Unchained Magus

Fire Fencing by Enkidi.

Design Background:  Locally, there are some fans of gish-style characters, and this interest extends to the magus base class.  Some of us liked to play fighter-mages in 1st and 2nd edition D&D.  The feeling is that magi are interesting, but somewhat complicated and not terribly powerful.  The unchained magus is a complete overhaul of the class.  Magus arcana (and some basic class features) have been refashioned as customizeable / selectable "arcane talents."  For a breakdown, see the comparison of class abilities for the normal magus and the unchained magus. For house rule changes that only slightly up the power level of the magus class, see the house rules for magi.

The unchained magus is a student of two philosophies, blending magical talent and martial prowess. Unique from others who might dabble in one or the other disciplines, a magus can simultaneously use spell and steel to devastating effect. Their style of fighting with a single one-handed weapon and no shield leaves the off-hand available for casting spells. As he grows in experience, a magus unlocks arcane secrets to merge with his weaponry, and at the pinnacle of his art, a magus becomes a blur of spell and steel. Magi spend much of their time traveling the world, learning whatever martial or arcane secrets they can find. They might spend months practicing a new sword-fighting style, while moonlighting in the library poring over ancient lore. Magi often defy expectations. Some are mistaken for rogues or swashbucklers dabbling in minor magic, often to their opponent’s detriment.

Alignment: any
Hit Die: d8
Class Skills: climb, craft, fly, intimidate, knowledge (arcana), knowledge (dungeoneering), knowledge (planes), profession, ride, spellcraft, swim, use magic device.
Skill Ranks/Level: 2
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Simple weapons, martial weapons, light armor.

	Base Attack	Fort	Ref	Will	Special	0	1	2	3	4	5	6
1st	+0	+2	+0	+2	Armored Mage (light), Spells, Spell Combat, Arcane Pool, Weapon Arcana, Arcane Talent	3	1	—	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+3	+0	+3	Arcane Talent	4	2	—	—	—	—	—
3rd	+2	+3	+1	+3	Bonus Feat	4	3	—	—	—	—	—
4th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Arcane Talent	4	3	1	—	—	—	—
5th	+3	+4	+1	+4	Improved Weapon Arcana	4	4	2	—	—	—	—
6th	+4	+5	+2	+5	Bonus Feat, Arcane Talent	5	4	3	—	—	—	—
7th	+5	+5	+2	+5	Improved Spell Combat	5	4	3	1	—	—	—
8th	+6/+1	+6	+2	+6	Arcane Talent	5	4	4	2	—	—	—
9th	+6/+1	+7	+3	+7	Bonus Feat	5	5	4	3	—	—	—
10th	+7/+2	+7	+3	+7	Arcane Talent	5	5	4	3	1	—	—
11th	+8/+3	+8	+3	+8	Fighter Training	5	5	4	4	2	—	—
12th	+9/+4	+8	+4	+8	Bonus Feat, Arcane Talent	5	5	5	4	3	—	—
13th	+9/+4	+9	+4	+9	Enduring Weapon Arcana	5	5	5	4	3	1	—
14th	+10/+5	+9	+4	+9	Greater Spell Combat, Arcane Talent	5	5	5	4	4	2	—
15th	+11/+6/+1	+10	+5	+10	Bonus Feat	5	5	5	5	4	3	—
16th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Arcane Talent	5	5	5	5	4	3	1
17th	+12/+7/+2	+10	+5	+10	Training Knowledge	5	5	5	5	4	4	2
18th	+13/+8/+3	+11	+6	+11	Bonus Feat, Arcane Talent	5	5	5	5	5	4	3
19th	+14/+9/+4	+11	+6	+11	Critical Pool	5	5	5	5	5	5	4
20th	+15/+10/+5	+12	+6	+12	True Spell Combat, Arcane Talent	5	5	5	5	5	5	5

Armored Mage (light) (Ex):
Spells: In much the same fashion as a wizard, a magus casts arcane spells which are drawn from the magus spell list. A magus must study his spellbook each day to prepare spells. To learn, prepare or cast a spell, a magus must have a sufficient intelligence score.

