|
Ok, I've got an old tiefling I need statted up for PFS. So yes, it's legal for play even though it's a tiefling. I'm starting at lvl 2.
So I'm making a tiefling Bladebound Kensai Magus (oh, and fiendflayer because why not?).
Ability scores - (parenthesis is after racial mods)
str 11
dex 16 (18)
con 13
int 16 (18)
wis 10
cha 7 (5)
First ability point at lvl 4 will go into con for the health boost. Next one will probably go into charisma at lvl 8 (6 free skill points). I'm not going to worry about upping dex/int at lvl 4/8 because it doesn't seem worth it. The bonus skill points from having a high int will help make up for my low charisma score.
I will not be multiclassing as I don't want to stunt my casting (so no swashbuckler dip). Favored class bonus will go into HP.
Racial traits: Darkvision 60', Fire/Cold/Electric Resist 5, Skilled +2 bluff/stealth, Maw or Claw - Bite 1d6, Prehensile Tail (giving up Darkness SLA)
Feats:
Kensai lvl 1 - Weapon Focus (Rapier)
lvl 1 - Weapon Finesse
lvl 3 - Fencing Grace (yes, I know it's not out yet, but it will be in a couple weeks)
lvl 5 - Grasping Tail (to hold metamagic rods in my tail)
lvl 5 (bonus magus feat) - Improved Initiative (lesser chance of being flat-footed)
lvl 7 -
lvl 9 -
lvl 11 -
(haven't decided the last few yet)
I've barely even looked at Arcanas, so I don't know what I'm missing. With my archetypes I only get one at lvl 6. I'll probably take the bonus arcana feat at some point. I'm probably going to take, at lvl 6, the bonus arcana for two other spells and pick mage armor as one of them.
Traits (I'm not picking the two feats for making shocking grasp awesome as I don't feel I need to power game that much).
- the one for +2 concentration (with long arm I could probably pick something else)
- one for Perception as a class skill (because if I'm caught flat-footed I'm probably dead)
I'll be wearing Haramaki armor as it doesn't have a max dex and no armor check penalty (so it doesn't matter if I'm not proficient for it). It's only 1 AC so it's not a huge deal.
Starting Spells (3 (magus) + 4 (int) + 2 (lvl 2)):
Shield
Shock Shield
Chill Touch
Shocking Grasp
Hydraulic Push
Grease
Mudball
Longarm
(need one more)
I'll be buying a wand of longarm and infernal healing.
Things I'm not sure about and need opinions on:
Take the Natural Armor +1 and Fire Resist 5 instead of Fire/Cold/Electric 5. It won't stack with an amulet of natural armor which I'll probably need to make up for no actual armor.
So things I need to worry about are being caught flat-footed. Any advice how to do that? Is there a way to "always act in surprise round" without a teamwork feat or multiclassing?
Also, do I need to specifically buy a spellbook or is that something I just have for being a caster?
Any advice in general would be appreciated.
Racial Nat Armor will stack with the amulet.
You start with a spellbook.
I took Spell Penetration for one of my feats for SR.
Truestrike is not a bad spell/wand, especially for doing combat manuevers. Long arm would take care of most AoOs. Can use with arcana that allows you to use wands with spell combat.
Clever Wordplay is a nice trait to change a single skill from Cha to Int, I used UMD.
Metamagic rods cannot be used with spell combat though, since they take a free hand to wield. You may not need grasping tail in that case.
|
|
Racial Nat Armor will stack with the amulet.
You start with a spellbook.
I took Spell Penetration for one of my feats for SR.
Truestrike is not a bad spell/wand, especially for doing combat manuevers. Long arm would take care of most AoOs. Can use with arcana that allows you to use wands with spell combat.
Clever Wordplay is a nice trait to change a single skill from Cha to Int, I used UMD.
Metamagic rods cannot be used with spell combat though, since they take a free hand to wield. You may not need grasping tail in that case.
Where is it said they need a "free hand"--I was under the impression they just needed to be held which is exactly what Grasping Tail would allow my tail to do.
If they just need to be held, yes. If they need to be manipulated, no.
|
|
Manipulating an object is (usually) a move action that is not related to using metamagic rods.
Manipulate an Item
Moving or manipulating an item is usually a move action.This includes retrieving or putting away a stored item, picking up an item, moving a heavy object, and opening a door. Examples of this kind of action, along with whether they incur an attack of opportunity, are given in Table: Actions in Combat.
James Jacobs has said specifically this is one type of the thing the feat could be used for.
|
I have a Tiefling Bladebound Fiend Flayer Magus as well, currently 5th level. I decided not to take Kensai so I could still wear armor to make up for my swarmbane clasp. He started to be more interesting to play at level 2 once I could spell combat and really started to be fun at level 4 with spell recall.
