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So waiting for the new magus/summoner book to come out, so I’ve been looking back to the playtest documentation to get an idea of what I might end up playing (with the understanding that I might have to move around some stuff.). But then I ran across this nugget and it just kinda. . . irked me. I didn’t notice it when the playtest was going on, so I didn’t submit it as official feedback, but I want to know if anyone else brought it up and or Paizo mentioned it in a blog or post or something.
So the Magus synthesis class feature seems to narrow the magus down to sword/free hand, two handed weapon, or ranged weapon as their main go to options. Note the weapon and free hand SPECIFICALLY says you have to have a weapon in one hand and NOTHING in your off hand. Okay. Great, fine. They don’t want Maguses running around with a weapon and shield, got it, I can get behind that, after all the iconic magus isn’t a guy running around with a shield.
But one of the first level feats, raise a tone, specifically has you raise a book on one hand that provides a shield bonus. RAW that turns off both of the melee synthesises. Is that right? I mean, I like the idea of going into combat with a battle tome but, is it supposed to be utterly incomparable with your base class abilities? I mean, it’s not like there is a swashbuckler feat that requires the use of a great sword, or a bard feat that requires you to be completely still and silent.
Anyone know if this got addressed?
There is a Shield subclass so you can use a sword and shield. Raise a tome is supported by this subclass and has upgrade through feats.
There is one to focus on using a staff, so you could use it and another weapon if you wanted to.
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"Magus now have Hybrid Studies instead of synthesis: Two handed, laughing shadow which is high movement and free hand, Shield sword and board, archer, staves."
Got this from a reddit post that went over what was revealed in the secrets of magic panel.
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Kinda wish there was a more 'generic' study though. Bastard swords are fun but you can't really use anything like that if your only options are free hand always or two-handed always.
And if laughing shadow is specifically 'free hand' instead of no weapon or shield it turns off any time you grab anything.
Neither of these are really important but more flexibility is fun.
From what was said in other streams, the Hybrid Studies tend to give small additional benefits for your Arcane Cascade, plus the Focus spell and probably feats and class features later on. So I probably wouldn't worry about the Hybrid Studies locking you into a single style. You'll still get the same baseline benefits across all Hybrid Studies, but depending on the situation you can lean into your preferred fighting style for those extra benefits, or lean away for the needed flexibility.
From the spoiler that we got in the Glass Canon Podcast, in the Arcane Cascade Laughing Shadow just increases the extra damage from 1 to 3 when you strike a flatfooted target while you have a free hand and it always gives +5 speed (+10 if unarmored).