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Sick of Dex-based scimitar wielding magi? Me, too.
With this house rule, Strength-based two-hand wielding magi, and shield wearing magi are viable options!
From a flavor standpoint - yes, it's nice to open it up to two-handed weapons.
From a mechanics standpoint - the main advantage to going 2H is the bonus to damage (1.5x STR, 1.5x power attack). If you take that away, the only advantage a greatsword has over a scimitar is a larger base damage die. The reason so many magi use scimitars is that they have a larger critical range for spellstrike.
What two-handed weapons have the 18-20 critical? Falchions? So now every non-bladebound magus is going to use a falchion for the paltry +1.5 average base damage, unless they're a DEX build running dervish dance on a scimitar.
To be clear: I'm not trying to rain on your house rule!
But if the point is to dilute the optimal options, it doesn't really do that.
(Oh. I just realized that like, when not using spell combat with this houserule, you'd still get the 1.5x STR & 1.5x power attack. So I guess the greatsword magus has more options [damage vs. spell combat]. Maybe this invalidates my post.)
Anyway sorry for rambling :P
Super Genius Games has an arcana for the magus that lets you use a two handed weapon and use spell combat. It accomplishes basically what you are going for without the strength reduction.
The Strength applied to damage rolls being reduced was an attempt at allowing for 2-handed weapons while keeping damage output mostly the same while using Spell Combat. Why would anyone use a 2-handed weapon, then, might you ask? Well, because it's flippin' cool! Not to mention, it's Strength-based. Some characters might want to go the Str-route rather than the Dex-route.
Likewise, the shield bonus to AC being stripped during Spell Combat. Now a magus can use one, he just won't get it's shield bonus to AC while using Spell Combat. The magus hasn't gained any real advantage, just more versatility.
Ultimately, that's what this is about: versatility. More magi using more variety of weapons, instead of just one-handed weapons (scimitars if built optimally).
I understand that the magus benefits from high crit range, but so do other classes. Not all fighters choose a falchion. I think the same could be said of magi, given this version of Spell Combat. You'll still see a lot of scimitar-wielding Dex-magi, but you might also see greatsword-swingin' magi, or shield-bashin' magi. Are they going to be high crit? No. But, not every build is high crit.
It is true that a lot of builds run Dervish Dance, and it does make the class effective. That's great if you like scimitars, but what about other character concepts? They don't have to be as optimal, but they should at least be an option.
There are a lot of weapons available to the magi (all simple and martial weapons). Why not let 'em use more than the one-handed ones (or, for the optimal, the high-crit one-handed ones)?
Anyway sorry for rambling :P
Don't be! ;D
Note: The reduction in damage for a 2-hand wielding magus is only in effect while using Spell Combat. So, when not using his signature ability, and just wading into melee, he'd be benefiting from 1-1/2 times his Strength bonus, as well as the 2-handed Power Attack.
Edit: Just saw this!
(Oh. I just realized that like, when not using spell combat with this houserule, you'd still get the 1.5x STR & 1.5x power attack. So I guess the greatsword magus has more options [damage vs. spell combat]. Maybe this invalidates my post.)
Notice also that with this change a magus can dual wield, even while using Spell Combat. Only, he would not be allowed off-hand melee attacks, as his spell is effectively cast as an "off-hand" attack. It's subtle, and I am sure more than one person would come to the false conclusion that they are allowed all their melee attacks (with both weapons), plus their spell, but it's all there in the language of the ability. Essentially, they are forfeiting their off-hand melee attacks for a spell. Nifty.
Also:
NEW ARCANA
Arcane Shield (Ex)
Benefit: A magus with this arcana can use his arcane pool to grant an enhancement bonus to a weapon as normal, as well as to his shield, paying the arcane pool cost separately for each. At 5th level and above, he can also add the following shield special abilities: animated, arrow catching, arrow deflection, bashing, blinding, fortification (any), reflecting, spell resistance (any).
Arcane Shield, Greater (Ex)
Prerequisites: Arcane Shield, Magus 15
Benefit: While using spell combat, a magus with this arcana does not forfeit his shield bonus to AC.
Double Edge (Ex)
Benefit: When using points from arcane pool to augment a wielded weapon, a magus with this arcana may spend one extra point to affect his off-hand weapon at the same time (or both ends of a double weapon, if he is wielding one).
Spellshield (Su)
Prerequisites: Magus 6
Benefit: As a standard action, a magus with this arcana may store a magus spell in his shield by spending 1 point from his arcane pool per level of the spell. This functions as the spell storing weapon special ability, but activates only on a successful shield bash by the magus and is not limited to spells of 3rd level or less.
Spellshield, Greater (Su)
Prerequisites: Spellshield, Magus 12
Benefit: As an immediate action, a magus with this arcana may activate a spell he has stored with spellshield after being struck in combat. He may choose to have the spell affect himself or the creature that struck him.
Made a document listing my Magus Houserules. It isn't complete, but it'll do. Swiftblade Magus originally conceived by Drejk. Check it out.
Yeah I'm all for diversity of options. Unfortunately, most players just pick the best option, at least in my experience. I'd love to see a magus with a double sword or a greataxe.
Unfortunately, that's true. But then again, they want their characters to succeed their quest. So, I understand.
A double sword magus would be awesome! You know, I've never seen a PC use one of those? It's about friggin' time!
Unfortunately, that's true. But then again, they want their characters to succeed their quest. So, I understand.
A double sword magus would be awesome! You know, I've never seen a PC use one of those? It's about friggin' time!
The houserule you have for shields and spell combat already exists with the Skirnir archetype.
