I'm surprised you never mentioned the human's dual talent and adoptive parentage alternate features. Dual talent allows you to add +2 to two ability scores of your choice, allowing you to get bonuses not possible by other races (like STR and INT). Adoptive parentage gives you free weapon proficiencies or weapon focus at 1st level. Considering that magi cannot get weapon focus at 1st level, that's a pretty nice option. It would be very easy to say your character was raised by gnolls or some exotic race that lives in Katapesh, granting you weapon focus in scimitar.
Also, what about the drow magic options for elves and half-elves? You like moonlight stalker and that would grant a free darkness once per day.
I if I wanted darkness and a strength/int bonus I would have gone tiefling. I wrote the guide before the races book came out, and have not fully updated it.
Well looking at that group the healing hex takes a bit more importance. Ask the inquisitor how healing focused he will be. You may have to share healing duties.
A wand of infernal healing is better than CLW.
The defiler or Melee transmorgifist seem best suited.
The defiler owns singles target control.
The melee transmorgifist is more versatile but can still entangle/fatigue/demoralize with a Rime Frostbite.
Elf is always the superior choice.
The alt racial bonus is 3 EXTRA ARCANAS wwhich can be used for
Evil Eye, Ice Tomb and Summon Spirit at the levels they are available.
Plus the alt Arcane Focus +2 to concentration is great (since you trade elf weapons and Magus is martial proficient)
Add to that free Spell Penetration and there is no contest.
While I'm still questioning the value of hexcrafter, I would like to thank you, Ranger, for putting me onto the usefulness of Monstrous Physique; Empowered Frosbite + so many attacks per round... yum.
A couple of questions:
1. If you already have the white haired witch at 1st level, why take prehesile hair with your 1st hex? Aren't you already getting that or do you need that hex to extend the range to 10 feet?
2. You listed grab as a WHW ability at 6th level, but earlier said it came at 1st level with the WHW prehensile hair?
Thanks again for the guide :)
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A couple of questions:
1. If you already have the white haired witch at 1st level, why take prehesile hair with your 1st hex? Aren't you already getting that or do you need that hex to extend the range to 10 feet?
2. You listed grab as a WHW ability at 6th level, but earlier said it came at 1st level with the WHW prehensile hair?
Thanks again for the guide :)
You take the prehensile hex hair so you can add your Int bonus to your attack instead of your strength. The WHW archetype only lets you add your Int bonus to damage.
as for the Grab, that's the old non-editable posting of the build. If you follow the link to the google docs you'll see that it should read as Constrict.@KnotAguru, It's for your next x number of touches/attacks no matter how long that takes (until you cast another spell, then it ends no matter how many charges you have left).
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It's taken awhile but I think I have a more focused version of the Transmorgifist completed with a full 20 level build out. It is definitely more melee focused then any of my other builds with a lower focus on hexes but it's damage output is the highest of all the builds I've seen.
Take a look and let me know what you see/ questions you have before I add it to the main document.
The Melee Transmorgifist
This Hexcrafter is mostly orientated on Melee damage via using Magic to acquire Natural Attacks to maximize his channeled touch spells. This build works best as a standard strength based hexcrafter.
With his focus on using his natural attacks to deliver his spells this is the least weapon focused Hexcrafter out there and should be avoided by the Staff Magus and Blade Bound archetypes.
Half-Orc, Half-Elf and Dwarf Make the best normal races for this build (Strength based Tieflings are second place due to not being able to use enlarge person spells but that's not a MAJOR deal and Tengu are best for any game starting at/after 3rd level).
Trait: Magical Lineage (Frostbite), Wayang Spell hunter (shocking grasp)
1- Arcane pool, cantrips, spell combat, Rime Spell
2- Spellstrike
3- Arcana: Arcane Accuracy, Enforcer
4- Hex Magus: Prehensile Hair
5- Bonus Feat: Combat Expertise; Eldritch Claws
6- Hex Arcana: Flight
7-Knowledge Pool, Medium Armor, Intensify Spell
8-Improved Spell Combat
9-Arcana-Hasted Assault, Power Attack
10-Fighter Training
11- Spell Recall, Extra Arcana – Accurate Strikes
12- Hex Arcana- Ice Tomb
13- Heavy Armor, Quicken Spell
14 Greater Spell Combat
15- Spell Perfection, Arcana – Hex: Retribution
16- Counterstrike
17- Extra Arcana – Accursed Strike (Use Amnesia)
18- Hex Arcana- Summon Spirit
19- Greater Spell Access, <undecided>
20- True Magus
How it Plays:
From 1st through 4th levels this build focuses on making use of the Stonefist/FrostBite spell combo to maximize the number of charges and melee damage the Magi can dish out each round. (You’ll be averaging 2D6 +str +level each hit and can routinely get 2-3 attacks a round by 4th level)
From 4th till 7th level you’ll be dedicated to using the Alter Self spell to assume the form of a Trogolodyte. This gives you 3 natural attacks a round (4 with spell-combat) and lets’ you dish out a significant amount of damage each round and can easily last for more than 1 combat.
