Two-Handed Weapon Magus Advice


Advice


I know that it wont be as good as a regular one handed dex magus, and that i wont be able to use spell combat, but i wanted to try something a little different. a sort of Witcher style character, mainly martial stuff but a bit of magic on the side, except there would be a bit more magic than just what geralt has, being a magus and all


So, are you looking for a build that let's you melee and that knows how to cast spells, but not necessarily do them both in the same round like a magus does? Trying something a little different is great, but it's hard to know what you're thinking of.

I don't want to be the joker who comes into an advice thread and says, "This idea you have that you're looking for advice on? Don't do it," but whatever your idea is, you might want to see if the Eldritch Knight prestige class can work for it.


Maybe use a 1H weapon in 2 hands when you're not using spell combat? Geralt might be using a longsword or bastard sword and he seems to be a Str-based character. Str-based magi are viable.

A mindblade magus is likely to use a double weapon from 7th level. I don't know if that counts as a 2H weapon to you.

Or since you're looking at less magic anyway, maybe look at a bloodrager?


I was going to suggest the Armoured Battlemage archetype since it trades out spell combat (thinking that it's only bad because you lose spell combat) but apon reading it again it's STILL terrible, even if you don't want spell combat! -_- (I mean, take a look you might like it, but I don't)

Bloodrager's a good option. Take a look at the METAMAGIC RAGER, as it will let you make use of your rage rounds in the later game, and a quickened spell could be a game changer (a quickened first level spell would cost 10 rounds of rage, but still good when needled).

Eldritch Knight is also a good idea, though will likely have a lot more magic than Geralt throws around (when I play him anyway).

Another option is the Alchemist, which was actually based off Geralt. They're totally viable as melee combatants, I'd go Half-Elf with a bastard sword or Half-Orc with a falchion.

Or if you really like the magus it's still totally viable without spell-combat. It'll probably play more like a Bloodrager (but with less rage and more spells), but it should be totally servicable.

As avr pointed out the Mind-Blade archetype can spell-combat with a 2-handed in the late game (lvl 13 I think). Note that psychic casters take a -10 to concentration checks with any spell that has a Thought (Verbal) component, but this can be offset by taking a move action to steady yourself. This isn't great for Magi because they usually want that full-round-action to spell-combat, but if you're ignoring that you may not mind as much. If you do mind there's AN ITEM to help your action economy, but it competes with your headband of INT.

There might be some other archetypes that might be useful, so take a look.

Silver Crusade

Nothing wrong with 2 handing a scimitar when you’re not using spell combat. Weapon dice are the smallest part of total damage.

Dark Archive

PCScipio wrote:
Weapon dice are the smallest part of total damage.

In this instance yes. For a titan mauler with an over sized butcher axe it's a very different story


Andostre wrote:
So, are you looking for a build that let's you melee and that knows how to cast spells, but not necessarily do them both in the same round like a magus does? Trying something a little different is great, but it's hard to know what you're thinking of.

Essentially, yes. someone that, spell wise would be more of a utility caster, with the occasional buff/de-buff and blast spell, but in combat theyre mainly a martial character

The Exchange

1 person marked this as a favorite.

If you aren't set on using a sword (being Geralt), the Staff Magus archetype may be a pretty good choice. You can use a staff two-handed, or go one-handed and still use spell combat. Or, as Avr suggested, just two-hand your regular weapon.

If you want to use a big ol' sword, the Myrmidarch is what you are looking for. You get access to all the magus spells but the diminished spellcasting brings you more towards "a bit of magic on the side." You don't have that many spell slots so you don't feel like you wasted an opportunity by not casting every single round. You get weapon training and armor training, and can take fighter feats easier than a base magus. Ranged Spellstrike is just kinda "there" for you - nifty but not something you are building around.


John and KARSG!!! wrote:
I know that it wont be as good as a regular one handed dex magus, and that i wont be able to use spell combat, but i wanted to try something a little different. a sort of Witcher style character, mainly martial stuff but a bit of magic on the side, except there would be a bit more magic than just what geralt has, being a magus and all

My advice is use a 1 handed weapon in two hands when you're not using spell combat.

