Starting Pathfinder need help with Magus

[Gizmogidget]

So I have recently started building a Pathfinder character and have settled for the Magus. However the d8 hit dice scare me considering that I want to be a frontline fighter with buffs for the most part. I however really like the concept of adding touch spells to your melee weapon attacks and that is what got me to look into the class.

The party so far
Inquisitor
Monk (not exactly sure what path he is taking though I know it is on the defensive side)
Cleric(maybe, not sure if he will join yet)
Magus(my character)

The inquisitor and the monk are veterans, and the cleric and I are new to the game.
Suggestions?

P.S.-We are starting at 1st level.

[Psyren]

Welcome!

For general "how do I build this class" advice, handbooks are the way to go. Check out Kurald's Guide (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?423754-Myrrh-Frankincense-and-Steel-Kurald-Galain-s-Guide-to-the-Magus) and the older Walter's Guide (https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=1DB6sOfbAzFmKVPgcyLWipTVqvWFjfDSv6v_YiGQb5Y w&pli=1) - those should have you pretty much set with the bigger questions like race, arcana, feat, item and spell selection. Then if you have any specific questions you can return with those.

Best of luck and hope you enjoy your Magus :smallsmile:

[Gizmogidget]

Thanks for the help and the links to the guides.:smallsmile:

[Geddy2112]

The only thing I would add is that you should go for the frontline fighter/striker of the party. Magi can deal scarily high levels of damage with some decent optimization. The monk will be the tank, the cleric is your divine caster, and the inquisitor can fill in the gaps.

[Secret Wizard]

1. d8 is scary for sure. Magus have weak early games due to not qualifying for Medium Armor use until much later. You'll have to use spells to boost your armor (Shield in particular). Have good CON and take Toughness as your first feat.

2. Your party is rather balanced, but I recommend you pick up some utility too, like Invisibility and such, to compensate where the Inquisitor cannot fill.

3. If you give us more character creation rules we might help more.

[Kurald Galain]

So I have recently started building a Pathfinder character and have settled for the Magus. However the d8 hit dice scare me considering that I want to be a frontline fighter with buffs for the most part.

Plenty of frontliners have 1d8 hit dice, including all your teammates. Don't worry too much about it, just try and start with 14 constitution, and use your defensive spells. At low levels, a wand may be good.

While shield is an obvious trick, using spell combat to attack, step back, and cast Vanish is another good defensive trick.

[stack]

Make sure you understand touch attacks, holding a charge, and all of that, especially in regards to spell strike and spell combat. It confused me at first. Can't recall if the guides give a breakdown of that or not.

[Gizmogidget]

Secret Wizard

The character creation rules are that we can use any race that does not have a race point cost published by Paizo on the d20PFSRD, and any of the base classes and core classes published by Paizo, as well as any feats published by Paizo.

[Secret Wizard]

What about your ability scores? 20 point buy?

[Gizmogidget]

4d6 reroll lowest is what we use for our scores.

[Secret Wizard]

well, since you don't know your stats, learn the rules on Concentration, Touch Spells, Holding the Charge, Spell Combat, etc.

[Elder_Basilisk]

4d6 reroll lowest is what we use for our scores.

Roll your stats first, then decide what to play. Don't go into a rolled session with the idea that you have to play a magus then try to shoehorn whatever stats you roll into a Magus. At most, go into the session with the idea that you would like to play a Magus if the stats work out but have some backup plans if they don't.

Say you end up with no good stats and one mediocre stat (maybe a single 14 and the rest are 12-13). You can make a decent god wizard by starting with a 16 Int (with your +2 racial bonus from human or an Int bonus race) and having pretty much nothing else, but Magus really wants good strength or dexterity, good con, and at least a decent Int. What if you end up with one really good stat and a bunch of garbage. Again, it's not going to work for a Magus, but you could swing a wizard or sorceror with that. (And having a 18-20 starting casting stat lets you focus on spells with saves if you want to).

It's fine to have decided on a character idea that you like, but when you're rolling for stats, you should see what you roll before you commit.

[Gizmogidget]

Rolled and I got a couple of 14's one 18 a 10 a 12 and a 7.

[stack]

7 is charisma!

Want to be strength or dex based? Dex might be better with that spread.

[Kurald Galain]

Rolled and I got a couple of 14's one 18 a 10 a 12 and a 7.

Well, there you go. The str build basically goes Str 17-18, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 8; whereas the dex build is something like Str 8, Dex 18-19, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 8.

[stack]

Strength penalty is rough prior to having the means to boost carrying capacity.

[Kurald Galain]

Strength penalty is rough prior to having the means to boost carrying capacity.

Not particularly. Masterwork backpacks are only 50 gold, after all, and bags of holding are generally affordable at level 2. Plus you really don't need a lot of gear. Let your party barbarian carry the four-man tent and the beer keg.

[stack]

Not particularly. Masterwork backpacks are only 50 gold, after all, and bags of holding are generally affordable at level 2. Plus you really don't need a lot of gear. Let your party barbarian carry the four-man tent and the beer keg.

I was thinking more along the lines of hitting medium load with a chain shirt, sword, and starting outfit.

[Gizmogidget]

I'm thinking I will go with a strength magus so I can spend my feats elsewhere. Thanks for the help yet again.:smallsmile:

[Kurald Galain]

I was thinking more along the lines of hitting medium load with a chain shirt, sword, and starting outfit.

You can solve that by using Mage Armor. Or by being small so that all your equipment weighs half its normal amount.

[stack]

Mage armor won't last all day and takes up precious spell slots at low levels. The core small races have strength penalties, so the problem actually gets worse. I'm not saying its a huge issue, but something to be aware of when starting a dex build at level 1.

[Secret Wizard]

If you see someone dump STR on a martial character, they clearly want their character to die in a grapple.

STR Magus is superior for the following reasons:


Higher CMD (18 STR/14 DEX in this case) protects against combat maneuvers.
More damage out of Enlarge Person and Monstrous Physique (Reduce Person actually reduces your damage dice so it has no effect on damage).
Better early game, more feats to use.
Makes me groan less.