From 7th through 10th level you’ll be using the monstrous Humanoid spell to assume the shape of either the Four-Armed Sahuagin Mutant (5 attacks & darkvision), the Charda (Five attacks, flight but Small sized), the regular gargoyle (4 natural attacks, darkvison & flight) or the Witchwyrd (also 4 nat attacks, darkvision but grab instead of flight). Choose which one based on your specific encounter needs.
From 10th on you'll be focused on just using the Monstrous Humanoid II spell to assume the Four armed Gargoyle form as much as possible (or when space is an issue using the Charda form) pending new monstrous forms being introduced since nothing else really comes close to it in terms of damage output, maneuverability and special abilities.
Your weapon will spend most of its time hanging from your hip so don’t invest much cash into it instead spend your funds on Amulet’s of Might Fist instead (I recommend at least 2 of them, swapping based on need).
In general you shift into a Form with multiple natural attacks, say a Gargoyle for example, and then close and use the Frostbite spell. From this point on every attack you can burn an arcane pool point to add your Int bous to your attack bonus for normal weapon damage + 1D6 cold + CL in non-lethal damage and Fatigue as well as Entangle the target(s) because of the Rime Spell metamagic. That is usually enough non-lethal damage to knock most things out in a round and if it lives being entangled lets you 5ft away and it can’t follow you to retaliate. Also each successful hit will allow you to Intimidate the target for the Shaken condition.
At higher levels You’ll replace the Arcane Accuracy with Accurate strikes to resolve all your attacks against Touch AC while power attacking and using your AoMF to drop an Intensified Shocking Grasp on each target you’re fighting. At this point you should have 2 touch spells running for each attack (Frostbite & Chill Touch) stacking with your regular weapon damage and the elemental effect from your AoMF. On average you should be doing 4D6 +str +level +PA bonus on 6-8 attacks each round all at full Bab against touch AC.
Nothing should live through any full attack you unleash.
Best part is you wind up spending less Arcane pool points each round since you go back to being a nova build after 10th level.
Liking this 'transmogrifist' build very much. I'd like to note that a half-orc is handy because they can get Toothy for an extra bite attack starting level 1. Additionally, this build can just as easily be used by a vanilla magus with no trouble; perhaps less since you'll still have Spell Recall to have a dizzying number of 1st-level chill touch/frostbite/shocking grasp damage dealing spells per day.
I do have one question; my research on Spell Combat had concluded that you must have two hands, one holding a light/one-handed weapon, in order to use it. A natural weapon does not suffice. Have you got any ruling to the contrary? It is not much as a problem as you can just use any of these four-six-armed creatures to spend some of their hands holding your weapons, but should be noted.
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Liking this 'transmogrifist' build very much. I'd like to note that a half-orc is handy because they can get Toothy for an extra bite attack starting level 1. Additionally, this build can just as easily be used by a vanilla magus with no trouble; perhaps less since you'll still have Spell Recall to have a dizzying number of 1st-level chill touch/frostbite/shocking grasp damage dealing spells per day.
I do have one question; my research on Spell Combat had concluded that you must have two hands, one holding a light/one-handed weapon, in order to use it. A natural weapon does not suffice. Have you got any ruling to the contrary? It is not much as a problem as you can just use any of these four-six-armed creatures to spend some of their hands holding your weapons, but should be noted.
You might want to read spell combat again. It states you must have one hand free and wield a light or one handed weapon in the other. All natural weapons are considered light, one handed weapons as posted here and Here.
As for the half-orc it's not really that good or desired. Remember the point of this build is that you are spending all your time in a different shape so you will lose all your natural attacks every time you cast this spell. Toothy is a wasted trait, and so are claws or any other always on natural attack method.
