| DravenEvil |
The magus class, is quite nice, IF you use a trait/feat that gains him/her access to a melee REACH weapon, you can use your SPELL COMBAT and SPELLSTRIKE feature to maximum efficency.
ie Example, the Whip (disarm, nonlethal, reach (15 feet or 3 squares),& trip abilites) make this a great weapon to use to help supliment the party, as you dont want to main-line tank and keep some distance between you and the enemy (15 feet).
The Scorpion Whip from the adventures armory uses the same weapon proficiency but this weapon does 1d4 damage, instead of the whips 1d3, AND the scorpion Whip deals LETHAL DAMAGE +(disarm, nonlethal, reach (15 feet or 3 squares),& trip abilites).
Scorpion Whip Damage is done EVEN to creatures with Armor Bonuses so this weapon does not suffer the original whip (core book) weapons weakness of dealing no damage to any creature with a armor bonus of +1 or higher or a natural armor bonus of +3.
The downside of this weapon is you DONT threaten the area in which you can make an attack, it DOES provoke an attack of opportunity, so dont use it when foes are able to hit you in melee.
Weapon Finesse works with this weapon, and the greatest upside to this weapon with the Magus class, is threefold.....
1.) Arcane Pool- As a swift action depending on your level you can at lower levels grant a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute (or 10 combat rounds), at higher Magus levels you may add magical weapon properties as found on page 9 of the Ultimate Magic corebook.
2.) Using Spell Combat you can use your Scorpion Whip as a full round action, to make all of your attacks with your melee weapon at a -2 penalty, and cast any spell from the MAGUS spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (I suggest using the zero level spell ARCANE MARK, as you sre using a spell thats NOT expended when cast and may be used again). This allows you to attack your foe in junction with the SPELLSTRIKE ability you get at 2nd level. OR use Spell Combat to attack with TRUESTRIKE alone which grants +20 insight bonus and the attack is NOT affected by the miss chance that applies to you for trying to strike a concealed target. (So as long as you can see your foe in the effect of the OBSURING MIST spell, as an example you dont suffer the miss chance, but at that range the attack will provoke from the scorpion whip. TRUESTRIKE would also prevent the miss chance form anyone wearing a magical Cloak of Displacement, and from the BLUR spell, as another example.
3.) The Spellstrike ability tied to the Spell Combat ability you get at 1st level, you are able to make all your attack at -2, then use your zero level spell (Arcane Mark) to cast a "touch" spell to deliver the spell through the weapon you are holding (Scorpion Whip at 15 feet away i might add) as a FREE melee attack in place of the FREE melee touch atack normally allowed to deliver the spell, if the opponent is hit, he takes the damage from the whip (giving you an extra melee attack) with ARCANE MARK, that gives NO saving throw, NO spell resistance, and IF the weapon connects to your foe it places YOUR personal rune or mark on a living being, the effect will fade in about a month, this mark can be VISIBLE or INVISIBLE (detect Magic will allow one to SEE the invisible mark), so in effect by using a zero level touch spell on the magus list you can get in another attack albeit the scorpion whip does not do alot of damage by itself, this is a support role in itself. (Now Arcane Mark DOES have a somatic component so you must take care not to have a foe in melee or you will provoke from the spell casting). You may use the 1st level spell TRUESTRIKE to deliver your Scorpion Whip attack,but you forfit using the Spellstrike ability for that attack as it is not a touch spell.
Geating creative with feats and possible trait option combos such as ( Spell Focus+Spell Specialization would allow the "Touch" spell to be used with the spell combat & spellstrike ability and the shocking grasp spell would be cast with a +2 level variable effect.) ANOTHER option ( Whip Mastery + Improved Whip Mastery + the Equipment TRAIT of PREHENSILE WHIP, allows you to get all crazy like "Indiana Jones in the temple of doom kinda stuff.)
just a few thoughts
Draven