look at this guide and scroll down to where it says Strength build. If i could offer any advice outside of this it would be going hexblade could really be of use for you. Hexes are just plain epic.
EDIT: to make it simpler, your point-buy should look something like this:
Str: 16 (18)
Dex: 14
Con: 14
Int: 15 (16 @ lvl 4)
Wis: 10
Cha: 08
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Definitely go hex crafter. That's insane. Then you can add blade bound to save you money, and maybe Kensai too. Take one(or two) level of white-haired witch (if that's allowed, I think it might not be core...) and then go to town with an int based attack. Or do half-Orc scarred witch doctor and buff con to do a con based attack. Or do the strength build. I don't see how your GM thinks its broken. It's really not. You are ineffective at levels 1 and 2, and then you have to spend a total of two feats, which are valuable to a magus, AND you can't even use piranha strike with it. Finally, a feat is generally valued more than the +1 it costs to give a weapon agile. Especially with your point buy str build is just as effective, and str build ends up more powerful at high levels.
I am in the same boat as Kiinyan as to my opinion on Magus. It's one of the most fun classes to play, and it's balanced so as you won't outshine anyone except when you nova. That said, at 25 point-buy you can afford the str build. I'd keep a greatsword on hand or something so you can use it two-handed when you run out of spells, but you can also 2h the scimi so meh :P
So no racial fly ability, so what about one from the class? While Kiinyan may have went a bit strong, hexcrafter can be very useful. Since your Magus level seems to count as your witch level for hexes, you can start off with the flight hex working right off the bat.
You can get 2 hexes if you take the extra hex feat at level 5. A nice Save or Suck like slumber would definitely help your party. There is a hexcrafter build in the guide section, although the debuffer is the rather extreme build Kiinyan was suggesting. It still lists some of the key hexes and arcana you would want to look into though.
Magical lineage is always a favorite trait for the Magus since it allows you to apply a metamagic to one spell and reduce the adjustment by one spell level (so a +1 metamagic would be +0, +2 would be +1, etc...). Heighten on shocking grasp is popular since it does a lot of damage, but I did like rimed spell of frigid touch since it adds two conditions (staggered and entangled) without giving any saves. It also gives decent damage I suppose. Shocking grasp would only take a 1 level spell slot though, so it can be used much more often.
If you go str based - the armor expert is pretty good.
At lvl 7 you can buy a mithreal hell knight plate - and cast in it...
You'll suffer armor check penalties, but with masterwork, trait and mithreal it will be 0.
Sure a +3 breastplate will give the same AC for less, but from there on it will be cheaper with the full plate.
A +1 mithreal hell knight plate (+10 AC) is cheaper than a +4 breastplate and have 2 less ACP...
Heighted shocking grasp? I think you mean intencified shocking grasp :-)
Hexcrafter - depends on your int, it's awesome to have a resourse you can use all day (and spell recall is not that great with the low number for arcane points, imp spell recall is great - but comes in rather late)
So he only allows Core and Apg, yet ur allowed to play a class from ultimate Magic? Hmm..
As to the question either Kensai or Hexcrafter make great characters.. Sounds like ur playing in a low magic camp, so i would mixe Blade Bound in with 1 of those so at least ur weapon is gtg.. Im currently playing a 16th level Kensai, went str based and hes doing fine.. I took the norm fighter feats: weapon focus/spec etc and went crit focus and stag critical later on.. Ive read alot about the Hexcrafter and i think it might be better at lower levels than the Kensai so that may be better for u..
If you go str based - the armor expert is pretty good.
At lvl 7 you can buy a mithreal hell knight plate - and cast in it...
You'll suffer armor check penalties, but with masterwork, trait and mithreal it will be 0.
Sure a +3 breastplate will give the same AC for less, but from there on it will be cheaper with the full plate.
A +1 mithreal hell knight plate (+10 AC) is cheaper than a +4 breastplate and have 2 less ACP...Heighted shocking grasp? I think you mean intencified shocking grasp :-)
Hexcrafter - depends on your int, it's awesome to have a resourse you can use all day (and spell recall is not that great with the low number for arcane points, imp spell recall is great - but comes in rather late)
Whoops, sorry. Don't use metamagics too much, so I tend to conflate some of them.
Go for a skirnir, IMO.
You lose early access to spell combat for the bonded shield gimmick, but early AC and versatility is a bit more.
Str 13 dex 16 con 12 int 16 wis 13 cha 9 (30 point build with an elf)
With chain shirt, heavy shield and dec your AC is 19. Not too shabby for a spell caster.
You can spellstrike at level 1 instead of level 2 and you can do it with your shield too.
another route would be a Drow (if you are allowed)
Str 15 Dex 14 Con 12 Int 14 wis 10 Cha 13
Take a whip and the whip mastery feat chain with a skirnir it would be quite cool, the shield bashing goodness makes up for any weakness the whip might have,
If the GM wont allow a Drow. maybe a Drow blooded half elf?
Str 15 Dex 13 Con 14 Int 17 wis 9 Cha 9
IF you want spell combat right away, I suggest a Half elf bladebound magus.
Use the ancestral arms trait and get a bastard sword
Str 17 dex 14 con 13 int 15 wis 9 cha 9
AC is only 16, but casting shield gives you 20...
elf immunites are too good to pass up at low levels IMO.
I like the Skirnir, too, but I really wish they had early access to Shield Master like Rangers. Oh, well. For a STR-based Magus, than, I have to agree with Hexcrafter; I'm making one for PFS, now, based on STR Ranger and Mathwei ap Niall's Transmorgophist.
just checked my hell knight plate - it would seem the -3 ACP from mithral includes the -1 from masterwork...
So you would have to accept a -1 to hit to str/dex based skills (inkuding initiativ).
But still it's a kind of combat expertice gaining +3 AC for -1 to hit.
If anyone can come up with a way to lower ACP with one (without using a feat for early heavy armor prof) let me know...