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So i was looking for something a little unique and interesting. I wanted to do a dex based magus, but the scimitar seemed unappealing to me. Pouring through weapons i discovered this little gem, the Aldori Dueling Sword. But noticed the feat (dueling mastery) that i needed for it was very intensive.
Enter the kensai, who meets two of the feats right out of the gate. Quickdraw isn't ideal, but hey. Then i noticed the prestige class of the swordlord which requires Dazzling Display, but not quickdraw. A little better if not completely ideal. Since i need to rank up intimidate i was looking at what i could do with that. Then came the enforcer feat, now i need to be able to nonlethal. Blade of Mercy trait would work great in conjunction. The idea seemed to build on itself.
My race would probably be tiefling, possibly human.
build would look something like: 1-4 magus, 5 swordlord, 6-12 magus
lvl 1
weapon Finnese
exotic weapon (dueling sword)
weapon focus (dueling sword)
lvl 3
enforcer
lvl 5
dazzling display
Dueling Mastery (from prestige class)
7+ still thinking.
Highly likely that at this point i will take extra traits and go for magical lineage plus some other nifty ability. Seeing as how i get dex to damage from swordlord, going bladebound/kensai looks really appealing.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Is everything PFS legal? I am still a bit new to the society.
A few notes: cant get swordlord before your 6th level (it requires 5 ranks of intimidate, and you cant enter the level you get the fifth rank).
Dont forget you can only get one trait of each type (there are a lot of cool magic traits).
Otherwise, seems good. Human would be good for more feats. Then again, not sure how useful the "intimidate" feats will be since you will probably have low charisma. Might want to take the "focused study" human racial trait to get skill focus (intimidate).
You need to meet all the prerequisites for the prestige class BEFORE you take levels in it; you can't pick them up with the first level. So if you take a 5th level of Magus, you get a bonus combat feat (I'd recommend Power Attack to get your damage up).
I was just looking in to a build similar to this and I decided that it's just not worth the cost required to use the aldori dueling sword for a magus. You've got to spend too many feats and a dip in to a non spell casting class to get a weapon that is not much better functionally than a long sword. Now if you wanted to build more of an aldori FIGHTER and take a small dip in kensi it started to make more sense.
Tragically the mechanics for teh aldori just don't match the cool factor of the fluff.
I was just looking in to a build similar to this and I decided that it's just not worth the cost required to use the aldori dueling sword for a magus. You've got to spend too many feats and a dip in to a non spell casting class to get a weapon that is not much better functionally than a long sword. Now if you wanted to build more of an aldori FIGHTER and take a small dip in kensi it started to make more sense.
Tragically the mechanics for teh aldori just don't match the cool factor of the fluff.
Getting to add your Dexterity to damage on a weapon you can wield in two hands is huge.
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Wally, I was pondering something similar as well, but rather use the new swashbuckler (maybe the aldori fighter). Could qualify for the dueling mastery feat as early as level 3. Start with swashbuckler then Get 2-3 levels kensai dip for "dual wielding" probably with wand-wielding being a major contender for your arcana.
Still, i'm leaning towards the magic side rather then the fighter side. Could go either way
Getting to add your Dexterity to damage on a weapon you can wield in two hands is huge.I was just looking in to a build similar to this and I decided that it's just not worth the cost required to use the aldori dueling sword for a magus. You've got to spend too many feats and a dip in to a non spell casting class to get a weapon that is not much better functionally than a long sword. Now if you wanted to build more of an aldori FIGHTER and take a small dip in kensi it started to make more sense.
Tragically the mechanics for teh aldori just don't match the cool factor of the fluff.
It's really not. It's nice but it's hardly a game changer. The Agile weapon property is a +1 bonus. Weapon focus gives you the +1 to hit and weapon spec or sword scion trait gives you 1-2 to damage. So dex to damage is worth roughly 1.5 feats. To get it from the Aldori class you have to spend 4 preset and somewhat trap feats and eat a level of a non favored, non spell casting advancing class. If you're in a game where the GM refuse to allow you to get agile than maybe it's worth it, otherwise it's not.
Deft Strike does not allow you to apply 1-1/2 your DEX mod when wielding a weapon 2 handed.
I suggest you look at the low level spells for the magus. these spells will be a rather large part of your damage.
