15 Point Buy version: Str 08 / Dex 14 / Con 12 / Int (16 + 2 =) 18 / Wis 10 / Cha 10; increase Dexterity at levels 4 and 8; increase Intelligence thereafter.
20 Point Buy version: Str 10 / Dex 14 / Con 14 / Int (16 + 2 =) 18 / Wis 10 / Cha 10; increase Dexterity at levels 4 and 8; increase Intelligence thereafter.
Traits: Pragmatic Activator (to get Use Magic Device based on Intelligence), Reactionary (improves chances of not dying) -- if Campaign Trait also needed, add a Drawback to get another Trait slot.
Favored Class Bonus (Wizard only): All goes to Skills (get through the skill ranks constriction in Wizard levels with as few skill advancement delays as possible).
Skill Ranks per Level: Total 14, 9, or 10 for Rogue, Wizard, or Arcane Trickster, respectively: 8, 2, or 4 for class (respectively), 1 for being Human, 1 for Favored Class Bonus (Wizard levels only), 4 for Intelligence 18 (becomes 5 at level 16), 1 for Cunning feat.
Skills to Max: Acrobatics, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Knowledge (Arcana), Perception, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Stealth.
Skills to Max - 3: Use Magic Device.
Other Skills (low investment but need to be non-0): Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Fly (eventually needs to be more than 1), Knowledge (all not listed above, and some eventually need to be more than 1), Sense Motive, Swim.
01 = Unchained Rogue (no archetype) 01: Level 1 character feat = Cunning (we need more skill ranks -- see above); Human bonus feat = Toughness; Rogue bonus feat = Weapon Finesse. Wear Armored Kilt or Haramaki (preferred) to avoid arcane spell failure; eventually get enchanted armor of either type.
02 = Rogue 1/Wizard (Diviner:Foresight, Arcane Bond = Bonded Ring, no archetype) 1: Wizard bonus feat = Scribe Scroll. Enchant Bonded Ring for protection and eventually Freedom of Movement.
03 = Rogue 1/Wizard 2: Level 3 character feat = Accomplished Sneak Attacker.
04 = Rogue 1/Wizard 3: -
05 = Rogue 1/Wizard 3/Arcane Trickster 1: Level 5 character feat = Equipment Trick (Thieves' Tools).
06 = Rogue 1/Wizard 3/Arcane Trickster 2: -
07 = Rogue 1/Wizard 3/Arcane Trickster 3: Level 7 character feat = Intensified Spell.
08 = Rogue 1/Wizard 3/Arcane Trickster 4: -
09 = Rogue 1/Wizard 3/Arcane Trickster 5: Level 9 character feat = Great Fortitude.
10 = Rogue 1/Wizard 3/Arcane Trickster 6: -
11 = Rogue 1/Wizard 3/Arcane Trickster 7: Level 11 character feat = Improved Initiative.
12 = Rogue 1/Wizard 3/Arcane Trickster 8: -
13 = Rogue 1/Wizard 3/Arcane Trickster 9: Level 13 character feat = Spell Penetration.
14 = Rogue 1/Wizard 3/Arcane Trickster 10: -
15 = Rogue 1/Wizard 4/Arcane Trickster 10: Level 15 character feat = Greater Spell Penetration.
16 = Rogue 1/Wizard 5/Arcane Trickster 10: Wizard bonus feat = Selective Spell.
17 = Rogue 1/Wizard 6/Arcane Trickster 10: Level 17 character feat = Quicken Spell.
Arcane Tricskter (starting as Unchained Rogue 1/Wizard 5), Human, moderately fast advancement -- not the fastest possible, but better feat progression than the fastest possible advancement, at the cost of delayed Sneak Attack progression:
15 Point Buy version: Str 08 / Dex 14 / Con 12 / Int (16 + 2 =) 18 / Wis 10 / Cha 10; increase Dexterity at levels 4 and 8; increase Intelligence thereafter.
20 Point Buy version: Str 10 / Dex 14 / Con 14 / Int (16 + 2 =) 18 / Wis 10 / Cha 10; increase Dexterity at levels 4 and 8; increase Intelligence thereafter.
Traits: Pragmatic Activator (to get Use Magic Device based on Intelligence), Reactionary (improves chances of not dying) -- if Campaign Trait also needed, add a Drawback to get another Trait slot.
Favored Class Bonus (Wizard only): All goes to Skills (get through the skill ranks constriction in Wizard levels with as few skill advancement delays as possible).
Skill Ranks per Level: Total 14, 9, or 10 for Rogue, Wizard, or Arcane Trickster, respectively: 8, 2, or 4 for class (respectively), 1 for being Human, 1 for Favored Class Bonus (Wizard levels only), 4 for Intelligence 18 (becomes 5 at level 16), 1 for Cunning feat.
Skills to Max: Acrobatics, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Knowledge (Arcana), Perception, Sleight of Hand, Spellcraft, Stealth.
Skills to Max - 5: Use Magic Device.
Other Skills (low investment but need to be non-0): Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Fly (eventually needs to be more than 1), Knowledge (all not listed above, and some eventually need to be more than 1), Sense Motive, Swim.
01 = Unchained Rogue (no archetype) 01: Level 1 character feat = Cunning (we need more skill ranks -- see above); Human bonus feat = Toughness; Rogue bonus feat = Weapon Finesse. Wear Armored Kilt or Haramaki (preferred) to avoid arcane spell failure; eventually get enchanted armor of either type.