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Spell Combat (Ex): A Magus learns to cast spells and wield his weapon at the same time. This functions much like two-weapon fighting, but the off-hand weapon is a spell that is being cast. To use this ability, the magus must have one hand free while wielding a light or one-handed melee weapon in the other hand. As a full-round action, he can make all of his attacks at a -2 penalty and also cast any spell with a casting time of 1 standard action. The spell can be cast before or after the weapon attacks.
Improved Spell Combat (Ex): When using Spell Combat, the Magus receives a circumstance bonus equal to his Int bonus to concentration checks.
Greater Spell Combat (Ex): When using Spell Combat, the magus receives a circumstance bonus equal to double his Int bonus to concentration checks.
True Spell Combat (Su): The magus becomes a master of spells and combat, no longer needing to make concentration checks when casting defensively. Also, whenever the magus uses his spell to target the same creature as his melee attacks, the magus gains a +2 circumstance bonus to attack rolls, checks made to overcome spell resistance, and to the DC to resist the spell.

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Arcane Pool (Su): The magus gains a reservoir of arcane energy that he can draw upon to enhance his weapon and fuel related powers. This arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/level + Int modifier. The pool refreshes once per day when the magus prepares his spells.
Weapon Arcana (Su): As a swift action, a magus can draw upon arcane energy to enhance his weapon. A magus can grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute/level. For every 2 levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +10 at 19th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enchantments (to a maximum of +5). A magus can only enhance 1 weapon at one time, and it only functions if the weapon is wielded by the magus.
Improved Weapon Arcana (Su): The bonuses of Weapon Arcana can instead be used to apply any of these weapon properties: flaming (+1), frost (+1), shock (+1), keen (+1), flaming burst (+2), icy burst (+2), shocking burst (+2), speed (+3), dancing (+4), or vorpal (+5). If the weapon does not already have at least a +1 enhancement, it must be brought up to +1. Properties can not be changed in the middle of a use of Weapon Arcana; instead the magus must expend another pool point.
Enduring Weapon Arcana (Su): The duration of Weapon Arcana is extended to 10 minutes/level.
Critical Pool (Su): When the he magus scores a critical hit, he gains a temporary point for his arcane pool. The temporary point must be used no later than the end of the magus's following turn or it is lost.

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Bonus Feats: At 3rd level, and every three levels thereafter, a magus gains a bonus feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. These bonus feats must be selected from those listed as combat, item creation, or metamagic feats. Prerequisites for these feats must be met as normal.
Fighter Training (Ex): Starting at 11th level, a magus counts 1/2 his total magus level as his fighter level for the purpose of qualifying for feats. If he has levels in fighter, these levels stack.
Training Knowledge (Ex): Add your Int bonus to your CMB and CMD.

ARCANE TALENTS:
As he gains levels, a magus learns arcane talents tailored to his specific way of blending martial puissance and magical skill. At 1st level, a magus gains one arcane talent of his choice. He gains an additional arcane talent at 2nd level and for every 2 levels attained after 2nd level. Unless specifically noted in a arcane talent’s description, a magus cannot select a particular talent more than once. Arcane talents that affect spells can only be used to modify spells from the magus spell list unless otherwise noted.

