Malthule's page

This would be fun ...

Eliminate all sacred weapon scaling damage, and implement this instead ...

[b]Faith in Arms[b]

Once per round, if the warpriest rolls a natural "20" in combat while using his deities favored weapon, he may select one of the three following benefits

1) As a swift action, replenish a fervor point if one has been used today.
2) This weapon hit bypasses any DR the target may have.
3) This weapon hit may add your wisdom modifier to the damage roll.

I am playtesting a Warpriest of Asmodeus in the Way of the Wicked campaign. I love the new direction of this class.

My sacred weapons are Mace (deities weapon) and Great Sword.

My only big question ... why is there so much effort and discussion going into the sacred weapon scaling damage? Is this even needed to enhance the class? My opinion is that if you just removed the entire issue of sacred weapon damage scaling, this class would still stand solid on it's own with just the full BAB with sacred weapon and the new fervor mechanic. scaling damage just overcomplicates, and opens the door for errata's and band-aid fixes. It really just seems not worth the effort in this one area. Just my opinion of course, but I see far too much brain power going into an ability that really doesn't even seem like it's a defining feature of the class.

I would love to see efforts focus on improving or removing blessings, reducing MAD from 4 down to 3 (preferably all going to wisdom) and adding a few feats that build on the amazing mechanic called "fervor"

Slight tweaks and improvements on those three areas and I honestly think this class is wrapped up in a pretty bow and called a "win" for Pathfinder.

I am in agreement almost 100% with the OP on how to "break apart" and "glue" this class together.

I can't emphasize enough that this class feels like spell casting was forced upon it. I think spells makes this class bloated and clunky. Remove the spells and I think this class now gains the wiggle room it needs to be tweaked into primarily a martial warrior surging with divine energy.

OMG this class BEGS to be the best channel energy class in the game! The cleric can have his 9 levels of spells, domains and strong channeling ability, but please please make the Warpriest (this beautiful yet broken class) to be something truly special.

I would love to see The Warpriests channeling ability become the "backbone" of this class.

Some ideas ... (preferably all of them)

1) Full BAB

1) Allow the Warpriest channels per day to come from Con not Cha

2) Allow the Warpriest to gain channels back in combat. (Maybe on crits)

3) Allow a Warpriest to gain BOTH standard and variant channeling.

4) Allow only one blessing at 1st level but allow the blessings to do the following things ...

A) Give special abilities like presently (as swift or move actions)
B) Give 2-3 weapon choices the Warpriest can gain weapon focus in.
C) Give access to variant channeling in addition to normal channeling.
D) Perfectly ok to make the blessings skewed (some more powerful than others) but balance them by allowing some blessings to gain bonus channels per day to the Warpriest (maybe +0 minimum, +2 maximum)

5) Reduce the number of feats gained but allow them to be combat or channeling feats

6) Remove spellcasting but give them quick channel feat at 5th or 7th

7) Skills Points 4 per level.

This advanced class could be soooo cool to play.

Does anyone out there play a house rule minimum heal amount to "cure" spells? I'd love to hear if any other groups out there have a variant or house rule to heals, like re-roll "1's or 2's" etc ...

Usually not a huge deal, but man it sucks as a healer when you cast one of your spells and roll a "1" to heal somebody in a pinch and they just look at you like ... "seriously?"

StreamOfTheSky wrote:

Ion Raven wrote:

Also note that a skilled fighter is more likely to have better AC and thus get hit less often than the raging barbarian. The barbarian generally makes up for this by generally being able to kill an enemies faster, thus sometimes it's more advantageous for the enemies to take out the barbarian first.

At very low levels, this is true. Fighter very qucikly surpasses the Barbarian for damage, though. When you factor Weapon Training and Weapon Specialization (and Greater Weapon Focus/Specialization), that alone beats out the str bonus from rage by mid levels. Add gloves of duelling and it becomes pretty lopsided. Later on, Barbarian gets as many extra attacks per turn as he has dex bonus Come and Get Me, which probably gives the advantage back to him, though Fighter gets access to feats that cut through DR, so maybe not. But in any case, Fighter's doing it with MUCH better AC.

