Things I appreciate about spell strike


Magus Class


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While I do think spell strike needs work on some level. I do appreciate aspects of it. So figured I'd mention.

1- I like that it's meant to be an accuracy Boost. I knew if they gave us master/master that our spell to hit chance would be incredibly low. As much as I'd love it to boost action economy on its own I do think it would be mathematically worse for it. That said, it's simulating, in a way, double slice, but due to our lower casting progression it simulates map as well. Solution: this isn't new and has been suggested before. Apply item potency hit bonuses to the spell portion of our strike. It's limited to one target outside of 2 feats. It's called spell strike. It would alleviate the accuracy issues.

2- the critical effect is interesting. I'm not going to sit here and argue if it's good, I think it's acceptable however if you let potency runes apply to the spell part of the strike.

3- I like how open ended it is. Yes it can be annoying to set up initially. Though that is almost completely alleviated with side casting and Spirit sheath. I can tell you right now that as it currently stands I'll never play a two hand Magus because of the action economy limitations. But the ability to apply the striking portion of spell strike to any strike action opens up interesting options for multi classing and archetypes. Though also creates odd interactions potentially with certain 2 action strikes.

I honestly think, for me, if I could apply my item to hit bonus to my spell portion of my attack, that I could get along with current Magus. I've mocked up a slide casting one and it looks really fun. But the accuracy issues are definitely holding it back from both fun and balance.


I think keeping it under the name Spell Combat, and opening it to any spell would work very well. Aim freely too, just make it either a automatic "second attack" on your target if you wish to (for double map) or a single action to fire the spell at someone else (or if it's an AoE spell) while giving you MAP as well.
Heck maybe that could be the benefit of one-handed synthesis.


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

I don't know if the item bonus to spell attacks is necessarily the way I want it to happen, but I definitely agree that there is room to boost the magus spell casting accuracy by about 1 to 3 points top and I see how that item bonus fits the bill to accomplish that. I think you will just have a lot of FOMO from every other caster out there that feels like their attack roll spells are too inaccurate as well, although maybe there is a way that the magus MC can grant a version of this to other casters as well. The striking spell feature would other wise be incredibly unappealing to full casters, especially as it won't grant synthesis abilities.

The other nice thing about giving the magus a slight accuracy boost to spell casting instead of completely changing the striking spell mechanic, is that it is a relatively minor change that will help far more often with helping the magus feel like their spell is sticking, without changing the crit chance mechanics nearly as much as messing with their weapon accuracy.

Otherwise, I completely agree about how fun and interesting the striking spell mechanic is to play with different strike actions. I highly recommend people skeptical of the class think about playtesting it out with some different martial MC dedications and using the striker's scroll to supplement the spell slots per encounter, just because it opens up so many interesting possibilities.


How does it even work with stuff like double slice or twin takedown? if the first strike touches and the spell does too, does the second hit is done with -10 penalty ?


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber

For flurry of blows or twin take down the process is pretty simple, it is like sneaking one extra attack into the mix so you take your MAP on the second strike of the action. For double slice, it is a little more complicated and up to interpretation, but I would say that you don't add MAP to the second attack because it really is an action where both attacks are supposed to be happening simultaneously and MAP does not kick in until after the action is complete. Using striking spell with a activity that requires two weapons is a bit tricky unless you are punching with a gauntlet in the off hand, because you lose out on the synthesis feature of the striking spell which is about 75% of the benefit.

Intimidating strike on the other hand makes the target frightened immediately after the weapon strike, which will help you land your spell. Or if your party is good at applying the frightened condition, then a feat like dread striker lets you pile up the accuracy benefits without moving. Honestly dread striker is great for the sustaining steel synthesis because it will help with the action economy quite a bit. It might be nice for the final magus to be able to pick up a feat like that without MCing in the final version of the class.


I think the magus will have that kind of abilities in feats. Including stuff like the old Riving Strike to reduce the saves of the target for a round.


