Director of Game Design
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Hey there all,
If you've got an idea for a new Magus Arcana, this is the place to put them. We have some room to add a few more to the class, so I want your ideas. Lets just stick to ideas in this thread. No feedback or replies necessary.
Jason Bulmahn
Lead Designer
Paizo Publishing
As per my earlier thread:
Raging Caster - Allows the magus to cast while under the effect of a barbarian rage.
Focused Caster, +2 to concentration checks, may be taken more than once.
If you've got an idea for a new Magus Arcana, this is the place to put them.
Maybe ranged spellstrikes? I can see why it would be a balance issue, so maybe put a range limit on it, or delay access to it until after one could have entered arcane archer?
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What about an arcana that allows him to deliver ranged touch spells through his spellstrike ability. Specifically this would convert them to melee touch mechanic-wise, thus avoiding any AoOs that would be triggered by ranged touch attacks. This would be able to be taken at level 6. With only 2 touch spells on his entire list it feels as though the whole spellstrike ability is a waste.
An ability allowing a magus to use spell combat while wielding a two-handed weapon.
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theurgic blending: Choose a spell not on your spell list from another specasting class that is at least two levels below the maximum spell level that you can cast and add it to your list. Minimum caster should be either be seventh or tenth.
I thought of this one specifically so that the magus could get Lead Blades from the APG.
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A Magus Arcana chain that allowed you to increase your unarmed damage would be neat.
I personally love that idea. Nothing like that of monk's unarmed damage mind you, but at least a step up from the standard 1d3/1d2 that you normally get.
How about something like the sandman bard archetype ability that enables you to steal spells from other casters and add it to your spell list.
How about the ability to sacrifice a spell to temporarily boost his AC, by the same rate as the level of the spell (Drop a 3rd level spell, get +3 AC for N rounds).
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Arcane Blast
Arcane Strike
When using Spell combat you may take an immediate action to activate Arcane strike instead of a swift action.
Arcane Resistance:
As an Immediate action a Magus can sacrifice a spell to gain a morale bonus to his saving throws equal to the level of the spell sacrificed.
Evasion
Arcane shield seems a bit weak as it won't stack with a shield spell
I would love to see the Light, Medium, and Heavy armor proficiencies turned into percentages. This would allow some one to where whatever armor they wish and take their chances with arcane spell failure, but still get some benefit from the armor training.
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I'll let the designers figure out how to balance...
Dazzling Blast
A magus with this magus arcana can sacrifice one of his prepared magus spells as a move action to create a blinding flash of light targeted at an adjacent enemy. The enemy must make a Fortitude save or be dazzled for 1d4 rounds. The DC for saving against this effect is DC10+(level of sacrificed spell)
Then perhaps a couple more (in a chain) with pre-requisites that can apply flat-footed, sickened, shaken or deafened conditions (with similar names like Deafening Blast and some level requirements). This gives a magus an alternative to attacking with touch spells with their offhand to instead apply debuffs.
As Decorus already stated something that alters arcane strike would be nice. I would rather it be a free action but anything that helps with economy of action.
Also i didn't see anything about getting a bonded item, getting a familiar is very nice but i loves me my bonded items. This might make for some complications with how arcane weapon works though.
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Arcane Blast
Arcane Strike
When using Spell combat you may take an immediate action to activate Arcane strike instead of a swift action.Arcane Resistance:
As an Immediate action a Magus can sacrifice a spell to gain a morale bonus to his saving throws equal to the level of the spell sacrificed.Evasion
Arcane shield seems a bit weak as it won't stack with a shield spell
Evasion - Maybe make it where the Evasion is only effective from spells cast by the Magus. This may lower the power, but makes a lot of sense.
Arcane Resistance - This is cool, I like this idea!
Arcane Shield - That may be, but with the fact that a Magus can wear armor and eventually heavy armor, and cast shield, and eventually use Arcane Barrier (or whatever the feat in the APG is called) I'm okay with Arcane shield not being stack able with the shield spell.
Cleaving Touch: You may treat a spell touch attack as a melee attack for the purposes of the feat Cleave.
First of all, I would like to add my agreement to what Epic Meepo said about the armor proficiencies as Magus Arcana.
I think an unarmed damaging type of Magus Arcana is needed, though what form it should take I am unsure.
I think a magical perception type of Magus Arcana is needed also.
I think that a Magus Arcana that essentially grants the Magus the Weapon Specialization feat, but only for their Arcane Weapon, would be good. I would give it a minimum level of 6, so that it wouldn't outdo the fighter.
Two other ideas:
Ghostly Steps: The magus can become momentarily insubstantial, moving like a ghost or as if in a dream, through an enemy occupied space without provoking attacks of opportunity. When using this ability, he is insubstantial, for up to a number of attacks of opportunity during his turn equal to the level of the spell slot he must sacrifice to activate Ghostly Steps.
