Okay so I'm starting at level 7 to replace my dead Oracle of Battle.
The goal is to build a guy that can operate well as both a caster of buff (and maybe a few attack/debuff) spells and a secondary front-liner in a party of 3 (Barbarian and Slayer with me). I'm sure there are other archetypes or classes that can fill this role but I just like the flavor of the Magus, particularly the Staff Magus.
Human NE Staff Magus 7
Starting Attributes:
STR: 18 +4 (w/ +2 here)
DEX: 14 +2
CON: 14 +2
INT: 16 +3
WIS: 9 -1
CHA: 7 -2
(At lvl 4 I'll add a point to WIS for the sake of Will Saves and Perception checks at least not having a penalty)
Feats by level:
1) Combat Casting, Toughness (Human Feat), Quarterstaff Master (from archetype)
3) Arcane Strike
5) Craft Wondrous Item and (Bonus Magus Feat) Power Attack
7) TBD
Magus Arcana
Wand Wielder
Familiar (Greensting Scorpion for that +4 Initiative)
Feat ideas:
-Uncanny Concentration for a boost to all concentration since I expect to be casting defensively A LOT.
-Weapon Focus [dropping Power Attack] + Weapon Specialization (less damage potential but at least I'm more likely to hit, especially as a class that's only 3/4 BAB)
-Furious Focus (I love this for Mounted Cavaliers and other ONE BIG HIT/round builds but I don't love it in this situation)
-Improved Initiative (obvious)
-Extra Arcana
---Concentrate (reroll a concentration check that I know failed)
---Spell Blending (grab a 3rd or two 2nd level spells from the wizard list as options for my Magus)
-Craft Magic Arms & Armor (cheaper magic weapons for me and my party)
If you're allowed to, maybe take (2RP) Fey Magic in lieu of the human racial trait Skilled? You get a bunch of stuff, but most importantly you get a 1st lvl Druid spell (I'd take Shillelagh). Then make sure you have Enlarge Person, and maybe for your 7th lvl feat, take Vital Strike. Your Qstaff would deal damage as a Gargantuan weapon, so 3d6+1 +3d6 for Vital Strike.
Qstaff is a double weapon (even with Quarterstaff Master), so you're going to incur penalties from TWF and you aren't getting the feats to back up TWF. You might as well go for one big massive hit per round with Vital Strike (and Imp/Greater VS at 11 & 17).
You don't have to get Vital Strike to make this good, it's just a suggestion. Obviously if you have the opportunity to make a full round attack, you're going to use Spell Combat/Spellstrike to deliver a bunch of hits (Shillelagh will really shine here). Vital Strike would just be for beefing up those hits when you have to Move + Attack and you don't want to have to burn a Touch Spell to cause extra damage (like when you're hitting a mook and you know you can't kill him with a normal attack, but your touch spell would be overkill).
I don't see traits listed. Major suggestion that you pick up Magical Lineage: Shocking Grasp and then either a trait to boost the CL of Vampiric Touch or Wayang Spellhunter applied to Shocking Grasp or Vampiric Touch.
Then pick up some metamagic feats to take advantage of the cost reduction. Intensify Spell is the most important. Elemental Spell would also be a good choice.
If you plan on being a buffer, that more or less means you'll be using all of your 3rd level slots for haste. You might want to kick out of the idea of using Vampiric Touch unless you get an item that casts either Haste or Vampiric Touch.
First and second level magus/wizard spells suck for buffing. You should feel free to load up on Intensified Shocking Grasp and Intensified Elemental Shocking Grasp as most of your 1st and 2nd level spells. Other spells you cast often would be great for wands. Especially identify.
Think about if you want to aim for spell perfection or not. If you do pick up maxamize for your 3rd meta magic spell. That way if you aimed both traits at Shocking Grasp you can make a Maxamized Intensified Acid Shocking Grasp as a first level slot that does 60 damage. Now pick up pearls of power and a ring of Wizardry to give you an absurd number of 1st level slots.
I wouldn't recommend ever buying a staff. They are expensive, and the spells you can cast are underwhelming, either because the selection is bad or because the number of charges is high for anything you'd want to use. Just accept whatever kindness the GM throws at you and concentrate your gold spending on other kinds of magic items to support your magus. You might want to focus on UMD so you can use any staff you find.
