War Magus Archetype (Path of War)

[KaiserWolff]

So I had an idea for a base class that combined maneuvers and magic which eventually
turned into a magus archetype based on the feedback from Lord_Gareth and Andreas over
at DSP. I thought I would share it with you lovely people here as well, I don't really
do much homebrew but hopefully it interests at least some of you. :)

Without further ado here is the War Magus (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1za48BZQfA32A4kKky1NMAdDRCMwShMY7ioit4EI5wIg/edit?usp=sharing)

[Kitsuneymg]

Hrm. It's an interesting idea. I found this page while looking for anyone who had experience using the Martial Training line of feats. And that's where I run into issues with this build.

You're trading arcane pool, a pretty nice bonus even without arcanas, for a single stance and maneuver, plus a rather odd way of calculating initiator level. All in all, I think this is *worse* than the feat Martial Training 1. And Arcane Pool is much better than a single feat. The only saving grace is the ability to take a -2 to attack to initiate a maneuver and cast a spell, which is very very cool.

Let's take a look at Martial Training 1.

Martial Training I [Combat]
You’ve learned the basics in a martial discipline.
Prerequisites: Base attack bonus +3, Knowledge (mar- tial) 3 ranks
Benefit: Select a martial discipline. The associated skill for this discipline is now a class skill. You calculate your martial initiator level equal to half your character level + your attribute modifier that modifies your chosen discipline for use with this discipline (example, Dexterity for a discipline that uses Acrobatics), not to exceed your character level. Your initiator modifier is the attribute modifier that effects the associated skill of this chosen discipline (for example, Charisma if the discipline uses Diplomacy). You may select any two maneuvers from the 1st level maneuvers from this discipline and you may ready one of your maneuvers for use. You may recover one maneuver by expending a full round action to re- cover it.
Special: If you ever gain levels in a martial adept class or possess them previously, these maneuvers continue to use their own initiator level and recovery method, in- dependent of your martial adept class(es). Those wish- ing to add new maneuvers from a discipline that is al- ready available to their class should instead select the Advanced Study feat instead.


You gain a class skill, and your IL is level / 2 + mod. Now, let's assume someone is going to attempt to synergize very well. They have, AFAIK, two real options: take a discipline that requires good dex and be a dervish dance/whip magus, or use the newly released Eldritch Scion and take a Cha based discipline. Either way, the ability mod is going to be either primary or secondary to the magus. Let's assume it starts at 15 and, but 20th, has an innate +1 and a +6 stat boost item. That gives us a 22, or a +6 mod for an IL of 16. Your method, would only make that 17 and this is without high levels of optimization. It's nice to use Int for things, but it breaks the flavor of the disciplines, IMO.

Now, the feat gives you two maneuvers and one readied, compared to one maneuver and one stance. You have a bit of a better recovery, but it's not that great either. All in all, a magus taking a single feat gets much of the benefits of this ability, without sacrificing much at all.

You'll note I leave out the BaB boost. There's a reason. You won't make use of the iteratives, due to most strikes being standard actions, and the to hit from higher BaB is offset by losing arcane pool, which is usable for almost every round of combat if you want it already (int mod + 1/2 level should be at least 4 points by level 4 or you're playing a very weak magus indeed. With charop, it'll probably be higher.)

Mystical Edge replacing spell strike is, to be blunt, ruining the entire point of the magus class. Bards cast spells and have 3/4s BaB too. Fighter/Wizard/Eldritch knights even get 9s. The thing that makes a magus awesome is Spell Combat and Spell Strike. The ability to use magic and attack in the same round without need to expend swift actions and use quicken is what makes the magus the gishiest gish. Losing that for a minor boost to damage or save DC is a heavy blow and sits uneasy with me.

I'm not sure what to make of maneuver casting. I don't know off the top of my head how many ranged touch spells the magus has access to. I do wonder how most disciplines, which are strictly melee, should work with this. Not rules-wise, that's easy, but what is the in-game effect? And is it better than using an intensified shocking grasp (especially if you took teh trait to lower metamagic by 1 for S.G)? Or a rime-spell? Especially sense your magus seems to only have a single maneuver (base), this seems to me to be very limiting.

Compare what your magus is giving up to a magus that merely takes the Martial Training line of feats.

MT1-6 gives you:


Level
Maneuvers Known
Maneuvers Readied
Stances


1
2
1
-


2
4
2
1


3
5*
3
2


4
7
4
2


5
8-9*
5
2-3


6
9-11
6
2-4


* Indicates ability to trade old maneuver
MT 5 and 6 let you pick 2 maneuvers or 1 maneuver and one stance

Now, six feats is a hefty investment, even with the magus's 3 bonus feats, but you get to keep the iconic magus abilities of arcane pool and spell strike, well worth it IMO. It also works thematically, you get maneuvers and spells of up to 6 levels in exchange for all your bonus feats and three regular feats.

So, to sum it up, this class is too weak, in my opinion. It gives up far too much in order to gain far too little. I would, at a minimum, give the class an actual maneuver progression. Something akin to the martial training line of feats should be worth 1 spell/level and spell strike. Keep arcane pool, but let the magus take an arcana (or replace base arcana) that lets him spend a pool point to re-ready a maneuver as a swift action. Or even a free action (but once a round. This would let him spend a point to re-ready and use a swift/immediate maneuver.)

Drop the wonky IL and just make it class level instead of class level - 3.

Instead of replacing spellstrike, let a magus use maneuver (maybe *only* a maneuver) to deliver a touch spell. Shocking grasp + a maneuver together seems a good expenditure of a very limited resource to do a lot of damage and is in line with the nova powers of the class.

If you eliminated the bonus feats, spell recall, and reduced spell casting, I feel you could easily make martial training line of feats part of the class and it would *feel* a lot like a maneuver/magic man. My $0.02.

Hope this helps.


One last thing

The ranged touch thing is also really out of place. The magus is primarily a melee class. Maneuvers are primarily melee. Thematically, it makes little sense to have a ranged ability in this class.