Why each class is in its tier: 2019 update!

[zfs]

I'm not sure Sohei got a fair shake. No one ever answered if the 3.5 Update should be considered - it was official (Dragon Mag), and considering the 3.0 version gives a Bonus Feat that no longer exists, I think it's fair to assess the updated version. It's not a massive upgrade, but it is an upgrade - there are no downside outside of potentially losing Iajutsu Focus as a class skill. (The update actually doesn't change the class skills, but since Iajutsu Focus isn't a 3.5 skill, I would think it's plausible to remove it as a class skill). Sohei also got very few votes, ended up at 4.5, and then Kurald broke the tier and voted it into the Tier 5 stratum.

Also, I think some people might have thought their spell list is worse than it actually is, because the-site-we-can't-mention-by-name doesn't actually have the full list of spells. It's still pretty anemic, but it has some winners on it - Prayer, Protection from Chaos, Divine Power, Freedom of Movement, Death Ward, Shield of Faith, Resist Energy, Bull's Strength - it's small but not worthless. Also, as a prepared caster, they do have native access to Sanctified Spells, which gives you some things that are hard to come by in Tier 4 or 5, like flight (100 ft with good movement - only 1 round/level, and it comes online at Level 11, but that's better than never getting it).

I think it's clearly better than most comparable Tier 5 classes and I think it slots nicely into the low-middle of Tier 4 - it's worse than Ranger, but probably as good as or better than fighter. I'd vote it at 4.2.

Edit: Should also mention that since they get Lesser Restoration, they can cure their own sacrifice damage from using Sanctified Spells. (Unless there's a clause somewhere that sacrifice damage has to heal naturally, but I don't believe there is)