PFS Kensai Magus Level 3 Purchases?

[Jorin]

My Magus just advanced to 3rd level. I have around 6k in gold and 4 prestige points burning a hole in my wallet. The avatar has the PC details.

So I have some questions

• Cold Iron costs just twice as much plus 300 to make it masterwork. So a masterwork cold iron light flail would set me back 316 gold. Correct? And then the first time I magically enchant it would be an extra 2k of gold. Correct?
  
• Can you use 2 special materials for a weapon? Can a light flail have cold iron for the chain and whipwood for the handle?
  
• My primary weapon is a whip. Can a whip make use of any special materials? The only one that seems likely is the wyroot for the handle portion. But I'm not really sure that works either.
  
• I have already purchased a wand of CLW and a wand of true strike (to use with wand wielder and trip/disarm whip attacks). I have 4 more prestige points from the defunct Shadow Lodge. Since those can’t be combined with points from my new lodge, I may as well spend them. The most efficient purchase seems to be 1st level wands. What 2 wands would you suggest? I’m seriously considering mage armor (since my Kensai doesn’t wear armor) and endure elements (since I have the magic is life trait). But I thought I would check to see if anyone had better suggestions. Anyone know of a 1st level spell at caster level 1 that is worthwhile offensively?
  
• I’ve heard PF has special rules for filling your spellbook. But I’ve read through the guide several times and I’m not finding it. Where is it located or how much does it cost to pay for someone to teach me a bunch of spells?
  
• I’ve decide this PC will spend the occasional skill point on a craft skill. Have you noticed any craft skill have more applicability in PFS missions?

Do you have any other suggestions of things that should be purchased at this point in my career?

[calagnar]

Take your main weapon enchant it with +1 (2K gold). What is your total prestige? so we know what your buy limit is. Getting a wand of mage armor so you can save on your spell slots due to having less slots then most mages. That will let you prepare a extra offensive level 1 spell. From there it really depends on if you have 13 prestige or not.

[Artoo]

Be aware, Mage Armor is not on the Magus spell list. You can get it added to yours through the Spell Blending arcana. Or you can use Shield, which is on the Magus spell list.

A Kensai can wear a Haramaki or Silken Ceremonial Armor since both have ACP of 0 and ASF of 0. You may want to go with one of those and enchant it if you want to boost your AC.

The rules on different materials for different parts of a weapon are not entirely clear. I would say expect table variation if you try to have a weapon like that.

In PFS you can pay half of the normal scribing cost of a spell to access that spell from an NPC wizard's spellbook. You still need to pay the actual scribing cost on top of that to write it to your spellbook.

I've seen Craft(Alchemy) used in a few places. And I think Craft(Siege Weapon) came up once.

[Jorin]

Artoo wrote:

Be aware, Mage Armor is not on the Magus spell list. You can get it added to yours through the Spell Blending arcana. Or you can use Shield, which is on the Magus spell list.

A Kensai can wear a Haramaki or Silken Ceremonial Armor since both have ACP of 0 and ASF of 0. You may want to go with one of those and enchant it if you want to boost your AC.

The rules on different materials for different parts of a weapon are not entirely clear. I would say expect table variation if you try to have a weapon like that.

In PFS you can pay half of the normal scribing cost of a spell to access that spell from an NPC wizard's spellbook. You still need to pay the actual scribing cost on top of that to write it to your spellbook.

I've seen Craft(Alchemy) used in a few places. And I think Craft(Siege Weapon) came up once.

Yes, I am aware a mage armor wand would require a UMD check. I currently have a +2 on UMD. I don't think a wand of shield at CL 1 would last long enough to bother with. But the spell is in my spell book.

I mis-remembered canny defense. You are correct it does allow light armor. So I guess I will buy a haramaki to enchant.

Guess I won't try the 2 special materials item.

I forgot about the scribing cost. Thanks.

Maybe I'll go with craft alchemy.

calagnar wrote:

... From there it really depends on if you have 13 prestige or not.

I think you meant fame. Currently my fame is 11 points.

[ArmouredMonk13]

You might want to opt for a wand of infernal healing (I think its either Inner Sea World Guide spell, but might be Inner Sea Magic) for heals if there isn't a cleric in the party, unless you UMD.

Craft Alchemy is what I find comes up the most often for craft skills. Craft stonecutting comes up a couple of times too.

Cloak of Protection could help if you don't already have one, as could a +2 headband/belt of INT,STR, or for a dex build, Dex.

