So here's a hypothetical build that I was thinking of that I might actually get to play in an upcoming game. One important note is that this is using some 3rd party material from pfsrd and is assuming that some grey rules areas will be ruled in the build's favor (as it's already going to be much weaker than a base magus anyway, so why not).
The idea was to go Gnome Magus (Spellblade and Arcana Lord (third party)for the favored class bonus that lets you add certain weapon abilities to your available list for your Arcane Pool, get Conductive as a favored class option (also see if the DM would allow other properties not on the list to be added: come on, Agile!), and then go Souldrinker (or Souleater) 2 for the ability to give negative levels which would then be used through Conductive.
That's where Spellblade comes in; Conductive says that it can only trigger once per round, but I think it could be argued that what is meant that it can only be triggered once per round by that weapon (this is one of those grey rules areas I was talking about), then Spellblade helps because it gives you a second weapon that automatically gets Conductive when you use your Arcane Pool to buff your main weapon. One issue with this scenario is that it is unclear by RAW (though it definitely seems to be RAI) whether you actually have the effects of "two weapon fighting" if you just use your primary weapon and the spellblade, so there's another grey spot.
Arcana Lord comes in because of the Spellblade arcana that lets you spend 1 point per plus you want up to 5. Since Spellstrike is already off the table, the idea is that most spells would be buffs or converted into points to fuel the Spellblade and other Arcanas (some 3pp, getting to that later). Souldrinker also has a Soul Pool which a second level Souldrinker could reasonably use to get back first level spells, which could then be converted back to points on a 1:1 (later 2:1) basis.
That was the just of what I had in mind, and now here's how I was thinking it would be built, though I don't have ability scores as the DM likes to mix it up between rolling and point buy, but we're going to be starting at level 7 or 8 (didn't think it out too far past that).
Gnome Magus (Spellblade/Arcana Lord) 5, Souldrinker 2
Feats:
1. Weapon Finesse
3. Blindfight
5. Combat Expertise
5. (bonus Magus) Moonlight Stalker (note: going to take the alt gnome racial for darkvision)
7. Weapon Focus - dagger (primary is dagger as spellblade counts as one)
9. Extra Arcana?
11.
13.
13. (level 11 Magus bonus)
Moonlight Stalker Feint is also something I was considering, but I have other uses of swift actions, and I could always use my familiar to flank if I really had to (wonder if it is still flanking if it's invisible?).
Arcanas
3. Pool-Sourced Athame
6. (cl=8) Arcane Accuracy
7. (cl=9, bonus from Arcana Lord)
9. (cl=11)
12. (cl=14) Energy Burst
I had quite a few potential options for the two blank Arcanas and was considering quite a few 3pp ones from pfsrd. Full list.
-Enduring Blade (would ask if it could extend Spellblade duration too; probably mandatory if ruled yes)
-Force Adept: Mage Hand as a swift then Telekinesis as a swift later for 1 point - balanced by the fact that you're already nerf'd to hell by meeting the prereq which is Spellblade.
-Bounding Steps: a swift action fly that lasts rounds for 1 point
-Heroic Assault: swift, 1 point, get Heroism at rounds per level
-Mounted Assault Mounted Assault: Phantom Steed as a swift but only lasts for Int mod rounds. Still kinda cool, if not really good.
-Serpent Eyed Strike: swift, 1 point, will save or one enemy loses Dex vs me for 1d6 rounds
-Flattening Strike: empower a hit so the enemy has to make a Fort or get thrown back and knocked prone.
-Wave of Mutilation : This would either be amazing or worthless: it depends on whether or not the DM would allow this as working with Conductive, and if he'd count it hitting everyone as one use and give them all the negative level. This is one iffy rules area that I'd agree with not being ruled in the build's favor, but worth asking just in case.
Gear: DM doesn't normally go with the "Magical Walmart" method of getting magic items, which is why the build is meant to be able to focus without specific items (it would have been easier and more cost effective to have just been able to get a Conductive Cestus and alternate strikes with my Dervish Danced Condutive Scimitar in the other, and then you'd still have Spellstrike). The only thing that really stood out as something worth requesting would be a Minor Cloak of Displacement, which gives constant Blur, so Moonlight Stalker would always apply (plus Blur is nice anyway) without me casting Blur myself.
So that's what I was thinking about... not great. Definitely not great. But it could be workable and would certainly be different. One thing I was considering was asking the DM to let the negative levels crit through a Conductive weapon (on the condition that the first time it hits each round will be the time it goes off) and if I could potentially add other +1 properties to the list I can gain via Favored Class. I was also debating the merits of taking Soul Drinker to 6 for 2 neg levels per hit, but that seems unlikely and probably wouldn't be worth it at least until Improved Cannibalize Spell (13th) and I doubt the game will get to that point in any timely fashion, if at all.
Anyone have any ideas, RAW or to throw past the DM?