* - Deals a very small amount of damage and is easily avoidable. Resolve your attacks for one round against your foes touch AC. Haste **** -  Wizards hate casting this instead of something else, or prefer to cast it after they’ve summoned some monsters to tear it up. When mixing it up it's important to think about the spell shield arcana. ** - 5d6 damage in a huge radius (60 ft!) **** - What a great spell. Remember that. Mirror Image **** - One of the best self buffs for you in the game. It’s also just as good as the level 3 version for a single target. If someone else in your party has it (like the Wizard who got it levels ahead of you), you do not need to take it. Otherwise there’s better things to do with a standard action. +2 to Dex also greatly helps the Dervish Build. Rime Spell (UM) **: A cool metamagic (hur-hur-hur) from Ultimate Magic, Rime Spell causes creatures damaged by one of your cold spells to be entangled for a number of rounds equal to the spell level. 1 point = 1 spell level that can be dispelled, so you’ll likely be putting 2, if not 3 points into this. You can only cast a spell with the cast time of a standard action (luckily you have no summoning spells anyway!). This feat gives you a new magus arcana. Since some of your best spells are below level 3, the Lesser version of the rods (extend, empower, etc) are still a great buy. Useful if you nab something like Stoneskin, but it’s worth mentioning that if the target is effected by any bad ju-ju it might get passed to you. By spending 1 point from your pool, you can get an insight bonus equal to your intelligence on all attack rolls until the end of your turn. Still, you won’t have the luxury of knowing lots of spells to really justify ever learning this (unless you learn as a result of the above spell). Also, the highest concentration you will ever need to make is 27 for casting defensively, and that check will be at level 16. Extend Spell **: Great for increasing the duration of buffs you want up at all times (Bear’s Endurance, Fly, Stoneskin, etc). The order shown is merely presented for simple comparison. Pretty awful. Dragon’s Breath * - The damage looks nice, but you can’t combo this with spell strike, so the damage is actually weaker than Shocking Grasp. In addition, multiply your total Hit Dice by this bonus and add that amount to your current and total hit points. Yes, you do want to control the battlefield but without concentrating it only lasts for a single round, meaning you won’t be attacking as long as you want to maintain it. The Heroism buff lasts 10 minutes per level, so it should be a once per every two to three fights, while the Protection from Energy is a great spell to cast in the heat of battle. Remove all Armor Proficiencies and casting while armored abilities. With less spells than the ordinary magus, the golemarm makes up for this fact with an oversized customized arm. For a swift action give your weapon a +1 bonus to damage, +1 for every 5 levels you have (so +5 at lvl 20). If you pick this spell up from a scroll/spellbook/etc you’ll find it more useful for blowing holes through things (like walls or ships), instead of people. * - As Elemental Body I, not that great for you. That means you’ll only ever (probably) be adding one of these effects. If the target doesn’t get magically cured or wastes a turn with a heal check, they’ll be taking that damage each round until they die. You also gain proficiency with all martial weapons. Personally, I’d only keep a wand of Bear’s Endurance, Shield, and maybe Knock (3 spells that do the same thing regardless of this arcana). Racial modifiers (adjustments made to your ability scores due to your character’s race—see Races) are applied after the scores are generated. Dispelling Strike *: This is a very costly arcana for what it does. You can wield them in 1 or 2 hands, or two weapon fight with them, or cast a spell and attack with them. Where as Tentacles hits all in a nice, circular area. I thought so. Lifting items is also less than impressive (use 1), as with monstrous physique you’re able to lift more. Like the empowered version, this allows you to cast one spell per day as if it was maximized (that 10d6 shocking grasp becomes a flat 60, or 120 if it happens to crit, not to shabby). Magus Arcana (Level 3, 6, 9, etc): This is primarily the way (aside from feats and spells) that you will customize your magus. But this stacks with Mirror Image, so that’s not to shabby. These deities are often grouped by their followers' region or race, though their power is rarely limited to such demographics. After level 10 you treat any magical staff as a magical quarterstaff (with enhancement based off the creator’s caster level), and you can recharge the staff by expending points from your arcane pool. The magus hasn’t been around as long as the other classes, and as the new kid on the block I feel as if he needs a guide of his own. This archetype also prevents you from crying at the ever popular sunder-happy GMs and as long as you have one point, you can teleport your weapon to your hand (like from a disarm if really needed). His level 8 increase has gone to Constitution, making his health a whopping 113. Acid Arrow * - Arguably worse than Magic Missle, which we didn’t get either. Ego: