Checking the Ranged Magus Math

[Radyn]

Player has

3rd level Magus build

Longbow

Starlit Span
Expansive Spellstrike

Cantrips

Acid Splash
Chill Touch
Daze
Electric Arc
Tanglefoot
Telekinetic Projectile

1st

Burning Hands
Shocking Grasp

2nd

Scorching Ray

Focus

Shooting Star

A few questions...

1. Which of these spells are able to be "sent" along with the arrow damage? All?

2. Telekinetic Projectile = 2d6+3 + 1d8? Crit: 4d6+6 + 1d8 + 1d10?

3. 2 Action Scorching Ray damage on a hit = 2d6 + 1d8? Crit: 4d6 + 1d8 + 1d10?
3a. Since it's a 2 action spell, does the second ray hit the same target?
Or must it hit another target?

4. Area effect spells start at one corner of their targets square and spread from there.

This class gives me a bit of a headache to track all the ins and outs of each attack. Also, this player is doing way more damage than anyone else per round because they routinely get off 15 - 30 pts in the first round of combat, sometimes to multiple targets, since they only use their full attack bonus they seem to crit a lot.

Do I have this all correct?

[Squiggit]

Quote:

3a. Since it's a 2 action spell, does the second ray hit the same target?

Or must it hit another target?

Neither, since Spellstrike can only hit one target, you don't benefit from the additional rays at all.

[Darksol the Painbringer]

1. All of these spells would work, thanks to Expansive Spellstrike. Those effects with a saving throw still need to be rolled against, however, meaning hitting an enemy with a Spellstrike from an effect like Burning Hands would still give them a Reflex Save for Half (or no) damage from that effect.

2+3. You are correct up until the critical values: You both double the D8 from the weapon and add the D10.

3a. You only get to hit the target once for 2D6 (or 4D6 on a two action cast), since you cannot "focus fire" the rays onto a single enemy.

4. Magus is relatively simple compared to 1st Edition. Starlit Span is actually stupid easy to play compared to every other Hybrid Study (1 action recharge, 2 action Spellstrike, rinse and repeat), and it's very strong too due to its ranged capacity. It has a lot of burst damage, but they are relatively fragile in-combat, being they are only D8/Medium Armor. Am playing one right now that is 4th level, and when they hit, they hit hard. A melee magus does even more damage. But when they get focused, especially by enemies with AoOs, their performance takes a significant hit.

[breithauptclan]

Radyn wrote:

This class gives me a bit of a headache to track all the ins and outs of each attack.

I find it useful to still consider it to be two attacks when counting up the effects. It is only one attack in regards to rolling one attack roll to get the results of the weapon Strike and the spell attack roll - and that only counts for the attack roll spells. As Darksol mentioned, saving throw spells still allow a saving throw separately.

So resolve the weapon damage. Then resolve the spell damage.

Radyn wrote:

Also, this player is doing way more damage than anyone else per round because they routinely get off 15 - 30 pts in the first round of combat, sometimes to multiple targets, since they only use their full attack bonus they seem to crit a lot.

Yeah, that is kinda the thing Magus does. Really high spike damage when their dice are in their favor and they spend resources on it.

But it is only against one target.

With expansive spellstrike and AoE spells like Burning Hands, they can do some minor damage to the other creatures in the area, but it won't have the weapon damage along with it. The weapon damage only applies to the enemy that they initially targeted.

[Radyn]

Thanks everyone! I really appreciate it!

[HumbleGamer]

Radyn wrote:

This class gives me a bit of a headache to track all the ins and outs of each attack. Also, this player is doing way more damage than anyone else per round because they routinely get off 15 - 30 pts in the first round of combat, sometimes to multiple targets, since they only use their full attack bonus they seem to crit a lot.

That's curious ( apart from the crit a lot, given the fact they don't get the flat footed condition unless dedicated party they should crit way less. Even in the best case scenario involving true strike + spell strike ).

Could it be that the one playing the magus is trying to minmax and the others simply made not efficient characters?

I played a dex magus up to lvl 15 and their damage couldn't keep up with both dual wield fighter and ruffian rogue with stumbling stance.

But after all, it's the party that matters... so even if one character dealt more damage than the others it wouldn't be a big issue ( unless players complaining because the disparity between classes).

Ps: it seems you forgot to multiply the bow damage on critical hit examples.