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So for my next PFS character I'm considering a Tiefling Shadowcaster. The problem is that while I love the archetype, I don't really get anything out of it until level 10. The shadow bond is fun, but I'd rather have a bonded object, and I'll already have Darkvision, so I'd be giving up my 5th-level Wizard bonus feat for nothing. It wouldn't bother me except, as always, I want more feats than I have space for: Fiend Sight(x2), Tenebrous Spell, Umbral Spell, and Shadow Grasp take up all my feats for the first nine levels. If I drop the archetype, I can grab a few more goodies. But on the other hand, I really do love the 10th level ability, which adds 20% realism to Shadow spells.
My question basically boils down to: Just how much use will I get out of the Shadow spells? If they're not as good as I think they are, I'd much rather find out now than when I'm 10 levels and a suddenly useless archetype into the character.
There is another thread on the boards about shadow conjuration and evocation:
Here it is
I like the shadow spells due to it's flexibility... you can pick and choose how you assign your bonus spells. Arcane bond helps you beat the PFS gold curve, but I think shadow spells is useful for your utility-minded wizard.
Your character isn't limited to shadow spells, right? So it's not like you'll be useless in the meantime. Of all the archetypes, the shadowcaster is the only PFS legal one to maintain most of the power and flexibility of a straight wizard. Anyways, I don't think you take shadow magic for the power... you take it for the flexibility. Hey, I don't have that hand mount/attack spell/monster that can do x for me... now I do!
I might give up the quest to get fiend sight. As a wizard, you can use spells to accomplish what you get with those feats. The need to see in magical darkness is a corner case (unless, of course, you want to be able to do it for your spells).