My Frostbite Kensai (for PFS)

[Azelyan]

Hey guys I need some advice on my Whip-weilding Frostbite Kensai Magus.

The build I have currently is.

Stats:
Str - 10
Dex - 16
Con - 12
Int - 18 (16 + 2)
Wis - 12
Cha - 7

Traits: Bruising Intellect (Int to Intimidate), Magical Lineage (Frostbite)

Feats:
1 - exotic weapon proficiency (whip) - not an actual feat, but kensais get 1 exotic weapon of choice
1 - Weapon Focus (Whip)
1 - Weapon Finesse
Human - Rime Spell
3 - Whip Mastery
5 - Enforcer
Bonus (5) - Combat Reflexes
7 - Improved Whip Mastery
9, 11, Bonus (11) - Some combination of Dazing Spell/Dazzling Display/Toughness/Arcane Strike/any other ideas you might have

Arcana 3/6/9 - No clue what to take, being that I have never played a magus before

My goal is to eventually be able to combo Rime Spell and Frostbite, with enforcer, and the Cruel property on my whip.

I would start levels 1 and 2 with a Scorpion Whip, as a regular Whip wouldnt do much good while I dont have Whip Mastery. I was also thinking of being a from the Cheliax faction, seems like it would be a decent fit. I originally wante to go Elf, but it would just put my further behind. If anyone has a way I can make this work, I would love to hear it. Also if you find anyway to make this build overall, better, please let me know.

[Zwordsman]

I don't think Scorpion whip gets the range of a normal whip right?

A regular whip'll do alright at low levels if your mostly using your spells. (say with frost bite, your whip won't do damage (but it's only a low Die (what d4? d6?) and your str. not that you get a bonus to it) but the frost bite hit will still go off.

Though yeah I guess you'll likely have to whip more than your spells worth at low level.. Granted there are things like trip.
Your call in the end, just be aware of the Scorp whip's range.

outside of that, I don't have much I can mention on it. Looks pretty straight forward good. Metamagic joy.

Is it your intention just to frostbite/daze/rime/etc/ everything with your whip? Or is there more you'd like to do?

Arcana wise, I love taking the pool strike stuff. It's utterly suboptimal but I always love the elemental damage stuff. and on the whip it's just fun to whiplash and shock a group of people with it. It's pretty weak though.

[Azelyan]

Oh I took a look and I guess you are right, doesn't look like a Scorpion Whip has a range of 15. Maybe I will just stick with a normal whip then. I might have to just trip armored things.

Spells and such, I plan on having the usual haste, glitter dust goodness. the Frostbite is my go to spell when I have to attack, as I will have 1 strike per level, and that adds up later on.

Edit: With proficiency, its stated that a scorpion whip can be treated as a whip. Thus 15 ft reach.

[Humphry B ManWitch]

have a look at "intensify spell" for 10d6 second level shocking grasps

good for when your fighting things that ignore your cumulative negatives

[Azelyan]

Humphry B ManWitch wrote:

have a look at "intensify spell" for 10d6 second level shocking grasps

Hi there, I am aware of awesomeness that is shocking grasp and magus. I I want to be more of a battlefield controller, thus my use of a whip.

[Zwordsman]

Ah. well if it can go for 15ft like a whip go for it.
....not really sure why anyone would use whip vs scorp if you can just do it like that..

otherwise yeah. just tack on the metamagic for your enjoyment.
Depending on how one reads spells trike and frostbite, then the damage might go off when you make a trip attempt or grapple them with it (though don't suggest that with your str)

[Azelyan]

Weapon Finesse uses dex for CMB instead when using a whip.

Another question. Can you choose to do non-lethal with a Scorpion whip, without taking a -4 like a whip can? If so then there is no reason at all for me to use a regular whip. Only planned on having my main weapon be a whip was due to the no non-lethal negatives when I was going to use enforcer.

[Skyler Malik]

Hey guys, I am bumping this with an updated build and looking for opinions on it, due to the ACG coming out. This build is for PFS.

Human:
Str - 7
Dex - 16/17
Con - 14
Int - 16/17
Wis - 10
Cha - 7

Traits: Bruising Intellect (Intimidate), Magical Lineage (Frostbite)

Feat:
Kensai - Exotic Weapon Proficency (Whip)
Kensai - Weapon Focus (Whip)
Human - Weapon Finesse
1 - Slashing Grace (Whip)
3 - Whip Mastery
5 - Rime Spell
Bonus - Enforcer
7 - Improved Whip Mastery
9 - Combat Expertise
11 - Improved Trip
Bonus - Greater Trip

Alternate last few levels:
9 - Arcane Strike
11 - Toughness
Bonus - Weapon Specialization

With Slashing Grace coming out, it means I can immediately dump strength. The focus would be Rimed frostbite + enforcer + a Cruel Whip, in order to lay down fatigue, entangle, shaken, sickened debuffs with 1 attack.

I have not decided where to put my +2 bonus for being human. Should I focus on levelling up Dex for damage, and to hit (in order to lay down the debuffs), or should I focus on increasing Int for more spells.

I am not really going to be using any spells that require saves, except maybe glitter dust. Levelling dex and Int, will increase my AC and initiative, so they effectively cancel each other out.

[Taenia]

I wouldn't worry about more spells. Keep in mind that your rimed frostbites are 1st level and pearls of power level 1 are pretty cheap.

[Duncan7291]

Bookmarking this to see how the build goes for you.

[Skyler Malik]

Anyone have any ways of increasing Intimidate? It will be important. Spending 5 Prestige to get Caravan so intimidate can be my dayjob.

Magenta Prism, cracked = +2 Competence
Masterwork tools = +2 Circumstance

[Skyler Malik]

Updating the build for maxiximum debuffage.

Human:
Str - 7
Dex - 19
Con - 14
Int - 16
Wis - 10
Cha - 7

Traits: Bruising Intellect (Intimidate), Magical Lineage (Frostbite)

Feat:
Kensai - Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Whip)
Kensai - Weapon Focus (Whip)
Human - Weapon Finesse
1 - Slashing Grace (Whip)
3 - Whip Mastery
5 - Rime Spell
Bonus - Enforcer
7 - Improved Whip Mastery
9 - Arcane Strike
11 - Riving Strike
Bonus - Weapon Specialization (Whip)

Throw in a Brow Gasher in a spell-storing whip and you have the following debuffs:

Shaken/Frighten
Sicken
Entangle
Fatigue
Riving Strike
Blind (on one target when releasing Spell storing, Vampiric Touch also good)

Super strong debuff build now.

[Shane LeRose]

Thanks. My players are going to hate the villain I make out of this build.

Dot

[Skyler Malik]

I have been playing this character through in PFS. She is curently level 6. If she precasts frostbite, and nothing is immune to her. With her Precise Strike Deed Arcana, she is putting out 1d3 + 1d6 + 21 damage currently.

Shes been an absolute nightmare for anything not immune to non-lethal damage. Especially once she sticks the 3 status conditions she currently has on them (add brow gasher in there if she thinks she facing the big bad). She is about 4 Fame away from getting cruel on her whip to start adding sickened.

[Eigengrau]

Dot