First, I have to say the ability looks awesome. But just for clarification...are the penalties for the ability in addition to the two-weapon fighting penalties, or do they replace the penalties? Thanks.
First, I have to say the ability looks awesome. But just for clarification...are the penalties for the ability in addition to the two-weapon fighting penalties, or do they replace the penalties? Thanks.
The penalties are just as stated. "It functions much like two-weapon fighting" was meant as a way to get it in your head, I think--they don't mean that it is actually TWF (so if you had the feat Two Weapon Defense, you wouldn't get the AC bonus while using spell combat).
Ahh, I somehow missed the 'much' line. That explains it completely, and I believe that I have a new favorite class ever.
So, you have to have a hand free to cast the spell, and only with one handed weapons? I can't use a two handed weapon and either cast the spell first with one hand free and the other hand holding the weapon, then grasp the two handed weapon with the free hand after casting (Or vice versa)? In game, is my character casting the spell while making the attacks?
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So, you have to have a hand free to cast the spell, and only with one handed weapons? I can't use a two handed weapon and either cast the spell first with one hand free and the other hand holding the weapon, then grasp the two handed weapon with the free hand after casting (Or vice versa)? In game, is my character casting the spell while making the attacks?
Sounds to me (or rather, it reads to me) that The magnus is a strict free-hand fighter (like the archetype in the APG.
No polearms, greatswords, or great axes for the magnus. Though a dwarf with a one-handed dwarven waraxe would be interesting.
Does the ruling that a buckler strapped to the forearm counts as having a free hand for casting apply to the Magus as well?
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No two handed weapons for the magus. Just like with two weapon fighting, using a two handed weapon is not going to work. This was a very intentional design choice.
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
Any particular reason why? As it is this seems to be a somewhat mishmashed ability that has a high chance of doing absolutely nothing whatsoever
Thanks for the replay, Jason. Just wanted to clear that up-)
No two handed weapons for the magus. Just like with two weapon fighting, using a two handed weapon is not going to work. This was a very intentional design choice.
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
But a Magus could still wield his one-handed weapon with two hands in a round when he doesn't want to use Spell Combat, couldn't he?
I could see a build around exotic weapon (bastard sword) and switching from two handed for power attack to one handed for spell combat. It is not likely a Magus will want to use spell combat every round.
I posted the following at the playtest sticky, but noticing there is a Spell Combat thread, I guess it goes better here. I am sorry for the somewhat-double post.
A thought concerning Spell Combat:
At least in my mind, I think it would make more sense if the penalties were the other way around, i.e. -2 to attack and -4 to concentration. It seems to me that it would be more difficult, while trying to combine melee combat and magic, to cast a spell successfully than to hit something with a weapon.
Not to mention that, mechanically, with a -4 penalty to attacks, it will be very very easy to miss all the time at the lower levels, considering the BAB progression of the class and the fact that the Magus does not have the luxury to invest his points during character creation to increasing, say, Strength or Dexterity to a relatively high score in order to balance out that penalty enough.
E.g., a 2nd level Magus with, say, a Strength of 14 (+2) and a BAB of +1 using a longsword would have an attack modifier of -1 for melee combat when using Spell Combat. Unless he rolls well enough, I see him as missing far more often than hitting.
Plus, with a -4 to the concentration check instead of the attack roll, if it is decided that the Magus gets Combat Casting for free, then the feat simply cancels out the penalty instead of surpassing it and providing a total +2 modifier to the Spell Combat concentration check (as is in the case of the -2 penalty to concentration checks that the class has now when you factor in the +4 bonus from the Combat Casting feat).
This last bit I mention because I have seen others say that the Magus should get Combat Casting as a free feat. Not sure where I stand on this, but I thought to mention it anyway.
Spell Combat seems fine, but just for clarification purposes:
Feats affecting Two Weapon Fighting will not affect Spell Combat right ?
It seems a bit weird (but will look more impressive) that the Magus has actually has to hold light or one handed melee weapon. Does this mean, that you can´t hold a touch spell in one hand an use the other with Spell Combat to cast Haste?
Other than that a really nice ability, can´t wait to try the class.
Man, spell combat + true strike = <3.
If the Magus is holding a light weapon, are the penalties reduced to -2?
I'm aware that in order for the penalty to drop to -2, the spell itself would have to be dropped to "light" category, but will the main weapon (which could just as easily be considered the off-hand weapon to keep the analogy with TWF) be a determining factor?
'findel
I could see a build around exotic weapon (bastard sword) and switching from two handed for power attack to one handed for spell combat. It is not likely a Magus will want to use spell combat every round.
I forgot what's the official stand on the bastard sword. Is it a two-handed weapon that can exceptionally be held in 1 hand with the purchase of a feat, therefore not usable with spell combat? Or is it a 1-handed exotic weapon than can exceptionally be wielded without non-proficiency penalties with two-hands, therefore making it legit with Spell Combat?
