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Could I get your opinions on this hexmage build? I like the concept of a character who doesn't hit hard but debilitates while keeping a relatively good AC.
Str – 8 (-2 Race)
Dex – 18 (+2 Race)
Con – 10
Int – 24 (+4 headband) (+2 Race)
Wiz – 9
Cha – 7
F – 9 (+2 Cloak)
R – 8 (+2 Cloak)
W – 8 (+2 Cloak)
BAB +7/+2
AC = 27 (10 + 9 armour + 2 Deflection + 1 Natural + 4 Dex +1 Size) (34 if Spell Shield)
Magus arcana
Accursed Strike (Sp)
Spell Shield (Su)
Arcane Accuracy (Su)
Feats
Weapon Finesse
Spell Focus - Necromancy
Greater Spell Focus - Necromancy
Persistent Spell(Bonus)
Maximize Spell
Enforcer
Hex
Evil Eye
Traits
Magical Lineage (Bestow Curse)
Arcane Revitalization
Skills
Spellcraft – 10
Knowledge (arcana) 10
Intimidate (Cha) - 10
Perception - 10
Stealth – 10
Linguistics - 10
Ride – 1
Fly – 1
Spells
Lv1
Chill Touch
Color Spray
Enlarge Person
Frostbite
Ill Omen
Mount
Ray of Enfeeblement
Reduce Person
Shield
Snowball
True Strike
Lv 2
Ablative Barrier
Disfiguring Touch
Bladed Dash
Blindness/Deafness
Frigid Touch
Scorching Ray
Lv3
Burst of Speed
Displacement
Bestow Curse
Haste
Ray of Exhaustion
Slow
Lv4
Arcana Theft
Greater Brand
Spells per day
Lv1 - 7
Lv2 - 5
Lv3 - 4
Lv4 – 2
Save DC
1 = 18 (20 Necromancy)
2 = 19 (21 Necromancy)
3 = 20 (22 Necromancy)
4 = 21 (23 Necromancy)
Equipment
Headband of Intellect
Celestial Armour
Keen,Merciful Rapier
Ring of protection +2
Cloak of resistance + 2
Amulet of natural armour +1
Arcane Revitalization is a Magic Trait, as is Magical Lineage so you wouldn't be able to take both.
Wayang Spell Hunter does the same thing as Magical Lineage and is considered a Regional Trait, so you could take that instead and get the same effect, except legally.
Have you considered taking Dimension Door and looking at the Dimensional Dervish chain of feats? I find it to be very powerful, especially if you don't plan on having a very high CON.
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Arcane Revitalization is a Magic Trait, as is Magical Lineage so you wouldn't be able to take both.
Wayang Spell Hunter does the same thing as Magical Lineage and is considered a Regional Trait, so you could take that instead and get the same effect, except legally.
Have you considered taking Dimension Door and looking at the Dimensional Dervish chain of feats? I find it to be very powerful, especially if you don't plan on having a very high CON.
I don't know if the Dimensional Dervish chain is worth the feats.
Correct me if I am wrong but could I not use Spell Combat with the Bladed Dash spell to attack twice normally then cast Bladed Dash to escape making a final attack attack at +7?
Arcane Revitalization is a Magic Trait, as is Magical Lineage so you wouldn't be able to take both.
Wayang Spell Hunter does the same thing as Magical Lineage and is considered a Regional Trait, so you could take that instead and get the same effect, except legally.
Have you considered taking Dimension Door and looking at the Dimensional Dervish chain of feats? I find it to be very powerful, especially if you don't plan on having a very high CON.
I don't know if the Dimensional Dervish chain is worth the feats.
Correct me if I am wrong but could I not use Spell Combat with the Bladed Dash spell to attack twice normally then cast Bladed Dash to escape making a final attack attack at +7?
You could, assuming you were already right in front of the enemy.
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You could, assuming you were already right in front of the enemy.Arcane Revitalization is a Magic Trait, as is Magical Lineage so you wouldn't be able to take both.
Wayang Spell Hunter does the same thing as Magical Lineage and is considered a Regional Trait, so you could take that instead and get the same effect, except legally.
Have you considered taking Dimension Door and looking at the Dimensional Dervish chain of feats? I find it to be very powerful, especially if you don't plan on having a very high CON.
I don't know if the Dimensional Dervish chain is worth the feats.
