Value of "Armored Mage"

[Merk]

I am toying with the idea of playing a Magus in pathfinder (they are basically duskblades), and the class is generally well-suited for me to take it from 1 to 20. But my character concept is a "swashbuckler" who fights with a rapier.

Now, Magi gain at the ability to cast in light armor, medium armor, and eventually heavy armor without interfering with spellcasting. But I don't intend for this guy to be clanking around in full plate -- he's more of a dodgy type. In which case, I'm looking to brew a sort of ACF for the casting ability in medium and heavy armors.

What I'm currently thinking is that you can swap about med. armor casting for a dodge bonus to AC = 1/2 dex mod in light or no armor, and swap heavy armor casting for a dodge bonus to AC = dex mod in light or no armor. Do you think this is a roughly even trade?

[Snake-Aes]

just pretend those two extra armor features are arcanas and pick an arcana in its place. it's kinda early to homebrew a class that isn't even definitive, isn't it?

Alternatively, just don't wear plate.

[Emmerask]

Depends on your dex bonus.

lets say 18 base +4 spell or gloves of dex so 22.

You get 1 more Ac out of wearing mithral full plate (8 +3 dex = 11) compared to a mithral chain shirt (4 + 6 dex = 10).

Now if we add your proposed dodge bonus
m full plate 11ac
m chain shirt 10ac +6dodge = 16ac + no acp :smallwink:

So all in all I would consider it a bit unbalanced nothing gamebreaking but still a bit much^^

[Starbuck_II]

I am toying with the idea of playing a Magus in pathfinder (they are basically duskblades), and the class is generally well-suited for me to take it from 1 to 20. But my character concept is a "swashbuckler" who fights with a rapier.

Now, Magi gain at the ability to cast in light armor, medium armor, and eventually heavy armor without interfering with spellcasting. But I don't intend for this guy to be clanking around in full plate -- he's more of a dodgy type. In which case, I'm looking to brew a sort of ACF for the casting ability in medium and heavy armors.

What I'm currently thinking is that you can swap about med. armor casting for a dodge bonus to AC = 1/2 dex mod in light or no armor, and swap heavy armor casting for a dodge bonus to AC = dex mod in light or no armor. Do you think this is a roughly even trade?

Too strong.
How about instead of Armored Mage Med/Heavy: +1 concentrate each.
Since the ability to cast defensively is central to the class I think these are worth it.