02 = Rogue 1/Wizard (Diviner:Foresight, Arcane Bond = Bonded Ring, no archetype) 1: Wizard bonus feat = Scribe Scroll. Enchant Bonded Ring for protection and eventually Freedom of Movement.
03 = Rogue 1/Wizard 2: Level 3 character feat = Accomplished Sneak Attacker.
04 = Rogue 1/Wizard 3: -
05 = Rogue 1/Wizard 4: Level 5 character feat = Equipment Trick (Thieves' Tools).
06 = Rogue 1/Wizard 5: Wizard bonus feat = Intensified Spell.
07 = Rogue 1/Wizard 5/Arcane Trickster 1: Level 7 character feat = Great Fortitude.
08 = Rogue 1/Wizard 5/Arcane Trickster 2: -
09 = Rogue 1/Wizard 5/Arcane Trickster 3: Level 9 character feat = Improved Initiative.
10 = Rogue 1/Wizard 5/Arcane Trickster 4: -
11 = Rogue 1/Wizard 5/Arcane Trickster 5: Level 11 character feat = Spell Penetration.
12 = Rogue 1/Wizard 5/Arcane Trickster 6: -
13 = Rogue 1/Wizard 5/Arcane Trickster 7: Level 13 character feat = Greater Spell Penetration.
14 = Rogue 1/Wizard 5/Arcane Trickster 8: -
15 = Rogue 1/Wizard 5/Arcane Trickster 9: Level 15 character feat = Selective Spell.
16 = Rogue 1/Wizard 5/Arcane Trickster 10: -
17 = Rogue 1/Wizard 6/Arcane Trickster 10: Level 17 character feat = Quicken Spell.
A bit of flesh starting to form: This character intended for Ironfang Invasion or Tyrant's Grasp (whichever one the Dwarven Skirnir Magus does not take).
15 Point Buy version: Str 13 / Dex (13 + 2 =) 15 / Con (14 - 2 =) 12 / Int (15 + 2 =) 17 / Wis 11 / Cha 07 (I hate dumping, but it's unavoidable without higher point buy); increase Intelligence at level 4; increase Dexterity at every 4n level thereafter.
20 Point Buy version: Str 13 / Dex (14 + 2 =) 16 / Con (14 - 2 =) 12 / Int (15 + 2 =) 17 / Wis 10 / Cha 10; increase Intelligence at level 4; increase Dexterity at every 4n level thereafter.
Traits for Ironfang Invasion: Ironfang Survivor (need that +2 Dodge Bonus against Goblinoids), Warrior of Old (if you're a front-liner, and you're squishy, you had better be fast to react), Highlander (if you can't quit being squishy, at least be stealthy).
Traits for Tyrant's Grasp: The Pessimist (never turn up your nose at +1 to Will Saves, especially when you have a bad Will Save in class), Warrior of Old (if you're a front-liner, and you're squishy, you had better be fast to react), Highlander (if you can't quit being squishy, at least be stealthy).
All Favored Class Bonus goes to Hit Points (to be less squishy, and the Elven Favored Class Bonus for Fighter is terrible anyway).
Skill Ranks per Level: Total 9 (8 for the first 3 levels): 4 for Lore Warden Fighter, 1 for Cunning feat, 3 (first 3 levels) or 4 (thereafter) for Intelligence 17 (first 3 levels) or 18 (thereafter).
Skills to Max: Acrobatics, Escape Artist, Knowledge (Local for Ironfang Invasion or History for Tyrant's Grasp), Knowledge (Nature for Ironfang Invasion or Religion for Tyrant's Grasp), Perception, Sense Motive (delay acquisition until level 4), Stealth, Survival.
Other Skills (low investment but need to be non-0): Climb, Fly (eventually needs to be more than 1 if a reliable means of flight can be obtained), Knowledge (all not listed above, and some eventually need to be more than 1), Linguistics, Sense Motive, Spellcraft, Swim.
01: Level 1 character feat = Cunning; Level 1 Fighter bonus feat = Weapon Finesse.
02: -; Lore Warden Skill Over Strength comes online.
03: Level 3 character feat = Elven Battle Training; Level 3 Lore Warden Sword Secret = Know Thy Enemy.
04: Level 4 Fighter bonus feat = Elven Battle Style.
05: Level 5 character feat = Elven Battle Focus; Martial Flexibility 1 comes online (use most often for Improved Combat Maneuver feats or archery feats).
06: Lore Warden bonus feat = Combat Expertise; Level 6 character feat = Power Attack (for best effect, use with Elven Curve Blade or Elven Branched Spear; nevertheless keep a Leaf Blade and a Thorn Blade as backup).
07: Level 7 character feat = Combat Reflexes; Level 7 Lore Warden Sword Secret = Swift Assessment.
08: Level 8 Fighter bonus feat = Agile Maneuvers.
09: Level 9 character feat = Iron Will; Martial Flexibility 2 comes online.
10: Level 10 Fighter bonus feat = Elven Battle Torrent.
11: Level 11 character feat = Extra Martial Flexibility; Level 11 Lore Warden Sword Secret = Hair's Breadth.
12: Level 12 Fighter bonus feat = Point Blank Shot.
13: Level 13 character feat = Precise Shot; Martial Flexibility 3 comes online.
