To open, I always felt like the eldritch scion didn't do a charisma magus justice, so I decided to work from the ground up and make my own take on it.
Any thoughts, advice, balance concerns, etc would be greatly appreciated.
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Bladed Thaumaturge
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Class Skills
The Bladed Thaumaturge gains 4 skill points per level instead of the regular 2.
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Spell casting
A Bladed Thaumaturge casts arcane spells drawn from the magus spell list. He can cast any spell he knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a Bladed Thaumaturge must have a Charisma score equal to at least 10+ the spell's level. The DC for a saving throw against a Bladed Thaumaturge's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the Bladed Thaumaturge's Charisma modifier. A Bladed Thaumaturge can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is the same as a bard of the same level. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Charisma score.
A Bladed Thaumaturge's selection of spells is limited. he has the same number of spells known as a bard of the same level, and can choose new spells to replace old ones at 5th level and every 3 class levels after that, just as a bard does. See the bard for more information on swapping spells known.
Any Magus's class feature or spell from the Magus spell list that normally uses a calculation based on Intelligence is instead based on Charisma for a Bladed Thaumaturge.
This ability replaces the Magus's spells class feature.
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Bonus feats
Whenever a Bladed Thaumaturge would gain a bonus feat, that feat can only be selected from those listed as metamagic feats.
This modifies the magus's Bonus Feats class feature.
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Spontaneous Metamagic
A Bladed Thaumaturge is skilled in applying metamagic to his spells.
At 4th level, Whenever he applies a metamagic feat to a spell, he may spend one arcane pool point to apply the metamagic feat to his spell without increasing the spell's cast time.
This ability replaces spell recall.
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Arcane Recovery
A Bladed Thaumaturge can channel excess magical energy back into himself.
At 5th level, Whenever the Bladed Thaumaturge scores a critical hit with a spell or whenever he downs an enemy with a spell, the blade adept gains one arcane pool point. He cannot gain more than one point from a single spell, and the number of points in his pool can never exceed 1/2 his magus level + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces Knowledge Pool.
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Intuitive Metamagic
Once per day at 11th level, the Bladed Thaumaturge may spend arcane points and a swift action to gain the benefit of one metamagic feat he does not possess for one hour. The feat must be one that he meets all prerequisites for, and he must spend a number of arcane points equal to the number of levels that metamagic feat would raise a spell.
This ability replaces Improved Spell Recall.
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The thought process behind all this starts at the very top. First you make the spellcasting go from prepared to spontaneous, and you make it go from intelligence to charisma. Switch over to bardic progression instead of making one up to keep classes consistant, just a bunch of standard stuff.
At that point, you run into two problems. One, the archetype is very bland if this is the only change you make to the class. Two, spell recall and knowledge pool do not work for a spontaneous caster as they are written. You could modify them to work the same way for a spontaneous caster, but now you're getting into more "more of the same vanilla magus" and further reducing the options for combining with other archetypes. For this reason, I decided to replace those features entirely.
I had to start thinking about the thematic difference between prepared and spontaneous spellcasters, as well as compare how the magus works compared to the wizard. A wizard has school specializations, using knowledge to hone his craft of magic. The sorcerer has bloodlines, and their spellcasting becomes their own through instinct and intrinsic power. I wanted to capture that "instinct" half of it, but I also didn't want to go "bloodline" just like the other archetype.
To help me make some sort of decision, I decided to compare the advantages of spontaneous and prepared spellcasting, and what spell recall brings to the table. My conclusion was that the strengths of prepared spellcasting is the ability to apply metamagic without increasing the cast time, and access to a wider variety of spells. The advantage of spontaneous spellcasting is a higher number of spells per day and a higher moment-to-moment flexibility. Spell recall and knowledge pool both serve to bring a bit of spontaneous spellcasting's strength over to the prepared magus at the cost of arcane pool points, which led me to think the replacement abilities should bring a bit of prepared casting's metamagic strength over to spontaneous casting.
