With elemental barrage nerf How to optimize Magus?

[blackrain123]

Man losing Elemental barrage sucks when I had a great sword saint build I put alot of time into. Losing 10d6 damage a hit really really puts the hurt on this build... Is there much point to the class (in terms of optimized builds) anymore?

[Lord_WC]

Probably go greater vital strike.

[blackrain123]

can't get to bab 16 with a magus. Also for +3d6 damage, and you have to sacrifice all other attacks and you have to take 3 frickin feats?.. not worth it

[sleeper]

it does not work with melee now?

[Lord_WC]

Originally posted by blackrain123:

can't get to bab 16 with a magus. Also for +3d6 damage, and you have to sacrifice all other attacks and you have to take 3 frickin feats?.. not worth it

GVS with mythic gets multiplied on a crit. So for example on a meager 40 STR with Mythic Vital strike and Greater Vital Strike a Scythe you will be doing 2d4+22 x4 - maximized to 120 dmg.
With Trickster IICI, ICM, magus you can have x8 crit multiplier, that's 960 dmg. So what if you have one attack only, if it oneshots everything?

You can (and should) pick it up via loremaster. What 3d6 dmg are you talking about?

[blackrain123]

"What 3d6 dmg are you talking about?"

You can make a single attack that deals incredible damage.
Benefit: As a standard action, you can make one attack at your highest base attack bonus that deals additional damage. Roll the weapon's damage dice for the attack four times and add the results together before adding bonuses from Strength, weapon abilities (such as flaming), precision based damage, and other damage bonuses. These extra weapon damage dice are not multiplied on a critical hit, but are added to the total

My read of this (from the pathfinder wiki) is that you get to roll 4 dice instead of one for your weapon damage and that the damage is not multiplied by crit hit. If you have a 1d6 weapon (rapier in my case) that means you get and extra 3d6 damage not multipliable.

My source. https://pathfinderwrathoftherighteous.wiki.fextralife.com/Greater+Vital+Strike

[blackrain123]

Oh ok.. Now I see Mythic Greater Vital strike... Now things make sense... Still 3 feats and a mythic feat, for one attack... Guess you want to play a two handed elven curved blade, with power attack and all such?

[Lord_WC]

Originally posted by blackrain123:

Oh ok.. Now I see Mythic Greater Vital strike... Now things make sense... Still 3 feats and a mythic feat, for one attack... Guess you want to play a two handed elven curved blade, with power attack and all such?

I don't want anything, but since you are effectively using a x32 multiplier on your damage you should consider a few things:
With DEX you will have to pick up weapon finesse and mythic weapon finesse, that means you will have 4 fewer 'I roll 20s' spell.
Your weapon size will be 1 category lower with DEX and will have d6 less damage. That's a
192 damage loss per hit.
On the flip hand you will have I think 1 higher AB and 32 more damage for a net of a 160 dmg loss.

I also don't know why are you so focused on feats. Sure, you take 1 feat, but then again, that's what's feats are for.

[BecauseHeLives]

Depending on your mythic path you could do a ray/caster build. Arcane accuracy + maximized/empowered/bolstered hellfire ray hits like a truck for when an enemy really needs to die, and he can still melee when needed. Then pair it with Azata zippy magic and chuckle as your enemies just melt. I'm considering a hybrid magus build (like this one) for another Unfair playthrough with a Skald supporting character for the AC I was missing.

Sword Saint has the unique benefit of respectable AC growth, solid BAB growth and emphasis on casting stats, and with some strategic dips and a good party I think he could face tank and do the damages on Unfair.