Looking for some advice on how to build what would appear to be a dark magic/curses/demonic type magus. I was interested in a game I saw recently where a swordsman is cursed with a demonic arm, and uses magics with his sword. Following that idea I was thinking Elf Hexcrafter Bladebound Magus with Eldritch Heritage feat chain using Abyssal. Im not 100% sold on the idea so I come to you, the forums.
Is there a way to make this dark magic swordsman with demonic ties for flavorful. Im not worries about having OP attacks, and lots of crunch. Im looking for fluff, and in case anyone was interested Im drawing this inspiration from the Slayer/Soul Bringer in Dungeon Fighter Online
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
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Yeah, Tiefling seems tailor-made for this, and the Archetype (called Fiend Flayer), as mentioned just gives you stuff and costs nothing. The stuff isn't very good, but it is free.
The 'stuff' is laughably bad, I'd say. More to the point, fiend flayer doesn't stack with Hexcrafter.
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Yeah, Tiefling seems tailor-made for this, and the Archetype (called Fiend Flayer), as mentioned just gives you stuff and costs nothing. The stuff isn't very good, but it is free.The 'stuff' is laughably bad, I'd say. More to the point, fiend flayer doesn't stack with Hexcrafter.
Wait, what? Fiend Flayer changes literally no Class Abilities by name, thus stacking with everything.
The ability it provides would be terrible if it cost anything to get, but is just almost never relevant since you can get it for free on any Tiefling Magus.
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Yeah, Tiefling seems tailor-made for this, and the Archetype (called Fiend Flayer), as mentioned just gives you stuff and costs nothing. The stuff isn't very good, but it is free.The 'stuff' is laughably bad, I'd say. More to the point, fiend flayer doesn't stack with Hexcrafter.Wait, what? Fiend Flayer changes literally no Class Abilities by name, thus stacking with everything.
The ability it provides would be terrible if it cost anything to get, but is just almost never relevant since you can get it for free on any Tiefling Magus.
Actually, I think Galain's right. Per the FAQ, fiend flayer adds new magus arcana options, which means you can't stack it with anything that in any way adjusts the options available for magus arcana.
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I feel Hexcrafter is a good archetype to pull off the Feeling your looking for.
A tiefling with Claw, Scaled Skin, and Prehensile Tail (always worth holding a potion ready) alternative Traits. Later you can Grab up armor of the Pit to get a total of +3 Natural armor and Resist 5 to 2 elements. (Fire and Cold are my choices which gives you an edge in Weather conditions too). But without taking 2 feats of Skill focus and Eldrtich Heritage you already get what your wanting in a cursed looking arm/claw.
I would Argue for Str based over Dex based even tho a teifling gets a dex bonus. In later levels Str builds do pull ahead in damage and the polymorph spells you do get are better when your based off Str. Dex can be done with an Agile Amulet of Mighty fists but most the good X Form spells have better str option creatures.
Try the Damnation feats, Demonic Implants & Demonic Grafts.
You can build a demon themed magus without being bound to specific races or archetypes.
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Tails are great.
Variant tieflings get a strength bonus, by the way.
I am aware. There is only 1 str Variant that does not take a -2 to INT tho which is a main attribute of a Magus. Oni spawn boosts Str and Wis. BUT because I am pushing Hexcrafter he needs the boost going to INT more the the STR to get better Hex & Spell DC and a few more spells per day.
Just my build preference anyways as I can pump Str easily to a 16 on a 20 point buy...will look like:
Str: 16, Dex: 12, Con: 14, Int: 17, wis: 10, Cha: 5
By the time your 4 and can pick a hex you can bump Int to 18 and grab up a Headband of Int as your first stat booster for a cool 20 Int by 4th-6th level. Your hexes wont reach witch like levels but if you buy correctly and build correctly you can make your DC's respectable. Or de-buff the enemy enough to make them stick.
If you take Armor of the pit like I suggested you can have:
11 HP, 18 AC, Resist Fire and Cold 5 and +4 Fort, +1 Ref, +2 Will @ level 1
Depending on traits you can boost your defensive stats or do cool things.
