Eldritch Knight
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1)
This is a gish, as the name implies. Let's see how well it holds up. Full BAB, only good save is FORT, and d6 HD. That isn't as much HP as desired and the only class feature is a fighter bonus feat. Otherwise, the class is a 9 / 10 casting progression class. This makes it rather difficult to rate, as there isn't anything of substance. It almost feels like they started a class, but the computer crashed while they were brainstorming so they gave up instead of rewriting it. I suppose a bonus feat is generally good and casting progression is generally good. If you want to hit things and cast spells, you'll be able to do that with EK. 6 / 14 just because it is capable of doing what you'd expect, despite its lack of actual class features

2)
There isn't too much point in comparing specific builds here, because they all end up the same way. Fighter/Wizard, Initiator/Wu Jen, Barbarian/Sorcerer, etc. The lack of class features means you are losing out on the class features of the base classes and the lost casting progression involved from the first level of EK means you are down a caster level. I think EK is probably best as a filler for other PrCs, as long as you can accept that first level's missing casting progression. 2 / 4

3)
The only prereqs are proficiency with all martial weapons and casting 3rd level arcane spells. Many classes fill these reqs so I am tempted to say “minor” for EK. You basically only need 1 level of a martial class and 5 or 6 levels of a full caster. Considering the open-ended nature of the reqs, I am satisfied with “minor.” 2 / 2

Eldritch Knight 10 / 20