All your Magus questions answered


Rules Questions


Apparently, nothing generates more questions that the Magus. So we need a repository of all rules, explanations and rulings. I hope you fine gentlemen will help me with this.

Let's use this thread to gather the information, and a document to collate and present it. Unattributed quotes are from the FAQ.

**Link to the document**

[u]Spell Combat[/u]
Q: How does it work?
A: You must be wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon(*), and have the other hand free(**). You can then cast a Magus spell(***) and still attack(****) with your weapon.

(*) Light or One-handed melee weapon:

Quote:

Q: When using Spell Combat, can the weapon in my other hand be an unarmed attack or a natural weapon?

A: 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.
Quote:

Q: When using spell combat, do I specifically have to use the weapon in my other hand, or can I use a mixture of weapons (such as armor spikes and bites) so long as my casting hand remains free?

A: You specifically have to use the light or one-handed melee weapon in your other hand.

(**)Presumably, the free hand is necessary for somatic and material components. But it's a separate requirement for Spell Combat, so you need a free hand even if you don't need somatic or material components.

(***) Casting a Magus spell means casting a spell, cantrips included, from the Magus spell list, that you've prepared in a Magus spell slot. The Broad Study and Wand Wielder Arcana change this.

(****) Attacking with the other hand. You get to make all the attacks you could make with that hand if you were making a Full Attack, including Haste. If you have natural attacks or multiple arms, you can't use them with spell combat as you could with a regular Full Attack.

Quote:

Q: Magus, Spell Combat: If I use spell combat, how many weapon attacks can I make?

A: You can make as many weapon attacks as you would normally be able to make if you were making a full attack with that weapon. For example, if you are an 8th-level magus (BAB +6/+1), you could make two weapon attacks when using spell combat.

Edit 9/9/13: This is a revised ruling about how haste interacts with effects that are essentially a full attack, even though the creature isn't specifically using the full attack action (as required by haste). The earlier ruling implied that spell combat did not allow the extra attack from haste (because spell combat was not using the full attack action).

Q: Can you use Flurry of Blows with Spell Combat?

A: Unclear, probably intended to be no. The argument for: Flurry of Blows is not a separate action, but a class ability that changes how a full attack works. Flurry of Blows lets you make multiple attacks with one hand. Spell Combat lets you make as many attacks with one hand as you could with one hand in a full attack. A Magus 1/Monk 1 could make 2 attacks with his one hand if doing a Full Attack, so 2 attacks should be the answer. Argument against: Both abilities reference "as if using two-weapon fighting, except...".

[u]Spell Strike, Touch spells, holding the charge[u]
Note that when you cast a touch spell, you can attempt a single(*) touch attack(**) as a free action in the same turn that you cast the spell. Spell Strike lets you replace that touch attack with an armed attack, and that's how a 2nd level Magus has 2 attacks per round: One weapon attack, one spell (from Spell Combat), one free touch attack (from the rules for touch spells) turned into a weapon attack (from Spellstrike).

(*) It's a single touch attack, even if you cast Chill Touch:

Quote:

Magus, Spellstrike: If I cast a spell that allows multiple touch attacks, can I deliver all of those spell touches through my weapon?

Yes. For example, if you cast chill touch (which allows multiple touch attacks), you could use spellstrike to cast and deliver the spell through your weapon, and in later weapon attacks you could use your weapon to deliver the remaining spell touch attacks (one spell touch attack per weapon attack).

If you have multiple attacks per round with that weapon (such as from having a BAB of +6 or higher), you can use the weapon to deliver multiple spell touch attacks per round, so long as you have uses of that spell touch attack remaining.

For example, if you are an 8th-level magus (BAB +6/+1) and you cast chill touch, you have up to 8 uses of that spell touch attack. If you make two weapon attacks in a round, you can deliver two spell touch attacks per round (one for each successful weapon attack).

Q: But I read that you can touch up to 6 targets in one round?

A: That's for casting touch spells on your allies; it can't be used on enemies, not even unaware ones.

(**) Attempting a touch attack.
Q: Can I use a natural attack or unarmed strike?
A: With Spellstrike, absolutely. Whether or not a non-Magus can substitute an unarmed strike or natural weapon attack for the free action touch attack is unclear.

Q: Can I use a combat maneuver?
A: Unclear. In my opinion, yes.

Sczarni

Be sure to check out Grick's Guide, too. It's incredibly helpful, and one of the most favorited posts on the forums.

Grand Lodge

I would like to point out that the Synthesist created way more questions than the magus.

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