A vanilla magus can definitely make use of it but the Hexcrafter does it better. Don't forget the prehensile hair hex giving an additional natural attack and reach and the awesomeness that is Flight, Ice Tomb and Accursed strike (dropping a bestow curse: Amnesia is a game changer).
Heh, I was actually looking at a thread you started- here.
All good points, I must admit. Definitely going to consult this when building my future magi. Thanks!
I like transmogrification focused hexcrafters a lot. I'm actually playing one currently, although with some differences (its carrion crown so the frostbite/enforcer combo just doesn't work often enough to invest in).
Anyway, I've found it very enjoyable so far. The damage potential, as you mention, is very solid, and quite sustainable relative to other magi, but I like the inclusion of ML:SG and intensify spell for extra burst when you want it. At very low levels, damage output was still a small issue, but that's nothing unique; pretty much all Magi have that problem (and it would have been better had frostbite been a viable combat option for me). Later on, as you mention, using Power Attack simultaneous to Accurate Strike can be pretty incredible when making all these attacks.
I see you've chose eldritch claws, which will certainly help with the bane of any natural attack build (DR), but what's your plan for dealing with other types of DR like cold iron, adamantine, and alignment? Getting something like Holy on the AoMF would help a good deal I'd think, but that's still not 100% dependable.
You mention basically ignoring your (manufactured) weapon, but IMO a modest investment in an actual weapon will go a long way towards overcoming the DR issue. You can use your arcane pool (which you otherwise don't make much use of for enhancing weapons since its a natural attacker) to enhance it to the point it will bypass whatever DR you may be up against. For example, by level 9, a simple +2 weapon can be boosted to +5 with the arcane pool, and will bypass pretty much any DR except S/P/B (and you can add transformative to the weapon to take care of those). Before then, that same +2 weapon will take care of everything but alignment based DR...
Of course, use of the manufactured weapon is situational, and not something you'd want to use in every fight (due to natural attacks becoming secondary), but when faced with significant DR (i.e. I may not worry about it for DR 5 or less), its better than nothing. Plus, combining a manufactured plus natural attacks will net more total attacks (with lower bonuses), which is also situationally nice I suppose. In addition to tough opponents with DR, I could see that option being useful vs. hordes of easy to hit enemies as well.
I DO agree that you shouldn't choose an archetype like Bladebound for this style, as the tradeoffs just won't be worth the situational use of the weapon. As it so happens, my hexcrafter IS also bladebound, but I chose that primarily for flavor/character reasons. It still works nicely though (and perhaps better at lower levels before you get access to all the juicy transmog forms).
EDIT: Despite being of only situational use at early to mid levels, I also meant to mention that any investment you make into a manufactured weapon will never be wasted in the long term. If you plan to see play at levels 13+, you'll then be able to add dancing to the weapon at the start of every combat (with arcane pool) to get a few more attacks per round while keeping your natural attacks primary for the full bonus. Not a bad trick IMO.
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There is no reason to ever invest in your weapon (unless you want another spellstoring item available) and DR is not going to be a problem for you.
Your AoMF with 2 enchants on it means all your natural attacks hit as if they are a +2 weapon that ignores Magic & Silver DR. If you run into something with more DR than that you have 2 excellent options for dealing with it.
Option 1. Brute force, you are doing on average 4D6 +level +str +PA per hit for 7+ hits. Worst case of the 40ish points of damage you do per hit they ignore 10 pts of it. Net gain 30ish damage a hit for 7 hits. Still more then enough damage to drop the target in on round.
Option 2. Prehensile hair. Skip the shapechange and activate your hair hex and use your arcane pool to enhance it. It now hits as a +5 weapon and ignores all DR and does full damage while you channel intensified & quickened shocking grasps through it for 3 regular attacks and 3-4 intensified shocking grasps each round. Damage actually goes up for this build though resource expenditure is a little higher.
As for hordes of weak easy to hit targets you'll never bother to draw a weapon against them. Just cast an AoE spell (maximized & Empowered) and watch em all drop.
The cash you want to spend on enhancing it are better spent buying Vibrant Purple Prism ioun stones (cracked) and storing extra Shocking grasps in them. 10K and a Craft wondrous item feat gives you 10 extra Quickened intensified shocking grasps every fight. (Don't have the spare feat then you'll only get 5 extra one's per fight)
There really is no reason to ever draw that weapon on your hip. Your claws, hair and spells do the job so much better without it.
