If I am a second level Magus and I want to cast Shocking grasp while using spell strike to I suffer a -2 penalty on the attack?
You only take a penalty if you spellstrike while using spell combat.
So then if I cast shocking grasp using spell strike and only that I don't take the penalty? So then I can cast shocking grasp using spell strike then cast another spell like try strike?
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If you simply cast Shocking Grasp as a standard action you get a free touch attack to deliver it. Spellstrike lets you deliver it by making an attack with your weapon. It is no longer a touch attack, but it is at your highest BAB. There is no -2 penalty. (In fact you get the +3 bonus from S.G. if your opponent is wearing metal armor.)
If you use Spell Combat, then as a full round action you cast the spell and also get your normal attack. You still get the extra touch attack and can use Spellstrike deliver it through your weapon as above. So you have two weapon attacks rather than one. Both now suffer from a -2 penalty. (But the one that delivers the spell can still get the +3 bonus for metal armor.)
To fully understand Spell Combat and Spellstrike, I highly recommend Grick's Guide to Touch Spells, Spellstrike, and Spell Combat.
So then if I cast shocking grasp using spell strike and only that I don't take the penalty? So then I can cast shocking grasp using spell strike then cast another spell like try strike?
You don't have time to cast both spells in the same round. True Strike takes a standard action and neither option above leaves you with a standard action to use. At higher levels you can get options that let you quicken the True Strike so that it uses a swift action. Then you can cast both in the same round.
Like Gisher says, Spellstrike is not an action. According to touch spell rules, casting a touch spell grants you a one-time free melee touch attack to deliver the spell. Spellstrike lets you substitute that touch attack with a weapon attack instead.
Casting a spell as a full round action does not change the fact he is casting a spell. This should be evident with the spell combat ability to take a penalty to attack for a bonus on concentration checks.
He does not need to make a concentration check DUE to spell combat though (ie, if he wants to spell combat to cast a spell and throw a dagger while not being threatened by anyone).
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Most of these questions aren't specific to the Magus.
My suggestion would be to thoroughly go over the Magic Chapter in the Core Rulebook first, understand it fully, and then read how the Magus's class features modify those rules.
Trying to understand the Magus first, when they use alternate rules, is working backwards.
And Grick's Guide (linked above) is incredibly useful. It really helped me understand the Magus, and it covers most of these questions as well.
Yeah, the magus is not a newbie-friendly class. In order to understand its class features, you have to know the specifics of how two-weapon fighting, concentration checks, and touch spells work. The magus's class features modify and interact with these mechanics. Even designers that write archetypes for the magus sometimes get it wrong.
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Casting a spell as a full round action does not change the fact he is casting a spell.
The magus using spell combat don't cast his spell as a full round action. The spell combat action is a full round actio, but the spell is still cast at its normal speed.
A magus can choose to cast the spell first or make the weapon attacks first, but if he has more than one attack, he cannot cast the spell between weapon attacks.
That make abundantly clear that the magus isn't casting the spell for the full length of the spell combat action.
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If you simply cast Shocking Grasp as a standard action you get a free touch attack to deliver it. Spellstrike lets you deliver it by making an attack with your weapon. It is no longer a touch attack, but it is at your highest BAB. There is no -2 penalty. (In fact you get the +3 bonus from S.G. if your opponent is wearing metal armor.)
If you use Spell Combat, then as a full round action you cast the spell and also get your normal attack. You still get the extra touch attack and can use Spellstrike deliver it through your weapon as above. So you have two weapon attacks rather than one. Both now suffer from a -2 penalty. (But the one that delivers the spell can still get the +3 bonus for metal armor.)
To fully understand Spell Combat and Spellstrike, I highly recommend Grick's Guide to Touch Spells, Spellstrike, and Spell Combat.
One minor correction: You retain the +3 to hit bonus against metal armor/weapons until you hit and discharge the Shocking Grasp spell.
One minor correction: You retain the +3 to hit bonus against metal armor/weapons until you hit and discharge the Shocking Grasp spell.If you simply cast Shocking Grasp as a standard action you get a free touch attack to deliver it. Spellstrike lets you deliver it by making an attack with your weapon. It is no longer a touch attack, but it is at your highest BAB. There is no -2 penalty. (In fact you get the +3 bonus from S.G. if your opponent is wearing metal armor.)
If you use Spell Combat, then as a full round action you cast the spell and also get your normal attack. You still get the extra touch attack and can use Spellstrike deliver it through your weapon as above. So you have two weapon attacks rather than one. Both now suffer from a -2 penalty. (But the one that delivers the spell can still get the +3 bonus for metal armor.)
To fully understand Spell Combat and Spellstrike, I highly recommend Grick's Guide to Touch Spells, Spellstrike, and Spell Combat.
I stand corrected. If you are attempting to deliver the spell then you do get the +3 until you actually succeed.