Myrrh, Frankincense, and Steel: Kurald Galain's Guide to the Magus

[Syll]

It lacks the buff to saves, but the Hawk and Owl I think make for decent maulers.

2x claw attacks at 1d8, a boost to perception checks and flight (and some creative flight applications regarding small sizes creatures)

[Kurald Galain]

It lacks the buff to saves, but the Hawk and Owl I think make for decent maulers.

2x claw attacks at 1d8, a boost to perception checks and flight (and some creative flight applications regarding small sizes creatures)

This does get interesting. A small-sized Magus or a medium one with the Undersized Mount feat could ride a flying mauler familiar. That would be a very good combo. Considering there are various birds on the list of ridable creatures, I see no reason why this wouldn't work.

[Ninjaxenomorph]

The only problem I can think of is that you really need to pump their strength score, but it's an interesting idea. No stables required, just have it shrink back to normal size!

[longanxy]

Impressive Guide ! Loyal fan to magi, registed for reply your post :)

Some words to tell about my PFS magi builds and some suggestion to this guide if anyone didn't mentioned:

Since I started play PFS game, I've already played a nonkensai kensai-like level 9 PFS magus(hexcrafter) with manual auto critical threat + confirmation 4 times per day. (detail of builds: just search PFS Emissary familiar + Believer's Boon Feat in PAIZO forum, I only have 0 posts so can't post links)

Tired of the old fashion meta-ed shocking grasp (and I never liked kensai archtype nor blackblade since it made you gain your first arcana only at level 6), now I'm playing a totally different new PFS charactor with 1 level occultist (battle host) and 4 level hexcrafter, wearing a suite of HEAVY ARMOR, having 14+2 str, 12 dex and high int.

Fullplate for a magus since level 2 and I'm not kidding: This resolved the MAD dillemma and much survivor problem a magus could face in earlier levels (before you could get enough defensive spell each day, I'd say level 7, so at least one mirror image/displacement per combat). And about the BIG DISAVANTAGE of arcane failure chance, it's not quite a probleme:

Spoiler

Show

1. Simply avoid using spell with stance component. Spell without S: 1st: True Strike; 2nd: Bladed Dash and Blindness (an almost save or null spell, a very good CURSE spell that OP forgot to mentioned, I think it's even better than bestow curse); 3rd: Displacement; 4th: Dimensional Door.

2. Having a LESSER METAMAGIC ROD OF STILL SPELL for those few situational spell I've prepared.

3. Fighting with a wand of TS for great durability in some long module and planning to get a wand of bladed dash for permanent pounce when the TS one expired. Since wand do not submit AFC.

4. With no bane, my enhanced +2 longsword deal d8+5 (avg 9.5), with bane, it becomes d8+2d6+7 (avg 18.5). The bane quality that the occultist offer is powerful since it double my damage and because of I'm a technically int-based melee magus, I have almost unlimited use of it. Of course my first round has to be "give my sword bane quality" instead of use Wand of shield, but since I have 22 AC (with +1 FP and a buckler in weapon arm) and 24 when fighting defensively with TS, there's no much need to use wand of shield. Choose Spell Shield to fighter challenging multiattack boss.

5. It's not feat dependant at all. So I invested Linguistic Focus and Orator for social challenges (and later to use divine scroll via another feat to solve other problems, you know you can never expect much on your random partymate) and Fortified Armor Training for better security (which can be used twice in a single combat, once with unbreakable bond armor, and one with useless weapon arm buckler).

Just one level dip and I think occultist should be at least green for many magi. Even if they don't want to wear heavy armor or medium armor in early game and take the original occultist, because there is divination spell and many of class skills.

And another about multiclass related to familiar: beast-bond witch can be an unique good dip. As the first build I mentioned (the nonkensai kensai-like one), it's the only way I know to get emmisary's bit of luck twice per day.

Again, really appreciate your guide!

[longanxy]

And I think with the heavy armor vocal/wand build, using a heavy shield and make shield bash could be even better!

[Ninjaxenomorph]

Since DSP products are occasionally discussed here in relation to the magus, I feel it fitting to mention that the Akashic Mysteries book (which I am very impressed with) has a whip-focused magus archetype; gives up spellstrike, but I think what you can get out of it might be worth it.

[Kurald Galain]

Thanks :)

manual auto critical threat + confirmation 4 times per day. (detail of builds: just search PFS Emissary familiar + Believer's Boon Feat

Please explain; I don't get what you're referring to.

Heavy armor and vocal-only spells is an interesting combo. It might be easier to just take an armor proficiency feat for this, though. Occultist is good at low level; at moderate levels you have other ways of boosting your damage that don't require a standard action. You'll need a tail to use the still metarod in combat.

