Cannith Elite (10 levels)/Battle Magus(10 levels)

Some friends and I recently started a campaign in the Eberron setting. Both of us have been looking at some of the prestige classes, and so far we haven't found what we want our characters to evolve into. Therefore, we created our own.

Both the Cannith Elite and the Battle Magus are in rough draft form, and we'd appreciate any tips on balance/power issues and how to correct them. Any help at all is welcome.

Cannith Elite
Some warforged live life as mercenaries. Others become religious and search for a higher meaning to their life, or start learning about the world at large. Still others become fascinated with the arts. Those who are able to accomplish all of these are seen by House Cannith as awesome accomplishments. If they prove that they are loyal to House Cannith, they may choose to take them on as defenders of their House and the members thereof. These paragons are allowed to do whatever they wish, as long as they will protect their patrons to the best of their ability. In return, they recieve special upgrades from Cannith to make them as powerful as they can be.
Hit Die: d8

Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +8
Feats: Two-weapon Fighting
Skills: Craft (Any) 8 ranks OR Perform (any) 8 ranks, Knowledge (any) 8 ranks
Special: Must be a warforged with very high standings with House Cannith leaders and be accepted as an Elite. Also, must have physically saved the life of a member of House Cannith.

Class Skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Craft (armorsmithing), Craft (Blacksmithing), Craft (Weaponsmithing) Disable Device, Gather Information, Jump, Listen, Open Lock, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Tumble, Use Magic Device

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + INT modifier


Class Features
Level BAB......Fort Ref Will
1st +1............+2 +0 +2
2nd +2...........+3 +0 +3
3rd +3...........+3 +1 +3
4th +4...........+4 +1 +4
5th +5...........+4 +1 +4
6th +6/+1......+5 +2 +5
7th +7/+2......+5 +2 +5
8th +8/+3......+6 +2 +6
9th +9/+4......+6 +3 +6
10th +10/+5...+7 +3 +7


Level Special
1st Repairman, Tech Sense
2nd Damage Reduction
3rd Quick Repair
4th Metal Familiarity
5th Quad Armory
6th Four Weapon Fighting
7th Improved Damage Reduction
8th Four Weapon Defense
9th Greater Damage Reduction
10th Mammoth Critical


Repairman: You can take 20 on all craft skills used to repair machines. It takes no longer to take 20 then to make a regular check on these skill checks.

Tech Sense: Cannith Elite of a certain skill level pick up an innate sense for how machines work. This allows them a +2 competence bonus on all Appraise, Craft, Disable Device, Knowledge, Open Lock, and Use Magic Device checks involving some sort of mechanical or technological device.

Damage Reduction: You gain damage reduction 5/adamantine, or if you already have damage reduction, improve the existing reduction by 1.

Quick Repair: You can attempt to repair yourself in combat. You can take a full-round action to try to repair yourself with a -10 penalty to the check. You cannot take 10 or take 20 during a quick repair.

Metal Familiarity: You are familiar with the properties of all metals. You gain a +5 competence bonus on all Knowledge checks involving a metal object. Also, when you wield a weapon with the damaging part made of metal, you are considered to have the Improved Critical feat, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.

Quad Armory: You have an extra set of arms attached to your body. In addition to the obvious benefits of being able to use extra weapons and manipulate extra objects, you gain a +2 modifier to all Strength, Climb, and Grapple checks. In addition, you can use 2 crossbows at the same time. You cannot use more than 1 double weapon or bow. Both extra hands are considered off hands, and the Elite takes a -10 penalty to attack rolls with those hands (however, you can use your original 2 hands without any additional penalty).


WIELDING PENALTIES
L R
-2 -2
-8 -8

Four Weapon Fighting: The penalties for using your lower hands in combat is lessened by -6, and the penalties for your upper hands are reduced by -2. All attacks made by off hands use the lowest base attack bonus.

