Arcane Hierophant Challenge!!!!

[Visigani]

For those unfamiliar with unearthed arcana there exists a rather interesting Druidic Variant...


Druid
The druid might choose to give up her wild shape ability in exchange for becoming a swift and deadly hunter.

Gain
Bonus to Armor Class when unarmored (as monk, including Wisdom bonus to AC), fast movement (as monk), favored enemy (as ranger), swift tracker (as ranger), Track feat (as ranger).

Lose
Armor and shield proficiency, wild shape (all versions).




Then there's the Arcane Hierophant...

I can't SRD it for you but the jist is this:

Full Druidic/Arcane spellcasting per level
AH levels stack for Druids Wildshape
Channel Touch Spells through plants and animals twice per day
Average BAB, d6 hp, good will.
Lose Familiar, Animal Companion gains the abilities of your familiar (including various bonuses), and arcane levels stack for your animal companion.
May cast arcane spells in druidic armor.



However, as crafted the Arcane Hierphant is far more "druidy" and less "arcaney".


The Challenge: Develop an Arcane Hierophant Variant that is more "arcaney" and less "druidy" and better gels with the above druid variant.


A few things...

First, I'd like to lose the channel via plant and animal (as these abilities just feel awkward)... and I'd like to replace the wildshape progression with something useful that also improves with potency as you level... and if not as powerful as wild shape, at least reasonably potent.

Finally, casting arcane spells while in light and medium armor is a rather useful skill. Can you replace it with something as potent... but more suited to a spellcaster that gains bonus AC from wisdom?

 

[Herzog]

-gain continued progression for AC and/or movement (as monk)
-gain bonusses on spell DC's when spells used on Favored Enemy
-gain (all) energy substitutions and energy admixture feats (one at a time?)
-gain ability to add an elemental template to summoned monsters as part of the summon spell.

How's that sound?

 

[Visigani]

-gain continued progression for AC and/or movement (as monk)
-gain bonusses on spell DC's when spells used on Favored Enemy
-gain (all) energy substitutions and energy admixture feats (one at a time?)
-gain ability to add an elemental template to summoned monsters as part of the summon spell.

How's that sound?

I find it interesting. I'm comparing it to the picture I have in my mind.... goes something like this...


This girl....

on this mount....

with a companion like this...

and a familiar like this...

Make it so!

 

[Belzbet]

I would suggest instead of giving the elemental template to summoned monsters give it to your companion familiar. Also, use a fist of the forest ability (Complete Champion PrC) that mimics (and stacks with) the monks AC bonus but is keyed to Con (So you would get your Con and Wis bonus; this is a good armor casting replacement, maybe too good). Also, give a variant of the paladin ability Divine Grace that is keyed to Wisdom (Natures Grace: add wis Mod. to all saves). It isn't really arcaney but... for something arcaney that can replace wild shape (hard shoes to fill) give something likethe wild mages (Complete Arcane or Mage) wild magic (reduce CL by 3 but roll a 1d6 every time you cast), very useful but maybe not your flavor in conjuntion with vital reservoir(Ex.) Heal 4 times your HD in hp per day, use as immediate action, kicks in automatically when you are reduced to 0hp or lower even -10 or lower... or give soemthing like the Master Specialists (Complete Mage or Arcane) esoterica... I suggest:
Minor esoterica: you can prepare divine spells in your arance spell slots and arcane spells in your divin spell slots: it essentially melds your casting together so you don't have to keep track. Also you gain +2 to caster level when casting spells that appear on both spelllists of your arcane and divine spellcasting class you were before you entered Arcane Heirophant.
medium esoterica: familiar boost your familiar companion gains +4str, +4Con, +4Dex. and Evasion if it has evasion it gains improved Evasion if it has improved evasion it gains uncanny dodge if it has uncanny dodge it gains improved uncanny dodge.
Major Esoterica: You are treated as 3 levels higher for determining the statistics and bonuses of your familiar companion; in addition all spells cast on your companion (your companion must be the sole target) are automatically extended, empowered, maximized, stilled and silenced.