In terms of durability, I've found that using an attack cantrip for the extra attack is usually better than a truestrike wand, except against very hard to hit enemies. This is in part because the wand requires actions to draw or put away, and precludes other spells in the meantime.

I'll add shields as a viable weapon, too. It's not that hard to get a shield without spell failure chance.

[longanxy]

About the draw and kill build:

First of all, "PFS Emissary familiar + Believer's Boon Feat" is the title of one of my post in PAIZO forum where I mentioned this build. At the begining I want to have a non-armored minkaien charator proficiency in some kind of magical empowered iaijutsu (draw the katana and defeat enemy with only a single blow). This build comes more from roleplaying rather than optimizing.

I have one level in Beast-bond witch (gained at charactor level 9), so that my emissary familiar can have Believer's Boon feat, that's 2 bit of luck per day. With a Headband of Fortune's Favor, that's 2 turns x 2 times = 4 turns per day;(that's where come 4/days). Before those, it's once per day or twice per day with headband.

Using ordinary obsidian katana, arcane pool it to become +1 keen but still retain the fragile quality. That's 15-20 and auto confirmation with Disposable Weapon feat;

One level in Foresight Diviner, got 6~7/days pre-roll at start of turn; Using occasionally fallback strategy before combat and lucky number as morning buff.

So when facing BBEG, I started by stand at some distance from it (maybe use a defensive buff if too far or if the situation is unclear, or just directly attack as below), wait the familiar to use bit of luck on the samurai, roll twice diviner preroll and take a 15-20 if any, cast meta shocking grasp or something else(quickdraw a metarod if necessary then drop it after casting), moving toward and draw the katana then swift enhance it, deliver the grasp and roll twice attack roll (if not having a good luck in wizard pre-roll), and if not having luck again in attack roll, activate fallback strategy reroll(twice).

That's 6 rolls with a single attack, and if any one of the six enter the 15-20 area, auto critical it with Disposable Weapon. Chance to not crit: 100% - 70%^6 = 88.24%, litteraly controllable auto crital.

In minor encounters, I just take a more defensive position with a polearm, and make some ordinary shocking grasp attack at distance.

Slain 2/3 of BBEGs since level 3 :P (but this build is mostly complet at level 6 with 1 diviner / 5 hexcrafter).

[longanxy]

Sorry first before this long post, if there's any grammar problem, english is only my 2nd foreign language and almost self-taught :P

About meta-rod hand you're right, so the other spell can only be those situational spell that did not really need to be combined with spell combat (to fix it I'll have my sword Called quality or buy a glove of storing in the wand hand), but whatever before that, it's quite a limit for choice of spells.

But still I disagree with armor proficiency feat because it's 2 feat until level 7 (and at 7 armor class becomes less important for a magus that has already taken some actions), battle host offered more than that (+2 fort/will, +2 str, tons of class skill, also int-based class pool). And I think occultist is good starting from level 3 (since +1 longsword is in the pocket) until people gots spells like dimention door (level 10 for a magus): your argument about level 5 magus damage boost is convincing, but at level 6-9, even with that +2d6 elemental damage, d8+4+2d6 (avg 15.5) is still far inferior than d8+6+4d6 (avg 24.5) if the combat last 3 turn or longer, because 15.5 x 3 turns < 24.5 x 2 turns + 1 turn to buff (and you spend less time near a big stupid monster). Maybe at charactor level 10 or 13 or when I got the 10000 gp bane ability I'll retrain the occultist level.

Wand requires no additional ressources than cantrip cententration thought (you can't always expect an enemy 5 ft away at the start of your turn), so it's more powerful and less ressource-consuming at lower level (it's my concern to not invest too much charactor building ressources in regular attacks, so I can put them into ability to facing other emergencyy situation or other team fonction, but okay it's about personnal style). About higher level, didn't have a chance to practice the use of a blade dash wand yet :)

Anyways, just trying a new versatile way (because it's not feat neither trait nor ability score dependant) of magus build, this maybe can be an other subtype of int magus (not a controller but a frontliner), and if you have any other ideas to complet the build i'm very glad to hear them.

[Slithery D]

I read Longanxy's thread at Paizo, and it amounts to a bunch of dips to pick up reroll or roll twice on a d20 abilities that stack so that you can keep trying until you roll a crit. It's not literally "autocrit" but it raises the chance pretty high a couple(-ish) times per day at the usual costs of dipping.

