So, the Hair Magus (Prehensile Hair Hexcrafter)


Rules Questions


The Hair Magus is a popular concept. With this thread, I hope to settle the rules questions once and for all.

First off, Prehensile Hair at level 3. "Hex Arcana" is not a sub-ability of Hex Magus, it's an archetype ability in it's own right, and it says you can select a Hex as an Arcana - and you pick an Arcana at level 3.

Second, Spell Strike with the hair. That works. And if it doesn't, the rules for touch spells in the combat chapter take you to the same place.

Third, secondary natural attack. If your secondary natural attack is all you attack with, it's -0 to hit, 1½* Strength to damage. Confirmed by SKR here.

Fourth, Spell Combat. You can't use it with your hair, as that doesn't satisfy the requirement for light or one-handed melee weapon. Spell Combat isn't a Full Attack (terrible ruling IMO), so you can't attack with your hair while you Spell Combat.

Fifth, Spell Combat and AoO. If you do use Spell Combat, you probably take the -5 to hit and ½ Str penalties on AoO with your hair until next turn.

Sixth, Enlarge Person and Reach. It's unclear to me what the reach is, but I think it's actually just 10'.

Comments, arguments?


Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber
Pupsocket wrote:
Spell Combat isn't a Full Attack (terrible ruling IMO)

It's not a ruling, it's a rule, as it says so right there in the book.

Liberty's Edge

1)

PRD wrote:

Hex Magus (Su): At 4th level, the hexcrafter magus gains access to a small number of witch's hexes. The hexcrafter magus picks one hex from the witch's hex class feature. He gains the benefit of or uses that hex as if he were a witch of a level equal to his magus level. This feature replaces spell recall.

Hex Arcana: A hexcrafter gains access to the following magus arcana, or may select any witch hex in place of a magus arcana. At 12th level, the hexcrafter may select a hex or major hex in place of a magus arcana. At 18th level, a hexcrafter can select a hex, major hex, or grand hex in place of a magus arcana. He cannot select any hex or arcana more than once.

Hex magus specify very clearly from which level you can take an hex as an arcana. Hex Arcana only list what you can take.

2) Spellstrike work with your weapon in the "other hand". You can use your hair using the normal rules for touch attacks, but you can't use them for an unarmed attack in the same round in which you have cast the spell.
To be more clear, you can touch someone with your hair in the round in which you have cast the spell, but you can't make "a secondary natural attack that deals 1d3 points of damage" in the same round in which you have cast the spell.
You can do that without problems, as for normal rules about held charges, in the following rounds.

My opinion is that this FAQ apply to spellstrike, not only spell combat:

FAQs wrote:

Magus: When using spell combat, can the weapon in my other hand be an unarmed strike or a natural weapon?

Yes, so long as the weapon is a light or one-handed melee weapon and is associated with that hand. For example, unarmed strikes, claws, and slams are light melee weapons associated with a hand, and therefore are valid for use with spell combat. A tail slap is not associated with a hand, and therefore is not valid for use with spell combat.

—Pathfinder Design Team, 04/05/13

3) I am unsure if you would get the 1 1/2 strength on damage as you are using your intelligence as the strength score.

The phrase "as if it were a limb with a Strength score equal to her Intelligence score." could allow that the 1 1/2 strength bonus as it don't say "you apply your Intelligence modifier to damage rolls with the hair in place of your Strength modifier." (paraphrased from the Agile property), but other abilities that allow that kind of substitution don't allow you to apply the 1 1/2 bonus, so I am uncertain about that.

4-6) Agreed.

Edit:
Oh, yes. I disagree that not allowing to use spell combat with haste is a "terrible ruling".
It is part of the rules as spell combat isn't a full attack and haste work only on full attacks.
I would suggest to change the Hasted Assault (Su) arcana so that it work with spell combat (making it more interesting) but spell combat being a full round action that isn't a full attack has several rules ramification and I think it was a very precise decision on the Developer parts to make ti work that way.


In no way does that FAQ apply to spellstrike. Spellstrike has no restriction on type of weapon in any way. You can use it with TH weapons for instance. (A very good strategy for a STR Magus that cant get a full round action in is to two hand their weapon and spellstrike.)


I wouldn't say that the rules really support that he can't take a hex at 3, since Hex Arcana is an independent ability and does not call on Hex Magus in any way, but just flat out says that he can take a hex in place of an arcana.
Though it is also worth pointing out that the archetype technically never specifies that the magus uses his magus level for the hexes gained by Hex Arcana (Hex magus specifically only calls "that hex"), though going into that is kinda pointless as the RAI are clear.

Yes, spellstrike should work with the hair, as long as the hair counts as a weapon, as there is no mentioning of "other hand" in spellstrike.

The hair should also get 1 1/2 int, a "limp with a strength score equal to her intelligence score" is pretty clear RAW, as the actual score gets changed, not the modifier. It thus can't really be compared with most other substitution abilities.
Agile on the other hand also specifically calls out that it doesn't allow 1 1/2 the modifier.
That they forgot that here is surely possible, but not supported by the rules or anything the devs said (that I'm aware of).

5th I have no idea about, but to take the penalty is probably intended.

Yes, as written the reach of the hair does not change with size. Which could be funny with a diminutive witch or hexcrafter... Actually, that sounds awesome^^

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