Need Help with A Magus Concept

[Palanan]

For an upcoming short campaign, my DM has just approved my character concept: a Vanaran scholar who explores the world and its lore, adroitly defending himself with magic and steel. I'd like him to be a Magus with the Tree Stranger racial trait, which gives all knowledges as class skills.

The challenge: the character is starting at third level, and we probably won't be going past fifth level, so the essentials need to come online at third. I'd like my Vanaran magus to be an effective combatant, as well as handy with knowledge checks from the get-go.

The problem: the Magus is pitifully weak on skill points, so a straight third-level Magus will leave me lacking in the lore department. I'm thinking Unchained Rogue 1/Magus 2, which would fill out the skills and give me free Weapon Finesse plus a little SNA boost. Is this a decent approach?

[Ninjaxenomorph]

Okay, starting at third level. With a 16 INT, you should be getting six skills per level with your FCB as pure magus, so 18 skill ranks. There are ten knowledge skills. You can put a rank into each of them, and still have eight ranks left over for other skills. Remember you have a +7 to all of them without even getting more ranks.

[Kurald Galain]

Well, the abilities the Magus gains at level five are pretty cool (specifically, the boost to arcane pool enchantment), so if you're playing up to that level I would prefer straight Magus over a level of rogue.

[Twilightwyrm]

It may be worth noting the Open Minded feat from DSP's Psionics Unleashed, if your DM will allow it. Unlike the 3.5 version, this one gives you one skill point per level, so it may be worth taking if you have the feats to spare.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by ninjaxenomorph
With a 16 INT, you should be getting six skills per level with your FCB as pure magus, so 18 skill ranks. There are ten knowledge skills. You can put a rank into each of them, and still have eight ranks left over for other skills. Remember you have a +7 to all of them without even getting more ranks.

I should've mentioned that I'm still new to Pathfinder, and the skills in particular are still a little confusing. (As well as unfamiliar acronyms.)

The 18 skill ranks I think I can see, but where is the +7 bonus to all knowledge skills coming from?


Originally Posted by Kurald Galain
Well, the abilities the Magus gains at level five are pretty cool (specifically, the boost to arcane pool enchantment), so if you're playing up to that level I would prefer straight Magus over a level of rogue.

Do you mean at level six? At level five all I'm seeing is a bonus feat, drawn from a limited set of categories. It looks like sixth level is when the next magus arcana kicks in. Or am I missing an especially useful feat choice for fifth level?

I'm still really tempted by the rogue's abundance of skills, free Weapon Finesse and the damage boost from sneak attack. My instincts may be off, but for third level that all feels like money.


Originally Posted by Twilightwyrm
It may be worth noting the Open Minded feat from DSP's Psionics Unleashed, if your DM will allow it. Unlike the 3.5 version, this one gives you one skill point per level, so it may be worth taking if you have the feats to spare.

A good suggestion, but this is actually a pretty feat-starved build, hence my potential dabbling with the Unchained rogue.

[Kurald Galain]

Do you mean at level six? At level five all I'm seeing is a bonus feat, drawn from a limited set of categories. It looks like sixth level is when the next magus arcana kicks in. Or am I missing an especially useful feat choice for fifth level?
Read the arcane pool ability, and note how it upgrades at level 5 and 9.

[Palanan]

Ah. Your point, then.

:smallredface:

[MyrPsychologist]

Dipping rogue for skill points seems like a very lackluster tradeoff for your level 5 magus abilities. And i'm not entirely sure it's necessary when you are already an intelligence based character.

[Ninjaxenomorph]

At character creation, you choose your character's favored class. When you take a level in that class, you get a Favored Class Bonus. A hit point or a skill point usually, though some races have a particular option they can choose. I was trying not to say this before, but giving up levels, especially for something as mundane as skills, is a bad idea. Doubly so for something like the Magus, who doesn't want to delay their spells or base attack bonus.

The +7 explained: assuming 16 intelligence (about average for a magus I'd say), you get a +3 to intelligence-based skills. Your trait gives you all knowledge skills as class skills; when you put a rank into a class skill, you get a +3 to that skill. Its your incentive to put at least a rank into class skills. Lastly, you get that last +1 from the one rank you put into the skill.