20 point buy, and I get to throw a +3 tome on one stat. Starting at first level, but I want to have a good idea where I'll be at around 12.
Since staff is a monk weapon, a single level splash can effectively get me two weapon fighting, a bonus feat (dodge probably), +2 in all saves, and wisdom bonus to ac. Seems like it might be worth being a level behind in magus, and the loss of armor isn't as huge because its light armor anyway, and I'd get armor spell. Opinions?
If I do it, I need an idea how to divy stats. Seems like maybe the best thing to do given the gnome abilities is dump con and cha, then put 7 in each other stat bringing each to 15. Throw the tome in STR to compensate for the racial penalty. Level bumps at 4 and 8 would be to dex and wis.
Thoughts? Better ideas? I'm married to the gnome staff magus premise, just wondering how best to work it.
Yikes, you're right. No Mage Armor spell pretty nearly wrecks the idea. That seems like a pretty huge oversight on Paizo's part to me, would seem Ike an obvious inclusion to the Magus list. Oh well.
So given that monk is out, what's the best 20 point ability build for a staff magus gnome with access to a +3 tome? I want to maintain a min 11 wisdom for the gnome spell like abilities.
My first thought was this,
Str 12
Dex 14
Con 20
Int 14
Wis 12
Cha 9
But the low strength bugs me. Also considered this,
Str 16
Dex 14
Con 16
Int 14
Wis 12
Cha 9
The build is ability strained no matter how you swing it, so the question is where best to apply the bonus tome.
Also, what are you talking about with arcane mark? Not sure I understand that.
Also, what are you talking about with arcane mark? Not sure I understand that.
Spell combat allows you to deliver a touch attak spell as an attack with your weapon in addition to your normal attack. Arcane Mark while doing no damage is a Cantrip that is a touch attack. Therefore you can cast it every round and get a free second attack. Some call it cheese...some dont. I havent played a Magus yet to weigh in, but they are lower BAB as well as feat and spell hungry so I would definitely allow it at my table.
I have played a Magus recently and the thing i found the most important was my intelligence score. Remember that you have 3/4 BAB and lighter armor at low levels so you aren't really a fighter that cast spells you are an offensive spell caster that delivers spells through melee. so while you need things like hit points and strength( or dex depending on the build) you really need to have good int for your bonus spells and almost everything that a Magus does is based off the int score. My suggestion make Int your primary stat and you will have better arcane pool and most of your arcana will work better because of this.
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I would disagree, phatbac.
You need to be able to fight before you can start casting those spells through your weapon. Str or Dex should be your most important stat so that you can actually hit things with your spells, followed by Int. Con comes after those two, because you need to be able to survive long enough to deliver your spells.
I believe playing a Magus as a combatant with some spells is a much safer plan, because even if you run out of spells, you can still thwap things with your weapon. You CAN play as a spellcaster who uses their weapon to deliver spells, but you'll find yourself out of tricks pretty quickly, even if you have a really high Int score.
Am I looking at the wrong "arcane mark" cantrip?
"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."
...etc..
that's the right spell. Its still a touch spell that can be delivered with a touch attack so it works with spell strike even if the spell it self does not harm.
Then maybe I'm failing to see the point of throwing magic graffiti on my opponent that does no damage.. ..? Still don't get it.
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Spellstrike + Spell Combat allows you to channel a melee touch attack spell through a weapon strike.
Spellstrike (Su): At 2nd level, whenever a magus casts a spell with a range of “touch” from the magus spell list, he can deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding as part of a melee attack. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed to deliver the spell, a magus can make one free melee attack with his weapon (at his highest base attack bonus) as part of casting this spell. If successful, this melee attack deals its normal damage as well as the effects of the spell. If the magus makes this attack in concert with spell combat, this melee attack takes all the penalties accrued by spell combat melee attacks. This attack uses the weapon's critical range (20, 19–20, or 18–20 and modified by the keen weapon property or similar effects), but the spell effect only deals ×2 damage on a successful critical hit, while the weapon damage uses its own critical modifier.