However, one arcane pool point felt pretty expensive for something that the regular magus can do for free. I started to feel that I was locking something the core magus did behind resource points. I also didn't want to make it free, because then this would instantly be simply better than a core magus because of spontaneous casting with any metamagic, so I kept how expensive it is and decided to introduce a way to replenish arcane pool points.
My mind immediately went to the swashbuckler's method of regaining points, and I decided to adapt that in a flavorful way. Arcane points are more powerful than panache points, so I feel limiting it to only being able to be replenished via spells gives it an "eventual" daily limit that prevents the blade adept from taking off. This swung it to "possibly too powerful", so I then decided to force the player to gain some metamagic feats and make him make use of those extra points with metamagic.
As it is right now, my main concern is that it is either a little bit too powerful or a little bit too limiting, forcing you to go down the metamagic path with this archetype. However, I also like the idea of using force of will to bend your spells to your needs.
Sorry for the wall of text, but I just wanted to explain my process. What does everyone think?
I think it looks fairly balanced, I don't really get the change to skill points, is that to compensate for int not being your main stat? But otherwise it looks fine, maybe a little limiting I guess but if you want a cha magus then I don't see why you wouldn't want meta magic
^Everything that is not an Int-based spellcaster should get at least 4 + IntMod skill points per level. That includes not only non-Int Magi, but also Clerics, Sorcerers, Fighters, Warpriests, etc.
Anyway, Bladed Thaumaturge looks promising, although I am going to have to take another look later. But it gets points for addressing many of the oversights in Eldritch Scion.
^Everything that is not an Int-based spellcaster should get at least 4 + IntMod skill points per level. That includes not only non-Int Magi, but also Clerics, Sorcerers, Fighters, Warpriests, etc.
Anyway, Bladed Thaumaturge looks promising, although I am going to have to take another look later. But it gets points for addressing many of the oversights in Eldritch Scion.
Fair enough, I agree though I was just curious.
It's not bad. I like that you have an answer for metamagic casting time, which is a major issue. However, I honestly wouldn't take this archetype. The problem with this and other attempts to make a spontaneous magus is that the vanilla magus is already a pretty good spontaneous caster thanks to Spell Recall. So in effect, you made the magus a worse spontaneous caster. I'd personally replace spell recall with an ability that lets you cast a spell without expending a spell slot at the cost of a swift action and arcane pool points.
Also, next time, please use Google Docs or something with formatting. It's annoying to read a wall of text without formatting.
It's not bad. I like that you have an answer for metamagic casting time, which is a major issue. However, I honestly wouldn't take this archetype. The problem with this and other attempts to make a spontaneous magus is that the vanilla magus is already a pretty good spontaneous caster thanks to Spell Recall. So in effect, you made the magus a worse spontaneous caster. I'd personally replace spell recall with an ability that lets you cast a spell without expending a spell slot at the cost of a swift action and arcane pool points.
I actually feel that the method of replenishing arcane pool points helps to make up for that shortcoming. I also saw that it made you a worse spontaneous caster, which is why I introduced a "more resources" aspect. I personally don't like your replacement for spell recall because it essentially does the same thing that spell recall does, and my concern was that "this is just a vanilla magus", you know?
Can you think of another way that makes up for that shortcoming without having something that just /feels/ like a vanilla magus?
Also, next time, please use Google Docs or something with formatting. It's annoying to read a wall of text without formatting.
ah, sorry about that. I'd edit the main post but it won't let me at that point, so I'll remember that for next time.
It's not bad. I like that you have an answer for metamagic casting time, which is a major issue. However, I honestly wouldn't take this archetype. The problem with this and other attempts to make a spontaneous magus is that the vanilla magus is already a pretty good spontaneous caster thanks to Spell Recall. So in effect, you made the magus a worse spontaneous caster. I'd personally replace spell recall with an ability that lets you cast a spell without expending a spell slot at the cost of a swift action and arcane pool points.
That's pretty much what Spell Recall does on a spontaneous Magus if you don't replace it, which is less useful than what it does on a prepared Magus.
One thing that should be done on a spontaneous Magus (which has NOT yet been done on any archetypes I have seen) is a partial equivalent to what Sorcerer does relative to Wizard: Actually have more spells per day. Going over to Bard spells known is fine, but going over to Bard spells per day doesn't actually change anything. In contrast, the 9/9 spontaneous casters get a significant boost in spells per day once they actually get the ability to cast spells of that level (although they do get this delayed).