14: Level 14 Fighter bonus feat = Improved Precise Shot.
15: Level 15 character feat = Rapid Shot; Level 15 Lore Warden Sword Secret = Hair's Breadth.
16: Level 16 Fighter bonus feat = Manyshot.
17: Level 17 character feat = Lightning Reflexes; Superior Martial Flexibility comes online.
18: Level 18 Fighter bonus feat = Martial Focus (Bows).
19: Level 19 character feat = Clustered Shots; Level 19 Lore Warden Sword Secret = Exploit Weakness.
20: Level 20 Fighter bonus feat = Far Shot; Supreme Martial Flexibility comes online.
Magus, Dwarf, Tank and Bull Rush Specialist (Skirnir):
Magus (Skirnir), Dwarf (with alternate racial trait substitutions of Unstoppable for Hardy, Fey Thoughts (Perception, Survival) for Hatred in Ironfang Invasion or Death's End for Defensive Training and Hatred in Tyrant's Grasp, and Lorekeeper for Greed).
A bit of flesh starting to form: This character intended for Ironfang Invasion or Tyrant's Grasp (whichever one the Elven Cutting Intellect Fighter does not take).
15 Point Buy version: Str 15 / Dex 12 / Con (14 + 2 =) 16 / Int 15 / Wis (8 + 2 =) 10 / Cha (07 - 2 =) 05 (I hate dumping, but it's unavoidable here without higher point buy); increase Strength at level 4; increase Intelligence thereafter.
20 Point Buy version: Str 15 / Dex 14 / Con (14 + 2 =) 16 / Int 15 / Wis (8 + 2 =) 10 / Cha (08 - 2 =) 06 (I hate dumping, but it's unavoidable here without higher point buy); increase Strength at level 4; increase Intelligence thereafter.
Traits for Ironfang Invasion: Ironfang Survivor (need that +2 Dodge Bonus against Goblinoids), Defensive Strategist (never be Flat-Footed due to surprise or at the start of a battle).
Traits for Tyrant's Grasp: The Pessimist (even as a Dwarven Magus, never turn up your nose at +1 to Will Saves, especially when you have to semi-dump Wisdom), Defensive Strategist (never be Flat-Footed due to surprise or at the start of a battle).
All Favored Class Bonus goes to Skills (always really hard up for skill points, and unfortunately, the Dwarf Favored Class Bonus for Magus just isn't very good, being one of those that advances at a rate of 1/6).
Skill Rans per Level: Total 5: 2 for Magus, 1 for Favored Class Bonus, 2 for Intelligence 15 (becomes 3 at level 8 and 4 at level 16).
Skills to Max: Knowledge (Local for Ironfang Invasion or History for Tyrant's Grasp), Knowledge (Nature for Ironfang Invasion or Religion for Tyrant's Grasp), Perception, Spellcraft, Survival.
Other Skills (low investment but need to be non-0): Climb, Fly (eventually needs to be more than 1), Knowledge (all not listed above, and some eventually need to be more than 1), Linguistics, Sense Motive, Swim.
01: Level 1 character feat = Artful Dodge (later on lets us get Two-Weapon Fighting using Int instead of Dex for the prerequisite, and the Dodge bonus partially makes up for having lower Dex); Level 1 bonus feat = Toughness (from the Unstoppable alternate racial trait); start with weapon (preferably Dwarven Waraxe or better yet Dwarven Double Waraxe) and Light Armor of choice and Light Shield (no Spell Combat yet for the Skirnir archetype, so use your shield hand to hold your weapon when casting a spell, and keep in mind that your shield is an Arcane Bond item, so you can enchant it without needing Craft Magic Arms and Armor); use the 1st level Magus spell Lock Gaze to punish enemies who refuse to pay attention to you, and use offensive spells that have multiple charges (such as Chill Touch) to amortize the penalty of not having Spell Combat and make your Attacks of Opportunity more punishing -- at this point, although you are merely a tanky melee combatant, you will be quite tough for your level, except for your lousy Armor Class, so use other spells to shore that up as much as you can.
02: - (note that Skirnir actually gets Spellstrike at the previous level, and can use it with a Shield Bash as well as a weapon strike).
03: Level 3 character feat = Improved Shield Bash (keep your Shield Bonus when Shield Bashing); Level 3 Magus Arcana = Maneuver Mastery (Bull Rush) (to use your level instead of your BAB; later on, Shield Slam is a Bull Rush, somewhat nerfed in effectiveness but greatly improved in action economy, so this should work with it, but you don't have Shield Slam yet, so use this on regular Bull Rushes, but beware that you incur Attacks of Opportunity until you get Improved Bull Rush at 5th level; as a considerable bonus, it doesn't consume Arcane Pool points) -- at this point, you can start pushing enemies around the battlefield (use True Strike to help with this if you need), although since you will take some hits in so doing, don't overdo it.
04: Level 4 Ability Score Increase goes to Strength (gets Strength to an even number).
05: Level 5 character feat = Power Attack (required for Improved/Greater Bull Rush; use Blade Tutor's Spirit to mitigate the penalty); Level 5 Magus bonus Combat feat = Improved Bull Rush (you get a +2 bonus and suffer no more Attacks of Opportunity against you when you do a regular Bull Rush, and even when you get Shield Slam later) -- at this point, you can do what you were doing at level 3, but do it several more times, due to Improved Bull Rush making you take fewer hits.
