Eldritch Scion, mystical focus, and bloodrage: Help me understand please?

[James F.D. Graham]

Ok,

I've been doing some research here, and I must be missing something.

The Eldritch Scion archetype grants an 'eldritch pool'. The scion can spend a point to enter "mystical focus' for 2 rounds. Which, and I quote:

"...allows him to use abilities from his bloodrager bloodline as though he were in a bloodrage..."

Now to me that suggests that some Bloodragers, depending on their choice of bloodline, get powers that only work/can be activated during a bloodrage and any Eldritch Scion who gets the same power has to enter the mystical focus first in the same manner.

Example: The fey bloodrager bloodline gets Quickling Bloodrage at 12th level which states "while bloodraging you're treated as if you are under the effects of haste."

From this I gather that the bloodline powers that do not state they only work/can be activated during a bloodrage can therefore be used outside of a bloodrage by a Bloodrager, and therefore can be used outside of a mystical focus by a corresponding Eldritch Scion.

However, everywhere I look, the consensus seems to be that one of the main reasons the Eldritch Scion is no good is because he has to spend a swift action every other round just to get access to any/all bloodline powers.

Please tell me what I am missing?

[Nocte ex Mortis]

The only powers that work for a Bloodrager outside of a bloodrage are the ones that specifically call out that they do. Everything else is only active while bloodraging. Things like Quickling Bloodrage are actual alterations to the bloodrage itself, meaning that every time you bloodrage, this happens.

[Chess Pwn]

When a bloodrager enters a bloodrage, he often takes on a physical transformation influenced by his bloodline and powered by the magic that roils within him. Unless otherwise specified, he gains the effects of his bloodline powers only while in a bloodrage; once the bloodrage ends, all powers from his bloodline immediately cease, and any physical changes the bloodrager underwent revert, restoring him to normal.

[kestral287]

The general rule for Bloodragers is that their powers only work in a rage. This is detailed just before their bloodlines. The specific quote's already been provided, but if you need it sourced, there you go.

The Scion is in the same boat: very few of the bloodline powers are available outside of the Mystic Focus. That said, that's not truly the Scion's weakness. That comes from two separate sources.

First, they shift to being Cha-based. Charisma is an excellent attribute to focus on (see: Oracle), but the Scion misses out on many of the best ways to do that. In return they run into the same skill problems as Sorcerers with no real resolution to that. You go from a class with the same skill flexibility as the Wizard and the like to one with the same skill flexibility as the Cleric (that is to say, he may or may not be able to actually identify his own spells).

Second, and far more importantly, is that until level eight Spell Combat is restricted by Mystic Focus. Spell Combat makes the Magus; without it the Magus jumps from a powerful class with a devastatingly efficient action economy to a wannabe Eldritch Knight. A Magus can get by without the Arcane Pool, without Spellstrike, without a great many things-- but Spell Combat is what makes them tick. It's their Rage, their Panache,

Not having Spell Combat means that the class isn't really online until level eight, which is just far too slow to be effective in anything but a high-level game.

[James F.D. Graham]

Thank-you!

No wonder I couldn't find it.. I kept looking at the descriptions of the actual class abilities! Thought I was losing my ability to read..

..ok, so good news is I'm the GM for the scion in question so it's off to houserule land! Once I find some glasses :)

Thanks again.