First off, I'm not trying to pick your build apart. I like it, and agree it will be very effective. As I said, I'm even playing something similar. Heck, because the version I'm playing doesn't even have the option of using the very powerful frostbite synergy most of the time, and because even with that being the case, the style still works, that says all that really needs to be said: its an effective build/style for a Magus. I especially enjoy the longevity and versatility of this type of magus build.
That said, I bring up DR/situational manufactured weapon use for the sake of completeness. Having played through the low levels, its come up, and its prudent to have a backup plan. Outright dismissing the situational use of a manufactured weapon under any circumstance isn't wise IMO. Do note that I am in no way advocating putting a substantial portion of WBL into one's weapon (a +2 by level 9 is pretty easy IMO, and trivial if you put it off any longer than that...before then a +1 will do most of the time).
Anyway, the main point is the added versatility is not to be trivialized.
Option 1. Brute force, you are doing on average 4D6 +level +str +PA per hit for 7+ hits. Worst case of the 40ish points of damage you do per hit they ignore 10 pts of it. Net gain 30ish damage a hit for 7 hits. Still more then enough damage to drop the target in on round.
Always an option (often the only option for natural attack builds), and once the build really gets going, you're right, its a non-issue. By the time you get access to good MP forms, you'll have enough attacks, have high enough base damage, and a high enough strength that punching through DR will be pretty easy. This is especially true once power attack comes online at ~9+, but I'm not really talking about those levels. I'm talking mostly levels 1-7, i.e. before you get the good transmog forms (I only bring up high level play to illustrate that once you can put dancing on a manufactured sidearm at 13+, you might as well do so, so any investment made into that weapon is still put to good use).
At lower levels (1-7), you're probably going to be a moderately, but not exceptionally strong, medium character, attacking 2-4 times or so a round (give or take, depending on level, whether you're willing to be a troglodyte for every fight, etc.), and layering frostbite onto each attack. Total damage can still be exceptional, but the individual hits aren't big enough to ignore significant DR. Likely we're talking about something on the order of 2d6 + str + CL, which DR will certainly impact.
And if the target is immune to nonlethal damage? There are quite a lot of enemies who are, and the whole frostbite/enforcer thing (not to mention a sizable chunk of DPR potential) goes out the window vs. those types. Its a campaign specific issue of course, but something to consider as DR in conjunction with non-lethal immunity is pretty rough without a backup plan.
Option 2. Prehensile hair. Skip the shapechange and activate your hair hex and use your arcane pool to enhance it. It now hits as a +5 weapon and ignores all DR and does full damage while you channel intensified & quickened shocking grasps through it for 3 regular attacks and 3-4 intensified shocking grasps each round. Damage actually goes up for this build though resource expenditure is a little higher.
I realize many GMs will equate holding a weapon to wielding one for purposes of enhancing it. It may even be RAW if there's an FAQ I'm overlooking, but as written you can't enhance prehensile hair (or any natural attack) with the arcane pool. They aren't held, so they can't be boosted. (Also consider that the hair itself can hold items, so saying that it too is "held" is a logical stretch IMO). If the hair and natural attacks cannot be enhanced (as is the case in games I play in) that weapon on your hip gets a little more attractive in the right circumstance.
As for hordes of weak easy to hit targets you'll never bother to draw a weapon against them. Just cast an AoE spell (maximized & Empowered) and watch em all drop.
Sure, if they're in fireball formation. We're already talking about a situationally used tactic, so there are certainly plenty of situations where blasting isn't going to be as good a choice (or even desirable...maybe you can't avoid friendly fire or collateral damage to NPCs/environment?). Or maybe you just don't have an appropriate blast prepared at the moment. That backup wepaon will always be available though. Anyway, it depends on too many variables to really address whether whatever blast you may have ready is better or worse than just wading into melee with loads of attack rolls. But its nice to have both options.
I'm sure you're aware that how things look on paper doesn't always translate to real gameplay. IMO, the versatility you gain from a modest investment in a manufactured weapon that you only occasionally use, is more than worth it. That's really all I'm saying.
Peace and good job on the build (the defiler was great work as well btw, even though its so evil I hope I never see it in play).
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I know you're not trying to pick it apart and I enjoy when someone takes the time to closely look at and ask about things I may have missed or didn't explain clearly enough, please keep it up.
As for your questions lets address them for anyone else who may have the same queries as well.
