ok, so i posted a thread a while back asking for advice on how to fix my Magus/Monk after a terrible plot twist. my GM and i have discussed everything and figured out the story related elements and dramatic backstory changes necessary for my character to proceed in the campaign. part of this is to do a rebuild using the retraining rules in UCamp to change some things i already had, but this post os more about what i didn't already have and what i need to change in the build design.
Basically, this character is now going to be focused entirely on a "True Magus" build using Frostbite and Shocking Grasp debuffing/nova combos. Keep in mind that he is a Kasatha, so i'll be able to use rods/wands/etc. stuff fairly easily with spell combat, so any functionally effective combos using the extra two arms are welcome, but he wont be using MWF as i was already doing that, and it has now been removed as it was very hard to hit with the penalties.
Kasatha Magus 18 / Monk 2 (currently magus 6 / monk 1)
Stats:
STR: 18+2 (belt of giants strength)
DEX: 17
CON: 16
INT: 18+2 (Headband of vast intelligence)
WIS: 16
CHA: 13
Traits:
Magical Lineage (Shocking Grasp)
Bruising Intellect
Reactionary
Drawback:
Doubt
Racial Abilities:
Defensive Training
Desert Runner
Desert Stride
Jumper
Stalker
AC: 22
Class Abilities and Feats by level:
1) Diminished Spellcasting, Canny Defense, Weapon Focus, Arcane Pool Cantrips, Spell Combat, Arcane Strike
2) Spell Strike
3) Black Blade; Power Attack
4) Perfect Strike
5) Intensified Spell; Enforcer
6) Magus Arcana (Arcane Accuracy)
7) Monk AC; Unarmed Strike; Stunning Fist; Fuse Style; Combat Reflexes; Snake Style
--8) Fighter Training; Iaijutsu
--9) Improved Spell Combat; Rime Spell
--10) Evasion; Snake Fang
--11) Critical Perfection; Craft Wand
--12) -----
--13) Superior Reflexes;Maximize Spell; Weapon Specialization
--14) Magus Arcana(Empower Magic)
--15) Iaijutsu Focus; Spell Perfection (Shocking Grasp)
--16) Greater Spell Combat
--17) Magus Arcana(Bane Blade); Greater Weapon Focus
--18) Counterstrike
--19) Greater Weapon Specialization; Elemental Spell
--20) Magus Arcana(Critical Strike)
the build assumes that by level 20 i will have an 18th level BB, a Legendary (mythic) weapon with cruel + spell storing + Keen +2 enhancement and another similar weapon. I also plan to create wands of bull's strength, Expeditious retreat, Mirror Image, shield, and haste once i have the feat to do so. i'll be using three spring loaded wrist sheathes so i'll have lots of options for using what i need to.
I was also thinking of making a wand of Intensified Empowered Maximized Shocking Grasp at level 15 using spell Perfection, Magical Lineage, Empowered Magic arcana to make it a 1st level spell when casting into the wand. I would also do this same thing when casting SG into any spellstoring items i have. thoughts?
spells prepped and Pearls of Power will mainly be used to cast Frostbite combined with Enforcer+Rime Spell+Cruel Weapon to do butt loads of debuffing. I know its not the MOST that can be done, but it's more than enough most of the time. anything else can just get stunned via another spell or stunning fist.
All in all, am i doing this right as far as feats go? should i be focused more on magical feats instead of melee feats? if so, what do i use? i've no idea what would be better and why. I've read all the relevant guides, but don't see why spell focus/specialization would benefit me. perhaps someone could enlighten me?
Archetypes are blade bound and kensai. The 2 levels of monk were part if the original build idea and I chose to keep them in because of a few reasons: first, the capstone for kensai isn't very inticing and I feel 2 bonus feats, better ac, and evasion are a better buy then weapon mastery. Second, snake style and snake fang as those two bonus feats make good use of all the extra AoO that a kansai gets. There is no reason not to have them on a kensai, ever. The only downside is you can't use your weapon to make the attacks, but that is easily fixed with an AoMF with spell storing on it.