06: Level 6 Magus Arcana = Prescient Attack -- if you are going to do a weapon attack and then a Shield Bash (or later a Shield Slam), this helps, since denying an opponent their Dexterity Donus nerfs their Armor Class and their CMD, assuming that they have a Dexterity Bonus -- this is important if you are fighting something like a Monk or a Pixie, or worse yet a Shadow or especially a Greater Shadow (normally, Accurate Strike would be better because it doesn't need a successful hit to get it started, but unlike most Magus builds, you have real Two-Weapon Fighting to add extra attacks to help get it started even in rounds when you aren't using Spell Combat).
07: Level 7 character feat = Two-Weapon Fighting (required for Shield Slam; use to get Shield Bashes in, and use Blade Tutor's Spirit to mitigate the penalty, and avoid using Power Attack at the same time); Medium Armor also comes online, and unlike the original Human version of this build, it doesn't slow you down, so suit up!. Fly also comes online, and you can Bull Rush (and eventually Shield Slam) flying opponents, as long as you can catch up to them (Haste, which also comes online at this time, helps with that part). In case you need some Temporary Hit Points while in a fight, Vampiric Touch also comes online at this time. Tactical Adaptation also comes online, and the combat feats you can use it on include Improved Combat Maneuvers other than Bull Rush.
08: Level 8 Ability Score Increase goes to Intelligence; Shielded Spell Combat comes online, and since this lets you use your shield hand to perform Somatic components of your spells, you could upgrade to a Heavy Shield (but beware that this worsens Two-Weapon Fighting penalties, so not recommended); BAB is now +6 as needed for Shield Slam, but you don't have a feat available until next level.
09: Level 9 character feat = Shield Slam (a MAJOR action economy boost for your Bull Rushing); Level 9 Magus Arcana = Enduring Blade (for Ironfang Invasion long fights against hordes) or Ghost Blade (for Tyrants Grasp going up against a lot of Undead/Incorporeal -- just make sure to turn on Ghost Touch and not Brilliant Energy by mistake, since the latter doesn't work on Undead, or on Constructs, for that matter; Brilliant Energy may also have undesirable effects on your shield) -- you are now mostly online, although you still have 2 more bits of awesomeness coming at level 11.
10: -
11: Level 11 character feat = Greater Bull Rush (you get another +2 bonus, and whether doing a regular Bull Rush or a Shield Slam, whoever you Bull Rushed takes Attacks of Opportunity from all of your allies that they go by); Level 11 Magus bonus feat = Combat Reflexes (especially juicy to use with Shield Slam, and Greater Bull Rush makes this even more dangerous for your opponents) -- you are now fully online, and everything after this is just icing on the cake.
12: Level 12 Ability Score Increase goes to Intelligence; Level 12 Magus Arcana = Accurate Strike (use this in conjunction with Shield Slam -- Shield Slam as a Touch Attack? -- sign me up!; also use Power Attack and Two-Weapon Fighting at the same time for the rest of your turn, as long as you aren't fighting something like a Monk or a Pixie, or worse yet a Shadow or especially a Greater Shadow -- fortunately, if you are up against one of those enemies, you also have Prescient Attack).
13: Level 13 character feat = Weapon Trick (Weapon and Shield) -- this immediately unlocks Block & Counter (only use when you have juicy Attack of Opportunity potential or need to set up a squishier team mate to pull off something awesome) and Warded Movement (as long as you meet the more strict requirements of Artful Dodge compared to Dodge); if you have any ranks in Knowledge (Dungeoneering) (which you should anyway), this also immediately unlocks Shielded View (which won't come up very often but could save your rear when it does). Also, Heavy Armor comes online now -- this build has less Dex than the old one (especially on 15 point buy), so suit up!
14: -
15: Level 15 character feat = Shield Master (now your BAB is at the required +11) -- no more Two-Weapon Fighting penalties on attack rolls made with a shield, and your shield's defensive enhancement bonus now becomes also an offensive bonus, so go ahead and Power Attack at the same time as Two-Weapon Fighting; Level 15 Magus Arcana = Bane Blade (for Ironfang Invasion) or Devoted Blade (for Tyrant's Grasp).
16: Level 16 Ability Score Increase goes to Intelligence.
17: Level 17 character feat = Armor Focus (feat tax for Poised/Imposing Bearing); level 17 Magus bonus feat = Poised Bearing).
18: Level 18 Magus Arcana = Reflection (9th level spells can be extremely nasty -- you want to be able to reflect them).
19: Level 19 character feat = Imposing Bearing.
20: Level 20 Ability Score Increase goes to Intelligence.
Magus, Elf, The Whirling Calcifier:
Magus (Staff Magus), Elf with the Blended View alternate racial trait replacing Keen Senses (to get Darkvision), and the Shadowhunter alternate racial trait replacing Weapon Familiarity to be able to fight Incorporeal creatures (even without a Ghost Touch or other magic weapon -- use Chill Touch to make some of them run away) and recover better from Undead attacks.
15 Point Buy version: Str 14 / Dex (13 + 2 =) 15 / Con (14 - 2 =) 12 / Int (15 + 2 =) 17 / Wis 09 / Cha 07 (I hate dumping, but it is unavoidable here without higher point buy); increase Intelligence at level 4; increase Dexterity at level 8; increase Intelligence thereafter.
