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I'm playing an Aasimar Paladin in a campaign and it's a Pretty fun class for RP and LoH is awesome, but I feel that i never got the spells right.

Until now (level 10) i was content with preparing Hero's Defiance and Protection From X spells, but maybe there's more to it.
To me it became apparent as I got to level 10 and now I Can cast 3rd level spells and for sure I want to use Angelic Aspect, but I'm lost after that.

About my build, i took power attack and then mainly racial feats in order to get the (bladed) wings. My equipment is a +4 mithral breastplate and a +2 keen scimitar, no wondrous items aside a +2 ring because reasons.

Cha is 18 so i should get bonus spells, other stata are good because of lucky rolls.

In the specific now we're in a dungeon full of undead, also incorporea, and I took Heavenly Radiance to cast Sunbeam as a SLA

So, how do I step up my spellcasting?

In Ultimate Intrigue the Dandy archetype for the Ranger becomes a spontaneous cha caster using progression from the Medium and uses the bard spell list up to 4th level spells.

The main question is: as it casts off the Bard list is he an Arcane spellcaster, or does he remain a Divine one because there isn't an explicit change?

As a precedent most classes that add spells from other lists explicitly say that they become divine/arcane/psychic, but it might still be unclear.

And on a secondary note: by using the Medium's progression, does he indeed get the 0-level spells using the Bard's cantrips?

Ok, there were a lot of discussions about the necessity of a d6 divine caster without it just being a more frail cleric, and I wanted to take a more "standard" approach instead of making a new class from scratch.

Archetypes come to mind, but in this paradigm you don't change bab, HD type and saves. So I tried an interesting vision using the Wizard as a chassis as it has the right HD and BAB, and adding divine flavor to it, with a little buff in flexibility in order to compensate the "inferior" spell list

Link to the archetype, on Google Docs in order to be able to edit it when needed

critique is appreciated, especially suggestions on how to further add/change class features.

Looking at the Reliquarian Archetype from Occult Origins, i see that while her spell list changes to divine, and have domains and focus keyed off wisdom, I don't see anything about changing the actual spellcasting from Int to Wis.

Is it an oversight or this indeed is an Divine Spellcasters who uses Int for spells?

So, at level 13, the Purifier gets the ability to control Good Outsiders with its channeling ability similar to Control Undead.

The other archetype features seem to indicate the class to be for Good characters or at least strong opposers of Evil, and the deity empowering the oracle is expected to be Good most of the time.

So, how does this work with enslaving angels? Is it actually as in fluff it's your deity that compels them to serve you for free or the Oracle just stops to care and goes neutral if he wants to use the ability?

As caster personas for the vigilante, Warlock and Zealot are nice. While the Warlock I seem to understand is a 6-level Arcanist as far as mechanics go and the Zealot is a more standard Inquisitor, they have a really unique progression in the fact that while their caster level progresses normally, they have to take a talent to access higher level spells and more slots. This is really interesting as one can choose to limit its spellcasting ability in favor of more class features without necessarily multiclassing, but this has a major hurdle when combining it with prestige classes who advance spellcasting.

While the caster level for spell properties increases as normal, to me it's clear that they don't gain more spell slots and access to higher levels.

While I think that this does not warrant to remove their unique spellcasting progression, in think some adjustments are in order.

For example can be stated that for every three levels their spellcasting is advanced by a prestige class (I'm keying this off the Bard/Magus/Inquisitor progression), they automatically gain the successive Arcane/Divine Training to the highest they already have.

This wouldn't break any balance, as prestige classes that advance spellcasting take this in account and balance the fact by not progressing spellcasting at every level or taking account of the fact that the character does not gain the class feature of the base class.

In addition, Arcane/Divine Training, can require a minimum Warlock/Zealot Caster Level instead of vigilante level, in order to take account of eventual spellcasting progression from prestige classes and other external sources.