WIELDING PENALTIES
..L....R
..0....0
.-2...-2

Improved Damage Reduction: Your damage reduction is increased to 10/adamantine.

Four Weapon Defense: You gain a +1 shield bonus to your AC for every melee weapon you are wielding after the first (+3 maximum).

Greater Damage Reduction: Your damage reduction is increased to 15/adamantine.

Mammoth Critical: After you score a critical, roll another attack die. If the attack roll plus any modifiers is more than 10 over the defender's AC, they must make a fortitude save (DC 25) or die instantly. You may choose not to use this ability.




Battle Magus
Hit Die: d6

Requirements:
Concentration: 8 ranks
Knowledge (Arcana): 8 ranks
Spellcraft: 8 ranks
Feats: Combat Casting, Craft Magical Arms and Armor, Weapon Focus: [any].
Spells: Ability to cast 4th level arcane spells or higher.
Special: Must have survived a battle without the use of magic. Must
have survived a battle without the use of a weapon or armor.

Class Skills:
The Battle Magus' class skills (and the key ability for each skill)
are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (Int), Profession
(Wis), Scry (Int, exclusive skill), and Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter
4: Skills in the Player's Handbook for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at each level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies:
Battle Magi gain no weapon proficiencies. However, they do gain Light
and Medium armor proficiency. Battle Magi gain no proficiencies with
shields.

Special:
Battle Magi gain spells as they normally would in their arcane
spellcasting class. If they have more than one, then they choose which
one they progress in at each level. Battle Magus levels also count
towards "Caster Level" bonuses.

Base Attack Progression:
1st +1
2nd +2
3rd +3
4th +4
5th +5
6th +5/+1
7th +6/+1
8th +6/+2
9th +7/+2
10th +7/+3

Good Saving Throws: Fortitude, Will
1st +2/+0/+2
2nd +3/+0/+3
3rd +3/+1/+3
4th +4/+1/+4
5th +4/+1/+4
6th +5/+2/+5
7th +5/+2/+5
8th +6/+2/+6
9th +6/+3/+6
10th +7/+3/+7

Level Special
1st Melee Arcana
2nd Ingenuitive Response I
3rd Arcane Armor
4th Melee Arcana II
5th Ingenuitive Response II
6th Arcane Resilience I
7th Arcane Edge
8th Arcane Infusion
9th Ingenuitive Response III
10th Arcane Resilience II

Melee Arcana I and II:
In battle, it is a necessity that Battle Magi have their hands free to
combat enemies around them while still casting their spells, thus they
undergo painstaking training to rid themselves of spell components
that require the use of their hands at all. At first level they no
longer require the use of somatic components and effectively can cast
spells under the effects of the Still Spell feat (the only difference
being that the spell's level isn't modified). At fourth level the
caster rids themself of their need for material components as well,
effectively placing their spells under the effects of the Eschewed
Materials feat (which also does not alter the spell's level).

Ingenuitive Response I, II, and III:
On the battlefield, the Battle Magus is constantly required to respond
verbatim to the everchanging state of the scene that surrounds them.
Because of this, Battle Magi must be quick to analyze a situation
quickly and respond with a spell that rises to the occasion. However,
since the repertoire of a caster may not suit every exact situation,
Battle Magi focus on the ability to modify the spell itself to suit a
given situation. At levels two, five, and nine they gain the ability
to spontaneously activate a metamagic feat that they have previously
chosen from a small list a number of times per day equal to their
Charisma modifier + 1 (for each feat). The list is as follows: Chain
Spell, Quicken Spell, Sculpt Spell, Twin Spell. At each appropriate
level they may choose one of these feats, each time choosing a
different one, and may activate them without preparation. The spell's
level is not modified by the use of one of these feats.

Arcane Armor:
At level three Battle Magi learn use the very ley lines that surround
them to form a defensive barrier between themselves and their
attackers. This grants the Battle Magus a miscellaneous armor bonus
equal to their Intelligence modifier. This defensive field is
constantly in place and requires no willpower to remain active on the
part of the Battle Magus. The field is also weightless, generally
immaterial, and it conforms perfectly to the Battle Magus at all
times.