20 Point Buy version: Str 15 / Dex (14 + 2 =) 16 / Con (14 - 2 =) 12 / Int (15 + 2 =) 17 / Wis 10 / Cha 07 (I hate dumping, but it is unavoidable here without higher point buy); increase Intelligence at level 4; increase Strength at level 8; increase Intelligence thereafter.
Traits: Campaign Trait, Pragmatic Activator (get Wand of Mage Armor to use pre-Combat, and other Wands for out-of-combat utility).
Favored Class Bonus: Skill Points for 1st 2 levels (use for the low-investment but potentially life-saving skills Climb and Swim), then add +1/6 of a new Magus Arcana thereafter (unfortunately can't choose this before level 3, because level 3 is when you get your first Magus Arcana).
Skill Ranks per Level: Total 6: 2 for Magus, 1 for Cunning feat (retrained once intelligence increases at level 4), 3 (eventually more) for Intelligence 17; also gets 1 extra Skill Rank from Favored Class Bonus at each of levels 1 and 2.
Skills to Max initially: Perception, Knowledge(Arcana), Knowledge(Local), Spellcraft, Use Magic Device.
Skills to add as much as possible to, and then Max after Intelligence increase at level 16: Knowledge (Planes).
Other Skills (low investment but need to be non-0): Climb, Fly (eventually needs to be more than 1), Knowledge (all not listed above, and some eventually need to be more than 1), Sense Motive, Swim.
01: Level 1 character feat = Cunning (need the skill points); Staff Magus bonus feat = Quarterstaff Master.
02: -
03: Level 3 character feat = Dodge; level 3 Magus Arcana = Wand Wielder (get Wand of True Strike to use for Combat Maneuvers).
04: Level 4 ability score increase goes to Intelligence; retrain Cunning to Mobility; Spell Recall comes online and will be very important in case you need to recast a critical spell -- do not take an archetype that impairs this.
05: Level 5 character feat = Spell Penetration (get started on becoming able to fight things having Spell Resistance -- this stacks with Elven Magic); level 5 Magus bonus feat = Rime Spell -- use initially with Frostbite.
06: Level 6 Magus Arcana = Arcane Accuracy.
07: Level 7 character feat = Spring Attack -- use this with high speed that you get from Haste to lay hits and bad touches on opponents without them being able to retaliate, even if they have Reach (unless their Reach is insanely long); Tactical Adaptation also comes online, but hold off on this until you have Haste covered.
08: Level 8 ability score increase goes to Dexterity on 15 point buy or to Strength on 20 point buy; Favored Class Bonus Magus Arcana = Spell Shield (for when you can't get the Shield Spell up).
09: Level 9 character feat = Greater Spell Penetration (become even more able to fight things having Spell Resistance); Level 9 Magus Arcana = Accurate Strike (use against very heavily armored enemies that have terrible Touch AC, like Dragons).
10: -; use Greater Invisibility to thwart highly mobile foes from retaliating, and stack it with Mirror Image in case you get Glitterdusted, and stack THAT with Displacement so that it is harder for enemies to hit you AND your Mirror Images.
11: Level 11 character feat = Dimensional Agility (so that you can use Dimension Door and attack inn the same round or have a fighting chance of casting Dimension Door to get out of a Grab/Grapple); level 11 Magus bonus feat = Combat Expertise (a feat tax for Whirlwind Attack, but you can use Blade Tutor's Spirit to mitigate the attack penalty); since you will only be using Whirlwind Attack when facing hordes of enemy minions, use Tactical Adaptation to get it temporarily (until you can get it permanently later on) so that you can debuff a horde of enemy minions with Chill Touch or Rime Frostbite; Improved Spell Recall comes online and will be very important in case you need to recast a critical spell -- do not take an archetype that impairs this, because you WILL end up needing to recast Bad Touch spells like Calcific Touch if you had to recast some critical buff that got dispelled (which itself is likely to require Improved Spell Recall) or to recast Dimension Door if an enemy is getting away or if you need to get away.
12: Level 12 ability score increase goes to Intelligence; Level 12 Magus Arcana = Maximized Magic (normally bad due to the once per day limit, but you are going to need this to make Calcific Touch do reliable Dexterity Damage to once per day bosses in a couple of more levels).
13: Level 13 character feat = Piercing Spell -- some boss enemies like Wyrm Dragons and very high level Fiends have insane Spell Resistance, and you will need this in addition to all the other bonuses you have for overcoming Spell Resistance.
14: Favored Class Bonus Magus Arcana = Spell Blending (Calcific Touch, Dimensional Anchor) -- most Giants and the great majority of big Dragons other than Linnorms have awful Dexterity, and a Maximized Calcific Touch (with Piercing Spell for Dragons) will turn them to stone in 2 or 3 touches, with no Save (the Save is only good against the Slow effect); Lesser Globe of Invulnerability is Dispel Magic bait -- enemies have to dispel it first before removing your other buffs (including held charges of Calcific Touch); Dimensional Anchor is to keep enemies from teleporting away (with no Save) before you can finish turning them to stone; try to get a Staff of Abjuration for Lesser Globe of Invulnerability, but if you can't get this Staff, get a few Scrolls of this spell so that you can cast and if necessary recast it using your hefty Use Magic Device modifier.
