Kensai Magus: Magus Arcana

[Elfkin_King]

I need some ideas and suggestions for the Magus Arcana for an Elven Kensai Magus. He may or may not (currently undetermined, subject to the DM's decision once we reach level 3) be Bladebound.
He's an Elf, so he gets 1/6 Magus Arcana for each level, and so at levels 6, 12, and 18 he'll have extra Arcana, which should offset the loss Arcana at 3 (assuming the DM decides to make him Bladebound), and level 9 (Critical Perfection of the Kensai replaces Magus Arcana 9).

Any suggestions for the Arcana for the Bladebound Kensai and the regular Kensai would be much appreciated. :)

EDIT: I can't use 3rd party material.

level 3: Black blade? (Bladebound)/ Arcane Accuracy
Level 6: Flamboyant Arcana
Level 6: Arcane Deed (Precise Strike)
Level 9: Critical Perfection (Kensai)
Level 12:Spell Blending
level 12: Arcane Edge/Lingering Pain
level 15:Arcane Edge/ Lingering Pain
level 18:
level 18:

Suggestions:

Spell Blending (level 3+) [More Spells is always a good thing, especially with the loss of which due to Kensai]
Arcane Edge (level 9+) [Int to damage, Bleed effect]
Arcane Accuracy (level 3+) [Int to hit]
Flamboyant Arcana
Arcane Deed (Precise Strike)
Lingering Pain

Feats:
1: Weapon Finesse (wakizashi)
3: Slashing Grace (wakizashi)
5:
5B: Arcane Strike
7:
9:
11:
11B: Improved Critical (Wakizashi) (req. BAB 8+)
13:
15:
17:
17B:
19:

Sugestions:

Arcane Strike (level 1+)

[Psyren]

You can pretty much never go wrong with Spell Blending on any Magus. in addition, since Kensai is so Int-focused (Int to AC and initiative), Arcane Accuracy will be a pretty nice addition for Int to Hit. On top of which, Arcane Edge will get you Int to damage.

[Elfkin_King]

You can pretty much never go wrong with Spell Blending on any Magus. in addition, since Kensai is so Int-focused (Int to AC and initiative), Arcane Accuracy will be a pretty nice addition for Int to Hit. On top of which, Arcane Edge will get you Int to damage.

Oooh, nice. Those are all amazing, regardless of whether or not I get Bladebound.

EDIT: What about the Spell-Scars Arcana? My DM doesn't seem to hold back on giving us gold, so there might be times that having that for a few extra emergency spells might be a good thing. Could save my butt in a pinch.

[Kurald Galain]

The problem with Arcane Edge is that it costs a pool point per use, and you don't have a lot of arcane pool points. If you want damage, then Empowered Magic is going to be better.

Personally I prefer Lingering Pain, which basically lets you shut down any caster on a hit; considering most of the nastiest enemies you face will be casters, well, that's a shoe-in.

Spell Blending is indeed good, but you probably shouldn't take it before level 7 (to gain two level-1 spells) or level 10 (to gain two level-2 spells). The best arcana in the book is probably Hasted Assault, though.

[Psyren]

The problem with Arcane Edge is that it costs a pool point per use, and you don't have a lot of arcane pool points.

It's also bleed damage though, so you only have to hit with it once for it to just keep going - then they have to burn an action to remove it, possibly provoking in the process.

[Elfkin_King]

The problem with Arcane Edge is that it costs a pool point per use, and you don't have a lot of arcane pool points. If you want damage, then Empowered Magic is going to be better.

Personally I prefer Lingering Pain, which basically lets you shut down any caster on a hit; considering most of the nastiest enemies you face will be casters, well, that's a shoe-in.

Spell Blending is indeed good, but you probably shouldn't take it before level 7 (to gain two level-1 spells) or level 10 (to gain two level-2 spells). The best arcana in the book is probably Hasted Assault, though.

Yeah, I wasn't planning on getting Spell Blending until I could really pull some use out of it. >:3
Lingering Pain DOES sound like a good idea, but, I'll admit, I don't use my arcane pool yet as much as I should >.< I do think that some of the metamagic style arcanas would be a good idea.

I'm new to using spells at all, the closest I've come before was back in 3.5 when I played a swordsage and warblade. Which, martial classes aren't exactly casters. I mean, the concept is similar, I guess, but the FEATS (metamagic) and things like this (arcanas) make it a whole different ball game.

Oh, it may be pertinent to mention that the character has the trait "Magical Lineage: Shocking Grasp"

[Kurald Galain]

It's also bleed damage though, so you only have to hit with it once for it to just keep going - then they have to burn an action to remove it, possibly provoking in the process.