Ryze Kuja wrote: Qstaff is a double weapon (even with Quarterstaff Master), so you're going to incur penalties from TWF and you aren't getting the feats to back up TWF. You might as well go for one big massive hit per round with Vital Strike (and Imp/Greater VS at 11 & 17). TWF penalties only apply if the staff is used as a double weapon.
Or if using spellcombat. You can't do both in the same round.
Ryze: Quarterstaff Master lets me treat it as a 1-handed weapon. Besides it's an option as a double OR two-handed weapon even without Quarterstaff Master.
Also, I can't take Vital Strike as I'm not +6 BAB yet. (3/4 BAB remember? I get +6 at lvl 8).
Meirril: Our group doesn't do traits except those that are campaign oriented (I have to get that list from my GM but they are all pretty low key). Most of our usual players already build some really overpowered stuff at 25-point buy so adding that on is just overkill.
As far as magic staves go, I plan on crafting my own staves (my group sees no issue with custom built staves as the rules for construction are in the book). I'm still looking at my options for spells. And I am maxing UMD with the intent of picking up choice spells like Lead Blades and the like plus being able to use any staff, scroll, or wand we find.
Oh I did forget to add a skills section:
Maxing out
Knowledge (Arcana)/(Dungeoneering)/(Planes) [for enemy identification]
Perception
Spellcraft
Use Magic Device
Then on headbands (order of priority):
Knowledge (Religion)
Knowledge (Local)
Knowledge (Nature)
[Might replace one of these with Fly]
Volkard Abendroth wrote: Ryze Kuja wrote: Qstaff is a double weapon (even with Quarterstaff Master), so you're going to incur penalties from TWF and you aren't getting the feats to back up TWF. You might as well go for one big massive hit per round with Vital Strike (and Imp/Greater VS at 11 & 17). TWF penalties only apply if the staff is used as a double weapon.
Or if using spellcombat. You can't do both in the same round. I know :P He can alternate though depending on what he can do in a given round. He's not going for the TWF though, so that's why I'm saying get Vital Strike for the rounds you have to Move + Standard and don't want to burn a Touch Spell. I forgot about the 6BAB requirement and Magus 3/4BAB, so he can get it at level 9 instead of 7.
@Hydra: I know Qstaff Master lets you treat it as a 1h weapon and that's perfect for whenever you can make a full attack in a round. Spell Combat +Spellstrike can be used in the same round as part of a full attack action, and with Shillelagh, that's 3d6 every hit rather than 1d8. But for the rounds you have to Move + Attack, 2handed Vital Strikes can really up your damage, but only if you are allowed to get Shillelagh. If you cannot get Shillelagh, don't bother getting Vital Strike because it won't be worth it.
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It's a free action to grip it with both hands and make a 2h attack or to switch back to 1h. So if you're not going to use a touch spell, you might as well Vital Strike.
So here's your 3 options in a given round(assuming Shillelagh/Enlarge and Vital Strike):
Full round attack: 1h Qstaff + Spellstrike = Touch Spell dmg + 3d6+Str+PA per every attack you can make in a round
Move + Standard: 1h Qstaff + Spellstrike = Touch Spell dmg + 3d6+Str+PA
Move + Standard: 2h Qstaff + Vital Strike = 3d6+1.5Str+1.5PA +3d6 Vital Strike
If you have Vital Strike, you can be much more economical with your Touch Spells because you can Vital Strike all day. And Vital Strike is CHEAP, like cheapy cheap. One feat = plenty of dmg all day and allows the flexibility to be economical with spells.
Hydra wrote:
As far as magic staves go, I plan on crafting my own staves (my group sees no issue with custom built staves as the rules for construction are in the book). I'm still looking at my options for spells. And I am maxing UMD with the intent of picking up choice spells like Lead Blades and the like plus being able to use any staff, scroll, or wand we find.
Those rules are insanely easy to abuse. Make a staff of Not Cheating. Casts Miracle, Time Stop and Greater Dispel Magic for 1 charge each at CL 20. Market Value 150,000 gp and gives you a +5 weapon, you recharge it with 6th level spells and it casts Greater Dispel at a higher level than you are. You can make it for 75,000gp, it casts 2 of the most broken 9th level spells from different classes, and its cheaper than a +9 weapon!
Or you make a Staff of Enlarge. Casts Enlarge Person at CL 20, so it lasts 20 rounds per casting. Market Value 8,000gp and it gives you a +5 weapon at the cost of a +2. Make it a Staff of Intensified Shocking Grasp for only double the Market Value.
