Kuroimaken: So, I'm guessing that's sort of standard behavior for those element types. What would you say is the powered up version? As in, if you were optimizing that class to be really strong, what would you do, and how would it look, especially compared to an equally optimized similar class?
Also, how would you rate the Fire Shugenja compared to a Warmage, and the Air Shugenja to a Beguiler? Not really sure if there's easy direct comparisons to other classes though.
JaronK
Well, I'm afraid things are not quite that simple. Basically, Shugenja get quite a few spells from both the Wiz/Sorc list as well as the Cleric list, and even a couple off the Druid's. Their favored element only defines their "main" function, so to speak, and bars some options to him, but the class itself is quite customizable. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find an order with too many useless spells on their lists, and last I checked pretty much every order's list has at least one spell you can't get from being just a regular Shugenja (such as Fireball, albeit at a higher level).
That said, though, between a Fire Shugenja and a Warmage, I'd still put my chips on the former. NOTHING on the Warmage's class abilities outshine the Fire Shugenja's (compared) versatility. As someone once said, if you know THE best way to deliver damage, you don't need 16 other ways to do it. They don't have world-shattering potential, though, so no good for tier 2.
As for Air Shugenja versus Beguiler, they get 9th-level spells, which I believe should speak for itself, even though their choices of such spells may be a bit dull. Whereas the Air Shugenja is a wannabe Illusionist, the Beguiler feels like a pimped-out wannabe Air Shugenja to me. Also, unlike the Beguiler, the Air Shugenja STILL has some offensive options left.
Water Shugenja and Earth Shugenja are harder toss-ups, though, because they don't really have an equivalent class. If I had to hazard a guess, the Water Shugenja could be compared to the Healer (and he still kicks significantly more rear in that regard), but the Earth Shugenja really has no equivalent.
Unfortunately, the real problem with Shugenja is that they didn't really get anything added to their list after Complete Divine came out, and as such they're significantly more gimped than a Favored Soul (who actually chooses spells from the Cleric list). Their real strength comes from access to spells from a mixed list.