Lvl 13+ magus ( looking for suggestions)

[HumbleGamer]

Hey,

A friend of mine swapped from ranger eldritch archer into unarmed ruffian, and because so I am using this opportunity to retrain from laughing shadow to starlit span hybrid study.

This is the build I though about so far

The intent is to switch from 2x strikes + electric arc to true strike+spell strike, depends the situation, leaping on the battleground.

Some rounds would obviously be 1 flurry + recharge + "third action".

The lvl 5 ancestry ( or the lvl 3 one through ancesttal paragon, moving fleet to lvl 11) would probably be animal accomplice for an independent manual dexterity familiar, handing out true strike scrolls to me.

As for the suggestions, what would you take as lvl 13 multi talented feat and lvl 14/16/18 feats?

Also, by lvl 16, would you consider getting a rune of speed and retraining the monk dedication into something different? If so, what would you take?

[YuriP]

HumbleGamer wrote:

2x strikes + electric arc

I don't think this wort. Calculating the avg damage of spellstrike with Telekinetic Projectile and do a 2º strike using Shooting Star is better or striking under haste effect and spellstrike have same DPR of "2x strikes + electric arc".

HumbleGamer wrote:

Some rounds would obviously be 1 flurry + recharge + "third action".

My suggestion due how restricted are the action economy of Magus if you want to use haste is:

- Round 1 and 2: Spellstrike, Shooting Star
- Round 3: Strike, Haste
- Round 4+: Strike, Recharge, Spellstrike

HumbleGamer wrote:

As for the suggestions, what would you take as lvl 13 multi talented feat and lvl 14/16/18 feats?

LvL 14: Hasted Assault because haste as focus spell means be hastened every encounter not only those you want to use a spellslot.

LvL 16: Resounding Cascade unless you have something better via archetype.
LvL 18: Conflux Wellspring because more focus points means more extra strikes while recharge.

About lvl 13 human feat. Sorry but I don't have a good idea of what is good to you take. Maybe Bounce Back or Advanced General Training to take an additional general/skill feat.

HumbleGamer wrote:

Also, by lvl 16, would you consider getting a rune of speed and retraining the monk dedication into something different? If so, what would you take?

If you are playing with Free Archetype is the Wizard Dedication + Basic/Expert/Master Wizard Spellcasting + Arcane Breadth. This means more know spells for free in your grimoire and more spellslots to True Strike or to use as you wish. As you share the same tradition and spellbook you can even use your spells you learned as magus in wizard spellslots and vice-versa.

[HumbleGamer]

YuriP wrote:

I don't think this wort. Calculating the avg damage of spellstrike with Telekinetic Projectile and do a 2º strike using Shooting Star is better or striking under haste effect and spellstrike have same DPR of "2x strikes + electric arc".

Hm... I want to make a comparison in details:

This is the routine I intend to use

Quote:

VS BOSS

Round1 Monastic Stance + flurry ( 2x strikes ) + Extra ( intimidate or bon )
Round2 True Strike + Spellstrike
Round3 Recharge, Flurry, Skill ( or third attack ), Familiar Draws a Truestrike scroll
Round4 Familiar hands out the scroll, true strike + spellstrike

VS GROUPS

Electric Arc, positioning myself with maneuvering spell depends the situation:

- Before the spell, if not within the reach.
- After the spell to disengage
- After the spell trying to mitigate lesser cover given from allies/enemies on the targets of my flurry

And that's it, rinse and repeat ( unless some blast from a magus spell ).

the issues I see using your routine

Quote:

- Round 1 and 2: Spellstrike, Shooting Star

- Round 3: Strike, Haste
- Round 4+: Strike, Recharge, Spellstrike

are:

- Shooting star will be using a focus spell which gives a -10 attack ( even if it recharges your spellstrike, it seems not so different from using the recharge ability )

- Strike, recharge, spellstrike ( i think the order is somehow inverted ) will preclude using truestrike with spellstrike. I think is more efficient to just spellstrike every 2 rounds when I can afford a true strike + spellstrike.

- The haste, or hasted assault, part is ok I guess ( although I may hit with just a natural 20 with a -10 )

---------------
As for FA, we are currently not playing with that Variant Rule.

Resounding cascade seems interesting, but as a starlit span magus there's no reason to sue arcane cascade as a stance ( reason why I took the monastic archery one ) because it does not give anything.

It also works as an aura, so they'll have to stick next to me to get the bonuses.

I was thinking about multitalented by lvl 13 because everything else is worthless, and at this point may just be better to get some extra skills and access to other class feats.

My first idea was to get the witch dedication with lesson of life by lvl 14, and then conflux focus by lvl 16, in order to help the healing sustaining their allies.

I put the gunslinger to get 2 extra reactions, though I am not convinced.

Gonna try some comparisons in terms of damage with the third attack ( spellstrike + strike vs spellstrike + truestrike ).

[Ascalaphus]

I'm currently playing a starlit span magus with multiclasses into wizard (more low level spell slots) and monk (flurry). It's pretty versatile. I thought about taking hasted assault but it's strictly vanilla strikes, which aren't that good for me.

Force Fang is pretty nice for starlit span, because it's a bit of extra damage at range without MAP getting involved. I think it's better than the shooting star because bows have full MAP.

I use True Strike occasionally but I wouldn't drive a whole build on it. I find the strongest use is to True Strike -> Disintegrate. Generally against mook/lieutenant types, that I stand a decent chance of critting to dust with it. Taking out an enemy with an early nova strike like that can really help out because mooks can still help out their boss with flanking and such.

In general I find in PF2 that focus firing the boss is often not the best because it takes longer and all that time all the enemies are at full power and doing damage. Taking out mooks is faster and drops the enemy power faster.