1. the DR issue. Well first, remember that the energy damage you are doing (the 1D6+level from frostbite) isn't melee damage, it's energy damage and it completely ignores DR. The only thing DR affects is the claw and strength damage which is the least part of this attack. SR and Hardness are the things to worry about.
When you run into a target that is energy immune or has SR you can't pierce then you focus on melee damage (boost your Str and use enlarge) to get your damage up. This build splits it's damage on each attack between energy & physical to handle anything the target is resistant too so you are always getting something through.
Now when you run into something that has DR & Energy Immunity & SR then you have a problem like I did last night. (I hate fighting Angels)
2. Prehensile hair. As multiple Devs have stated repeatedly all natural attacks are Light melee weapons and that's the only qualification to use spellstrike/spell combat. If you have a pedantic GM who pulls out the you have to "hold" your weapon (which is stupid since HOLD is a defined action in PF and a held weapon isn't wielded and can't be used to attack, doesn't let you make AoO's and doesn't give you the benefits of any enchant on them), then just remember you have 2 free hands. Take one of those hands and grab your hair, now you are holding your melee weapon and you have jumped through their hoop and can continue with the steps laid out above.
3. AoE spells, look up the fire snake spell. AoE spell that only hits the targets you want and can snake around the field covering a massive amount of space. Either that or just use the right metamagic rod.
Extra: Chill touch. Since this is a char build document we are strictly held to using RAW as the Developers have stated. If your home game decides to throw RAW out the window then there is no way or reason for these build docs to address that. That's why we feel comfortable listing this double spell tactic.
The Devs say it works then we use it, if your GM decides it doesn't then there are no tactics we could ever suggest since they will just disallow anything they don't like and ignore the rules.
1. the DR issue. Well first, remember that the energy damage you are doing (the 1D6+level from frostbite) isn't melee damage, it's energy damage and it completely ignores DR. The only thing DR affects is the claw and strength damage which is the least part of this attack. SR and Hardness are the things to worry about.
When you run into a target that is energy immune or has SR you can't pierce then you focus on melee damage (boost your Str and use enlarge) to get your damage up. This build splits it's damage on each attack between energy & physical to handle anything the target is resistant too so you are always getting something through.
Now when you run into something that has DR & Energy Immunity & SR then you have a problem like I did last night. (I hate fighting Angels)
These are good points. And I agree its been nice that when faced with DR or SR/resistance, its been nice to know that I can always get something through. It doesn't mean that DR (or SR/immunity) aren't still issues of course, but at least helps to soften the blow. It still sucks when your physical damage is gutted by DR (or spell damage vs. resist). If DR is a bigger problem in the situation at hand though, using a weapon for a bit can be helpful.
At any rate, I think we're in agreement that DR isn't any kind of deal breaker here though. In fact, its much less of an issue than for some other natural attack builds I've seen. But its nice to have alternate tactics available sometimes.
Also, yes, enemies with DR, SR, and resist/immunity can bite me. I find I end up using different tactics entirely against those types.
2. Prehensile hair. As multiple Devs have stated repeatedly all natural attacks are Light melee weapons and that's the only qualification to use spellstrike/spell combat. If you have a pedantic GM who pulls out the you have to "hold" your weapon (which is stupid since HOLD is a defined action in PF and a held weapon isn't wielded and can't be used to attack, doesn't let you make AoO's and doesn't give you the benefits of any enchant on them), then just remember you have 2 free hands. Take one of those hands and grab your hair, now you are holding your melee weapon and you have jumped through their hoop and can continue with the steps laid out above.
I mean...yeah they're light weapons (as in ARE, not equivalent to), and I pretty much agree with you (I'd have no problem with it if I were GMing), its the wording in Arcane Pool where it describes enhancing your weapon that gives me some pause. Anyway, though I'd be inclined to allow it, I can definitely see the other viewpoint. Bad word choice for RAW aside, the arcane pool description does pretty clearly use the word "held" to indicate what it can be used on. I know quite a few GMs who wouldn't really be interested in looking any deeper at it than that, and who do not agree that natural weapons can be held, so this won't fly in all groups.
That's the only reason I bring it up; so someone interested in the build is aware of potential grey areas that they may need to discuss with their GM prior to it becoming an in-play debate.
3. AoE spells, look up the fire snake spell. AoE spell that only hits the targets you want and can snake around the field covering a massive amount of space. Either that or just use the right metamagic rod.
