Need help on approach for Staff Magus


Advice


So, I like the aesthetics of the Staff Magus archetype for magus, but honestly, I'm not really sure how to approach making or playing one. The crit-fishing with shocking grasp thing doesn't seem as good an idea, as the quarterstaff doesn't have a good crit range. Tripping seems like another option, but there seem to be a lot of things that it doesn't work very well against (things with many legs, flyers, etc.).

In short, with the materials we have available now, as opposed to 3-4 years ago (when most of the threads my search turned up were from), what would be a good way to go about making a staff magus that works well at various levels?

Thoughts I have so far:
Good Strength
Arcane Strike feat for more damage?
Frostbite/Frigid Touch as go-to spellstrike spell?
Hexcrafter worth taking as well at the cost of spell recall delayed til 11?


I like Hexcrafter in general, and picking up all the curse spells to add to your list can really help you out. I would consider a level or two in bloodrager for Mad Magic. If you do two I would also consider the Archetype that allows Fast Healing while you are raging. It's only fast healing 1 but every bit helps.

Having a high caster level staff will help with your AC so I think you are able to survive not going heavy on the DEX. I tend to play Staff Magus as casters more than a fighter.

Skirner stacks but unfortunately offers nothing. Soul Forger stacks too...

Just some thoughts.


Strength-based Magus got another serious kicking-while-down with the new golden gift of Precise Strike for the cookie-cutter kings...

Still, turning into a Gargoyle with Monstrous Physique is one really great thing about using strength, at least.

EDIT: This is a rather peculiar option, but a Hexcrafter Magus could utilize Hex Strike. You're weakening one of your attacks, but in exchange you get to seamlessly throw a hex into your melee combat. Using a cestus can help with unarmed strike crappyness.

Scarab Sages

BadBird wrote:


EDIT: This is a rather peculiar option, but a Hexcrafter Magus could utilize Hex Strike. You're weakening one of your attacks, but in exchange you get to seamlessly throw a hex into your melee combat. Using a cestus can help with unarmed strike crappyness.

A cestus is not an unarmed strike. You can't hex strike with one.


I play a Hexcrafter/Staff Magus, currently at level 6. I can tell you that giving up Spell Recall is something I will never regret. Especially since Pearls of Power are so cheap for 1st level spells.

One thing I am preparing to do is get Hex Strike. Wear a gauntlet (not spiked) on your offhand so that you are considered armed when you attack with an unarmed strike (or get improved unarmed strike). Get the magus arcana Wand Wielder and make use of the spell Weaponwand.

You've got a one-two punch combo.

Punch -> Deliver Hex
Activate wand -> Deliver spell

Great for Evil Eye + curse spell


Imbicatus wrote:
A cestus is not an unarmed strike. You can't hex strike with one.

I guess it depends on how you interpret a weapon whose entire 'benefit' heading discusses how it affects your unarmed strike. Brass knuckles are in the same boat. Anyhow one can just use a gauntlet, as mentioned above.


DeathlessOne wrote:
One thing I am preparing to do is get Hex Strike. Wear a gauntlet (not spiked) on your offhand so that you are considered armed when you attack with an unarmed strike (or get improved unarmed strike).
Gauntlet wrote:
This metal glove lets you deal lethal damage rather than nonlethal damage with unarmed strikes. A strike with a gauntlet is otherwise considered an unarmed attack.

It's Improved Unarmed Strike or bust. Hex Strike is pretty awesome but you do have to shell out the feat for it. I do have an unarmed-combat Hexcrafter floating around for it.

For a Staff Magus: you're probably going to want to mainline Frostbite to take advantage of your double weapon-- you can easily transition between one-handing it for Spell Combat and TWF to dump Frostbite charges faster. That's something that the Staff Magus does better than most

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