Arcane Resilience I and II:
At level six and moreover at level ten, the Battle Magus begins to
synchronize their body with the defensive magics that lie dormant
around them at all time, making them alarmingly resilient to attacks.
Rather than having to activate these magics, they become endowed with
their choice of damage reduction. At level six the caster chooses from
10/+1, or 5/magic and energy . At level ten the caster replaces this
with either 15/+1, or 10/magic and energy, or 5/-.

Arcane Edge:
At the seventh level the Battle Magus begins to further comprehend the
universal field of magic, and its uses on the field of war. At this
time, the Battle Magus learns to spontaneously enhance their weapons
with the use of this field, making them more effective against
opponents. The Battle Magus now may add their Intelligence modifier to
all damage rolls made with a weapon (ranged or melee).

Arcane Infusion:
With this final comprehension of the synergy between magic, arms, and
armor, the eighth level Battle Magus learns to enchant arms and armor
with unrivaled efficiency. Because of this the caster can enhance
weapons and armor magically with fewer materials and with less
personal sacrifice. Thus, the cost in gold and experience of
enchanting arms or armor is reduced by half.

Good lord.

Cainith lunacy...

Iterative attacks with mutliple limbs,
ridiculous damage reduction,
take 20 with no time add-on,
a bazillion class skills (but at least only 2 pt/level),
Improved Crit with every weapon worth wielding,
and oh yeah, to go along with that, let's add a death attack for confirmed criticals.

No. Freakin'. Way.

Battlemagus Insanity...
Fighter BAB,
Three Epic feats at first level (Automatic Still Spell 0-9th)
Cha Mod +1 uses of eventually three of: Chain Spell, Quicken Spell, Sculpt Spell, Twin Spell per day.
Int to AC, Attack, and Damage?!?
and last but not least, 1/2 price enchanting...

Ever heard of game balance?

We welcome you to MunchkinLand, tra la la la la la la la la la la la.

For the record, I'm the Battle Magus creator. And potential player. I wanted to point out that the class is still a rough draft and that it should not be taken so seriously. Since this post I have made some significant changes in an attempt to balance the class out, including restrictions abilities involving armor.

One for instance is the Still Spell ability which is now only usable while wearing light or no armor (and no shield). This prevents its abuse with heavier armors. The Eschewed Materials ability simply frees them from their spell component pouch. If one reads the feat's description, they will see that it only affects items of negligable value which one is assumed to have at all times as long as they have their pouch.

The arcane armor is fair. It will be useless when wearing heavy armor or shields, but will be best used with light armor anyway so one gains the Still Spell ability. And it encourages Sorcerers to spend the extra points in Intelligence.

Likewise with the ingenuitive responses. Those have been changed to "Charisma modifier (with no less than one)" by the way. sorcs would and should have an advantage (being more intuitive than a wizard) but it will encourage min-maxing wizards to actually use a decent charisma score. This helps balance the Intelligence modifier abilities though between sorcs and wizards.
((Note: These "bonus feats" combined with the Melee Arcana bonus feats actually make five altogether. It's supposed to reflect the bonus feats of a fighter.))

Oh, and as for half price enchanting, it makes a lot of sense when you read the description, and it opens up a field to the character that most people usually shy away from (because of the staggering costs). And honestly, its an ability that comes at character level 18, minimum (I worked it so this class starts at Ch Lvl 9 minimum. Yet another balancing tool). There should be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Lastly, I also have to point out that my character doesn't have a fighter BAB, it has a unique BAB that advances quickly and then levels off. Also, the intelligence modifier is not added to attack. It only says damage rolls. I added an enchantment bonus for determining damage reduction. But that adds no other advantages.