There seem to be 2 favorites
Shocking grasp. here you will do a zillion damage and even get a little +2 to hit but only once pr spell.
Frostbite. here you will do less damage and it will be subdual(my GM allow it to work with enforcer but expect table variation) but it once pr caster levelk and it scales well.
There are others and as you go up in level these choises will be as important as Pretige classes and feats.
The blade bound Archtype hurts level dip a little harder than even the normal magus but 1 level may be ok.
You will want 5 levels in magus before you do any thing else. at level 5 the Arcane pool thing really grows and you can make the weapon keen.
I havent looked in to the Dex to damage options but i think just focusing on getting damage out of your spells will be a better option, and then get a agile weapon if you dont go Bladebound.
If you aim for Frost bite you can get rime spell and stack entangled and fatigued on folks you hit in battle, good debuff and consistant damage.
If you go with shocking grasp you get intensify spell and pehaps spell specializion for good spike damage.
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entangled, fatigued, and possibly shaken... holy debuffs!
is sword scion legal in PFS? Looks like a trait specific to kingmaker?
Now for frostbite vs shocking grasp...
ideally i would want to be casting spells every turn, to get in the extra weapon attack correct? At the least i could do arcane mark. That would overwrite the effects of the extra frostbite charges i would be holding onto?
Although as a kensai, i have less spells so holding onto one for an extended duration may be ok. But i could still lvl 0 arcane mark.
I agree about the swordlord having "trap feats", but i don't consider weapon finnese to be one of them. Profiency and weapon focus come free and certainly aren't bad. That just leaves dazzling display as the only one. I might even find some use for it on occasion. Probably not, but one "trap feat" gets me the dueling feat and deft strike.
Good traits for you are: Bruising Intellect (INT to intimidate in place of CHA which would benefit you more than enforcer) and Sword Scion (If allowed).
I'm not a fan of the Kensai, but I realize a lot of people are. Two levels of Swordlord will give you DEX to damage if that's your thing (it should be).
Additional Traits would be an awesome feat to grab Magical Lineage (Shocking Grasp) and Paragon of Speed or Reactinary.
Don't forget that Magical Knack might also be good for you if you plan on level dipping, since it gives you a +2 CL.
Recommended race is human, of course, stat array looking like:
STR 13
DEX 16
CON 14
INT 16
WIS 11
CHA 7
This allows for access to Power Attack at some point, or if you prefer, leave STR at 10, and buy into a higher DEX or INT.
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While not a huge kensai fan, the design pretty much requires it. I understand the drawbacks. Of the choices i need to make, this is a given for this character.
Only need 1 level of swordlord, not 2.
Bruising Intellect would be a good choice, though the idea with enforcer was to make use of the intimidate skills i need for the swordlord. This would also pretty much require the Blade of Mercy Trait. Paragon of speed, while nice, is not going to make the cut
traits i would want (too many)
Blade of Mercy
Bruising Intellect
Sword Scion (allowed in PFS?)
Magical Lineage/Magical Knack
Perception as a class skill (grand lodge trait)
Stealth as a class skill
Seeing as i can only choose 4 (with additional traits) The class skill ones would probably have to go.
While not a huge kensai fan, the design pretty much requires it. I understand the drawbacks. Of the choices i need to make, this is a given for this character.
Only need 1 level of swordlord, not 2.
Bruising Intellect would be a good choice, though the idea with enforcer was to make use of the intimidate skills i need for the swordlord. This would also pretty much require the Blade of Mercy Trait. Paragon of speed, while nice, is not going to make the cut
traits i would want (too many)
Blade of Mercy
Bruising Intellect
Sword Scion (allowed in PFS?)
Magical Lineage/Magical Knack
Perception as a class skill (grand lodge trait)
Stealth as a class skillSeeing as i can only choose 4 (with additional traits) The class skill ones would probably have to go.
Seems solid, What is the point of the swordlord dip then? Dueling mastery for the +2 shield bonus? The spell Shield is a lot better, and choosing to do so would end up with a lot less problems with the build as you could take a regular magus and not dip into swordlord, only thing you have to worry about is going finesse with the dueling sword, or making a STR build with it.