As mentioned previously, Haramaki and Silken Ceremonial armor are awesome for Kensai Magi as they are dirt cheap +1 AC.

I don't think (but am not sure by any means) that RAW allows 2 special materials, so you might want to steer away from that.

[Jorin]

ArmouredMonk13 wrote:

You might want to opt for a wand of infernal healing (I think its either Inner Sea World Guide spell, but might be Inner Sea Magic) for heals if there isn't a cleric in the party, unless you UMD.

Craft Alchemy is what I find comes up the most often for craft skills. Craft stonecutting comes up a couple of times too.

Cloak of Protection could help if you don't already have one, as could a +2 headband/belt of INT,STR, or for a dex build, Dex.

As mentioned previously, Haramaki and Silken Ceremonial armor are awesome for Kensai Magi as they are dirt cheap +1 AC.

I don't think (but am not sure by any means) that RAW allows 2 special materials, so you might want to steer away from that.

I bought a wand of CLW for him before I got the ISWG. Once the wand of CLW is used up I will get a wand of infernal healing next time.

Did you mean a ring of protection or a cloak of resistance. The ring of protection seems less useful since deflection bonuses are so common. But yeah a cloak of resistance should be on my shopping list for the near future.

[calagnar]

His limit for gold spent on a single item is 1,500GP until he hits 13 Fame.

[Bigdaddyjug]

First of all, any prestige you earned as a member of the Shadow Lodge will certainly combine with any future prestige you earn as a member of your new faction. I'm assuming you haven't played this character since August 14 since it became illegal to play as a Shadow Lodge (or Lantern Lodge) faction member on that date.

Second, I don't recommend making your primary weapon out of cold iron. That's just going to cost you 2000g in the long run. Buy another of the exact same weapon and make it out of cold iron, but enchant the non-cold iron one as your primary weapon.

Third, what type of magus are you? It sounds like your goal is to trip the enemies as much as possible, but what type of spells do you normally use with spell combat? If you cast a lot of shocking grasps, you may want to consider picking up a pearl of power.

[ArmouredMonk13]

Jorin wrote:

Did you mean a ring of protection or a cloak of resistance. The ring of protection seems less useful since deflection bonuses are so common. But yeah a cloak of resistance should be on my shopping list for the near future.

Sorry, meant cloak of resistance.

[Jorin]

Bigdaddyjug wrote:

First of all, any prestige you earned as a member of the Shadow Lodge will certainly combine with any future prestige you earn as a member of your new faction. I'm assuming you haven't played this character since August 14 since it became illegal to play as a Shadow Lodge (or Lantern Lodge) faction member on that date.

Second, I don't recommend making your primary weapon out of cold iron. That's just going to cost you 2000g in the long run. Buy another of the exact same weapon and make it out of cold iron, but enchant the non-cold iron one as your primary weapon.

Third, what type of magus are you? It sounds like your goal is to trip the enemies as much as possible, but what type of spells do you normally use with spell combat? If you cast a lot of shocking grasps, you may want to consider picking up a pearl of power.

I can't remember where, but I read that you could not combine the prestige points if you changed factions. They were separate banks of points. I will try to find it later.

I have 1 GM credit and a 3 xp module as an Osirion member since Shadow Lodge is defunct. I just hadn't used any of the prestige points yet.

Actually the light flail is my secondary weapon. The whip is my primary weapon. But I've been thinking I might be better of with the spell versatile weapon anyway. Eventually I would like to get the transformative property added to the whip so it can become other weapons and still have all the magic that I have added to it. But that is a long ways off if ever.

I am a kensai that is using true strike to crank my CMB high enough to trip and/or disarm most anything. When I have been using the weapons to do damage, I've been using chill touch so it lasts for more strikes and has a slight debuff effect. But yes, a pearl of power is an excellent idea.

There are a whole bunch of good ideas here. Just not sure which ones to get first.

[Cory Stafford 29]

A 1st level pearl of power is good since you loose spell slots from being a kensai.

[Jorin]

You guys have any thoughts on this one?

Jorin wrote:

...

My primary weapon is a whip. Can a whip make use of any special materials? The only one that seems likely is the wyroot for the handle portion. But I'm not really sure that works either.
...

[Bigdaddyjug]

Normally when you change factions, you have to spend a certain amount of prestige to do so, but the remaining prestige stacks with any new prestige you earn. Since the Shadow Lodge was done away with and you were forced to select a new faction, no expenditure of prestige was required and all of your prestige is considered prestige for your new faction.