On the subject of rerolling d20s, this trait from Haunted Heroes is pretty good for a Magus who doesn't want to use his Swift Action one round her day.

Guiding Spirit (Magic): Few understand the medium’s willingness to harbor powerful spirits, but even if you aren’t one of these talented few, you’ve always identified with their abilities. You’ve always felt that you were not alone in this world and that a mysterious guiding spirit watches over you with singular focus. You may have briefly glimpsed this strange spirit—or maybe you simply feel its presence in times of need. Once per day as a swift action, you can look to your guiding spirit for advice. The next time you roll a d20 in that same round, roll twice and pick the better result. If one of these two rolls is a natural 20, you can use this ability again that same day.

[longanxy]

To me, a really bad design for magus is that they can not use heavy armor until level 13. If you decided to be a dex 12 magus, you'll suffer a really long time of being a low AC frontliner; if you put more point in your dex score, you'll never need full plate.

I'd say that, if medium and heavy armor magus class feature becomes two arcanas that can be choose at level 3, that would be great and more reasonable.

[longanxy]

Racial heritage :gnome feat for human and half-human race maybe worth mentioning. One feat slot plus 3 hp from favored class for a larger arcane enhance choice to boost damage or face unusual situation with vicious, merciful, ghost touch, and maybe others. For exemple, when facing demons, neither of those standard elemental enhancements works, and a large amount of other monsters have resistance.

Arcane scent might be underestimated: First, the most important use of scent is to locate invisible creature (per invisibility, darkness, and the like). Most of those creatures do have spell or spell-like ability, so this ability is not that inferior than ordinary scent. Second, in a scenario or campaign with many social situations, you can easily find out high level caster among aristocrats and low level nobles (and you know that's the guy with a CR later, or at least you can prepare for it). Third, if you know how stronger the enemy caster is, you may choose a better spell for the encounter's opening, especially when you are already strong at facing a caster, say, being a dwarf. But yes, it can never be greater than orange even in those situations.

[longanxy]

And another combo with monk:

Since the spell combat-haste FAQ said that spell combat "count as making a full attack action for the purpose of haste and other effects", the Flurry of Maneuvers ability of a Maneuver Master Monk can combine with spell combat. One level in monk and you got no AoO for one maneuver, and with true strike it become one additional maneuver with +16 (+20-2 flurry of maneuver -2 spell combat) per turn.

You can use it with the usual trip or disarm, or you may take an even more amazing combo: 3 level in magus (probably kensai) to gain wand wielder so unlimited uses of TS, 1 level in monk, then you put the rest of levels into Rogue or other sneak attack class (by taking accomplished sneak attack feat and 1 other level in Snake bite Brawler, you SA capacity is effectively a level-1 rogue). Choose dirty trick (blind) as your favored maneuver, and each full action you take means auto-blind your enemy then auto sneak attack with a full attack.

[Kurald Galain]

Ok, obsidian scimitar + Disposable Weapon is a good trick. The whole emissary chain is too specific to include in a general handbook. Foresight diviner is a good dip, in fact I've already listed that. FS is a good spell. I'm not convinced about Lucky Number, it strikes me as fiddly for only a marginal benefit. Glove of storing should be on the equipment list, I'll go add that.

But still I disagree with armor proficiency feat because it's 2 feat until level 7 (and at 7 armor class becomes less important for a magus that has already taken some actions),

The trick is still worthwhile with one feat and medium armor. Furthermore, a dip that you retrain out of by level 7 is just not green rating. A steelblooded bloodrager also gives you heavy armor if you want. Aside from that, if you want to play an armored Magus, a good archetype is Mindblade, as psychic spells aren't subject to arcane spell failure.

Wand requires no additional ressources than cantrip cententration thought (you can't always expect an enemy 5 ft away at the start of your turn)

Sure it does. It requires the wand, and the wand wielder arcana, and an action to draw the wand, and one to put it away when you want to cast something else. And if your enemy is more than 5' away, you can't use spell combat with the true strike wand either.

Racial heritage :gnome feat for human and half-human race maybe worth mentioning.

The main perk of playing a human is the extra feat. If you're going to spend that feat on emulating another race, then why not play that other race in the first place?

Arcane scent might be underestimated: First, the most important use of scent is to locate invisible creature (per invisibility, darkness, and the like).

Per the scent rules, you can't actually do that.

Since the spell combat-haste FAQ said that spell combat "count as making a full attack action for the purpose of haste and other effects", the Flurry of Maneuvers ability of a Maneuver Master Monk can combine with spell combat.

I highly doubt most GMs would allow that.

On the subject of rerolling d20s, this trait from Haunted Heroes is pretty good for a Magus who doesn't want to use his Swift Action one round her day.