Let me give you some advice about "Come and Get Me". It's nice at times but it can get you killed really quick, especially if you have a lot of enemies around you. That +4 to hit and damage makes a "big" difference. It's not as good as people think it is. It's a gamble really because if you miss and they hit you then that's an automatic +4 they get on damage.

Yes Come and Get Me "can" mess you up, but speaking from experience with a 20th level barbarian (with a touch above 500hp while raging, DR 12/- and being able to fight down to -36. With a 75% crit resistance from armor. It takes a crap load of damage to bring that barbarian down. As a DM you really don't want to have that barbarian throwing 4+ normal attacks PLUS an extra 4-6 attacks (that resolve BEFORE your enemies attacks) with each melee attack adding +47-64 damage per hit. Sure as anything can mess you up ... this rage power can be dangerous, but it FAR outweighs its danger as a benefit, especially with multiple enemies. Most of the time, your enemies are in the ground before you drop from this rage power. I fought a 12 headed hydra (near solo) with almost 1000 hp ... and won with Come & Get Me. Each of those heads had +4 to hit and +4 damage. I did this at 14th level. Come and Get Me is crazy powerful.

One thing that I didn't see mentioned also is a little detail often overlooked, the fact that at higher level a magus is able to spend arcane points to enhance his weapon with vorpal. Unfortunately, to use vorpal I think it must be a slashing weapon and not a piercing weapon. This would leave out rapier.

Drothmal wrote:

More exacerbated: lvl 16 bladebound magus has a +4 weapon and +4 arcane pool (total +8). A lvl 16 normal magus can have a +6 weapon and +4 arcane pool

Once again, this is assuming that the +10 is still a cap. I really though they had determined it wasn't (one of the big complains when they said they wold put that limitation after the playtest)

The cap and this has been determined for all similar class abilities whether it's the magus arcane bond, paladin divine weapon, or all other similar abilities. the total cap that can be put on a non epic weapon is not +10 but +5/+5 +5 of enhancment and +5 of special abilities.

This is also how I understand it working. This is how we play paladins and I am sure this is how it was intended for the magus. The benefit to a bladebound magus is that his black blade goes up in enhancement automatically as he rises in level. Eventually he won't need to spend arcane points to enhance the + portion of the blade, but he can still add up to +5 in special properties to his +5 blade by spending the appropriate amount of arcane points.

Skill points. Less needed with favored class bonuses and the like, but still needed.

I think barbarians are a good case of 'STR ALL THE WAY!', with much less focus on other things.

Before UC came out I would have suggested go with constitution first and strength a close second. Now with raging brutality, there is no reason not to pump everything you got into constitution.

This is the stats for my 20th level Invulnerable Rager

Strength: 26 / 34* (+8) (+12)*
Intelligence: 10 (+0)
Wisdom: 15 (+2)
Constitution: 30 / 38* (+10) (+14)*
Dexterity: 18 (+4)
Charisma: 10 (+0)

* Raging

I add an extra +21 damage per melee hit just from my con bonus when swinging a GreatSword. (Thanks to Raging Brutality)

Did I mention that this con also allows me 487 hp when raging? It also paves the way for me to fight down to -38 hp ... and to have a base fort save of +32 while raging (or +43 against spells & spell-like abilities / superstition) combined with DR 12/- makes it very hard to drop me.

Con is just too appealing for a barbarian. Let the fighters have their strength ... we get real close to the same damage while boosting con.

Yup, these two will work together and with stats like that should work very well!

Keep in mind that just because you don't get armor prof right off the bat doesn't mean you can't pick them up later from a feat or multiclassing ;-)

Honestly with this build and stats like he has, I don't think he should waste feats on armor proficiencies. Ring of Protection, Bracers of Armor, & Natural Armor is gonna work well since the Kensai adds Intel to Dex to determine AC.

