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The journey south out of Tinghir proved long and tiring, the loss of comrades adding weight to your shoulders as the promise of great reward added lightness to your steps. You managed to make the border crossing without incident, but still had to travel more than two weeks to the capital at Sen Bieló in order to collect your pay.

You've now settled in at The Lances Head, a quiet bar frequented by old soldiers, weary but well-paid. You've settled in to a large booth off beside the bar in the relatively modest pub. You've all got drinks on the table in front of you, plenty of coins in your pockets, and no real pressing business to attend to.

I'd recommend you all start off with a brief physical description of your character and perhaps a bit of banter. Once everyone is in the thread we can get started in earnest (assuming you don't take off in some direction on your own :P )

Red Snow Ravine
Located in the south-eastern Irrisen hinterlands, in the foothills of the Kodar Mountains, Red Snow Ravine was, until a few years ago, simply another unnamed and unremarkable bit of wilderness. The coming of Hoarfrost Throat-Tearer(R3) has changed that. No one, other than Hoarfrost and his rage worg companions, has come back out of the depths of the ravine alive; however, a few souls who have stumbled across the entry to Hoarfrost’s lair, and have lived to tell about it, have told tales about the sights within. Central to these stories are the half-a-dozen dismembered, mutilated, and otherwise defiled corpses hanging from posts and from boughs of the evergreen trees at the entryway to the ravine; the gory drippings of which have given the ravine its name.

The tactics that have driven his reign of terror in the region have been both simple and brutally effective. Hoarfrost likes to catch unwary women or children and kidnap them, dragging them back to his lair. There, they then serve as the bait for his true prey; those brave souls who venture out to rescue the captives. Hoarfrost stalks his prey through the pine forests and frozen hills around his lair, before eventually ambushing them, killing them, and turning them into ghastly souvenirs.

The Rage Worgs’ Lair (CR 9 or 12)
==========
The ravine widens here, opening in to a small glade some fifty feet wide before closing again to a narrow path after about seventy feet. Along the eastern wall a small waterfall trickles down the rocks feeding a small, mostly frozen over, pool some thirty feet across. Along the western wall a rocky overhang provides some shelter from the elements. In happier circumstances this glade would be a beautiful natural area, but the effect is ruined by the smell of blood and rotting meat wafting from the western side of the glade.

Hoarfrost’s rage worg allies have turned the area under the rocky overhang into their den. This overhang is only 5 feet tall, and so medium and larger bipedal creatures have to squeeze in order to move or fight inside it.

The walls of the ravine are about 40 feet high in this area, and due to both their sheer faces and the slippery ice that coats them, require a DC 25 Climb check to climb. While it is possible to climb the hills around the ravine, the steep sides of the ravine make it impossible to see in to the ravine without standing right at the edge. The shifting drifts of snow at the edges of the top of the ravine make for dangerous footing, and anyone attempting to make an attack, cast a spell, or any other vigorous activity not related to keeping their footing on the dangerous surface must make a DC 20 Acrobatics check or slip and fall into the ravine.

Creatures: If the rage worgs have been alerted to the presence of intruders (most likely by their allies in Area 1) then they are actively hiding in their den, preparing to pounce. They have also alerted Hoarfrost, who stands at the back of the clearing, behind his hidden bear traps, bow in hand.

If the rage worgs have not been alerted, they are simply in their den eating or sleeping, and come charging out as soon as they detect anyone in Area 3. Once they attack, their howls alert Hoarfrost, who is in his campsite in Area 5. Hoarfrost comes running to see what the commotion is after taking 2 rounds to prepare for combat.

