Alex Bradbury's page

I like yourself wanted to play something different in a magus. I have a baby staff magus at the moment (lvl 4). I am having a blast playing him. I have him built so far as a lvl 3 magus lvl 1 manuever master monk with trip. At magus level 3 I took wand wielder as my arcane. One tactic I employ is true strike + trip or grease(wand) a distant target + a trip. I use him more in a battlefield control roll. He still does good damage when called upon.

Low tiers he is highly effective. I'm not sure how effective he will be in upper tiers yet but I look forward to the journey there.

Wow, cool!

There will be no Dervish Dance availability in our game. We are only using the core books.

In case it wasn't clarified you can stack archetypes so you could be a bladebound hexcrafter if you wish. As long as the archetypes don't replace the same class feature.

You would be unable to combine hexcrafter with another one that replaces spell recall for example (kensai) since kensai also replaces spell recall for Perfect strike.

If you are playing Society which effective runs levels 1-12, bladebound is something worth considering just due to the benefits of a magical weapon that doesn't cost you wealth. At upper levels (mostly beyond Society) the black blade is considered subpar but your character will be retired by then.

Hexcrafter is an excellent archetype because it gives you access to the amazing Su abilities of the witch. Fly and Slumber tend to be top picks. And of course having a cantrip that adds damage (even if it is 1 point) so you can spam spell combat all day long is frosting on the top.

Kensai is better for a heavier martial focus, but it does come at a heavy cost as you do take a hit in the magic portion of the magus class.

Thanks for the Archetype clarification!

Yes, fly and slumber have definitely caught my attention. Along with applying curses to Spellstrike. Another benefit, at least for our party, is the Healing hex. We don't have a dedicated healer.

D20pfsrd does tend to be better updated than the official site as well as faster to load. Enjoy your discovery.

Thanks!

It must be a limitation of the PRD:

http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/advanced/spells/brand.html#_brand

So excuse my unfamiliarity, where is the descriptor seen?

Under Brand I am reading this:

BRAND
School transmutation; Level inquisitor 0
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, DF
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 1 day/level
Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance yes
Brand etches an indelible rune or mark of no more than 6 characters onto a creature, inflicting 1 point of damage. The mark may be placed on any exposed portion of the creature, typically the head or forearm. A brand can be hidden by clothing or removed by scraping it away (causing 1d6 points of damage), though the brand returns if the damage is healed.

I don't see "curse" or a "type" mentioned anywhere.

If you like the idea of a whip but want a blade, how about a Urumi? It has the scimitar's crit range also!

Question on the Hexcrafter. The Hexcrafter guide mentions "Brand" as a suitable replacement for the Arcane Mark trick.

My question is, where does a Hexcrafter pick up, Brand? The only thing I see is the Inquisitor spell, Brand.

Hmm. Could you point out where the Spell Recall at 8th level info is? I cant seem to find it.

Looking at the Magus page in the PRD all I see are the references to Spell Recall at 4th level and Improved Spell Recall at 11th level

Ok I want to make sure I understand Archetypes correctly. Specifically the Hexcrafter.

If I choose Hexcrafter I keep all the base Magus abilities* and add the Hexcrafter abilities?

*exception being Hex Magus which replaces Spell Recall

Thanks guys!

Yes, but only if that's where you've been putting your favored class bonus every level. You don't get it if you chose to get the hp or the skill point.

Hmm ok.

To understand, you are saying that I would need to apply my favored class bonus every level (1-5) to this "option," up to 6th level, in order to gain the bonus Magus Arcana at 6th level?

So to be frank, levels 1-5 I would basically be bypassing my favored class reward in order to reap the bonus at 6th?

Alex Bradbury wrote:

Interesting. I did not know that!

So I couldn't go Kensai/Bladebound as a MC, but I could go Kensai/Witch or Magus/Witch, etc.?

You could do that, but you shouldn't.

Multiclassing on spellcasters is almost universally a bad idea. Being able to cast from two lists of 1st level spells is never as good as being able to cast 2nd level spells, and that only gets worse from there.

