Backporting Magus to 3.5

[Dusk Eclipse]

My ranger died due a lucky crit (Falcion Wielding Orc Fighters are not CR 1, seriously) so I have to make a new character, since I want to be a gish (and give some arcane support to my party) I asked my DM if I could use a Magus, to my surprise he said yes, but that I had to the conversion.

From a quick look at the PFSRD (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus) I don't think I'll have to do much (remove fly and add concentration), but I may have missed something.

The only thing I think I would miss is the Favoured class benefit however I am wondering if the 3.5 feat progression would impact me too much.

[Segev]

You might consider using the Duskblade from the PHBII instead, as it's designed for 3.5. It isn't identical, however, and if you vastly prefer the feel of the Magus, the one other thing you really need to do is note that 0th level spells per day are now like wizard cantrips in 3.5, not PF. That is, you get those three only as you prepared them, not "at will."

I think everything else is fairly straight-forward.

[Larkas]

My ranger died due a lucky crit (Falcion Wielding Orc Fighters are not CR 1, seriously) so I have to make a new character, since I want to be a gish (and give some arcane support to my party) I asked my DM if I could use a Magus, to my surprise he said yes, but that I had to the conversion.

From a quick look at the PFSRD (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus) I don't think I'll have to do much (remove fly and add concentration), but I may have missed something.

The only thing I think I would miss is the Favoured class benefit however I am wondering if the 3.5 feat progression would impact me too much.

That's it for skills, really. The Magus doesn't have any of the merged ones, so you don't have to make any decisions regarding that.

However, you must not forget that, as it is a 3.5 environment, you are limited at cantrips-per-day, but you don't really have to do anything regarding that. Just follow the table.

I don't think a Magus needs those many feats (or rather, feats at all) to function properly, so don't worry about that.

Lastly, I'd reduce its Hit Dice to d6 (Bards, Rogues and Arcane Swordsages, after all).

[Dusk Eclipse]

I know about Duskblade, but frankly they are more of a melee blaster than a true gish in my opinion (the lack of serious buff is what kills them for me) and I also want to add some utility spells since our other caster (a Druid) seems to be going the summoner route.

Thanks for the head's up on cantrips, I completely forgot about them, it does kills a really cool trick, but oh well.

Edit: I don't think a HD reduction would be right, I mean Duskblades do have d8 HD and people almost always compare the two, however Bard is more similar to Magus (3/4 BAB and 6th level casting) so it is not unthinkable. I'll talk with my DM to see what does he thinks.

[Larkas]

Edit: I don't think a HD reduction would be right, I mean Duskblades do have d8 HD and people almost always compare the two, however Bard is more similar to Magus (3/4 BAB and 6th level casting) so it is not unthinkable. I'll talk with my DM to see what does he thinks.

I know, I know, but the Duskblade has full BAB, something the Magus doesn't. That's why I compared to the Arcane Swordsage: if such a thing was playable, it would be the thing closest to a Magus in native 3.5.

[StreamOfTheSky]

I'd leave it with d8 HD, Magus is more melee-oriented than Bard is.

Along with losing infinite use of the "Zorro trick" another thing that might be tough is that in PF you can cast a touch spell, move, and then deliver it. While as in 3E you can't move between casting and attacking with it, means you'll be making more concentration checks. Not that they're hard after a few levels anyway...

Since Magus includes some PF-only spells and 3E has a giant crapton of spells of its own, you will need to tweak the spell list a fair bit. Some will come easily, for example...Magus gets Snowball in PF, so in 3E he should probably have all of the orb and lesser orb spells. Is the DM going to let you keep the Magus-unique spells (all...2? of them, lol...there's not that many)?

[Xerlith]

Just ask your DM to let you use the PF spell list. Those spells are nerfed in comparision to 3.5.
Also, ask him if he wouldn't allow unlimited cantrips for everyone. It's not like it unbalances the game in any way.

[Greenish]

Along with losing infinite use of the "Zorro trick" another thing that might be tough is that in PF you can cast a touch spell, move, and then deliver it. While as in 3E you can't move between casting and attacking with it, means you'll be making more concentration checks.That's not true. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#touchSpellsinCombat)

[StreamOfTheSky]

That's not true. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#touchSpellsinCombat)

Huh. Didn't realize that was the rule in 3E as well.

[Snowbluff]

I would say just buff the DB list if you really think the Magus one is stronger. :smalltongue:


Huh. Didn't realize that was the rule in 3E as well.

XD

Then again, I started 3.5 with a cleric. :smalltongue:

[Dusk Eclipse]

I'd leave it with d8 HD, Magus is more melee-oriented than Bard is.

Along with losing infinite use of the "Zorro trick" another thing that might be tough is that in PF you can cast a touch spell, move, and then deliver it. While as in 3E you can't move between casting and attacking with it, means you'll be making more concentration checks. Not that they're hard after a few levels anyway...

Since Magus includes some PF-only spells and 3E has a giant crapton of spells of its own, you will need to tweak the spell list a fair bit. Some will come easily, for example...Magus gets Snowball in PF, so in 3E he should probably have all of the orb and lesser orb spells. Is the DM going to let you keep the Magus-unique spells (all...2? of them, lol...there's not that many)?

He said I can keep the Spell list as it is (using 3.5 version if it exists) and that if I wanted a spell in particular I should ask him once it becomes relevant.



Just ask your DM to let you use the PF spell list. Those spells are nerfed in comparision to 3.5.
Also, ask him if he wouldn't allow unlimited cantrips for everyone. It's not like it unbalances the game in any way.

I'll ask him for infinite cantrips, but I don't think he will agree.