I like it.
It looks okay, but the class is basically a bag of meh talents. Kind of boring and lacking in interesting class features.
The mechanics and theming around their magical abilities is a complete mess. The class description says they can cast spells that are not actually spells. They really should be spell-like abilities -- ya know, the game mechanic designed specifically for working like spells. Having the class use SLAs also saves you from having to explain some mechanics.
Why did you choose to alter the magus Arcane Pool class feature? It looks like your magnus can do the same thing, but the feature is broken up.
The class should not be able to regenerate points through critical hits or other means. If the class can spend arcane points to cast spells, then arcane points should be a finite daily resource. In game design terms, allowing points to regenerate changes the pool into a dynamic engine, which makes it much more powerful. This is why swashbuckler and gunslinger deeds are usually not very powerful.
What's too powerful to have at level 1? You don't have real spells like a regular magus, it should be fine to have arcane pool. Recognize that Barbarians get a +2 to hit, +2 or +3 to damage, and +2 health at 1st level for a few rounds a day. That's much more than a +1 weapon's worth
As I explained in the other thread, the magus gets that ability as a trade off for having less of a BAB and a class feature that bestows a penalty to his attack. The magnus not only has a full BAB but also can "cast" a 1st level spell at 1st level that does not provoke attacks of opportunity, does not require components, and does not apply spell resistance.
You also can't really compare this to the barbarian. The barbarian significant trade offs for rage. They don't have any spells and have really terrible skills.
You can't just add point regeneration mechanics all willy nilly. It needs to be something done with careful thought as it greatly affects the power level of the class and how the class plays out. It's something I even read books about and wrote articles on. This is why most classes stick to a pool that replenishes daily -- it's much easier to figure out the power of the abilities and mechanics involved.
With your class's pool, the power is easy to underestimate because it's hidden in the spell knowledge talents (by the way, why can they cast 2nd and 3rd level spells faster than a magus?). At the same time, the economy of the system is all wacky at higher levels. This all leads to my biggest problem with the class.
This is supposed to be a mage knight class. Why are their magical abilities hidden away in a talent pool? If they have any major magical abilities, it should be a primary class feature, not a talent.
Honestly, if I wanted to create a fighting class with a refresh mechanic and magical abilities, I'd design a class feature that grants a single once-per-day spell-like ability that refreshes on critical hits and kills. Instead of using a spell list, the class has to choose from a discrete list of spells. I'd have this list consist of spells that are largely considered underpowered, but still pretty cool and useful if you could use them repeatedly throughout the day.
SKILLS
You seem to have a line break between "Perception" and "(Wis)".
INNATE ARCANE ABILITY
I suggest that you just copy and paste the magus Arcane Pool instead of changing the name and breaking it up. If your magnus isn't getting 1st level spells, I think it will be fine. A point pool recharge ability should only be in a Grit-style pool. Grit doesn't scale with level and the character has few points. This is why is can recharge.
SPELLS
Instead of putting spellcasting into the Arcane Talents, I suggest giving the magnus 4-level casting and cantrips. You want them to cast spells, right? And they aren't supposed to be as good as a magus, right? 4-level casting.
FLEXIBLE TALENT
I have mixed feelings on this. Instead of temporarily losing a talent and gaining another, maybe an ability like the brawler's martial flexibility, where he spends points to temporarily gains one.
ACTIVE ITEM
I think you meant to title this "Activate Weapon". I would remove this as a class feature and put it in the talent section.
DUAL WEAPONS
This should also said be a talent. Some magnuses will never use it.
CRAFT ITEM
Same as Dual Weapons. Also, if you implement 4-level casting you won't need it.
I'd have this list consist of spells that are largely considered underpowered, but still pretty cool and useful if you could use them repeatedly throughout the day.Describes the magus class spell list to a T.
Not true! Their spell list isn't too bad and they have the ability to expand it. I played two magi for over a year and run a 3-year weekly campaign. The most annoying thing about it is that beyond teleport and overland flight, they don't have many interesting 5th level spells. Both me and one of my players often just learned lower level spells because of it.
This is supposed to be a mage knight class.That was the first draft yes. But too many people where calling the whole thing redundant and a horrible idea. I believe you where one of those people.
I never said a mage knight class was a bad idea. Even a magic fighting class that doesn't have spells could work out. There's a lot of cool classes that pull it off well, like the runeblade from Collective Book of Experimental Might. I criticized your first draft because it was almost literally just the magus but better in almost every way.