Also, next time, please use Google Docs or something with formatting. It's annoying to read a wall of text without formatting.
I didn't have a problem with that, but on the other hand, up until the last few weeks, I was stuck with either a phone or an old computer on which Google Docs didn't work very well, so I might be a bit biased . . . .
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What I'd REALLY like to see for a spontaneous Magus archetype would be something that isn't afraid to do some serious reworking to make class abilities other than spellcasting fit best with spontaneous spellcasting. Like for instance, work in a full Sorcerer Bloodline, but without things like weird timing of getting bonus spells (like the existing Eldritch Scion has when getting bonus spells for its Bloodrager Bloodline). This would probably be different enough to count as an alternate class rather than an archetype.
Update, now in google docs form!
miniature changelog:
-Tinkered with class skills list to solidify flavor.
-Modified the "arcane recovery" ability to remove ambiguity and introduce limiters against possible abuse.
-Introduced a new ability to further the diversity of the archetype. Very open to suggestions. Gives something interesting for the late game and replaces an ability that still has some weird wording for spontaneous casters.
I've left the google document so people can comment on it, so leaving feedback here OR on the sheet will most probably be seen at some point by me.
Arcane Recovery
A Bladed Thaumaturge can channel excess magical energy back into himself.
At 5th level, Whenever the Bladed Thaumaturge scores a critical hit with a spell or whenever he downs an enemy with a spell, the blade adept gains one arcane pool point. He cannot gain more than one point from a single spell, and the number of points in his pool can never exceed 1/2 his magus level + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces Knowledge Pool
I feel like this ability is more powerful than you think. With touch-range cantrips you're giving them a potentially unlimited arcane pool (even if you don't allow them to Spell-strike with Arcane Mark they can still take the CLOSE RANGE arcana & use RAY OF FROST all day).
Just something to think about.
Arcane Recovery
A Bladed Thaumaturge can channel excess magical energy back into himself.
At 5th level, Whenever the Bladed Thaumaturge scores a critical hit with a spell or whenever he downs an enemy with a spell, the blade adept gains one arcane pool point. He cannot gain more than one point from a single spell, and the number of points in his pool can never exceed 1/2 his magus level + his Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces Knowledge Pool
I feel like this ability is more powerful than you think. With touch-range cantrips you're giving them a potentially unlimited arcane pool (even if you don't allow them to Spell-strike with Arcane Mark they can still take the CLOSE RANGE arcana & use RAY OF FROST all day).
Just something to think about.
At the same time, they no longer can turn those arcane points into extra spells, and a magus with no spells won't generally go very long without resting anyway.
It was something I thought of, but I feel it won't come up as too powerful, personally. It did occur to me when i was thinking about the balance that getting rid of spell recall also lowers the relative value of those points, which is why I think it's okay to treat it more like magical panache.
Meant to say something about this before, but forgot it: Why the restriction on type of Bonus Feats that can be selected? This seems unnecessary.
For the Arcane Recovery, I think that this is probably okay, given that Swashbucklers have truly unlimited ability to do the equivalent. If it turns out to be too powerful, you could limit it to use with spells of 1st level or higher.
TOO POWERFULArcane Recovery
STUFF
This ability replaces Knowledge Pool
At the same time, they no longer can turn those arcane points into extra spells, and a magus with no spells won't generally go very long without resting anyway.
It was something I thought of, but I feel it won't come up as too powerful, personally. It did occur to me when i was thinking about the balance that getting rid of spell recall also lowers the relative value of those points, which is why I think it's okay to treat it more like magical panache.
Yeah. When I wrote that I was thinking of how giving this to all the min-max'ers on here would find some loophole that would make this a superpower. I totally didn't take into account that this is in the Houserules/Homebrew forum, so it's not likely that you'll have thousands of people pouring over the rules trying to turn this into the most powerful creature on the face of Golarion.
I'll throw my lot in with the others and say "Looks good".