Spell Shield (magus arcana)

[IkeDoe]

I'm usually a pro-nerf GM, however I can find any good reason to take that magus arcana for any character.

Quote:

Spell Shield (Su): A magus with this magus arcana can
sacrifice one of his prepared magus spells as an immediate
action to grant himself a shield bonus to AC equal to the
level of the spell consumed until the end of his next turn.
Consuming cantrips in this way has no effect.

The problem is that the Magus can cast the 1st level Shield spell: +4 shield bonus to AC (even against incorporeal), negates magic missiles, last 1 min/level. And he prolly will use that spell often. The bonus from the shield spell and Spell Shield won't stack.

Spell Shield is an inmediate action, which is a good thing (Arcane Accuracy is a quick action). Altough an inmediate action takes the quick action of the current round or the next.

I'm tempted to say that the AC bonus should be an insight bonus, altough it would provide a huge AC boost at high levels.

Your thoughts?

[golem101]

I like the way it is. If the magus wants a bigger bonus, he'll have to wait for higher level-spells - and sacrificing such a slot would be painful, even considering the rather large number of slots the base progression features.

On the other hand, a magus that does not have the Shield spell prepared (maybe he's more bent on the offensive, or prefers the few utility spells he has access) can gain a shield bonus to AC by sacrificing a spell slot. Something that fits both the martial and the arcane facets of the class.