Magus Kensai build advice

[torrasque666]

So I got a game coming up and I built a level 12 character for it. Originally I had made the build magus 2/Eld Knight 10, but I decided to re do it with a straight magus 12.

So here's what I got for the new build

Race: Periblooded Aasimar
Stats:


STR
8


DEX
18


CON
14


INT
24


WIS
10


CHA
10



Using the variant abilities: Two abilites, Racial Int bonus(initial stat 20), Racial Dex bonus(initial stat at 15)
Traits: Magical Lineage(force punch), Reactionary, Avarice, Blood of the Dragons(Perception)

Going straight Magus(Kensai) 12 with a scimitar.
Arcanas:
Arcane Accuracy
Maximized Magic
Spell Shield

Feats:
Weapon Finesse
Dervish Dance
Spell Focus(Evocation)
Greater Spell Focus
Mage's Tattoo
Weapon Focus(Scimitar)[free]
Toppling Spell
Improved Initiative
Improved Critical(scimitar)

Building with 108,000gp:
+3 Spell storing Scimitar(Toppling Force Punch)
Belt of Dexterity +6
Headband of Int +6
Ring of Protection +1


This ends up resulting in a 24 Dex, a 30 Int, and an AC of 28, boosted to 38 if I spend for Spell Shield. Horrible Flatfooted defense, but with an Initiative mod of 23 I should almost always be going first.

Focus is mostly on using Force Punch to trip people and then lay into them with the scimitar.

Are there any items that give blindsense/sight? Because I could use fog cloud and bladed dash to essentially be a ninja then. Dashing through the fog and slicing them to ribbons.

[stack]

Goz mask/fog cutter lenses would let you see through clouds.

[torrasque666]

Hmm.... I can afford that, but I'd have to lose an enhancement bonus on the scimitar.... trying to figure out which is better...

Figured out the slight reduction works better. Can afford a better ring of protection now. Now I can bring my AC up to 39 as an immediate and if I get reduced I can take that up to 41.

This is for a PVP game and my first opponent has a bonus of +20, and since I doubt that the fight will last more than 16 rounds I can keep my AC at 39. He's a martial class so I have less to worry about spells.

Of course, if I get hit once I die, which is why I'll be relying on Toppling spells to keep him down(hey, a +22 isn't shabby for a trip attempt). I actually wanted to LOWER the DC for my force punches to prevent them from being moved. Instead, focusing on Conjuration for GLITTER! and clouds. cover that field with em, then sneak around like a ninja.

So giants, how does this build look?

[Malaqai]

I think the Spell Focus feats are unnecessary, and I don't think I'd pick the tattoo either. I'm not sure what spells you're going to be using, but the magus' traditional bread and butter, Shocking Grasp, doesn't give the target a save, and you don't want the DC of force punch to be higher than necessary. Instead, you might consider investing in the Improved and Greater Tripping feats (which unfortunately require Combat Expertise unless your DM has houseruled that tax away). Another thing you may want to consider is picking up the spell penetration feats to overcome any SR your opponent may have because failing against his SR will ruin your day.

How much preparation are you allowed prior to battle?

[Kurald Galain]

I would suggest prioritizing your combat stat (dexterity) over intelligence: the main thing the magus does are lots of to-hit rolls.
Note that you can take Magical Lineage twice (specifically, there's another trait called Metamagic Master or Wayang Spellhunter) that does the same.
You should probably put a few feats into Extra Arcana and/or Extra Arcane Pool. Hasted Assault is a great pick, Spell Blending allows you to grab some goodies from the wizard list, and Lingering Pain is decent. I've found Spell Shield to be obsoleted by simply buying a Wand of Shield.
Spell Focus / GSF / Tattoo isn't worth it on a Magus.
Buy a bunch of Pearls of Power, especially as a reduced-casting Kensai, you'll be glad you did. There's also the Ring of Arcane Mastery (+4 pool points), and don't forget there's also armor of Spell Storing.

[torrasque666]

As far as I know, against my first opponent unless I roll a 1 I'll hit.

That other trait, is it not a Magic Trait? Because I know I can't double up on trait types. Its regional, great... what would I apply it to? Since I'm relying on [force] spells, and there really aren't that many at 3 or below, the only other one I'm seeing is Magic Missile. Remember that it can't reduce the level of a spell past its starting point.

Yeah, looking at it, gonna ditch the spell focus feats for the trip ones.

As for Spell Shield being obsoleted, I doubt it. Shield provides a +4 no matter what. Spell Shield will give me +10. The other arcanas.... not seeing a bunch of good Wizard spells, and considering I'm already functioning with a reduction I don't exactly have the space to give up for them. And if I can go crit fishing I can crit almost constantly with that +10 to confirm.

And to the last point, you noted that Kensai has reduced casting, but forgot that he doesn't get proficiency in armor, thus hitting me with either another feat tax or a penalty to hit?

Preparation, as far as I know, isn't allowed with the exception of the summoning of an Eidolon and only then because otherwise thats 10 rounds wasted for that character.

Pearls of Power.... not gonna waste money on it. Yeah, on a long day it would work, but all consumables(potions, scrolls, spells, etc) are replenished after a fight. And since most fights don't last very long I doubt I'll need them.