Sure the damage dice aren't as good as an actual two-handed weapon, but if you're using power attack you'll get 1.5 str when wielding it in two-hands. The difference between a nodachi (1d10) and a scimitar (1d6) is only 2 points of damage on average.

Really, not be able to use spell combat kind of negates the magus' whole point in existing (besides also spell strike, which is still pretty tied to spell combat working).

Alternatively as someone else suggested, if you're not really looking for spell combat and spell strike as part of the character, just make a bloodrager. They got arcane spells and can be pretty terrifying with a two-handed weapon.

The Exchange

You are pretty explicitly not worried about "maximizing" your character, so I'll throw in a few more ideas for you to improve your versatility as a magus.

Quick Draw - "Oh, man, It would be really great if I could use spell combat or spellstrike this round, but I'm holding this big two-handed weapon." No problem. Drop the two-hander, quick draw a one-hander, use your arcane pool to upgrade it, and then spell combat/spellstrike.

Spell Blending arcana - to diversify what you can do with your "bit of magic."

Wand Wielder arcana and weaponwand spell - This one is a bit controversial, but should probably work. Normally, you have to have one hand free to use spell combat, but Wand Wielder allows you to activate a wand (or staff) instead of casting a spell. And you'd have to have the wand in hand (no free hand) to use it, so it should work with weaponwand and a two-hander.

Throwing Magus arcana - especially if you are playing a Myrmidarch. (Your two-hander can now be used as a ranged weapon, such as with ranged spellstrike.)

Ghost Blade, Devoted Blade, and Bane Blade arcanas - Add to the range of things you can enchant your weapon with. For an even bigger range, play a gnome. Their FCB choices are awesome.

Hasted Assault arcana - good for all magi, very good for one focused on combat over spells.

Edit: it's never a bad idea to play one of the races that has an FCB to increase points in your arcane pool. Or even take the Extra Arcane Pool feat if your campaign features many/long daily combats.


Belafon wrote:
If you want to use a big ol' sword, the Myrmidarch is what you are looking for.

Totally forgot abkut the Myrmidarch, this is probably your hest bet as a Magus.

Another option is Varient Multiclass Magus (probably Bloodrager VMC Magus). This lets you play a Bloodrager, but gets you an Arcane Pool, a few Magus Arcana and eventually Spellstrike, and it costs you half your feats (at 3,7,11,15,19). Losing feats isn't such a big deal on 2-handed-weapon build (Power Attack, Raging vitality, you're good to go), and your Bloodline feats basically offsets the loss.

Finally, maybe check out the Occultist? I'm playing ine at the moment and I love her soo much. It might be my new favourite class (You want a Transmutation Implement if you're going melee, but otherwise whatever you like).


Try 1 level of Bloodrager and Kensai Magus. Vital strike, Blooded Arcane Strike, Devastating Strike, Power Attack is not bad when using a large Bastard Sword enchanted by a Lead Blade wand when Huge.

No spell combat and only spell striking with spells that last over a number of rounds. Using arcane pool to maximize the 6d8 damage you do with that bastard sword.

If getting a weapon that big is too far off from your character image, maybe dip one level of Fighter. Still go Vital Strike but use a Great Sword. Pick up a Divine Fighting Technique and Felling Smash. This will allow you to Vital Strike a second time on a successful trip.

Whatever 2 hand strength build you go with, remember that Siphon Might is one of your best friends.

While these are not the 100% maximum damage builds, they are mobile and versatile because they keep their move and swift action open. Spells can be used for a more utility and buffing.

Scarab Sages

I’ve run a Mindblade using an Earthbreaker for a few levels, and it’s been fine. You can still spellstrike, so you’re just not getting an extra attack, but you aren’t taking the -2 for spell combat, which makes power attack better. You still do good damage. And you can always let your weapon go and summon something one-handed if you need to. Myrmidarch was the other archetype I looked at.

In addition to weaponwand, there’s also Aroden’s Spellsword, which lets you store a rod in your weapon for 10 min/level (not sure if that will work with mindblade, but should work fine for myrmidarch).

Community / Forums / Pathfinder / Pathfinder First Edition / Advice / Two-Handed Weapon Magus Advice All Messageboards

Want to post a reply? Sign in.