Accurate strike was on the list of needed arcana, but got cut for lack of room. Is there something you see that I could cut out to add extra arcana and pick it up?
As far as the spell trigger items, I was talking about using an intensified, maximized shocking grasp that I have prepared in a first level slot due to magical lineage and spell perfection with the empowered magic arcana when creating the wand or casting the spell into the spell storing item. Wouldn't this still be a 3rd level spell? If not, is there a rule or FAQ that states that you cannot do this?
You're gonna wanna forgo spells entirely and focus on using a great axe.
Shinemesen, keep in mind that a 3rd level spell equals CL 5, so your spell stored Sg will only deal 5d6 dmg be it intensified or not (not accounting for empower spell)
A 3rd level spell cast by a cl 10 caster does 10d6 coming out of the item.the caster level doesn't go down because you reduced the spells level...
Have you considered Wayang Spellhunter and then get Magical Knack?
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Keep in mind that as a BladeBound Magus you CAN'T have a cruel spell-storing black blade. Those enchants are specifically forbidden for the Black Blade.
As for the wand of metamagicked spells those will NOT be at first level. The traits and spellperfection lets you CAST those spells as 1st level spells. When you are crafting the wand those don't benefit the cost of crafting that wand. And since wands are limited to 4th level slots you can either have a maximized wand or an intensified& empowerd but not all 3. Either way that wand is going to cost 21,000GP (10,500 if you craft it yourself). That's a LOT to spend on 50 charges (420 or 210 GP per use is HIGH).
I'll have 2 other weapons for spell storing and cruel.
Is there a rule or FAQ somewhere that says that the spell you cast when crafting can't be modified by traits/feats? As far as I can tell, if I have a maximized+intensified shocking grasp prepared in a 1-st level slot when I do the crafting, and use empower magic while doing the cast of the spell during the craft, then I've just cast a 1st level maximized, intensified, empowered shocking grasp into the item.
Nothing I can find in the crafting section states that traits cannot be used, nor does it say that spell perfection wouldn't either. You actually have to expend a prepared spell to create the item, so anything used during preperation of the spell should also apply to the item.
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Crafting rules are one of the less defined areas of the game which is why there is a FAQ posting on issues like this.
Crafting FAQ
Pearl of Power: What is the caster level required to create this item?
Though the listed Caster Level for a pearl of power is 17th, that caster level is not part of the Requirements listing for that item. Therefore, the only caster level requirement for a pearl of power is the character has to be able to cast spells of the desired level.
However, it makes sense that the minimum caster level of the pearl is the minimum caster level necessary to cast spells of that level--it would be strange for a 2nd-level pearl to be CL 1st.
For example, a 3rd-level wizard with Craft Wondrous Item can create a 1st-level pearl, with a minimum caster level of 1. He can set the caster level to whatever he wants (assuming he can meet the crafting DC), though the pearl's caster level has no effect on its powers (other than its ability to resist dispel magic). If he wants to make a 2nd-level pearl, the caster level has to be at least 3, as wizards can't cast 2nd-level spells until they reach character level 3. He can even try to make a 3rd-level pearl, though the minimum caster level is 5, and he adds +5 to the DC because he doesn't meet the "able to cast 3rd-level spells" requirement.
The minimum caster level of the spell in question is the point. For a spell with intensified metamagic on it kicks it up to a 2nd level spell. Just because you have a trait/feat whatever that allows you to cast this spell as a first level spell doesn't change the fact that it is still considered a 2nd level spell (the minimum for casting this spell with that metamagic on it) for crafting purposes.
This is what kicks the cost up and keeps you from adding all those metamagics to this spell in item form.
I see. However, cost is not in question here. A wand can have any caster level you choose to give it. All that does is up the cost to create it. Nothing is stopping a 20th level wizard from crafting a wand of a first level spell with his full caster level if he wants to and can afford to. Am I wrong? I would be well within my means for example, to create a wand of frostbite as a 20th level magus and no metamagic or traits involved that did 1d6+20 damage and lasted for 20 touches. This might have a rediculus price tag, but its fully possible.