There are a few very specific instances where this isn't true...but almost all of them necessitate a lot of system mastery to work. In short, you should avoid doing anything like that until you're much more familiar with the game.

Alex Bradbury wrote:

How would Hexcrafter/Witch work?

Not well. Hexcrafter is already basically the Magus version of Witch. Combining them is both unnecessary and ineffective for all the reasons listed above.

I hear you. Ok cool, thanks for the advice.

Yes. That's exactly how it works.

Thanks again LK!

Orfamay Quest wrote:

And a burning silent burning hands spell would be level 4. And further down this path lies madness.

Burning Silent Burning Jazz Hands?

Sounds like a job for a Spelldancer!?

Alex Bradbury wrote:

Remy - Continuing on with the Silent Burning Hands example. So as to understand exactly what you are saying. "Silent Burning Hands" would require a level 2 spell slot, but, only be DC 1. Then if Burning Hands was chosen as my Magical Lineage spell, when the trait was acquired, the combination of the "Silent Burning Hands" and Magical Lineage would only require a level 1 spell slot, while still being DC 1? Is this correct?

Normal Burning Hands spell is a 1st level spell, it uses a 1st level spell slot. The DC will be 10+ level + mod, or for this one it'll be 11+ mod.

Silent Burning Hands would require a 2nd level slot to cast, but it is still a 1st level spell for nearly every other purpose, including DC. So it will still use 11+ mod.

If you have Magical Lineage for your Burning Hands, however...
A Silent Burning Hands will use a 1st level slot, and still use DC11+ mod

With the Magical Lineage trait, you are essentially getting the perk of a +1 metamagic modifier without the cost of a higher level slot.

I find it is easier to think about it in those terms... That you get a very specific and limited benefit from a metamagic feat, but at the cost of using a higher level slot. So while the spell is a 1st level spell, for just about every purpose, you simply must pay more for it because it gets an added metamagic benefit tacked on. (And Magical Lineage reduces the 'extra cost' to do so)

Thank you, this makes a lot sense!

Alex Bradbury wrote:

Lathiira - You mention that the damage dealt is based on caster level and not spell level. This I understand, but then you mentioned that adding Quicken to a 1st level spell would require a 5th level spell slot. Am I correct in saying that I can only obtain a 5th level spell slot by being character level 9+ (as a Wizard)?

There may be some obscure magic item or prestige class that allows it, but generally, yes.

Or you could get a rod of Quicken Spell which would also do it, and is not that obscure.

Quote:

Remy - Continuing on with the Silent Burning Hands example. So as to understand exactly what you are saying. "Silent Burning Hands" would require a level 2 spell slot, but, only be DC 1. Then if Burning Hands was chosen as my Magical Lineage spell, when the trait was acquired, the combination of the "Silent Burning Hands" and Magical Lineage would only require a level 1 spell slot, while still being DC 1? Is this correct?

That is correct.

Quote:

Korthis - You mentioned that a normal Burning Hands spell adds +2 to the spell level. If no feat is attached, where is the +2 coming from?

You misunderstood. There's a metamagic feat Burning Spell that adds a second round of damage.

So a burning hands spell is level 1, but a silent burning hands spell would be level 2, and a burning burning hands spell would do additional damage over the normal spell, but be level 3.

And a burning silent burning hands spell would be level 4. And further down this path lies madness.

Thanks Orfamay!

You can combine archetypes (as long as their ability replacements don't conflict), so you can go a straight Magus who is both the Bladebound and the Kensai archetypes, no problem.

On the other hand, you can't multiclass archetypes (you can't go Kensai 2/Bladebound3) the same way you can not take the first level of classes over and over again, since archetypes still count as the base class.

Interesting. I did not know that!

So I couldn't go Kensai/Bladebound as a MC, but I could go Kensai/Witch or Magus/Witch, etc.?

How would Hexcrafter/Witch work?

Hmm will have to look more in to the Hexcrafter.

LoneKnave - When you talk about Bladebound being a popular archetype for Kensai, are you specifically referring to a Multiclass, Kensai/Bladebound?

Anyone have experience with alternative vanilla "Magus" ideas?

One thing: using a higher level spell slot for metamagic does not increase the save DC unless you use Heighten Spell.