I chose to go with 13,17,14,16,10,8 after racial bumping dex to 18 at 4th. The HP are needed, especially at lower levels and Toughness would be another key pickup. you might also want the 13 Str for Power Attack and for carrying capacity. We are only going to 6th level spells and most of our important ones don't have saves, so a headband can fill the role of higher int.
I would say that especially at lower levels, the concentration checks are tough to make without spending traits/feats on them. Combat Casting is a good IMO. If you find you don't need it, you can always retrain it at higher levels. I would take that over the Grasping Tail, especially as MM Rods aren't really an option until later level when you have a bit more gold.
I did also put my favored class bonus into Arcana Pool rather than HP or Skill points. The slower progression from Bladebound will hurt once you start using spell recall, especially with the reduced casting from Kensai.
As far as spells, Vanish(APG) is one of my favorite 1st level spells. I'd also suggest Corrosive Touch, Ray of Enfeeblement and Color Spray as options.
|
|
As far as spells, Vanish(APG) is one of my favorite 1st level spells. I'd also suggest Corrosive Touch, Ray of Enfeeblement and Color Spray as options.
Good choices, I know I don't need all the spells I picked.
As for gold... what else do I have to spend money on? I can't buy armor and my weapon is provided for me.. Obviously there's consumables and miscellaneous stuff (rings/amulets).
Lesser rods will work on every spell I'll have until I'm 10th lvl. And lesser rods don't cost all that much (there are quite a few options for only 1500g).
|
|
- I need to worry about being caught flat-footed. Any advice how to do that? Is there a way to "always act in surprise round" without a teamwork feat or multiclassing?
What about this part?
I don't have much to offer in the surprise round without a level in diviner wizard or another class that gives it.
As far as not being caught flat-footed, I don't know of any way outside of a dip into a class with uncanny dodge - 2 levels of barbarian? kills the CL though, your already slow spell progression is in the toilet, and your blade will not advance.
there may be an item that does this, but I'm not sure.
|
|
If you're going to plan on using a meta-magic rod while spell combating be sure you have the resource that says it's OK for you bookmarked. Most PFS GM I know won't allow it as Rods need to be 'held' to use them.
The Spell: Mudball, I is a racial spell. Not sure how PFS works with racial spells. Another have that resource bookmarked for the PFS GM.
If you have the ARG, look at the racial Feat: Armor of the Pit. Gives you a +2 Natural Armor Bonus.
That's specifically what the Grasping Tail feat does (allows you to hold with your tail). James Jacobs has said this is exactly what he uses the feat for with his tiefling magus. It's not like I'm doing it for free, it costs a feat to get it done. I'm trying to find the specific wording in the prd about how to use rods but I can't find anything other than "simply having the rods doesn't confer the bonus".
I didn't realize that about mudball. I won't be able to take that for pfs, at least not without paying to have it scribed (and maybe not even then). I didn't do a good job of picking my spells so I definitely need to go over them.
|
|
That's specifically what the Grasping Tail feat does (allows you to hold with your tail). James Jacobs has said this is exactly what he uses the feat for with his tiefling magus. It's not like I'm doing it for free, it costs a feat to get it done. I'm trying to find the specific wording in the prd about how to use rods but I can't find anything other than "simply having the rods doesn't confer the bonus".For Rods, found in the CRB page 484, under Activation.
"unless noted otherwise, you must be holding the rod to use its abilities."Feat: Grasping Tail
Benefit: You can use your tail to grab stowed items. While you cannot wield weapons with your tail, you can use it to retrieve small, stowed objects carried on your person as a swift action.Special: If you have the prehensile tail racial trait, you can use your tail to grab unattended items within 5 feet as a swift action as well as to grab stowed objects carried on your person; you can hold such objects with your tail, though you cannot manipulate them with your tail (other than to put them in your hand).
From what I'm reading, it sounds like you can not use a Rod with your Tail. The main problem I'm seeing is the descriptions of Rods. They range in size from 2 to 3 feet and weigh up to 5 LBs. Also, a lot of them can function as light maces and clubs. Which put's them over the size category for the tail.
I'd love to be proved wrong as I also have started a PFS Taifling Magus and if you can find a exception from what I'm reading I'd love to know where so I can use it too. :)
I do know some magus get around this by spell use and grow themselves a third arm. At this time, it's the only 'offical' PFS way I know of to use a meta-magic rod while spell combating in PFS
Reread the special portion that you get if you have the prehensile tail racial already. It doesn't have the size limitation as the feat is upgrading the racial ability, otherwise what would be the pint of the feat if you already have the racial ability?