Eldritch Scion Builds?

Anyone had any experience with Eldritch Scion builds?

Looks like an interesting archetype for players (like me) who are partial to spontaneous arcane spell casters.

If anyone has played this archetype before, I'd like to know what you like (or didn't like) about it.

Thanks.

Just looking at this it seems like the perfect class for dragon disciple. Really the difference is like between a wizard and sorcerer. You get less spells, but you don't have to prepare them. Personally, I don't like that charisma is a needed stat. That's just me, but I find that charisma can normally be replaced by intelligence, and that charisma is really only good for class features. Some of the bonus sorcerer/bloodrager bloodlines seem pretty cool and handy. If you are like me and hate charisma, I think you could do the sage bloodline to flip it back to charisma. There are a couple ways to get spontaneous intelligence based casters. To sum it up, it's really like wizards vs. sorcerers. Versatility vs. Sheer Power. I don't really think spontaneous casting matters that much because for a magus I would just prepare a whole bunch of self buff spells anyway and would just learn those spells as an eldritch scion. Not sure if it helps, but it's just my two cents.

The issue that will come up with just about any Eldritch Scion build is the need to enter focus to use the bloodline abilities. This will burn through your eldritch pool very quickly.

Depending on how your GM feels they interact, bloodrager 1/eldritch scion X with the mad magic feat might save you some eldritch pool points.

The eldritch scion is a 2+int skill point class with no focus on int, a need for more HP (so probably no favored class bonus to skills) and a tendency to need all their spells for combat too. This puts it far down the list of classes I'd like to play.

Anyone had any experience with Eldritch Scion builds?

It's a very useful archetype, and that's because some of the bloodlines are very powerful. For example, Aberrant gives you reach, lets you stagger on any crititical and gives you a long list of immunities including nauseating, exhaustion, and 50% of critical hits; all of which together for one swift action. Arcane bloodline gives you three strong buff spells at the same time for a swift action, and lets you take extra opportunity attacks against any monster using a spell-like ability. Or, the Destined bloodline gives you a large luck bonus to AC and saving throws, lets you reroll one attack every two rounds and gain insight bonuses to more attacks, automatically confirms your critical hits, and lets you make a saving throw to negate being killed, once per day. And if there's a low-level ability you don't need, you can replace it with a bloodline famliar for free.

In most campaigns (including PFS), you should be able to keep this up through every combat of the day around level four. To do so, you should avoid arcana that require pool points, don't use your enchant weapon ability at low level, and probably take the Extra Arcane Pool feat once.

@ MageHunter:

My own style is to use charisma based spell casters. Just because I don't need to mess about with spell books. A bit less versatile, so it sort of forces me to be fussy about what spells I do choose when levelling up.

Hadn't thought of making one into a dragon disciple. That would be interesting, though.

@ CraziFuzzy:

You have a point there.

But I like a challenge! :O

Seriously, though, since magi get so few arcane or eldritch pool points per day, you really have to choose your moments! That's the really tricky bit, I figure!

@ avr:

Having to boost charisma with a low skill point base is a problem. I also like getting as many skills for a character as I can. Doesn't always work as I'd like, though.

I have been mucking about with various builds for an Eldritch Scion. Looks like the two best core races for an Eldritch Scion would be Gnomes and Halflings. Gnomes are inherently magical anyway and get a boost to charisma and constitution. Since Halflings get a boost to both charisma and dexterity, they'd be ideal as a dexterity/fencer sort.

Most damage a Magus does would come from spells or arcana, I figure. So I'm thinking a dexterity based magus (whether an Eldritch Scion or not) would be better than strength based. Using Weapon Finesse to greatly improve the chances of delivering those spells once you have Spellstrike.

I also found that Humans and Half-Orcs with the Skilled racial trait can offset the lack of skills by taking an Int of 13 and then taking Fast Learner. Which does gobble up a feat, though.

@ Kurald Galain:

Thanks for the hints and tips. Give me something to think about.

Hadn't really had a close look at the Aberrant or Destined bloodlines.

I was gravitating to Arcane Elemental or Draconic bloodlines. But you've given me a bit more food for thought.

Thanks for that.