On a magus I tend to always take Magical Lineage or Wayang spell hunter...Then I choose Which Touch spell I want to do. Intensified Shocking Grasp for Nova damage or Rime Frostbites For Entangled + Fatigue Conditions (My favorite).
If you take the Tail you can Grab up accelerated drinker and always have a Potion waiting to chug. You could take Unscathed to boost your Resistances up by +2 to Resist 7. You could up your Saves or Initiative. But try to get the MOST out of your traits.
There is also Transmuter which is worth mentioning. +1 CL to ALL transmutations and Pick a Animal buff and 1/day extend it.
This sounds like great fluff but to be honest I do not think you will have trouble making an effective if not optimized PC.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/featured-races/arg-tiefling
This gives and great consolidated list of all the tiefling options. I like the Oni-Spawn because the STR and WIS bonuses are great and then Alter Self as a SLA is fabulous!
Let us know what you design.
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This sounds like great fluff but to be honest I do not think you will have trouble making an effective if not optimized PC.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/featured-races/arg-tiefling
This gives and great consolidated list of all the tiefling options. I like the Oni-Spawn because the STR and WIS bonuses are great and then Alter Self as a SLA is fabulous!
Let us know what you design.
If he takes the Claw option (cause that's an option he likes) he would trade off Alter self or any other SLA spell from any of the variants.
If he takes the Claw option (cause that's an option he likes) he would trade off Alter self or any other SLA spell from any of the variants.This sounds like great fluff but to be honest I do not think you will have trouble making an effective if not optimized PC.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/featured-races/arg-tiefling
This gives and great consolidated list of all the tiefling options. I like the Oni-Spawn because the STR and WIS bonuses are great and then Alter Self as a SLA is fabulous!
Let us know what you design.
Don't forget the variant options down below... Huge arms like you mentioned... Extra INT... Lots O Choices!
@Thistlefoot Just going over armor of the pit, if Im reading correctly I either get the Nat armor, or the elemental resist if i take the alternate trait scaled skin. Im assuming thats what you ment in your post.
Tiefling seems to match up pretty well to be honest.
Side note, does a Tiefling need to be a cross between a human and X demon, or can it be between and elf and X demon?
There is no reason that you can't be elf and X Demon. It wouldn't change the stats but could be cool for the role playing aspect that you have an interesting backstory.
There is no reason that you can't be elf and X Demon. It wouldn't change the stats but could be cool for the role playing aspect that you have an interesting backstory.
I have done this with several characters. It does not change the stat block, but makes for a fun background story.
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@Thistlefoot Just going over armor of the pit, if Im reading correctly I either get the Nat armor, or the elemental resist if i take the alternate trait scaled skin. Im assuming thats what you ment in your post.
Tiefling seems to match up pretty well to be honest.
Side note, does a Tiefling need to be a cross between a human and X demon, or can it be between and elf and X demon?
The skin of these tieflings provides some energy resistance, but is also as hard as armor. Choose one of the following energy types: cold, electricity, or fire. A tiefling with this trait gains resistance 5 in the chosen energy type and also gains a +1 natural armor bonus to AC. This racial trait replaces fiendish resistance.
With this you trade off the resist 5 to 3 elements for +1 Natural armor and Resist 5 to 1 element (Fire being the #1 PICK)
Now for Armor of the Pit
Special means you get this BONUS effect if the conditions are met.
Since you took Scaled Skin you then get to pick the other elements to get resist 5 to.
To me it seems to be a good trade off. Especially in the right Campaigns and APs.
@Thistlefoot Sorry but still not 100% understanding, are you saying Armor of the Pit will grant both the nat armor bonus, and a second Elemental resist? I only ask for clarification because in Armor of the pit the "special" line states "If you have the scaled skin racial trait, you instead gain resistance 5 to two of the following energy types that you don't have resistance to already: cold, electricity, and fire."
I took this to mean I dont get the Nat armor bonus, I get more energy resist only.
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@Thistlefoot Sorry but still not 100% understanding, are you saying Armor of the Pit will grant both the nat armor bonus, and a second Elemental resist? I only ask for clarification because in Armor of the pit the "special" line states "If you have the scaled skin racial trait, you instead gain resistance 5 to two of the following energy types that you don't have resistance to already: cold, electricity, and fire."