I appreciate your response, although I wish that you had been a little more civil about it. I did mention that this is the first time we've tried to develop classes, and obviously it showed. But I did say that they were rough drafts. So here's an update, to try and fix the problems you had with the original. I'll bold what I changed:

Cannith Elite
Some warforged live life as mercenaries. Others become religious and search for a higher meaning to their life, or start learning as much and as quickly as they can. Still others become fascinated with the arts. Those who are able to accomplish all of these are seen by House Cannith as awesome accomplishments. If they prove that they are loyal to House Cannith, they may choose to take them on as defenders of their House and the members thereof. These paragons are allowed to do whatever they wish, as long as they will protect their patrons to the best of their ability. In return, they recieve special upgrades from Cannith to make them as powerful as they can be.
Hit Die: d8

Requirements:
Base Attack Bonus: +8
Feats: Two-weapon Fighting
Skills: Craft (Any) 8 ranks OR Perform (any) 8 ranks, Knowledge (any) 8 ranks
Special: Must be a warforged with very high standings with House Cannith leaders and be accepted as an Elite. Also, must have physically saved the life of a member of House Cannith.

Class Skills: Bluff, Climb, Craft (armorsmithing), Craft (Blacksmithing), Craft (Weaponsmithing) Disable Device, Jump, Listen, Open Lock, Search, Sense Motive, Spot, Use Magic Device

Skill Points at Each Level: 2 + INT modifier


Class Features
Level BAB Fort Ref Will
1st +1 +2 +0 +2
2nd +2 +3 +0 +3
3rd +3 +3 +1 +3
4th +4 +4 +1 +4
5th +5 +4 +1 +4
6th +6/+1 +5 +2 +5
7th +7/+2 +5 +2 +5
8th +8/+3 +6 +2 +6
9th +9/+4 +6 +3 +6
10th +10/+5 +7 +3 +7


Level Special
1st Repairman, Tech Sense
2nd Damage Reduction
3rd Quick Repair
4th Metal Familiarity
5th Quad Armory
6th Four Weapon Fighting
7th Improved Damage Reduction
8th Four Weapon Defense
9th Greater Damage Reduction
10th Mammoth Critical


Repairman: You can take 20 on all craft skills used to repair constructs. It only takes twice as long as a regular check.

Tech Sense: Cannith Elite of a certain skill level pick up an innate sense for how machines work. This allows them a +2 competence bonus on all Appraise, Craft, Disable Device, Knowledge, Open Lock, and Use Magic Device checks involving some sort of mechanical or technological device.

Damage Reduction: You gain damage reduction 2/adamantine, or if you already have damage reduction, improve the existing reduction by 1.

Quick Repair: You can attempt to repair yourself in combat. You can take a full-round action to try to repair yourself with a -10 penalty to the check. You cannot take 10 or take 20 during a quick repair.

Metal Familiarity: You are familiar with the properties of all metals. You gain a +5 competence bonus on all Knowledge checks involving a metal object. Also, when you wield a weapon with the damaging part made of metal, you are considered to have the Improved Critical feat, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.

Quad Armory: You have an extra set of arms attached to your body. In addition to the obvious benefits of being able to use extra weapons and manipulate extra objects, you gain a +2 modifier to all Strength, Climb, and Grapple checks. In addition, you can use 2 crossbows at the same time. You cannot use more than 1 double weapon or bow. Both extra hands are considered off hands, and the Elite takes a -6 penalty to attack rolls with those hands (however, you can use your original 2 hands without any additional penalty). If you make a full attack, you may only use your original 2 arms.


WIELDING PENALTIES
L R
-2 -2
-8 -8

Four Weapon Fighting: The penalties for using your lower hands in combat is lessened by -6. All attacks made by off hands use your lowest base attack bonus.

WIELDING PENALTIES
L R
-2 -2
-2 -2

Improved Damage Reduction: Your damage reduction is increased to 5/adamantine.

Four Weapon Defense: You gain a +1 shield bonus to your AC for every melee weapon you are wielding after the first (+3 maximum).

