Bladebound Kensai, need some help, first time player!

[Veldrin Shadowbane]

Hello all. A few friends and I are going to be starting up a campaign from level 1. We're all fresh and new to the game so I just wanted to get some input from some of the vets out there!

I decided to roll a Magus, the class seems pretty cool and from reading the archtypes I decided to go with a Bladebound Kensai using a Katana as my main weapon in an attempt to create a supernatural samurai I guess

Anywho, we met up the other night to roll our stats and this is what I ended up with:

16, 17, 15, 13, 12, 10. We did the roll 4d6 and eliminate the lowest roll method. Haven't yet determined which race I will be, was leaning towards Tiefling or Half-Elven.

So here's what I've come up with so far trying to figure out feats and magus arcana, please bare with me as this is my first time doing this so my formatting is probably horrendous!

1. Extra Arcane Pool(Normal Feat), Spell Combat, Canny Defense (+1 int to AC/magus level), Bonus Feat: Exotic weapon proficiency Katana, Bonus Feat: Weapon Focus Katana
2. Spellstrike
3. Magus Arcana (Black Blade), (Power Attack)Normal Feat, Alertness (Blackblade), Telepathy (Blackblade), Unbreakable (Blackblade)
4. Perfect Strike
5. Feat, Intensify Spell (Combat, Item Creation, Metamagic), Energy Attunement(Blackblade)
6. Magus Arcana
7. Weapon Spec(Normal Feat), Fighter Training (Magus level - 3 = Fighter level), Iajitsu
8.
9. Feat, Magus Arcana, Teleport Blade (Blackblade)
10.
11.Feat, Bonus Feat (Combat, Item Creation, Metamagic), Superior Reflexes
12.Magus Arcana
13.Feat, Iajutsu Focus, Transfer Arcana (Blackblade)
14.
15.Feat, Magus Arcana
16.
17.Feat, Bonus Feat (Combat, Item Creation, Metamagic), Spell Defense (Blackblade)
18.Magus Arcana
19.Feat, Iajutsu Master, Lifedrinker (Blackblade)
20.Weapon Mastery

There are several feats missing and I'm sure some of the ones I chose are probably not optimal. I've read a bunch of builds and guides, however I'm still missing quite a few feats. I expect us to get to level 20 at some point barring any horrible unrecoverable deaths.

The rest of the group is as follows: Cleric, Gunslinger, Monk and a Tank type(I think he's going to go Paladin, not sure though)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Beopere]

If you're looking for optimization I would recommend using a scimitar. If you use your arcane pool to make your sword keen, you will crit 15-20, which includes spells you are spell striking. This allows for some spectacular shocking grasps or vampiric touches.

Are those stats places where you want them? You might want to raise your int a bit, several arcana benefit from good int, and of course your spells.

[Javaed]

A Bladebound Kensai will work just fine with a Strength build and a Katana. I'm playing one right now and it does a great job at dealing damage, while being fragile enough that my GM doesn't complain about me being too powerful.

You're going to have a low AC at first, so some means of gaining Mage Armor is really required. Picking up the spell at level 6 with an arcana is a great idea.

The Dervish Dance Scimitar build is the most optimized build btw, giving you good AC and adequate damage. It's just so common that I find it rather boring.

[Paladin of Baha-who?]

If you're entirely new to the pathfinder system, I'm not sure a bladebound kensai magus is the best choice; there's a lot of complicated in the rules. If your GM is familiar with them and can say, "No, it works like this," when you are confused, then it could be OK.

[Veldrin Shadowbane]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I've thought about a dex dervish build, but i decided against it. I have a vision for my character being a makeshift samurai of sorts XD

And we are all fresh with the game. None of us have ever played and I don't think the DM has ever DM'd before.

Also my stats are not set. I wasn't sure where to put them, I was thinking of going

17 str
15 dex
13 con
16 int
10 wis
12 chr

as a tiefling getting +2 to dex and int making my int 18 and my dex 17

I was just overwhelmed at all the feat options that I was looking for some guidance on what useful feats I should take, or if some of the feats I've already decided on were not good.

[Sindakka]

Beopere wrote:

If you're looking for optimization I would recommend using a scimitar. If you use your arcane pool to make your sword keen, you will crit 15-20,

As does the Katana

Milan Tonic wrote:

17 str

15 dex
13 con
16 int
10 wis
12 chr

I like your stat placement (I'm thinking along the same character build myself), but I'd switch your Cha and Wis. Neither one is extremely useful, but at least the Wis boosts Will saves and Perception rolls.

Having a high Int is pretty important to you, as is Str/Dex. Most of your arcanas are based on your Int modifier, but your attacks/damage are Str-based and Dex will help your low AC early on, as well as your poor Reflex saves.

As soon as you can, get Mage Armor. It'll supplement your lack of armor bonus, and it should work with your Canny Defense ability.
Look into traits, if your GM is allowing them; Magical Lineage (Shocking Grasp is awesome, especially when combined with Intensify Spell, which raises spell level by 1 (thus canceling out). So you'd have access to a level 1 spell causing up to 10d6 damage (limited, of course, by caster level...) - pretty sweet, huh?

Of course, I can't claim to have come up with this all on my own - THIS may help

[Veldrin Shadowbane]

@Sindakka

I've read that guide a few times now. I'm still not 100% sure of my feats though. I'm not really trying to min/max, but I do want to be useful to the group!

Any recommendations on arcanas or feats?