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I will have to take a closer look at this later.
Perhaps you should limit your spell combat to two action spells so you aren't giving 3-action spells a free quicken effect. What is a "targetted spell"? Is that a spell that requires an attack roll?
I will also note that spells with somatic components no longer require a free hand to cast so if you think limiting the class to one-handed weapons is a balance consideration then you may want to revise stuff. Also, why does it seem like this class is only proficient in simple weapons?
I am also not sure about arcane strike either. Will your item bonus from your weapon still apply to that attack? You are going to need to be careful about how you write your rules for that. Also, I assume spell combat is also a flourish attack action, right?
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I love Magus as well, and I love some of the ideas you're starting to build up here!
In execution, I think you've switched up Spell Combat with Spellstrike. Spellstrike is the real class defining feature I feel. I think that the original concept of Spell Combat isn't needed in PF2 since full attack actions aren't a thing, and the action economy of the Magus needs to shift to match. I do though really like the idea of a flourish (Spellstrike) that delivers a spell through a weapon.
I'd like to propose some changes, and some expansion on ideas for you to tweak as you like. The core of my proposal here is an attempt to introduce a pseudo 2/3rds caster back into Pathfinder 2nd. The caster multiclass dedications I think lay the groundwork for what is essentially a 2/3rds caster.. so this is basically a weaker martial class with built-in wizard dedication, plus Magus exclusive abilities.
The other core feature of the old Magus was the arcana pool. This is represented PF2's generic implementation for all classes with Focus Points. I couldn't really see an effective way to let Focus Points be a defining part of this class.. so read below for my idea on customizing it.
Concerns
The biggest question for my concept will be: is the action economy of Spellstrike too broken? At first glance, it will definitely appear broken. However, keep in mind that spells do not scale anymore unless you heighten them, and with a max spell level of 8 at class level 19, the Magus is seriously hindered in their ability to heighten. Is that enough of a balance factor? I'm not sure, and haven't done the math to check it.
My next big concern is abuse of True Strike. It seems like a great turn would be True Strike into a Spellstrike. Since a critical success on the Strike would be mirrored for the spell's attack roll, you could potentially have criticals every round and use Spell Recall to get your True Strike spells back. The limitation here only being that you're dedicating yourself as a nova striker. Could be unbalanced.
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Regardless, this was just fun to build. Still missing lots of Feats that I haven't come up with ideas for yet. The Magus was always my favorite, and it doesn't look to be in the roadmap for release yet. So perhaps the community can find a way to balance a homebrew one :)
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HP: 8
Key Ability: Intelligence or * (defined by Order)Trained in Perception
Trained in Fortitude
Trained in Reflex
Expert in WillSKILLS
Trained in Arcana
Trained in one skill of Magus Order
Trained in additional skills equal to 2 plus INT modifierATTACKS
Trained in Simple Weapons
Trained in Unarmed AttacksDEFENSES
Trained in Medium Armor, Light Armor, Unarmored DefenseSPELLS
Trained in arcane spell attacks
Trained in arcane spell DCsMagus Feats
At 2nd level and every even-numbered level thereafter, you gain a Magus class feat.Skill Feats
At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you gain a skill feat. Etc etc.Skill Increases
At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, you gain a skill increase. Etc etc.General Feats
At 3rd level and every 4 level thereafter, you gain a General Feat.Other Standards
Ability boosts and ancestry feats as normal.Perception :: Expert at Level 11
Will :: Expert Level 1, Master Level 11
Magus Order Save (Fort or Reflex) :: Expert at level 3, Master at level 13
Fort or Reflex :: Other save to Expert at Level 9.
Weapon Proficiencies
Level 5 :: Your proficiency ranks for simple weapons increases to expert. You gain access to the critical specialization effects of your bonded weapon.Level 13 :: Simple weapons increases to master.
Weapon Specialization
Level 9 :: Weapon Specialization
Level 17 :: Greater Weapon SpecializationArmor Proficiencies
Level 13 :: Medium, light, unarmored to expert.