Tier 7-8 (CR 9):
Hoarfrost Throat-Tearer CR 7
XP 3,200
hp 78 (R3)

Rage Worg (2) CR 4
XP 1,200 each
hp 67 each (NPC Guide 39)

Tier 10-11 (CR 12):
[b]Hoarfrost Throat-Tearer CR 7
XP 3,200
hp 78 (R3)

Vicious Rage Worg (4) CR 7
Worg barbarian 5
CE Medium magical beast
Init +3; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +11
===== Defense =====
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 12; (+2 armor, +3 Dex, +2 natural, –2 rage)
hp 101 (9 HD; 4d10+5d12+47)
Fort +13, Ref +8, Will +6
Defensive Abilities improved uncanny dodge, rage powers (superstition), trap sense +1, uncanny dodge
===== Offense =====
Spd 40 ft.
Melee bite +17 (1d6+21 plus trip)
Special Attacks rage (15 rounds/day), rage powers (no escape)
===== Tactics =====
During Combat As soon as combat begins, the worgs activate their rage ability. They then attempt to pair off against opponents, flanking and tripping them, then using power attack on any that are prone.
Morale Vicious rage worgs fight to the death.
Base Statistics When not raging, the worg’s statistics are AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14; hp 83; Fort +10, Will +3; Melee bite +15 (1d6+18 plus trip); Str 22, Con 17; CMB +12, CMD 28 (32 vs. trip); Skills Climb +10, Swim +10.
===== Statistics =====
Str 26, Dex 17, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +9; CMB +17; CMD 30 (34 vs. trip)
Feats Endurance, Furious Focus, Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack, Step Up
Skills Climb +12, Intimidate +13, Perception +11, Stealth +12, Survival+10, Swim +12
Languages Goblin, Hallit
SQ fast movement
Gear masterwork leather barding

Hazard: The icy pond on the eastern side of the ravine presents two possible hazards to the party. If anyone attempts to charge or run on any of the icy spaces they must succeed at a DC 15 Acrobatics check or fall prone in the first icy space they move through. Additionally, the ice in Area A is strong enough to support any number of medium creatures, but a larger then medium creature on the ice will break through the ice in their space(s) and fall in to the frigid water beneath. The ice in Area B is thinner, and instead breaks if any medium or larger creature enters the space. While the water is no more than three feet deep at any point, any creature in the water must make a DC 14 Fortitude save when they fall in, and at the beginning of any round they are still in the water, or become fatigued for 1 minute. For each round a creature remains in the water, the DC of this save goes up by 2. Climbing out of the water requires a DC 10 Climb check due to the slippery conditions.

Trap: At the 4 spaces marked with X’s, Hoarfrost has carefully hidden and anchored a bear trap. Hoarfrost and all of the rage worgs are aware of the locations of the bear traps and will attempt to lure opponents into them if possible.

Bear Trap CR 1 (4)
Type mechanical; Perception DC 15; Disable Device DC 20

Effects
Trigger location; Reset manual
Effect Atk +10 melee (2d6+3); sharp jaws spring shut around the creature's ankle and hold the creature immobile; the creature can escape with a DC 20 Disable Device check, DC 22 Escape Artist check, or DC 26 Strength check

Development: If Hoarfrost was not previously alerted by activity at the entrance to the ravine, he arrives on his initiative count in the third round of combat in Area 2. He usually takes a moment to assess the battle at that point, preferring to stay back behind his bear traps and fire his bow or throw his javelin of lightning at any likely targets. However, he does not hesitate to begin raging and wade in to melee if any opponents come within 20 feet. If forced to retreat, Hoarfrost hopes to use the time his bear traps can buy him to slow down his adversaries long enough to arm his trap in Area 4 and then drink his 3 potions of cure light wounds before making a stand in Area 5.

Drayden D’Arteros, Prince of Knives
Portrait: 13
Description: Drayden D’Arteros, while Andoren by birth, left his homeland as a young man for the looser morals and more lucrative opportunities offered by the Shackles. By day, Drayden appears to be a prosperous merchant in his forties. By night, in his guise as the Prince of Knives, he runs, and occasionally participates in, all manner of illegal bloodsport. His loyal hound Koba remains at his side both day and night.

Motivations/Goals: While he remains in control in most situations, Drayden’s unhealthy obsession with bloodsport is slowly taking more and more control of his actions. His hat of disguise has so far let him engage in his bloody pursuits by night without his identity being discovered, but it seems inevitable that someone will discover his passion for violence.

