ACs are a renewable resource. Familiars more expendable, and even then I would not send them out unless its off a beguiler.
How about at level 7 explain your 0 investment incarnate scout layout. I've already stated why I don't think it does it as well as people think. Maybe you can move me from my .25 BAB and 2 skills/level short of tier 3 stance.Disable device on a scout? Disabling a trap takes 2d4 rounds. I don't know about you, but remaining in place for 2d4 rounds while sneaking around where traps would be probably means your going to fail at the whole not getting caught thing (and let's not even talk about heavily trapped areas where there is more than one trap). Not to mention that if your DM throws magic traps at you, unless you have trapfinding (which Incarnates can pick up through a chakra bind if one so chooses), you're just outta luck, on finding them & disabling them. Also, being behind only 1 skill point for over 10 levels is pretty fine for 0 investment. If you really want to fill the role to the maximum, you can also sink skill points into it. Incarnates are pretty fine with CC skills.
I'm assuming at the very least a search and listen on any door or window that the scout may go through.And one can argue search isn't necessary for a scout, seeing as there is the whole full-round action to search a 5 foot square, which means to scout with the skill will take actual minutes to do it. Granted, I've never seen a DM be this strict with the Search skill, but if your goal as a scout is to go in and gather information, if you have to spend several minutes bumming around searching every nook and cranny, then as a whole stealth isn't really necessary to explore in the situation.
Yes, there is a reason all the scouty classes get a bunch of skill points, and most get trapfinding.But in serious, according to that logic, you need 6 skills as class skills (+being maxed out) + a specific class feature found on less than a dozen classes to be an effective party scout.
I already stated how they fall behind in damage and oppositional skills,Also, can you give examples of the Incarnate falling behind? I'm interesting to see how, as you've stated several times it to be true but haven't actually stated how.
Also, seeing as we've been talking about the incarnate number wise, there is a saved thread on ENWorld "Incarnate by the numbers" that breaks down the Incarnate by the numbers. (I tried to link it, but the forum had a hissy fit).