Hello, i want to create a fighter with one of those archetypes, but i can't decide which one. So i would like to read some opinions about those 3. Thank you and sorry for my bad english!
Child of A&A sacrifices so much for spellcasting that it's not worth it. You would find it better either to play a bloodrager, or to play an ordinary fighter and spend feats on item mastery.
Lore warden is playable. The original lore warden is better, being able to be passable at several different maneuvers, but the newer version in the Adventurer's Guide is still OK. You just have to focus on one maneuver.
Dragonheir scion has a weird error - it trades out bonus feats at levels the fighter doesn't get bonus feats. Assuming that those get moved to other levels, then it should be playable - dazzling display as a standard action should be useful.
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For what it is worth, the PFS Campaign Clarifications picked up on the error of the Dragonheir Scion, and states the following:
Page 12—The dragonheir scion gains fearful might at 2nd level. She gains draconic strike and draconic presence at 4th level and 6th level, respectively, replacing the fighter bonus feats she would normally gain at these levels.
Did the errata ever state if the Dragonheir scion´s arcane strike damage increase with his level, the way it does for casters? It always struck me as a natural thing to ensure that the feat function as well as it does for its intended recipients, but it is not strictly RAW.
Given that dragonheir scion still gets weapon training, I'd stick with RAW when it comes to Arcane Strike: Just +1 damage. On the plus side:
1) As a fighter, you are likely to have no other use for your swift action.
2) The damage bonus applies to any attacks (at least this seems to be the common reading), which works well with switch-hitting.
3) Full BAB means more attacks than for usual Arcane Strike users, which means more effective damage from Arcane Strike. Especially since fighter is already good at two-weapon fighting (many feats, weapon training, weapon specialization).
I admit, a scaling Arcane Strike would help to cover the fighter's mid and late game struggle a bit, but it's more effective to address this with proper magic items - in my opinion.
Child of A&A sacrifices so much for spellcasting that it's not worth it. You would find it better either to play a bloodrager, or to play an ordinary fighter and spend feats on item mastery.
I really wanted to like Child of A&A, but you are right that the loss of both Armor Training and Weapon Training is just too much. For a Fighter-y Spellcaster I'm going to suggest a Myrmidarch Magus. Weapon Training, Armor Training, and modified Fighter Training that gives you access to Fighter-Only Feats earlier than other Magi make this more like a Fighter than Child of A&A, and you even get better Spellcasting. Throw in Fighter VMC for even more Fighter flavor.
So Child of A&A isn't that good, but do you think that Dragonheir Scion is better of Lore Warden? I mean, i have read good opinions of the Lore Warden, but nothing about the Dragonheir Scion. It isn't even in the guides of the Fighter. Is it a good archetype for the Fighter?
Or the dandy ranger is also good for such a concept.
Given that dragonheir scion still gets weapon training, I'd stick with RAW when it comes to Arcane Strike: Just +1 damage. On the plus side:
1) As a fighter, you are likely to have no other use for your swift action.
2) The damage bonus applies to any attacks (at least this seems to be the common reading), which works well with switch-hitting.
3) Full BAB means more attacks than for usual Arcane Strike users, which means more effective damage from Arcane Strike. Especially since fighter is already good at two-weapon fighting (many feats, weapon training, weapon specialization).I admit, a scaling Arcane Strike would help to cover the fighter's mid and late game struggle a bit, but it's more effective to address this with proper magic items - in my opinion.
Naw, that isn't why you should get it. The +1 wouldn't be worth it, and a fighter would love to grab hurtful+cornugon smash (it is a really poor man's pounce).
No. The reason even stunted arcane strike is worth it is because of riving strike.
You can do a seriously powerful debuff build with that. Cornugon smash+riving strike means an instant -4 to saves with a single hit... which can get worse with a cruel weapon and full attack. Your wizard will love you.
And actually, this approach feels thematically appropriate. A warrior whose sole purpose is to boost the abilities of his magically gifted better? With a noted blood relation to dragons? I love the idea of blue dragons breeding half-dragons just to get a large supply of dragonheir scions to serve as debuff buddies.
So Child of A&A isn't that good, but do you think that Dragonheir Scion is better of Lore Warden? I mean, i have read good opinions of the Lore Warden, but nothing about the Dragonheir Scion. It isn't even in the guides of the Fighter. Is it a good archetype for the Fighter?
Summary of dragonheir scion:
-trades first feat for arcane strike. Great if it functions properly, and still wroth the feat due to reasons stated above.-Trades bravery for intimidate bonus. Given the fact that you can use that to patch your will save via Advanced weapon training, this is a major demerit. But you can still patch taht with things like half elves, so not a deal breaker.
-trades armor training for natural armor. Could be nice, but nothing to write how about. But this also gives some resist to your dragon's element- so that can be nice.
-trade 5th level feat (???) for the dazzling display and the ability to do it as a standard action. Great if your build uses that, and generally nice upgrade. Also, you don't need to have a weapon to use it- so you can just shout at people.
The rest of the changes aren't really worth mentioning.
fighter's don't normally have anything better to do with that swift action, and as mentioned it opens up riving strike, and it itself is adding 1/2 of weapon specialization and letting you bypass DR magic early.
SO sure it's not a super amazing feat with that. But it's not that bad of a feat still.
If you're not using your swift action anyway, it's not worse than nothing, at least.
But given all the intimidate focused stuff the archetype gives you, you should probably really be picking up Cornugon Smash and Hurtful, so there goes your swift action after level 6.
Yeah, but you can use that intimidate stuff, cornugon smash, and riving strike, and say 'who needs a witch? I'd rather stab evil in the eye than give an evil eye'.
At the very least, you could grab both. Even though the archetype trades some feats away, you still have enough to grab both builds by level 6 ...or maybe 7? (as stated, the feat trade off is misprinted, so it would not be unreasonable to assume that you lose your 6th level bonus feat).
General point- since you get arcane strike as a bonus feat, you can grab power attack/riving strike/hurtful/cornugon smash with your natural feats. So you don't exactly need to decide on only taking one build.
Can you really take Riving Strike as a Dragonheir Scion? Unless I'm missing something, one of its prerequisites is "ability to cast arcane spells" which a non-multiclassed fighter won't have.