?? + Combat Maneuvers = Fun?

[Ignatius Flamel]

After reading a thread about Combat Maneuvers (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?490158-Combat-Maneuvers-and-what-to-do-with-them), I've tried to think about what kind of class would allow me to use Combat maneuvers with a high chance of success regularly without losing too many other options.


And it seems to me that
1) a Magus is very good at Combat Maneuvers via Whip + Wand Wielder + Spellcombat w/ True Strike

2) a Skald can turn his entire party into Combat maneuver specialists via Strength Surge, Savage Dirty Trick, Unexpected Strike, Impelling Disarm, Raging Grappler and Body Bludgeon; "rage-cycling" each round.

3) Certain Combat Styles (Kitsune Style, Cloak & Dagger Style, Grabbing Style, Snapping Turtle Style) further improve Combat maneuvers

4) Certain Archetypes (Cad, Dirty Fighter, Lore Warden, Maneuver Master, Tetori, White-Haired-Witch) further improve Combat Maneuvers

5) Certain Feats(Dirty Trick Master, Weapon Trick(One-handed Weapons), Quick Bullrush/Dirty Trick/etc) further improve Combat Maneuvers

====================================

After all these considerations, here's my take on the "Maneuver Magus", heavily inspired by Kurald Galain's Magus guide.


Dr. Jones

1/2-orc (Kensai) Magus

Stats(15-Pointbuy):
STR 14 (5 pts)
DEX 14 (5 pts)
CON 12 (2 pts)
INT 16 (5 pts, +2 racial)
WIS 12 (2 pts)
CHA 7 (-4 pts)

Alternate Racial traits:
*Behind the Veil
*Sacred Tattoo
*City-Raised

Traits:
Fate's Favored, Threatening Defender


Progression:
1st: Arcane Pool, Canny Defense, Diminished Spellcasting, Spell Combat, EWP(Scorpion Whip), WF(Scorpion Whip), Eclipsed Spell
2nd: Spellstrike
3rd: Magus Arcana(Wand Wielder), Combat Expertise
4th: Perfect Strike, +1 INT
5th: Improved Reposition, Tactical Reposition
6th: Magus Arcana(Spell Blending[Mage Armor, Touch of Blindness])
7th: Fighter Training(-3), Iaijutsu, Improved Dirty Trick
8th: Improved Spell Combat, +1 INT
9th: Critical Perfection, Vital Strike
10th: Fighter Training(1/2)
11th: Superior Reflexes, Cloak and Dagger Style, Greater Dirty Trick
12th: Magus Arcana(Maneuver Mastery: Dirty Trick), +1 INT
13th: Iaijutsu Focus, Combat Reflexes
14th: Greater Spell Combat
15th: Magus Arcana(Disruptive), Cloak and Dagger Subterfuge
16th: Counterstrike, +1 INT
17th: Celestial Obedience(Arqueros), Dirty Trick Master
18th: Magus Arcana(Spellbreaker)
19th: Iaijutsu Master, Teleport Tactician
20th: Weapon Mastery(Scorpion Whip), +1 INT


"Breakpoints"
1st - an Eclipsed (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/metamagic-feats/eclipsed-spell-metamagic) Light Cantrip can act as 0th-lvl Darkness, creating ideal conditions for someone with Shadow Blending and Darkvision like yourself.

3rd - You can use a Wand of True Strike and your Scorpion Whip (wielded "as whip" for 15ft reach) to perform weapon-based Combat Maneuvers (Disarm(at +2), Trip, Drag, Reposition, Steal(at -4)) with a +18 bonus(+20 True Strike, -2 Spell Combat). Because of your 15-ft reach, you can avoid provoking AoOs.

5th - You can use Reposition to place enemies in dangerous terrain => pit traps, lava, a nearby river...

7th - You can use Serpentine Tattoos (http://www.archivesofnethys.com/MagicTattooDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Serpentine%20Tat too) to perform immediate Dirty Tricks after hitting someone with a performance weapon - like the Scorpion whip!

11th - You can perform Greater Dirty Tricks; if someone attempts to remove a Dirty Trick penalty, they provoke an AoO.

15th - You can perform a free Dirty Trick if you hit someone with an AoO; if you perform a Dirty Trick, you can also perform a free Steal.

17th - You can AoO enemies who charge you, you can use Dirty Trick Master to seriously disable enemies

19th - You can AoO enemies who teleport within your reach