Putting the magic creation rules into the hands of players is just asking for trouble. Anything like that needs heavy amounts of GM supervision and approval.
@Hydra: Everything I'm talking about is based around your ability to swap a Human racial trait for an alternate racial trait that costs 2RP. Are you allowed to do this or no?
@Meirril: Yeah but I have to actually be a 20th level caster to make those staves be CL20 staves. Plus, you can't recharge a staff with miracle using a 6th level slot. Miracle is 9th level.
Recharging Staves said wrote: [Recharging] a staff with this power restores one charge to the staff, but the caster must forgo one prepared spell or spell slot of a level equal to the highest-level spell cast by the staff. I don't GET 9th level spells. And you'd still need to provide the 25,000gp of diamond dust for the powerful miracles.
That staff would require at least 2 different casters working together since no caster has both Mircale and Time Stop.
Also, that's 150,000 gold for a +5 weapon (+5 only costs 50,000). That feature is also unique to my class and archetype (to my knowledge idk ALL archetypes). And since I CAN'T RECHARGE IT then I can only use it 9 times to cast a spell before it's a overpriced stick.
Besides my GM can say what I want to make is a little too powerful and nix the option or make it much pricier.
@Ryze: I've never use RP in character creation, I'm not really sure how that works. My groups have always shied away from those options since we don't really understand the rules of it.
Hydra wrote: @Ryze: I've never use RP in character creation, I'm not really sure how that works. My groups have always shied away from those options since we don't really understand the rules of it. Basically take away something that costs 2RP and replace it with something that does cost 2RP.
Creating Custom Races
For frame of reference, things that cost 2-3 RP are generally about the same effect as a Feat, while things that cost 1 RP are generally about the same effect as a trait.
@Ryze: But can't I just get a wand of Shillelagh and do the same thing? I have Wand Wielder arcana.
Hydra wrote: @Ryze: But can't I just get a wand of Shillelagh and do the same thing? I have Wand Wielder arcana. Absolutely. If you want to go that route, I recommend getting the Frostbite spell from Druids too. Frostbite is a touch spell that lasts for multiple charges (1 charge per level) and causes 1d6+lvl cold damage per strike + fatigue.
I HAVE Frostbite as Magus. It's in my spellbook.
Forgot about that too :P Perfect. Consider getting Rime Spell then. Rime Spell entangles anyone you damage with Cold spells. They would be Entangled and Fatigued whenever you Frostbite and it only costs you a lvl2 spell slot :D
Hydra wrote: @Meirril: Yeah but I have to actually be a 20th level caster to make those staves be CL20 staves. Plus, you can't recharge a staff with miracle using a 6th level slot. Miracle is 9th level.
Recharging Staves said wrote: [Recharging] a staff with this power restores one charge to the staff, but the caster must forgo one prepared spell or spell slot of a level equal to the highest-level spell cast by the staff. I don't GET 9th level spells. And you'd still need to provide the 25,000gp of diamond dust for the powerful miracles.
That staff would require at least 2 different casters working together since no caster has both Mircale and Time Stop.
Also, that's 150,000 gold for a +5 weapon (+5 only costs 50,000). That feature is also unique to my class and archetype (to my knowledge idk ALL archetypes). And since I CAN'T RECHARGE IT then I can only use it 9 times to cast a spell before it's a overpriced stick.
Besides my GM can say what I want to make is a little too powerful and nix the option or make it much pricier.
First, you don't have to meet the CL of the item to create it. Magic Item Creation the sidebar covers that topic.
And my bad on charging. So replace Greater Dispel Magic with the 9th level spell of your choice and then depend on your class ability to charge the staff 1 point per day with your arcane pool.
And all of those examples are 'legal' but exploitative. I'd heavily recommend sticking with pre-made staffs because its already approved material.
Someone said wrote: For potions, scrolls, and wands, the creator can set the caster level of an item at any number high enough to cast the stored spell but not higher than her own caster level. My group and I have ALWAYS included staves to be in that list because it makes no sense that a 11th level Wizard can generate enough power to imbue a staff with a CL 20 spell. We see the exclusion of staves in that line as a mistake and go by what we feel to be RAI. Maybe it's been too long with that house rule that I forgot it was a house rule but it works to keep custom staves under control.
