Looking good except for Magical Knack. It only goes up to HD, so unless you are planning on multiclassing it doesn't actually do anyhthing :P. Also note that your traits have to be from different categories, so you can't take 2 magic traits. There's a good guide to traits that lays out which ones do what if you google "pathfinder guide to traits".
I am actually thinking on Multiclassing (perhaps after level 4) into Lore Warden, for a few added skill points and feats - I know it is usually not advised but still...
May I suggest having Long Arm active instead of Frostbite at level 1? With only 1 attack at level 1, even with Rime frostbite won't do much because spellstrike is a level 2 ability. Meanwhile, Long Arm lasts for 1 minute and is amazing because at these levels few things have reach - you'll have an AoO on anything that closes range more than 5 ft stepping.
Great suggestion - I will definitely do that :D
If you do not use spellcombat or any form of transmutation to turn into something that gives multiple natural attacks, then yes, you get a single attack per round. But you can fish for AOOs. Later you will have plenty of spells to turn you into something with multiple attacks (alterself (troglodyte), Monstrous physique (Gargoyles)) .
You probably can't use your prehensile hair hex when you're using those transmutations as those things didn't have hair the last time I looked.
I am thinking of posting a character along those lines soon, but for the time being I am sticking with typical Magus - stay tuned :D
Re: the build, at level one I would prep color spray and grease. Occasionally those spells just wreck somebody or some encounters. The rest of the time you two hand a greatsword and use the arcane pool. Spell combat just isn't very sexy at level one or two.
Another great suggestion, those spells (even with my crappy DCs) may indeed define an encounter - I will definitely add them in.
Question: I currently play a fighter/cavalier mix at level 5 that 90% of the time is able to use a Shield wand before combat to get to a very decent AC for his level. Now... I'm looking at the Magus level 1, and his AC looks painfully low, and I have the feeling it will only get better if I use Shield a LOT (or go Dex build... Hmmm...) - how good is AC16 for a level 1?
For Kingmaker, I made a dwarf barbarian 1/magus 7 wielding a dwarven waraxe.
I took the level in barbarian mostly for the speed boost (I had tried playing a Small, Slow tank in another campaign, and it was a disaster!), but really enjoyed the extra class points and skills (Acrobatics and Perception in particular) and the Rage, of course.
It was a 25 point buy, so I had something like
16 Str, 13 Dex (14 at 4th), 14 Con, 14 Int (15 at 8th), 10 Wis, 6 ChaTraits: Berserker of the Society/Magical Lineage (shocking grasp)
Feats:
1. Power Attack
3. Dodge
5. Combat Reflexes
6. Arcane Strike
7. Intensify SpellSpells commonly used:
enlarge person, shocking grasp, burning hands, shield, mirror image, frigid something, bear's endurance, bull's strength
Didn't get to use fly or haste yet.Main tactic was to cast enlarge person and activate Arcane Strike or Enchant Weapon and then rage and wield the dwarven waraxe two-handed and Power Attacking, which was like 2d8+14.
Also, spell combat and spellstrike, of course. Never got to try that arcane mark trick. Sounds good for a dwarf if I can leave runes on my foes.
Obviously, I wasn't crit fishing. :-P
I like that build and the idea behind it - how did it work out in the end - were you able to keep up the role of frontliner without having to constantly use defensive spells (because I am sure you managed on the offensive side)? Do you feel STR16 is enough to keep constant damage output when not relying on spells? Did you feel the dip hurt you a lot (See above as I was planning on dipping Lore Warden)
Question: I currently play a fighter/cavalier mix at level 5 that 90% of the time is able to use a Shield wand before combat to get to a very decent AC for his level. Now... I'm looking at the Magus level 1, and his AC looks painfully low, and I have the feeling it will only get better if I use Shield a LOT (or go Dex build... Hmmm...) - how good is AC16 for a level 1?
I find that to be a fairly typical AC after the first adventure. The table of monster statistics by CR is a good source for figuring these things out.
They still shut down spell combat. You have to wield a shield, even a buckler for it to work, which means you don't have the necessary hand free.
Mithril Bucklers don't have ACP or spell failure.
Bucklers don't occupy the hand. If they did, you couldn't wield two weapons or a single two handed weapon with them, and the bit about -1 to attack rolls with weapons using that hand would be useless.