Honestly, if I wanted to create a fighting class with a refresh mechanic and magical abilities, I'd design a class feature that grants a single once-per-day spell-like ability that refreshes on critical hits and kills. Instead of using a spell list, the class has to choose from a discrete list of spells. I'd have this list consist of spells that are largely considered underpowered, but still pretty cool and useful if you could use them repeatedly throughout the day.At this point Cyrad I have to say if this class is not your cup of tea I don't know what to tell you. You have made some good points and I thank you for that. But I am getting the distinct feeling that this class will probably never truly chive with you. You seem to be critical no matter what I have done to this class. Also to answer your question, I am not just going to add a bunch of 3/day or spell like abilities because THEY ARE BORING AND NEVER GET USED!
I remember every prestige class in 3.5 had one or two of them. People where so scared to use them they usually went to waste. They where filler for a lot of classes and ended up being the easy and un-creative way to fill up class abilities.
I'm just trying to help. In that quoted text, I was just throwing that idea out there, because I didn't think it was fair to keep criticizing your class without giving concrete suggestions or ideas. My point is try doing something interesting and it seems bizarre that a magical warrior class doesn't have a magical ability as a primary class feature. Otherwise, the class feels like a grab bag of talents with the magus's arcane pool tossed in.
So I've spent some time on this, and I do feel like there are promising components - I like the idea of a character that can flexibly enhance or alter their weapons/combat abilities, and I think there should be more/more effective martial caster types.
My biggest feeling though, is to agree with some of your earlier commenters that it really does seem to lack focus. It isn't clear to me at all what the classes 'thing' is - what does it do that is different than what other classes can do? What makes it unique and worth having a class built around it? I think you have some good abilities, and with your last update you added more, but what will make the class shine is having a focus, both thematically but also mechanically.
If it is a more martial magus, is there a reason you don't want to stick closer to the magus chassis, give it full bab and minor casting?
If it isn't a more martial magus, what is it?
It seems like you really like the idea that the class summons/enhances their weapons - if this is the class you want to make, really go for it - invest in that and make it a major focal point. A couple of abilities to summon weapons won't really do that for you, imo.
Take a look at other classes that might inspire you or give you a sense of what the design space looks like. Have you looked at the Soulknife? This class - which is a lot of fun - seems *very* in line with what you want to do, and in fact, psionics work rather similarly to the way you've structured your arcane pool. If you don't want to go minor spellcasting (which I *would* strongly recommend as well), consider looking at the scaling and design of psionic power points and manifesting. Or what about converting the soulknife from psionics to psychic magic or arcane magic? The Aegis is a very similar and also very well thought out class that sort of falls between the Soulknife and the Synthesist.
The Runeblade might be another homebrew to take a look at - and might get you looking at 3.5 material that might be worth converting or redesigning. Maybe a mageblade or a hexblade?
All that said, I don't have too many specific comments on the design, but I have a few minor critiques.
The name isn't my favorite - magnus doesn't mean anything - it's a dude's name? I prefer War Magus of the one's you've mentioned.
I am leery about the arcane pool as you've structured it. Consider that literally every class that gets 4+stat + 2*level uses that pool to represent rounds using an ability: this is how rage and bardic performance work. Every other class uses one of two static pools: the standard pool is 1/2 class level + stat. Arcanists and Psychics get a different pool which they can use to cast spells, so might be worth looking at for you, but these are largely very limited.
This doesn't mean you can't have a non-standard pool, but this is a very tricky thing to design and balance.
I like the creating and enhancing weapons, but as I've said I think it's somewhat lackluster. If you want this to be a core feature, it needs to be taken more seriously. It should be a LOT more powerful, but also more critical to the function of the class.
Finally incidentally, automatically getting 11+ SR (or +5 to an existing 11+!!) is crazy high. Like, that is a LOT of SR, which is really out of nowhere. It stands out as weird to me in a class that isn't focused on antimagic. I could see 6+level, or something. Oh man, and also, regaining off of your super high SR, while awesome, is a really, really powerful ability.
Sorry if this all seems negative - I do think you've got some good stuff going for the class, and encourage you to keep working on it!
It's not clear what level certain abilities are gained. The table doesn't match the write-up of class features, and some of the class features don't have a level listed.
Not a fan of the the magic item crafting thing, nor of activate item. If you're struggling to find class features, I suggest taking a cue from the magus and make heavy armor a class feature. I like that you have implemented 4-level casting, but think you should change arcane pool to match the magus ability. Charging with energy is a better 1st level ability than your touch attack thing.