I was looking through the PFSRD yesterday and came across a new magus archetype. I'm always excited when my favorite class gets new options, and a sneak attacking magus is something I've been secretly hoping for.
So what do you guys think? Worth it? I for one am a little confused as to why sneak attacking can possibly require the use of arcane pool points, or any other resource and don't know what to make of it yet.
*bump*
I personally use it mostly with the red mantis assassin, the sneak attack stacks even if you have to use a point on it. and its independent casting can be used with *broad study*.
Is it worth it? probably not unless you have something in mind with it. like a mantis assasin
The reason it costs something is because you're not actually trading something in for the sneak attack, or a least not solely.
hm...
So what do you guys think? Worth it?
I think its not that great personally. It modifies your arcane pool so you can't get the enhancement bonus out of it. That's a real stinger, imo. You in turn get slightly more burst by getting some extra D6's on your attack that require some set up and a point from your arcane pool. It has to be used that round too, and eats up a swift action! That just feels like a huge cost to me, especially when a straight bonus to attack and damage might actually do quiet a bit on its own, especially since its not limited.
Evasion is nice though, and the magus I see are usually dex based anyway because it takes so long to get the heavier armors and there's easy access to mithral breastplate with armor expert or chainmail, in particular celestial armor at later levels.
Mostly just echoing what's already been said, but the modification to the arcane pool was disappointing but netting evasion was a nice bonus and you're likely to see improved evasion as a boon too since you still have a poor reflex save.
When I first read it, I thought it would make for a great Dimensional Dervish character when combined with Spellblade until I noticed that the Sneak Attack is limited to one hit per round, at which point I gave up on it.
I'm not a fan of the positioning/efforts needed to pull off sneak attack(and vulnerable position in which it leaves a g.s. or rogue), so I can't say I'm a fan of that ability of the greensting slayer. I like the greensting slayer concept, but I think it's too conservative an approach.
I am biased; I wrote the convergently evolved spiderhawk magus archetype (also with sneak attack) for Wayfinder #10.