Yeah. There are quite a few nice precise blasts, but even if you routinely memorize them, you might have already used it. Maybe there are enough of these mooks that you need to use both options. I dunno.
Not that optimizing for corner cases against mook hordes is generally advisable, but I'm only talking about keeping a somewhat relevant sidearm around after all. Not too different from suggesting a fighter keeps a bow on hand for ranged or a mace for skeletons or whatever. Options. I like them ;-)
Extra: Chill touch. Since this is a char build document we are strictly held to using RAW as the Developers have stated. If your home game decides to throw RAW out the window then there is no way or reason for these build docs to address that. That's why we feel comfortable listing this double spell tactic.
The Devs say it works then we use it, if your GM decides it doesn't then there are no tactics we could ever suggest since they will just disallow anything they don't like and ignore the rules.
Also agreed, which is why I put it behind the spoiler block in the first place (since its not relevant to discussions about RAW). And yeah, in general I agree that character build/advice discussions should lean heavily towards standardization (and thus RAW).
Still, I do think this kind of thing has a place in build discussions, even if its in passing. Again, mostly so people know what all their options are by RAW, and which of those options some people may find questionable, so they know what to discuss with their group before it comes into play and well before is can become an issue.
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Mat - eldritch claws require 6 bab - which a magus doesn't qualify till 8. Also vibrant cracked purple prism works as per ring of spell storing where the spell is cast at minimum caster spell level. To intensify shocking grasp would require a ring of spell storing(level 2) as reductions in metamagic don't count when determining levels for spell storing items.
www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/rings/ring-of-spell-storing
Congrats, STR Ranger, I am officially sold on the Hexcrafter. After some inner discussion, I've conclude that you are right about it adding to the magus' versatility and combat options, without any great loss of power or class feature (Pearls of Power will function fine at early levels and you even get spell recall BACK at level 11!)
Thank you very much for your guide- and thank you, Mathwei, for your transmogrifist build.
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Yeah they are awesome..just had a wonderful time walking in solo into the arena(no height limit), to go 1v1 with a hydra.
Objective - Give the crowd a good show, and dont kill the beastie(for future performances).
So I flew out of its reach(flight hex), enlarged myself, used a reach weapon(20 ft reach while flying ftw), and started lopping off heads. Highly entertaining.
Done at lv 6.
Resources used: 1 scroll of enlarge person, and 1 min off flight hex.
Had an interesting thought, and I'd like opinions. Dump strength and run the Transmogrist as a Dex-build, with Weapon Finesse and an Amulet of Mighty Fists (Agile)
Pros:
Elf, Tiefling etc are +dex, not +str
Dump a stat, more points
Lighter armour; higher AC, Reflex, Move speed, less Armor Check penalty
You're going to be using natural weapons so Piranha Strike just became very close to equal to power attack (no need to bother about two-handing bonus)
Cons:
You've lost a feat.
Very dependent on that amulet
Monstrous Physique will give you a penalty and a boost to a stat you're not using any more if you go medium/large/huge (BUT more of a nat armour bonus than if you go small/tiny/etc)
If you've spent that amulet point on agile then it's going to cost you 11,000gp to get the +1 on your attacks back; bypassing DR/Magic will take awhile longer.
Thoughts?
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Mat - eldritch claws require 6 bab - which a magus doesn't qualify till 8. Also vibrant cracked purple prism works as per ring of spell storing where the spell is cast at minimum caster spell level. To intensify shocking grasp would require a ring of spell storing(level 2) as reductions in metamagic don't count when determining levels for spell storing items.
www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/rings/ring-of-spell-storing
This is why we post builds so others can spot things we miss. We'll have just have to swap Eldritch claws and power attack on the feat progression.
Ah well, I should have read the spell storing ring a bit closer, in the meantime I'll figure something else out.
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Probably tiefling with prehensile tail and maw and claw feat(claw, so that you get 2 claws if you choose not to spell combat and full attack that round).