Deft Strike is a 1st lvl swordlord feature.Seems solid, What is the point of the swordlord dip then? Dueling mastery for the +2 shield bonus? The spell Shield is a lot better, and choosing to do so would end up with a lot less problems with the build as you could take a regular magus and not dip into swordlord, only thing you have to worry about is going finesse with the dueling sword, or making a STR build with it.While not a huge kensai fan, the design pretty much requires it. I understand the drawbacks. Of the choices i need to make, this is a given for this character.
Only need 1 level of swordlord, not 2.
Bruising Intellect would be a good choice, though the idea with enforcer was to make use of the intimidate skills i need for the swordlord. This would also pretty much require the Blade of Mercy Trait. Paragon of speed, while nice, is not going to make the cut
traits i would want (too many)
Blade of Mercy
Bruising Intellect
Sword Scion (allowed in PFS?)
Magical Lineage/Magical Knack
Perception as a class skill (grand lodge trait)
Stealth as a class skillSeeing as i can only choose 4 (with additional traits) The class skill ones would probably have to go.
So it is, I am dumb.
entangled, fatigued, and possibly shaken... holy debuffs!
is sword scion legal in PFS? Looks like a trait specific to kingmaker?
Now for frostbite vs shocking grasp...
ideally i would want to be casting spells every turn, to get in the extra weapon attack correct? At the least i could do arcane mark. That would overwrite the effects of the extra frostbite charges i would be holding onto?
Although as a kensai, i have less spells so holding onto one for an extended duration may be ok. But i could still lvl 0 arcane mark.
.....
There can be littel doubt that shocking grasp is a great Spell for a magus. But Frostbite is in the race i think. When you get more than one attack then Frostbite wins somthing and with 3 attacks Frostbite is winning terrain. But you can have both. At level 2 there is metamagic versions of level 1 spells and frigid touch. At level 3 there is force punch and vampiric touch.
The main reasons i use Frostbite is that we often meet several baddies at the same time.
Maybe i will go cold focused, i like the flavor and it fits well. Certainly a deviation from the traditional shocking grasp magus. Plus the idea of a ensnared, shaken, fatigued, staggered enemy amuses me.
Missing out on 10d6 shocking grasps though... damn :(
My magus is only level 8 so i am not the greatest Living autority on the subject. But he have no problem taking Down opponents his problem is more in the surviving department. Yesterday he manager to solo a magus 1 level above him. ( 2 crits before the team manager to catch up with the over eager move 60 magus:))
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So i decided to go Theifing Bladebound/Kensai Magus, not being human was a rough choice, but being tiefling gets me an extra 2 ac (one Natural armor, one from int), same skill points, darkvision, resitance to cold, darkness spell (goes well with darkvision), tail, other random knowledge checks. Cha penalty doesn't hurt either with bruising intellect (great choice!) The tail is what put it over the edge, can easily use metamagic rods, which i can buy with relative ease due to savings from bladebound.
My spells will be cold focused (frostbite, snowball, frigid touch)
stats:
str 8
con 12
dex 18
wis 12
int 18
cha 6
From what i understand, Sword Scion is a Kingmaker campaign trait... thus NOT legal in PFS. Please correct me if i am wrong
lvl 1-5 magus, 6 swordlord, 7-12 magus
Traits: Blade of Mercy/Bruising Intelect
lvl 1
weapon Finnese
exotic weapon (dueling sword, kensai bonus)
weapon focus (dueling sword, kensai bonus)
lvl 3
enforcer
alertness (blackblade bonus feat)
lvl 5
dazzling display (magus bonus feat)
extra traits (Perception, magical lineage)
lvl 6 (Swordlord)
Deft Strike (from prestige class)
Dueling Mastery (from prestige class)
lvl 7
Rime Metamagic
Arcana (Thinking wand wielder / empower / close range)
I think that is planning ahead far enough, good choices from here could easily be weapon specialization, critial strike, pirana strike, or whatever else i might find helpful.
Appreciate all the feedback. Certainly very helpful
A two lvl dip in MoMS Monk for Crane Style and Crane Wing can go a long way too. If you take crane style as a normal feat (requires Dodge) you can have Crane Riposte too with the same two lvl dip.
Not worth the dip anymore with the rewritten Crane Wing
weapon specialization, critial strike, pirana strike, or whatever else i might find helpful.
Quick FYI - no pirana strike. It's only for light weapons which the Dueling sword is not.