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Hi all,
I'm trying to build a Magus along the Dervish Dance route, and I like the way it's taking shape. There's only one thing I'm not sure works the way I think it does... it would be nice if it did, though.
If I pick the Close Range arcana at 3rd level, does that henceforth enable me to effectively use TWF with a single weapon? In each round, I could do the following, using Spell Combat and Spell Strike together (which is explicitly allowed):
- One scimitar attack at BAB -2.
- Cast Acid Splash, defensively (DC 15).
- Deliver it through a free, second scimitar attack at BAB -2.
Sure, I don't get the benefits of ITWF and GTWF, and the defensive casting won't always work (at first). But that's more than balanced by the fact that I can use my greatly souped-up main-hand scimitar with Dervish Dance for all attacks.
Now, my questions:
- Do cantrips count as "Magus spells" for the purpose of Spell Combat and Spell Strike? The reason I ask is that they're treated somewhat differently from spell of 1st level and above; i.e., they're listed as a class feature in the Magus table rather than as part of the spell progression. However, most other applications do treat them as spells as a matter of course (e.g. defensive casting, or scrolls).
- Am I correct in the assumption that there is still no touch-attack cantrip for the Magus?
- Does Wand Wielder allow me to use Spell Strike with wands? I guess not, since the text only speaks of Spell Combat?
Cheers
Yes, cantrips work. Your close range arcana / acid splash is absolutely, 100% legal.
If you want to move to a slightly gray area, try using "arcane mark" instead. It is a touch range cantrip, and theoretically should work. However, be warned that this tends to create massive arguments. Most people seem to side with it working, but it is still a "check with your DM" situation.
I would say wand wielder probably won't work with Spell Strike, sadly. Spell Combat specifically says cast, and unless I am mistaken, spell-trigger items don't count as "casting." Not that it is a great loss. Does a 1d6 shocking grasp really help that much more than a 1d3 acid splash?
Take Two Worlds Magic to grab Touch of Fatigue. It's a trait.
Thanks, all.
Ray of Frost should work, then?
Isn't a ray defined as a ranged touch attack, anyway?
If you take the arcana then ray of frost would work, but really it's not worth it. Just use arcane mark until you level out of doing this.
-James
You should never level out of this. It grants an extra attack at little cost.
You should never level out of this. It grants an extra attack at little cost.Yeah, you really will unless you don't want to be useful.
That's like saying a wizard will find use for ray of frost at high levels cause he can cast it without any cost...
-James
If you don't have anything else to cast that round, there is no reason not to get the extra attack.
Why would you not get an extra attack, just because it's a cantrip?
I'm clearly not saying you should never use anything else, that's ridiculous. I'm saying that if you have no other spells to cast and you'll just be full-attacking anyways, getting the extra attack is much better than not getting an extra attack.
whats the point of using arcane mark on an enemy?
u mean that u can choose to deliver an arcane mark on an enemy via spellstrike only to attack em with the weapon? am i understanding this right?
im asking because i didnt know it does sound completely cheesy but i guess that it can be done with another less cheddar spell
im asking because i didnt know it does sound completely cheesy but i guess that it can be done with another less cheddar spell
With spellcombat, you cast Arcane Mark. You then deliver it through an attack using Spellstrike.
This effectively gives you an extra attack, since arcane mark will never be used up.
If you use the trait Two World Magic, you can get Touch of Fatigue.
This is useful, and not cheesy.
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There's also Disrupt Undead. I took the Close Range arcana, and I get a lot of use out of it. If I don't want to lose a normal spell and I'm fighting mooks, I pull out ray of frost and get my extra attack. A 10th lvl magus will only have ~ 16 spells (not counting recall) but you're not always going to want to use one of those spells, so why not get the free attack with a cantrip?
As a hexcrafter magus I use brand.
It at least does damage (1 point).
But my GM and I came to the agreement that it only works as long as my enemy doesn't already have one of my brands on him.
Think of it as a "make it less cheesy" deal.
Thanks, all.
Ray of Frost should work, then?
Isn't a ray defined as a ranged touch attack, anyway?
I was under this impression as well--that any ranged touch spell was a "ray".
I think rays are only spells that say they're rays. You can have non-ray RTA attacks, such as Acid Arrows.
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whats the point of using arcane mark on an enemy?
One word: Zorro
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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whats the point of using arcane mark on an enemy?One word: Zorro
Alternatively, it can be great fun to tell your GM you're using Spell Combat and Spellstrike, not tell him what spell you cast, and when you hit and he asks for the effect, you say "He's got a dick on his face".