Dealing 5 damage per round is not bad, but in terms of damage it is easily upstaged by an extra attack per round (i.e. Hasted Assault) or +4 damage on every attack (i.e. Arcane Strike, which doesn't cost pool points either).

Also, aren't several creature types categorically immune to bleed damage?

[Psyren]

Dealing 5 damage per round is not bad, but in terms of damage it is easily upstaged by an extra attack per round (i.e. Hasted Assault) or +4 damage on every attack (i.e. Arcane Strike, which doesn't cost pool points either).

Also, aren't several creature types categorically immune to bleed damage?

It would be 5 at, like, 1st level. Presumably your Int score is continuing to grow if you're a Kensai :smalltongue:

You can do both this and Hasted Assault, even in the same round (by using next round's swift.)

If something's immune to bleed you obviously wouldn't use it there, just like you wouldn't use shocking grasp on electricity-immunes.

[Elfkin_King]

Dealing 5 damage per round is not bad, but in terms of damage it is easily upstaged by an extra attack per round (i.e. Hasted Assault) or +4 damage on every attack (i.e. Arcane Strike, which doesn't cost pool points either).

Also, aren't several creature types categorically immune to bleed damage?
I'm no bestiary expert, but aren't the creatures that are immune to bleed few and far between? And, for the most part, they should be common sense even without that (oozes, constructs, skeletons) to some degree.

Arcane Strike is a feat, and I'm sure that THAT would be EXTREMELY helpful. I hadn't actually considered that. It looks like it should work really well in conjunction with the Arcane Pool base ability for enhancing weapons. I'll have to edit that post up there to mention feats, as that is a section that I'm lacking on as well. >.< Again, this is my first time truly using a caster class.

As for your suggested Arcana, that one should DEFINITELY be considered, and I should ore than likely make it a priority to put in.



It would be 5 at, like, 1st level. Presumably your Int score is continuing to grow if you're a Kensai :smalltongue:

You can do both this and Hasted Assault, even in the same round (by using next round's swift.)

If something's immune to bleed you obviously wouldn't use it there, just like you wouldn't use shocking grasp on electricity-immunes.

I'll definitely be boosting my INT as I go up. Admittedly, I didn't put INT as my main focus when I "bought" stats, but it was a close second. I made DEX my main stat, since I would be starting with one fewer spells, and I knew I'd have to be relying on my weapon damage a bit more to start with.
(10 Str, 12 Con, 20 Dex, 17 Int, 8 cha, 8 Wis/ after Elven racials) Dex can stay where it's at, and I don't need to mess with my con, wis, or cha at all, ever. I might should have made str higher, but I didn't think about feats >.< like a noob)
I know I'll be upping my Int on my next stat up, and Int will be my main focus. I may have screwed myself out of power attack, unless I can convince my DM to let me drop my cha and wis by a point each to raise it to 12 and then stat up to 13 later.

[ghanjrho]

I'm no bestiary expert, but aren't the creatures that are immune to bleed few and far between? And, for the most part, they should be common sense even without that (oozes, constructs, skeletons) to some degree.

Arcane Strike is a feat, and I'm sure that THAT would be EXTREMELY helpful. I hadn't actually considered that. It looks like it should work really well in conjunction with the Arcane Pool base ability for enhancing weapons. I'll have to edit that post up there to mention feats, as that is a section that I'm lacking on as well. >.< Again, this is my first time truly using a caster class.

As for your suggested Arcana, that one should DEFINITELY be considered, and I should ore than likely make it a priority to put in.




I'll definitely be boosting my INT as I go up. Admittedly, I didn't put INT as my main focus when I "bought" stats, but it was a close second. I made DEX my main stat, since I would be starting with one fewer spells, and I knew I'd have to be relying on my weapon damage a bit more to start with.
(10 Str, 12 Con, 20 Dex, 17 Int, 8 cha, 8 Wis/ after Elven racials) Dex can stay where it's at, and I don't need to mess with my con, wis, or cha at all, ever. I might should have made str higher, but I didn't think about feats >.< like a noob)
I know I'll be upping my Int on my next stat up, and Int will be my main focus. I may have screwed myself out of power attack, unless I can convince my DM to let me drop my cha and wis by a point each to raise it to 12 and then stat up to 13 later.

Wakizashi is a light weapon, so Pirahna Strike is fine.

It's a two-arcana combo, sadly, but Flamboyant Arcana=>Arcane Deed (Precise Strike) is apsolutely delightful. Gain your magus level-2 to damage with everything.