A black blade starts with an ego of 5, and that ego increases as the blade becomes more powerful. Assign these totals to your ability scores as you see fit. Bane Blade **: “Spend a point to get the bane effect instead of something else when you enhance your blade?” you say, “Walter, are you stupid? But now you can add it to Reflex saves and spend 2 or 4 more points to get Evasion or Improved Evasion. **Note that these attacks, and any series of attacks that end with spellstrike can in fact begin with spell strike. * - See Monstrous Physique II, and take it instead. * to **** - As anyone that’s played D&D or Pathfinder will tell you, Teleport is awesome. That’s 3 points that could have been 3 Dispel Magics instead, assuming you are level 11. Also, if you have the wand wielder arcana, you can spellstrike any wand-cast touch spell. Aqueous Orb * - Fail two saves and the target is basically screwed. Because of this, you’ll find that you aren’t able to combo some abilities round after round. This deals non lethal, Tentacles deals lethal. Awful. Grand Hexes are your capstone at level 20, some good one are Life Giver, Forced Reincarnation and Summon Spirit. Like augment weapon but slightly worse and it doesn’t eat a point from your arcane pool. Strength measures muscle and physical power. The only worthy combo I can see is something along the lines of a spellstrike Ray of Exhaustion, which wouldn’t be until higher levels anyway, when something like an intensified shocking grasp would be more beneficial to cast 9 times out of 10. Remember how much you wanted to be able to cast more sorcerer and wizard spells? Or even Disruptive if the game calls for it. After level 10 you treat any magical staff as a magical quarterstaff (with enhancement based off the creator’s caster level), and you can recharge the staff by expending points from your arcane pool. You can take weapon specialization (quarterstaff) at an earlier level, too. The only penalty to this archetype is that you no longer learn spellstrike. Some spells and abilities cause you to take an ability penalty for a limited amount of time. The another note is that when making these full attacks, the spell can be cast at the start or at the end, and can be any spell (not necessarily a damage spell). The another note is that when making these full attacks, the spell can be cast at the start or at the end, and can be any spell (not necessarily a damage spell). I thought so. Of course the spell to cast with this 90% of the time is dispel magic, to remove the silence effecting you. The first is an attack with his scimitar that hits for 1d6+6, while second (via spellstrike) hits for 3d6 with Shocking Grasp, plus another 1d6+6 from his sword. This spell is a must have (****) for a combat maneuver magus (see the arcana section). Strength is missing because the. Aside from that, it’s too situational to pick up. A one level dip nets you a bonus feat and two level dip gives you dervish dance before level 3. Following along in the same vein as the other metamagic arcanas, this one functions exactly the same. You’ll notice Dex is missing from that ranking. **** 20,000 gp (I), 40,000 gp (II), 70,000 gp (III), etc. It can turn the damage of your weapon into any damage type, like force, and then overcome DR.  And because it is any type, you can have what you need on hand at a moments notice. Since a majority of frontliners and meleers have good Fortitude saves, I can’t really get behind this spell. Because of this, it’s somewhat difficult to pull off. I plan to use AoE (preferably Necromancy for flavor) for waves of trash mobs and think I still need a decent DC. At first glance, the hexcrafter archetype (Ultimate Magic 48) looks like an attempt to recreate the hexblade core class from 3.5’s Complete Warrior for Pathfinder.Certainly, in terms of general flavor, the two classes Not as powerful as some of the other ones out there, but at least its something. Wis shouldn’t dip below a +0 modifier and Cha, again, is your dump stat. There is a big list of ones to choose from, and some are far better than others. You can cast it with diminishing returns for even less damage. Start with a base Magus. It does effect a lot of squares, though, so if you have enemies grouped up like that, drop Color Spray instead. **A final note, regarding Metamagic Rods: These are great to have, and because of your limited spell selection you will never have to get more than a regular one (level 6 and lower spells). In other words, if you burned that Fly and now wish you had Dispel Magic, you can spend 3 points and cast away. If you want to drop their Strength use a Ray of Exhaustion and if you want to deal damage use Shocking Grasp. - Your deflection bonus to AC. If you want to turn into a diminutive flying creature gives you a large increase to AC and escape from some sticky situations, see Monstrous Physique III. Since this is an online guide that gives advice on something that will be in a state of flux for as long as Pathfinder continues to be published, it is always going to need some level of revision. But what about the drawbacks? Intelligence determines how well your character learns and reasons. I could see this spell being alright for straight casters - effectively removing handfuls of