Correct me if I am wrong but could I not use Spell Combat with the Bladed Dash spell to attack twice normally then cast Bladed Dash to escape making a final attack attack at +7?
Interesting... If I had Gloves of storing and a lesser Metamagic rod of quicken I could get a full 4 attacks against a foe 30 feet away. 5 if I was hasted. 4 of which could apply a touch spell.
1. Quicken a Bladed Dash for one attack with a bonus = to my int modifier.
2. Cast Chill Touch as part of spell combat getting a free attack with my weapon due to spellstrike (Applying Chill Touch)
3. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch)
4. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch), Holding the remaining charges until next turn.
5. (Haste) normal attack (Applying Chill Touch)
Does that look correct?
You could, assuming you were already right in front of the enemy.Arcane Revitalization is a Magic Trait, as is Magical Lineage so you wouldn't be able to take both.
Wayang Spell Hunter does the same thing as Magical Lineage and is considered a Regional Trait, so you could take that instead and get the same effect, except legally.
Have you considered taking Dimension Door and looking at the Dimensional Dervish chain of feats? I find it to be very powerful, especially if you don't plan on having a very high CON.
I don't know if the Dimensional Dervish chain is worth the feats.
Correct me if I am wrong but could I not use Spell Combat with the Bladed Dash spell to attack twice normally then cast Bladed Dash to escape making a final attack attack at +7?
Interesting... If I had Gloves of storing and a lesser Metamagic rod of quicken I could get a full 4 attacks against a foe 30 feet away. 5 if I was hasted. 4 of which could apply a touch spell.
1. Quicken a Bladed Dash for one attack with a bonus = to my int modifier.
2. Cast Chill Touch as part of spell combat getting a free attack with my weapon due to spellstrike (Applying Chill Touch)
3. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch)
4. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch), Holding the remaining charges until next turn.
5. (Haste) normal attack (Applying Chill Touch)Does that look correct?
Totally normal, have you never done magus before? Action economy is your b*tch.
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Totally normal, have you never done magus before? Action economy is your b*tch.You could, assuming you were already right in front of the enemy.Arcane Revitalization is a Magic Trait, as is Magical Lineage so you wouldn't be able to take both.
Wayang Spell Hunter does the same thing as Magical Lineage and is considered a Regional Trait, so you could take that instead and get the same effect, except legally.
Have you considered taking Dimension Door and looking at the Dimensional Dervish chain of feats? I find it to be very powerful, especially if you don't plan on having a very high CON.
I don't know if the Dimensional Dervish chain is worth the feats.
Correct me if I am wrong but could I not use Spell Combat with the Bladed Dash spell to attack twice normally then cast Bladed Dash to escape making a final attack attack at +7?
Interesting... If I had Gloves of storing and a lesser Metamagic rod of quicken I could get a full 4 attacks against a foe 30 feet away. 5 if I was hasted. 4 of which could apply a touch spell.
1. Quicken a Bladed Dash for one attack with a bonus = to my int modifier.
2. Cast Chill Touch as part of spell combat getting a free attack with my weapon due to spellstrike (Applying Chill Touch)
3. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch)
4. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch), Holding the remaining charges until next turn.
5. (Haste) normal attack (Applying Chill Touch)Does that look correct?
Haven't done a Magus before but I like what I see.
There are a number of spells I would like to take but are not on my spell list, are there any feats or traits that I could take to obtain these other than cross classing?
Touch of Gracelessness - Bard/Soc/Wiz 1
Touch of Mercy - bard 2, cleric 2, sorcerer/wizard 2
Ghoul Touch - sorcerer/wizard 2; Domain undead 2
Cast Out - inquisitor 3
Fungal Infestation - druid 3
Calcific Touch - sorcerer/wizard 4
Enervation - sorcerer/wizard 4, witch 4
Poison - cleric 4/oracle 4, druid 3, witch 4,antipaladin 4
Touch of Slime - alchemist 4, druid 4, sorcerer/wizard 4, witch 4
Slay Living - cleric 5/oracle 5, witch 6, antipaladin 4
Spell Blending lets you pick up Sorcerer/Wizard spells, so long as they are of a level you can actually cast.
Disintegrate is better than Slay Living, though not part of the Necromancy School.
The Divine Spells are pretty much a No Go.
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I forgot a spell entirely "Touch of Idiocy"
I think it may be worth it to Drop the Enforcer feat and grab Extra Arcana to Get Spell Blending.
