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"They took it! At the tip of a wand! I'll do it with a lance."
I have refrained from full on comment until I could manage to run a game with the new classes, but it's time.
I have not played Magus myself, but I have participated in a game where two magi (A Slide Caster and a Sustained Steel) played alongside each other, and experienced some of the gameplay. Quite a few things emerged, some confirming my previous evaluations, some not. I'll focus on Spellstrike, Synthesis, Battle Spells, and a handful of choice feats.
Spellstrike
Let's start with the obvious: Spellstrike does not often play out as one would expect. In the first half of the game, players attempted to use it like PF1 spellstrike -walk up, cast+strike, love it- and just... didn't. The Slider managed once, but generally speaking they fell in one of two issues:
-action economy. Spell strike is slow, and with good reason. Two actions to set it up and one action to strike usually mean that the move will be taken in one turn but split in two parts. While slider often overrides this limitation, this is not necessarily a point in his favour - in fact, the action economy advantage was perceived as much more meaningful than the defensive buff from sustaining steel. This is probably mosty a perception issue, because...
-you're gonna miss. Ignoring MAP on spell strike is nice and good, but you can always whiff, and more likely you'll try your discharge on the next turn. Now, you've got a great hit chance on weapon, but you need to roll two dice to discharge a spell, and the second one is on a lower modifier. Unless you crit (which is great, but not gonna happen all the time), your failure chance is compounding on your rolls. Remember why Quiet Allies is good? It's also why Spellstrike is bad.
The positive, of course, is that spellstrike feels strong and impactful when it works. Especially if you got lucky enough to crit on a spell slot. While hit chances were not terrifyingly bad, they're bad enough to give a negative feel to the class and hamper enjoyment.
My improvements?
Not entirely sure, and it'd depend on which direction this is to be moved. I have considered the Eldritch Archer way of joining both effects into a single roll, which would aid gameplay as well as reliability, but it's unlikely that the action economy cost could work on a melee character. Another idea was focusing even more on the action economy issue and turn it into a feature, where Magus could spend an extra action to cast the spell into his weapon but with the ability to hold for a minute. This can lead into crit-fishing and might be off balance, but would avoid the frustration of not being able to spellstrike in a single turn - rather than it being disappointingly difficult, it would just be not an option. There is also the already well-known way of joining the roll and giving a save penalty, from published adventures, which... is not as crazy considering the math.
The one consistent point I have is that the multiple roll on spell strike is an issue, not a feature.
Note that, despite someone suggesting to reduce the action cost, I doubt that option. Our Sustaining magus was slow, yes, and had very little in the way of mobility, but worked, and it fit theme. That to me spells function, despite the other issues.
Synthesis
First things first: needs renaming, I got constant confusions with Summoner.
Slide Casting emerged as a major outlier as the action economy advantage works in complete favour of spellstrike and its current issues. I don't however believe it would be too strong if spellstrike was less tricky - in fact I don't mind the action economy issue beyond its psychological effect. A slower Magus can exist. It just needs to shine less relatively to the other two.
Sustaining Steel was disliked but I can see its use. Frequent tempHP are a good buffer and improve the magus defense in a good way. I would perhaps buff this a little, as action economy advantage tends to be much more valued (and often valuable) by players. A save bonus against magic, perhaps, could help highlight value without harming combat balance.
Shooting Star was not even considered. Having to pick the shortest range, on top of other spellstrike issues, without getting any direct benefits (yes ranged is safer, I know, I play an archer, it still feels bad that your only feature is "you can use your key feature with a bow but you specifically do not get benefits"). If I were to retweak this I would at the very least match the range, and perhaps add a bit about excluding touch spells.
Battle Spells
Hasted Assault and Spell Countermeasures look good and useful as well as fun. Fit the idea of a martial who is experienced in magics. However, I did not see them in play.
Runic Impression was seen and used any time it could be used, as it fits the specific magus fantasy of enhancing your weapon with magical energy. It is the perfect Magus spell and I loved seeing it used.
Magus Potency is problematic.
At the level I played, it translated to a +1 to hit. Runic Impression was more interesting, useful, and thematic. However, at many other levels, it translates to no bonus at all - unless you're purposefully avoiding upgrading your weapon, I suppose, in which case it acts as a... temporary negation of the penalty you gave yourself?
Seriously, imagine this ran under ABP: lv2-6, lv10-12, lv16-20: no effect. lv1, 7-9, 13-15: +1 to hit. That's 13/20 levels with no discernible effect, on a baseline ability. Now sure we don't all run ABP, but we do upgrade weapons whenever possible if we're offensive martials.
There is, however, a potentially simple fix.
Runic Impression becomes the baseline power. Under this, the lv1 version grants a +1 potency rune, and the heightens add other abilities, starting with striking and basic properties and then scaling up to the current version. It fits flavour, it satisfies the same low level balance space as Magus Potency, and it will be appreciated and used, even if it has to be slightly weaker. Using property runes also means it does not compete with other options.
Other ideas include making it a burst damage enhancer (see Zeal domain), going all the way into backup territory by including the ability of materialising a weapon of choice, or turning it into a standing buff (for 1 minute, +2 damage, or whatnot). A basic attack power that can be spellstruck also works. Generally speaking, if it's a power that you must have, then it must be usable - not necessarily strong, just usable.
Feats
I absolutely love the flavour of most of these. Please give me a bajillion more. Capture Spell had me wide-eyed for a good full minute. Parrying a spell and capturing it in your weapon so you can slap it back at the enemy? Take my money.
Also, Martial Caster. It seems like a good way to prop up the 4-spell progression, tho I'm not fully sold on it capping at lv11 and about the inclusion of Mage Armour (which, to give active benefits, should use your high slots). I still like it, I'm just a little puzzled. Same on Magic Weapon (are we getting a heightening entry for it?).
4-spell progression
Currently looking for a better name, but all I can think of is beer foam casting and while it's fitting that's not exactly professional. I believe it works in creating the feel of few powerful spells, and fits well the prepared nature of Magus. The Arcane list also works well with the concept of magus. I have no qualms, if not for how much Martial Caster gets indirectly encouraged, and the fact that the scaling could use a 10th level slot (10th level spells are still Uncommon, so it's not like we're talking Wish). 1/2/1?
That's my Magus thread. If you expected something longer, wait for the Summoner one.
I am not particularly satisfied by this version of Magus, but I am confident in the upcoming changes.
Can you say what level/s were played?
Level 9! Slide Magus, Sustain Magus, Angel Summoner, Dragon Summoner. Homebrew adventure.
It's interesting that you found Shooting so much worse than Sliding, when the benefits of the two are so similar in terms of managing the need to move. Sliding works with more spells, but Shooting can potentially have a much farther range with the right spell choice.
My tables found that to be a tremendous advantage, with Sustaining Steel universally agreed to be the odd man out since it does nothing to help the Magus pull their tricks off and the small amount of temp HP is insufficient to support the intended playstyle of standing next to dangerous enemies and hoping they don't murder you.
There's definite value in the range, but unfortunately the spells don't follow.
I mentioned playing an Eldritch Archer somewhere before I think. There's a lot of good value in swapping range. Being tied to the natural range makes you check twice, and for most spells it means your bow is effectively cut short. 35ft away? Your spell won't reach. Touch spell? Forget it.Coming from the land of "all your spells have 60ft range", it's pretty annoying, especially because being more than 30ft away is a big component of archer safety.