|
Your right, I did miss the "There's a counter for this! Get two characters..." scenario. Why, isn't there ALWAYS a "get two characters" tactic for any situation? How often do you have encounters in which greater feint is involved?
Oh, and isn't it debated whether or not Greater Feint takes away the opponents dex bonus for your allies too? There's a lot of RAW to say otherwise.
Mind quoting where it says you can't take a five foot step? It says that you can't take a 5-foot step in a form of movement you don't have listed. Fly gives you a listed speed. I could be wrong though.
So, while the magus is distracting TWO characters the rest of the party can annihilate the encounter. If you say that there's a ton of characters, then these two ought to be weak sauce, and not worth worrying about.
I think you fail to understand how awesome mirror image is. Who cares about AoO and readied actions with that up? By the time the rogue gets Greater Feint (level 8) the magus will have enough images to last a couple rounds of punishment. Big whoop, you bypassed his AC. He now quick draws his spell storing weapon and pops your rogue in the face with a vampiric touch, just in case.
Your combination is good (regardless of the 2 on 1 approach), but go ahead and try that in an actual game. I think you'll find your encounter soured.
|
What you specifically brought other characters to help your Kensai fight their opponent but the opponent can't bring help to fight you? Any tactic that is valid for the PC's is valid for their opponents.
Greater feint is pretty straightforward, with very little room to argue. It simply says you lose your dex to ac until the start of your next turn. Unlike regular feint which specifically states the target loses it against the feinter's next attack. No room for misunderstanding there.
And the reason you can't 5ft straight up is in the fly rules.
It can also turn up to 45 degrees by sacrificing 5 feet of movement, can rise at half speed at an angle of 45 degrees, and can descend at any angle at normal speed.Since it costs 2 squares of movement to ascend at an angle greater then 45 degrees you can't 5' straight up.
Mirror image is a great spell IF you can cast it before getting in this situation and If the target or his allies don't remove it and IF the target doesn't just closes his eyes and swing blindly. That would change it to a 50/50 chance to hit instead of the 20% or lower chance that mirror image usually gives.
As for this tactic, it doesn't matter. The op asked for ways his GM could beat the kensai, this is a valid way as is darkness, grease, grappling and the joy of antimagic fields. I like this one since the visual is funnier but any of them work.
. . . Why, isn't there ALWAYS a "get two characters" tactic for any situation?. . . .
There is. They are called mooks.
Two on one makes even weak classes look good due to action economy. Also, enemies can nova. Parties (should) have to husband their resources.
Right of the bat, I am not the GM. I am the bladebound/kensai player. I made this character as a fun concept. Everyone thinks I am powergaming now, playing some sort of broken "game genie" character design and trying to cheat the game. . . .
I'll echo what's been mentioned already. RP aside, you have a relatively one dimensional character. You have limited resources to deal with melee. You are a mediocre ranged combatant due to high dexterity and a few so-so ranged spells. However, you don't have feats geared toward it, nor are many of magus features range friendly. You have weak saves and moderate hit points. Due to the rock-paper-scissors element of the game, any number of threats could tear you down.
I have a hard time considering your build is over powered. If I were your storyteller and I wanted to show everyone else in the group that your character isn't super, I'd just use the standard four encounters. As soon as you work through your spells, that third or fourth fight seems pretty tough. Or occasionally have a villain whose tactics focus on your holes, without completely invalidating your character, like a sorcerer who hits you with slow, or a pixie or imp that surprise attacks from invisibility. If I'm being a funny jerk, I'll have a Romanesque reoccurring group of halfling shield wall fighters who helpfully aid another. I'd call them the Turtle Legion.
From your examples, it sounds like your 'friends' have little idea how certain rules and features actually interact, and/or your storyteller is relatively new to the game or system.
|
How does a GM beat bladebound / kensai?
its very simple, you black blade decides to pull you into a direction away from the party to accomplish its own goals.
you must make a will save every day to avoid being dominated by its ego.
gm wins...
but seriously your characters inherent balancing feature is that you have to deal with having an intelligent blade. its a pain in the @$$ i hate intelligent items!!
high dpr wont help you when your sword decides its time to accomplish its goal. then you have to fight your sword every time the gm decides its time.
here is a list of alllllll the things a gm can pull, not counting rule 0, that can force you to fall in line with what the gm wants.
"Removal of associates or items whose alignment or personality is distasteful to the item.
The character divesting herself of all other magic items or items of a certain type.