Here's my Hexcrafter:

Str 17 (All level points here gets to 22)
Dex 12
Con 12 (All favored bonus to HP)
Wis 9
Int 17(+2 Human)
Cha 7

Traits: Traits:Desperate Focus, Magical Lineage (Shocking grasp)

1 Arcane Pool +1, Cantrips, Spell Combat, Extra Arcane Pool, Iron Will
2 Spellstrike
3 Magus Arcana (Spellshield), Extra Arcana: Familiar
4 Slumber Hex
5 Arcane Pool +2, Power Attack, Intensify Spell
6 Magus Arcana (Arcane Accuracy)
7 Knowledge Pool, Medium Armor, Wpn Fcs: Scimitar
8 Improved Spell Combat
9 Arcane Pool +3, Hex Arcana (Evil Eye) , Improved Familiar
10 Fighter Training
11 Weapon Specialization, Spell Recall, Selective Spell
12 Major Arcana Hex(Ice Tomb)
13 Arcane Pool +4, Heavy Armor, Extra Arcana: Spell Blending (Boneshatter, Enervation)
14 Gtr Spell Combat
15 Hex Arcana (Major Healing) Quicken Spell
16 Counterstrike
17 Arcane Pool +5, Gtr Wpn Fcs, Spell Perfection (Cone of Cold)
18 Hex Arcana (Quickened Magic)
19 Gtr Spell Access, Maximise Spell
20 True Magus

I've gone for Versatility.
Has Both a Will and Fort Save or Lose Hex that scales with Int.
Evil Eye has multiple applications and lasts rounds
Major Healing for Self Help
Higher Int and Extra Arcana Help with points to use Arcana's
Improved Familiar for Wand Use
Between STR and a Belt of Physical Perfection you'll have STR 28 and Gtr Wpn Fcs for your to hit.
Int starts at 19 (24 with a +5 tome and up to 30 with a headband +6) this gives a final arcane pool of 20 points.

Now 1-6 Levels: First Move is to Arcane Pool your weapon, move in and Spellstrike with a shocking grasp on a Mook. You get one attack and AC sucks so Arcane Shield Helps alot. Take your full attcak and 5ft step away and use Color Spray. Slumber Hex is your opening move when you get it for enemy fighters. The Main party melee can coup de grace. Have your familiar use aid...

Just a quick comment ... how did you get Desperate Focus & Magical Lineage for traits? They are both "magic" traits. I didn't think we could have multiple traits from the same category

Our house rule on hit points is everyone gets max hit points at 1st level.

Then every level beyond 1st you get one of two options ...

1) You may take half the hp for your characters hit die for free without making a dice roll.

2) You may roll two hit dice for your character type but must take one or the other roll even if it is a "1"

With new feats like Raging Brutality, don't forget to mention that the Barbarian's main stat could be thought of as CON, with STR taking a very close second.

All the new rage manipulation feats are excellent, and once a barbarian can rage without fear of fatigue, such as with the three levels of Horizon Walker mentioned above, Vital Strike seems like it may be a good feat for the barbarian. Vital Strike + Furious Finish + Enlargement + Oversized Bastard Sword anyone?

I completely agree with Con being the main stat for barbarian. I have a 20th level Invulnerable Rager ... I went with Con as my main stat and now at 20th level I have approx 488 hp while raging, can stay in the fight down to -38 hp and have DR 12/-. When Raging Brutality from UC went live it was like a bonus from the heavens for high con build barbarians. Now when I swing my Great Sword I add +21 damage to each swing. With 4 normal attacks and 6 AoO per round with "Come & Get Me" ... do the math ... 500 HP of Raging Destruction! ... Did I mention saving throws while raging?

Fortitude: +43 (Rage, Superstition)
Reflex: +26 (Rage, Superstition)
Will: +28 (Rage, Superstition)

He's a nightmare to try and bring down.

Just lookin for a bit of constructive input on a question I have.