Good find. That book goes on my reading list.

[longanxy]

Yes, mindblade is a great archtype for that purpose, I'm considering it in my next adventure path or deluxe module after reading your guide and glad to give some feed back. Wand wielder can be a back way for mindblade because in case he can't directly cast or facing a high DC concentration check,he can use that wand in replace :P With spring shealth, drawing a wand is just fine in practice, yes it gives one arcana, maybe it's just better for heavy armored magi.

And about scent rule, it says: "The creature can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. When the creature is within 5 feet of the source, it pinpoints the source’s location."

Agreed on the rest of other questions, even with the flurry one. But RAW, flurry of maneuver is not a flurry, its an additional special attack combined in a full attack.

Again, I'm enjoying discussing about all of it.

[Kurald Galain]

I just realized that glove of storing still doesn't work with spell combat.

Added feats Fortified Armor Training, Disposable Weapon, Improved Shield Bash, and a section on Path of War feats; racial abilities from Horror Adventures; and a note on Beast Shape II. From the book Haunted Heroes, the only big thing for a Magus is the guiding spirit trait and the Hand's Autonomy feat. The Ghoststrike feat isn't needed since you've got the enchant ability; Spirit Ridden isn't needed on an int-based class; and the three new Magus spells (Grim Stalker, Horrifying Visage, Mischievous Shadows) aren't that impressive.

And about scent rule, it says: "The creature can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. When the creature is within 5 feet of the source, it pinpoints the source’s location."

Yes. That makes Glitterdust a more practical way of locating invisible creatures.

[CasualViking]

If we accept the premise that the Spell Combat + Haste ruling is about Spell Combat, not about Haste, then Maneuver Master certainly works. Flurry of Maneuvers is not a changed Flurry of Blows, it's a totally separate ability with no connection at all to TWF; It can certainly be used by a greatsword wielder.

[Kurald Galain]

If we accept the premise that the Spell Combat + Haste ruling is about Spell Combat, not about Haste

This is clearly a combination that the designers haven't considered and that GMs are likely to disallow. This is why that combo outside the scope of this guide.

However, in related things, note that the Autonomous Hand feat reduces the penalty of TWF; arguably it would then also reduce the penalty of Spell Combat.

[longanxy]

Ah yes it's just a glove of shrinking instead of truly storing.

Consider Blindness-Deafness (necromacy[curse]) a offensive spell with no additional cost for a Hexcrafter to permanently disable any targeted ability or spell from an enemy, and with vocal component only. Glitterdust vs Will, Blindness vs Fort.

As for obsidian weapon, magi can just have a dozen of mudane one with them, since Arcane pool can enhance them into +1 keen, make those weapon truly disposable. As a main weapon, I'd suggest an ordinary material one, or a bronze one, because bronze also have the fragile quality but have more hp and hardness than obsidian. If you use Disposable weapon with a magic obsidian weapon, a single sunder attack could ruin it. Notice that a +1 spell storing weapon is a magic item with CL12, so only a CL12+ caster can Mending it.

[longanxy]

Somes magic items I've used or considering to use, and really suggested for the guide:

Amulet of the Spirits (Fire) from ACG: This is 10000gp for 2 times x 2 rounds = 4 Empowered Magic Arcana per day, spend a swift action and only fonctional with fire damage. If you turn your shocking grasp into fire damage (as I did some times with meta-rod, against electric immune foes or just for blasting), really considerable. Also great with team combo(likely an lv8+ bomb alchemist) or a boom wizard.

Talisman of Freedom(lesser) and Talisman of Warrior’s Courage(lesser) from OA: a real life saver but ToF can also be consumed quickly with a meaning GM.

Mask of Conflicting Energies(All hail the Magic God!) from ISG: 4000gp, for 3/day cold <=> fire and electricity <=> acid damage type change, with no action cost, no hand needed. A must have for shocking grasper, arguably it works even with a shocking grasp with elemental spell (fire) or (ice) metamagic rod, turning shocking grasp into a spell that deals all 4 types of normal elemental damage with only 7000gp. I never had a chance to build Nethys whorshipper magus until now, but the next one will be wearing it.

[Kurald Galain]

Here's the thing: if you're going to spam a single spell over and over again, you'll run into issues with immunities. While there are some items that alleviate that, the most straightforward answer is to use more diverse spells. If you prep other spells than shocking grasp, the problem goes away immediately and your character becomes more interesting too.

