Alright, I'm in the process of making an Arcane Duelist, 20 point buy, I know two of the three other party members. One is a synthesist summoner and the other is an alchemist.
My bard is a half-elf bastard son of a noble man who took him in despite the shame, he has always been obsessed with ancient tales, especially those of heroes. He ran away from his duties and responsibilites to apprentice to a bard, having already learned fighting skills in mandatory military service as an officer he soon decided to combine his talents and BECOME one of the heroes he loves to hear and tell about in myths and legends.
STR 18 DEX 10 CON 13 INT 10 WIS 10 CHA 15
Uses a longspear for the eventual mounting of a Banner of the Ancient Kings, meaning I need the flagbearer feat and will most likely take craft wonderous item. (Really wish I could mount this on a glaive instead -_-) Which also determines two of my spells for me to be used in its crafting.
I'm a little uncertain what to do with my skills, what with losing all the extra bonuses and versatile performance. Obviously perception and use magic device are musts, as well as a performance skill (Oratory, fits my background the most)
I'm also pretty worried about how low my AC and HP are going to be for a while.
Recommended feats, skills and spells?
I'd probably go a slightly different route, with a bit more emphasis on combat:
14 Str, 16 Dex (+2), 13 Con, 10 Int, 10 Wis, 15 Cha
Ancestral Arms (falcata), Multitalented (bard, fighter)
Fighter (phalanx soldier); +1 hp/level favored class bonus
1st- Improved Shield Bash, Two-Weapon Fighting
2nd- Stand Firm; Flagbearer
3rd- Phalanx Fighting; Quick Draw
Bard (arcane duelist); +1 round of performance/level favored class bonus
1st- +1 Cha; Arcane Strike
2nd- Combat Casting, Lingering Performance
4th- Craft Wondrous Item
5th- +1 Dex; Arcane Bond (Longspear)
6th- Disruptive, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting
8th- Improved Critical (Falcata)
9th- +1 Cha
10th- Arcane Armor (Medium); Critical Focus, Spellbreaker
12th- Bleeding Critical
13th- +1 Cha
14th- Penetrating Strike, Quicken Spell
Weapons will be a bow for ranged, longspear for reach, and falcata/quickdraw light shield for close; once 3rd level is reached, you can switch between using the shield or not as a free action (i.e., to cast spells, etc.) and can use the longspear one-handed with the shield for added protection (plus threatening adjacent squares while attacking with reach). A +1 bashing mithral light quickdraw will give you a bludgeoning weapon to go with the piercing longspear and the slashing falcata. Craft a belt of giant strength and/or improve it as you level.
For spells, consider unwitting ally, ear-piercing scream, bladed dash, ghostbane dirge (for incorporeal opponents), heroism (definitely take this), versatile weapon, dispel magic, haste (another almost definite choice), thundering drums, dance of a hundred cuts, freedom of movement, sonic thrust, greater dispel magic, shadow evocation (possibly), dance of a thousand cuts, and greater bladed dash.