15: Level 15 character feat = Whirlwind Attack (same use as before, but now you don't need to use Tactical Adaptation to get it); level 15 Magus Arcana = Quickened Magic(normally bad due to the once per day limit, but you are going to need this for quick recasting of spells that are too high level to use with Quicken Spell), including Calcific Touch and your higher level buffs.
16: Level 16 ability score increase goes to Intelligence.
17: Level 17 character feat = Dimensional Assault; level 17 Magus bonus feat = Quicken Spell (use this for fast recasting of low level buffs like Shield and Mirror Image, so that you can save Quickened Magic for the higher-level spells, which will potentially include Dimension Door until you get to level 19).
18: Level 18 Magus Arcana = Reflection (9th level spells can be extremely nasty -- you want to be able to reflect them).
19: Level 19 character feat = Dimensional Dervish -- Swift Action Dimension Door without needing Quicken Spell or Quickened Magic.
20: Level 20 ability score increase goes to Intelligence; Favored Class Bonus Magus Arcana = Devoted Blade or Bane Blade, depending upon campaign.
Magus (no archetype or Hexcrafter), Half-Elf with Ancestral Arms alternate racial trait replacing Adaptability to get Whip proficiency and Fey Thoughts (Escape Artist, Perception) replacing Multitalented.
15 Point Buy version: Str 10 / Dex (14 + 2 =) 16 / Con 14 / Int 15 / Wis 10 / Cha 08 (I hate dumping, but have to soft-dump here); all ability score increases go to Intelligence.
20 Point Buy version: Str 10 / Dex 16 / Con 14 / Int (15 + 2 =) 17 / Wis 10 / Cha 08 (I hate dumping, but have to soft-dump here); all ability score increases go to Intelligence.
Traits: Campaign Trait, Pragmatic Activator (get Wand of Mage Armor to use pre-Combat, and other Wands for out-of-combat utility).
Favored Class Bonus for no archetype: Add +1/4 point to the Magus’ Arcane Pool.
Favored Class Bonus for Hexcrafter: Skill Points for 1st 2 levels (use for the low-investment but potentially life-saving skills Climb and Swim), then add +1/6 of a new Magus Arcana thereafter (unfortunately can't choose this before level 3, because level 3 is when you get your first Magus Arcana).
Skill Ranks per Level: Total 4 for 15 Point Buy version or 5 for 20 Point Buy version: 2 for Magus, 2 or 3 for Intelligence 15 (15 Point Buy version) or 17 (20 Point Buy version) (in both cases, eventually get more); Hexcrafter also gets 1 extra Skill Rank from Favored Class Bonus at each of levels 1 and 2.
Skills to Max: Acrobatics (delay acquisition until Intelligence increase at level 4), Escape Artist (critical due to low Strength), Knowledge (Arcana) (20 Point Buy version -- for 15 Point Buy version add this later when Intelligence increase permits), Perception, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device.
Other Skills (low investment but need to be non-0): Climb, Fly (eventually needs to be more than 1), Knowledge (all not listed above, and some eventually need to be more than 1), Sense Motive, Swim.
01: Level 1 character feat = Weapon Finesse; Half-Elf Ancestral Arms = bonus feat Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Whip); however, also carry a Rapier to use when a Whip is not effective, and also carry a Kukri as a backup weapon in case you get Grappled.
02: -
03: Level 3 character feat = Whip Mastery; level 3 Magus Arcana = Wand Wielder (get Wand of True Strike to use for Combat Maneuvers; resist the temptation to get a Wand of Ill Omen to debuff enemies that don't know about how to remove Ill Omen, which won't work very well, since you can't Spellstrike with a Wand, which doesn't matter in the case of True Strike).
04: Level 4 ability score increase goes to Intelligence; if using HexCrafter archetype, Spell Recall replaced by Level 4 Hex = Slumber Hex.
05: Level 5 character feat = Phalanx Formation; Level 5 Magus bonus feat = Combat Reflexes.
06: Level 6 Magus Arcana for no archetype = Prescient Attack (for fighting something like a Monk or a Pixie, or worse yet a Shadow or especially a Greater Shadow, although unfortunately Prescient Attack needs a successful hit in the first place to get it started, so you might have to Wand Wield a True Strike first to get it started); level 6 Magus Arcana for Hexcrafter = Evil Eye Hex.
07: Level 7 character feat = Emergency Attunement (use this if you have to change your Tactical Adaptation choice and later if you have to change your Paragon Surge choice); Tactical Adaptation come online and can be used to get a temporary Combat Feat, including Dirty Fighting until you get this as a regular feat at level 9, and then including the Improved Combat Maneuver feats unlocked by Dirty Fighting.
08: Level 8 ability score increase goes to Intelligence; if using HexCrafter archetype, Favored Class Bonus Magus Arcana = Misfortune Hex.
09: Level 9 character feat = Dirty Fighting; Level 9 Magus Arcana = Accurate Strike (use against very heavily armored enemies).
10: -; Paragon Surge comes online to add to Tactical Adaptation (see above, and optionally add Greater Combat Maneuver feats when using both spells), but can also be used for some other type of feat, including Extra Magus Arcana (Maneuver Mastery), which could be better than the corresponding Greater Combat Maneuver feat if you don't think you can get good use of teammates getting Attacks of Opportunity on whatever enemy you used Improved Combat Maneuver on (and would have otherwise used the corresponding Greater Combat Maneuver on); if using Hexcrafter archetype, you can alternatively use Paragon Surge for Accursed Hex or Extra Hex.