With the serious diminished spellcasting ability that a Bladebound - Kensai archetype will get through his entire career, and given the fact that I will begin playing in a pretty high stat campaign group and focusing on a strength build with power attack, rather than a dex build Magus, I am assuming I should focus more on my damage output with a blade and let my spells (aka Shocking Grasp) serve as supplemental damage ... is this wise?

1st level Magus (Kensai - Bladebound archetype)

Strength 18 (+4)
Intelligence 20 (+5)
Dexterity 18 (+4)

Power Attack (-1+2)
Toughness

Is giving up the extra weapon threat range that a 18-20 (x2) Katana provides, to land those nasty 19-20 (x3) from a Falcata worth it to a Magus - Bladebound Kensai build?

(Remember that the Kensai is able to start increasing his damage multiplier with a confirmed crit, starting at level 4 by spending 2 arcane points. With that in mind, A falcata can deal x4 damage very early on ... which is very appealing to me. Eventually with a keen quality on the blade I will criting on a 17-20 for x4 damage. Not bad for also being able to land an occasional x2 shocking grasp with my off-hand as well)

Just wanted to point out that the Bladebound Magus archetype says in the description "This ability replaces the magus arcana gained at 3rd level". Which seems to imply that their 3rd level arcana is used to get the Blade Blade, as if they had taken a familiar. It does not seem to imply that they are considered to lack the ability until level 6, they just spend the first arcana to become Bladebound.

By that logic, they could take the Extra Arcana feat at 3rd level. Naturally this is open to some interpretation, and I'm sure some people will insist that only a fool could see it this way, but as written it does look that way to me. Has there been an official ruling?

I actually think you are right to a degree (you aren't really giving up your magus arcana at 3rd, you just aren't able to CHOOSE your magus arcana at 3rd. (you get the sword instead by default)

But I also think gaining the Black Blade is MUCH better than the standard familiar from magus arcana ... therefore the extra hit associated to a bladebound magus class, is the fact that you aren't actually recognized as having a magus arcana until 6th level.

This is how I see it.

Endurance (ok ok not the worst feat)

Harsh conditions or long exertions do not easily tire you.

Benefit: You gain a +4 bonus on the following checks and saves: Swim checks made to resist nonlethal damage from exhaustion; Constitution checks made to continue running; Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from a forced march; Constitution checks made to hold your breath; Constitution checks made to avoid nonlethal damage from starvation or thirst; Fortitude saves made to avoid nonlethal damage from hot or cold environments; and Fortitude saves made to resist damage from suffocation.

You may sleep in light or medium armor without becoming fatigued.

Actually this feat is "almost" a mediocre feat for the last part of it's benefit. If this feat was given as a bonus feat for free to 1st level fighters, rangers & barbarians I would think this was a very cool feat. Unfortunately this feat is a prereq to Diehard. I played an invulnerable rager and I groaned having to purchase this feat to get Diehard.

So am I correct in stating that if you have a Kensai - Bladebound Magus at 20th level, using a Falcata you could get (x5) weapon damage multiplier (spending 2 arcane points + weapon mastery) and automatically confirm all crits on a 17-20? or a Katana (x4) and automatically confirm all crits on a 15-20?

Not to mention the black blade strike ALONE will be adding an extra +6 damage per hit JUST from its OWN arcane pool. Then stack on strength bonus, power attack, weapon enhancement bonus, d8 weapon damage all multiplied ... then any other fun weapon enhancements on top of that

Oh and for extra fun add a 10d6 Maximized + Intensified Shocking Grasp for another 120 damage blast with your off-hand?

I'm probably over-calculating something here and I know this isn't sustained damage round after round but this looks pretty ugly to me.

I might end up playing an invulnerable rager barbarian in an upcoming AP (Rise of the Runelords) and I am thinking the World Serpent Totem myself, for the second rage power of the chain. Having your weapon count as having every form of alignment DR when facing an aberration or Outsider. One thing I have learned is that the AP writers are in absolute love with tossing out DR 10+ critters when nothing has been given to the party that can bypass it yet. My gaming group just faced off against an incorporeal demon with DR 10 on top of it in Second Darkness, and we only managed to win because I metagamed my inquisitor's spell selection. I took align weapon as my very first second level spell simply because I was sure some encounter like this was coming eventually.

