Ressy's page

So, here's a thought...

What if Magus, as a class, didn't get access to the "Cast a Spell" action. Also assume they can't gain it for their Magus spells via dedications/archetypes.

What if the Magus could only cast a spell after conditions were fulfilled. For instance a successful Strike, being hit by an enemy, blocking with a shield, etc...

Do people like the idea of instead of making magus kinda bad at magic, but able to use it all the time, they require conditions to use their magic but are instead actually good at it?

An example of this approach, assume the basic trigger is hitting with a Strike.
After hitting with a Strike, the Magus can cast a spell. The spell loses the [Manipulate] trait.

Or, alternatively, require the Magus to take a 1-action "charge up" ability, which charges them for 1 minute or until a spell is cast. Then as above, they can cast while charged up if they succeed a Strike. In this case, I'd also suggest adding some kind of bonus to the spell, such as costing 1 fewer actions; or alternatively giving some small benefit while "charged".

Possibly as above, except the Magus needs to make a special 1-action Strike action unique to the class to potentially trigger the spell. Maybe they get better versions later on in the class via feats or automatic progression.

The second and third of the above suggestions are based loosely on the Swashbuckler's Panache/Precise Strike/Finisher mechanic. Take an action to gain panache, get bonus dmg while panache is active, and lose it to add damage to a finisher blow (which only consumes panache if it connects).

So, thoughts?

What do people think of the following?

Remove the crit-bump aspect of Striking Spell.
Make Striking Spell instead give a free Strike in the same round where the spell was cast. Thus we have a single 2-action cantrip action, our free strike, and one remaining action to use for Stride/Step/Strike again/Raise Shield/Bespell/Etc...

Then, we remove the Slide Synthesis, and replace it with a synthesis which re-adds the crit-boost to Striking Spell. This makes crit-fisher Magus builds possible, but not mandatory.

It also lets you now be a 2-hander Magus who can stride into combat while casting and attacking, and then Cast+Attack+Shield spell on subsequent rounds. Or an Archer Magus who reloads a crossbow. Or a Thrown Magus who can draw out a weapon after throwing their Spell.

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We can also make the Crit-based synthesis add the [Fortune] tag, and then modify Striking Spell to deal with the spell-attack bonus issue now that we don't have to worry about True Strike boosted spell-crits.

So, looking at the 1e Magus, and thinking back to how it played, what I recall is:

Spamming lower-powered attack spells through a weapon attack.
Using the free spell per turn to self-buff with things like Mirror Image, Invisibility, or the like.

So, in an effort to make Striking Spell more useful, without being overpowered, I'm proposing splitting it into 2 effects.

• First, an ability to channel any cantrip through a (free) strike action. Hit is a Hit for both, Miss is a Miss for both.
  
• Second, the ability to cast spells on yourself (or your weapon, via Spell Slots), and get a free Strike as part of the spellcasting action.

The first one mirrors the Magus spamming endless shocking grasps in 1e.

The second mirrors the ability to self-buff without giving up attacking. Though in this case it's without giving up the 3rd action for Stride or Raising a Shield (or Spell Parry). Honestly, I feel this might not be OP if you just made it *all* spells from slots or Focus, but might be too much given 1-action Focus spells and Maguses with extra slots from Wizard Dedication.

What to people think of this approach, separating out Striking Spell between Cantrips and Slot spells?

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Alternate idea: what about just letting any-spell be cast through a strike, with the strike being free, and one roll applying to both spell and strike?

Then allowing self-targeted spells to be cast free as a reaction when you crit an enemy? Or on some other appropriately rare/situational trigger?