Suggestions for a STR Magus?

[Jakken]

So my group is playing through RotRL, and we've just hit level 3. All great, problem is I'm a newish player and don't know what my next feat should be.

Stat block is as follows:

Spoiler:

Male Tiefling Magus 3
NG medium humanoid
Init +4 Senses Darkvision (60) Listen +1 Spot +1
DEFENSE
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14
hp 33
Fort 5 ,Ref 3 ,Will 2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft
Melee +1 Longsword +4 (1d8+4/19-20/x2) or +1 Longsword +6 (1d8+5/19-20/x2)
Ranged Shortbow +4 (1d6/x3)
Space 5 Reach 5
STATISTICS
STR 16 DEX 14 CON 14 INT 18 WIS 8 CHA 8
Base Atk 2 Grp50
Feats Combat Casting
Skills Appraise +5, Bluff +2, Climb +5, leatherwork +8, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (history) +6, Knowledge (planes) +8, Perception +1, Sailor +3, Spellcraft +10, Survival +0, Swim +5, Appraise +5, Bluff +2, Climb +5, leatherwork +8, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +8, Knowledge (history) +6
Languages Common, Infernal, Draconic, Varisian, Kelish, Osiriani
Gear Scimitar, Shortbow, Boar spear, +1 Longsword, Iron - Cold Longsword, Arrows (20), Horse - light, Bedroll , Backpack , Waterskin (2), Rope - hemp (50 ft), Flint and Steel, Torch (3), Flask (empty) (4), Saddle (riding), Sunrod (3), Sailor outfit, Leather tricorn hat, Potion of Cure Light Wounds (CL: 1)

I was going weapon focus, but my weapon's likely to change a bit. I do seem to be hit a fair bit, so toughness/dodge look good too. I took spell-scars as my Arcana (no group wizard, so I've got to do all the spellcasting).

Also, what should my next goal for equipment be? I was looking at magic rings or metamagic rods.

[Corodix]

Depends on what you want to do. I also currently have a strength magus. My magus is focussing on Frostbite with the enforcer feat (planning to take that feat at level 3) and using Rime spell metamagic, together with Magical Lineage trait so frostbite remains a level 1 spell. This way he can eventually make targets fatigued/shaken/entangled when hitting them with frostbite, so mostly a debuffer. I'm also planning to take spell-scars as my level 3 arcana.

In my party we also don't have a wizard and I'm planning to take Wand-Wielder as my level 5 arcana (extra arcana feat) together with the Craft Wands feat (using the bonus feat at level 5). This will hopefully work nicely with the level 1 weaponwand spell. This way I should be more versatile and be capable of casting more spells per day (it's a Kensai magus, so no spell recall and one less spell per day of each level).

wands might be an interesting supplement for you, so that might be interesting to take up at level 5.

As for your level 3 feat. Are there any interesting arcana you might want to pick? Arcane Accuracy for example might be a better choice then weapon focus if you expect to change to different weapons. Or maybe a familiar would interest you? The extra arcana feat might be an interesting choice then in order to get an extra arcana. Toughness is certainly a sound choice too. Spells like blur and mirror image can also help you get hit less, they become available at level 4.

[Jurkal]

my suggestion is to pick up the trait magical knack and apply it to shocking grasp that way you can empower spell using a 2nd level spell slot and use a 1st level spell slot for intensify spell or elemental spell and a 3rd spell slot for intensified empowered spell or elemental empower spell. good stuff.

plus buy some pearls of power 1st level and you are set for life as a Magus.

also use a scimitar or rapier or other 2h weapon with crit range 18-20 and put Keen on it so you crit on 15-20 with both the spell you channel and the weapon damage. your weapon damage will be pretty good since you are str magus.

meta magic rods are nice too, at some point you want 1 of each of the metamagic feat i mentioned above so you can have lots of different combo of metamagic on your shocking grasp spell

[Rerednaw]

If you want to hit a lot (a different approach) wand wielder as your first arcana and use a truestrike wand.

Have decided on a path for your magus? Or archetypes?

Hexcrafter provides some added options with their Hexing ability. It will help extended your casting resources, as Hexes are limited by the numbers of foes you face.

Do you want a shocking grasp/channeling evoker magus? A more martial/weapon-focused? A more caster/controller? With your 2/3 BAB you could look into alternate melee forms (alter self->troglodyte, monstrous physique->gargoyle, monstrous physique 2-> four armed gargoyle) tied with a rime-spell frostbite (if you trait metamagicked frostbite down).

[insaneogeddon]

If you want to have the one weapon your entire career AND have some missile capability could try spell blade. With the river rat trait it does base d4+1 FORCE DAMAGE
= ignore all dr - there are 10th and 15th plus fighter only feats that allow you to ignore 5 or 10 points.

Its not the loss the guides say it is.

Ignore the 2 weapon thing and cast with your non weaponized buckler hand.

Use spell combat for buffs, area control and nukes.

Switch hit at will.

As an added bonus you will be unique/different from all the other magus builds relying on repetitive electricity burst damage or debuffing minimal cold (and hoping on a mothering DM whose npcs are too stupid to wise up to a predictable attack method you can pretty much assume EVERY strange magus uses never mind one thats your opponent who you hear has been using it from 1st level).

Resist energy is a 2nd level spell, protection 3rd, spell immunity 4th.... energy resistance on armour +18g (something every higher level warrior should have just in case .. and lets face it why EVER be cold again while wandering outside in rain/snow/rivers/wind adventuring in metal sheeting?).

Group fire protection is normally a given from the casters (electricity if blue dragons or maguses are about).

[Dabnabit]

Let me get this right, Spell Scars basically allows you to prepare extra spells (assuming you have the time - using scribe scroll rules).

You can either cast them straight off your body and then they're gone, or prepare spells for the day using them as if they were in your spellbook.

Is that correct?

Do the scars cost the same as scribe scroll?

Can you prepare a scar at any level you can casts - like a 3rd level shield at 3rd level?

If one were using the Cabalist archetype where you become a spontaneous caster I assume the spell scars would effectively increase your spells known? or would you only be able to make scars of your known spells?
Also perhaps the scars would still be used up (vanish) if used, effectively increasing your spells known only on the days where you have had time/gold to create them? Or would you be able to keep using them indefinitely until replaced?