The first thing the class needs is the barrier between them and their own Arcane Cascade lowered significantly. The defining feature that classes have had since the beginning of this system and especially even more during the Remaster effort is the ability to squeeze, compress, or somewhat combine their actions to better fit into the 3-actions per round Encounter system.
Examples:
___________________Examples___________________
• Fighter ◆◆ Sudden Charge
2 Strides and 1 Strike in only 2 actions.
• Champion ◆◆ Defensive Advance
Raise A Shield, then Stride, and finally Strike.
• Kineticist ◆ Channel Elements
A magical "state" the class needs to have active to use their Impulses. It can be combine with a 1-action Elemental Blast or activating an Impulse stance.
• Barbarian ◇ Quick-Tempered
Rage triggered by initiative, meaning its active before combat even starts.
The last example is a great highlight of giving a class the ability to better utilize one of their major class features. A free action with a trigger.
◆ Arcade Cascade (Current Version)
Concentrate, Magus, Stance Requirements: You used your most recent action this turn to Cast a Spell or make a Spellstrike. You need to meet this requirement only to enter the stance, not to remain in it.
You divert a portion of the spell's magical power and keep it cycling through your body and weapon using specialized forms, breathing, or footwork. While you're in the stance, your melee Strikes deal 1 extra force damage. This damage increases to 2 if you have weapon specialization and 3 if you have greater weapon specialization. Any Strike that benefits from this damage gains the arcane trait, making it magical.
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If your most recent spell before entering the stance was one that can deal damage, the damage from the stance is instead the same type that spell could deal (or one type of your choice if the spell could deal multiple types of damage).
Many throughout the community have suggested that Arcane Cascade should be a Reaction, triggered by the casting of a spell. I don't agree with this. Characters in this system only have 1 reaction by default. (until they gain more) A characters' reactions are a little too important for other features. I believe the system has a more elegant feature, the free action with a trigger.
"A free action might have a trigger like a reaction does. If so, you can use it just like a reaction—even if it's not your turn."
~ Player Core pg. 15
The Magus already has a significant requirement to activate their Arcane Cascade, the Cast A Spell activity or a Spellstrike during combat. Being an entire full action makes using it incredibly hard. The majority of spells in the game, especially ones you would cast during an encounter, are two actions. Spellstrike already starts off being two actions, and it can be three actions with class feats. Changing Arcane Cascade with the remaster into a triggered free action ability would significantly ease its use for the class. What we also have to utilize is the frequency feature for actions and activities. Arcane Cascade will the frequency of "once per round".
This final version of Arcane Cascade gives the Magus the ability to better and more quickly gain the benefits of their hybrid study, gain their damage bonus to increase their DPR, and harness their ability to trigger enemy weaknesses with a variety of damage types available through their spell.
2. Lessons from the Kineticist
We've made it easier to activate Arcane Cascade, but what about when we are already in Arcane Cascade or if we need to do something else.
Kineticist, Impulse Junctions
In addition, you gain an impulse junction, a benefit that occurs when you use an impulse of the chosen element that takes 2 actions or more. This happens before the other effects of the impulse, unless noted otherwise.
The Kineticist can gain impulse junctions, an extra benefit when they use impulses of 2 or more actions. So what if we add something like this to the Magus.
Arcane Edge (the name can be anything really)
Requirement: You Cast A Spell using 2 or more actions.
You can combine your combat training and the energy of your spellcasting to increase your effectiveness in the heat of battle.
• Step or Stride up to half your Speed.
• Interact to draw, stow, or swap a weapon. (this doesn't provoke reactions)
You can add more options that are specific to each hybrid study.
Aloof Firmament
• Leap or perform a High Jump or Long Jump.
