[PF] Magus (Kensai) build w/ Monk (Flowing) dip

[Blyte]

so it's a 4th level carrion crown game, there was a recent near TPK that killed all of the party, save my halfling cavalier, who lost his mount.

trying to build my friend a character to bring back into the game. he doesn't have enough for the +1 agile rapier and agile necklace of mighty fists this build needs, but I figure he just won't buy any gear and save for a session or 2 and should make the cash.

anyhow, here's the 4th level snap shot and ideas for advancement for a few more levels.

Magus (Kensai) 3 + Monk (Flowing Monk) 1

traits: ??? probably take magical lineage (shocking grasp) for later intensified 10 dice shocks. and helpful for bonus aid another (body guarding)

feats:
1 weapon finesse
1hum bonus combat reflexes
1mnk bonus improved trip
2mag bonus weapon focus (rapier)
3 vicious stomp
...
5 agile manuevers
6mag bonus piranha strike
7 body guard

so basically the build is a high ac (Dex+Wis+Int) to ac tank.

it starts out fast, with dex being the prime stat, but gets even faster with kensei int bonus to initiative.

it will turn into a fairly decent damage dealer as well, once it gains agile weapons and more magus levels.

it's hard not taking more levels in monk, to gain evasion, more ac, and better trippy stuff, but I think magus is the better prime option.. if the canny defense (int to ac) wasn't capped at magus level and level 2 flowing monk didn't lose its bonus feat, it would be a tempting alternative I suppose.

[SamBurke]

Not sure what exactly you're asking us. The build seems solid, and you seem to have a more than decent grasp of Pathfinder and its many options.

[Deathkeeper]

Huh. I was just considering running Carrion Crown to introduce one of my friends to Pathfinder. Other than the party-wipe, you finding it good?

[Blyte]

ohh, just looking for critiques and suggestions.

I don't know what to think about it so far. It's been pretty cliche horror, thematically so far. We've been doing some haunted jail, and we had 3 PCs total who were probably underpowered/leveled for what we were running into.

I managed to level off what we accomplished that last session and surviving, and now we are adding a player, so will all be 4th like me.

******SPOILER BELOW*****

******SPOILER BELOW*****

******SPOILER BELOW*****

I am not sure how much the DM has been sticking to the script, but what we nearly wiped to was a 9th level wizard ghost that was shooting us with maximized magic missiles (25 damage), just after everyone was hit with 3d6 falling damage. I survived my taste of force damage because my little halfling has evasion and made his save. everyone else was a 1 hit chump after the falling damage softened them up though. We had a bard healer, who failed to heal on round 1 and was dead round 2. The dwarf fighter was dead on round 3 and I ran away, partially through difficult terrain, but fortunately my dog mount had a good speed. Luckily the ghost was spreading damage around and not focusing fire. But a level 3 party consisting of a charge build cavalier/sohei, a dwarf ranger (favored enemy undead), and a human bard archer, were ill equipped to deal with a trap + CR9 monster combo. There were 3 encounters down in that basement area we had faced so far and every single one had a way to screw over a mounted halfling built into it (water, fear aura that wouldn't let me mount approach, and difficult terrain, all prevented any charging. It was a pretty frustrating night all around for our crew.

[watchwood]

I could have sworn that I saw a feat somewhere that lets you key all of a Monk's abilities off of his int instead of his wis. I heavily suggest looking into it.

[Sayt]

ohh, just looking for critiques and suggestions.

I don't know what to think about it so far. It's been pretty cliche horror, thematically so far. We've been doing some haunted jail, and we had 3 PCs total who were probably underpowered/leveled for what we were running into.

I managed to level off what we accomplished that last session and surviving, and now we are adding a player, so will all be 4th like me.

******SPOILER BELOW*****

******SPOILER BELOW*****

******SPOILER BELOW*****

I am not sure how much the DM has been sticking to the script, but what we nearly wiped to was a 9th level wizard ghost that was shooting us with maximized magic missiles (25 damage), just after everyone was hit with 3d6 falling damage. I survived my taste of force damage because my little halfling has evasion and made his save. everyone else was a 1 hit chump after the falling damage softened them up though. We had a bard healer, who failed to heal on round 1 and was dead round 2. The dwarf fighter was dead on round 3 and I ran away, partially through difficult terrain, but fortunately my dog mount had a good speed. Luckily the ghost was spreading damage around and not focusing fire. But a level 3 party consisting of a charge build cavalier/sohei, a dwarf ranger (favored enemy undead), and a human bard archer, were ill equipped to deal with a trap + CR9 monster combo. There were 3 encounters down in that basement area we had faced so far and every single one had a way to screw over a mounted halfling built into it (water, fear aura that wouldn't let me mount approach, and difficult terrain, all prevented any charging. It was a pretty frustrating night all around for our crew.

From what I can tell of the AP, you are supposed to be about level 3 when you enter the dungeon, but from the looks of it, you did a bit of a perfect storm, entered the dungeon through the wrong point, and/or the DM decided to move the location of the fight with the ghostwizard, such that you took the fall damage and maximised missiles without a chance to heal between.

[The Redwolf]

Huh. I was just considering running Carrion Crown to introduce one of my friends to Pathfinder. Other than the party-wipe, you finding it good?

DEATH!:smalltongue: So that's the module you were talking about...

[Deathkeeper]

ohh, just looking for critiques and suggestions.

I don't know what to think about it so far. It's been pretty cliche horror, thematically so far. We've been doing some haunted jail, and we had 3 PCs total who were probably underpowered/leveled for what we were running into.

I managed to level off what we accomplished that last session and surviving, and now we are adding a player, so will all be 4th like me.

******SPOILER BELOW*****

******SPOILER BELOW*****

******SPOILER BELOW*****

I am not sure how much the DM has been sticking to the script, but what we nearly wiped to was a 9th level wizard ghost that was shooting us with maximized magic missiles (25 damage), just after everyone was hit with 3d6 falling damage. I survived my taste of force damage because my little halfling has evasion and made his save. everyone else was a 1 hit chump after the falling damage softened them up though. We had a bard healer, who failed to heal on round 1 and was dead round 2. The dwarf fighter was dead on round 3 and I ran away, partially through difficult terrain, but fortunately my dog mount had a good speed. Luckily the ghost was spreading damage around and not focusing fire. But a level 3 party consisting of a charge build cavalier/sohei, a dwarf ranger (favored enemy undead), and a human bard archer, were ill equipped to deal with a trap + CR9 monster combo. There were 3 encounters down in that basement area we had faced so far and every single one had a way to screw over a mounted halfling built into it (water, fear aura that wouldn't let me mount approach, and difficult terrain, all prevented any charging. It was a pretty frustrating night all around for our crew.

*player spoilers below, don't read if you don't want to know the AP mechanics*


That ghost-wizard is, in the original document, a level 8 wizard who has only 2 maximized MM's (and a few empowered ones). But yeah, it's a tough fight. Pretty much the last boss of the AP. Be glad he didn't use summons to chase you down.
And yes the path is entirely based on horror tropes. And supposed to be for at least 4 PCs the way I read it (although I might be thinking of the modules), so having fewer players but higher level bosses seems a little difficult IMO.