enemies from the field - but it relies a little too much on chance for my tastes, and you’re not a straight caster :P. Arcane Sight * - Useful, but not 3rd level spell useful. No, bad, do not want. spells. A nice defensive spell. Throughout this guide I use a color coding style pulled straight out of Treantmonk’s series of guides. Also, the highest concentration you will ever need to make is 27 for casting defensively, and that check will be at level 16. His health is not terrible, 57, and he has picked up Spell Penetration and Weapon Focus. Acidic Spray * -  A so-so blast (d6 per level) that cannot be comboed with spellstrike. Heavy Armor : At 13th level, a magus gains proficiency with heavy armor. Color Spray **** - It’s the best first level wizard spell (well, maybe silent image or sleep is better), and it’s your best spell for the first four levels of your magus’s life too. For 250 gold you reduce 10 damage from each physical attack (unless they’re adamantine) for 10 minutes a level, a trade that will more than likely save your life once or twice. Keep in mind that it is not a pool of infinite depth, so when you choose to activate abilities that cost points from your pool, you’ll have to choose wisely. I loved Treantmonk’s color coding and have adapted it to this guide -- but credit where credit is due, * tip of my hat* to Treantmonk. The magus is a favorite for those who want magic and melee in equal measure. Since the magus is a class that hurts from having a small spell pool, these are worth investing in. **** 2000 gp (+1), 8000 gp (+2), 18000 gp (+3), etc. Enduring Blade *: If your fights are lasting over a minute, you have other things to worry about. You have to have 3 metamagic feats to qualify (e.g. It is worth noting that you will be in melee and there are a handful of familiars that are size small now, so if you want the equivalent of an animal companion that can grant flanking and deliver touch spells, a familiar might be right up your alley. Unfortunately, it’s just flat worse than Frigid Touch (below). Also, it can be taken more than once. A quickened spell, on the other hand, might. Spellstrike and Spell Combat allow the magus to deliver touch attach spells alongside normal attacks, which can make for some very impressive damage output. Because of this, it’s somewhat difficult to pull off. For every 2 points of damage you take to a single ability, apply a –1 penalty to skills and statistics listed with the relevant ability. Table: Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells shows the modifier for each score. 1d6 damage and fatigue. Also his defenses have gone up, with the addition of Mirror Image and probably a deflection or natural armor bonus, making his AC around a 17 or 18, and a 22 with Shield, not to mention his images. Each ability partially describes your character and affects some of his actions. Sirocco *** - A medium radius, but a powerful debuff. Get this if you can, but don’t break your neck trying. A character with an Intelligence score of 0 is comatose. * - The same stat changes as III, except with a few more abilities in exchange for being a spell level higher. And I hate swarms. Targets are nauseated if they fail a Fort save, which is one step deadlier than staggered (as they can only move). Caster casts against you, you get a free attack. Wands are another great way to give your magus some spellcasting options via items. : Greatly useful in the right situation. Hand of the Acolyte: You can cause your melee weapon to fly from your grasp and strike a foe before instantly returning. ** - Like Blink but simpler and without the 20% chance of spell failure. * - Low damage, immovable and can be stepped through. There are a number of different methods used to generate ability scores. If you pick this spell up from a scroll/spellbook/etc you’ll find it more useful for blowing holes through things (like walls or ships), instead of people. . The -2 Con hurts, but the +2 to your main stat is nice. Provided you have a broad selection of cheap wands, or a plentiful amount of charges, this arcana is a good way to save your actual spells for when you need them. As he grows in … 1 point = 1 spell level that can be dispelled, so you’ll likely be putting 2, if not 3 points into this. This one keeps targets away from you...as a melee character...at level 5. A character with an Intelligence score of 0 is comatose. * - Large Vermin sound cool, but casting spells is almost always cooler. A good buff ability to have at the ready if you need it. I’ll mention a few spells that work great for Spell Blending later in that section. Given that some of these arcanas are. And again,  +2 to Dex also greatly helps the Dervish Build. **: The prerequisite for Preferred Spell is less than desirable, but the feat itself is worth considering. You need Con for being a frontliner and Intelligence for casting spells. This is wicked terrible. Not too shabby at all, and the saves on his spells are slightly higher than the Str magus. ** - 2d6 damage and you can fatigue or stagger adjacent enemies. ... 