Blindness is on my to-do list. Good point about it being hard to mend a magic weapon. I've seen those talismans before; I find them rather expensive for one-shots; plus using them prevents you from wearing a non-talisman neck item; and they can trigger when you don't want them to. The main exceptions are the feather fall and breath of life talismans.

(edit) added Blindness spell and Tripping Staff feat.

[Kurald Galain]

Since DSP products are occasionally discussed here in relation to the magus, I feel it fitting to mention that the Akashic Mysteries book (which I am very impressed with) has a whip-focused magus archetype; gives up spellstrike, but I think what you can get out of it might be worth it.

Interesting. Is this available online somewhere? The d20pfsrd site appears only to have Path of War.

[meemaas]

Interesting. Is this available online somewhere? The d20pfsrd site appears only to have Path of War.

Unfortunately, no, not yet. They pulled the public playtest after the release of the book, so there's nothing available freely online right now. It is also unlikely to be coming to the D20PFSRD anytime soon, or at least nobody is currently working on bringing it to the site.

[Ninjaxenomorph]

I think it only has the vizier and a chunk of the veils at the moment, but one of the things the snake-charmer gets is access to the Light Whip veil, usually vizier-specific. Also you start with proficiency in both the whip and scorpion whip. Can use it to do a reposition maneuver in place of a melee attack (using your character level plus your Int bonus, pretty sure), and you get Grab at 5th level, and can deliver touch spells to grappled creatures (and can cast as part of maintaining a grapple); this ability replaces spellstrike. Investing essence (you get half your level as a pool, independent of your arcane pool) gives the whip an enhancement bonus which stacks with arcane pool, and your bonus feats can only be combat or akashic feats. In place of medium armor you can spend an arcane point to get a 3-round boost to AC (dodge, deflection, and NA boosts equal to half your invested essence in Light Whip). Gains a Fascinate ability replacing the arcana at 9th, allowing you to attack fascinated creatures (instead of breaking, they get a +5 to save against it). Improves essence capacity of the whip at 10th, and can bind the whip at 11th level in place of Improved Spell Arcana. In place of heavy armor, you get a bonus on grapple checks equal to the invested essence on your light whip, and you aren't considered grappled when you grapple with your light whip.

[longanxy]

A question about spelldance I've never figured out: could a magus use haste and blur, or haste and dimension door in the SAME spelldance? The wording says "instead" but it's not like the normal rule for "once per day as a SLA you can cast a and b and c"

[Kurald Galain]

A question about spelldance I've never figured out: could a magus use haste and blur, or haste and dimension door in the SAME spelldance?

Nope. As the archetype says, once per dance you can do A or B or instead C.

[Kurald Galain]

Added feats Fortified Armor Training, Disposable Weapon, Improved Shield Bash, and a section on Path of War feats; racial abilities from Horror Adventures; and a note on Beast Shape II. From the book Haunted Heroes, the only big thing for a Magus is the guiding spirit trait and the Hand's Autonomy feat. The Ghoststrike feat isn't needed since you've got the enchant ability; Spirit Ridden isn't needed on an int-based class; and the three new Magus spells (Grim Stalker, Horrifying Visage, Mischievous Shadows) aren't that impressive.

Turns out the whole hand line of feats is not PFS-legal.

[Britsky]

I'm making a level 20th Bladebound, this will be my first time playing at this high a level and as a spellcaster, so i have a few questions.

With Greater Spell access, which wizard spells would you recommend me getting?

Which magical items are a must? So far i'm thinking Boots of speed, Bane baldric, Eyes of the eagle, Celestial armour, headband of intelligence and gloves of dexterity.

And any general advice on feats, spells and what to do with my black blade would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

[Kurald Galain]

In other news, Divine Anthology has some nice traits (living bulwark, chaldira's luck, gemstone collector) as well as spells (see byond, visualization of the body / mind).

With Greater Spell access, which wizard spells would you recommend me getting?

See the section "Spells from Other Lists" in this guide.

Which magical items are a must? So far i'm thinking Boots of speed, Bane baldric, Eyes of the eagle, Celestial armour, headband of intelligence and gloves of dexterity.

See the section "Gear and Magic Items" in this guide.

And any general advice on feats, spells and what to do with my black blade would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

See the sections on "Feats" and "Spells" in this guide.

[Britsky]

In other news, Divine Anthology has some nice traits (living bulwark, chaldira's luck, gemstone collector) as well as spells (see byond, visualization of the body / mind).


See the section "Spells from Other Lists" in this guide.


See the section "Gear and Magic Items" in this guide.


See the sections on "Feats" and "Spells" in this guide.

I did...
It's a good guide, i've used it make the majority of the character, but those lists aren't exhaustive.