As for the whip, I would say you could make it out of darkleaf cloth, although I'm not sure if the cost is worth the expense. Darkleaf cloth armors are always considered masterwork, but I'm not sure if a darkleaf whip would be.

[Jorin]

I have been unable to locate the thread where I saw that you couldn't. So I will assume you are correct unless I hear otherwise from my VL or something like that.

So I might not spend those 4 prestige points.

[Bigdaddyjug]

Trust me about the prestige. You didn't choose to switch factions, your faction was done away with. They wouldn't penalize you when they were the ones that made changes that caused you to have to change factions.

[Jorin]

So I think I'm looking at the following purchase list

Wand of endure elements for 2 prestige points
Making my masterwork whip a +1 magic item for 2,000 gps
(darkleaf would only make it way half as much and I have
str 18, if wyroot would work, I would do that one)

Masterwork cold iron light flail for 316 gps
(but I might just buy a couple scrolls of versatile weapon)
Cloak of resistance +1 for 1,000 gps
Peal of power (1st level) for 1000 gps
Silken Ceremonial armor +1
Eel Hide total cost would be 2,230 gps {gives elec resist of 2}
(so I would have to wait on the +1 enhancement)
OR
Griffon Mane total cost would be 1,380 gps {gives +2 fly checks}
(Also gives a 10% discount to enchantment cost on flying
ability but there isn't a armor enhancement that does that
So I'm thinking no to the griffon mane)

[Bigdaddyjug]

For your armor, you could also get leather armor made out of darkleaf cloth for an extra point of AC. Darkleaf cloth lowers the ASF chance to 0% and it does not have an ACP so you don't have to worry about your non-proficiency. A darkleaf cloth lamellar cuirass would also work if you wanted to keep with the eastern flavor. I'm not certain if leaf armor is PFS legal, but if it is that made out of darkleaf cloth would actually be your best choice.

Everything else on your list looks good. Also, remember, if you get a masterwork, but not magical, weapon and you use your arcane pool to enhance it, the arcane pool enhancements stack with the masterwork enhancement bonus instead of overriding it.

[Jorin]

Quote:

... Spell failure chances for armors made from darkleaf cloth decrease by 10% (to a minimum of 5%) ...

So it wouldn't completely get rid of the ASF for the leather or lamellar cuirass.

.
I did not connect the arcane pool enhancement stacking with the masterwork. That's a nice little extra bonus.

[Bigdaddyjug]

Bah, I read darkleaf cloth 3 times to make sure it would work before I posted that and never caught the "minimum 5%" thing.

Hmmm, so none of the kensai specific abilities actually hinge on him wearing no armor. So if you could lower the ASF chance to 0% and the ACP to 0, you could wear any armor you want. Unfortunately, all of the armors made of metal have an ASF of 20% or higher.

Oh well, guess you're stuck with your silken ceremonial.

[LazarX]

Jorin wrote:

My Magus just advanced to 3rd level. I have around 6k in gold and 4 prestige points burning a hole in my wallet. The avatar has the PC details.

In order.

1.Yes, you'd be spending 2.3K plus the cost of enchantment.
2.No, because that would fall under the rule of custom items which are banned in PFS.
3. There really isn't much in special materials for a whip. It's not a weapon made primarily of metal, so you can't mithral it, cold iron it, period. If you use a whip it's for a melee style of battlefield control, not dpr.
4. Your prestige points from Shadow Lodge CAN be rolled over into your new faction, presuming you converted in time, otherwise there is the faction changing cost. You only maintain one pool of prestige and fame points, not two. You can continue to use your points to buy Shadow Lodge vanities.... within reason.
5. You can get new spells for your spellbook at 1.5x the scribing cost. Fame limits for purchases applies.
6. There really is no crafting in PFS. Occasionally a craft skill might help you in identifying something or fixing something, but aside from determining what you use for day job rolls, it's not worth bothering about. I've yet to take a craft skill for any of my seven characters.

[Bigdaddyjug]

Ha, I didn't even notice the question about crafting skills. Very rarely will a craft skill come up as a roll in a scenario, and as LazarX said, only alchemists can craft anything.

On a personal note, my magus is a cobbler, so he took craft (shoes) and has a foot fetish.

[Beopere]

I would recommend a wand of mage armor. You can UMD yourself if necessary, but odds are you got a party member who can use it for you, or have a higher UMD.

mage armor + shield (spell combat) + int + dex + incidentals = fearsome AC.

I also second the pearl of power.