For the Quicken example: until you apply the metamagic feat to burning hands, it's going to use a 1st level spell slot and the save DC will be based off of a first level spell. This is regardless of the damage the spell deals, which is based on caster level, not spell level. If you were to apply the Quicken Spell metamagic feat, you need a 5th level spell slot, deal 5d4 damage (based on caster level), but the save is based on a 1st level spell. When you add Magical Lineage, you use a 4th level spell slot instead of a 5th, but the rest is the same.

Thank you for the quick responses!

Still learning so I appreciate everyone's patience with me. That's good to know that the DC doesn't change regardless of Metamagic feat being applied (Heighten Spell being an exception).

Lathiira - You mention that the damage dealt is based on caster level and not spell level. This I understand, but then you mentioned that adding Quicken to a 1st level spell would require a 5th level spell slot. Am I correct in saying that I can only obtain a 5th level spell slot by being character level 9+ (as a Wizard)?

Remy - Continuing on with the Silent Burning Hands example. So as to understand exactly what you are saying. "Silent Burning Hands" would require a level 2 spell slot, but, only be DC 1. Then if Burning Hands was chosen as my Magical Lineage spell, when the trait was acquired, the combination of the "Silent Burning Hands" and Magical Lineage would only require a level 1 spell slot, while still being DC 1? Is this correct?

Korthis - You mentioned that a normal Burning Hands spell adds +2 to the spell level. If no feat is attached, where is the +2 coming from?

In the ARG, under Elves/Magus I see:

"Magus: The magus gains 1/6 of a new magus arcana."

I am new to PF and want to understand this correctly.

Is this saying, as an Elven Magus, I would gain an extra Magus Arcana every six levels? So basically I would get two Magus Arcana at 6th level (1 rom being a Magus and 1 from being an Elven Magus)? Consequently, two Magus Arcana at 12th level as well?

Hello everyone, I have recently joined a PF game after a long RPG absence (AD&D 2e in the 90s). The group I am joining will have a range of PF experience and will be focused on roleplaying as much as combat; basically a loose and fun game. I am slowly learning all of this new Traits/Feats/Magus Arcana mumbo jumbo. A lot has changed since 2e ha!

I have done some research and found the popular Magus build guides online that basically recommend three types of builds, High Str/Low Dex, High Dex/Dancing Dervish, and Kensai archetype.

I am looking for some alternative (and fun) ideas to these builds. What experience have people had with some of the less popular archetypes? Staff Magus? Bladebound? Or less popular "Magus" proper builds?

Oh and my character will be Elven.

Hey guys, new to the PF system.

I want to make sure I understand Magical Lineage correctly. Here are two examples:

Lets say a spellcaster has the Silent feat and Burning Hands as a level 1 spell.

The Silent feat would change the aforementioned Burning Hands in to effectively a 2nd level spell (2nd level spell slot) for determining DC. The end result would be that I cast the normal Burning Hands 1d4 damage (lvl 1), but, I can do it Silently (no V component needed). Consequently, if Magical Lineage were also applied, it would reduce my "Silent Burning Hands" back to 1st level (1st level spell slot)? So basically I buffed Burning Hands without impacting its casting level/spell slot level?

Next, Quicken:

Same scenario with Burning Hands. Lets say I am to the level in which I can cast Burning Hands at 5d4 damage. Burning Hands would then be a 5th level spell/spell slot (I guess a Wizard would need to be 9th level to cast a 5th level spell?). Quicken doesn't increase the spell level on it's own, however, Magical Lineage could still be utilized to bring my 5th level Burning Hands down to 4th level for DC and spell slot usage?

Am I understanding Magical Lineage correctly?

Continuing on the "Free" theme..

how about a Magus Archetype Staff Magi?

Anyone have an opinion on those?

Hey guys!

I'm new to the PF system. Many moons ago I played AD&D 2e and so have some similar RPG experience.

My question. Are there any YouTube channel recommendations that provide beginner information? Creating a character, combat examples, spellcasting examples, etc. to get my up to speed quickly and to also reference while I read the book?

Thanks!