Schemes/Plots/Adventure Hooks:
- Andoren abolitionists have caught wind of the plight of the slaves used in Drayden’s illegal death matches and seek assistance in shutting his operation down.
- Word has trickled through the underground of the Shackles of a very special match coming up in the pit fights, one involving an abducted Pathfinder.

Drayden D’Arteros CR 6
Male human cavalier(hound master) 3/fighter(knife fighter) 4
NE Medium humanoid (human)
Init +5; Senses Perception +3
===== Defense =====
AC 20, touch 13, flat-footed 17; (+5 armor, +3 Dex, +2 shield)
hp 57 (7d10+18);
Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +2
Defensive Abilities parrying defence
===== Offense =====
Spd 30 ft.
Melee +1 dagger +12/+7 (1d4+8/19-20), and mwk dagger +12/+7 (1d4+5/19-20)
Ranged mwk dagger+13 (1d4+7/19-20)
Special Attacks challenge 1/day, pack tactics, tactician 1/day
===== Tactics =====
During Combat Drayden likes to start combat by using Dazzling Display to demoralize his foes. He then attempts to move in to flank with his hound Koba, maximizing the benefits of his pack tactics. He also mixes dirty tricks in to his attack routines, especially when facing multiple foes.
Morale Drayden will generally attempt to flee when outnumbered or reduced to 28 hit points or less, however, he will fly in to a rage if Koba is killed and will try to kill Koba’s slayer even if it costs him his life.
===== Statistics =====
Str 18, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +7; CMB +11; CMD 24
Feats Boon Companion, Combat Expertise(B), Dazzling Display(B), Improved Dirty Trick, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Precise Strike(B), Two-Weapon Fighting(B), Weapon Focus (Dagger), Weapon Specialization (Dagger)(B)
Skills Bluff +12, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +2(+12 with the hat of disguise), Handle Animal +12, Intimidate +12, Perception +3, Profession (merchant) +10, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hand +6 (+8 to conceal weapons)
Languages Common, Aquan, Goblin;
SQ braggart, knife expert, never caught unarmed, order(cockatrice), quicker than the eye, war hound
Combat Gear +1 chain shirt, +1 dagger, masterwork dagger (2), hat of disguise
===== Special Abilities =====
Knife Expert(Ex) Drayden gains a +1 bonus on all attack and damage rolls, and to CMB and CMD on disarm and sunder checks with daggers.
Never Caught Unarmed(Ex) Drayden gains a +2 bonus to all Sleight of Hand checks to conceal a weapon.
Pack Tactics(Ex) When Drayden and Koba are flanking the same creature, the Drayden’s flanking bonus on attack rolls increases to +4.
Parrying Defense(Ex) Drayden gains a +2 shield bonus to his AC when he is using a dagger in his off-hand, or has his off-hand free.
Quicker Than the Eye(Ex) Drayden gains a +2 bonus to initiative checks.
War Hound(Ex) Drayden is accompanied at virtually all times by his loyal war hound Koba. Koba is treated as a 7th level druid’s wolf animal companion.

Exalted Armsman (Cleric)
Some clerics, especially of more militant gods, choose to make their deity’s favored weapon the focus of their power instead of their deity's holy symbol. These exalted armsmen sacrifice their ability to channel energy throughout an area and instead focus their deity’s might into spectacularly devastating blows.

Empowered Strike(Su): As a swift action, an exalted armsman may fill their melee weapon with raw divine energy with which to strike down their adversaries. The exalted armsman may only use this ability to enhance the strikes of a melee weapon they are wielding if it is their deity’s favored weapon. On the next melee attack the exalted armsman makes before the beginning of his next turn, he deals an amount of bonus untyped damage equal to 1d6 points of damage plus 1d6 points of damage for every four cleric levels beyond 1st(2d6 untyped damage at 5th level, 3d6 at 9th level, and so on) to a maximum of 5d6 extra damage at 17th level.

At 11th level, the target of the exalted armsman’s empowered strike must make a Will save with a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the exalted armsman’s level + the exalted armsman’s Charisma modifier or be shaken for a number of rounds equal to the exalted armsman’s Charisma modifier. This ability cannot stack with itself or other shaken effects in order to cause an opponent to move from shaken to frightened, or from frightened to panicked.