In addition to 2H Spell Combat, I would love to see a 2W Spell Combat. However, unlike 2H Spell Combat, where you can let go of your 2H weapon with one hand as a free action to cast, and then use another free action to put your one hand back onto your weapon, using 2 weapons makes it much more difficult to cast a spell with a free hand.
Technically though, any Magus could use Spell Combat while Two-Weapon Fighting or using a 2H weapon as long as they had a glove of storing.
Also, I noticed you made an addendum to say that using spell combat allows you to cast spells as if they didn't have somatic components, which quells my above concern, but that seems a little unbalanced in the scheme of things.
If your spells have no somatic components, you completely ignore arcane spell failure. This makes the Medium Armor and Heavy Armor features completely moot.
If you do have that somatic component addendum, I would also add something along the lines of "however, the Magus still suffers the arcane spell failure chance imposed by wearing armor with which he isn't proficient." That would also completely solve the 2W Spell Combat issue.
Just some things to consider.
Technically though, any Magus could use Spell Combat while Two-Weapon Fighting or using a 2H weapon as long as they had a glove of storing.
I always thought the rules precluded this. They specifically state that you need one free hand and can't be using a 2H weapon. Normally, you can just take one hand off your 2H weapon to cast a spell as a free action. The fact that spell combat rules against this indicates to me that you are casting the spell with your free hand while making your swings (even if the spell effect technically occurs before or after the attacks). Given that, I don't think RAW allows for 2H or TWF spell combat, even with a glove of storing.
Also, I noticed you made an addendum to say that using spell combat allows you to cast spells as if they didn't have somatic components, which quells my above concern, but that seems a little unbalanced in the scheme of things.
If your spells have no somatic components, you completely ignore arcane spell failure. This makes the Medium Armor and Heavy Armor features completely moot.
If you do have that somatic component addendum, I would also add something along the lines of "however, the Magus still suffers the arcane spell failure chance imposed by wearing armor with which he isn't proficient." That would also completely solve the 2W Spell Combat issue.
I think the easy solution to this would be a simple copy & paste of an old 3.5 splatbook feat's effect (Somatic Weaponry): you can use a held weapon to perform somatic components.
You'd still need a free hand to draw foci or material components, but that's what Eschew Materials is for.
The houserule you have for shields and spell combat already exists with the Skirnir archetype.
That's where I got it. The difference is that I replaced the need for that archetype by allowing all magi shield proficiency (and the ability to ignore a shield's arcane spell failure chance) and augmenting spell combat to allow for a variety of combat styles (including shield fighting).
In addition to 2H Spell Combat, I would love to see a 2W Spell Combat. However, unlike 2H Spell Combat, where you can let go of your 2H weapon with one hand as a free action to cast, and then use another free action to put your one hand back onto your weapon, using 2 weapons makes it much more difficult to cast a spell with a free hand.
See below.
Also, I noticed you made an addendum to say that using spell combat allows you to cast spells as if they didn't have somatic components, which quells my above concern, but that seems a little unbalanced in the scheme of things.
See below.
I like the archetypes, but I'm not crazy about the changes to proficiencies and spell combat. I'm not a fan of the arcana either.
I played two-handed magus before. I was okay with the one-hand restriction as it made sense. I've made my own arcana that let you wield two-handed weapons melee with one hand.
I'm not crazy about allowing shields, though. I feel that's just a straight buff to the magus, especially when the class has access to a lot of good defensive spells. At the very least, don't let them keep their AC bonuses when using a buckler. Allowing a shield feels like it should be an archetype (that doesn't suck).
Ranged spellstrike is way too good of an ability to give as an arcana. Especially when, as written, the arcana allows you to extra attacks as a standard action.
As much as I long wanted an arcana or spell that conjures weapons, I'm not a fan of spellblade at all because
1) It uses up a spell. The magus has a resource pool. Why does the arcana need to sacrifice a spell? Just make it cost arcane pool points like every other arcana.
2) Having it deal force damage is way too powerful, especially for an arcana that has no level requirement.
3) Damage can't be both energy and physical unless it's split into increments of each one (ie half fire, half bludgeoning).
4) Looks like you stole this off of the spellblade archetype, which is such a terrible archetype that they released an essentially new version of it.
I personally created my own arcana similar to this that simply costs arcane pool points and gives you a weapon with the arcane pool enhancements.
A double sword magus would be awesome! You know, I've never seen a PC use one of those? It's about friggin' time!
I have a friend that I have gamed with for about 15 years. The very first time I gamed with him, he brought this guy over who was either up on something or touched in the head. The guy only started writing up a character and didn't actually participate in the game, but he spent the entire session drawing a portrait of his character wielding his two-bladed sword. This is only worthy of mention because the two blades were 90 degrees apart, instead of 180 degrees. :)
Interesting, Ciaran.
I played a magus that used a double-bladed sword for over a year. She was an anthropomorphic cerberus with four arms that used her unique anatomy to dual-wield with her upper hands and cast spells with her lower hands at the same time. My GM house ruled that spell combat worked as long as I had a free hand occupied with spellcasting throughout the duration of the full-round action.
Playing that character made me envision multiple flavorful ways of making a two-hand or two-weapon fighting magus work without altering the rules for spell combat. For example, I could invent a spell or magus arcana that creates an invisible "psychic hand" with a Strength equal to your Intelligence modifier. It doesn't grant you any extra attacks, but you can use it to carry items or wield weapons. As a bonus, it allows a magus to use the extra hand in order to wield a two-handed weapon during spell combat or hold two weapons without having to drop one of them.