If you cast using that hand, you just lose the bonuses from the shield for a round. You can still get full benefit when not using spell combat - there is no penalty to holding but not attacking with a weapon in the hand of an arm using a buckler, so you can hold your scimitar or whatever in the buckler hand while casting then transfer it before spellstriking.
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I GMed the first chapter of Kingmaker, so I created my dude at 4th level for chapter 2 of Kingmaker.
The party was a cavalier/fighter, a ranger archer w/ cat, a rogue/witch/arcane trickster, an occasional NPC healer, and my dwarf barbarian/magus. Occasionally an alchemist and a utility wizard (actually he GMed when I played, so maybe no wizard). So we had a lot of firepower.
I was a pretty good damage dealer, but my AC was pretty crappy when I rage/enlarge nova-ed (-2 AC rage, -2 AC enlarge, -1 AC loss of qualification for Dodge).
But most things went squish before they got more than a couple hits on me.
It was a very versatile build. I got giant rage for lots of weak squishies, or tank (boosting defense) for BBEG. Also, I learned a Diplomacy check at -2 can work as agro. :-P Pearls of Power were very cool. I think I had 2 of them.
Bucklers occupy the arm, which means the hand attached to that arm isn't free for the gestures needed for spell combat.
That is a fascinating interpretation of the buckler's description.
This small metal shield is worn strapped to your forearm. You can use a bow or crossbow without penalty while carrying it. You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an offhand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so. This penalty stacks with those that may apply for fighting with your off hand and for fighting with two weapons. In any case, if you use a weapon in your off hand, you lose the buckler’s Armor Class bonus until your next turn. You can cast a spell with somatic components using your shield arm, but you lose the buckler’s Armor Class bonus until your next turn. You can’t make a shield bash with a buckler.
Really, fascinating.
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I'm playing a 10th level STR based bladebound Magus. I would recommend taking power attack (Which I didn't) at higher levels as a lot monsters will have resistance to the elemental damage to dish out (The fighter who also did not take power attack is out damaging my character between the levels of 8 and 10). I took spell penetration and don't regret it for a minute.
For weapon I would pick up a high crit range weapon and two hand when not spell striking or spell combating (But by level 8 you should be doing one of the if not both every attack.
Overall it's a fun class to play that can do some fun stuff. I'm sure it's made my DM cry once or twice. It really shines between levels 2 to 7, and drops to balanced between 8 to 10. That's at least my experience.
I didn't notice you mention the bard at all. You should really check out the arcane duelist bard. It does away with the skill focus alot in favour of a bunch of usefull magical warrior feats. The magus is like the science nerd into kendo. The bard is like the heroic magic warrior of legends. Think of bardic performance as your buff not your parties, and like being in tune with combat so skilled its an advantage to you and your allies. The only thing bards loose is blasts. Look around on the forums for bard/magus comparisons. Mechanically often the arcane duelist comes out on top. Arcane duelist are the hero you need.
I am working on a level 4 build, so I can get a better feel how a standard STR based magus would evolve - I must say I am not unsatisfied with the results so far :D
@James Gibbons: I play an archer Arcane Duelist, and she melts faces, but there are a couple of things that make me turn towards the Magus (even though the skillset and Bard abilities really appeal to me):
- the spellcasting action economy that can never be attained by the Bard;
- The spell list (Bard has no Shield for example, one I believe would be my 'go to' spell at lower levels).
Again thank you for all the feedback so far, and I will have some responses (and probably some more questions) up soon.
One question now though: Bottom line, I can wield a buckler, simply not getting its bonus when using Spell Combat or 2-handing a weapon, correct?
From the buckler entry:
You can cast a spell with somatic components using your shield arm, but you lose the buckler’s Armor Class bonus until your next turn.
So yes, you can consider you shield hand free for spell combat, but you will lose the AC bonus while doing so.
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Point to note on bucklers:
You can also use your shield arm to wield a weapon (whether you are using an offhand weapon or using your off hand to help wield a two-handed weapon), but you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls while doing so.
You can actually 2 hand the weapon but you take a -1 to all attack rolls.
Unless you figure a way to put away the buckler before you get to smacking. Do quickdraw bucklers exist?