I'm not great with Magi. I don't know much of what they do, though the class abilities aren't total gibberish to me these days, so I figure I should start looking for at least a bit of info.
I'm not building anything in particular right now. This isn't meant for use in a real game, just for figuring out what some of the things your standard Magi would commonly use their abilities for are.
Only thing I ever hear about Magi is Shocking Grasp, but presumably there's more to the class than that. What Magus tricks and strategies do you all have up your sleeves?
I used Frostbite all the time, combined with the enforcer feat it also allowed intimidate with extra bonus on a crit. 10d6 on one attack for a level 1 Spell is cool but 1d6+10 on 10 attacks is not bad either. When one goes up in level and get more than 2 attacks pr round it is even better. At 3 attacks ( 2 from baba and one from haste) casting frost bite every round just you would schoking grasp is even a god plan as the damage potential then is 4d6+4xCL but and you get them fatigued on top:) for extra fun ad on the rime Spell metamagic feat. Even with out the enforcer trick, that not all DMs will allow it is a good Move.
Also frigid touch is great. Staggered is a terrible condition to have as a Baddie and on a crit it is a full minutte:)
I'm currently playing a Kensai using Frostbite. I combined it with the Magical Lineage trait and Rime spell, so it remains a level 1 spell and entangles targets for 1 round (no save). I'm also using the Bruising Intellect trait so I can use intelligence on intimidate instead of charisma. I plan to combine that with the Enforcer feat once I get my next feat (level 3).
Right now I can already make the target fatigued and entangled just by hitting him (-2 on attack, -2 on strength, -6 on dexterity, cannot run/charge, must make concentration check to cast spells). This works from level 1 if you take Rime Spell as a feat then. Same for Enforcer of course, the debuff from Enforcer lasts longer, but you do need to succeed on the intimidate check while the rime spell effect has no save/check. You could take them both at level 1 if you're human and don't take other feats. With both feats you're throwing around some nasty penalties (-4 on attack, -2 on strength, -6 on dex, -2 on saves, -2 on ability checks, -2 on skills, move at half speed, cannot run/charge, must make concentration check to cast spells).
I've played the shocking grasp magus before, but I must say I like this debuffer a lot more at the moment. Since I'm a Kensai I don't get spell recall and have 1 less spell per day of each level, so Frostbite also works a lot better for me than having to spam shocking grasp every round. I just don't get the spell slots for that shocking grasp spam.
Hmm, interesting stuff. What about in a more melee sense?
I've been digging through spells and arcana for options, and while it's a bit convoluted, I do believe that the option of Ghost Blade + True Strike + Prescient Attack + Dazing Assault could work for a Magus at levels 15+.
Basically make your weapon Brilliant Energy through the Arcane Pool, use True Strike with Spell combat to pretty much guarantee that your first attack hits in spite of Dazing Assault's penalty, activate Prescient Attack (requires you to land a hit, but True Strike helps with that) as an immediate action to deny your opponent their Dex bonus for the rest of the round and the next round. Opponent is now (hopefully) dazed, so they miss their round. Prescient Attack is still denying them their Dex bonus since it lasts through to the end of the next round after the round you used it in, and your Brilliant Energy weapon is bypassing armor. Unless most of the enemy's AC is natural armor or from an odd source you should have a full attack almost guaranteed to land every hit, and you can daze them again. Feel free to use the extra swift action to recall True Strike so that you can do it again next round.
I imagine that against conventionally-armored enemies one could juggle Prescient Attacks and recallings of True Strike to keep a major foe constantly dazed for essentially as long as the Magus' Arcane Pool holds out, and that with allies on their side, the fight probably wouldn't take that long anyways.
Several nearly-guaranteed hits per round should help ensure that the target fails at least one save against dazing assault every round, and the opponents who are strongest against this strategy (big monsters with high Fort saves and lots of natural armor) are the ones you wouldn't be using it against in the first place.
...So that's something from me, I suppose. Anybody got anything else.
Also, think of hexcrafter. My strategy is to switch between shocking grasp to deal massive one shot damage and frostbite to save spells. I plan to take elemental substitution to change energy type. Remember to get scimitar or cutlass, then make it keen via arcane pool. A critical at 10th level with sg is something like 23d6 plus 2*static modifier. It's impressive. With a 18 str, and a +1 weapon you can deal with frostbite 2d6+15 per hit, and you have a 25% of 4d6+30, that's an average impressive damage. Anyway, try the trick: full attack+true strike on first round, frigid touch + full attack on the next, then go on with frostbite. When you can afford it, do quickened frostbite.
True Strike + Any manoeuvre of choice works well at lower levels
Hexcrafters also have the advantage of gaining Brand, a cantrip that works well with spellstrike (ie You can always get that extra attack : ) )
Scrolls of Shield in spring-loaded wrist sheets can make you nearly unhitable if you have a decent dex at lower level for a rather cheap investment. (4 from chainshirt, 4 from shield & 1-3 from dex - costs 25gp per use)
Well for one, the Magus breaks most expected norms of the game. Scimitar Crit shocking grasp is disgusting powerful especially when you can tack on Intensify and Elemental spell. Magical Lineage makes it only a 2nd level spell.
At 5th level you can make 3 weapon attacks. Spell Combat touch spell, Haste and Normal attack.
Frostbite allows a Magus to deal 30 damage(Not including weapon damage) over the course of 3 attacks(which he can make in one turn) by level 5. Even Barbarians or smiting Paladins have a hard time doing that without a crit.
They get spells that help them close distances like Bladed Dash and Force Hook which lets them spell combat for their full attack anyways. Cast spell first then dash up and unleash.
Spell-storing is pretty ridiculous on Magi since it lets them bust out two spells in their full attack.
All in all, insanely powerful. I don't like building them because of it.
Remember to get scimitar or cutlass, then make it keen via arcane pool.Okay I get why you want a good crit range. (Do cutlasses have the same as a scimitar?)
But if you are NOT going to Dervish Dance, wouldn't any weapon with a large crit range, like a rapier be just as good? I mean other than Dervish Dance what is the deal with 1h slashing weapons?
Well it has to be a 1h weapon to Spell Combat. There aren't many numerically better options other than the Falcata or Scimitar.