As an insubstantial creature, the magus can move through solid objects, including living creatures. As an insubstantial creature, the magus can see and hear normally, but are limited to 60 feet.
Force effects and abjurations affect the magus normally. The magus can’t attack material creatures while this ability is in effect, and spells he casts only affect other insubstantial things. Ethereal creatures, materials, and effects can affect the magus normally. Treat other insubstantial creatures and insubstantial objects as if they were material.
If Ghostly Steps ends and the magus becomes material while inside a material object (such as a solid wall), he is shunted off to the nearest open space and takes 1d6 points of damage per 5 feet that he so traveled.
The magus cannot gain this ability until 10th level.
Mystic Fortitude: The magus has learned to harness the mystical energies behind their enemies’ abilities and turn them to his own purpose. Once per day, if the magus makes a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw against a spell, spell-like, or supernatural ability of an opponent, as an immediate action, he may sacrifice a spell slot to gain a +1 enhancement bonus to attack rolls, CMB, damage, ability checks, and skill checks equal to the spell slot he sacrificed to activate this ability. He cannot sacrifice a 0-level spell slot to activate this ability. These bonuses lasts for the remainder of that encounter or until the opponent is defeated, whichever occurs first. Successive saving throws provide a cumulative effect of up to +1 per successful saving throw, not to exceed the Intelligence bonus of the Magus. If the magus ever fails a saving throw against a spell, spell-like, or supernatural ability while using this magus arcana, he loses all enhancement bonuses previously granted by this ability.
This magus arcana can be taken multiple times; each additional time it is taken provides one additional use of this ability per day. The magus cannot gain this ability until 6th level.
Perhaps an 'Int+3/day' special ability like a lot of other casters get that can be specifically used with Spellstrike? It seems like a logical ability to me, especially since I'd like to see something a bit more...usable with the Conductive weapon enchantment.
I'd say give him an ability that improves on the Arcane Strike Feat. Maybe he will eventually do it as a free action.
Turn the medium armor and heavy armor abilities into magus arcana (since they effect spellcasting in addition to armor proficiency)
I like this,.. adds variety to potential builds. Also, an idea which i mentioned in another thread...
the ability to summon / generate a weapon of pure magic instead of necessarily imbuing a normal weapon with power. - possibly as a Magus Arcana or when you get Arcane Weapon? The downside would be that you couldn't then make use of magical weapons, however this could be fixed if a mechanic to "consume" a magical weapon and transfer its properties to the summoned weapon were included. I just think this'd be really cool and add some unique class flavour.
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First of all, I would like to add my agreement to what Epic Meepo said about the armor proficiencies as Magus Arcana.
I think an unarmed damaging type of Magus Arcana is needed, though what form it should take I am unsure.
I think a magical perception type of Magus Arcana is needed also.
I think that a Magus Arcana that essentially grants the Magus the Weapon Specialization feat, but only for their Arcane Weapon, would be good. I would give it a minimum level of 6, so that it wouldn't outdo the fighter.
Two other ideas:
Ghostly Steps: The magus can become momentarily insubstantial, moving like a ghost or as if in a dream, through an enemy occupied space without provoking attacks of opportunity. When using this ability, he is insubstantial, for up to a number of attacks of opportunity during his turn equal to the level of the spell slot he must sacrifice to activate Ghostly Steps.
As an insubstantial creature, the magus can move through solid objects, including living creatures. As an insubstantial creature, the magus can see and hear normally, but are limited to 60 feet.
Force effects and abjurations affect the magus normally. The magus can’t attack material creatures while this ability is in effect, and spells he casts only affect other insubstantial things. Ethereal creatures, materials, and effects can affect the magus normally. Treat other insubstantial creatures and insubstantial objects as if they were material.
If Ghostly Steps ends and the magus becomes material while inside a material object (such as a solid wall), he is shunted off to the nearest open space and takes 1d6 points of damage per 5 feet that he so traveled.
The magus cannot gain this ability until 10th level.Mystic Fortitude: The magus has learned to harness the mystical energies behind their enemies’ abilities and turn them to his own purpose. Once per day, if the magus makes a successful Fortitude or Will saving throw against a spell, spell-like, or supernatural ability of an opponent, as an...
Hmmm... I might tweak these two a bit, but they in theory they seem like solid additions to the magus' repertoire.
I would not want to see 'Get feat X'-type of arcana, but I'd like to see some damage and ability score enhancing type of abilities. It wouldn't hurt if you could sacrifice spells to rerolls saving throws, although that might be too good, considering that normally you have to spend two feats to do that once per day.
