Hey Guys,
I am currently working on my first pathfinder character, we have only played 1 session. Upon review of my initial character plan and my future I have looked at some options.
Currently I have built a kensai with Wakazashi and I am debating looking at going the Combat Maneuver Magus with Improved Disarm feat to be a bit of a fencer style Kensai or a more Nova round Kensai by using Weapon Wand spell with Wand Wielder Arcana to have access to more Shocking grasp strikes among other options.
I am curious if anyone has done either of these builds and what are their strengths and weaknesses.
Please comment, tip, advice, thoughts appreciated.
I have a straight magus built kind of like what you're going for. What I have done is the wand arcana, a wand of true strike (stored in a wrist sheath, spring loaded), and the feat improved trip.
For spells, I run with defensive, AoE, and range for added flexibility.Tactics: Start with casting defensive type spells or ranged attack spells. Then in melee drop the wand of true strike into my hand' activate it, then use improve trip with the +20 to hit from true strike. Target goes down.
Trip works better for this tactic as you can trip a lot more creatures then you can disarm.What's nice about this build is you have a bit more flexabilty then a standard magus build in that you supply battlefield control with some ranged/AoE.
What's bad is you do not have the burstyness and damage output of the normal magus.
Yah I am kinda wanting to work out a more often burst build character. I would love to pull of a 1 shot on a boss. Empowered arcana landed with crit because of weapon crit range being 15-20 then with Kensai Perfect Strike, on an already Intensified Shocking Grasp that didnt go up because of Magic Lineage Trait.
What I am running into concern about is number of times I can do something like this and also that spell diversity, which is why I was thinking wand wielder could be fun. Plus my DM is using crit table, so I am hoping I will be critting an allot creating crazy combat rounds.
As for Trip or Disarm, we have a very powerful Barbarian who will be will be very strong, my concern is that DM has laughed about how easily they become Dominated and I am concerned the axe will be swung at me, so i thought going this route could create a both offensive/defensive strength in my character.
You won't get much burst from a wand of shocking grasp. 1d6 vs the 1d3 you get from using close range to cast ray of frost.
Any particular reason your using a wakazashi instead of a katana?
I use the wakazashi because it qualifies for weapon finesse, as a Kensai my main stats are dex and int.
As far as wand of shoking grasp it was just a general statement, because it was a damage spell thats a touch attack and with weapon wand works the way I would use my own spells. Anything that would help for more options to both increase a single nova round or give me more rounds of attacks like this.
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As a bladebound magus there is only one possible way to add dexerity to damage: scimitar + dervish dance.
If all your looking for is additional attacks you have a lot of options: starting with the cantrips arcane mark and light. Close range allows you to use any ray spell, starting with ray of frost.
Instead of burning through wands of shocking grasp, invest in a few pearls of power. They will expand your Nova potential by a few encounters per day.
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Correction Artanthos there is one other way.
The Agile weapon property out of the Pathfinder Society Field Guide. +1 enhancement allows you to use dex instead of str on any weapon you can use weapon finesse with. IMO it's better because you can use any weapon you want and don't have to sink a feat for it.
Well i know for sure my DM wont allow that, which is good to know. My DM wouldn't allow dancing dervish feat in his campaign another reason i went Wakazashi.
So I may stick with Straight Kensai.
Any thoughts on strengthening Crit damage or nova rounds beyond whats already said.
I have not tried to use lvl 0 touch spells yet, but I am sure when I do he will say no.