I have 2 questions here:
At 1st level, a magus learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty and can also cast any spell from the magus spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (any attack roll made as part of this spell also takes this penalty). If he casts this spell defensively, he can decide to take an additional penalty on his attack rolls, up to his Intelligence bonus, and add the same amount as a circumstance bonus on his concentration check. If the check fails, the spell is wasted, but the attacks still take the penalty. A magus can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks.
Do I assume right this means that if the Magus takes the Two Weapon Fighting feats he gets the additional offhand attacks as additional spells of standard or less casting time given as bonus spells cast per turn?
The other question is that because of flavor and "theme concept" I plan to focus on ravens, and have as Cabalist Magus the Fey Bloodline taken at level 7. This gives me the animal companion ability I know that, but I wish to replace a single raven at level 9 for a Raven Swarm as it acts like a single animal but in the RP it could mean a lot of ravens sitting on the rooftops or surrounding the Magus. I see mentions of using [swarm] animal and vermin companions but nothing this specific. Would it be fine to take the raven swarm at level 9 this way? I believe most improved familiars are also gained at level 7-9.
As animal companions tend to die in battle if not some great beast, explaining how a scattered flock of ravens with some dead ones can regroup 24 hours later is also a good RP explanation to regain the companion.
Do I assume right this means that if the Magus takes the Two Weapon Fighting feats he gets the additional offhand attacks as additional spells of standard or less casting time given as bonus spells cast per turn?
Spell Combat is a full-round action. You can cast a spell, and make normal iterative attacks.
Two-Weapon Fighting requires using the full-attack action, which is also a full-round action. You make normal iterative attacks, and one bonus attack with your off-hand.
You can't do both in one round.
You cannot two weapon fight and use spell combat. The twf feat does not help Magus spell combat at all you can do one or the other not both.
Secondly the cabalist stuff was a bit confusing as it involves 3pp stuff. But I can basically give you two answers. You shouldn't be able to get the familiar at all as you are not a sorcerer and it is a sorcerer archetype. But there's a giant thread arguing this so moving on.
A raven is not a valid animal companion, though it is as a familiar. You cannot give it the swarm template with the rules. For one a raven swarm is like a thousand birds.
TWF:
I didn't mean to use the two as separated, I assumed that the improved TWF and similar feats would also affect the magus spell combat ability, the basic TWF feat may be needed to be wasted though as their prerequisite. ("This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast.")
Improved Two-Weapon Fighting (and the other TWF feats) only work when Two-Weapon Fighting.
Spell Combat is not Two-Weapon Fighting, it's a completely different action.
That line is just to show that you make your normal attacks with one hand, and cast one spell with the other hand, similar to two-weapon fighting where you make your normal attacks with one hand, and make another attack with your off-hand.
so what then? if I would have all the TWF feats as a magus I wouldn't have any offhand attacks? or wouldn't be able to cast normally? or one offhand attack would be a spell and all others normal offhand melee attacks?
You would be able to either make all your normal TWF attacks, or you could use Spell Combat to make all your main-hand attacks and cast a spell (which could be delivered via an extra main-hand attack if it qualifies for Spellstrike).
TWF:
I didn't mean to use the two as separated, I assumed that the improved TWF and similar feats would also affect the magus spell combat ability, the basic TWF feat may be needed to be wasted though as their prerequisite. ("This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast.")Raven:
Cabalist's main reason to be picked it to get the benefits of one sorcerer bloodline, then there is also the Eldritch Heritage feats so it is not a question if the character gains these abilities because the answer is yes. One way or another the bloodline could be taken anyway as Skill Focus (Nature) requirement is fulfilling the prerequisite for both Sylvan and Arcane bloodlines via E.H.I didn't give the raven any template, I used the base described Raven Swarm, which acts and counts as one creature per statistics. The planned advancement of the character using the "raven theme" would have it take Eldritch Heritage (Arcane) at third level, giving it also the ability to have a raven as familiar, until a later level where it would be replaced through Improved Familiar by an Imp which takes the form of a raven and is usually invisible.
