Eldritch Knight has the problem that it won't progress your FamiliarIt does if it progresses wizard caster level
Caster level isn't what progresses the familiar. Progression is based on the total number of levels in classes that grant familiars.
Familiar Ability Descriptions: All familiars have special abilities (or impart abilities to their masters) depending on the master's combined level in classes that grant familiars, as shown on the table below. The abilities are cumulative.
Since Eldritch Knight is not a class which grants familiars, levels in E.K. don't count toward advancing the familiar's abilities.
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I have been working on a build with a str/int based Kensai magus using elven branched spear specializing in attack of opportunity. It has 9 attacks of opportunity at level 7.
You need some dex as well.
Pros: int to ac, initiativ and aoo. Fighter feats available, better criticals late. Good combo with Intimidate if you can get them frightened and draw aoo with your reach.
Cons: : 1 fewer spells/level, no knowledge pool, no armor and you have to abandon spell combat due to two handed weapon. But you have time to cast during your own turn and attack with aoo instead.
Unarcane is right. EK doesn't improve familiar, but it's not a big deal as you'll only lose additional Familiar Int and the extra gimmicks in the familiar progression table. The familiar HPs and shared ranks and shared combat feats will still be accessed if you take EK.
This. Depending on what you want a few levels of familiar class is enough because you still get the hp, the bab, the saves regardless from which class they are coming.
I'd go Barbarian/Wizard, probably focusing on the Barbarian side. Hand of the apprentice gives you a nice ranged option. A returning greataxe without the need to enchant it to do so is nice. For spell selection, Enlarge Person is pretty nice before raging.
Barbarian 2*/skald 1/wizard 2/dragon disciple 4**/eldritch knight 10/wizard +2 works nicely to advance both combat ability (rage/raging song, +4 Str, +3 natural armor, total of +17 BAB) and spell progression (spells as a 16th level wizard***).
Half-orc with the Toothy alternate racial trait (or a tiefling with Maw or Claw) is a strong option (adding a bite to full attacks with a two-handed weapon). Alternately, a tengu with the Claw Attack alternate racial trait can take the Multiattack feat to reduce the secondary attack penalty for the bite from -5 to -2.
Other Transformation/Polymorph spells, not just enlarge person, can add to combat power. And they are all on the sorcerer/wizard spell list.
*- take Moment of Clarity as a rage power for the option of casting while raging; use the Extra Rage Power feat to pick up others as desired
**- advance wizard spellcasting
***- plus 1st level skald for some extra cantrips (including sift) and the ability to use wands of cure light wounds, etc. without Use Magic Device checks.
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Half-orc with the Toothy alternate racial trait (or a tiefling with Maw or Claw) is a strong option (adding a bite to full attacks with a two-handed weapon). Alternately, a tengu with the Claw Attack alternate racial trait can take the Multiattack feat to reduce the secondary attack penalty for the bite from -5 to -2.
You get both claw and bite attacks on the first Dragon disciple level anyway.
Going to also suggest Battle Host Occultist.
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Unarcane is right. EK doesn't improve familiar, but it's not a big deal as you'll only lose additional Familiar Int and the extra gimmicks in the familiar progression table. The familiar HPs and shared ranks and shared combat feats will still be accessed if you take EK.This. Depending on what you want a few levels of familiar class is enough because you still get the hp, the bab, the saves regardless from which class they are coming.
It depends. If you are using a mauler familiar, the Str bonus is based on class level, and you don't want to ignore that.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
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The most straightforward approach is Strength Magus.
Where a skald/wiz/eld knight takes one round to cast a defensive buff, a second to put up raging song, and a third round to attack - the Magus can do all of that in one round (swift action for weapon enchant which gives comparable bonuses to rage; spell combat for the buff; five-step and you may make a full attack now).
Action economy. The best kind of economy :)
Just to mention a different 3PP class, if you have access to Spheres of Power, check out the Mageknight. A very flexible class where you can select your own casting stat.
All day magic is pretty good too depending on what spheres/talents you pick.
Half-orc with the Toothy alternate racial trait (or a tiefling with Maw or Claw) is a strong option (adding a bite to full attacks with a two-handed weapon). Alternately, a tengu with the Claw Attack alternate racial trait can take the Multiattack feat to reduce the secondary attack penalty for the bite from -5 to -2.You get both claw and bite attacks on the first Dragon disciple level anyway.
Not permanent ones. To qualify for Multiattack, having temporary (rounds per day at that) natural attacks is not enough with many GMs. Druids with wildshape (hours per day) are often not enough.
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Here's my idea of how to use VMC Magus + regular multiclassing + an Elven Branched Spear to make a decent Reach Eldritch Knight build. Note that Dirty Fighting makes Combat Expertise (from Lore Warden Fighter 2nd level) obsolete, but it's still hard to say no to getting it free. At some point (not tonight) I might want to redo that build to use just 1 level of martial class and replace Combat Expertise with Dirty Fighting, to reduce the loss of spellcasting progression and make a Sorcerer version viable.
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Here's my idea of how to use a Bloodrager dip (and Mad Magic) and the Arcane Exploit Bloodline Development with VMC Magusto make Blade Adept Arcanist actually viable. (Also see the posts below the linked one for more thoughts.) This is a Gish that is neither an Eldritch Knight nor a Magus nor a Warpriest nor a pre-Errata Scarred Witch Doctor. It progresses the Bloodrager Bloodline (instead of a Sorcerer Bloodline) with Bloodline Development and eventually gets the Knowledge is Power Magus Arcana (normally unusable for non-Magi even when they use VMC Magus to pick up Magus Arcana, but Blade Adept Arcanist gives effective Magus levels to make it work, even though Blade Adept Arcanist can't take this Magus Arcana by itself).
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It depends. If you are using a mauler familiar, the Str bonus is based on class level, and you don't want to ignore that.Unarcane is right. EK doesn't improve familiar, but it's not a big deal as you'll only lose additional Familiar Int and the extra gimmicks in the familiar progression table. The familiar HPs and shared ranks and shared combat feats will still be accessed if you take EK.This. Depending on what you want a few levels of familiar class is enough because you still get the hp, the bab, the saves regardless from which class they are coming.
Maulers are nice, but if it comes down to choosing between a straight fighter with a mauler familiar or a fighter/mage with a medium pig familiar, I'll take Boss Hogg anytime (both options have a sharing of combat feats, which matters the most... and then you have a fighter/mage that can do lots more than just being a fighter... plus he goes by the name Boss Hogg...)
:)
Has anyone suggested a Monk who uses the Kirin Style feats?
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Has anyone suggested a Monk who uses the Kirin Style feats?
No, because Kirin style is one of the biggest trap feat lines in the game. It requires three rounds before it comes online for each target. Round one: swift action enter style. Round two: swift action identify(normally a free action but the style nerfs it to a swift). Round three apply 2x INT damage on one attack for a swift action. By the time it works you've spent three swift actions on a target that is likely already dead. If you were a monk, those actions would have been better spent on using ki points for an extra attack.