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I see. However, cost is not in question here. A wand can have any caster level you choose to give it. All that does is up the cost to create it. Nothing is stopping a 20th level wizard from crafting a wand of a first level spell with his full caster level if he wants to and can afford to. Am I wrong? I would be well within my means for example, to create a wand of frostbite as a 20th level magus and no metamagic or traits involved that did 1d6+20 damage and lasted for 20 touches. This might have a rediculus price tag, but its fully possible.
Not quite, the point is that making a wand with a metamagic feat on it kicks up the spell level and minimum caster level on it. This increases the cost and also pushes it up towards the level cap for that item.
Since wands can't have a spell over 4th level in them adding a metamagic pushes it up and possibly over that level.As for your example, nothing stops you from doing that, you can do it as a first level spell all you want until you put metamagic on it which stops it from being a first level spell.
I think what you are trying to say is that in order to create a wand of intensified empowered maximized shocking grasp I would have to be at least be able to cast a 6th level spell which would require a caster level of 17. This normally means that the spell it self is a 6th level spell and cannot be put in a wand. However, if I make the spell a first level spell by means of feats/traits, the caster level still remains at 17, but now I have a first level spell being cast at caster level 17. This is perfectly acceptable. I fail to see the problem.
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I think what you are trying to say is that in order to create a wand of intensified empowered maximized shocking grasp I would have to be at least be able to cast a 6th level spell which would require a caster level of 17. This normally means that the spell it self is a 6th level spell and cannot be put in a wand. However, if I make the spell a first level spell by means of feats/traits, the caster level still remains at 17, but now I have a first level spell being cast at caster level 17. This is perfectly acceptable. I fail to see the problem.
No, what I'm saying is that no matter what feats/traits you have the magic item creation rules ignore that when computing the maximum level of the spell that can be put in the wand and the final cost of that item.
Here's the breakdown.
375GP * spell level spell * caster level.
Regular spell: 375gp * level 1 Frostbite spell * caster level (1) = 375GP
Intensified : 375gp * level 2 spell (1st level spell +1 for intensified =2nd level) * caster level 3 (the minimum level to cast a 2nd level spell for a wizard) = 2250
Intensified + maximized: 375GP * level 5 spell (first level spell +1 for intensified +3 for maximized = 5th level) This exceeds the maximum level of the spell allowed in wands so you cannot do this.
Your feats/traits that reduce the cost to cast doesn't change the mechanics for crafting items. You still have to follow the standard rules for creating items.
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However, if I make the spell a first level spell by means of feats/traits, the caster level still remains at 17, but now I have a first level spell being cast at caster level 17. This is perfectly acceptable. I fail to see the problem.
The item does not have your feats/traits. Thus, it cannot reduce the level of a spell put into it. It costs you less resources (lower spell slot) to cast the spell yourself, but the item still receives it at full power and full spell level adjustment.
Nowhere in the item creation rules does it say that when creating an item that it ignores your feats and traits. It also does not say that it calculates the level of the spell independent of the caster. It DOES however state that is uses the spell from the slot you have it prepared in, meaning that if its prepared as a 1st level spell, its a 1st level spell. The level of the spell when creating an item is determined by the slot it is prepared in, not its "effective" level.
Unless you can site something that states otherwise...
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Nowhere in the item creation rules does it say that when creating an item that it ignores your feats and traits. It also does not say that it calculates the level of the spell independent of the caster. It DOES however state that is uses the spell from the slot you have it prepared in, meaning that if its prepared as a 1st level spell, its a 1st level spell. The level of the spell when creating an item is determined by the slot it is prepared in, not its "effective" level.
Unless you can site something that states otherwise...
Actually it's even worse than that.
I'm not well-versed in the item creation rules, so I went and read them over again. There's just zero support for my comment. They do reference you can use metamagic feats to enhance the spells which increases the spell level as normal. If one feat can affect a spell for use with crafting, then other feats certainly should, including adjustments for costs.