After a TPK in Serpent's Skull, I'm working on bringing in a new fourth level character to continue the adventure. Our DM was generous and is allowing us a 25-point buy. I've decided to go with a fauchard wielding Alchemist/Magus with four arms.
Race Half-Elf
Level 2 Alchemist (Vivisectionist) / Level 2 Magus (No archetype)
Stats
Str 20 (17 base +2 racial +1 4th level)
Dex 16
Con 14
Int 14
Wis 7
Cha 7
Feats
1) Ex. Weapon (Fauchard) [Half-Elf Ancestral Arms], Combat Reflexes, Brew Potion [Alchemist], Throw Anything [Alchemist]
3) Extra Discovery (Vestigial Arm)
Level 2 Alchemist discovery was Vestigial arm as well.
Traits:
Magical Knack [Magus]
Accelerated Drinker
All future levels in magus.
Future stat boosts: 1 point into wisdom, 2 points into intelligence (don't think we'll reach level 20 so no last point).
Ideal battle conditions will have the magus start with fauchard in 2 hands, mithral light shield + metamagic rod in the 3rd, potion of enlarge person in the fourth.
1st round's actions will be to consume the potion (move action w/ accelerated drinker). With his 20 foot reach, he can hopefully cast and spell strike something within range (or just cast if the enemy is farther off). If the enemy approaches he gets an AoO at 20 feet and 15 feet with the fauchard and 10 feet with a shield bash (I know armor spikes would be better, but I feel that's a little too cheesy :-) ).
So the question is how to plan the remaining feats to best take advantage of his capabilities...
I have 2 builds in mind, one trip based and the other power attack based.
Trip based:
5) Weapon Focus (Fauchard)
7) Combat Expertise, Improved Trip (Magus bonus feat)
9) Greater Trip
11) Fury's Fall
13) Tripping Strike, ??
15) ??
17) ??
19) Critical Focus, Staggering Critical
The ? feats will likely be magus power enhancing feats: Extra Arcane Pool, Extra Arcana. Maybe Arcane Strike or Weapon Specialization if I want more damage. I could throw in power attack, but that doesn't seem to synergize well with the trip build (just gives you a minus to your trip attempts, and if you power attacked during your main turn any trip attempts made as AoO will get the penalty as well).
Power Attack based:
5) Weapon Focus (Fauchard)
7) Power Attack, Pushing Assault
9) ??
....
19) Critical Focus, Staggering Critical
This leaves a lot more feats free for fun misc. things (maybe even lunge for the 25 foot reach lol!). I'm just not really convinced that power attack is worthwhile with 3/4 bab. He doesn't have a high intelligence so I don't think arcane accuracy will be much use to compensate (Arcane Pool will be scarce and probably not worth it to blow one point for +2 to hit for just one round). I figure this build can cast true strike if he really wants to trip something at higher levels.
Does anybody have any thoughts on which feat selections will make for the more effective character?
Doesn't look like this post got much attention when it was posted. What is the Fury's Fall feat?
Instead of power attack do arcane strike, that way I don't take the minus 1 or 2 to attack roll.
Oops lol didn't realize that.
He has an extra arm from the Alchemist class Mathwei... while it doesn't get an extra attack on its own, it can be used as the 2nd arm of a two-handed weapon, leaving his other (main) arm free for spell casting.
So, anyone know what the feat is that he has on the character, Fury's Fall?
Fury's Fall Add Dex to CMB for Trip attacks.
He has an extra arm from the Alchemist class Mathwei... while it doesn't get an extra attack on its own, it can be used as the 2nd arm of a two-handed weapon, leaving his other (main) arm free for spell casting.
Extra hands are irrelevant for spell combat.
To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand.
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Fury's Fall Add Dex to CMB for Trip attacks.
He has an extra arm from the Alchemist class Mathwei... while it doesn't get an extra attack on its own, it can be used as the 2nd arm of a two-handed weapon, leaving his other (main) arm free for spell casting.
Extra hands are irrelevant for spell combat.
To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand.
Yup, doesn't matter how many hands he has all 2-hd weapons are invalid options to use with spellcombat.
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Fury's Fall Add Dex to CMB for Trip attacks.
He has an extra arm from the Alchemist class Mathwei... while it doesn't get an extra attack on its own, it can be used as the 2nd arm of a two-handed weapon, leaving his other (main) arm free for spell casting.
Extra hands are irrelevant for spell combat.
To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand.Yup, doesn't matter how many hands he has all 2-hd weapons are invalid options to use with spellcombat.
Found my old post from a google search and wanted to close the thread out for posterity. I eventually went with a Skirnir magus (gives up spell combat until 8th level for sorcerous shield). When I wanted to spell combat, I would use a 1-handed sword in one of the four arms (also ended up getting the alchemist tentacle too :-D ) and the shield arm as the primary and secondary hands of spell combat.