Verenor the Ugly's page

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I give up. Our point of view is clearly incompatible. You are trying to put shoes of "GOD wizard" on foots of 3/4 spontaneous caster. It amazes me.

Answer me one last question please. Sorry, two. Why do you think that Spell Combat is so crucial at levels 1-7, that it must be online ALL rounds of combat per day? Why Spellstrike is not enough?

And second. If my build has hit +8 at level 1 (against average monster AC 14),at level 5 +13 (against average monster AC 18), +18 at level 9 (against average monster AC 23) - that numbers without bonus +3 from Shocking Grasp (too situational) - why do you think that I need to spend Eldritch points and Arcana on Arcane Accuracy?

How many times you may Spell Recall for instance Intensified Elemental Shocking Grasp? At level 9? When you may have Hasted Assault? It is 3 points Grasp, 1 point Hasted Assault for 4-5 rounds of combat. And two swift actions, so not possible in one rounnd. So realisticaly 2x times.

If you take Preffered Spell, you have the edge, but you are now 1 feat behind Eldritch Scion...

And Spell Combat issue before level 8. Why would be Eldritch Scion non-functional? If he runs out of Eldritch points (after 10+ rounds of combat), he still may use Spellstrike - cast Shocking Grasp, move if he needs and then deliver the touch spell through his rapier. Losing one attack per round before level 8? Sure. Painfull as hell? Sure. Rendered non-functional? No way.

Don´t get me wrong, I´m not trying to prove that Eldritch Scion is superior to Kensai or Straight Magus, I´m trying to prove that he isn´t so terrible if built properly. And opportunity for peoples who like the idea of spontaneous magus.

In my presented build, you may safely take Mutation Warrior out. He is there only for boosting Dexterity/Nat. AC through Mutagen. You may delay progression only one level if you wish. Then bonus feat for Spontaneous Metafocus kicks in at level 6.
Your spell progression is hampered, true. But it is not terrible loss, for instance Kensai lose more spells. And dipping is norm.

In offensive potential, spontaneous magi has upper hand. In mid-high levels, with propper Metamagic feats, you probably never run of Shocking grasps, because virtually all of your spell slots may be Shocking grasps. Even your last 5-level slot may be used as Empowered, Intensified, Elemental Shocking Grasp. Potential to change spell level on the fly is golden.

I admit, that limits of Spell combat hurts. But with proper Bloodline, namely Arcane, when you must burn an Eldritch pool point, you get bonus - efect of Blur, later Blur/Haste. For one point, with swift action, you apply effects of TWO very good spells on you. And you still have room for casting Bladed Dash, hasted full attack and Spellstored Vampiric Touch/Intensified shocking Grasp.

Properly built Eldritch Scion is far from non-functional.

Halfling (favored bonus 1/6 bonus Arcana)
Traits: Magical Knack, Irrepresible, if you are using Drawbacks from Quest and Campaigns, throw in Wayang Spellhunter and Mark of Slavery
1.level Swashbuckler - Weapon finesse, Weapon focus (rapier)
- Fencing Grace
2.level Magus - no Feat
3. level Magus - Risky Striker
4. level Magus - no Feat, Flamboyant Arcana
5. level Magus - Extra Arcana (Deed: Precise Strike)
6. level Mutation Warrior - bonus feat Combat Stamina
At this point you are selfbuffed somewhere at +16 to hit (5 BAB, +8 Dex with Mutagen, +1 size, +1 Weapon Focus, +1 enchanted weapon) (optional -2 for Spellstrike, +3 Shocking grasp) with dmg against Medium or larger somewhere at 1d4+13+4Precision +5d6 electricity. Crit Range 18-20/x2.
Shocking grasp used 4 or 5 times per day (with 1 Runestone of Power)

7. level Magus - Magus Bonus Feat(Intensify), Spontaneous Metafocus
8. level Magus - Arcane Acuracy, Lingering Pain Arcanas
And so on...

You don´t need Intensify (and Spontaneous Metafocus) at level 5, it is waste, and you may live without it through level 6, the damage lost is compensated with Precise strike.

Let me ask some questions. And answer them from my point of view.
Magus is damager, not god wizard, not buffer, maybe debuffer, but definitely damager.
1.) What are the most important spells for magus?
In my opinion:
level 1 - Shocking grasp, maybe Snowball
level 2 - Bladed dash, Mirror Image
level 3 - maybe Fireball
level 4 - Dimension Door
level 5 - Bladed Dash, Greater

2.)How many of these spells will profit from metamagic?
Shocking Grasp, Snowball and Fireball.

3.) Which is the one most usefull with Spellcombat/Spellstrike?
Shocking Grasp, without debate. Snowball and Fireball are ranged spells, not elegible for Spellstrike and not very usefull with Spellcombat.

So take the feat "Spontaneous Metafocus" for Shocking Grasp. The ability to use your primary damaging spell through all spell levels without need to memorize it is pure gold. No, not gold but diamond. Eat the longer cast times, when you need to cast other damaging spells.

Actually a made a build of halfling swashbuckler/eldritch scion/mutation warrior for homebrew campaign. Min-maxed for best dmg/high save rolls. Only PF stuff, with using rules from PF Unchained.
Level by level, from 1 to 17 I think. If you are intersted, ask me at Beyde1@seznam.cz

Some things to consider for swashbuckler:
1) Effortless Lace (Giant Hunter´s Handbook)+ Rapier = Piranha Strike with Rapier

2) Feat Seize Advantage - let all two-handed weapon wielders cry (read as "die") when you parry their atack and then pierce their heart with your rapier

3) Twist Away - staggered condition sucks, but switch bad Fortitude save for Reflex may be lifesaver.

4) Multiclassing with Monk (combo MoMS, Far Strike Monk and Monk of Sacred Mountain) for Snake Style and Snake Fang (and lots of bonus stuff). You loose -1 to hit, which sucks, but... You need agile AoMF and every time you parry an attack as an AoO(enemy automaticaly misses you) you may hit him with another AoO for your Unarmed dmg + agility + precise strike (thanks to Snake Style your Unarmed Strike counts as piercing). Against itinerative attacks with lower hit bonus it is golden and push your DPR through the roof.

5) Halfling is in my eyes at least blue, if not "quasi-real blue" thanks to some racial feats:
Risky Striker - super cheap dmg boost. -1 to AC is laughable. In mid-game levels most of monsters are Large or bigger. For medium enemies, there is cheap potion Reduce Person. Stacks with Piranha Strike.
Fortunate One and Adaptive Fortune - needs Adaptable Luck racial trait, but ends with +4 luck bonus (+5 if Fate´s Favored)5 times per day on ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check
Cautious Fighter + Uncanny Defense - not needed until level 15 when Dizzying Defense kicks in.

6) Trait Fencer - for most of adventurers it is "meh" as said in Guide to Traits, but for swashbuckler it is very, very blue.