Hey there,
I am trying to build a backup character for a mid level game that is currently ongoing, and I thought a Hexcrafter might be fun. I don't have much experience with the Magus, but it appears to be an Int primary class, and I thought the Hexcrafter archetype suited my back story.
I was also planning on making the character a strength based character and taking two levels of the student of war prestige to add intelligence instead of dexterity to armor class.
here are my thoughts so far.
Character is built with a fairly generous 26 points. The race will be elf. Starting level will be above 8. The below statistics include racial modifiers
str 15
dex 13
con 14
int 18
wis 12
cha 7
(class)level.BaB sa/ve/s feats
(M)1.0 2/0/2 combat expertise
(M)2.1 3/0/3
(M)3.2 3/1/3 skill focus(knowledge arcana)
(M)4.3 4/1/4
(M)5.3 4/1/4 dodge
(M)6.4 5/2/5
(M)7.5 5/2/5
(SoW)8.6 5/2/6
(SoW)9.7 6/3/6
(M)10.8 7/3/7
(M)11.8 7/4/7
Any feat help would be great. Please note that the game does not have free traits, so if you are intending to suggest any, they will have to be taken with a feat.
Extra Traits is going to be worth it, even for a feat, IMO. If you're going to be using either Shocking Grasp (with intensify spell) or Frostbite (with rime spell), getting Magical Lineage to keep them at 1st level is pretty huge, and allows you to buy cheap pearls of power to keep fueling your trick. Any other trait combined with that one is fine (or Wayang Spellhunter if your GM allows regional traits, which would allow you to use BOTH of those combos as 1st level spells).
IMO you're right to consider Int to be your primary stat, although I'd really try to get a higher Str as well. Being a 3/4 BAB class that gets a -2 to attack when using your primary class feature (spell combat) kinda makes accuracy a problem. Speaking of which, Arcane Accuracy is a really strong Arcana (or Accurate Strike since you're starting at higher level).
I'd probably go with a 26pt. array (racial mods included) like:
Str17 Dex14 Con12 Int18 Wis10 Cha7
As much as AC can be a problem at early levels for a Str Magus, I don't think its enough of a problem to justify what you lose in that 2 level dip. Besides, you're starting at high enough level to have instant access to Medium Armor and plenty of defensive spells like shield, mirror image, displacement, etc. I don't think the dip is worth it, as your defenses should really be pretty good at the levels you'll be starting at.
One thing you might want to consider is the Moonlight Stalker feat. Its an investment in that you'll need Blind Fight and Combat Expertise as prerequisites, but if you've got a reasonable way to get concealment (and you do! see: blur, displacement, or obscuring mist), its a +2 to attack and damage, which is pretty powerful. For perspective, weapon focus, greater weapon focus, and weapon specialization is also 3 feats for the same bonuses...yours would be situational, but you'd also get blind fight and combat expertise, which are solid feats in their own right (besides, with fighter training, you could always get both sets of feats if you want to). Blind fight can even help you when you use obscuring mist to activate MS, giving you the advantage via the miss% re-roll.
If you can fit Preferred Spell (and Heighten, its prereq) into your build at some point, its pretty nice to be able to convert any memorized spell into your bread and butter magical lineaged shocking grasp (or whatever). This also lets you apply other metamagic on the fly, like empowered or quickened. I'd also go ahead and aim for Spell Perfection by level 15, as with any caster. That feat is just SO strong. Incidentally, it combos well with Preferred Spell, allowing you to spontaneously convert to your sup'ed up Perfected Spell. Pretty nice IMO.
Otherwise, any time you've got an open feat slot, Extra Arcana is always going to be a strong choice. You can also use that to access additional Hexes. Arcanas and Hexes are both as strong as or stronger than feats, so it will usually work out well for you.
My favorite Magus Arcanas are Accurate Strike, Arcane Accuracy, Arcane Edge, Maximized Magic, Quickened Magic, and Bane Blade. At late levels Reflection can be strong, but its pretty expensive to use. Familiar is also a good one if you don't have a Black Blade.
Hexes/greater hexes I'm partial to for a Magus include Flight, Evil Eye, Misfortune, Slumber, Agony, and Retribution. Summon Spirit is pretty much the best grand hex IMO. You can't use these with spell combat (unless you get improved unarmed strike, and hex strike anyway), but they give you additional tactical options, and really help your staying power.
Happy Hunting!
Also, I know you said you want to be an Elf, but I just wanted to throw this out there:
If you played a Half-Elf (or if your GM allowed the spell to be used by Elves/other races), the Paragon Surge spell has some pretty incredible potential. It lets you have temporary access to any feat you need but don't have. Beyond the obvious uses, you can use it to get Extra Arcana, allowing you access to any Arcana you may need. Hexcrafters have it even better in that EA allows them to pick from any witch hex they may need as well!
The build points would work out the same (or allow you to put the 14 in Con instead) FWIW. I am a fan of the Elf FCB option (+1/6 levels Extra Arcanas) for Magi though. The Half-Elf option for more arcane pool points (+1/4) is okay too, but I don't think I'd choose it over HP. Elf is a strong option even without Paragon Surge, its just SO powerful and versatile, it bears mention IMO.
BTW, it you want to be REALLY cheesy with it, technically, you could NOT choose Spell Perfection, then use paragon surge to get spell perfection with ANY spell you want! Most GMs I know would NEVER allow that, but it seems to work by RAW.
thanks for the input, I'll look at some of the options. I still feel as though grabbing int to armor in conjunction with some celestial chain would be cool... I have to think about it.
Check if your DM will allow your class feature to count as "Hex." Even though it has the same effect completely, b/c it has a different name, by strict RAW, you cannot take the Hex Strike feat with it. It's silly, I know, but it's RAW... If the DM is cool, you may want to put Hex Strike (Slumber) (and later on perhaps Hex Strike for Ice Tomb or Retribution, too) into your build. It requires Improved Unarmed Strike, but...you probably wanted Crane Wing anyway, right?
For stats, I suggest (after racial and before lvl 4&8 bonuses):
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 7
Level up bonuses to Int. Start with items of +2 Int and +2 str or dex, whichever you use for attack rolls.