Stats:
11 str, 18 dex(after racial), 13 con(raise to 14 on 4th level), 18 int, 10 wis, 5 cha
Lets see...For a dex based melee Transmorgifist
Traits: Wayang Spellhunter(Frostbite), Magical Lineage (Shocking Grasp)
1- Arcane pool, cantrips, spell combat, Weapon Finesse
2- Spellstrike
3- Arcana: Arcane Accuracy, Piranha Strike
4- Hex Magus: Prehensile Hair
5- Bonus Feat: Rime spell; Arcane Strike
6- Hex Arcana: Flight
7-Knowledge Pool, Medium Armor, Intensify Spell
8-Improved Spell Combat
9-Arcana-Evil eye, Enforcer
10-Fighter Training
11- Spell Recall, Extra Arcana – Accurate Strikes
12- Hex Arcana- Ice Tomb
13- Heavy Armor, Quicken Spell
14 Greater Spell Combat
15- Spell Perfection, Arcana – Hex: Retribution
16- Counterstrike
17- Extra Arcana – Accursed Strike (Use Amnesia)
18- Hex Arcana- Summon Spirit
19- Greater Spell Access, <undecided>
20- True Magus
Enforcer comes much later, and arcane strike does eat up swift actions, which you lack, but to do DR/magic - that is one of the ways without having to use an AMOF(+1). Otherwise switch Enforcer with Arcane strike. You probably cannot qualify for Eldritch claws as it requires 15 str.
The problem I think with this build is that strength builds scale much better - it is unlikely you will ever want to morph into anything smaller then small - as you have no reach and will have to provoke AOOs whenever engaging into melee with others. On turning into a small monstrous humanoid you only get +2 dex(translates to +1 damage per hit) and +1 Natural AC for a total of +3 AC(1 from dex 1 from nat AC and 1 from size). As compared to a strength based one - the bigger the better - A large monstrous humanoid nets you +2 damage(due to +4 str),and +2 AC as well(originally +4, but -1 from size, -1 from dex). Getting TOO small, even if you don't mind the aoos, just invites monsters to grapple you and swallow you whole.
Mat - Thats the only reason why people have weapons of spell storing - so that the spell maintains its caster level.
But your idea of Vibrant cracked purple prisms just gave me an escape grapple idea. Put a grease spell into those, since as per ring of spell storing, no material components and no gestures required, it can probably be triggered with a concentration check while grappled ^^
I'd like to post my alternative.
Tiefling; Prehensile Tail, Maw, Fiendish Sprinter
Magus (Hexcrafter)
Stats; Str 10, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 8
Magical Lineage (Frostbite), Wayang Spellhunter (Shocking Grasp)
Feats:
1- Extra Traits (Desperate Focus, Rice Runner)
3- Weapon Finesse
5- Rime/Empower spell (personal choice; damage or disable)
5- Piranha Strike
7- Intensify Spell
9- Lunge
Arcanae/hexes: Arcane Accuracy, Flight, Slumber, Familiar, Spell Shield
I had planned to go for the larger forms anyway and just wear the fact that the STR bonus is going to waste.
I did not choose the Prehensile Hair hex as it is a SECONDARY natural attack and thus not worth it, in my opinion.
I think this build has its positive sides; in the end it might be just another case where there is a Str and a Dex build for a magus and choosing between the two is a matter of playstyle and campaign requirements, like in Walter's Guide. With this one, most probably a higher AC and more points to spend on Con; with a STR base, probably more damage and chance to hit as the Physiques continue up, not as item dependent (plus can get that +1 bonus to all from amulet earlier).
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Had an interesting thought, and I'd like opinions. Dump strength and run the Transmogrist as a Dex-build, with Weapon Finesse and an Amulet of Mighty Fists (Agile)
Pros:
Elf, Tiefling etc are +dex, not +str
Dump a stat, more points
Lighter armour; higher AC, Reflex, Move speed, less Armor Check penalty
You're going to be using natural weapons so Piranha Strike just became very close to equal to power attack (no need to bother about two-handing bonus)Cons:
You've lost a feat.
Very dependent on that amulet
Monstrous Physique will give you a penalty and a boost to a stat you're not using any more if you go medium/large/huge (BUT more of a nat armour bonus than if you go small/tiny/etc)
If you've spent that amulet point on agile then it's going to cost you 11,000gp to get the +1 on your attacks back; bypassing DR/Magic will take awhile longer.Thoughts?
Piranha Strike is really suboptimal for this kind of build. The loss of the feat and difficulty of adding more dex bonus as you level makes this a bad choice. At low levels yes going dex based puts you ahead but around 6th-8th level you really start falling behind on damage and accuracy.
Once you start actually using the ideal polymorph spells you are actively penalizing your own to hit and damage. If you limit yourself to only using the small forms to get the dex bonus you are now penalizing your AC.Not to mention that increasing your Dex bonus is extremely hard in this game while strength bonuses effects are cheap and plentiful has great synergy with size boosting spells and can be used more easily for ranged effects (throw that javelin/axe/dagger/rock/etc.).