Change my Magical Lineage to Touch of Idiocy so that I can cast it maximized.
I like the no saving throw part of it.
I lose out on casting a Persistent Bestow curse though
Also I forgot Headband of Vast Intelligence gives 2 skills
Gonna take Craft Alchemy to dip into poisons and prob Escape artist.
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You could, assuming you were already right in front of the enemy.Arcane Revitalization is a Magic Trait, as is Magical Lineage so you wouldn't be able to take both.
Wayang Spell Hunter does the same thing as Magical Lineage and is considered a Regional Trait, so you could take that instead and get the same effect, except legally.
Have you considered taking Dimension Door and looking at the Dimensional Dervish chain of feats? I find it to be very powerful, especially if you don't plan on having a very high CON.
I don't know if the Dimensional Dervish chain is worth the feats.
Correct me if I am wrong but could I not use Spell Combat with the Bladed Dash spell to attack twice normally then cast Bladed Dash to escape making a final attack attack at +7?
Interesting... If I had Gloves of storing and a lesser Metamagic rod of quicken I could get a full 4 attacks against a foe 30 feet away. 5 if I was hasted. 4 of which could apply a touch spell.
1. Quicken a Bladed Dash for one attack with a bonus = to my int modifier.
2. Cast Chill Touch as part of spell combat getting a free attack with my weapon due to spellstrike (Applying Chill Touch)
3. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch)
4. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch), Holding the remaining charges until next turn.
5. (Haste) normal attack (Applying Chill Touch)Does that look correct?
No, you can't do that.
Spellcombat requires you to have a free hand for the entire full action so you can't use the rod to get that quickened spell off. you would get a max of 3 attacks doing that.And spellshield is a terrible arcana since it burns through your arcane pool and eats up your swift action for the next round.
You could, assuming you were already right in front of the enemy.Arcane Revitalization is a Magic Trait, as is Magical Lineage so you wouldn't be able to take both.
Wayang Spell Hunter does the same thing as Magical Lineage and is considered a Regional Trait, so you could take that instead and get the same effect, except legally.
Have you considered taking Dimension Door and looking at the Dimensional Dervish chain of feats? I find it to be very powerful, especially if you don't plan on having a very high CON.
I don't know if the Dimensional Dervish chain is worth the feats.
Correct me if I am wrong but could I not use Spell Combat with the Bladed Dash spell to attack twice normally then cast Bladed Dash to escape making a final attack attack at +7?
Interesting... If I had Gloves of storing and a lesser Metamagic rod of quicken I could get a full 4 attacks against a foe 30 feet away. 5 if I was hasted. 4 of which could apply a touch spell.
1. Quicken a Bladed Dash for one attack with a bonus = to my int modifier.
2. Cast Chill Touch as part of spell combat getting a free attack with my weapon due to spellstrike (Applying Chill Touch)
3. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch)
4. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch), Holding the remaining charges until next turn.
5. (Haste) normal attack (Applying Chill Touch)Does that look correct?
No, you can't do that.
Spellcombat requires you to have a free hand for the entire full action so you can't use the rod to get that quickened spell off. you would get a max of 3 attacks doing that.And spellshield is a terrible arcana since it burns through your arcane pool and eats up your swift action for the next round.
I thought ratfolk got a tail they could hold things with like tieflings?
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I thought ratfolk got a tail they could hold things with like tieflings?You could, assuming you were already right in front of the enemy.Arcane Revitalization is a Magic Trait, as is Magical Lineage so you wouldn't be able to take both.
Wayang Spell Hunter does the same thing as Magical Lineage and is considered a Regional Trait, so you could take that instead and get the same effect, except legally.
Have you considered taking Dimension Door and looking at the Dimensional Dervish chain of feats? I find it to be very powerful, especially if you don't plan on having a very high CON.
I don't know if the Dimensional Dervish chain is worth the feats.
Correct me if I am wrong but could I not use Spell Combat with the Bladed Dash spell to attack twice normally then cast Bladed Dash to escape making a final attack attack at +7?
Interesting... If I had Gloves of storing and a lesser Metamagic rod of quicken I could get a full 4 attacks against a foe 30 feet away. 5 if I was hasted. 4 of which could apply a touch spell.