Greater Damage Reduction: Your damage reduction is increased to 10/adamantine.

Mammoth Critical: After you score a critical hit, roll another attack die. If the attack roll plus your Str modifier is more than 10 over the defender's AC, they must make a fortitude save (DC 20) or die instantly. You may choose not to use this ability.

The Relinquished,
Three Epic feats at first level is TOO MUCH, no matter what "limitations" you add (Oh, gee, my Wizard can't WEAR ARMOR while Still-Spelling for free? Boo-friggity-hoo, sign me up.) It's not that crippling to pay normal costs for enchanting items, and your version is BETTER than the Epic Metacreativity feat. Four Epic feats in one PrC is WAY TOO MUCH. Three and a feat that's better than Epic...gah. Gluck and gerf, even. No one would need to do more than dip one level into this class for the three Epic feats and then continue on in Wizard or Sorcerer. I wouldn't bother.

Custos,
Much better, but Improved Crit with a jazillion weapons is still Epic. How about Imp. Crit with weapons the character has Weapon focus with? Probably still too much, but much better.

Well, I am willing to go one of three ways:

1. I can change it to a weapon they have Weapon Focus with.

2. I can change it to a weapon they have Greater Weapon Focus with.

3. I can ditch that entirely, and go with something else, like giving him Improved Sunder or something.

The question, other than which is the most balancing, is if Improved Sunder is a feat worth getting. I've never tried to sunder something, but seeing as I've only played a few sessions, that's not saying a lot.

So: Is sundering something worth investing a feat into? And would that bring me closer to balanced?

Revisions

These are my latest revisions on the Battle Magus class. Comments, questions, concerns?

Battle Magus
Often referred to as Arcane Warriors, these violent and powerful mages are of a rare breed that finds the battlefield as tempting as any purebred fighter, and is likewise as formidable in a battle, whether against fighters or other arcane casters (even multiple opponents). These casters overpower and outmaneuver their opponents, using offensive spell power and adaptability to wipe out the opposition directly or indirectly. Their truly unique qualities lie in their abilities outside their casting, and within the realm of physical combat. The Battle Magi are surprisingly hardy, and skillful with the weapons they wield. They are infamous, however, for blurring these two lines, blending magic with hand to hand combat. They often bear magical arms and armor, and are even said to be able to weave the very living magic around them so as to aid their endeavors. All of this takes a great deal of time and training, but the result can be an unstoppable force.

Class Description
"Does the phrase 'warlock' mean anything to you?"

Hit Die: d6

Requirements:
Concentration: 8 ranks
Craft ([Armorsmithing or Weaponsmithing or Blacksmithing]): 8 ranks
Knowledge (Arcana): 8 ranks
Spellcraft: 8 ranks
Feats: Combat Casting, Still Spell, Sculpt Spell.
Spells: Ability to cast 4th level arcane spells or higher.
Special: Must have survived a battle without the use of magic. Must have survived a battle without the use of a weapon or armor.

Class Skills:
The Battle Magus' class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Knowledge (Int), Profession (Wis), Scry (Int, exclusive skill), and Spellcraft (Int). See Chapter 4: Skills in the Player's Handbook for skill descriptions.

Skill Points at each level: 2 + Int modifier.

Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies:
Battle Magi gain no weapon proficiencies. However, they do gain Light armor proficiency. Battle Magi gain no proficiencies with shields.

Special:
Battle Magi gain spells as they normally would in their arcane spellcasting class. If they have more than one, then they choose which one they progress in at each level. Battle Magus levels also count towards "Caster Level" bonuses.

