My brother is starting a campaign in a few months or so where each player starts with a level 1 character with one free archetype and they don't get the second for another 3 levels, etc.
These archetypes ensure that every player has access to some form of magic.
I'm playing a Thaumaturge with a Magus dedication and the Weapon Esoterica.
Neither of us can figure out whether the Magus Dedication allows a weapon to be an Esoterica and a Casting Implement at the same time, allowing for Esoterica Empowered Spellstrikes and casting without a spellbook.
While I'm aware I'd not be getting many spell slots or much in the way of utility out of the dedication, I was thinking of getting more Martial out of my Martial class with offensive spells and the Scroll Thaumaturgy feeding into spellstrikes.
If the weapon can indeed be both implement and esoterica, it would mean that I can exploit vulnerability at the start of combat, then cast a scroll in the same hand holding the weapon/esoterica/implement through a weapon strike as an action and empower that strike for extra damage, and still have one/two actions free for a follow-up attack.
This will likely get moved to the rules forum instead of general discussion.
I'm playing a Thaumaturge with a Magus dedication and the Weapon Esoterica.
Neither of us can figure out whether the Magus Dedication allows a weapon to be an Esoterica and a Casting Implement at the same time, allowing for Esoterica Empowered Spellstrikes and casting without a spellbook.
Be sure to make a distinction between Thaumaturge Esoterica and Thaumaturge Implement.
An Implement is a particular item that you have to hold in one of your hands in order to use it.
Esoterica is a collection of unnamed and nonspecific stuff that you keep with you. Much like a spellcaster's material components. You don't really hold them in hand, though you do need to have a free hand to use them - however you can also use Esoterica in the same hand that you are holding an Implement with.
Similarly, the Magus dedication will need their spellbook to prepare spells in the morning, but they don't need it in hand in order to cast spells with during the day.
So to answer what I interpret your questions as: Yes you can use your Thaumaturge Weapon Implement as a weapon used for Spellstrike. The Weapon Implement is still a weapon. And the Spellstrike weapon damage would be triggering any weaknesses caused by Exploit Vulnerability.
While I'm aware I'd not be getting many spell slots or much in the way of utility out of the dedication, I was thinking of getting more Martial out of my Martial class with offensive spells and the Scroll Thaumaturgy feeding into spellstrikes.
There is a feat for putting scrolls onto the weapon to let them be used for Spellstrike. It is not entirely clear if you can use a scroll to power Spellstrike without this feat and instead just while holding the scroll in hand. I think most GMs will allow that though.
If the weapon can indeed be both implement and esoterica, it would mean that I can exploit vulnerability at the start of combat, then cast a scroll in the same hand holding the weapon/esoterica/implement through a weapon strike as an action and empower that strike for extra damage, and still have one/two actions free for a follow-up attack.
Yes, assuming that your GM doesn't require the scroll to be attached to the weapon using Striker's Scroll, then you can hold a 2-handed Weapon Implement, use Exploit Vulnerability, then Spellstrike with a scroll you have on hand and are holding as though it was Esoterica in the same hand occupied by your Weapon Implement.
Oh, that's right. Thaumaturge Weapon Implement has to be a 1-hand weapon. You could still sword and shield while drawing a scroll and spellstriking with it.
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While you can use a shield, you shouldn't, as you need a hand completely free to get the bonus of Implement's Empowerment, which is a lot of extra damage to leave out.
That said, you can Spellstrike and gain Implement's Empowerment on the Strike, and if you use a Scroll on top of that, it still works since Scrolls are consumed when casting, leaving the hand that was holding it free when you make the follow up Strike.
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While that works, you have to make sure to use Raise a Shield at the end of your turn, as your hand is considered in use while the shield is raised, plus you won't automatically have the Shield Block reaction, so it would only be a +1 bonus with no blocking. Might as well just cast Shield at that point, as you can actually block with it and it has good hardness. You are a spell-caster after all.
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While you can use a shield, you shouldn't, as you need a hand completely free to get the bonus of Implement's Empowerment, which is a lot of extra damage to leave out.
It's exactly the same amount of damage anybody else misses out on by using a shield instead of a two-handed weapon.
I'm pretty sure that's the point. Most martials have options for how to use their two hands. They need at least one for a weapon, but they can go for a two-hander, a second weapon, a free hand, a shield--options!
The Thaumaturge is generally stuck with a one-handed weapon, because they need their other hand for handling implements and esoterica. Which are just their class features, flavored as items. Their class feature costs them a hand, so Implement's Empowerment gives the value of a hand back (though without the list of options) by giving you damage equivalent to a two-handed weapon.
Weapon Implement gives you more options, since now your weapon, Implement, and Esoterica all take up the same hand. Two-handed weapons are both disallowed and pointless since your damage is exactly the same either way, but you can trade that for a shield or you can gain that benefit and a free hand. And you have an easier time with passive Implements once you get a second one.
A minor perk of the Weapon Implement.
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Yeah they really nailed the lid shut on the thaumaturge doing 2H weapons and shields. At least while getting full mileage from their class abilities.
On the other hand; Implement's Empowerment makes a 1H weapon do the amount of damage you can normally get from a 2H weapon. So all this limitation is justified.
I think the happiest thing to do is use the thaumaturge to go wild with all those 1H weapons that you thought were cool but had poor damage.
