Thoughts on the Elemental Archon Prestige Class from Faiths and Pantheons

[Ooze]

So i came across this class and on paper it seems really interesting with 3 mephit underlings but i'm concerned with how useful they would actually be or if they would just be more micro managing for little gain

Does anyone have any experience with this class and how well it performs?

[Troacctid]

I like having three magma mephits just melt into lava puddles on top of enemies to deal an extra 6d6 damage per round.

[Vizzerdrix]

I'm currently puzzling out a way to use one with a DFI bard without being human AND staying as an arcane caster so I can get another mephit via improved familiar. So far I can't tell if it was updated anyplace or what the required spell may have become.

[Troacctid]

I'm currently puzzling out a way to use one with a DFI bard without being human AND staying as an arcane caster so I can get another mephit via improved familiar. So far I can't tell if it was updated anyplace or what the required spell may have become.
The required spell became protection from energy in the 3.5 update. (The class was never updated, but the spell was.)

[The Viscount]

I played an Elemental Archon in a relatively short Ravenloft campaign a few years ago. I went with Air both because it meshed with my character and I liked the 3 mephits I could get with it. I chose them (air, dust, and ice) because they have good enough flight speed to hover and thus stay above melee with the variety of infected undead. One important thing to look at before you pick is the conditions that satisfy their fast healing, which range in how easy they are to satisfy.

In combat they certainly required some more time for positioning and keeping track of the counters on their breath weapons, but I think it was worth it for the extra bodies to distract and flank, and the magic missile from ice mephit was always appreciated. They were worth it alone for a fight in which we had to face a room full of wights. Their DR 5/magic meant they were untouchable, and took care of them without us risking the energy drain.