[Elfkin_King]

Wakizashi is a light weapon, so Pirahna Strike is fine.

It's a two-arcana combo, sadly, but Flamboyant Arcana=>Arcane Deed (Precise Strike) is apsolutely delightful. Gain your magus level-2 to damage with everything.

At first I wanted to argue the use of this, but that's EXACTLY what Spellstrike is good for. (well, and more).
So let me get this right...

My character with Arcane Strike (feat), Slashing Grace (feat), Piranha strike (feat) Arcane Edge (int bleed), Flamboyant Arcana, Arcane Deed (precise strike) [and lets assume that he's level 12, where my Int should now be 20]. For the cost of 1 Arcane Pool Point, I'd be doing 1d6+ 5(dex)+ 5(int, bleed), + 12 (magus level, precise strike, passive version)+ 6 (piranha strike)+3 (Arcane strike)... so 1d6+31 (5 continual damage) WITHOUT using a spell, and if they don't stop the bleed damage, I could do another 1d6+43 (counting the 5 from bleed, and using a pool point to double the damage from precise strike) +38 without counting bleed
And a standard attack would be 1d6+26
Good Gods O.O That's WITHOUT SPELLS!
Because of Arcane Strike, Piranha Strike, and the Precise Strike deed, I'd have a pretty sick set of scaling damage bonuses. And, in all honesty, I could set this up at level 6 and just be waiting to get Arcane Edge at level 12 for an additional 5 points that bleed.
At level 6 it would be a +17

[Kurald Galain]

My character with Arcane Strike (feat), Slashing Grace (feat), Piranha strike (feat) Arcane Edge (int bleed), Flamboyant Arcana, Arcane Deed (precise strike) [and lets assume that he's level 12, where my Int should now be 20]. For the cost of 1 Arcane Pool Point, I'd be doing 1d6+ 5(dex)+ 5(int, bleed), + 12 (magus level, precise strike, passive version)+ 6 (piranha strike)+3 (Arcane strike)... so 1d6+31 (5 continual damage) WITHOUT using a spell, and if they don't stop the bleed damage, I could do another 1d6+43 (counting the 5 from bleed, and using a pool point to double the damage from precise strike) +38 without counting bleed

Here's the problem.

Arcane Edge prevents you from using Arcane Strike the next round, since it eats your swift action. Arcane Edge would deal 5 damage the next round. Arcane Strike would deal 3 damage per hit the next round, and you can easily get four attacks per round by that level.

So AS deals more damage for the action, and it saves you the pool point.

Getting Precise Strike on a magus is an excellent idea though.

[Elfkin_King]

Here's the problem.

Arcane Edge prevents you from using Arcane Strike the next round, since it eats your swift action. Arcane Edge would deal 5 damage the next round. Arcane Strike would deal 3 damage per hit the next round, and you can easily get four attacks per round by that level.

So AS deals more damage for the action, and it saves you the pool point.

Getting Precise Strike on a magus is an excellent idea though.

I'll have to keep note of that. And at level 12 you'd only get 3.... wait, I forgot about Speed weapons/Haste spell. So yeah, completely doable.
Well, if I tick off one of them first, I could take an extra round for the other. Besides, if I get them bleeding and they try to staunch it, it provokes an attack of opportunity (unless I'm mistaken, which I could be?), which I essentially get Int based combat reflexes for. And if he doesn't staunch it, well, more bleed on him. Makes it worse if he's flanked.
Strictly per hit, I agree with you. But, tactically, Arcane Edge is a good idea.
On a boss, I would say that Arcane Edge holds the upper hand, but AS is still a safe bet.
In fact, I'm pretty sure that it's a more reliable and more likely to be ticked than counting on Arcane Edge to set up that sort of thing.
Still, I do like the idea of using it more as a Battlefield Control ability, and less for it's raw damage. O.O

[Kurald Galain]

On a boss, I would say that Arcane Edge holds the upper hand, but AS is still a safe bet.
On a boss, you cast Intensified Shocking Grasp :smallbiggrin:

[Elfkin_King]

On a boss, you cast Intensified Shocking Grasp :smallbiggrin:
Hahaha, yeah, true enough. :P
What Metamagics should I be aiming for?

[Arutema]

Intensify Spell is the big one because it keeps your bread-and-butter spell, Shocking Grasp, relevant at higher levels.

[Elfkin_King]

Intensify Spell is the big one because it keeps your bread-and-butter spell, Shocking Grasp, relevant at higher levels.

And because I took Arcane Lineage Shocking Grasp, I can basically apply it for free. :P