Raichu Magus

[Malwing]

I'm trying to optimize a stupid build. The main points are that I want to use electric attacks and movement and not use weapons.

1) What are good spells past Shocking Grasp, Bladed Dash, and Lightning Bolt to fill out my spells?

2) What Arcana/Feats fill out the idea?

3) Archetypes?

4) Should I go dex or str? Or rather should I go Unarmed Strike or touch attacks?

5) How do I get more lightning more often? Likewise I'd like to move more and more often.

[kestral287]

1. Shock Shield is an amusing choice. There's always the buff options if your class lacks a 9th level arcane caster. Magi get the higher-level lightning spells (Lightning Arc, Chain Lightning) but they're not all that useful. However, an important consideration: if you're taking 'not using weapons' all the way, Shocking Grasp becomes rather mediocre (as does the Magus as a whole, really). No Spellstrike screws you.

2. The spell-boosting ones that grant 1/day Empower, Maximize, and Quicken. If your intent is to use a natural weapon, then of course Natural Spell Combat (though that one is weird). Spell-Scars is amusing and would give you more spell slots.

3. If you don't want weapons, Spell Dancer. Hexcrafter would extend your options, and can be combined with Spell Dancer.

4. Dex. Strength becomes kind of wasted without weapons.

5. You have no reason to not move and cast every round, since no weapon = no spell combat = no full attacking. Consider taking a dip into Sorcerer (Crossblooded with some combination of Dragon, Primal, and Orc). That's bonus damage with all of your lightning.

Admittedly, I'm assuming you're taking 'no weapons' entirely seriously.

[Nephril]

just use meta magics to empower the ones you have already picked. also a level dip in sorcerer taking crossblooded for orc (or dragon) and elemental would allow you to cast any evocation spell as electricity to fit your build idea while also increasing your damage by 1 per dice rolled. is this optimized not completely but still increases your options.

[Malwing]

I thought of Eldritch Scion. Any first party ways to improve my unarmed strikes? I could start punching my spells.

Concept could be done with Sorcerer but there's the issue that I really want to punch lightning into faces and full casting being bogged down with the need for spells other than lightning and moving.

[kestral287]

Eldritch Scion really doesn't have any specific benefit to you.

Easiest way to improve your unarmed strikes is to just pick up a natural weapon off your race. Ideally not a Claw though.

If you're using natural weapons then you kind of need to go strength-based or burn a feat + try to find an agile AoMF very quickly.

[Malwing]

kestral287 wrote:

Eldritch Scion really doesn't have any specific benefit to you.

Easiest way to improve your unarmed strikes is to just pick up a natural weapon off your race. Ideally not a Claw though.

If you're using natural weapons then you kind of need to go strength-based or burn a feat + try to find an agile AoMF very quickly.

I was more so thinking of the Elemental Strikes Bloodline power (elemental bloodline). Couple of times a day to hit with lightning.

Nevermind though. Biting or scratching with lightning is nowhere near punching thematically.

[Alexander Augunas]

If you want to focus on unarmed strikes, the least intrusive way to gain a monk unarmed strike progression is to take two levels of ranger and pick up Irori's deific combat style. You can take Monastic Legacy as your bonus combat feat at 2nd level, which will allow you to use half of your character level as your monk level when determining the amount of damage that your unarmed strikes deal.

Of course, you can qualify for this feat the old-fashioned way by taking 4 levels of monk, but as mentioned it is significantly more intrusive to do so.

[Malwing]

I could use use a Four Winds and take Djinni Style to keep with the lightning theme. Where are the diefic combat styles from? I remember seeing them but not from where.

[Jaatu Bronzescale]

Inner Sea Gods. Rangers who worship specific deities can take their combat style.

[Malwing]

And this includes Still Mind for Monastic Legacy? I'm not at home so cant check my books.

[EvilPaladin]

Kensai might be a good choice, if you want to emphasize the punching bit. Or, if you'd rather focus on the elemental aspect, the Eldritch Scion(elemental bloodline)works some, though I think you might be better off as straight magus. I mean, versatility from prepared casting is huge if you use it carefully(changing spells each day as opposed to having to stay the same), more skills/level can make a difference depending on campaign, and you will wind up with more swift actions, as you don't need to enter your trance every 2 rounds if you want to use spell combat.

[Alexander Augunas]

Malwing wrote:

And this includes Still Mind for Monastic Legacy? I'm not at home so cant check my books.

No. Only Irori's deific combat style includes Monastic Legacy.

[Torchlyte]

Bonus points for being a Ratfolk?

[Malwing]

Torchlyte wrote:

Bonus points for being a Ratfolk?

This is the best advice in the thread.

[blackbloodtroll]

Raichu sucks. Light Ball Modest Pikachu wins out.

[FiddlersGreen]

Cross-blood draconic and orc bloodlines for +2 per dice of damage rolled. That should give you a good power boost (though be prepared to invest in lattices of spell knowledge).

[Zwordsman]

There is that lv 3 (or was it 2..) lightening cloud spell.. Agressive cloud? something like that.. from the advanced class guide. It's basically just does lightening damage to it's square and it can be moved around.