Yeah if I built with free archetype rules for my Magus I'd definitely go fighter for snagging strike. Possibly intimidating strike. Many would go caster for more slots but I'd definitely go fighter


I'd likely do a mix. Like 2/3 caster feats then some fighter...


Pathfinder Adventure Path Subscriber
Martialmasters wrote:
Yeah if I built with free archetype rules for my Magus I'd definitely go fighter for snagging strike. Possibly intimidating strike. Many would go caster for more slots but I'd definitely go fighter

I agree. The caster MCs are temping but you lose out on so many good feats with a MC that takes 4 to 6 feats to make worth it. The fighter basically just lets you dip out to take awesome combat feats on the couple of levels that feel flat without losing anything.


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber
Unicore wrote:

I don't know if the item bonus to spell attacks is necessarily the way I want it to happen, but I definitely agree that there is room to boost the magus spell casting accuracy by about 1 to 3 points top and I see how that item bonus fits the bill to accomplish that. I think you will just have a lot of FOMO from every other caster out there that feels like their attack roll spells are too inaccurate as well, although maybe there is a way that the magus MC can grant a version of this to other casters as well. The striking spell feature would other wise be incredibly unappealing to full casters, especially as it won't grant synthesis abilities.

The other nice thing about giving the magus a slight accuracy boost to spell casting instead of completely changing the striking spell mechanic, is that it is a relatively minor change that will help far more often with helping the magus feel like their spell is sticking, without changing the crit chance mechanics nearly as much as messing with their weapon accuracy.

Otherwise, I completely agree about how fun and interesting the striking spell mechanic is to play with different strike actions. I highly recommend people skeptical of the class think about playtesting it out with some different martial MC dedications and using the striker's scroll to supplement the spell slots per encounter, just because it opens up so many interesting possibilities.

I agree with you on the potency accuracy boost.

One way to keep things balanced would be if Paizo restricted actually how much out of striking spell MC characters got. Maybe something akin to the Investigator’s Devise Stratagem not applying Int to those outside of the class. Perhaps only Magi got to use their weapon runes when spellstriking.

Although other casters, could feel injured by the Magus getting those potency bonus, they have several other gimmicks to compensate (more slots, more metamagic, no need to be in melee range, etc).

Your solution could be amenable to both parties and keep as much of the chassis intact as possible!


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Accuracy would help......but the action cost still irks me a bit. 3 full actions to spell strike just sounds like you only get to do your schtick every other round unless the enemy is static. But I guess champions arent always gonna get a chance to use their reactions every turn....and......other examples I'm sure. I'd ultimately live with it if it meant spellstrike was really close to a martial first swing in accuracy


WWHsmackdown wrote:
Accuracy would help......but the action cost still irks me a bit. 3 full actions to spell strike just sounds like you only get to do your schtick every other round unless the enemy is static. But I guess champions arent always gonna get a chance to use their reactions every turn....and......other examples I'm sure. I'd ultimately live with it if it meant spellstrike was really close to a martial first swing in accuracy

While I agree. What's the other option? If you don't retain accuracy your never going to land your spells.

Either way slide casting and the ranged option seen to not have much issue with this.


Sustaining Steel can get Temp HP and have an action left to move every round.


Pathfinder Lost Omens, Rulebook Subscriber

I really do like the versatility of Striking Spell with respect to when the spell may be triggered (ie holding a charge basically). One of the core improvements of 2e over 1e is the number of fun and viable things one can do on any given turn. If this worked more similarly to like the Eldritch Archer's Eldritch Shot (a 3-action activity combining the strike and spell cast), it pushes too hard to have combats that feel the same round after round.

It also opens up interesting archetype builds, like a Magus with LG Champion's Retributive Strike, where you can likely be discharging your spell on a reaction rather than a strike on your turn. That's amazing! I'd hate to see that sort of versatility in action sequencing replaced with something more vanilla where every turn ends up looking the same, just because it "felt more like 1e spellstrike."

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