• Alloy Weapon Arcana (Su): The following special abilities can be accessed as Weapon Arcana: adamantine, cold iron, mithral and silver (+1). While this talent is in use, in addition to any properties gained from the alloy, the hardness and hit points of the weapon increase by 1/level + Int bonus. 
• Arcane Accuracy (Su): The magus can expend 1 point as a swift action to grant himself an insight bonus equal to his Int bonus on all attack rolls for 1 round/level. 
• Arcane Bond (Ex or Sp): The magus gains an arcane bond as the wizard ability. 
• Arcane Critical (Su) (prereq: magus 12): Whenever the Magus lands a critical hit with a melee weapon, he may cast a spell against that target as a free action. 
• Arcane Dodge (Su): The magus can expend 1 point as a swift action to grant himself an insight bonus equal to his Int bonus to his AC for 1 round/level. 
• Arcane Edge (Su) (prereq: magus 8): The magus can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as an immediate action after hitting a target with a slashing or piercing weapon in order to deal an amount of bleed damage equal to his Int bonus. 
• Arcane Hastening (Su) (prereq: magus 6): The magus can expend 1 point as a swift action to move more quickly. This functions as a haste spell that only targets the Magus, and for 1 round/level. 
• Arcane Quickening (Su) (prereq: magus 16): The magus can cast a spell as if it were quickened. This expends 2 points. 
• Armored Mage (heavy) (Ex) (prereq: magus 12, armored mage med): Gains proficiency with heavy armor, and the armored mage (heavy) feat. 
• Armored Mage (medium) (Ex) (prereq: magus 6, armored mage light): Gains proficiency with medium armor, and the armored mage (medium) feat. 
• Bane Weapon Arcana (Su) (prereq: magus 14): The following special ability can be accessed as Improved Weapon Arcana: bane (+1). 
• Close-Range Strike (Ex) (prereq: magus 6, spellstrike): The magus can deliver ray spells (and other spells) that feature a ranged touch attack as melee touch attacks.
• Counterstrike (Ex) (prereq: magus 16): A magus has developed a knack for fighting enemies that cast spells in combat. A magus is not limited in the number of Attacks of Opportunity provoked by casting spells or spell-like abilities. Also, enemies within reach casting defensively still provoke an attack of opportunity after the spell is complete (which cannot be interrupted). 
• Crafting Lore (Ex) (prereq: magus 6): Gain the item creation feat Craft Magic Arms & Armor regardless of prerequisites. 
• Devoted Weapon Arcana (Su) (prereq: magus 10): The following special abilities can be accessed as Improved Weapon Arcana: anarchic (+2), axiomatic (+2), holy (+2) and unholy (+2). The ability must be compatible with the magus’s alignment. 
• Dispelling Strike (Su) (prereq: magus 8): The magus can expend 1 point as a swift action to imbue his weapon with the power to dispel magic. If the weapon strikes a creature within the next minute, that creature is the subject of a targeted dispel magic. It functions using the magus’s level, and dissipates after the strike even if the dispel attempt is unsuccessful. 
• Disruptive Strike (Ex) (prereq: magus 6): The magus gains disruptive as a bonus feat regardless of prerequisites. 
• Elemental Weapon Arcana (Su) (prereq: magus 4): The following special ability can be accessed as Improved Weapon Arcana: corrosive (+1), corrosive burst (+2), and thundering (+1). 
• Ghost Weapon Arcana (Su) (prereq: magus 8): The following special ability can be accessed as Improved Weapon Arcana: ghost touch (+1) and brilliant (+4). 
• Magus Arcana: Select a standard magus arcana in place of an unchained magus arcane talent. 
• Piercing Strike (Su): Whenever a magus wounds a target with his weapon, he gains a bonus (equal to Int bonus) to caster level checks made to penetrate spell resistance through the end of the magus’s next turn. This bonus does not stack with itself. 
• Reflecting Strike (Su) (prereq: magus 14): Sacrifice 1 or more points from his arcane pool as an immediate action to reflect a spell back at its caster. This functions as spell turning, with the targeted spell level determining the number of points expended. If insufficient points are available, the available points instead grant an insight bonus on any saving throws allowed by the spell. 
• Spell Lore (Ex) (prereq: magus 18): A magus adds a total of 14 wizard spells (2 per level) to his spellbook. These spells are now treated as magus spells. 
• Spell Recall (Su) (prereq: magus 4): The magus learns to use his arcane pool to recall spells he has already cast. With a swift action he can recall any single magus spell that he has already prepared and cast that day by expending a number of points from his arcane pool equal to the spell’s level (minimum 1). The spell is prepared again, just as if it had not been cast. 
• Spellstrike (Su): Whenever a Magus casts a spell with a range of “touch,” he can instead deliver the spell through any weapon he is wielding. Instead of the free melee touch attack normally allowed, the magus can make a free melee weapon attack. It gives the magus more options for delivering a touch spell. If the weapon attack crits, so does the touch spell. 
• Wand Combat (Su): The magus can activate a wand (or staff) in his off-hand instead of casting a spell. 
• Weapon Lore (Su): The magus doubles his Int bonus to Knowledge (Arcana) checks to identify the auras of magic weapons, Spellcraft checks to identify the properties of magic weapons, and Spellcraft checks to craft magic weapons. When dealing with intelligent magic weapons, a magus receives a bonus equal to his Int bonus in personality conflicts. A magus and his intelligent weapon can automatically communicate telepathically.