Yup doesn't it always seem like you end up fighting something that nobody is quite prepared for? lol

My Invulnerable Rager looks like this at 20th ...
Only things I would do different is go Beast Totem (I went Fiend Totem, because it was funner at lower levels) and started my superstitious (alternate) racial bonus (human) at 1st level. Funnest character I ever played so far. I think you will love an Invulnerable Rager ... this guy is a living nightmare to try to stop. I can show my gear and weapon attack bonus breakdown also if anyone is actually interested. This is all before UC came out.

Barbarian / Human / 20th Level
(Archetype: Invulnerable Rager)
(Alignment: Chaotic Nuetral)

Strength: 26 / 34* (+8) (+12)*
Intelligence: 10 (+0)
Wisdom: 15 (+2)
Constitution: 30 / 38* (+10) (+14)*
Dexterity: 18 (+4)
Charisma: 10 (+0)

Armor: 32 (24)*
Hit Points: 387 (487)*
Initiative: +5
Move: 30 ft
CMD: 46 / 42
CMB: +27 (+30)*
Attack: +25 (+28)*

(Base +20 / +15 / +10 / +5), (Strength +8 / +12)
(Weapon +5)

Damage Resistances
Lethal: 12/-, Non-Lethal: 22/-, Fire: 5

Saving Throws (12/6/6)

Fortitude: +28 (No Rage)
Fortitude: +32 (Rage)
Fortitude: +43 (Rage vs. spells etc)

Reflex: +15 (No Rage)
Reflex: +15 (Rage)
Reflex: +26 (Rage vs. spells etc)

Will: +13 (No Rage)
Will: +24 (Rage vs spells etc)
Will: +28 (Rage vs. spells/enchants)

Feats

(Fr) Simple / Martial Weapons
(Fr) Light & Medium Armor / Shields
(St) Power Attack (-6 +18) two handed
(St) Cleave (Bonus Feat for Human)
(03) Toughness
(05) Extra Rage Power (Reck Aband)
(07) Imp Critical Strike (Great Sword)
(09) Vital Strike
(11) Combat Reflexes
(13) Raging Vitality
(15) Leadership
(17) Step Up
(19) Stunning Assault

Barbarian Rage Powers*

Rage Per Day = 46
Free action to enter / exit rage.
Strength +8 / Constitution +8 / AC: -2
Indominable Will: +6 to will saves / ench
Tireless Rage

Rage to the Death
May fight up to my negative con value. Attacks = 1 hp damage / per attack (My DM house ruled this one and called it "Rage to the Death" it's basically Endurance & Diehard combined. He felt barbarians in his campaign should only have to spend 1 feat for this instead of two)

Fiend Totem (Lesser)
Horns / gore attack / piercing / 1d8 dmg

Fiend Totem
Spikes / 1d6 dmg to all who strike me

Quick Reflexes
Gain +1 Attack of Opportunity

Reckless Abandon
Gain -6 AC to Gain +6 to hit on all attacks

Improved Damage Resistance
Add 2 / - additional damage resistance

Superstition
Add +7 (+4) morale bonus to all saves vs spells, spell-like abilities or supernatural abilities.

Come & Get Me
All enemies gain a +4 to hit & dmg against me on all attacks. I gain up to 6 attacks of opportunity on any incoming attacks.

Witch Hunter
Gain +6 damage bonus against all who possess spells or spell-like abilities

Strength Surge
Gain +20 to any strength check, combat maneuver or combat maneuver defense.

Smasher
Ignore the hardness of an unattended object or sunder attempt.

Is anyone able to post the Magus Kensei archetype bonuses vs. what they give up AND and what level each of these abilities take effect?

I am trying to put together a build for a Kensei-Bladebound Magus but I know I will be giving up quite a bit of "goodness" to make that happen. I want to balance whether I think it is worth it for what I will be losing. Thanks!