I could see a build around exotic weapon (bastard sword) and switching from two handed for power attack to one handed for spell combat. It is not likely a Magus will want to use spell combat every round.I forgot what's the official stand on the bastard sword. Is it a two-handed weapon that can exceptionally be held in 1 hand with the purchase of a feat, therefore not usable with spell combat? Or is it a 1-handed exotic weapon than can exceptionally be wielded without non-proficiency penalties with two-hands, therefore making it legit with Spell Combat?
A bastard sword is a One Handed Melee weapon listed under exotic weapons. It is not a two handed weapon but you can use it two handed if you do not have the exotic proficiency for it. So the Bastard sword would work fine for the Magus if you blow the feat to use it normally. Otherwise you can't use it.
A bastard sword is a One Handed Melee weapon listed under exotic weapons. It is not a two handed weapon but you can use it two handed if you do not have the exotic proficiency for it. So the Bastard sword would work fine for the Magus if you blow the feat to use it normally. Otherwise you can't use it.
... Or you could be a half-elf and take the Ancestral Arms alternate racial ability. I intend to do that and then also take arcane training to boot.
A bastard sword is a One Handed Melee weapon listed under exotic weapons. It is not a two handed weapon but you can use it two handed if you do not have the exotic proficiency for it. So the Bastard sword would work fine for the Magus if you blow the feat to use it normally. Otherwise you can't use it.... Or you could be a half-elf and take the Ancestral Arms alternate racial ability. I intend to do that and then also take arcane training to boot.
I like that idea.
What happens if the Magus takes two weapon fighting? I'd assume nothing since the free hand is not a weapon but maybe one way of resolving the -4 to attack issue is to allow two-weapon fighting to reduce the penalty by 2.
To be fair I would rather just see the penalty reduced as I stated earlier. Otherwise two-weapon fighting would be another feat tax and increase MAD. However if the penalties are to stay at -4 then the feat tax is better than nothing.
I would much prefer something like -2 to attack/-2 to concentration (or even -4 if, for example, the Combat Casting feat is decided to be given for free to the Magus) for Spell Combat, with relevant improvements for Improved Spell Combat and Greater Spell Combat (like -2/0 or 0/-2 for Improved and 0/0 for Greater).
Having to take Two-Weapon Fighting or a similar feat to make the Magus' signature ability a viable option at all levels (seeing as how a low-level character has to be very lucky indeed with his attack and concentration rolls, especially considering the medium BAB progression and the MAD status of the class, if he is to pull Spell Combat off) is not a good thing in my opinion.
After all, there are already certain feats that some, or many, might consider almost obligatory for the Magus, such as Combat Casting (if not given for free), Quick Draw, Weapon Focus, Spell Focus and Spell Penetration, not to mention Dodge and Toughness for the extra 'oomph' at defense and durability.
Man, spell combat + true strike = <3.
In what way?
Man, spell combat + true strike = <3.In what way?
Not that I completely agree with the sentiment, but I believe he means the ability to cast True Strike then actually strike in the same round.
Not that I completely agree with the sentiment, but I believe he means the ability to cast True Strike then actually strike in the same round.Man, spell combat + true strike = <3.In what way?
That depends what you think is better. You can use two rounds to definitely cast True Strike and them perform an attack with a +20 to the attack.
Or, you can use one round to have a 30% or so chance to cast True Strike for a cumulative +16 to the attack if you actually succeed in casting it.
Not that I completely agree with the sentiment, but I believe he means the ability to cast True Strike then actually strike in the same round.Man, spell combat + true strike = <3.In what way?That depends what you think is better. You can use two rounds to definitely cast True Strike and them perform an attack with a +20 to the attack.
Or, you can use one round to have a 30% or so chance to cast True Strike for a cumulative +16 to the attack if you actually succeed in casting it.
That was based on a 4th level experience, using concentrate to reduce the spell failure rate to about 15%. It was a very good "break glass in case of emergency" move though.
Why not stablish spell combat as a feat, and giving it for free to a magus.
That would be a powerful feat and being left wide open for spell casting classes would be abused.
Maybe the answer is to reduce the penalties to -2 to hit and a concentration check with no penalty but to not have the ability scale with level. This reduces the penalty to be in line with two weapon fighting and helps the ability to be relevant early. This also keeps the power of the ability in check at later levels where the penalties are not as hard to overcome.
I got this:
Spell Combat:
Starting at 1st level, a magus can make a full-attack action. When doing so he may make his standard number of attacks with a melee one handed weapon at a -2 penalty. In addition to these attacks he may cast a spell with a casting time no longer than a standard action. He must cast this spell defensively, and if he fails the concentration check the spell is lost and the attacks still take a -2 penalty. He may choose to either cast the spell or make his attacks first but he can not interupt one action with the other (he can't make his first attack cast the spell and then make his second attack for example). For the purpose of this attack, the magus's base attack bonus is equal to his magus level. For all other purposes, such as qualifying for a feat or a prestige class, the magus uses his normal base attack bonus.