Chosen weapon for Sword Saint options

[Veganleader1]

I'm looking at piecing together unique character builds that I haven't considered yet and am looking at the options for Sword Saint Magus. I am noticing that they don't have kinetic blast as an option for Chosen Weapon thus ruling out a hybrid build with a Kineticist. It seems like the Dark Elementalist could pair quite well as they both could use Intelligence and be tossing spells and buffs. Maybe that is too much free synergy and not sure if it is intended that Kinetic Blast not get paired with SS as an option. I'm looking at the list of available weapons and seeing things like Claw, Bite, Other Natural Weapons, and Gore. How exactly could these things get paired in with SS? And what even gives Gore as an option?

If you shapeshift into a wolf or some other thing or use a feral mutagen from alchemist would these activate the uncanny dodge effect 100% of the time or not? You can only select one of these and from my limited shapeshifting experience have noticed multiple things shown as equipped during shapeshifted times. If you pick the motherless tiefling heritage would the bite option be available all the time to activate the uncanny dodge? This is really a confusing issue. Other natural weapons I would assume would be like an elemental slam attack. It really seems like speccing into SS for these things would be something you do only after getting your shapeshifting skills up and running. Any insight into this will be appreciated.

[Veganleader1]

Originally posted by haplok:

Of course, how else can you do damage?
Dex builds are weak damage-wise in Kingmaker.

Still, this Str build reaches ~65 AC with Mirror Image and Displacement (before Defensive Crane Style and Wings), which should be enough to tank anything but Unfair difficulty mobs.

I like this, thinking about working on a quarterstaff build with a monk dip. What is your opinion on the bite, claw, gore, other natural weapons choices, is there a way to even work those in with some build we arent thinking of?

[haplok]

Eh, well, maybe not quite what you have in mind, but I suggest using Fauchards instead. My strongest melee build might give you some ideas:
https://rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/pathfinder-kingmaker-builds-and-strats-thread.124160/page-113#post-6080746

It goes like this: You do 3 main two-handed fauchard attacks (4 with haste, potentially 5 with transformation), you do 3x bites, each of the bites will probably trip an enemy if it connects, Mastery fauchard will deal its 2-handed damage to all sucessfully tripped enemies with no attack roll, enemies will provoke full AB Attack of Opportunity when falling down (and another one when getting up - if still alive somehow). Plus galore of other attacks of opportunity from Opportunist, Outflank, Seize the Moment. Guess 15+ effective attacks per round are not a stretch.. if something survives so long.

It's not possible to fit the content of an entire round in one screenshot, but at least some of the bite parts:
https://imgur.com/a/01lh4ya

[superlovi]

@ haplok: what about the vanquisher axe from the lich? X3 crit multiplier and extended critical range should be ok. Maybe is worth testing if the +10 dmg get multiplied as well

[haplok]

Yeah, Vanquisher is a great weapon. Best general purpose damage dealing weapon in fact.

In this case however:
1. I consider purely two handed weapon categories unsuitable for maguses, as they don't work with Spell Combat (bastard swords are pretty great: high damage and there are both one handed and extreme damage two handed variants)
2. Oversized bastard swords still win in pure base damage: 2d8 vs 2d6 (or 6d8, 48 maximized vs 6d6, 36 maximized). And base damage is multiplied by Vital Strike.

[InEffect]

2h is ok for magus really as most maguses want to fight transformed anyways. bastard swords are really good for that. You can go 1h for good chunk of the game and then switch to 2h after you get transform. And if you want that ovi-whatshisname sword you have enough time to transition to chaotic from monk start