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Message: <blockquote data-quote="xXxTheBeastxXx" data-source="post: 5335496" data-attributes="member: 90543">Compiled list of suggestionsI, as of yet, haven't gotten a chance to playtest the  magus (though I will very soon), but I have read over the playtests of  several other posters (everyone on this thread and linked threads, plus  others) and decided to compose a "compiled list of suggestions." I hope  this helps. And please, if you see something wrong here, please  critique. It's the reason playtests even reach us.  Magus Suggestions  Combat Casting: At level 2, the Magus gains combat casting as a bonus  feat, whether he possesses the prerequisites or not. -The reason for this is that, with the magus’s signature ability, Spell  Combat, he must cast defensively, and takes a penalty on the check. It’s  very hard to cast defensively at low levels anyway, so this is normally  considered a feat tax, and should be given at level 1 or 2, when he  gains spell combat.  Spell Combat Modification: If the Magus uses a spell with a range of  touch or personal, then the penalty to attack rolls is reduced to -2 (as  if using a light weapon in your off-hand with two-weapon fighting) and  then reduced to a -0 penalty at 8th level. -The reason for this is that spell combat’s major hindrance is a -4  penalty to attack rolls. From what has been stated, the strategy pretty  much revolves around either hitting with your weapon or succeeding on  casting your spell, whereas it should be the ability to do both. That’s  the point of Spell Combat, to marry these two concepts instead of  penalizing them so much that it’s easier just to be a wizard.  Ability Reassignment: The bonus feats, medium armor, heavy armor, and  fighter training abilities should be reassigned to be part of the Magus  Arcana selection (with minimum levels equivalent to when you would  normally get them). In addition, Magus Arcana should be given at every  odd level instead of every 3 (including level 1). -This feels more personal than anything else, and I think speaks to the  style of the class. Some people have suggested putting the armor  proficiencies in the magus arcana slot, and I agree. I think they’re  just abilities that eat up slots on its table. In addition, they really  ruin some of the flavor of the class (it essentially switches from a  lightly armored mobility warrior to a heavy-armor spell-tank midway  through its progression. That should be optional, not required). The  same goes for the fighter training, which just feels tacked on. Forcing  one class to emulate another is no way to build a base class (great way  to build an archetype, though). As for the bonus feats, I felt that they  would be better served in the Magus Arcana slot to free up space for  more original abilities. Besides, with all the complaining about  weak-sauce low-level magus arcana powers, wouldn’t it be nice to just be  able to choose a feat?  Arcane Pool: The magus gains a number of Arcane Points equal to his  level + his intelligence modifier. The magus can spend these points in  place of sacrificing a prepared spell for his magus arcana abilities  (one point per level of the spell that would normally be sacrificed). He  cannot spend more points than his highest level spell available to  cast. In addition, he can spend 2 points per spell level to emulate  casting a prepared spell for use with his spellstrike. -This has been voiced quite a bit. The magus needs to be able to use his  abilities more often, and they all suck spells. Ergo, an arcane pool.  He sucks up his points instead of his spells. Can he still expend a  prepared spell if he feels the need? Yeah, sure, but it makes it an  option instead of a necessity (maybe a last-ditch effort thing). At  first, I was going to only give it ½ level + int, but then decided to  add in the spellstrike bit. With that, he can now use one of his  signature abilities more often and still be able to use his magus arcana  powers.  As it stands, if these changes were implemented, the table would look  like this:  1    Arcane pool, cantrips, magus arcana, spellstrike 2    Combat casting, spell combat 3    Magus arcana 4    Arcane weapon 5    Magus arcana 6     7    Magus arcana 8    Improved spell combat 9    Magus arcana 10     11    Magus arcana 12     13    Magus arcana 14    Greater spell combat 15    Magus arcana 16    Counterstrike 17    Magus arcana 18    Weapon call 19    Magus arcana 20    True magus  I like it, since there’s room in the mid-levels to give the class  some nice, flavorful class powers. I did move weapon call, but I thought  it should have come earlier anyway.  In addition, these suggestions came up. They just didn’t affect the  table, so I decided to put them below it.  More Touch Spells: It has been universally announced that more touch  spells are coming. However, we’re missing some of the staples of this  generation. Touch of Fatigue and Vampiric touch are conspicuously  missing, and in general we need more to play with.  More Magus Arcana: In addition to it being every other level, I think  we need a more versatile amount of powers to have fun with. Maybe one  that grants 1d6 elemental damage per spell level sacrificed or  something. In general, this aspect is just begging for more.  Hope this helps. And always remember to critique if you think  something is wrong. That's what these playtests are for, isn't it?</blockquote>

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