Level 19 :: Medium, light, unarmored to master.Expert Spellcaster: 9th
Level 9
Your proficiency ranks for arcane spell attack rolls and DCs increase to expert.Master Spellcaster: 17th
Level 17
Your proficiency ranks for arcane spell attack rolls and DCs increase to master.
Arcane Spellcasting
(Same as Wizard with some exceptions, shown in Spells Per Day). Your spell attack rolls and spell DCs use your Intelligence modifier, regardless of your Key Ability.
Eschew Materials
Through intense training blending weapons and magic, you've discovered how to channel Material spell components through arcane weapon wielding. As long as your bonded weapon is in your hand, when casting a spell you can provide weapon focus in place of the material component without needing a spell pouch. This doesn't remove the need for any materials listed in the spell's cost entry.
Cantrips
A cantrip is a special type of spell that doesn't use spell slots. You can cast a cantrip at will, any number of times per day. A cantrip is always automatically heightened to half your level rounded up. For example, as a 5th level Magus, your cantrips are 3rd-level spells. As a Magus, this means your cantrips spell level may exceed your highest known spell slots.
Wizard Features
Heightening and Spellbook as defined in Wizard.
Arcana Focus Pool
The Magus concentrate their spellcraft on enhancing their physical connection to magic more than most. While many devoted to magic delve into mystics or knowledge, and most martials only scratch the surface of the mind's ability to focus, the Magus marries the two in a raw form.
The Magus has a unique Focus Pool with no upper point limit. Any feat or ability granting a Magus a Focus Pool point raises their max. Your Focus Pool begins at 2 Points. However, this inner focus is only filled back during daily preparations. The Magus loses all access to the Refocus ability, and cannot gain it in any way. Additionally, a Magus can only spend Focus Points on Magus abilities, regardless of other dedications.
Arcane Bond
You bond to a weapon that helps hone your magical connection. Each day when you prepare spells, you must designate a one-handed melee weapon you own as your bonded weapon. It becomes connected to your inner focus. You gain the Extract Bonded Focus action. You can never gain a familiar.
Extract Bonded Focus
Frequency: once per day.
Cast: 1 hour
Using Magus mantra practice with your bonded weapon, you regain 2 spent Focus Points into your pool.
Spellstrike :: ◈◈
Requires: one-handed melee weapon and one hand free.
Select a non-cantrip spell you have prepared that uses 2 or less actions. This spell must meet one of the following conditions:
Range of touch
Line area or cone area
Target one creature initially (for example, this includes Chain Lightning)
Make a melee Strike with your bonded weapon against one target of your selected spell within range of the weapon. This strike incurs a -1 circumstance penalty. This ability counts as two attacks when later calculating MAP. If the Strike hits, deal attack damage as normal to the weapon target.
Next, the spell effect resolves from the swing of your weapon. A successful Strike counts for any spell attack roll required by the spell. If the Strike missed, the Strike's target automatically avoids the spell effect. If the spell has a line or cone area, continue resolving the spell against the other targets.
Spell Recall :: ◈
Level 5
Spend 1 Focus Point to recover a prepared spell you've used that is level 1 to 4. That spell becomes prepared again for casting at the same level. Or, spend 2 Focus Points to recall a level 5 or 6 spell, or 3 Focus Points for a level 7 spell. You cannot recall spells higher than level 7.
Cantrips: 5
Character Level / 1st / 2nd / 3rd / 4th, etc.
.1 ... 2 / - / - / - / - / - / - / -
.2 ... 3 / - / - / - / - / - / - / -
.3 ... 3 / - / - / - / - / - / - / -
.4 ... 3 / 2 / - / - / - / - / - / -
.5 ... 3 / 3 / - / - / - / - / - / -
.6 ... 3 / 3 / 2 / - / - / - / - / -
.7 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / - / - / - / - / -
.8 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / - / - / - / - / -
.9 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / 2 / - / - / - / -
10 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / - / - / - / -
11 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 2 / - / - / -
12 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / - / - / -
13 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / - / - / -
14 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 2 / - / -
15 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / - / -
16 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 2 / -
17 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / -
18 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / -
19 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 1
20 ... 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / 1*
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Archmagus feats can grant additional 8th level spell slots.