How about an arcana that allows the magus to dimension door or teleport a short distance (up to 50 ft. or so?), in the similar vein teleporting works in 4E?
Versatile Spellstrike (Su): Whenever you cast a touch attack spell with spellstrike that deals acid, cold, electricity or fire damage, you may change the damage to one of the other four energy types.
If that's too powerful, limit it to one energy type and make it available for a number of times. I'd love to be able to use a fiery or frosty Shocking Grasp with my spellstrikes early on!
I also want to +1 the idea of medium and heavy armor proficiencies becoming Magus Arcanas.
Probably not the right spot, but what the heck.
I'd like to see a class archetype that get's rid of the medium and heavy armor but replaces it with enhanced AC (say Int bonus to AC + level based bonus) and bonuses to acrobatics. Call it an Arcane Swashbuckler.
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Remember, this guy also gets up to level 6 spells and uses his class level as his caster level; not to mention being able to cast spells AND full attack at the same time, and especially any new touch spells he gets hold of. Full BAB/d10 HD would be very much overpowered on a class that is supposed to be decent at casting and combat, but not as good at either as one of the focused classes. Full melee and casting is a prestige class for a reason.I would VERY MUCH like to see a full BAB and a d10 HD. A 3/4 BAB and d8 seems a bit weak for a melee combatant. Make it like the Archon from Genius. I do like the proficiency with all martial weapons, though. Just like the fighter, paladin, ranger, barbarian, and cavalier. (All fighting classes.) That sort of makes up for the 3/4 and d8, but I'd still like to see some of the things that are planning to be added possibly replaced with the full BAB and d10. IMO a fighting melee class should have this. Just more in tune with the flavor of what that kind of class does. It doesn't take anything away from the Fighter since the Magus is not getting the combat feats, weapon/armor talents, or the armor/shield proficiency.
Please?
Thanks!
+1! Full BAB, D10 HD and 6th level spells on top of the usual PF RPG class features is just too much.
Remember, this guy also gets up to level 6 spells and uses his class level as his caster level; not to mention being able to cast spells AND full attack at the same time, and especially any new touch spells he gets hold of. Full BAB/d10 HD would be very much overpowered on a class that is supposed to be decent at casting and combat, but not as good at either as one of the focused classes. Full melee and casting is a prestige class for a reason.
It didn't overpower the Duskblade in PHB 2 back in 3.5 (d8 hp and full BAB). Granted he was limited to 5th level spells not 6th. He also had fewer save/lose spells (Magus has Glitterdust, etc).
+1! Full BAB, D10 HD and 6th level spells on top of the usual PF RPG class features is just too much.Remember, this guy also gets up to level 6 spells and uses his class level as his caster level; not to mention being able to cast spells AND full attack at the same time, and especially any new touch spells he gets hold of. Full BAB/d10 HD would be very much overpowered on a class that is supposed to be decent at casting and combat, but not as good at either as one of the focused classes. Full melee and casting is a prestige class for a reason.I would VERY MUCH like to see a full BAB and a d10 HD. A 3/4 BAB and d8 seems a bit weak for a melee combatant. Make it like the Archon from Genius. I do like the proficiency with all martial weapons, though. Just like the fighter, paladin, ranger, barbarian, and cavalier. (All fighting classes.) That sort of makes up for the 3/4 and d8, but I'd still like to see some of the things that are planning to be added possibly replaced with the full BAB and d10. IMO a fighting melee class should have this. Just more in tune with the flavor of what that kind of class does. It doesn't take anything away from the Fighter since the Magus is not getting the combat feats, weapon/armor talents, or the armor/shield proficiency.
Please?
Thanks!
Actually, what I found in my comparison thread of Magus to EK is that, if anything, the Magus has even more than the usual PF RPG class features in terms of quality and quantity. Its special class features are its ace in the hole.
How about Disruptive and Spellbreaker as Arcana (Arcanae?). Since it would be difficult for the Magus to qualify for them otherwise.
+1! Full BAB, D10 HD and 6th level spells on top of the usual PF RPG class features is just too much.
Very much agreed. There's still room for a full-BAB arcane caster, but it needs to be a different class with a different focus. Like, say, this one. ;)
I agree with the sentiment of making Medium Armor and Heavy Armor magus arcana rather than automatic class features, in exchange for a different class features or getting magus arcana slightly more often.
Anyway, I've got two ideas:
Fairly obvious: The ability to sacrifice a spell as a swift action for a bonus on damage equal to twice the spell's level for one round. I think this would do well for magi who sacrifice their Strength for Dexterity or Intelligence.
