My dear Pathfinders,
I always wanted to try out a gish class so naturally I got interested in the Magus. Then I stumbled about the "Ki Arcana" Magus Arcana and thought that it would be awesome to put it to use. But it is so restrictive.
The way it is worded, you cannot use the Perfect Style Ki Pool nor can you use Variant Multiclassing since that doesn't give you actual class levels.
So the only way seems to actually sacrifice Magus levels to gain a Ki Pool. Thus I figured out the following options (no Monk since losing 3 or 4 class levels is 100% not worth it):
1) 2 levels of Ninja or (Unchained) Rogue with the Ki Pool talent. This costs you two levels but gives you some really nice stuff for it. URogue gives you Finesse Training (good for a Dex Magus), Trapfinding and Evasion while Ninja gives you Poison Use and an extra Ninja Trick. Both give you 1d6 Sneak Attack and a Ki Pool. But Ninja's Ki Pool depends on Charisma, which is a dump stat, while the Rogue's Ki Pool depends on Wisdom (but has the drawback that you can't get an extra attack out of it as a swift action). Both Classes Grant you the Rogue Talent Class Feature so you can use Extra Rogue Talent to gain more Talents if you want. You get d8 HD, 8+Int Skill Ranks and +3 on Reflex Saves for the two levels you dip.
2) One Level of Pathfinder Field Agent or Rose Warden Prestige Classes. This saves you one Magus Class Level, but you get much less extra stuff and you need to invest an Extra Feat in order to be able to gain class levels at all. PFA requires Skill Focus (Any) while RW requires Iron Will. Since you have good Will saves anyway I think it doesn't make much of a difference which Feat you take and there are other, more important factors:
RW: d8 HD, 4+Int Skill Ranks, +1 on Ref Saves, +2 on saves against charm, compulsion and fear and a situational +2 Bonus on Initiative, Knowledge(local), Perception, Stealth and Survival. You have to worship Milani in order to take levels in this class (which imposes an alignment restriction).
PFA: d8 HD, 6+Int Skill Ranks, +1 on Ref+Will Saves, Wayfinder Upgrade (there are some nice things here but overall only minor improvements). You have to be a Pathfinder to take levels in this class. Depending on the AP, this might not be too easy to justify/roleplay.
So far, those are the only viable options I could figure out. What do you think works best for a Magus? Maybe you have found other options?
I really would try to keep as many Magus levels as possible. On the other hand, the two levels in Rogue/Ninja give you so much for the extra level you pay. I just can't decide!
It wasn't that long ago that Cevah compiled a list of ways to get a ki pool. He didn't explicitly mention the PFA or rose warden, just mentioning the rogue talent.
Anyway, esoteric magus or variant multiclassing monk (PF unchained) cost you zero levels and would be my preferred means.
It wasn't that long ago that Cevah compiled a list of ways to get a ki pool. He didn't explicitly mention the PFA or rose warden, just mentioning the rogue talent.
Anyway, esoteric magus or variant multiclassing monk (PF unchained) cost you zero levels and would be my preferred means.
Thanks for the link!
As for the Esoteric Magus: I'd really like to keep spell recall.
And I thought VMC doesn't count as actual class levels so that would disqualify it from usage with ki arcana.
Not to throw the discussion on a tangent, but how big is the Student of Perfection's Ki Pool anyway? Do they even actually get a Ki Pool? All the ability with that name states is that the SoP can add their levels to any Monk levels or their Wisdom to a Perfect Style pool.
Not to throw the discussion on a tangent, but how big is the Student of Perfection's Ki Pool anyway? Do they even actually get a Ki Pool? All the ability with that name states is that the SoP can add their levels to any Monk levels or their Wisdom to a Perfect Style pool.
I think that is correct. RAW the Student of Perfection PrC should not grant you a Ki Pool but give you a bonus to an existing one.
BUMP
some actual feedback to my OP would be nice
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
|
You haven't actually told us why you want a ki pool. What do you intend to use it for? Can you use your existing ''arcane'' pool for the same thing?
I would not recommend dipping either rogue or ninja, because you delay all your class features by two levels (and Magus has excellent class features). If you want an archetype, Jistkan Artificer is much better than esoteric, but frankly the baseline Magus does just fine with unarmed combat if you spend one feat on IUS.
If it's extra attacks you want, Natural Spell Combat and/or polymorph spells should do the trick. HTH.
I was looking at this Idea for using spell blending arcana to grab ki leech so you can basically refuel your arcane pool throughout the day and use spell recall/improved to keep getting spells back.
It already looked like you weighed the options you found yourself except the Teisatsu vigilante, but they just offer a ki power instead at level 2 and theres not many options there. Go rogue if you need spare feats, ninja/teisatsu if you are looking more at damage, or field agent to dip less.
You haven't actually told us why you want a ki pool. What do you intend to use it for? Can you use your existing ''arcane'' pool for the same thing?
I would not recommend dipping either rogue or ninja, because you delay all your class features by two levels (and Magus has excellent class features). If you want an archetype, Jistkan Artificer is much better than esoteric, but frankly the baseline Magus does just fine with unarmed combat if you spend one feat on IUS.
If it's extra attacks you want, Natural Spell Combat and/or polymorph spells should do the trick. HTH.
My reason for it is pretty much what Coolwasabi said.
I know there is the infinite Ki cheese with the bag of rats but that is just stupid. I just want to be able to refuel my Ki in order to stay relevant in longer fights, because some abilities can drain your arcana points super quickly.|
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32
|
I just want to be able to refuel my Ki in order to stay relevant in longer fights, because some abilities can drain your arcana points super quickly.
I've seen (and played) a lot of Magus characters, and have seen none of them having any problem with longer fights.
So the question you should be asking is what abilities drain your pool so quickly (probably Arcane Accuracy and/or Accurate Strike) and then ask yourself if you need those abilities every single round. There's probably a long-term buff spell you could be using instead (e.g. Spell Blending for Heroism); the Magus guide has numerous suggestions on that.
If you really need more pool points, instead of multiclassing, it's more effective to take the Extra Arcane Pool feat and/or a Ring of Arcane Mastery and/or Wyroot weaponry. Really, you are looking for a complicated workaround where a much easier solution exists.
Perfect Style gets you a Ki Pool
Samsaran to grab Ki Leech
Then Ki Arcana
I think that makes the cycle you are looking for
Edit: Scrap that, it doesn't work because 'must also have levels in a class that grants a ki pool'