1d20 + Base Will Save + Wisdom Modifier. *** - This is a great debuffing spell for the early levels. You again have to wait till the higher levels to get this, but if you do it allows you to cast Spell Turning on yourself as an immediate action. But there is a HUGE drawback to this arcana. Dexterity: Temporary increases to your Dexterity score give you a bonus on Dexterity-based skill checks, ranged attack rolls, initiative checks, and Reflex saving throws. It’s like Cloudkill but a level higher and far far worse. And it’s required for some of the metamagic feats you may want to take. Especially since it’s level 9. However, again, if you are a Dervish Dancer, you’ll never use this. If you train this, and you should eventually, keep one prepared at all times for HP emergencies. Critical Strike **: Now we’re talking! Note, though, that Blood Transcription works on arcane casters that don’t have their spellbook on them after you’ve downed them. Best to avoid straight damage spells at this point unless they are touch, or have a better area of effect than just a 60 ft line. Chill Touch ** - NOTE: There’s been a great deal of discussion regarding this spell being used at higher levels, and getting the multiple “charges” of the spell cast through your weapon, and how it’s a neat trick. **** - The best maneuverability spell for you from this level till you get Overland Flight. The -1 to hit for +2 to damage is an excellent trade, especially at the higher levels when it improves. Having ghost touch is good utility, but having brilliant energy is just stupid good. Knock: Great utility for opening doors, saves someone in your group the chance of getting trap-injured. * - Bad spell, bad bad bad. I tend to shy away from spells that waste your turn if the target saves against them, but if they fail the save it’s a powerful debuff. You also have a little bit of misinformation in your post. The amount of spells it applies to are small, and the ones with multiple rays per cast (e.g. “But what about a quickened intensified Shocking Grasp? You gain a +2 bonus on all Heal and Knowledge (religion) checks. * - This spell might have been worth getting if undead were still immune to criticals. A good investment. You can cast it with diminishing returns for even less damage. Pearls of Power **** 1000 gp (1st), 4000 gp (2nd), 9000 gp (3rd), etc. Probably Magus from there, but potentially going to Rogue 4 for Dex-to-Damage, Uncanny Dodge and the ability to combing Debilitating Injury with Riving Strike or Hex Strike 20pt buy Str 8, Dex 18, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 12 The following rules are in effect, which between them invalidate a lot of the advice given in Magus guides: Also, if you have the wand wielder arcana, you can spellstrike any wand-cast touch spell. Remember how you were proficient with light armor and no spell failure? Great if you plan on using rods a lot, terrible if you’re not. But this stacks with Mirror Image, so that’s not to shabby. But combine the two and it’s a pretty beastly defense for this level. A potent ability, yes, but at the cost of a standard action + rounds concentrating, dropping a single Tentacles and auto attacking is likely to be of more benefit to your team. Not you though, get this and use it sparingly unless you’re loaded. It only effects the targets you want to, doesn’t have a cap on damage (well, 20d6), and has a huge range, and can effect up to 20 different targets (at level 20). It is a neat trick, but for me, not neat enough to get this spell 9 times out of 10. Creatures that save take either 1d4 con damage or half of 1d4 con every round they stay in the fog. You’ll pass on this spell 9 times out of 10. If you have a spell slot open for a blast, pick this instead of Acidic Spray. First drafts of novels go to an editor, scientific papers get peer reviewed, and the scenes in movies have hundreds of takes. ** - Like Dispel except that it only effects one spell and you steal it and place it on yourself instead of dispelling it. **** - These give you the use of the listed metamagic feat for free 3 times per day, with no increase on the spell level. Pass on Detonate unless you’re playing in a game devoted to fighting hordes of swarms. Wisdom describes a character’s willpower, common sense, awareness, and intuition. : This wand is a must have if you are playing Dark Sun. Where as Tentacles hits all in a nice, circular area. You’ll use it for determining what spell enemies are casting and if they’re worth reflecting or dispelling. You exchange one point from your arcane pool in order to get a touch attack that does 2d6 (+1d6 per 3 levels). Oh, you also have to be level 12. Congrats. Wicked sick. Roll one up and try him out, and if you want to, join in on the discussion linked below! Magic Domain is one of the divine domains in Pathfinder: Kingmaker. At that point, your game is probably going to be winding down and adding 2d6 damage to each attack isn’t going to be tipping the scale. That limited amount of spells per day doesn’t seem so bad now, does it? Wall of Sound * - A level 4 spell that can be countered by Silence, a level 2 spell. Find one with fly for fly, or pounce for pounce. Do yourself a solid and skip it. : If your fights are lasting over a minute, you have other things to worry about. He can also use this ability to gain a spell he doesn’t know for a day, then copy it down into his spellbook, effectively learning 1 spell off the magus spell list each day.