For comparison, what are your favorite 2e gish builds?

[CrypticSplicer]

My friends and I are planning to test the Magus out by building a full party of gishes. What are your favorite builds that we should use for comparison?

My personal favorite is the Human Monk Zen Archer / Cleric. By level 2 you can make two bow attacks using Flurry of Blows and then cast Divine Lance. At level 3 you can take Ancestral Paragon (Adapted Cantrip) to pick up Electric Arc. Flurry of Blows + Electric Arc is a very effective combo that outperforms a Flurry Ranger making 4 attacks with a bow, to which you can later add in Ki Blast and additional spell slots. The Monks spellcasting proficiency scales only a little behind full casters as well, and is even slightly ahead of the Magus.

[Bardarok]

The Fighter MC rune Witch/MC Wizard is probably the most similar to the Pf1 Magus concept that isn't the Magus that would probably be a good comparison.

EDIT: I guess for the other side of the comparison you could do Wizard MC Sentinel MC Fighter.

[Hejtan]

Precision ranged Ranger mc Druid mc Eldritch Archer. I feel really versatile. Precision ranger rewards single shots. Precision Edge works on spells as well, which means that you can easly Produce Flame on a troll without losing anything, or lets you make a single strong shot at the boss and then electric arc smaller ones. Or, snipe at that enemy big distance away, then cast guidance on your barbarian that will sudden charge next turn. Shoot and then Heal the barbarian. Slow down enemies, then shoot. Combine arrows with magic like Magus.

I feel like this build would be how I would test ranged magus.

[Leomund "Leo" Velinznrarikovich]

This character is a pretty successful gish build. The only weakness is HP.

[NielsenE]

I've been happy with both my Fighter/MC Wizard. only up to level 6, so not completely into her prime yet. Designed as a highly mobile anti-ranger/caster. Most spells are terrain manipulation/battlefield control (things that don't matter for spell attack roles or save DCs) or mobility buffs. The fighter accuracy is what she's about and then locking down enemy casters and stopping their frontliners from getting back to help out.

My sorcror/MC champion has seen less play (GM baby in PFS) and I need to get him into a few more scenarios to see if its shaping up as intended. He did spend some ancestry feats to get traditional knightly weapons, but he's never used them yet and probably won't. But primal blasting spells, with good armor, and eventually champions reaction, should be pretty effective at helping to anchor the frontline of a party. Short range blasts (like burning hands) have worked very well.

I currently prefer either of them to the Magus as presented here. I think the feats are promising, but the Striking Spell key mechanic is unsatisfying to me. The slide-casting synthesis might be able to redeem it somewhat in my eyes, but it feels like that should be included in all the magus paths, and then introduce the new one-handed thing to differentiate it from the other two.

[Falgaia]

Not necessarily my "favorite" gish build, just my PFS -2001 character concept. Precision Ranger/mcWizard, thrown weapon build using a Trident at range 40' and an animal companion. Offhand is used to hold a Divination Staff for True Strike spam on turns I don't need to re-up Hunt Prey, on turns where the Bird can attack by herself I can use the second freed action to cast Gravity Weapon.

I did a lv8 build comparison with a Shooting Star Magus's Spell Strike since that's where he's currently at in his career, turns out lv8 Ranger + Companion attacks for the same bonuses as Lv 8 SS Magus Spell Strike with +4 Dex/Int for scarily similar damage, only problem is that the Ranger has vastly better non-combat utility, is more accurate overall thanks to True Strike/being able to still attack with the animal companion if the Trident misses, has a second sack of HP on the field in the form of the Animal Companion, and is getting free Recall Knowledges from Monster Hunter every turn.

Comparison of Lv 8 Builds::

Shooting Star Magus (Feats: Not a whole lot that directly improve DPS, Combat Assessment and Bespell Strikes is here tho)

2A Cast a Spell
1A (+1 Stk Element) +17 Shortbow: 2d6+3, +1d6 Bespell Weapon +1d6 Rune + Recall Knowledge (+17 Average Damage 17) (Range 60, could be more with other weapons but avoiding Volley Trait due to how combats usually play out, if in Longbow sweetspot add 2 to damage, if using Range 20 Returning Trident for Div Staff option, average damage is 2d8+5+1d6 = 17.5)
+Spell Strike DC24 Phantasmal Killer 0/4d6 Fr1/8d6 Fr2/12d6 Fr4 Fleeing Save or Die
Average Damage (6d6? 21 Damage-ish, Fr1.5)
+Spell Strike +14 Ray of Frost: 4d4+4 (Average Damage 14)

Average Damage:
Phantasmal Killer = 31/45 assuming success/fail on PK
Crit -> Crit = 34 + 42 = 76 plus Fr4 and maybe death
Ray of Frost = 31 assuming successful hit
Crit -> Crit = 34 + 28 = 62 plus minor speed drop
hit -> miss = 17
miss -> hit = lol 0

Ranger/mWizard (Real PFS -2001 Character, feats: Animal Companion, Mature Companion, Wizard Multi(Ancestral Elf), Basic Wizard Casting, Monster Hunter, Gravity Weapon)

1A Hunt Prey (+Free Recall Knowledge)
1A (+1 Stk Returning) +17 Trident: 2d8+6, +1d8 Precision Damage vs Hunted Prey, Range 40’ (+17 Average Damage 19.5)
1A Command Bird
1A Bird Move 50’
1A Bird Attack +14 Beak: 2d6+3, +1d8 Precision Damage vs Hunted Prey (+14 Average Damage 14.5)

Average Damage:
Hit -> hit = 34 over two attacks
Crit -> Crit = 39 + 29 = 68 + Clumsy 1 (Trident CritSpec)
hit -> miss = 19.5
miss -> hit = 14.5

Is BIRD already adjacent to a foe?
>1A cast True Strike from Divination Staff, roll Trident attack twice ignoring circumstance penalties and taking highest.

Is HUNT PREY target still alive from last turn?
>Cast Gravity Weapon, add 4 damage to Trident strikes from now on, crit -> crit now deals same average damage as PK Spell Strike crit from Magus, repeatable ad infinitum

[Pinstripedbarbarian]

I've played a Warrior Muse Bard with Mauler Dedication. Lots of good buffs, lotsa skills, a few offensive spells, and a pretty reliable routine to fall back on consisting of Inspire Courage, Knockdown, AoO when they stand up, repeat. Very fun to play. I was the main melee character that also just happened to buff the party. Occasionally I would Strike and cast something like Sound Burst or Fear, but usually the action economy limited me to Inspire and Stride+Strike or Knockdown.

Another character I haven't gotten as much time with is an Universalist Wizard MC-Champion with decent weapons from Dwarven Weapon Familiarity. He mostly uses Hand of the Apprentice and area spells. He's admittedly a bit limited at low levels, but he's quite sturdy for a Wizard and does pretty solid burst damage. He's quite a bit more consistently cast-and-smack than the bard thanks to Hand of the Apprentice.

My latest character might count as a gish? I rolled up an Investigator to be an Eldritch Archer. Devise a Stratagem + Eldritch Shot with a good roll adds up a lot of damage fast. At 6th, casting TK Projectile with a +1 striking bow has +15 to hit and deals 2d8+5d6+2 damage. Their spells would be super limited, but Investigator would give enough shenanigans that it wouldn't be too bad at all.