement and altering as the same thing when it comes to archetypes, even with the ex-class archetypes. Sometimes that writers use shorthand and forget to (or overlook) the additional terms like altering.

[Kurald Galain]

So, are these two archetypes stackable because one alters and the other one replaces the Domain feature? (Instead of both archetypes replacing or altering that feature).
No; for two archetypes to stack, neither can (alter or replace) the same ability. If one archetype alters and the other replaces, that's a no-go.

There's a typo here in the archetype crawler: it says that the Ecclesitheurge alters "domain" and the Separatist alters "domains" and considers that to be two different things, but that's clearly an oversight. And according to the paizo forums, "RPGBot is noticeably unreliable, and doesn't respond to feedback. Check anything they say before use."

That said, ask your GM; this particular combination doesn't strike me as problematic.

[Dagearg]

I see. Thank you both for your answers.