What are the most powerful/cheesiest way to build two 3rd level casters?

[Slife]

Is Eschew Materials really any good? From my understanding of the feat, all it means is "Don't need a spell component pouch."

Certainly, if the DM likes denying PCs spell component pouches, then by all means, this is a good feat. However, if the DM isn't inclined to do that, then the feat reads, "5 gp."

Besides, if the DM is inclined to deny spell component pouches, then expect scrolls and spellbooks to become similarly waterlogged and unusable. A sorcerer with reserve feats becomes much better.

Practically useless. Many DMs give it to sorcs for free.

 

[Chimera]

Is Eschew Materials really any good?

It all depends on the GM.

If your GM doesn't care about material components, doesn't require you to track them, spend money on them, etc. Then it's utterly worthless.

But if your GM is a prick who is going to deny you a spell because you don't happen to have material X on you at some inopportune time (and I did in fact have one of those GMs for all of ONE session in the past), then it's GOLD.

Of course, that's a rather extreme example. But if your GM says "deduct N gold per month for your spell components" (as more than one has done to me in the past), then it's worth N gold per month.