11: Level 11 character feat = Weapon Focus (Whip); Level 11 Magus bonus feat = Improved Whip Mastery; although not explicitly stated in the rules, assume that since Hexcrafter replaced Spell Recall with a Hex, it automatically degrades Improved Spell Recall (not explicitly altered by the archetype text) to Spell Recall.
12: Level 12 ability score increase goes to Intelligence; Level 12 Magus Arcana for no archetype = Devoted Blade; Level 12 Magus Arcana for Hexcrafter archetype = Ice Tomb Hex or Retribution Hex.
13: Level 13 character feat for no archetype = Greater Whip Mastery; level 13 character feat for Hexcrafter archetype = Split Hex (double your Hexing action economy).
14: - for no archetype; if using Hexcrafter archetype, Level 14 Favored Class Bonus Magus Arcana = Retribution Hex or Ice Tomb Hex (whichever one you did not get at level 12).
15: Level 15 character feat = Slashing Grace (only works in rounds in which you aren't using Spell Combat, like in successive rounds of delivering a multi-touch spell like Chill Touch or Frostbite); level 15 Magus Arcana for no archetype = Bane Blade or Devoted Blade (depending upon campaign); level 15 Magus Arcana for Hexcrafter = Regenerative Sinew Hex (you can fix up party members including yourself that get massively damaged or ability damaged).
16: Level 16 ability score increase goes to Intelligence.
17: Level 17 character feat = Rime Spell; level 17 Magus bonus feat = Heighten Spell (use on Frostbite to change it from a multi-touch debuff into a multi-round multi-touch debuff, and use on Chill Touch to boost the Save DC back into relevance -- Persistent Spell would be better for that but wouldn't work for Frostbite or other boosted low-level Cold spells).
18: Level 18 Magus Arcana = Reflection (9th level spells can be extremely nasty -- you want to be able to reflect them) (for Hexcrafter it is tempting to select Life Giver, but unlike Regenerative Sinew, which will be needed fairly often, this should be needed rarely enough that using Paragon Surge, possibly with Emergency Attunement, to get this should cover the need).
19: Level 19 character feat for no archetype = Quicken Spell; level 19 character feat for Hexcrafter = Split Major Hex (double your Major Hexing action economy).
20: Level 20 ability score increase goes to Intelligence.
15 Point Buy version: Str 14 / Dex 14 / Con 13 / Int (14 + 2 =) 16 / Wis 11 / Cha 07 (I hate dumping, but it is unavoidable for this); increase Constitution at level 4; increase Wisdom at level 8 (for more Grit); increase Intelligence thereafter.
20 Point Buy version: Str 14 / Dex 14 / Con 13 / Int (14 + 2 =) 16 / Wis 13 / Cha 09; increase Wisdom at level 8 (for more Grit); increase Constitution at level 4; increase Intelligence thereafter.
Traits: Campaign trait, Pragmatic Activator (gets us UMD on Intelligence, and we already have it in-class, so just need to move it away from dumped Charisma onto boosted Intelligence).
Favored Class Bonus (Magus only): Add +1/4 point to the Magus’ Arcane Pool.
Skill Ranks per Level: Total 7 for Gunslinger or 5 for Magus: 4 for Gunslinger or 2 for Magus, 3 (eventually more) for Intelligence 16.
Skills to Max: Craft (Weapons) (required for firearm maintenance and supply), Knowledge (Engineering), Perception, Spellcraft, Use Magic Device.
Other Skills (low investment but need to be non-0): Climb, Craft (Alchemy) (need to Max for making alchemical ammunition when Intelligence increase permits), Craft (Jewelry) (needed for making Pearls of Power), Fly (eventually needs to be more than 1), Knowledge (all not listed above, and some eventually need to be more than 1), Sense Motive, Swim.
01 = Gunslinger 1: Level 1 Character Feat = Combat Reflexes; Human bonus feat = Combat Expertise (alternatively Dirty Fighting, but the spell Blade Tutor's Spirit actually lets us make good use of Combat Expertise a bit later); use a Firearm (preferably two-handed for better range) at range and use a weapon with the Trip quality (such as a Flail) in melee; be sure to make good use of the Deadeye Deed to convert ranged attacks beyond the first range increment into Ranged Touch Attacks (this means DON'T use a Gunslinger archetype that trades this out, except as noted in the variants below).
02 = Gunslinger 1/Myrmidarch Magus 1: -; use True Strike (with Spell Combat) as needed to make sure that enemies go down when really urgent; more economically, use Long Arm and/or Enlarge Person to get Reach that lasts through multiple attacks.
03 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 2: Level 3 Character Feat = Improved Trip.
04 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 3: Level 3 Magus Arcana = Maneuver Mastery (Trip); level 4 ability score increase goes to Constitution.
05 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 4: Level 5 character feat = Ranged Trip; use True Strike as needed to make sure that even distant enemies go down when urgent, even when you are operating under non-ideal conditions for ranged combat; Ranged Spellstrike comes online, and while without Ranged Spell Combat this isn't as good as it sounds, you can still make good use of it in combination with the Deadeye Deed and/or an enchanted Firearm.
06 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 5: Level 5 Magus bonus feat = Deadly Aim (which Blade Tutor's Spirit actually lets us make good use of, since we usually don't use Combat Expertise simultaneously).