Obedience from the character so the item can direct where they go for its own purposes.
Immediate seeking out and slaying of creatures hateful to the item.
Magical protections and devices to safeguard the item from molestation when it is not in use.
That the character carry the item with her on all occasions.
That the character relinquish the item to a more suitable possessor due to alignment differences or conduct.
In extreme circumstances, the item can resort to even harsher measures, such as the following:
Force its possessor into combat.
Refuse to strike opponents.
Strike at its wielder or her associates.
Force its possessor to surrender to an opponent.
Cause itself to drop from the character's grasp. "
|
|
How does a GM beat bladebound / kensai?its very simple, you black blade decides to pull you into a direction away from the party to accomplish its own goals.
you must make a will save every day to avoid being dominated by its ego.
gm wins...
but seriously your characters inherent balancing feature is that you have to deal with having an intelligent blade. its a pain in the @$$ i hate intelligent items!!
high dpr wont help you when your sword decides its time to accomplish its goal. then you have to fight your sword every time the gm decides its time.
here is a list of alllllll the things a gm can pull, not counting rule 0, that can force you to fall in line with what the gm wants.
"Removal of associates or items whose alignment or personality is distasteful to the item.
The character divesting herself of all other magic items or items of a certain type.
Obedience from the character so the item can direct where they go for its own purposes.
Immediate seeking out and slaying of creatures hateful to the item.
Magical protections and devices to safeguard the item from molestation when it is not in use.
That the character carry the item with her on all occasions.
That the character relinquish the item to a more suitable possessor due to alignment differences or conduct.In extreme circumstances, the item can resort to even harsher measures, such as the following:
Force its possessor into combat.
Refuse to strike opponents.
Strike at its wielder or her associates.
Force its possessor to surrender to an opponent.
Cause itself to drop from the character's grasp. "
Op abandoned ship .. ?
There's no resolution the forums can give to someone at odds with the GM.
|
There's no resolution the forums can give to someone at odds with the GM.
Indeed.
Ultimately it always breaks down into one of the following:
1. Your DM sucks/cheats/hates you/plays badwrongfun.
2. You suck/are whiny/cheat/play badwrongfun.
3. Your character sucks and here are pages of unrelated and unsolicited suggestions for "improvement".
4. X type character sucks and Y is clearly better and "everyone" knows this.
5. Any restrictions only hinder fun!
6. Random stuff from BBT.
There may be a few others, but generally all related.
First time I played pathfinder (after years of other gaming including 3.5) I played a character very similar to yours (although I had better AC).
The issue was, that without the huge hit points of other front line fighters, you have to be pretty near impossible to hit or you are screwed, and if you are pretty near impossible to hit (and especially when you can burst damage like a magus can.) The issue is that anything that can hit you with a 15 on the dice probably can hit others on about a 5. The feels OP even when it is necessary because of less hit points etc. Explaining this can help.
Probably the biggest thing you could do though to make the team like your character is to be a team player. Don't go for the shocking grasp nova attack right off, instead maybe spend a round casting haste or something else that can help everyone on your team. With spell combat you can even do some damage while helping everyone out.
|
|
@Scott
Not sure if the OP was looking for advice on making his character stronger... I think he was simply trying to turn it down a bit.
But, if you don't mind, here's where your wrong (Trying to do this in a friendly way, I apologize if it comes out wrong...)
1. Kensai can wear armor, just not without arcane spell failure. The main way to overcome this is to limit yourself to a Haramaki or Silken Ceremonial Armor. Arcane Armor Training (I think thats what you meant) works too... but it uses your swift action every round, which most magus players would prefer to keep for things like arcane accuracy, quickened spells, arcane strike, lingering pain, accurate strike, etc...
2. On the note of armor, it has been shown that Kensai don't suffer when it comes to AC, in fact, they have the same or more AC than other Magi. It is all touch ac though, which comes with it's benefits and downfalls.
3. Magi in general can't use 2-handed weapons, but the Kensai would be more able than most other Magi, due to not relying on spells as much.
4. Quick correction on the gold and arcana: He has 3 arcana( should only have 1) and the items he listed go up to a little more than 112,000 worst case scenario (The ioun stone could be a variant, such as cracked or flawed). That's a little bit more than the WBL for his level, but I'd imagine that the other players are getting around the same.
Magi in general are really good when coupled with some system mastery. I'll be posting some example builds sooner or later in my guide... trying to finish a certain program first though O.o