Phantom Blade Spiritualist / Blade Adept Arcanist VMC Magus - rules questions

[nmitchell890]

Ok, so the final build I have in mind is Spiritualist (Phantom Blade) 1 / Arcanist (Blade Adept) 9 / Eldritch Knight 10 VMC Magus. The idea is to have Spell Combat and Spellstrike on an 18th level full caster. However, I want a couple of questions cleared up first;

1) is there any reason why I can't designate my Phantom Weapon as my Black Blade? My DM has had a Phantom Blade in his game before and ruled that Spell Combat works with any shape you are proficient with, but only while you wield your Phantom Weapon. If I can't designate it as my Black Blade, it's never going to progress beyond 1st level and will be ****.

2) if I pick Broad Study as my 7th level Magus Arcana, is there any reason why it wouldn't allow me to cast Arcanist spells with the Phantom Blade version of Spell Combat?

3) is there any other reason I haven't thought of why this build wouldn't work?

Thanks :)

[Kurald Galain]

Ok, so the final build I have in mind is Spiritualist (Phantom Blade) 1 / Arcanist (Blade Adept) 9 / Eldritch Knight 10 VMC Magus.
Well that's an odd way of combining things... three classes that each do more-or-less the same thing, this is probably not the most efficient way of reaching your goal.

(1) From the FAQ (https://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9o80), "unless an ability specifically says it stacks with similar abilities (such as an assassin's sneak attack), or adds in some way based on the character's total class levels (such as improved uncanny dodge), the abilities don't stack and you have to use them separately." So no, you cannot designate your Phantom Weapon as Black Blade.
(even aside from that, the fluff on the two is contradictory; and bladebound AND phantom blade AND the spiritualist base class all prohibit you from having a similar option present)

(2) Well the rules on VMC suggest that you don't use this with regular multiclassing, but then continues to say that it's allowed anyway. So yes, this should work.

(3) You haven't mentioned what level you'll be playing at. A build like this is really only worthwhile from about level 14-20. Any lower than that, and it's going to be substantially weaker than a single-class Magus. And, once you've got 8th and 9th level spells that begs the question why you'd still need spell combat.

[nmitchell890]

Well that's an odd way of combining things... three classes that each do more-or-less the same thing, this is probably not the most efficient way of reaching your goal.

(1) From the FAQ (https://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9o80), "unless an ability specifically says it stacks with similar abilities (such as an assassin's sneak attack), or adds in some way based on the character's total class levels (such as improved uncanny dodge), the abilities don't stack and you have to use them separately." So no, you cannot designate your Phantom Weapon as Black Blade.
(even aside from that, the fluff on the two is contradictory; and bladebound AND phantom blade AND the spiritualist base class all prohibit you from having a similar option present)

(2) Well the rules on VMC suggest that you don't use this with regular multiclassing, but then continues to say that it's allowed anyway. So yes, this should work.

(3) You haven't mentioned what level you'll be playing at. A build like this is really only worthwhile from about level 14-20. Any lower than that, and it's going to be substantially weaker than a single-class Magus. And, once you've got 8th and 9th level spells that begs the question why you'd still need spell combat.

We are going to be playing at levels 11+, seeing how far we go. And as for the FAQ about the Black Blade and Phantom Weapon, that's kinda a bummer. I just read that you can choose a one handed piercing or slashing weapon for your Black Blade and thought "hey, if my Phantom Weapon was a Scimitar..." but if it doesn't work then it doesn't work. I'll ask my DM if he'll let me do it but I'll make a back up character just in case.

[nmitchell890]

Actually, I've just had a thought. The two won't add together, but could the same weapon be both and I just pick between the two progressions?

[Kurald Galain]

I've done some checks comparing your build to a single-class Magus, and it looks to me that by level 11, you're behind by 3 points to-hit, five feats, 10 hit points, and improved spell recall; and you're a melee character who can't wear armor. By level 15, you're behind by another feat and one point to-hit, but at least you'll get 6th level spells earlier. Frankly those are more downsides than I'd be comfortable with.