Magus Builds

[Evilosangelo]

I saw a thread which gave some good info on making a Magus. Sadly can’t find it now. Sorry. I’m looking at rolling a Magus Eldritch Scion And I just want some ideas on how to map out my skills, feats, bloodlines etc etc.

Thanks all

[RafaelElendil]

Originally posted by Лысый Иван (Ivan):

May i ask a question about cookie build. Why arcane strike and power attack? There is already arcane enchantment why spend feats on arcane strike? Power attack gives you - 2 to attack and +2 to damage, if i recall correctly. Why make attack lower when we already have a -2 from guarding stance (with crane style)? Why not spend these 2 points for spell penetration or evocation specialisation? I really liked the idea with crane style though. Still ... with the idea of crane style in mind i'll try to make ... an intelligence build. Yea it is probably stupid,but! 24 int (30 with some +6 Int gear) will give me 20 arcane pool points. And there is spell recall. And improfed one on level 11. Which should mean 6 maximized fireballs more.

10 16 12 19 10 10

I'll try this one. With feapon finesse and slashing grace i can use scimitar too. It is better to use rapier with dex ... but it is just ... too gay. It is fitting for a girl or some twink but not for armored mage. I'll probably stick with chainshirt or mifrill chain shirt (if i'll find one) which will give me +10 armor (if i'll find +6 dex item and not including enchantment armor bonus). Not sure about armor focus but ... basicly going for dex weapon will cost me those 2 feats. Still, i want to know why take arcane strike and power attack anyway?

The short answer: You dont recall correct :P

The long answer: look for each feat and you will see they stack and most of the rules dont work as you think. Magus also dont have very high level spell slots to greatly benefit from metamagic, almost everything you will get with a empowered fireball you will get even better with a 5 level spell. There are many mechanic mistakes that i think you took into account, for example, 20 int only gives 10 arcane points, not 20. This mistakes here and there make things look more powerful than they are and other stronger things look weaker than they actually are.

[Лысый Иван (Ivan)]

Originally posted by RafaelElendil:

The short answer: You dont recall correct :P

The long answer: look for each feat and you will see they stack and most of the rules dont work as you think. Magus also dont have very high level spell slots to greatly benefit from metamagic, almost everything you will get with a empowered fireball you will get even better with a 5 level spell. There are many mechanic mistakes that i think you took into account, for example, 20 int only gives 10 arcane points, not 20. This mistakes here and there make things look more powerful than they are and other stronger things look weaker than they actually are.

20 arcane point on level 20, when i'll have 30 int (+10) and level 20 (20\2 = 10) which combine will give me 20. It is a long way to that. Still, does -1 accuracy really worth +2 to damage? I do realize that it will be -3 and +6 to damage or more later (-5 and +10?) but still. Are there any safer one feat options (couse 1 feat i probably what i'll have).
Wait a sec. Arcane strike. Is it also a ... basicly modal ability (i do not know how does it caled in PnP but in pillars of ethernitity press and it is used automaticly)? So ... it is basicly +1 magic damage? If it does not take additional micro ... yea, then i'll take that. Still, i don't see much point, nor will i have a spare feat, for power strike or piranha strike (same ♥♥♥♥ but for weapon finesse weapons). In my opinion it is better to hit more often then occasionally hit harder, but maybe i am missing something. Thanks for answer anyway.

[Caelus]

id say in this game accuracy is more worth than damage because accuracy is garbage on this game and damage can be made up for with stuff to increase crits instead.

[Lethe]

it seems like a pure sword saint is much weaker than magus and other archetypes. whats are the strengths of a SS?

[RafaelElendil]

Originally posted by Лысый Иван (Ivan):

Originally posted by RafaelElendil:

The short answer: You dont recall correct :P

The long answer: look for each feat and you will see they stack and most of the rules dont work as you think. Magus also dont have very high level spell slots to greatly benefit from metamagic, almost everything you will get with a empowered fireball you will get even better with a 5 level spell. There are many mechanic mistakes that i think you took into account, for example, 20 int only gives 10 arcane points, not 20. This mistakes here and there make things look more powerful than they are and other stronger things look weaker than they actually are.