MAGUS ORDERS
==========================================================
The Magus Academy is split into multiple Orders of training. Each focuses on a different method of blending weapon mastery with arcane devotion. At first level, you must choose a Magus Order to study under.
Battlemage
You may select Strength as your Key Ability. Your magus DC still uses Intelligence. Fortitude is your Magus Order Save.You are Trained in Athletics and Lore: Warfare
You are Trained in Heavy Armor. Whenever your proficiency in medium armor increases, it raises for Heavy Armor as well.
During daily preparations, you can select a two-handed melee weapon you own as your bonded weapon.
You may deliver the Spellstrike class ability through a bonded two-handed melee weapon, and no longer require a free hand when using Spellstrike.
Eldritch Archer
You may select Dexterity as your Key Ability. Your magus DC still uses Intelligence. Reflex is your Magus Order Save.You are trained in Stealth.
You become Trained with Longbow, Shortbow, and Composite bows. Whenever your proficiency with Simple Weapons increases, these increase as well.
Your Arcane Bond must be a non-thrown ranged weapon.
Your Spellstrike ability is replaced by Ranged Spellstrike, as follows:
You may only perform Spellstrike using a loaded non-thrown ranged weapon, and no longer require a free hand when using Spellstrike. Your target must be within range of both the spell and the weapon.
Eldritch Dancer
You may select Dexterity as your Key Ability. Your magus DC still uses Intelligence. Reflex is your Magus Order Save.You are trained in Acrobatics.
You are also Trained in all one-handed [common] [martial] melee finesse weapons. This proficiency increases with your Simple Weapon proficiency.
You are untrained in all Armor but Unarmored Defense. However, you gain:
Canny Defense :: ◈
Requires: You are unarmored and have one hand free.
{Stance}
Your ability to analyze a fight is enhanced by magical intuition. While in this stance, you add half your Intelligence modifier (rounded down) to your Dexterity AC bonus. You cannot use Raise a Shield while in this stance.Your bonded weapon must be a one-handed finesse weapon.
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Arcane Strike :: ◈ {Flourish}
Spend 1 Focus
You infuse your weapon with a quick burst of arcane power. Make a Strike with your bonded weapon using your spell attack proficiency instead of weapon proficiency. Choose fire, electricity, cold, or acid. The attack deals 1d6 additional damage of this type. Increase to 2d6 if you are Expert in spell attacks, and to 4d6 for Master.
----Spell Precision :: ◈
Spend 1 Focus
You attune your focus to make your next spell harder to resist. If your next action is a Spellstrike, add a +1 status bonus to your Spellcasting DC for the spell selected. Increase your Focus Pool by 1 when taken.[/b]
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Critical Clarity :: ⤾
Frequency: once per day
Trigger: Your score a critical hit with your bonded weapon.
You recover 1 spent Focus Point.
----Spellscarring :: ◈ {Flourish}
Requires: melee weapon attack
Make a melee Strike with your bonded weapon. If it hits, your weapon absorbs a piece of essence from the enemy, granting a +1 status bonus to the next Spellstrike you make against that target before the end of your next turn.
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Eldritch Deflection :: ⤾
{Battlemage}
Requires: You are wielding a bonded two-handed melee weapon
Trigger: You are targeted by a spell requiring a spell attack roll.
You quickly infuse your bonded weapon with arcane energy to block an incoming spell. Gain +1 status bonus to AC against the triggering spell attack.
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Improved Canny Defense
{Eldritch Dancer}
While in this stance, your Dex Cap to any Unarmored AC increases by 1, and you gain a +1 status bonus to Initiative rolls.