You can always make Arcane Marks invisible
This spell allows you to inscribe your personal rune or mark, which can consist of no more than six characters. The writing can be visible or invisible. An arcane mark spell enables you to etch the rune upon any substance without harm to the material upon which it is placed. If an invisible mark is made, a detect magic spell causes it to glow and be visible, though not necessarily understandable.
Can you use Daze with the spellstrike?
I think rays are only spells that say they're rays. You can have non-ray RTA attacks, such as Acid Arrows.
That's disappointing. It makes Weapon Specialization (ray) and other such feats even poorer than they already are, and it provides no way to improve accuracy with spells like Acid Arrow other than pumping Dex.
I think rays are only spells that say they're rays. You can have non-ray RTA attacks, such as Acid Arrows.That's disappointing. It makes Weapon Specialization (ray) and other such feats even poorer than they already are, and it provides no way to improve accuracy with spells like Acid Arrow other than pumping Dex.
I think this is to mostly balance the fact that non-ray spells tend to be conjuration and are not subject to spell resistance.
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Take Two Worlds Magic to grab Touch of Fatigue. It's a trait.
This doesn't actually work because Touch of Fatigue isn't on the Magus spell list, and Spell Combat only works with spells on the Magus spell list. The only exception to this is the wizard spells that the Magus gains at 19th level with Greater Spell Access (which states that you treat them as magus spells of their level).
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Take Two Worlds Magic to grab Touch of Fatigue. It's a trait.This doesn't actually work because Touch of Fatigue isn't on the Magus spell list, and Spell Combat only works with spells on the Magus spell list. The only exception to this is the wizard spells that the Magus gains at 19th level with Greater Spell Access (which states that you treat them as magus spells of their level).
Two-World Magic
You have bridged the gap between the natural magic of the Mwangi peoples and the refined magic of the Chelish colonists.Benefit: Select one 0-level spell from a class spell list other than your own. This spell is a 0-level spell on your class spell list (or a 1st-level spell if your class doesn't have 0-level spells). For example, if you are a druid, you could select mage hand and thereafter prepare it as a 0-level druid spell; if you are a sorcerer, you could select know direction as a 0-level sorcerer spell known.
That's the point of the trait. It makes the spell part of your class' spell list. So yeah, it would work.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Take Two Worlds Magic to grab Touch of Fatigue. It's a trait.This doesn't actually work because Touch of Fatigue isn't on the Magus spell list, and Spell Combat only works with spells on the Magus spell list. The only exception to this is the wizard spells that the Magus gains at 19th level with Greater Spell Access (which states that you treat them as magus spells of their level).That's the point of the trait. It makes the spell part of your class' spell list. So yeah, it would work.Two-World Magic
You have bridged the gap between the natural magic of the Mwangi peoples and the refined magic of the Chelish colonists.Benefit: Select one 0-level spell from a class spell list other than your own. This spell is a 0-level spell on your class spell list (or a 1st-level spell if your class doesn't have 0-level spells). For example, if you are a druid, you could select mage hand and thereafter prepare it as a 0-level druid spell; if you are a sorcerer, you could select know direction as a 0-level sorcerer spell known.
Oh, NICE! Yeah that's a really excellent trait for a magus then. Woot!
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Oh, NICE! Yeah that's a really excellent trait for a magus then. Woot!Take Two Worlds Magic to grab Touch of Fatigue. It's a trait.This doesn't actually work because Touch of Fatigue isn't on the Magus spell list, and Spell Combat only works with spells on the Magus spell list. The only exception to this is the wizard spells that the Magus gains at 19th level with Greater Spell Access (which states that you treat them as magus spells of their level).That's the point of the trait. It makes the spell part of your class' spell list. So yeah, it would work.Two-World Magic
You have bridged the gap between the natural magic of the Mwangi peoples and the refined magic of the Chelish colonists.Benefit: Select one 0-level spell from a class spell list other than your own. This spell is a 0-level spell on your class spell list (or a 1st-level spell if your class doesn't have 0-level spells). For example, if you are a druid, you could select mage hand and thereafter prepare it as a 0-level druid spell; if you are a sorcerer, you could select know direction as a 0-level sorcerer spell known.
Ah, the only issue with this is that you can only have one magic trait, and I think most of us would agree that Magical Lineage(shocking grasp) is by far the best magic trait available for a magus.
Take Two Worlds Magic to grab Touch of Fatigue. It's a trait.
Cheapy, I know you posted this years ago, but I just found it and it changed my life.
Well, not literally, but it was exactly the solution to a problem I trying to solve.
Thank you.