Base Attack Progression:
1st +1
2nd +2
3rd +3
4th +4
5th +5
6th +5/+1
7th +6/+1
8th +6/+2
9th +7/+2
10th +7/+3


Good Saving Throws: Fortitude, Will
1st +2/+0/+2
2nd +3/+0/+3
3rd +3/+1/+3
4th +4/+1/+4
5th +4/+1/+4
6th +5/+2/+5
7th +5/+2/+5
8th +6/+2/+6
9th +6/+3/+6
10th +7/+3/+7

Level Special
1st Weapon Focus
2nd Arcane Armor
3rd Arcane Fighting Style
4th Arcane Weaponsmith
5th Ingenuitive Response I
6th Arcane Resilience
7th Arcane Edge
8th Ingenuitive Response II
9th Greater Arcane Resilience
10th Arcane Infusion


Ability Descriptions:
Weapon Focus:
At first level the Battle Magus hones their abilities with one weapon in order to make them more formidable on the field of battle.

Effect: Gains free Weapon Focus: [any] feat. The character must have previously been proficient with the weapon chosen.

Arcane Armor:
At level two Battle Magi learn use the very ley lines that surround them to form a defensive barrier between themselves and their attackers. This defensive field is constantly in place and requires no willpower to remain active on the part of the Battle Magus. The field is also weightless, generally immaterial, and it conforms perfectly to the Battle Magus at all times.

Effect: This grants the Battle Magus a miscellaneous armor bonus equal to 1 or their Intelligence modifier, whichever is higher. Metal armor interferes with the magic field around the caster when worn and negates this ability (limiting the caster to Padded, Leather, Studded Leather, and Hide armor).

Arcane Fighting Style:
In battle, it is a necessity that Battle Magi have their hands free to combat enemies around them while still casting their spells. Battle Magi undergo specific training to learn a unique fighting style that accommodates these needs.

Effect: The Battle Magus may fight and wear armor while casting spells as if using the Still Spell feat to ignore somatic components and arcane spell failure. This allows the caster to make a concentration check (DC 15) to cast a spell while attacking as a full round action. This ability can only be used with unarmed attacks, natural weapons, or weapons that the caster has Weapon Focus with. No other metamagic feats may used while this feat is active. This ability does not affect the level of the spell being cast. The caster looses these benefits if wearing heavier than Light armor or shields.


Arcane Weaponsmith:
The caster begins to better understand the construction of weapons and how magic affects them. Because of this, they gain the ability to magically enhance weapons.

Effect: Gains free Craft Magical Arms and Armor feat.

Ingenuitive Response I and II:
On the battlefield, the Battle Magus is constantly required to respond verbatim to the everchanging state of the scene that surrounds them. Because of this, Battle Magi must be quick to analyze a situation quickly and respond with a spell that rises to the occasion. However, since the repertoire of a caster may not suit every exact situation, Battle Magi focus on the ability to modify the spell itself to suit a given situation.

Effect: At levels five and eight they gain the ability to spontaneously activate a metamagic feat that they have previously chosen from a small list once per day or a number of times equal to their Charisma modifier, whichever is greater. The list is as follows: Chain Spell, Quicken Spell, Twin Spell, and Widen Spell. At each appropriate level they may choose one of these feats, each time choosing a different one, and may activate them without preparation. The spell's level is not modified by the use of one of these feats. These abilities cannot be used while wearing armor heavier than Light armor or shields.

Arcane Resilience and Greater Arcane Resilience:
At level six and moreover at level nine, the Battle Magus begins to synchronize their body with the defensive magics that lie dormant around them at all time, making them alarmingly resilient to attacks. Rather than having to activate these magics, they become endowed with their choice of damage reduction.

Effect: At level six the caster chooses from 10/+1, or 5/magic and energy. At level nine the caster replaces this with either 15/+1, or 10/magic and energy, or 5/-.

Arcane Edge:
At the seventh level the Battle Magus begins to further comprehend the universal field of magic, and its uses on the field of war. At this time, the Battle Magus learns to spontaneously enhance their weapons with the use of this field, making them more effective against opponents.

Effect: The Battle Magus may now add their Intelligence modifier (or 1, whichever is greater) to all damage rolls made with a weapon (ranged or melee). Their weapons are also considered to have an enchantment also equal to the Magus’ Intelligence modifier when determining damage reduction. This ability does not affect attack rolls made with weapons.