----Enhance Bond :: ◈
Spend 1 Focus Point
Duration: 1 minute
Your bonded weapon temporarily gains 1 Rune, ignoring normal Rune restrictions. Select from the following options: corrosive, disrupting, flaming, frost, ghost touch, shock, thundering, or wounding. If you activate Enhance Bond again, the previous temporary Rune is first dissipated. You cannot select a Rune that the weapon already has. Increase your Focus Pool by 1 when taken.
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Spellstrike Feedback :: ⤾
Requires: Spellstrike
Trigger: using melee Spellstrike with a spell slot
If your melee weapon attack for a Spellstrike misses, you may spend 1 Focus Point with this Reaction to not lose the selected spell. If you do, the entire spell effect is canceled and the arcane buildup backfires, dealing 2 unpreventable damage to you per level of the spell.
----Improved Spell Recall
Pre-req: Spell Recall
You gain 2 Focus Points to your pool that can only be used for Spell Recall.
----Mastery Enhanced Bond
Your choices for Enhance Bond now also include: anarchic, axiomatic, grievous, keen, holy, unholy. Increase your Focus Pool by 1 when taken.
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Canny Reflex :: ⤾
{Eldritch Dancer}
Trigger: a spell or ability causes you to make a Reflex save
Add a +2 status bonus to your Reflex save. If you roll a success, you get a critical success instead.
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Archmagus Study
You've studied under both masters of Magus Orders and other Traditions. Increase your Focus Pool by 1. You learn into your spellbook two Common spells of any spell level you can cast, from any Magical Tradition. You may treat these spells as Arcane for the purposes of your Magus spellcasting.
----Synchronous Spellstrike
Your Spellstrike ability only counts as 1 attack instead when calculating MAP, and gains a +1 untyped bonus to the attack roll if used as your first action on your turn.
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Eldritch Bombardment
{Eldritch Archer}
Requires: Ranged Spellstrike with non-magical ammunition
Your spell fractures your ammunition into multiple shards. You may increase the Action cost of your Ranged Spellstrike to 3. If this attack hits the target, roll two of your weapon damage dice, excluding bonuses and dice from Runes and any other special abilities. Instead of the intended target taking weapon damage, all targets that take damage from your spell effect take additional damage equal to your roll.
----Superior Strategy
{Eldritch Dancer}
Trigger: Combat starts and you were not surprised
Roll twice for Initiative and select either result, then enter Canny Defense stance for free.
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Archmagus Might
The pinnacle of your arcane study has led to this. You gain two more 8th level spell slots, and learn one additional common arcane 8th level spell.
One idea for balance.. bringing the class more in line with a typical spellcasting dedication.. reduce all spell slots gained by 1. So each spell level begins with 1 slot and maxes at 2 slots. Archmagus would also be changed to add 1 more slot instead of 2.
imo spellstrike should work only with attack trait spells
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imo spellstrike should work only with attack trait spells
I do think my idea for Spellstrike needs balance tweaking.. but why not let it work for other touch spells? Its normally delivered by touch, but delivered by weapon instead. And since pf2 doesn't have holding a charge, it's actually a higher risk. So if the player is willing to give up the free auto touch for a Spellstrike opportunity, just adds choice.
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imo spellstrike should work only with attack trait spellsI do think my idea for Spellstrike needs balance tweaking.. but why not let it work for other touch spells? Its normally delivered by touch, but delivered by weapon instead. And since pf2 doesn't have holding a charge, it's actually a higher risk. So if the player is willing to give up the free auto touch for a Spellstrike opportunity, just adds choice.
all offensive touchspells have the attack trait
almost like they are preparing for something...
cool work, honestly
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All good stuff. The arcana will need a lot of work. For example, touch attacks don’t exist, so Accurate Strike should probably be changed to give flat footed to an opponent, while Arcane Accuracy shouldn’t give int as a bonus (maybe an alternative?). Which would alter the flavour of them while keeping their intent I think
