Spheres of power help

[ZeroSpace9000]

One of the people in my gaming group has announced plans to run a Spheres of Power campaign when the pirate game I'm currently running hits some writers block. I've already got a good idea for what I want to play, but i would like some guidance on which spheres to invest in.
My concept, at present, would be taking the Mageknight class, a low caster, and attempt to emulate a paladin serving Cayden Cailean. I've presently got my eyes set on the Light and Destruction spheres, taking the Doomblade archetype to give me better CL progression for the latter sphere. I already threw some spheres right out, like Death and Darkness, but other than that I'm willing to consider pretty much anything.

[Mehangel]

Do you know what level you will start at? That will play a major role in determining what talents you begin with. Also, as a "paladin" of Cayden Cailean, I would've thought it more fitting for your character to focus in the Enhancement and possibly Fate spheres.

If you decide to go with the Light sphere however, you should be sure to grab the Encompassing Light and Glory talents.

[Afgncaap5]

I'm going to second Encompassing Light (or "battle aura" as I called it for when I statted up Galstaff, Sorcerer Of Light). It's especially handy if you can get some CL boosting items. Mageknights don't get a lot of magical oomph, but growing a size or two in combat can be a ridiculous boon. With growing to Huge size not being possible until CL 10, it might take some doing, but Large size ain't nothin'.

Speaking of CL, I'd focus on talents that don't depend too much on it. Mageknights can be a lot of fun, but they're not really mystic powerhouses.

[Manyasone]

Also some archetype are pretty badass. If you are solid on the paladin maybe warrior of holy light. My personal favorite is the kinetic scourge. Also maybe sun warrior if you want light sphere

[ZeroSpace9000]

This campaign would be starting at level 1, so this character will need to function at very low levels. As for enhancement, I am playing a class with low CL, and we're using ABP, which will make most things there meaningless for me.
I'm torn right now on Encompassing Light, as it loses some value when using Doomblade's energy weapon. But for the times when I'm using a physical sword its very nice, and the Mystic Combat size up thing could be better spent elsewhere.

Edit: I am very much aware I should focus on talents/spheres that dont care about CL, I mentioned that in the OP. I'm looking for feedback on which spheres/talents would be good to take a look at, since this is my first time using it and the one handbook only helps so much.

[ArendK]

I've been looking into Spheres of Power as well in passing. From the sounds of it, it's pretty simpler, lowering the gap between martials and casters. I like a lot of aspects of it, but I don't know about my players.

My question; how would a Spheres caster hold up against a traditional caster of the same/similar style (ala mageknight and the Magus)?

[legomaster00156]

My question; how would a Spheres caster hold up against a traditional caster of the same/similar style (ala mageknight and the Magus)?
SoP is, broadly speaking, weaker than standard spellcasting, or at least less versatile.

[stack]

The mystic combat to grow to large is an actual size increase, so ought to stack with the virtual size increase from encompassing light.

Overall, you will want whatever destruction talents you feel you need to cover the debuff options that you want, but obviously they don't all have to be obtained at level 1. Stone blast is great for bypassing SR, for example, but can wait for several levels.

So you know your party's composition? A single life talent makes you a competent reserve healer and fits the paladin theme. Alteration can be great for utility even with low CL, but is less thematic. Conjuration could net an angel buddy and can keep up even with low CL until past level 10. Takes a few talents to get going though, so hard to get up and running fully at 1 unless you grab extra magic talent.

[A.J.Gibson]

SoP is, broadly speaking, weaker than standard spellcasting, or at least less versatile.

Less versatile, certainly, though SoP casters will often find they are better at what they are specialized in. In addition, SoP blasting is superior than vancian blasting, and SoP tends to have higher saving throw DC's.

[A.J.Gibson]

There is a mageknight build guide now here:

https://sites.google.com/site/bloodymountainpath/writing-stuff/sop-class-guides/mageknight

The key with the mageknight is to remember that you are a martial foremost: casting is a utility feature for you. You should spending a lot of your spell points on mystic combats, and drawbacks are your friend (since they give you more spell points for your mystic combats, while not actually affecting them because they are not spells).

I will also point out that the War sphere is extremely gish-friendly. You can take the sphere with the battlefield manipulation drawback and then take a rally (Safety and Revitalize are great) for one feat. It will save your ass probably once per session. Most rallies do not use caster level, and they don't interfere with taking full-round actions either.

[Ualaa]

Once built, a SoP caster will generally have less options than a Vancian Wizard (or other pure caster class).

However, the SoP caster can be built how you want to build them.
So you can pick and choose features that are important to your build.

A healing character like a Cleric or Druid, cannot compete with an Arcane caster for damage.
An Arcane caster cannot heal like a healer caster can.

An Incanter could be built, to cast in Heavy Armor without arcane spell failure, to have the best destruction (offensive DPS magic) and healing (life sphere).
They could add in say darkness effects, which they can bypass but will snare, silence, grapple etc others...
Or maybe they want some Warp effects, to play mini-chess tactician... and rearrange the battle.

With twenty spheres, optional drawbacks, optional boons, several sphere specific classes, archetypes for almost all the paizo casting classes, archetypes in general... you have ultimate customization to play what you want to play.

If you want to be a Jedi, you can be a (padawan/beginning) jedi from level one onwards. With your talents and abilities growing over time.
With the Vancian system, you might not resemble a jedi until 11th level or whatever.

[Afgncaap5]

My question; how would a Spheres caster hold up against a traditional caster of the same/similar style (ala mageknight and the Magus)?

One way to look at it might be that Vancian casting tends to be "higher" magic but Sphere casting tends to be "specialized." A level 1 Vancian wizard might be able to do four to six different magical things in a day, but would also be limited to doing the non-cantrip spells just a few times a day. A level 1 Sphere wizard might only be able to do one or two magical things per day, but can probably have more options for mixing up how their magic functions and can usually spam weaker things regularly (some of these being cantrip-level in power, but others stronger than that). Vancian is more "powerful" in the strictest sense, but if I want to, say, play a pyromancer assassin or psychic spy or kid with a problem-solving genie or, heck, a magical dietitian, and if I want that character to be "that way" from level 1, then spheres is the way I'd go.

The gap between the two can diminish a little with the Advanced Magic rules for Rituals (which basically lets you have Vancian magic, but slower and for money), and Spellcraft (which lets you treat Sphere effects as building blocks to create "spells" as unique magical effects for specialized scenarios.) You could theoretically have about any spell effect you could think of via Spellcraft (barring things like Wish and Miracle and limited to your own talents), but the spells being "available as an option" really isn't the same as having easy access to the libraries of pre-existing Paizo/WotC spells.