1. Quicken a Bladed Dash for one attack with a bonus = to my int modifier.
2. Cast Chill Touch as part of spell combat getting a free attack with my weapon due to spellstrike (Applying Chill Touch)
3. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch)
4. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch), Holding the remaining charges until next turn.
5. (Haste) normal attack (Applying Chill Touch)Does that look correct?
No, you can't do that.
Spellcombat requires you to have a free hand for the entire full action so you can't use the rod to get that quickened spell off. you would get a max of 3 attacks doing that.And spellshield is a terrible arcana since it burns through your arcane pool and eats up your swift action for the next round.
The operative word there is HOLD, they can hold objects not manipulate them which a rod requires you to do. The only way for a pure Magus to be able to use a rod during spellcombat is to have a third hand.
Now the prehensile hair hex counts as a third hand and allows you to hold and manipulate the rod but that burns a standard action every fight to do it.
The operative word there is...I thought ratfolk got a tail they could hold things with like tieflings?You could, assuming you were already right in front of the enemy.Arcane Revitalization is a Magic Trait, as is Magical Lineage so you wouldn't be able to take both.
Wayang Spell Hunter does the same thing as Magical Lineage and is considered a Regional Trait, so you could take that instead and get the same effect, except legally.
Have you considered taking Dimension Door and looking at the Dimensional Dervish chain of feats? I find it to be very powerful, especially if you don't plan on having a very high CON.
I don't know if the Dimensional Dervish chain is worth the feats.
Correct me if I am wrong but could I not use Spell Combat with the Bladed Dash spell to attack twice normally then cast Bladed Dash to escape making a final attack attack at +7?
Interesting... If I had Gloves of storing and a lesser Metamagic rod of quicken I could get a full 4 attacks against a foe 30 feet away. 5 if I was hasted. 4 of which could apply a touch spell.
1. Quicken a Bladed Dash for one attack with a bonus = to my int modifier.
2. Cast Chill Touch as part of spell combat getting a free attack with my weapon due to spellstrike (Applying Chill Touch)
3. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch)
4. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch), Holding the remaining charges until next turn.
5. (Haste) normal attack (Applying Chill Touch)Does that look correct?
No, you can't do that.
Spellcombat requires you to have a free hand for the entire full action so you can't use the rod to get that quickened spell off. you would get a max of 3 attacks doing that.And spellshield is a terrible arcana since it burns through your arcane pool and eats up your swift action for the next round.
I think you need a source for that ruling because last time I checked tails worked just like prehensile hair. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's called prehensile tail.
Nvm, ratfolk don't get tails like I thought they did.
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Nvm, ratfolk don't get tails like I thought they did.
Yup and the tiefling tail doesn't allow them to use the rod either.
All rods are flagged as Use-Activated which means:
Use Activated: This type of item simply has to be used in order to activate it. a character has to drink a potion, swing a sword, interpose a shield to deflect a blow in combat, look through a lens, sprinkle dust, wear a ring, or don a hat. Use activation is generally straightforward and self-explanatory.
And the upgraded Tiefling tail ability states:
Grasping Tail (Tiefling)
Your tail becomes more useful.Prerequisites: Tiefling.
Benefit: You can use your tail to grab stowed items. While you cannot wield weapons with your tail, you can use it to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on your person as a swift action.
Special: If you have the prehensile tail racial trait, you can use your tail to grab unattended items within 5 feet as a swift action as well as to grab stowed objects carried on your person; you can hold such objects with your tail, though you cannot manipulate them with your tail (other than to put them in your hand).
No, tails cannot be used to activate a rod.
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1. Quicken a Bladed Dash for one attack with a bonus = to my int modifier.
2. Cast Chill Touch as part of spell combat getting a free attack with my weapon due to spellstrike (Applying Chill Touch)
3. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch)
4. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch), Holding the remaining charges until next turn.
5. (Haste) normal attack (Applying Chill Touch)Does that look correct?
No, you can't do that.
Spellcombat requires you to have a free hand for the entire full action so you can't use the rod to get that quickened spell off. you would get a max of 3 attacks doing that.And spellshield is a terrible arcana since it burns through your arcane pool and eats up your swift action for the next round.
I am pretty sure you can
A full-round action consumes all your effort during a round. The only movement you can take during a full-round action is a 5-foot step before, during, or after the action. You can also perform free actions and swift actions (see below). See Table: Actions in Combat for a list of full-round actions.
