Greetings all,
I'm playing with a build in my head to be the frontliner in an upcoming strenght of thousand campaign run by my girlfriend.
I don't know what the party is going to be yet, I'm just being preemptive cause of the hype.
So I'd want to be Juniper Muzzlemash, the Luminescent knight. Juniper is in love with the idea of being a knight. When his life was saved by a mwangi champion of Findeladlara, he decided he wanted to become the first Sprite hero and knight! He took his Corgi friend Daisy and went to the only place he could find the knowledge to achieve his goals: the Magaambya.
Ancestry: Sprite
Heritage: Luminous Sprite or Melixie. Luminous is more thematical, melixie feels more practical yet still adorable.
Background: Unsponsored if my GF allows two free boosts for backgrounds, sponsored by village if not (need Int and Str/Dex as boosts)
Class: magus
Hybrid Studies: Sparkling Targe.
Ancestry feat: Corgi Familiar.
Free archetype is on, so I'll be going familiar master to enhance my familiar corgi familiar. At level 8 I'd go into bastion for quick shield block and mirror shield.
MAIN DILEMNA SO FAR:
I could go either
STR:12
DEX: 18
CON: 12
INT: 16
WIS: 10
CHA: 10
every 5 levels I'd boost str/dex/con/Int, final stat array would be: 18/24/18/20/12/12
or
STR:18
DEX: 12
CON: 12
INT: 16
WIS: 10
CHA: 8
Every 5 levels I,d boost str/con/int/wis, final stat array would be: 24/14/18/20/18/8
I'm not sure which is the best way to go... medium armor gives bonuses for expertise... dex array gives me much better defenses early and late game though, specially on reflex saves, which I feel will be very tight when added to the shield block ability of targe magus.
Otherwise feats would probly be:
2: force fang - Familiar master
4: expansive Spellstrike - Familiar Mascot
6: Attack of Opportunity - Improved Familiar (plead with GM to let me use fairy dragon stats on my corgi, if not TBD)
8: Spell Swipe - Bastion Dedication
10: Dazzling Block - Quick Shield Block
12: Capture magic ??? - Incredible familiar.
I'll see when I get there for the rest.
Anyone ever ran a dex focused magus that wasn't laughing shadows? Or a shield tank build with only 12 str? I feel like maybe the lower damage output isn't SO bad because of the spellstrike ability?
Let me know what you think!
Added note:
For initiative, dex array is worst than str array since lower wisdom, but has much higher reflex saves plus I can snag stealth training along the way and maybe avoid notice to get high ini....
Another downside of a dex tank build is that finesse and agile weapons pretty much cap out at 1d6 unless you somehow manage to get a dueling sword.
Going strength allows you to max out your AC on medium armor as well as nab a bastard sword, trident or lance for the build.