The hidden advantage of the Trans builds are in how they decrease the MAD of this class. You simply focus on Int->Str->Con and ignore the rest. You use your hair and Power attack as your normal everyday weapon inflicting significant damage and that 1.5x bonus really keeps your longevity going.
a dex based build will not have that 1.5x bonus and wont have the reach either since any size boost usually comes with a dex penalty and the top polymorph effects do as well so you'll start avoiding those.
Everything about natural attack builds are mechanically built around strength, trying to do it any other way will usually fail in the long run.
Touch attack spells are considered 'weapon like' by the rules.
Also, on the defiler build, how is it getting more than one attack with the hair without the multiattack feat?Spellstrike allows you to take an additional attack with any weapon you are wielding when you cast a touch spell. And the other two conditions are Blinded and Stunned but I'll leave it to others to explain how to do that, this build is already annoying enough.
Has anyone been able to figure out how the defiler build is able to get blinded and stunned added via stuff from ultimate equipment? About the only thing I could find is the blinding property for shields...
One question on the white witch build. I'm assuming you are using the white witch hair for the INT bonus to hit and the witch hex prehensile hair INT bonus to damage. But wouldn't they be two different attacks? I can't find anything that allows you to combine the attacks into one.
It is good Synergy. As long as they don't move away.
Through being shaken, Fatigued and Entangled makes melee a bad place to be.
I did not mention it but if the DM allows the ability to work for non-hobgoblin,
A CRUEL enchant is uber for a Rime Frostbite+Enforcer build.
That's
Fatigued no save
Entangled no save
SHAKEN intimide check
Sickened auto if intimide.
Really debuff the crap out of your enemy.
Slumber ftw.
It's a mook killa.
Great way to take out a scout from hiding.or a Big Stupid Fighter.
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So the whole defiler idea is a major bust at least for PFS, for your home campaign, go nuts because nobody cares. The white hair witch ability does not stacks with prehensile hair, they are two different abilities. Plus you can't use your arcane pool point to enchant your hair, it is not a "weapon he is holding", natural attacks don't count. I would also rule on the enforcer that the weapon, not the spell would have to deal subdual damage, to get the free intimidate.
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With the current errata on Spell Combat the majority of the natural attack based Magus builds will need a significant updating to make them legal again.
As of right now the Defiler build is pretty much dead until I can figure out a way to repair it.
The Metamorphist is still functional but has seen a significant drop in power. This one I'm sure can be salvaged with a few minor tweaks but it will not be as potent as it was before.
Link to errata
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It's been added to the FAQ HERE.
Magus: When using spell combat, can the weapon in my other hand be an unarmed strike or a natural weapon?Yes, so long as the weapon is a light or one-handed melee weapon and is associated with that hand. For example, unarmed strikes, claws, and slams are light melee weapons associated with a hand, and therefore are valid for use with spell combat. A tail slap is not associated with a hand, and therefore is not valid for use with spell combat.
—Pathfinder Design Team, 04/05/13
Magus: When using spell combat, do I specifically have to use the weapon in my other hand, or can I use a mixture of weapons (such as armor spikes and bites) so long as my casting hand remains free?
You specifically have to use the light or one-handed melee weapon in your other hand.
—Pathfinder Design Team, 04/05/13
Roughly put these clarifications prevent you from ever using your hair, bite, gore or wing slap attacks while using spell combat.
This in itself isn't completely ruinous to natural attack builds since they routinely focus on long duration/multi-use debuff spells but it does significantly impact their action economy.
The Defiler build in particular is most affected since now it can only ever make a single direct attack with the hair per round (barring AoO's) and takes 2 full rounds of prep before it can start the fight.
The metamorph build will be fine since it only casts 1 or 2 spells per combat and rarely uses the spell combat ability. I'm guessing somewhere around a 5%-10% decrease in effectiveness at worse.
For a bladebound/hexcrafter, is there any great need to get extra arcane pool feat at least once or just keep pumping the int. Eventually you get on par with the arcane pool (I think) than a normal magus they just end up being split between you and your black blade.
I am going to try to run one but run it with dervish dance (don't hate it's the 1st time I've finally been able to PLAY a Magus as a PC).
Elf with the extra arcana every 6 levels is just so good.