A swift action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. You can perform only a single swift action per turn.
So as part of a full round action you use the rod to make blade dash a swift action.
as a free action you put the rod in the gloves of storing.
continue by making your spell combat, your hand is free to cast the spells.
it does not say you need to have a free hand the whole round only to cast the spell during spell combat.
Greater Spell Access at 19th level gives you access to off-Magus-list spells but that's kind of WAY late in the game.
The only alternative there that I can think of is the Samsaran race's Mythic Past Life alternate ability,
which gains access to 1+Casting Stat (at character creation) off-list spells of the same type (Arcane/Divine) as the 1st class.
That's obviously not compatable with the Ratfolk thing, though.
The Wayang Spellhunter Trait is a Regional Trait for the Minata islands, and just requires that your character have grown up/lived there/have Regional affinity for Minata, not that you BE Wayang... The trait name is somewhat misleading, and even Wayang who are not from Minata cannot take the trait.
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1. Quicken a Bladed Dash for one attack with a bonus = to my int modifier.
2. Cast Chill Touch as part of spell combat getting a free attack with my weapon due to spellstrike (Applying Chill Touch)
3. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch)
4. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch), Holding the remaining charges until next turn.
5. (Haste) normal attack (Applying Chill Touch)Does that look correct?
No, you can't do that.
Spellcombat requires you to have a free hand for the entire full action so you can't use the rod to get that quickened spell off. you would get a max of 3 attacks doing that.And spellshield is a terrible arcana since it burns through your arcane pool and eats up your swift action for the next round.
I am pretty sure you can
A full-round action consumes all your effort during a round. The only movement you can take during a full-round action is a 5-foot step before, during, or after the action. You can also perform free actions and swift actions (see below). See Table: Actions in Combat for a list of full-round actions.
A swift action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. You can perform only a single swift action per turn.
So as part of a full round action you use the rod to make blade dash a swift action.
as a free action you put the rod in the gloves of storing.
continue by making your spell combat, your hand is free to cast the spells.
it does not say you need to have a free hand the whole round only to cast the spell during spell combat.
It's not the action cost that prevents it, it's the specific rule for spellcombat that does it.
At 1st level, a magus learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. 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. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty and can also cast any spell from the magus spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (any attack roll made as part of this spell also takes this penalty).
The spellcombat ability requires that you have one hand free for the duration of the action which takes a full round. Even though the default action rules state one thing the specific rules of the spellcombat ability takes precedence (because of the specific trumps general rule) and voids this option.
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it states that
You can perform one swift action per turn without affecting your ability to perform other actions. In that regard, a swift action is like a free action. You can, however, perform only one single swift action per turn, regardless of what other actions you take. You can take a swift action anytime you would normally be allowed to take a free action.
As an example, If I were to start a round with say a torch in my off hand, I should be able to drop it and still perform spell combat.
If I were to use a free action to make a rod appear in my hand after I already made my attacks with spell combat, the attacks would not magically disappear.
Spell combat's limitation is not action-based, it is about having a hand free.
Your rules quote is just talking about action economy, which isn't the relevant issue for spellcombat, as Mathwei stated.
You can indeed spend swift actions without affecting your ability to use Spell Combat,
but Spell Combat doesn't care whether you spent a Free, Swift, or Full-Round Action to juggle hands, it cares about having a hand free to use the ability. Once you cease to fulfill that, you can't use Spell Combat anymore. If you happen to only have 1 arm, then Spell Combat just doesn't like you.
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I've been looking at all the rules, I can't find a specific wording relating to this, if there is one please let me know where it is.
It states To use the Spell Combat ability, the magus must have one hand free. It implies I have to choose to use it.
When I start Spell combat it checks these conditions.
1. Do I have an empty hand?
2. Have any actions been taken to prevent the use of a full round action?
If I meet those requirements spell combat begins.
Where does it state in the rules that free actions can't be taken before deciding what to do on a turn?
I guess it boils down to "if I begin a round with something in my hand, am I allowed to drop it and still perform spell combat?"
OK, I think Mathwei was a bit confused, and you just became more confused.
"To use this ability" does NOT restrict itself to being a "check" to BEGIN an action: "Using an ability" happens THRU-OUT the entire process, just as if you suddenly become unable to drive a car half-way thru your country drive you could not drive even though you could when you began driving the car. So if you do not have a free hand at any point during Spell Combat, Spell Combat basically ends (or never starts if that is the case).
