So my play group recently had a little run with 5e, and while we liked it, we are coming back to Pathfinder for our next campaigns. Since I'm known as being the guy who optimizes too much, I figure I'll use a class I like a lot, and deliberately not use one of their strengths. In this case: the Magus, and Spell Combat.
So the idea is to likely play as a Kensai Magus and use probably a Nodachi, and focus on Shocking Grasp Spellstrikes with it. Since it's a 2h weapon I can't Spell Combat, and get that action economy, but I'm hoping the Spellstriked nodachi will be sufficient damage despite this.
One worry is playing a Kensai STR build has me quite weak with regards to AC since I'll probably have a poor DEX, so my survivability will be down quite a bit, but am I nerfing myself way too much to be effective, or could this possibly work? Thoughts?
If you're giving up Spell Combat to focus on a two-hander, I would seriously consider Frostbite; once Frostbite is active, you can go two-hand iteratives with a nasty magic bonus. By higher levels, multiple Frostbites on a two-hander full attack is more dangerous than a single Shocking Grasp with a bunch of one-hand strikes anyhow, and Rime Frostbite rather gimps enemy stats (which keeps you much safer).
As a STR-based Magus, you can make very good use of Monstrous Physique - besides the other bonuses, you get a +2 natural armor bonus (which will stack with enhancement bonuses to natural armor like amulet). Monstrous Physique: Gargoyle is available at a reasonable level and grants plenty of nice bonuses, works with a lesser Extend rod, and has a pretty cool flavor.
Since you're foregoing spell combat anyways, you could go with Armored Battlemage.
If you're giving up Spell Combat to focus on a two-hander, I would seriously consider Frostbite; once Frostbite is active, you can go two-hand iteratives with a nasty magic bonus. By higher levels, multiple Frostbites on a two-hander full attack is more dangerous than a single Shocking Grasp with a bunch of one-hand strikes anyhow, and Rime Frostbite rather gimps enemy stats (which keeps you much safer).
As a STR-based Magus, you can make very good use of Monstrous Physique - besides the other bonuses, you get a +2 natural armor bonus (which will stack with enhancement bonuses to natural armor like amulet). Monstrous Physique: Gargoyle is available at a reasonable level and grants plenty of nice bonuses, works with a lesser Extend rod, and has a pretty cool flavor.
Unfortunately after further consideration I've decided on a different character, but had I continued with this, Frostbite was definitely the new spell of choice. This idea will just have to wait.
Since you're foregoing spell combat anyways, you could go with Armored Battlemage.
Armored Battlemage Magus starts you off with Medium Armor (and gives you Armor Training) and later upgrades you to Heavy Armor, and has good Fortitude and Will Saves, and focuses on aughemting your defense, but it loses too much for what you get. Not only do you NEVER get Spell Combat (which you are purposely giving up anyway), but in addition you cannot enhance your weapon (and the wording of the tradeout and of the Ghost Blade Magus Arcana suggests to me that you can't even take a Magus Arcana like Ghost Blade that gives you back a little bit of this ability). (Also, you STILL don't get to use a shield.) If Armored Battlemage let you use a shield without risking Arcane Spell Failure (as Skirnir does -- use Shield Brace to get your two-handed weapon), and/or if it would let you still enhance your weapon (as Skirnir does), in return for Diminished Spellcasting (like on Skirnir), then it would be a worthwhile archetype. (If it didn't let you use a shield, but did let you enhance your weapon as well as your armor, even in exchange for Diminished Spellcasting, it might still be worthwhile, at least sort of.) Also, Rules As Written with the current text, an Armored Battlemage only gets the concentration bonus when casting in Medium Armor, which means you nerf yourself when you upgrade to Heavy Armor; this is probably a typo, but that's the way things stand now, when read literally.