Weapon and Armor Proficiency

An arcana defender is proficient with light armor, medium armor, and shields. He can cast magus spells while wearing light or medium armor or while using a shield without incurring the normal arcane failure chance.

This replaces the arcana defender’s armor proficiencies.

Diminished Spellcasting

An arcana defender may cast one fewer spell of each level than normal. If this reduces the number to 0, he may cast spells of that level only if his Intelligence allows bonus spells of that level.

Arcane Pool (Su)

At 1st level, an arcana defender can use his arcane pool to grant an enhancement bonus to a weapon as normal, as well as to his shield, paying the arcane pool cost separately for each. At 5th level and above, he can also add the following shield special abilities: animated, arrow catching, arrow deflection, bashing, blinding, fortification (any), reflecting, spell resistance (any). He cannot enhance a shield as if it were a weapon (even a spiked shield).

Shielded Casting (Ex)

At 1st level, arcana defenders add their shield’s bonus to AC as a bonus to concentration checks. An arcana defender can use his hand holding his shield to perform the somatic components of magus spells without forfeiting his shield’s bonus to AC.

This ability replaces spell combat.

Spellstrike (Su)

An arcana defender can use this ability with a weapon or a shield bash attack.

Armor Training (Ex)

At 7th level, an arcana defender gains armor training, as the fighter ability. At 13th level, he gains armor training 2.

This ability replaces knowledge pool.

Heavy Armor (Ex)

At 7th level, an arcana defender gains proficiency with heavy armor. An arcana defender can cast magus spells while wearing heavy armor without incurring the normal arcane spell failure chance.

This ability replaces medium armor and heavy armor.

Defensive Spell Combat (Ex)

At 8th level, an arcana defender gains the spell combat ability, but only when wielding a shield. He is considered to have a free hand to cast spells to use this ability.

This ability replaces improved spell combat and greater spell combat.

True Defense (Ex)

At 20th level, an arcana defender adds his shield bonus to his AC as an additional bonus to his Reflex saves and to his touch AC. He no longer has to make concentration checks to cast defensively. In addition, his shield cannot be disarmed or sundered. This ability replaces true magus.

Magus Arcana: The following magus arcana complement the arcana defender archetype: arcane redoubt, arcane redoubt (greater), enduring blade (may use on weapon or shield), and prescient defense.