Eldritch Blade (Magus/Fighter)

Eldritch blades have learned to combine the power of arcane casting with the might of martial training. They use their weapons and the rhythm of their combat style to focus their magical energies and cast their spells. An eldritch blade has no need for spellbooks, and therefore cannot read magic or scrolls. Unlike other casters, their weapons are required to cast their magic, and cannot do so without them. (Original Concept by Night_Shade)

Primary: Magus.

Secondary: Fighter.

Alignment: Any.

Hit Dice: d8.

Bonus Skills and Ranks: The eldritch blade selects three fighter skills to add to his class skills in addition to the normal magus class skills. The eldritch blade gains a number of ranks at each level equal to +2 Int modifier.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The eldritch blade is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with light armor. An eldritch blade can cast magus spells while wearing light armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance. Like any other arcane spellcaster, an eldritch blade wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or a shield incurs a chance of arcane spell failure if the spell in question has a somatic component. A multiclass eldritch blade still incurs the normal arcane spell failure chance for arcane spells received from other classes.

Spellcasting: An eldritch blade may know any number of spells, but he must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour practicing combat tactics with his bonded weapon. While practicing, the eldritch blade decides which spells to prepare. An eldritch blade otherwise learns, prepares, and casts spells as a magus of his eldritch blade level. An eldritch blade gains bonus spells if he has a high Intelligence score.

Arcane Pool (Su): This is exactly like the magus ability of the same name, except that the eldritch blade can use this ability to enhance his arcane weapon. Additionally, an eldritch blade of 1st level can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any armor he is wearing a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the armor gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the armor, stacking with existing armor enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.

At 5th level, these bonuses can be used to add any of the following armor properties: balanced, ghost touch, heavy fortification, invulnerability, light fortification