Playtest Magus Spellcasting and Halcyon Speaker


Magus Class


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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Lost Omens, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

Before I start: yes, I know that not all archetypes are meant to fit well with all classes. The Halcyon Speaker archetype is itself an example of this. In addition to the spontaneous granted halcyon slots, the speaker is able to use their regular spell slots to cast halcyon spells. Therefore, the class is balanced around the expectation that the character who takes it will be able to cast arcane or primal spells. All well and good... until we come to the magus (and the summoner, but more clearly a problem for the magus).

The magus is an arcane caster, but for the purposes of the archetype he may as well not be. Prepared casters may heighten halcyon spells, but only to the highest level of halcyon spell they can cast. For example: if a druid takes the archetype at level 6, she gains the ability to cast 1st level halcyon spells. Even though she casts 3rd level primal spells, she may only use her 1st level spell slots to prepare halcyon spells.

Now, if a magus takes the archetype at level 6, he has a problem. He cannot cast 1st level spells anymore under the playtest's rules. He would still gain the spells known, and the spontaneous halcyon spell slot, but according to RAW, he cannot use his magus spell slots to prepare halcyon spells. Every time he gains more halcyon spells, he has no spell slots with which he may prepare halcyon spells. For the purposes of this archetype, he may as well not be able to cast arcane spells at all.

I concede that arcane and primal sorcerers are at a slight disadvantage compared to their prepared counterparts as written. Halcyon spells cannot be taken as Signature Spells, so those spells can't be heightened. Prepared casters can learn a 1st level spell and heighten it all the way to 7th if they take all of the spellcasting feats. There is precedent for preferential treatment, for lack of a better term. However, the magus is a prepared spellcasting class. I don't see the reason for the difference.

As things currently stand, the magus is strongly discouraged from taking this archetype unless they also take a multiclass archetype that grants them arcane or primal spellcasting (realistically the wizard or witch). However, that is an additional 4 feats tacked onto an archetype that already has more good feats than can be taken without house ruling (before factoring in the Magaambyan Attendant!). That forces the player to choose between mechanics and flavour, which is not a good place to be.

Secrets of Magic is a concurrent release with Strength of Thousands, which will use the Free Archetype variant. That mitigates the problem, but only for that AP. In a standard RAW game, the problem returns.

Maybe there's something I'm not seeing. I don't know. In any event, I wanted to raise this concern. One of my character ideas is a magus who studied at the Magaambya. While I don't need this archetype to play that, it would be nice to do so. I haven't forgotten about Magic Warrior, but my idea is more "warrior who has a broad knowledge of magic" and less "mysterious masked avenger."

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