20 arcane point on level 20, when i'll have 30 int (+10) and level 20 (20\2 = 10) which combine will give me 20. It is a long way to that. Still, does -1 accuracy really worth +2 to damage? I do realize that it will be -3 and +6 to damage or more later (-5 and +10?) but still. Are there any safer one feat options (couse 1 feat i probably what i'll have).
Wait a sec. Arcane strike. Is it also a ... basicly modal ability (i do not know how does it caled in PnP but in pillars of ethernitity press and it is used automaticly)? So ... it is basicly +1 magic damage? If it does not take additional micro ... yea, then i'll take that. Still, i don't see much point, nor will i have a spare feat, for power strike or piranha strike (same ♥♥♥♥ but for weapon finesse weapons). In my opinion it is better to hit more often then occasionally hit harder, but maybe i am missing something. Thanks for answer anyway.

When you're not spellcombating you can toggle it off to benefit from power attack at -1 +3 ratio.

When i need acuracy i turn spell combat off and live of 2 attacks at full bab with all power attack bonuses.

And yes, arcana strike only toggles of when you use you swift for anything else, in a normal fight, you will only use your swift action on the first round to enhance your sword, so after that you get a free +1 to +5(at level 20) damage, its a very good option for non-boss fights were you want save resources. This game is a beat em up in disguise, so things like enduring blade, which arent that great in the PnP became simple a mix of amazing and necessary to have enought resources for an entire dungeon.

[Myrryr]

Str based magi are bad. Period. Anything a str based magi can do, a dex based one does better. Slashing grace *and* fencing grace are both in the game and they both work for the magus. Take them. If you need more damage at the cost of accuracy, piranha strike is also in the game. Your AC will end up higher, your Ref save will be much higher, and so will your skills, as Str affects 1, and Dex affects 3.

[RafaelElendil]

Originally posted by Myrryr:

Str based magi are bad. Period. Anything a str based magi can do, a dex based one does better. Slashing grace *and* fencing grace are both in the game and they both work for the magus. Take them. If you need more damage at the cost of accuracy, piranha strike is also in the game. Your AC will end up higher, your Ref save will be much higher, and so will your skills, as Str affects 1, and Dex affects 3.

Actually they are the best builds atm. There is no advantage in going Dex magus aside from wasting feats.

[Ziguehart]

Originally posted by RafaelElendil:

Originally posted by Myrryr:

Str based magi are bad. Period. Anything a str based magi can do, a dex based one does better. Slashing grace *and* fencing grace are both in the game and they both work for the magus. Take them. If you need more damage at the cost of accuracy, piranha strike is also in the game. Your AC will end up higher, your Ref save will be much higher, and so will your skills, as Str affects 1, and Dex affects 3.

Actually they are the best builds atm. There is no advantage in going Dex magus aside from wasting feats.

RafaelElendil can you explain to me why 14 charisma is enough in a charisma based character? Quite new in the the system and if you share another tips or a place where we can learn i apreciate

[solthusx]

Originally posted by Ziguehart:

Originally posted by RafaelElendil:

Actually they are the best builds atm. There is no advantage in going Dex magus aside from wasting feats.

RafaelElendil can you explain to me why 14 charisma is enough in a charisma based character? Quite new in the the system and if you share another tips or a place where we can learn i apreciate

My two cents:
The Magus' most used spells (touch attacks and defense buffs) all scale with caster level and don't require a saving throw. As such they only require their casting stat for spell access (16 Int/Cha for level 6 spells) and to increase their Arcane/Eldritch pool. Sword Saints however, do also get Int modifier to AC at the expense of not having any armor proficiency.

[Brughe]

How is a Sword Saint 17/Rogue 3. Dex based. Rogue gets you free Weapon Finesse and Finesse Training (so you don't need Slashing Grace). The Rogue levels also add on Sneak Attacks, which is laughably easy to trigger in this game and works with spells.

[solthusx]

That's a pretty good build. The sneak attack damage is added to both weapon damage and spell damage, which makes Spell Strikes rather absurd.

[Brughe]

Originally posted by solthusx:

That's a pretty good build. The sneak attack damage is added to both weapon damage and spell damage, which makes Spell Strikes rather absurd.

The only curious thing is that I'm triggering 4d6 Sneak Attacks. With Rogue 3 + Accomplished Sneak Attacks, I was anticipating 3d6.

[Myst]

And remember you really dont want RANGED touch attacks on a magus only TOUCH

[Caelus]

touch my bum!

[Lethe]

would that have been better if they made archer magus a combat style like in rangers. that way we could have had cha/int variants.