[Kurald Galain]

That other trait, is it not a Magic Trait? Because I know I can't double up on trait types. Its regional, great... what would I apply it to? Since I'm relying on [force] spells, and there really aren't that many at 3 or below, the only other one I'm seeing is Magic Missile. Remember that it can't reduce the level of a spell past its starting point.
Toppling Magic Missile is fun; the traditional Magus move is Intensified Shocking Grasp. Either can be made a level-1 spell with this trick.


Yeah, on a long day it would work, but all consumables(potions, scrolls, spells, etc) are replenished after a fight. And since most fights don't last very long I doubt I'll need them.
You didn't mention that part in your first post :smallamused:

[Malaqai]

Just replying with a build that I've been working on for awhile:

Bladed Scarf Dancer Magus
Human
STR 7
DEX 18; 22 after racial ability and levels; 28 after equipment
CON 13
INT 17; 18 after levels; 24 after equipment
WIS 10
CHA 7

Traits: Magical Lineage (Shocking Grasp); Tactician (+1 to Initiative, add +2 to an AoO attack roll 1/day)
Favored Class Magus (Add +1/4 point to the magus' arcane pool)

Feats:
(Free)
Weapon Proficiency: Bladed Scarf
Weapon focus (+1 to hit)

(Not free)
Greater Weapon focus (+1 to hit)
Combat Reflexes (Extra AoO)
Combat Expertise (Stupid feat tax)
Improved Trip (no AoO on trip maneuvers, +2 to trip)
Greater Trip (Gives AoO upon tripping opponent, +2 to trip)
Weapon Finesse
Extra Arcana
Intensify Spell
Extra Arcana

Arcana:
Arcane Accuracy
Maneuver Mastery (Trip)
Spell Blending (Mage Armor, Heroism)
Arcane Edge
Maximized Magic
Familiar, Greensting Scorpion (because this is a cooler way to get +4 to initiative)

Equipment, 108,000gp (It's late, not sure if I added up right . . .):
+3 Agile (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items/magic-weapons/magic-weapon-special-abilities/agile) (maybe spell storing?) Bladed Scarf
Boots of Speed
Amulet of Natural Armor
Belt of Dexterity +6
Headband of Int +6
Ring of Protection +1


Now let's look at the effects:
AC: 28, up to 36 after casting Shield and Mage Armor (though flat footed is crap x.x)
Attack Roll: d20+BAB(+9/+4)+Dex (+9)+Enhancement (+2) + Arcane Pool Enhancement (+1) + Arcane accuracy (+7) + Feats (+2) = d20+(+29/+24); add +3 if SG is up and opponent has metal on
To trip: d20+ 12 (Combat Maneuver Arcana) + 9 (Dex; See Errata (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/combat-feats/agile-maneuvers-combat)) + 3 (enhancement) + 6 (feats) = d20 + 30

This build doesn't cater to the magus' tradition of spiking damage. Instead, it's more of a death by a thousand papercuts. In an ideal world you'll be able to buff yourself before the battle starts (Heroism, Arcane Pool Enhancements, Haste, Mage Armor, and Shield come to mind) to net yourself an extra attack, +3 to attack rolls, and +8 to AC. If you don't, it may help to use your first couple rounds to buff yourself (Heroism, AP Enhancements, and Haste can actually all be done in a single round) while holding your opponent off with AoO trips and attacks. Once you're buffed, your full-round attack should look something like this: (+30/+30/+30/+25). Use your first attack to trip them (d20+31), thus provoking an AoO at +33 to hit, then use your remaining three attacks at an additional +4 to hit. If you assume that your opponent has an AC of 40 and a CMD of 35ish and that you make a little bit than more than half of your attacks, you're probably looking to average around 90 damage a round (1d6 (base)+9 (dex)+3 (enhancement)+2d6 (arcane pool) = average 22/attack + 10d6 SG; that doesn't factor in all the AoOs you'll be getting off of tripping people. I'm not quite sure if that's all correct because I've played mostly casters and am a touch fuzzy on melee rules, but it seems right. It's not the most impressive build ever, but now you can tell people that you killed them with a scarf :smallsmile:

[torrasque666]

Hmm.... Leather Armor would actually bring me up to only getting hit on a nat 20 if I pop spell shield from my current opponent. He has a +20 to hit where as I'm currently sitting at a cool 29 AC. Leather Armor would pop that up to 31 and spell shield will add on another 10. And if I remember correctly, even if you threaten on a hit, you still don't hit if that threat doesn't hit normally.

He made the mistake of posting his sheet and while it would be good form to do the same, I'm under no such obligation to do so. I've seen his AC(21) and I have a +19 to hit. If I'm reduced that brings it to a +21.(+2 Dex for a +1 hit, and a +1 size bonus). Of course, if he floats around here then it doesn't matter.

Alternatively, I could pop in Bladebound as well to get a free +3 scimitar and put that wealth towards some more armor bonuses. And then I could even use it to make it deal Force damage as well as pop it to +6.

So, thoughts on going Bladebound as well? It'd only drop me by 2 arcana points, though I would lose the spell storing on the scimitar.

[Malaqai]

I doesn't seem like the fight is going to last very long; however, it seems that you're already unhittable except for a Nat20. Unless there are utility items you want to go for (eg, Boots of Speed) then Blackblade doesn't seem worth messing around with. If you wanted to be evil, you might be able to take Hexcrafter. Talk to your DM - perhaps you'll be able to curse your opponent with an inability to roll 20s :smallsmile:

[torrasque666]

Can't take Hexcrafter. Both change Spell Recall and one or more Arcanas.