Spell Combat, Full-Attack, and Haste

[Kazaan]

They probably wanted to limit things like having a Mobile Fighter able to use Spell Combat (as a full-attack action) as a Standard instead of a Full-Round action or Pounce Spell Combat or anything else that couples with Full-Attack. You're swinging your sword and also focusing on casting a spell; that takes a lot of focus and there's not much to spare for added defense of defensive casting. How can you cast defensively while, at the same time, swinging a sword in someone's face? Why do they limit Vital Strike to Attack action when there are other abilities such as Charge that allow you to make a single attack? Because that's the way they designed it.

[Gertak]

Diego,
I see what you mean by all the things you can do but you are kind of comparing apples and oranges. The Magus does have some really nice stuff in a lot of areas but you are leaving out what the Cleric at that level could also have. A cleric of the animal domain, at level 7 (the level you could be casting fireball) could have a large ape guarding him while using a shield for more armor base and having greater spell access. Alternately, if he has access to the travel domain, he can just dimension hop out of aoo range and not even need to worry about it. And if his animal companion and him had shielded spellcaster he could get the +4 concentration bonus for "free".

Now in no way am I saying the cleric is OP or that the magus is weak, I'm just saying that both sides have pros and cons and you can't just look at one aspect and say wow the magus doesn't need anymore, he's powerful enough already. The magus takes limited armor (though it gets better as he levels), a lower bab, lower spellcasting than a standard caster, and lower hps than a true melee so that he gains access to the abilities he gains. Again, each character has his own abilities, can't really compare aspects of the character without comparing the whole and get a real picture. I do understand the gist of what you are saying, though.

Kazaan,

I agree with your last statement, if that is actually the intent. My contention was that I'm not sure they intended it to have all of the effects it does have. Perhaps they intended it to be as they just said all along and never intended you to be able to fight defensively, use combat expertise, or use a combat maneuver while using spell combat. It is just not my opinion that is the case.

As to feats like Vital Strike, I believe they are made for very specific situations or play styles. For example to use in any turn where you have to take a move action, for using to bypass DR, if the opponent has super high armor and you know your iterative is not likely to hit, or in the case of a druid turning into a creature with one natural attack, like a wolf.

I do see what you mean by the pounce thing, though, that would have been pretty crazy. As to the focus to do both, I can kinda see what you are saying but at the same time according to RAW I'm pretty sure a Barbarian could rage and still fight defensively and using combat expertise.

[Lou Diamond]

Diego and Raving Dork, I have a question for you with the Haste ruling in the FAQ Is this right, As part of full round action when using spell strike and Haste or Hasted Assault you gain one additional attack at -2 with your primary weapon. {No Natural weapons}and add 30' to your movement?

IF the above is correct I have a perposal Remove Hasted Assault from the Magus arcana and replace it with the Fleet Warrior power from the Mythic Rules set and charge 2 arcane points per usage. [Explicitly state that this does not function with the Haste spell] This would allow a Magus to move and attack with his spell strike ability. Thus if the Magus were 6th level the Magus could cast shocking grasp move and and get two attacks at +4/-1 and deliver the shocking grasp with the first attack. Also if the Magus were using speed ability his attacks would be [+4+spell]/+4[Speed]/-1 note: a sixth level magus is not high enough level to use the Speed enchantment.

[harzerkatze]

Lou Diamond wrote:

Diego and Raving Dork, I have a question for you with the Haste ruling in the FAQ Is this right, As part of full round action when using spell strike and Haste or Hasted Assault you gain one additional attack at -2 with your primary weapon. {No Natural weapons}and add 30' to your movement?

Well, since Haste gives +1, it would be an additional attack with the weapon, and all attacks are made at -1 (-2+1).