So, the only issue is, would a Druid be able to take the Raven Swarm then? Or just as Pack Lord archetype to avoid discussions about having more than "one" companion however one sees the raven swarm in numbers. I wouldn't mind taking a single level as Pack Lord just to use its ability as requirement fulfilling for getting the raven swarm. Honestly, as per stats a raven swarm is a single animal and thus a Pack Lord could have multiple raven swarms, I just want one, mostly for flavor.
Sigh i was really trying to avoid Adressing Archetypes and Eldritch Heritage. But here goes first. As far as your Magus Archetype goes. without the Dm agreeing to it you cannot take a Sorcerer Archetype. Your not a sorcerer. Secondly as far as Eldritch Heritage goes the Fey Sylvan Archetype is likely not viable for eldritch Heritage because you dont have both of the things it swaps out. (this isnt even addressing the issue of selecting an Archetype with Eldritch Heritage at all which i will not touch as there is another thread on it)
Secondly where is 'raven' a selected option for an Animal companion for any class that grants Animal companions. It is selected as a familiar yes, not an animal companion.
A swarm of flying tiny creatures is litterally nearly a thousand animals from what i understand.
No class with animal companion as a class feature that i am aware of can have a swarm as an Animal companion.
Your basically entering into house rule Territory. but from the reading of the normal rules what you want to do cannot be done.
Here is the most relevant http://paizo.com/forums/dmtz5wu9?Sorcerer-Dip-Eldritch-Heritage-and-Sylvan
But two more, there was a fourth talking about archetypes I couldnt find.
http://paizo.com/forums/dmtz5x8p?Archetypes-and-class-features-gained-from
http://paizo.com/forums/dmtz3y7z?Eldritch-Heritage-and-Wildblooded-Bloodlin es.
As far as AC go. You have to take an animal as an AC that has an AC stat block or use a similar statblock from an existing suitable AC. I haven't read the rules on the brood master. But far as I know all AC outside of an explicit exception are starting as small.
And as I said before there's no way to get an AC as a swarm that I know of.
If you just want a raven familiar there is an arcana. You could also ask your dim if you can learn appropriate spells to summon raven swarms. Thoough off the top of my head I am not sure what those are. If they are wizard spells there is an arcana to learn them.
I would like to get a link to that thread you constantly mention. Also, as far I know any animal can be taken as companion except elephant if HD is okay. The Pack Lord Druid would basically already be able to have a lot of 1/4-1 HD companions as it modifies the use of animal companion to benefit of mental connection and similar things with all of them. I do however wish to avoid having to advance as Druid though, and the fake alien thing a Summoner gets is something I never want to take, plus there is not even an Archetype for it to use instead magical beasts or animals.
There is an Archetype for it First Worlder
Also, as far I know any animal can be taken as companion except elephant if HD is okay. The Pack Lord Druid would basically already be able to have a lot of 1/4-1 HD companions as it modifies the use of animal companion to benefit of mental connection and similar things with all of them.
A druid may begin play with any of the animals listed in Animal Choices.
Ravens are not on that list. Neither are raven swarms. Also, the pack lord can't get more than 16 companions, because he only gets to divide up his normal AC hit dice.
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None of the Rules As Written will let you swap a "pack" or ravens for a raven swarm. If a GM decided to allow it to make his life easier that might be smart, but it's entirely a houserule.
The Cabalist archetype has no impact on either trying to fight with two weapons as a magus (though that book does have options to let you do that, at the cost of not doing other things), or getting a raven swarm rather than a raven familiar.
And as mentioned, RAW there's no way for a magus to get a sorcerer archetype, even if the magus is a cabalist.
But it sounds like most of these are things that should be discusses with your GM, rather than a messageboard. Our opinion doesn't matter in your game. :)