Spell Combat (Ex): At 1st level, a magus learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks with his melee weapon at a –2 penalty and can also cast any spell from the magus spell list with a casting time of 1 standard action (any attack roll made as part of this spell also takes this penalty). If he casts this spell defensively, he can decide to take an additional penalty on his attack rolls, up to his Intelligence bonus, and add the same amount as a circumstance bonus on his concentration check. If the check fails, the spell is wasted, but the attacks still take the penalty. A magus can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks.
Bolded parts are the relevant portions.
You get your normal attack for the round, then as a bonus, get another weapon attack, that also places an Arcane Mark on the target. It's the same thing as using Shocking Grasp, except the spell doesn't do any damage in this case.
Then maybe I'm failing to see the point of throwing magic graffiti on my opponent that does no damage.. ..? Still don't get it.
It not about puting magic graffiti on your oppenet it obut marking a wall, door ect if you get lost. See walking dead where they mark the walls in the prison so they know how to get out. It mostly a roll play type of spell. Or to leave calling card on dead body. See ace of spades in war.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ace_of_spades
Aaahhhh, so you're saying I get to Zorro my Arcane Mark into my opponent.
That's actually amazingly cool. Especially for a gnome.
Cue "Zorro the Gay Blade" reference.
Will that work with two weapon fighting, considering staff is a double weapon? Seems like a waste to specialize in quarter staff and not take 2WF.
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You can't use Spell Combat/Spellstrike and TWF in the same round, as they are both full-round actions.
A Staff Magus uses the quarterstaff one handed when casting spells, and is likely much better off using it two handed when not casting spells, due to 2H Str bonus, as well as not taking a TWF penalty to your attack bonus.
You COULD go TWF with it, but you'd need to pump your Dex much higher than you would normally, and you'd end up hitting even less.
Once you project to higher levels, though, you'll be fighting with a highly enhanced staff, plus weapon specialization bonuses, and not likely much more damage from the 2H STR bonus. Much rather try to hit twice with a flaming cold corosive chilltouched staff than hit once with a little more STR.
I'm already projecting 14 dex, so one level bump gets me the prerequisite. And they give you bonus feats to burn with magus. Like I say, seems silly not to take it.
You still have to cast defensively though to do that, right?
I was considering Double Slice for full STR bonus, and two weapon defense as well. Would the shield bonus from two weapon defense stack with the shield bonus from Quarterstaff Defense in the staff magus archetype?
Yes that's three feats, but I'm having a hard time figuring out what else to spend the feats on anyway. Advice on that?
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The thing is that you're already talking 3 or more feats to do something slightly better than you already do. And Magi aren't exactly swimming in bonus feats. And it's only slightly better if you don't use the Magus' signature ability. You won't be Arcane Marking all the time, because a Shocking Grasp Spellstrike can be NASTY.
Also, only Dodge AC bonuses stack with each other. Every other type of AC bonus does not stack.
I'm not saying you can't do it, but I'm almost positive you will have far better results sticking to using the quarterstaff two handed when not trying to Spellstrike (which should only be until level 2, or when you're having a hard time hitting with the -2 from Spell Combat).
The (Human) Staff Magus I rolled up actually took Combat Expertise and Improved Trip at first level, to give him something to do besides just damage. Arcane Strike is also another option, though maybe not something you necessarily need right away.
So with the Eldridge Heratige arcane bond trick, I would obviously pick staff, and I'd get one extra spell per day and the Craft Staff feat for free as it applies to that staff once I reached level 11, basically. Right?
That ain't all bad. The 13 CHA is rough though, because I'd like to dump it.
I'll check that guide out.
Edit: man, that dervish build is gross.
Well, all this talk of zorroing arcane marks has me abandoning staff magus entirely, and going with a modified dervish build plus hexcrafter for gnome flavor. Thanks for the input.