At 15th level, an exalted armsman may elect to expend an additional use of his empowered strike ability as a free action and cause the target of his next empowered strike this round to be fatigued instead of shaken on a failed Will save.

At 19th level, an exalted armsman may elect to spend an additional use of his empowered strike ability as a free action and cause the target of his next empowered strike this round to be staggered instead of shaken on a failed Will save.

Starting at 1st level, an exalted armsman may use empowered strike a total of 3 + his Charisma modifier times per day.

This ability replaces channel energy and spontaneous casting.

Weapon Focus: At 1st level, an exalted armsman gains the feat Weapon Focus with their deity’s favored weapon as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the normal prerequisites.

Extra Strikes: At 3rd level, and every four cleric levels beyond 3rd, an exalted armsman gains an additional use of his empowered strike ability per day.

Weapon Specialization: At 7th level, an exalted armsman gains Weapon Specialization with his deity’s favored weapon as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the normal prerequisites.

Eye of the Void
Aura moderate conjuration; CL 9th
Slot none; Price 10,100 gp; Weight ½ lbs.
Description

The eye of the void normally appears to be a small black glass or crystal ball three to four inches in diameter. However, when commanded to open, the eye reveals itself as the terrifying, multi-pupilled eye of some abomination from the dark spaces between the stars.

Once per day, the eye may be held forth and commanded to open as a standard action. The eye’s user may either hold it over their head when commanding the eye to open, and thus affect everyone in a 30 foot radius, or hold the eye out with one hand and instead affect a 30 foot cone. In either case, the eye makes a gaze attack against all creatures caught in the area of effect. Creatures affected by the gaze must make a DC 16 Will save or take 1d6 Wisdom damage and gain the frightened condition for one minute. Creatures in the area of effect which make their saves are instead shaken for one minute. This gaze attack counts as a mind-affecting and fear effect.

Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, lesser planar binding; Cost 5,550 gp

So there are a few people on the forum who seem to think the Magus is uncompetitive until somewhere between levels 5 and 8, when it can actually start making use of its class abilities more effectively. While I agree that as written, Spell Combat doesn't seem to work as it should for low level characters (the to hit penalty is just too big to make me even consider it), I think the class CAN be used to build some nice low level characters with both a magic and melee focus.

For starters, a 20 point buy stat array for a Human or Half-something of your choice:

Now you have to consider what spells you want, and how to avoid the 15 minute adventuring day. First off, like a 1st level Wizard, you can't cast a good spell every round. Instead, you are going to want to use one spell per tough encounter, so pick smart. For easier encounters, don't waste spell power. You've probably got 16 AC, a +4 attack bonus, and deal 1d8+6 damage per swing (don't forget to swing with two hands when you aren't spell casting!). This makes you equal or better to a CR1 Monster in a stand up fight, and you can easily square off with a CR 1/2 or 1/3 minion and get the job done without burning spells. As long as you avoid getting flanked or otherwise swarmed, you'll be fine. Oh, and a Cantrip ranged touch is handy to have memorized, just in case. Now for specific spells:

I am still working on Feat and Trait selection, but here are some thoughts on them anyway.

Overall, I think the class works well if you play it at early levels as spending most of its time as a supporting melee class, going around the outside of battles and flanking. However, it then a few times a day gets to turn on the magic and really shine, potentially outfighting the front line classes for an encounter. The spells also let it 'step up' if something goes wrong and a seemingly average encounter takes a turn for the worse.

A quick disclaimer; all this is based on theory-crafting and a trio of skirmishes I ran against myself on my day off. I haven't tried them out as part of a proper group against a DM, but I think the basic tenets should work.

I am thinking about having a new character throw some pilums around as his ranged weapon for a bit of flavor (the characters focus is on melee combat) and was looking at the possibility of buying a handful of them in masterwork. The only problem is this, it looks like it costs full masterwork costs per pilum RAW, but they also break after one hit.

305 gp for a single attack seems a bit pricey. Am I missing something where throwing weapons are treated as ammunition for costing purposes (I know shuriken are) in the rules, or am I gonna have to work something out with my GM?