Arcane Infusion:
With this final comprehension of the synergy between magic, arms, and armor, the tenth level Battle Magus learns to enchant arms and armor with unrivaled efficiency. Because of this the caster can enhance weapons and armor magically with less personal sacrifice.

Effect: The cost in experience of enchanting arms or armor is reduced by half.

*ignore this post*

Let’s see – how about a comparison between a wizard and a your Battle Caster as written.

Wizard:
Poor BAB
d4 hit die
Good Will
+10 spellcaster levels
2 metamagic or item creation feats
+10 levels of familiar advancement

Battlecaster:
Medium BAB
d6 hit die
Good Fort
Good Will
+10 spellcaster levels.
7 Feats (light armor proficiency, weapon focus , craft magic arms and armor, sudden metamagic* (x2), Legendary Artisan** (x2))
Int to AC (ala Duelist, but better – they can still wear armor)
Scaling DR
Int to weapon damage
Int based ability to overcome DR.

Obviously this class is overpowered. There is no way you can look at it and think otherwise. This class suffers from trying to do too much. Let’s look at classes that do similar things…

The Spellsword (3.5e Complete Warrior) gives an arcane spellcaster the ability to wear armor, full BAB, some special sword abilities, a bonus fighter feat, and only five levels of spellcasting.

The Eldritch Knight (3.5 DMG) gives a wizard with a level of fighter a full BAB, one bonus fighter feat and 9 levels of spellcasting.

Looking at the comparative powers, the battlecaster is not only better than staying wizard (or sorcerer), but it soundly wallops the spellsword and the eldritch knight (which is pretty powerful. Looking at the class requirements, there is no real reason that any wizard couldn’t just drop everything and take this class.

Suggestions:
Drop the craft magic arms and armor, Ingenuitive Response, and Arcane Infusion. Given the name “battlecaster”, I don’t think this guy is going to spend his spare time puttering around in a forge, nor does battle magic really induce the ability to suddenly empower spells. If your character concept calls for this sort of thing, these feats can easily be taken and don’t need to be given as special abilities.

Drop Arcane Armor and Arcane Resilience. Instead, roll them into one ability, such that:
Level 1: Ignore Arcane Spell Failure 10 %
Level 5: Ignore Arcane Spell Failure 20%, DR 5/Magic
Level 10: DR 5/- or DR10/Magic (don’t give the player the choice, make the choice for the class as a whole)
Damage reduction for all “energy” based magic puts these guys way above your typical outsider with 2 or 3 resistances.

Drop the “intelligence equivalent magic bonus”. In 3.5e, DR is DR/magic, not DR/+X. Plus, by level 14, chances are your spellcaster will have access to a magic weapon of at least +3.

To compensate for loosing their Intelligence Bonus to their AC, feel free to give them Combat Expertise as a bonus feat regardless of whether they meet the prerequisite and use the flavor text to represent gaining an arcane insight via ley lines.

How to fix it…

I'd say we're approaching a much finer point of balance here. Note that I took out two levels of spellcasting. I felt that with all the was being give, this is the least that could be done to balance it out power-wise. Notice that towards the end, after refining things a bit, there is a dearth between level 6 and level 10. To fill in the void, without engendering the approach towards balance I suggest removing the "good fort" and placing an ability at level six:
and placing an ability at level 8:

Still looking at this class, I feel there are some issues with power. In an effort to say within the realms of the general idea behind the class, I propose a weakness that would cause the battlecaster too loose the bonuses provided by combat expertise, the DR, the ley-manipulation and the Arcane Infusion.

Here is the final table for the abilities I think make a good, balanced class:


Hope that helps,
Erge

I think gaining Improved Crit with weapons that he has Greater Weapon focus with would be okay. Two feats to gain one bonus feat is not so bad, not at all.