As for the recharging I was forgetting the Staff Magus's ability to use arcane pool to recharge staves.
I would still need access to those 7th+ level spells to MAKE that custom staff. I can't add to DC to skip them as a requirement for crafting. What am I gonna do commission a 17th+ level wizard AND 17th+ level cleric for 150 days to cast miracle and time stop as I craft? That's gonna cost me 220,320 gold for each caster.
idk a 590,640 gold staff seems REALLY over priced. Even for Miracle/Time Stop on demand.
The Magus guide discuss staff Magus and has an interesting controller build right at the very end of the doc.
Silas Hawkwinter wrote: The Magus guide discuss staff Magus and has an interesting controller build right at the very end of the doc. Actually reading about some of the archetypes in that guide makes me wonder about dropping staff Magus and picking bladebound.
Question would I determine my intelligent weapons reactions or would that be something my gm does?
There are a few options that I can see while using the Staff Magus:
1) Fey Magic (Replaces Skilled, you also gain Fey Thoughts and Low-Light Vision if this is not PFS. Only Low-Light Vision if this is PFS). You then get to cast Shillelagh 1/day.
2) Level 1 Druid Dip (Use the Green Scourge Archetype, but you will need to change your stats. I suggest 17/14/14/16/12/7, and you can skip putting the +1 into Wisdom and instead put it into Strength at level 4. This allows you to spontaneous cast Shillelagh by sacrificing your Magus Spells AND gives them a nice little boost).
3) Nature-Bound Magus (This stacks with Staff Magus, unfortunately that is really about all good it has going for it. You gain free Druid Spells as you increase level - but thats really it. You get a Plant Familiar {not really anything good on the list} that replaces your Arcane Pool, and Spell Recall gets replaced with melding with your familiar to gain Natural Armor. This is a REALLY good Archetype for not getting hit due to how much Natural Armor you can stack on yourself along with the Magus's Staff Defense.).
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Regarding your question about Intelligence Weapons: GM Discretion. They're /suppose/ to be controlled by the GM, but I've had plenty who just gave it to me.
Hope this helps.
Hydra wrote: As for the recharging I was forgetting the Staff Magus's ability to use arcane pool to recharge staves.
I would still need access to those 7th+ level spells to MAKE that custom staff. I can't add to DC to skip them as a requirement for crafting. What am I gonna do commission a 17th+ level wizard AND 17th+ level cleric for 150 days to cast miracle and time stop as I craft? That's gonna cost me 220,320 gold for each caster.
idk a 590,640 gold staff seems REALLY over priced. Even for Miracle/Time Stop on demand.
there is a kernel of a thought in there though. Staff of Miracle and, say, Light (any magus cantrip). 10 charges per miracle. That comes in a little under $8,000, which if you make double time (higher DC) only takes 4 days. You still need to rent a divine caster, but $8k or whatever for even just a +4 staff isn’t a bad deal. And you get a Miracle every 10 days (rules aren’t amazingly clear for staff UMD, but it seems a 20 does it). Generally the reason this doesn’t work is that you can’t recharge it (and those who can would rather have 10 miracles than 1); YOU can tho.
With regards to all this staff crafting, my advice is don't get too broken. A simple CL20 staff of Rime (the metamagic feat) Frostbite is plenty punchy in the hands of a staff magus: it's effectively a +5 weapon and dropping a 20th level Rime Frostbite spell 10 times per day is pretty much an encounter cleared per spell (20 strikes at D6+20+entangle+fatigue + weapon damage). For 16,000 that's a bargain, given your plain +5 weapon is 50,000.
Oh yeah. I have no intention of outright abusing the creation rules. I still intend to keep the staves I craft themed with at least two (ideally three) spells on each.
Thing is that as I read the guide Silas mentioned above, I read about the bladebound magus and talking that over with my GM we really like it. Especially in an evil campaign. I don't know what he made the black blade's purpose yet (or if he'll tell me or I have to discover it) but it also let's him be able to role play a pseudo-party member.
I've never dealt with intelligent objects in game before so I decided to leap at the opportunity. (I just wish the black blade didn't have to be a Slashing weapon, it would be fun to mix --AND WORK-- with the staff magus though that might be a little OP).
Now I just need to determine my Bladebound build.
But even though I'm not using a Staff Magus NOW I think it'll be my next character. I love the flavor, I just really want to try out a build with an intelligent item thrown in.
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