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I am playing the carrion crown adventure path and plotting out my Magus's 20 levels worth of feats and arcana. I am not focused on min-maxing, but I am trying to build a magus that has many uses and wont be useless high level. If I am missing any really good abilities let me know.
Race: Tiefling
Archetypes: Bladebound, Hexcrafter, Fiendflayer
Feats:
1 Armor of the pit- +2 natural armor
3 Exotic Weapon prof. Rhoka sword (Great magus weapon and suits tieflings)
5 Extra Hex: Flight (RAI)
5 Bonus Feat: Intensified Spell
7 Weapon focus or Healing Hex (not sure which one)
9 Lunge
11 Extra Arcana: Ghost Blade
11 Bonus Feat: Improved Critical
13 Extra Arcana/Hex: Major Healing
15 Critical Focus
17 Extra Arcana: Arching Pool Strike
17 Bonus Feat: Bleeding Critical
19 Extra Arcana/Hex: Bane Blade or a Grand Hex (Still debating)
Arcana/Hexes:
3 Black Blade
4 Slumber Hex
6 Pool Strike
9 Accurate Strike
12 Retribution Hex
15 Critical Strike
18 Grand Hex (Need suggestions for Grand Hexes so far I like Forced Reincarnation and Give Life. I like Natural Disaster, but not sure its very usable.)
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As was pointed out to me recently, Fiend Flayer and Hexcrafter technically both effect Arcana and thus don't stack. Your GM may not care, in which case go with that, but if they do care, ditch Fiend Flayer.
IME, Power Attack is worth it on a Magus most of the time, just like for everyone else. You could slot it in at 7th and be fine.
Ghost Blade isn't worth it. By the time you get it, you won't have many uses for it (I've ran Carrion Crown).
In terms of everything else, looks good, though I'd be wary about HP. This AP is pretty deadly, and Magus are actually not entirely the best class for it because there's s~@& that will attack all your different stats.
BTW, it's not compatible with Bladebound and probably wants you to use a Heavy Pick rather than a Rhoka, but the Deep Marshall archetype is pretty sweet for STR-Magus.
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As was pointedout to me recently, Fiend Flayer and Hexcrafter technically both effect Arcana and thus don't stack. Your GM may not care, in which case go with that, but if they do care, ditch Fiend Flayer.
IME, Power Attack is worth it on a Magus most of the time, just like for everyone else. You could slot it in at 7th and be fine.
Well that really sucks. My GM wont care but I can always ditch fiendflayer. I just saw that it didn't replace anything and figured it was a last ditch effort if I needed an arcane point to survive.
Thanks, power attack would be better than weapon focus, I just worried about negatives with spell combat. I'm not sure about AP but every PFS game I've played has creatures with decently high AC.
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Ghost Blade isn't worth it. By the time you get it, you won't have many uses for it (I've ran Carrion Crown).
In terms of everything else, looks good, though I'd be wary about HP. This AP is pretty deadly, and Magus are actually not entirely the best class for it because there's s#$& that will attack all your different stats.
BTW, it's not compatible with Bladebound and probably wants you to use a Heavy Pick rather than a Rhoka, but the Deep Marshall archetype is pretty sweet for STR-Magus.
We are maxing HP, but then again I think monsters are too. My GM is relatively new and tends to pull punches a little if he thinks hes beating us too badly.
(Not that I necessarily want him too, its just his style. Half the party are new and their builds are far from min-maxed so he tries to not wipe the floor with them when we encounter ghosts and constructs at low levels. I see what you mean about deadly. We've had 4 character deaths so far. 2 due to their own mistakes, 1 in combat, and 1 when he brought the deck of many things in for a game.)
Where can I find the Deep Marshall archetype?
Is ghost blade not worth brilliant energy for ignoring armor?
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Well that really sucks. My GM wont care but I can always ditch fiendflayer. I just saw that it didn't replace anything and figured it was a last ditch effort if I needed an arcane point to survive.
Yeah, it's annoying.
Thanks, power attack would be better than weapon focus, I just worried about negatives with spell combat. I'm not sure about AP but every PFS game I've played has creatures with decently high AC.
Well, it's not like you have to use it. And Magi get pretty darn good accuracy pretty quick, especially if anyone is throwing out any communal buffs.
Where can I find the Deep Marshall archetype?Is ghost blade not worth brilliant energy for ignoring armor?
1. Arcane Anthology. Basically: medium armor at 1st, heavy at 8th, restricted to using heavy picks, battle axes, warhammers or dwarven weapons, no necromancy, illusion or enchantment spells, can add a bunch of abjuration/conjuration wizard spells to its list.
2. Nah, by then you can get Accurate Strike and target touch AC if you so wanted.
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Even if your GM allows it, you should really ignore fiend flayer; the ability you gain is that bad.
You should avoid power attack; a Magus shouldn't spend a feat on that, as he can already change his +4 weapon to a +2 flaming shocking weapon (-2 to hit for +5 damage). Getting more to-hit penalties than that is not practical.
I concur that Ghost Blade isn't worth it either, incorporeals are pretty rare and you already have spells to deal with them.
Finally, the Pool Strike line of arcana is basically a waste of actions and pool points (even moreso since you have unlimited hexes). Instead, consider Bane Blade or Devoted Blade several levels earlier, or Spell Blending or Hasted Assault.
I concur that Ghost Blade isn't worth it either, incorporeals are pretty rare and you already have spells to deal with them.
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You should avoid power attack; a Magus shouldn't spend a feat on that, as he can already change his +4 weapon to a +2 flaming shocking weapon (-2 to hit for +5 damage). Getting more to-hit penalties than that is not practical.