I took this to mean I dont get the Nat armor bonus, I get more energy resist only.
You get both Natural armor and the energy resistance because you meet the special condition.
Its like Stunning FIst If your a monk you get the "special" tag as well as the normal benefit of the feat.
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I understand the idea of meeting special conditions, however Armor of the pits Special condition states "Instead" not in addition to. Also this thread stats otherwise
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2oc12?Advanced-Race-Guide-Scaled-Skin-and-Armor -of
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They don't want to FaQ/Errata it...but I do see that by RaW its more beneficial to just skip Scaled Skin and take the feat...netting you +2 Natural armor and Resist 5 to all 3 elements off the rip.
This would be a call for the DM running your game.
My assumption on how they intended for the combination of Scaled Skin + Armor of the pit to work would be:
+3 NA and Resist 5 to 2 Chosen Elements
When RaW it is:
+2 NA and Resist 5 for 3 types of energy.
If your DM chooses RaW just take the feat and not the Scaled skin as you profit more off just the feat than both. Which is why many believe it to be messed up with wording on BOTH abilities.
I agree completely, I was just confused based on the wording of the feat is all. I appreciate your help ing picking out traits, and feat ideas. :)
So with the advice provided so far here is what I've decided to build, keeping in mind this is home based game, not PFS.
Oni-Spawn Tiefling, trading out the spell-like ability for a +2 to Int as our GM will allow us to choose the alt racial from the list provided. Hexcraft Bladebound Magus level 4.
Feats / Traits / Drawbacks
Demon Hunter: Religion
Demon Slayer: Regional
Magical Lineage: Shocking Grasp
Either Umbral Unmasking, or Foul Brand
1: Skill Focus: Knowledge Planes
3: Eldritch Heritage: Abyssal
4: +1 Strength, Flight Hex
This is the basic build so far, keeping Fiendish Sorcery to get more rounds per day out of my claws from the Bloodline. The character will have a bone to pick with outsiders, and such. I debated a poke into fighter for more feats or unchained barbarian for rage, and movement speeds but couldn't decide. Unsure on type of sword for the Bladebound part as of yet.
Projected ideas Armor of the Pit, Eldritch Heritage to get the level 9 Strength buff, and leaving the feat chain alone from there. Possibly elemental spell to switch up the damage type on shocking grasp to deal with different demons/devils, etc
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RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
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I debated a poke into fighter for more feats or unchained barbarian for rage, and movement speeds but couldn't decide. Unsure on type of sword for the Bladebound part as of yet.
The Magus already gets bonus feats, and Spell Combat is not compatible with rage. So pure Magus is better than these dips.
Here's a Magus guide, enjoy.
@Kurald I see your point on the Barbarian, Calm Stance would fix the cast issue, but losing all the bonuses to Strength and such makes is lack luster.
From the guide shown, following an "Oni-spawn" Tiefling theme, a katana user, taking a few levels into Swashbuckler is seeming better, not worrying about Weapon Finesse, and going for a Strength Crit fisher allowing 2handed swings as a martial weapon, and at lvl 5 picking up the Exotic Weapon Pro to use it 1handed.
Because a Katana is a 1handed sword, but can be used with 2hands as a martial weapon, if im not proficient in the weapon at the time i gain black blade, can i still select a Katana?
i was debating the dip for the ability to parry strikes and free up a Magus Arcana, and a free weapon focus, but a rapier doesnt really feel like this characters type of weapon, seems better to stick with straight Magus for now, and just pick up the Arcana to parry
So based on the idea I cant find anything indicating a yes or no on this time of build, would a Hexcraft Bladebound Magus/Samurai Swordsaint order of the Hammer Tiefling Oni-Spawn who follows Asmodeus work mechanically? This character will also be using the Eldritch Heritage Abyssal feat chain to get the bonus to strength.
Im trying to keep with an Eastern feel being Oni-spawned, using a Katana and Order of the Hammer seems to follow the ideals of Asmodeus to a decent extent with Power rules the weak as a view.
Again this build isnt for PFS, this is an at home game, just curious on peoples idea of flavor, and fluff without losing to much crunch.