Hi there!
I was just wondering if anyone can tell me if a Myrmidarch magus can use Ranged Spell Strike with a spell that's not normally a ranged touch attack spell.
such a spell was memorised with the Reach Spell metamagic feat.
For example, if a myrmidarch memorised a Shocking Grasp spell as a level 2 spell. Using the Reach Spell adjustment. So that would make it a short range (ranged touch) spell instead of a touch spell.
Would the myrmidarch be able to used that buffed up version of Shocking Grasp with Ranged Spellstrike?
It just seems that the selection of lower level ranged spells for Ranged Spell Strike aren't too powerful.
So I was just wondering if the Reach Spell thing could give a myrmidarch a few more options for Ranged Spellstrike.
Thanks in advance for any answers!
This works, although if you can wait until later levels, it is better to get the following Magus Arcana: Reach Spellstrike (activates Touch spells to Close range for use with Ranged Spellstrike without using Metamagic or otherwise increasing the spell level) and Distant Spellstrike (increases the range of ranged spells used through Ranged Spellstrike, including those Touch spells activated by Reach Spellstrike, to the full range of your weapon attack, without using Metamagic or otherwise increasing the spell level). These do take a while to get online, though (they require Magus 9 and 12, respectively).
One thing to consider is that Ranged Spellstrike is usually using a normal ranged attack roll, whereas most ranged spells (including Touch spells to which Reach Spell has been applied) are Ranged Touch attacks, which usually means an easier hit. This makes Ranged Spellstrike normally rather lacklustre. The exception is if you find a way to convert a normal ranged attack into a Ranged Touch attack, for instance by dipping 1 level in Gunslinger (for firearms), Bolt Ace Gunslinger (for crossbows), or Hooded Champion Ranger (for bows) and spending Grit (Panache for the last choice) to convert the attack; for normal Gunslinger you actually don't need to spend Grit if the attack is within the 1st range increment of your firearm. Note that some Gunslinger archetypes trade out the Deadshot Deed that you need to extend your Ranged Touch attack range; unfortunately this includes Siege Gunner, which you would otherwise want for making Grit Intelligence-based instead of Wisdom-based (and since Magus is MAD, you aren't going to have great Wisdom unless you are on really high point buy or have insanely rolls). Making this conversion gets you mildly ahead of breakeven on using Ranged Spellstrike instead of a Ranged Touch spell by itself, since you get base weapon damage and/or a Combat Maneuver and the spell effect together. If you have an enchanted ranged weapon, this gets better.
Okay, thanks for that.
Gives me some ideas on how to build a Myrmidarch, if I ever play one.
More ideas on how to make a switch-hitter Myrmidarch here (also see the next several posts). Note that if I DIDN'T dip Gunslinger (or one of the other alternatives), I would mostly ignore Ranged Spellstrike -- I actually wish Myrmidarch didn't trade out Spell Recall and Improved Spell Recall for Ranged Spellstrike, because you don't need this for most of what I would want to do with Myrmidarch (Combat Maneuvers and taking advantage of Weapon Training that comes online sooner and with less feat starvation than what you would get with non-Myrmidarch Magus VMC Fighter.
Thanks for that.
Gives me some food for thought.
Don't know if I'll ever get a chance to play a Myrmidarch.
But I do like seeing what other people have to say about archetypes.
Thanks again.
Note that Myrmidarch was a rather bad archetype until the Weapon Master's Handbook came out (and the Armor Master's Handbook also helped to a lesser extent). Myrmidarch is the only Magus archetype that gets Weapon Training and Armor Training without using VMC Fighter (which is okay for epic campaigns but takes way too long to get online for something like PFS where level 12 is mandatory retirement age). (Armored Battlemage gets Armor Training and earlier access to Medium and Heavy Armor, but trades out too much for what you get, and doesn't get Weapon Training.)