How complicated is the magus class (pathfinder)

[NecroDancer]

I've been looking over Ultimate Magic and the magus class seems like a cool Gish build (the bladebound looks awesome). However my grasp of pathfinder rules is shaky at best and I was wondering exactly how complicated the magus class is (without multiclassing or prestige classes).

[Hunter Noventa]

You can play a straight Magus 20 and have a really good time of it. The trickiest part, from when I played one, was the combination of Spell Combat and Spellstrike. You can do both at once, but it does hurt your attack roll and you need to have really good concentration check. But if you can manage it, you get a 'free' extra attack at your highest BaB for the spell, followed by a full attack. That's the most mechanically complex part of it.

I also suggest grabbing the Hexcrafter archetype, it expands your spell list, and gives you access to hexes. Most importantly though, it gives you Brand, a level 0 spell that does one damage that you can spam for spell combat/spellstrike. For further information, check out our locally-grown guide (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?423754-Myrrh-Frankincense-and-Steel-Kurald-Galain-s-Guide-to-the-Magus) to the class.

[CasualViking]

If you stick to just casting spells and wielding your sword in one hand, not very complicated. And yes, you get (potentially) two attacks per round from level 2 onwards. Yes, even if you just casts Arcane Mark, it's a legit touch spell.

[Palanan]

I've played a straight magus and loved it. We were at low levels, around 3rd-5th, and the magus more than held his own in combat.

This was a tree stranger vanara, which gets all knowledges as class skills, so I was able to contribute as an all-around connoisseur of the obscure. The magus is the duskblade as it should have been, and I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.

[Knight Magenta]

It seems that some people have a hard time understanding how Spellstrike and spell-combat interact. Not a problem generally, but you should be able to explain it to your GM. This post (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2nler?A-Guide-to-Touch-Spells-Spellstrike-and-Spell) has a good step-by-step breakdown.

That's the only "hard" part of the class. Its actually one of the best designed paizo classes, in my opinion.

[Hunter Noventa]

If you stick to just casting spells and wielding your sword in one hand, not very complicated. And yes, you get (potentially) two attacks per round from level 2 onwards. Yes, even if you just casts Arcane Mark, it's a legit touch spell.

Some DMs would argue that you need to use a spell that does damage, which Brand accomplishes. Seriously, some of the Witch Hexes are super useful and you basically lose nothing for taking Hexcrafter. (Yes Spell Recall gets delayed, but unless you're using spellstrike with real spells every round you're not too likely to run out.)

brand also has the comedy factor of being able to write words on your target. My Magus was also a Staff magus so her quarterstaff would imprint the word 'IDIOT' on targets when she branded them.


It seems that some people have a hard time understanding how Spellstrike and spell-combat interact. Not a problem generally, but you should be able to explain it to your GM. This post (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2nler?A-Guide-to-Touch-Spells-Spellstrike-and-Spell) has a good step-by-step breakdown.

That's the only "hard" part of the class. Its actually one of the best designed paizo classes, in my opinion.

Yes, that post cleared it up for me and was super useful when I built my Magus. I couldn't remember how to get to it.

[Morphic tide]

One bit of odd cheese is to stack metamagic reducers on a cantrip, then go for debuff-applying metamagic. This basically gives you an attack that has a save-or-suck as an at-will spell attached. Rather nasty, if you do it right. Largely because there are some fairly nasty +2 and +3 metamagic available.

[exelsisxax]

One bit of odd cheese is to stack metamagic reducers on a cantrip, then go for debuff-applying metamagic. This basically gives you an attack that has a save-or-suck as an at-will spell attached. Rather nasty, if you do it right. Largely because there are some fairly nasty +2 and +3 metamagic available.

How is this effective at all? Just going straight up shocking grasp+full attack to the face is going to be a lot better than dumping feats into making cantrips not suck quite so bad. Most metamagic don't benefit cantrips anyway, since the extra effects are generally based on original spell level with no minimum.

[Morphic tide]

How is this effective at all? Just going straight up shocking grasp+full attack to the face is going to be a lot better than dumping feats into making cantrips not suck quite so bad. Most metamagic don't benefit cantrips anyway, since the extra effects are generally based on original spell level with no minimum.

The "at will" part can be important, as you get to use it every round you are fighting, no matter how long that is. And several metamagic add effects like "apply expended poison to effected creatures" and "Knock enemies prone" and even "Daze." Yes, the saves might suffer, but the right cantrip can make it a terrifying setup. The right metamagic can make many spells utterly terrifying. To use a 1st level spell as an example, basically any valid on-hit effect stacks with Chill Touch to inflict the effects on your next CL attacks.

Granted, there is a big difference between Cantrips and 1st level spells, so finding one as theoretically exploitable as Chill Touch(which is an abomination of pseudo-Wight-ness when you get 3.5's Fell Drain on it) is rather difficult. Granted, Arcane Mark has odd interactions with some metamagic that give effects based on continual presence rather than applied use, which may allow for one to have a very low level version of Darkness that lasts forever. Sure, it just makes things dim, but that's bound to cause a lot of confusion anyways. And is exploitable with a +0 metamagic.

[exelsisxax]

The "at will" part can be important, as you get to use it every round you are fighting, no matter how long that is. And several metamagic add effects like "apply expended poison to effected creatures" and "Knock enemies prone" and even "Daze." Yes, the saves might suffer, but the right cantrip can make it a terrifying setup. The right metamagic can make many spells utterly terrifying. To use a 1st level spell as an example, basically any valid on-hit effect stacks with Chill Touch to inflict the effects on your next CL attacks.

Granted, there is a big difference between Cantrips and 1st level spells, so finding one as theoretically exploitable as Chill Touch(which is an abomination of pseudo-Wight-ness when you get 3.5's Fell Drain on it) is rather difficult. Granted, Arcane Mark has odd interactions with some metamagic that give effects based on continual presence rather than applied use, which may allow for one to have a very low level version of Darkness that lasts forever. Sure, it just makes things dim, but that's bound to cause a lot of confusion anyways. And is exploitable with a +0 metamagic.

Again, what cantrips and what metamagic effects? Dazing spell provides literally no benefit to cantrips, toppling doesn't make a cantrip an AoE, and you can't even get toxic spell.

Chill touch isn't great either. It's a very poorly scaling attack that targets the best save on most creatures. Again, none of this is even as good as "shocking grasp to face"

[Arbane]

One caveat: Some GMs will get nervous after you get your first crit on a Shocking Grasp Spellstrike and do 2Manyd6 damage to a enemy that was expected to last a few more rounds. Remind them that Magi are great at throwing out big nova attacks, but go through their spells quickly.

[Eldaran]

To answer OP's question. The Magus is one of the more complicated classes in Pathfinder. They're prepared casters, which is generally the most complex casting system. They also have arcane points as an additional resource, though they're fairly simple. Their class features are quite good, but for newer players it's not always clear what they can spellstrike or spell combat with, and when.

As for running out of spells, from my experience past like level 5 you never run out. For one thing, you really only need level 1 spells (shocking grasp) which means you can run around with a veritable barrel of level 1 Pearls of Power and shocking grasp all day long no problem. You also get spell recall if you really want to use it.

[Ninjaxenomorph]

They're my favorite class; while my first PF class was a fighter, Magus was my second; I too really like gishes, and the magus scratches that itch gloriously. If you've read up on the spellstrike/spell combat combo, the class isn't too complicated to understand for a newbie. Just keep track of your spells, and don't be afraid to bring out the big guns.