With the Celestial Obedience feat and Vildeis as the Empyreal Lord to worship I'd get this ability at level 20

Martyr's Blood (Su) You are immune to bleed effects. Whenever you would be affected by a bleed effect, all enemies within 30 feet gain the bleeding condition instead as though they were the effect's original targets (no save; creatures immune to bleeding are immune to this affect). The Heal DC to stop this supernatural bleeding is 20 rather than 15.

How would this combine with the Holy Vindicator Stigmata?

This is my first character ever, a male rogue turned female that I made a couple of years ago. I wanted to play a skilled combat type but I wasn't experienced with the game and didn't knew better options. Now, in the end my character was really useful as our DM likes to make dungeons full of traps and I managed to land some devastating sneak attacks, but it never was what I wanted him to be. The recently introduced Slayer fits the bill about the more combat oriented guy with skills.

Now, I haven't already talked with the DM but he might be ok with me changing class, especially now that the Fighter left the game.

The stat array is from a 25-point buy with some permanent incease:

STR 10
DEX 20 (18 + 2 from level 4 and 8)
CON 12 (11 + 1 from solving a puzzle)
INT 14 (12 + 2 Human)
WIS 10
CHA 17 (14 + 3 form the same accident that turned me female)

No initial traits, but I'm allowed to take two for a feat. Hero Points rules are in effect.

I was going for a TWF build. My equipement is scarce as our party was constantly getting robbed after being knocked out and I have only a +1 Studded Leather and two +1 Short Swords in addition to a Scabbard of Keen Edges, but the DM said that the next session we may get compensations that will bring us closer to our expected WBL.

Now I'd like to go again the TWF route, maybe now that I am full BAB I may take Piranha Strike for damage. Also given the 17 Cha I was also considering the Eldritch Heritage route, especially the Abyssal for the STR bonus (it would also be justified in character as the cha increase is due to a transmutation fountain dedicated to a CE God).

Any suggestion on how to optimize this setup?

Also, I want to take the Trapfinding talent.

I'm going to make a Spellslinger for an homebrew campaign, starting at level 1.

The party as of now consists of a Druid, a Monk of the Four Winds, an Inquisitor with thre Strength domain that goes tho handed, and me as the arcane caster. Given that the setting allows firearms, but build only from the dwarves of the setting and an asian style empire that is marginal to the campain (but it is the home country of the monk).

With a 25 point buy, I came up with this:
Race Elf (also for setting reasons, as the main Human kingdom is at war with Dwarves, while elves are in good terms with almost everyone)

STR 8
DEX 15 (17), planning to put there the poin at level 4
CON 14 (12)
INT 16 (18)
WIS 13
CHA 12

This can be still subject to change, maybe lowering wis and cha to put STR to 10

About the firearm, I'm going to take a Musket as my single arcane gun.
Considering tha i expect limited access to expert gunsmiths during the trip, I'm considering to take Craft Magic Arms and Armor as level 3 feat to enhance my gun myself.

But then, as 1st level feat the GM suggested me to take Scribe Scroll as the Archetype gives it away but it's still hugely important for a low level wizard, but maybe I should take Rapid Reload in order to not waste an entire turn to reload the musket everytime.

Then here's the hard part: Opposed schools and spells

I have to choose four opposed schools, but I don't know which. Any advice?

I'm sure I want to keep Conjuration and Transmutation, but also Abjuration is really useful (I don't want to give up Dispel Magic later), while Divination is really useful for a sharpshooter type, and Illusion gives awesome cover with invisibility, mirror image and such.
About Enchantment seems really cool to me the idea of shooting a Dominate or Charm spell as a bullet in the head or heart of the others, but maybe there are not many spells in the school that can be shot with the gun in order to increase their dc.

On top of that, can you suggest me some spells that work well with the gun?

Let's say that I'm a wizard or cleric and i killed a Rat Swarm. The i want to cast Animate Dead on them to have an undead swarm at my service.

What would happen?

At first it does seem to me that animate deat should work on swarms on principle, as while swarms are composed of multiple creatureas at once, the spell allows the creation of multiple undeads at once, the only limit the number of HD (in the case of the rat swarm it's 3d8 it wouldn't be hard) but ther are some issues on the result.

