So....can-o-worms time....


Rules Questions


So I'm looking at build possibilities using the new Phantom Blade, and I'm finding that most of the good Magus feat picks...don't apply to the Phantom Blade (can't meet requirements)....

But then I recalled the whole "Slashing Grace" feat thing....since a spiritualist is not using somatic components....would Slashing Grace work for the Phantom Blade ?


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Not while using Spell Combat. The inability to use Slashing Grace with Spell Combat has nothing at all to do with somatic components.

FAQ wrote:

Slashing Grace: In the 2nd printing errata, what exactly does it mean that “You do not gain this benefit while fighting with two weapons or using flurry of blows, or any time another hand is otherwise occupied?” Can I use a shield? What about a buckler? Can I use flurry of blows? Brawler’s flurry? Two-weapon fighting? Spell combat? Attack with natural weapons? What if I throw the weapon? What about swordmaster’s flair?

Slashing Grace does not allow most shields, but bucklers work because they don’t occupy the hand. Flurry of blows, brawler’s flurry, two-weapon fighting, and spell combat all don’t work with Slashing Grace. Attacking with natural weapons beyond the weapon you chose for Slashing Grace also does not work. Slashing Grace only works with melee attacks, not thrown attacks with a melee weapon. Swordmaster’s flair should have a sentence added to it that says “Carrying a swordmaster’s flair counts as having that hand free for the purpose of abilities that require a free hand, though you still can’t hold another object in that hand.”

Of course you can use Slashing Grace during rounds that you are not using Spell Combat.


How so ?

Your not fighting with two weapons, using flurry, and your hand is not occupied with spellcasting...

Scarab Sages

nighttree wrote:

How so ?

Your not fighting with two weapons, using flurry, and your hand is not occupied with spellcasting...

Making a spell a Still Spell doesn't allow a regular Magus to use Spell Combat with Slashing Grace. So why would using psychic magic?

Also, the FAQ explicitly states that Slashing Grace does not work with Spell Combat, so it doesn't really matter what kind of components the spell has.

I haven't read Phantom Blade, and it's not on any of the srd sites yet, I don't think. It would need some explicit language beyond just the lack of somatic components that would allow it.


nighttree wrote:

How so ?

Your not fighting with two weapons, using flurry, and your hand is not occupied with spellcasting...

Spell Combat doesn't work with Slashing Grace because the FAQ that I cited explicitly says that Spell Combat doesn't work with Slashing Grace.

The reasoning behind this is likely that Spell Combat is like a form of two-weapon fighting in which one hand is 'wielding' the spell regardless of whether the spell has somatic components.

UM wrote:
Spell Combat (Ex): At 1st level, a magus learns to cast spells and wield his weapons at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free (even if the spell being cast does not have somatic components), while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand.


Closed up that can pretty quick.


Ah well....back to the drawing board. At least I won't be feat starved 0.O


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If you want to use Slashing Grace, you can always focus on touch spells with multiple charges like Frostbite or Chill Touch. You use Spell Combat to cast the spell and attack while forgoing Slashing Grace that round. Then you use Slashing Grace in subsequent rounds until all the charges are gone. Slashing Grace works with Spellstrike just fine.

Scarab Sages

Or just use a psychic scimitar and use dervish dance like all other magi.

The thing I really like phantoms blade for is making it unarmed. If you harbor the blade you have a black blade progression unarmed strikes you can spell combat with at monk-2 damage. You can then use an amulet of mighty fists to add special abilities while using the blade enhancement bonus.


Imbicatus wrote:

Or just use a psychic scimitar and use dervish dance like all other magi.

The thing I really like phantoms blade for is making it unarmed. If you harbor the blade you have a black blade progression unarmed strikes you can spell combat with at monk-2 damage. You can then use an amulet of mighty fists to add special abilities while using the blade enhancement bonus.

Never been fond of the scimitar...specifically because "all other magus builds" tend to revolve around that :P

I was looking at using a dueling blade...but that's already getting feat intensive (Wep Finesse, Exotic, Wep Focus, Slashing Grace, etc...etc...)

Life is hard for those who prefer finesse builds ;)

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