Not so obvious: The ability to retain held touch spell charges for much longer - perhaps even indefinitely (perhaps this can take the form of storing the spell in your weapon). This would let you prepare a spell to deliver via Spellstrike in advance if you anticipate combat.
Arcane Riptose: whenever you cast an arcane spell you gain a bonus on melee damage rolls until the begining of yor next turn equal to the spell level.
Greater Arcane Riptose: whenever you cast an arcane spell you gain a bonus on melee damage rolls until the begining of yor next turn equal to twice the spell level. A magus must be 12th level and have the Arcane Riptose Arcane before selecting this one.
Humbly,
Yawar
...The ability to retain held touch spell charges for much longer - perhaps even indefinitely (perhaps this can take the form of storing the spell in your weapon). This would let you prepare a spell to deliver via Spellstrike in advance if you anticipate combat.
Ooooh! Me likey! But, I think it should be limited in some way or it could get too powerful.
I agree with the sentiment of making Medium Armor and Heavy Armor magus arcana rather than automatic class features, in exchange for a different class features or getting magus arcana slightly more often.
I think these go better as class abilities, because anyone who games the system to build the most ridiculous damage dealer would just ignore these if they were Magus Arcana and go straight for anything that boosts damage. Having them as they are, you don't have any choice in the matter and can start grabbing some of the chunkier armor that will keep you alive. Besides, I hate it when something +3 that I can't use gets looted when I'm wearing +2.
I do like the spell-storing idea. Be able to store a single spell in your Arcane Weapon to be used in the next 24 hours or it is lost.
+1! Full BAB, D10 HD and 6th level spells on top of the usual PF RPG class features is just too much.Very much agreed. There's still room for a full-BAB arcane caster, but it needs to be a different class with a different focus. Like, say, this one. ;)
Considering that the class can already attack 3 times AND cast a spell in the same round, I think it already gets 4 attacks. MUCH better that full BAB.
BTW, I do like the Iron Mage, but it has a different feel from this one, so could actually be present in the same game world.
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Arcanum I'd like to see:
Spell Hand: A Magus with this Arcanum may deliver an unarmed strike when using Spellstrike with his off-hand. He may do so only against an opponent's normal AC instead of their touch AC, adding the spell damage to his unarmed strike.
How about something like this for a virtual Two-Weapon Fighter:
Wandwielding: A Magus may use a wand as an improvised weapon. A wand wielded this way deals 1d4 damage and has a critical multiplier of x2. A Magus with this arcanum may still use Spell Combat but his concentration check suffers a further -2 penalty. A Magus may only select this Arcana at 6th level.
Advanced Wandwielding: A Magus who successfully hits an opponent with a wand attack may discharge any touch spell stored in the wand. Furthermore a Magus with this Arcanum only suffers the normal penalties to concentration when using Spell Combat. A Magus may only select this arcana if he has Wandwielding.
1)Suppression
Whenever you damage a creature with your bonded arcane weapon you may choose to suppress one magical or supernatural effect that the creature is the subject of. This suppression lasts for a number of rounds equal to half your Magus level. A magus may only affect a creature with one suppression at a time. A magus that damages that creature again with his bonded weapon before the suppression ends may choose to change the magical or supernatural effect that is suppressed. The Magus may use this ability once per day plus once for every four levels beyond 4th
Not sure if this should have a certain level requirement.
2)Imbue Ally
As a swift action you may touch an ally granting him one of your prepared touch spells(you lose that spell) Your ally may deliver that spell through their melee weapon in the same manner as the magus. Any metamagic feats applied to the spell apply.
3)Concussive Blast
As a standard action you may release a spell stored in your arcane weapon as a wave of pure concussive magic in a 10ft radius burst centered on you. The amount of damage is equal to 1d6 dmg per level of the spell stored in the sword. Any creatures caught in the area can make a fortitude save equal to the DC of the spell stored in the weapon for half damage. Any creature failing the save is also staggered for one round. The stored spell is used up in this manner.
Not sure of the action type or the staggered condition for this one. Maybe deafened or stunned would be better.
4)Arcane Resistance
Sacrifice a prepared spell granting you a bonus to your saving throws equal to the level of the spell sacrificed for 1 minute per magus level.
Eh, not sure about the duration on this one.
Blurred Trail
Sacrifice a prepared spell to create a blur effect around yourself whenever you move. Any attacks of opportunity you incur as part of your movement suffer a 50% miss chance. This ability lasts a number of rounds equal to the level of the spell sacrificed.
Retributive strike/Arcane retribution:
Whenever the magus is targeted by a spell or within a spells targeted area, for one round you gain a bonus to damage on the first attack you make against the caster of the spell, equal to the spell level that was cast.
If it is too powerful, it can be limited to only arcane spells. If too weak, it can add double spell level damage.