Creating a zombie seems not feasible RAW, as the corps must have a discernible anatomy while the Swarm does not have that, while RAI it could on the basis that every single rat of the swarm do have an anatomy.
Creating a skeleton out of it seems possible even by RAW, as the only requirement for the corpse is having a skeleton (and rats do possess skeletons)

On the other hand does the swarm subtype remain? Both zombie and skeleton template say this:
Type: The creature's type changes to undead. It retains any subtype except for alignment subtypes (such as good) and subtypes that indicate kind (such as giant). It does not gain the augmented subtype.

Some subtypes that indicate kind are obvious (demon, human or undead) and some clearly are not of kind nor alignment (so for example a Balor would become Undead(Extraplanar) while a Red Dragon would become Undead(Fire)) and the Swarm subtype seems to remain on an undead to me, but I'm not totally sure about this.

And this point is important because the Swarm subtype is the thing that gives all the special trats of the swarms as sharing spaces, being untargettable by most single target attacks and the distraction ability.

Also in the example above the Rat Swarm has Disease as an extraordinary ability. I think that it remains as the ability improves the swarm's natural attack.

Is everything right with my analisys or there are further RAW issues with creating undead swarms?

I'm playing as a PC in a new campaign starting at level 4. Me and a friend of mine managed to convince the DM to let us play as Aasimar and Tiefling respectively.

We rolled ability scores as 4d6 discarding lower

Our party is as of now:

[boring party introduction]
Tefling (demonspawn) Bloodrager (abyssal) 4 with the claws racial instead of the SLA. He manages to reach insane damage because he took the Improved Natural Attack (Claws) feat and during Rage considering the enlarge effect he deals 2d6 + 7 per claw without Power Attack. The Bloodrager is from the upcoming Advanced Clas Guide if someone's wondering.

Halfling Rogue 4, insane skill monkey with his 17 Int, he's a sniper (not the archetype, we need trapfinding) with incredible stealth.

Wood Elf (setting race, like standard Elves but with a bonus in Wis instead of Int) Ranger 2 / Druid 2. Decent at TWF with Rapier and SSword, moderate magical support, mainly Detect Magic. Bear animal companion.
[end]

Then there's me, Aasimar Paladin 4

Str 18
Dex 15
Con 12
Int 14
Wis 13
Cha 18

by WBL i took a +1 Full Plate, a +1 Longsword and a Quick Runner's Shirt.
As feats:
1 Improved initiative
3 Combat Reflexes

Considering that my DM allows retraining of fets between levels, which build do you suggest me? Given that the Bloodrager is our damage machine though he has really low AC during Rage, I was considering a defender type of build.

Sword & Board came to my mind, I even have the Dex to take some advanced feats, but I don't know if shields interfere with my ability to use Lay On Hands and other spells, and I need clarification on that.

Also I'm planning to take one point in Con at level 8 in order to get Angelic Blood at 9 and the wings at 11, and that's the reason i wanted to play Aasimar since the beginning.

So any advice to optimize this paladin?

I do know that as a recent ruling, Spell-Like Abilities that mimick appropriate level spells do count for casting requirements of even prestige classes.

Given that the uses of SLAs are not prepared but work more like spell slots, do they count for the Dragon Disciple Requirement?
The PrC entry says:

Spellcasting: Ability to cast 1st-level arcane spells without preparation. If the character has sorcerer levels, he must have the draconic bloodline. If the character gains levels of sorcerer after taking this class, he must take the draconic bloodline.

So, can for example an Aasimar with the Heavenly Radiance feat (taking Flare Burst) and 5 levels of Wizard/Magus/Witch enter the class without "wasting" a level in Sorc/Bard/Summ?

It would be cool because would not waste that +2 int and still reach 9 level spells if Full Caster.

On a side note, I know that Aasimars are guilty of abusing of SLAs, but that was that first example that came to my mind. Another option would be to use Eldritgh Heritage (Many 1st level bloodline powers are SLAs, the Sage one even states a spell level) or Minor and Major Magic rogue talents, though that option defeats my purpose of not use multiclassing for entry.