07 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 6: Level 6 Myrmidarch Weapon Training = Firearms (replaces a Magus Arcana -- this is what we went Myrmidarch for); level 7 character feat = Craft Wondrous Item (especially to make Pearls of Power, since Myrmidarch trades out Spell Recall -- make as many of these as you can).
08 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 7: Level 8 ability score increase goes to Wisdom (for more Grit, for more uses of the Deadeye Deed). Tactical Adaptation also comes online, and the combat feats you can use it on include Improved Combat Maneuvers other than Bull Rush.
09 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 8: Level 9 character feat = Ace Trip (which requires the Weapon Training we got at the 6th level); use True Strike as needed to make sure that even flying enemies go down when urgent, even when you are operating under non-ideal conditions for ranged combat, and then run up and use your melee weapon and normal Spell Combat/Spellstrike to finish them off; Myrmidarch Armor Training 1 comes online, so switch to Medium Armor.
10 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 9: Level 9 Magus Arcana = Accurate Strike.
11 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 10: Level 11 character feat = Extra Magus Arcana (Spell Blending (Staggering Fall, Burdensome Thoughts)) -- use Staggering Fall as an Immediate Action on enemies you Trip, including Ace Trip, and use Burdensome Thoughts to keep them from getting back into the air, and you don't even need Spell Combat or Spellstrike to do this.
12 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 11: Level 11 Magus bonus feat = Advanced Weapon Training (Warrior Spirit) (enables enchantment with weapon special qualities you can't get with Arcane Pool enchantment or that would require a Magus Arcana for; uses separate pool, but enchantments can be combined); Level 12 ability score increase (and all those following) goes to Intelligence.
13 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 12: Level 12 Myrmidarch Weapon Training = {your melee weapon group} (qualifies your melee weapon for use with Warrior Spirit and increases Warrior Spirit pool size and enhancement bonus equivalent); level 13 character feat = Persistent Spell (use this especially with Staggering Fall and pretty soon also with Burdensome Thoughts -- suddenly enemies' save every round to throw off the effects of Staggering Fall doesn't look so good, and their single chance to throw off the effects of Burdensome Thoughts looks even less good).
14 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 13: -
15 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 14: Level 15 character feat = Greater Trip; Myrmidarch Armor Training 2 comes online, so switch to Heavy Armor.
16 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 15: Level 15 Magus Arcana = Reflection (high level spells are nasty, and you want to be able to reflect them); level 16 ability score increase goes to Intelligence.
17 = Gunslinger 1/Magus 16: Level 17 character feat = {start of ranged combat improvement feats}.
Build variant 1 of 4: Bolt Ace
Spoiler:
Change Gunslinger to Bolt Ace: You use the Sharp Shoot Deed to convert a crossbow attack into a Ranged Touch attack. Unfortunately, this only works for the first range increment, but fortunately, most crossbows have a big range increment. Some GMs who ban firearms still allow Bolt Ace Gunslinger. You don't need the Craft skills mated for this unless you need to make crossbows and bolts, so you can free up the skill ranks for something else.
Build variant 2 of 4: Hooded Champion Ranger
Spoiler:
Replace Gunslinger with Hooded ChampionRanger: You use the Dead Aim Deed to convert a bow attack into a Ranged Touch attack. Unfortunately, this only works for the first range increment, but fortunately, longbows have a big range increment. A disadvantage is that it uses Panache, which depends upon Charisma, which you have to !dump hard unless you have really high point buy. You could even dip 2 levels of this to get the Combat Style feat (choose Precise Shot), but a delay of 2 levels of spellcasting progression really hurts on top of Diminished Spellcasting, and then Magical Knack becomes a necessity. You don't need the Craft skills mated for this unless you need to make bows and arrows, so you can free up the skill ranks for something else.
Build variant 3 of 4: Techslinger (requires modern weapons)
Spoiler:
Change Gunslinger to Techslinger: Although this trades out the Deadeye Deed, if you can get your hands on advanced technological (or modern) firearms, your first range increment is long enough that you may be able to make do without this Deed, and the Covet Charge and occasionally Reliable Deeds will be good to have with advanced technology weapons. In this case, try to rearrange ability scores for more Dexterity + Wisdom, but instead of picking up Weapon Finesse, get Skill Focus (Knowledge (Engineering)) (actually use the Human alternate racial trait Focused Study for this, or be a Half-Elf) and squeeze in Technologist (this will require bumping some of the upper level feats back (because this consumes 2 feats, including your wildcard feat from character level 7). Normally, this would not be optimal, but it might be just the thing for Iron Gods.
Build variant 4 of 4: Siege Gunner (requires modern weapons)
Spoiler:
Change Gunslinger to Siege Gunner: As noted above, if you can get your hands on modern firearms, the range increment is long enough that you might be able to make do without the Deadeye Deed. In this case, this archetype becomes attractive (even though I said don't do it in a previous post) for making your Grit Intelligence-based. The only AP (other than Iron Gods) that I can think of that has modern firearms is Reign of Winter, but this comes too late in the AP for this to be of much use. If you are in a custom campaign on Earth, though, this option might be for you.
More to come . . . .
* * * * * * * * Party builds that haven't been made into (or matched up with) parties yet * * * * * * * * (See here for P ~ Z.)
