Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether's page

1. The scrollblade does not make the wizard any better a front line fighter than he is normally.

Well, yes and no, at early levels especially, you essentially have really cheap magic weapons available to you almost right away. The wizard's BAB progression is not amazing but the above compensates for it.

The real issue is, his hit points are still sorely lacking, but it's still a slight improvement (also, how is this not a magus archetype?)

I might point out though, that even if you don't plan on melee fighting, there's very little reason to not carry around a scroll shield, since it doesn't interfere with casting.

I'm actually thinking of going Eldrich Knight with this one. It's not at all optimal but the mental image of killing things with paper is too funny and cool to pass up.

The Scrollmaster Wizard archetype http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/wizard/archetypes/paizo---wiza rd-archetypes/scrollmaster) can use scrolls as melee weapons. The can gain an enhancement bonus based on the highest level Wizard spell on the scroll.

Each successful use of a scroll blade (and successful hit to the wizard while using a scroll shield) reduce its hit points by 1. However, an enhancement bonus adds +2 hardness.

Does the hit point loss ignore the hardness?

1)Strictly speaking, only an actual, real creature can cause a flanking effect. Shadow Gambit lets you deal damage as if the illusion was real, but that's it. That being said, it makes sense that it would work and it's something I'd hope a GM would actually allow.

2)Your attacks deal sneak attack damage and Shadow Gambit has you make an attack roll, so by the rules that works. It's no different than a sneak attack with a Scorching Ray or whatever. But note that by the rules, YOU need to be flanking the target for it to work if you're using flanking to do it.

Here's a really odd application: If YOU are using invisibility/stealth, then your target is vulnerable Sneak Attack from your attacks - including Shadow Gambit. But Shadow Gambit will then break YOUR invisibility or stealth. Still, it does mean it's easy to hide again...

I hadn't seen that about the flanking, could you maybe point me toward the rules on that? Also, your invisibility comment got me wondering, what happens if I'm in a position where I would get flanking, but the illusion is not?

That... is a really weird application. I suppose if I have Greater Invisibility I could keep hitting people with illusions...

Oh, also, just so I'm clear on this, what qualifies as an ongoing figment?