True only at low levels. Still, you have a point. It depends on what accuracy boosters you have access to, I suppose.
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True only at low levels. Still, you have a point. It depends on what accuracy boosters you have access to, I suppose.At higher levels you can do the same with Holy and/or Bane.
Yeah...but by the time you're doing that, you can do it and make the weapon +5, so that's just a damage enhancement, not trading attack for damage, and would stack with Power Attack.
But like I said, it depends on whether you're getting buffed, getting bonuses from flanking regularly, or otherwise have surplus accuracy whether it's worth it or not.
If you are not playing PFS, Blade Tutor's Spirit makes Power Attack well worth it.
As was pointed out to me recently, Fiend Flayer and Hexcrafter technically both effect Arcana and thus don't stack. Your GM may not care, in which case go with that, but if they do care, ditch Fiend Flayer.
IME, Power Attack is worth it on a Magus most of the time, just like for everyone else. You could slot it in at 7th and be fine.
I have never seen the addition of options for a class ability be considered 'modifying' that class ability.
I have never seen the addition of options for a class ability be considered 'modifying' that class ability.As was pointed out to me recently, Fiend Flayer and Hexcrafter technically both effect Arcana and thus don't stack. Your GM may not care, in which case go with that, but if they do care, ditch Fiend Flayer.
IME, Power Attack is worth it on a Magus most of the time, just like for everyone else. You could slot it in at 7th and be fine.
It's been made explicit in a recent FAQ. Something, for example, like the Tempered Champion Paladin who has an ability that affects Divine Bond and Lay on Hands but not "replace" or "alter" line is considered to have one.
One exception is altering a feature and removing progression from it. For example, the Evangelist and Merciful Healer archetypes stack.
Right, but the Tempered Champion actually does alter the way Divine Bond works, by eliminating the Mount as an option. This reduction ni capability is used as a trade-off for another ability added by the archetype. That is not analogous to the multitude of magus archetypes that simply add more arcana to the list that can be chosen.
Oh, adding more arcana is fine.
But Fiend Flayer de facto modifies Arcane Pool to Infernal Mortification, so it el no stacko with Bladebound.
Oh, adding more arcana is fine.
But Fiend Flayer de facto modifies Arcane Pool to Infernal Mortification, so it el no stacko with Bladebound.
That isn't what Deadmanwalking was saying was being blocked. He had stated that Hexcrafter wouldn't stack with Fiend Flayer, because they both 'modify' Arcana.
Could be subject to debate, honestly.
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Relevant FAQ:
Archetype Stacking and Altering: What exactly counts as altering a class feature for the purpose of stacking archetypes?
In general, if a class feature grants multiple subfeatures, it’s OK to take two archetypes that only change two separate subfeatures. This includes two bard archetypes that alter or replace different bardic performances (even though bardic performance is technically a single class feature) or two fighter archetypes that replace the weapon training gained at different levels (sometimes referred to as “weapon training I, II, III, or IV”) even though those all fall under the class feature weapon training. However, if something alters the way the parent class feature works, such as a mime archetype that makes all bardic performances completely silent, with only visual components instead of auditory, you can’t take that archetype with an archetype that alters or replaces any of the sub-features. This even applies for something as small as adding 1 extra round of bardic performance each day, adding an additional bonus feat to the list of bonus feats you can select, or adding an additional class skill to the class. As always, individual GMs should feel free to houserule to allow small overlaps on a case by case basis, but the underlying rule exists due to the unpredictability of combining these changes.
If adding one bonus feat to the list you can take count, so does adding an Arcana.
I'd allow it in a heartbeat in my own game, but it seemed worth noting.
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Oh, adding more arcana is fine.
But Fiend Flayer de facto modifies Arcane Pool to Infernal Mortification, so it el no stacko with Bladebound.
Does that modify the ability? It lets you take Con Dmg to refill your pool. It changes nothing on how the base ability works. I saw it as a totally new ability.
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Even if your GM allows it, you should really ignore fiend flayer; the ability you gain is that bad.
You should avoid power attack; a Magus shouldn't spend a feat on that, as he can already change his +4 weapon to a +2 flaming shocking weapon (-2 to hit for +5 damage). Getting more to-hit penalties than that is not practical.
I concur that Ghost Blade isn't worth it either, incorporeals are pretty rare and you already have spells to deal with them.
Finally, the Pool Strike line of arcana is basically a waste of actions and pool points (even moreso since you have unlimited hexes). Instead, consider Bane Blade or Devoted Blade several levels earlier, or Spell Blending or Hasted Assault.
What would you suggest rather than power attack at 7th?
I believe I can't take bane blade until 15th.I know everyone says pool strike isn't worth it, but it was more of a flavor thing. I like the arching pool strike and the ability to pick from all of the elemental types.
Does that modify the ability? It lets you take Con Dmg to refill your pool. It changes nothing on how the base ability works. I saw it as a totally new ability.Oh, adding more arcana is fine.
But Fiend Flayer de facto modifies Arcane Pool to Infernal Mortification, so it el no stacko with Bladebound.
As per the FAQ that Deadmanwalking posted, it does.
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What would you suggest rather than power attack at 7th?
Flamboyant Arcana, because parry and riposte is very useful.
Extra Arcana: Spell Blending to grab your favorite wizard spells.
Rime Spell / Enforcer to add debuffs to your spells.
Stalker's Focus to boost your constitution for boss fights.
I like the arching pool strike and the ability to pick from all of the elemental types.
Carry a throwing weapon, use arcane pool enchant to put on your favorite element type, problem solved. Or, carry a rod of elemental spell and cast Snowball. Or, dip evoker for one level.