I wanted to make a character loosely inspired by Gambit, wielding a quarterstaff (Maybe a Rod of Surprise with only one shape) and a deck of cards.
Any advice on what I should too make this really come online? I know this is building for two different styles, one is a ranged character and one is a melee but I really like this idea of delivering distance spellstrikes to take down a foe with a simple 'playing' card.
Any tips?
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 16
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I have that magus build actually!
The biggest problem is the lack of feats... I found that a two level dip into the Lore Warden archetype covered most of that. I started off Lore Warden, then Magus 2 levels, Lore Warden again, then Magus thereafter.
Use the Magical Knack trait to keep your caster level up, too.
I went human for the extra feat, too.
Level 1: Lore Warden, feats Quick Draw, Point Blank Shot,
Precise Shot
Level 2: Card Caster/Staff Magus (bonus feats: Quarterstaff Master, Deadly Dealer)
Level 3: Card Caster/Staff Magus feat: weapon focus (dart/card)
Level 4: Lore Warden, bonus feat: Combat Expertise, feat: Dodge
Level 5: Card Caster/Staff Magus, feat: Close-Quarters Thrower
That covers your core: you can use the staff to threaten one handed while being able to throw cards even at point blank range.
For stats, I went somewhat balanced for my build.
Str 14
Dex 16
Con 12
Int 16
Wis 7
Cha 12
I liked Charisma being higher and have my PC being a bit more flippant and confidently arrogant.
Also, get a real Harrow Deck, makes the special Harrow ability more interesting :)
Get some potions of shillelagh to make your staff more dangerous, or use a wand if you get your Use Magic Device high enough.
The biggest problem you'll have is bypassing material-based DR; that's something I haven't come up with a good solution for (due to the inability to make a quarterstaff out of special materials), so you'll have to be creative about that until you get can Cluster Shot. You'll also still want some sort of heavy 2H weapon for things with hardness.
Good luck!
There is a build for Gambit you should look into
Nice, love the build. Though that one Cosmopolitan feat seems misplaced for feats
Nice, love the build. Though that one Cosmopolitan feat seems misplaced for feats
It's fitting for characterizational purpose, if you're aiming more for an inspiration rather than a Gambit replica you can totally change for a more useful feat
I like it but I am just saying the traits might be more useful like Weapon Focus (Darts/Cards)
Ok so here is the idea I had currently
Traits:
Bladed Magic
Student of Philosophy
Feats:
(Flaw) Cosmopolitan
(Flaw) Distance Thrower
(Bonus) Deadly Dealer
(Bonus) Staff Master
(Human) Point Blank Shot
(1st) Precise Shot
(3rd) Weapon Focus: Darts (Cards?)
(Bonus) Quick Draw
(5th) Harrowed
(7th) Weapon Focus: Quarterstaff
I am not sure how the build had Weapon Spec at 7th. When Magus at 10th gets the fighter training.
Good ideas I will look into them.
You can't use spell combat with cards if your other hand has the quarterstaff. That basically kills the build.
You can't use spell combat with cards if your other hand has the quarterstaff. That basically kills the build.
I think the build more focuses on Spellstrike, not Spell Combat.
But you are right, but that is why you put the Quarterstaff away. Remy rarely used his staff while using his cards anyway.
Sorry I didn't really spell myself out exaustively. The combo is just a mess since nothing actually works. Spell Combat is unchanged so it requires a melee weapon, and you can't use it with darts. Additionally, Spellstrike is changed to only work with ammo and you can't use it with the staff.
So basically you have two "half" character. A ranged stance mode were you can throw darts or deliver touch spell at range but not do both in the same round. And a melee stance mode where you wip up the staff and go full attack without actually being able to spellstrike.
Additionally, each time you switch stance you need to rebuff your weapons with the arcane pool. This is both stressfull on your pool and on your swift actions.
Its not about being suboptimal, it's about actually being unable to use your own class ability half the time.
If it still fancies you even with all those restrictions, well just ignore me and continue to have fun
I think the idea is you use the staff for close range, then quick draw the card and use it for the ranged delivery of spell.
So its meant to be used more for a ranged specialized with some switch hitter potential.