Full casting. Only deliver spells through Spellstrike

[Verzen]

Give Magus full casting... BUT (but)

make it so Spell strike costs 1 action to cast a spell. 1 action to attack and deliver a spell. (Total of 2)

It is the only class that can do this. HOWEVER there are restrictions. The Magus can ONLY cast spells through spell strike and the only spells it can cast through spell strike have a single target. If the spell targets multiple people, it only targets that one person. If the spell is an AOE, it now becomes a single target spell, targeting the target. Furthermore, if the attack hits, the spell goes off and deals damage as if it was a success(Or if they failed their save). If the attack crits, the spell acts as if it crit success (Or a crit fail if they normally save against such a spell)

This would 1) Address the concept of a full round action meaning I need to start my turn right next to a guy which sometimes doesn't occur. 2) Would provide more options for spell strike, it would open up spellstrike to being more universal with the spells. I don't need to use it with just damage spells. I can use it with any spells including phantasmal killer.

This would make the magus different from a fighter/wiz dedication by allowing the magus to cast their spells using only one action and would allow them to bypass saves, using only their attack modifier to see if the spell lands or not. If the spell does not land, the spell is wasted as if the creature critically succeeded at the save.

This will prevent the Magus from having to succeed at multiple rolls. First they need to get past the AC AND the saving throw of the enemy. Succeeding two rolls is often tough.

So to compare the two..

Fighter - Strike(AC), cast(save)
Magus - Move, Strike/cast(AC)

[WatersLethe]

I don't want a caster who is only a caster in combat though. I want a 50-50 caster-martial. This spells-only-in-combat thing should be reserved for a bloodrager.

[Verzen]

WatersLethe wrote:

I don't want a caster who is only a caster in combat though. I want a 50-50 caster-martial. This spells-only-in-combat thing should be reserved for a bloodrager.

Make it any offensive spell then, leaving you still being able to cast support spells.

But you can't have everything.

[Ressy]

The Pathfinder 1e Magus barely had non-combat spells.
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/spell-lists-and-domains/magus-spell-list/

Looking at the 1st level spells, every single one is a combat applicable buff or an attack spell. Some of the buffs have non-combat applications (like Jump).

So limiting the Magus to combat relevant spells would be completely in line with the 1e magus.

[Verzen]

Ressy wrote:

The Pathfinder 1e Magus barely had non-combat spells.

https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/spell-lists-and-domains/magus-spell-list/

Looking at the 1st level spells, every single one is a combat applicable buff or an attack spell. Some of the buffs have non-combat applications (like Jump).

So limiting the Magus to combat relevant spells would be completely in line with the 1e magus.

Fair. I didn't really play magus too often so I can't remember too much about them. But this idea just came up and I thought it might mathematically be better to do it this way.

That way there aren't two different rolls.

[citricking]

I would hate it. I really like the magus having spell slots and master weapon proficiencies, and I don't care for spell strike, I prefer the magus being able to cast spells as normal spells.

[breithauptclan]

Oh, we are sneaking past these guards. Hold on. I have to smack myself invisible. And maybe unconscious at the same time.

Though if you pick up Cleric dedication it could give new meaning to 'lay on hands'.

[Kalaam]

What's funny is that in the "what others think of you" of the Magus chapter, it says "others might expect you to fill the role of a fighter or a spellcaster when they are unavailable" well, fighter maybe. But spellcaster, as it is, you cannot do anything outside of combat. Sure it's not your main thing, but the Magus always could keep some utility spells before. Simple stuff like Dispel Magic, Fly, Glitterdust...