That said, nothing outside of the Spell Combat action's duration matters for purposes of the hand restriction. "Full-Round Actions" do NOT take "1 Round of time", except in special cases like Summoning Spells which spell out that difference. A F-R Action isn't any different to a Standard + Move Actio in that regard. You CAN take a Swift Action in the middle of a Full-Round Action, but you don't HAVE TO, you can take it before the F-R Action has even begun, or after it has entirely completed (and you can even take a 5' step between the Swift and Full-Round Action if you wish, although that's not necessary for this purpose). Thus you could cast a Quickened Spell and draw/put away the Rod as free actions if you are able to with the Gloves, BEFORE OR AFTER the entire "chunk" of the Spell Combat action, without any conflict with Spell Combat's hand requirements.
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Perhaps I am getting a bit confused here, and your last post has me scratching my head a bit more. Particularly the last sentence.
Let's forget about meta magic or rods or anything and bring this to a focused question.
If I begin my turn with something in both my hands, is there anything I can do to perform Spell Combat?
Yes, drop what is in your off-hand before beginning Spell Combat.
Since Spell Combat is a Full Round Action, you need a Standard+Move Action remaining.
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Yes, drop what is in your off-hand before beginning Spell Combat.
Since Spell Combat is a Full Round Action, you need a Standard+Move Action remaining.
Wait... What have we been going on about this whole time then?
This is exactly how I thought it worked from the beginning.To confirm is there anything wrong with this order of events?
1. Quicken a Bladed Dash using a metamagic rod.
1a. as a free action use the Gloves of storing to empty my hand.
2. Cast Chill Touch as part of spell combat getting a free attack with my weapon due to spellstrike (Applying Chill Touch)
3. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch)
4. Normal attack,(Applying Chill Touch), Holding the remaining charges until next turn.
And if hasted.
5. (Haste) normal attack (Applying Chill Touch)
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Yes, drop what is in your off-hand before beginning Spell Combat.
Since Spell Combat is a Full Round Action, you need a Standard+Move Action remaining.
Not quite, a full round action is NOT a standard+move action, it is:
A full-round action requires an entire round to complete. Thus, it can't be coupled with a standard or a move action, though if it does not involve moving any distance, you can take a 5-foot step.
It's a total commitment of everything you can do during 1 full round. It starts at the beginning of your turn and ends at the end of your turn, there is no before or after since it takes up the WHOLE round of actions.
The difference between it and a 1 round action (for spells like summons) is that the 1 round action takes all the time from the beginning of 1 turn till the beginning of another turn, two separate things.
There is no time from the beginning of the round till the end of it that you can have an item in your hand and still be able to perform spellcombat.
To be perfectly RAW you'd actually have to drop the item in 1 hand in the previous round to be able to perform spellcombat this round though most GM's give you a pass and let you drop it at the beginning of this round even though that's not technically legal.
edit:
@FoolsjourneyActually no you can't. The spellcombat ability requires you to have the weapon in your other hand not your tail. The devs have actually issued a faq update reinforcing this stating the weapon has to be in your hand or handlike appendage with tails/tentacles/bites/wingslaps/etc not being legal. To do what you are referring to requires a separate arcana (natural spell combat) to do.
I still don't see how you can be performing a F-R action before you actually use the F-R action, or why you can't spend a Swift Action before the F-R action begins. Not even 1-round Casting Time spells work like that. You seem to have conflated "round" and "turn" from your quotes, when "turn" is nowhere mentioned there.
I believe your quote you found there is just poorly worded, if you look at the subsequent sentence linked to the first, it states "Thus, it can't be coupled with a standard or a move action..." which seems to be the conextual intent of the first part. Literally, the first sentence does portray F-R actions as synonymous with 1-round actions, but that both goes against how everybody plays the game, and makes superfluous the special rules distinction for 1 Round spells.
EDIT: I made a separate thread for that topic, which I FAQ'd to hopefully get a developer response.
The problem isn't with the swift action, but rather with the other actions required to deal with the handling of the rod.
If you can manage to start the turn with the rod in hand, and then use your swift before initiating spell combat, and drop/store the rod as a free action then you're square.
The problem is coming up with ways to get all of that done without either losing the rod, or using more than just your swift and free actions.