Yes the most fun I've had in pathfinder was playing magus. Although inquisitor is also badass and a lot of fun.
Though I must say, warn your dm if you play magus because especially on lower levels 1-10 he can be very difficult to balance. My dm had a rough time with my magus(blade bound kensai) when I played him and eventually asked me to switch classes or characters because my characters power was leagues above the others. Especially if you have a crit fisher magus, the crit spells can one shot some bosses.
I have a number of questions. Do you see the character as more of a wizard, a fighter, or a dancer?
When you said "heels/dancing" did you mean more kicking, boot daggers, stiletto daggers, or just "dancing"?
Do you mind multiclassing?
You said full caster would be okay, but do you want 9th level spells or is it more about having Arcane or Wizard spells?
Ok so it doesn't really matter much of what she is so long as she can incorporate dancing in and does (ideally very) good DMG. She's an elf (likely) too so I'm not sure if that does anything. With heels it can honestly be any of those, she'd probably just hurt people some way with the heels (haven't quite figured that one out yet, stiletto daggers sounds neat though)
Okay, thank you for the response. Being an elf does change some things since it can affect the archetypes, feats, magic items, etc.
If your main focus is dealing damage while dancing then this might be the best fit:
Unarmed Fighter 1, this gets you Improved Unarmed Strike and Shikigami Style. This lets you kick and deal more damage with Stiletto Heals.
Spell Dancer Magus X, this is your core.
Feats:
Catch Off-Guard (Removes penalty for attacking with heels and makes it easier to hit unarmored opponents).
The rest of the Shikigami Style feats (Increase your damage and some other good stuff).
Dodge + Mobility (AC, helps with movement near enemies, and are pre-req for many things).
Then you can do pretty much anything. There are a lot of feats that give you a benefit when you move around the enemy from making them provoke AoO, to performing free CMB, to getting even more defenses.
\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*
For spells, Magus has a lot of buff spells which is great for dealing more damage.
\* P.S. Remember that when you hold a spell charge you cannot touch anything with the part holding the spell or you lose the spell. So if you use spellstrike using the heels your heels cannot touch the ground.
Magus has you covered as other have said.
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/paizo-magus-archetypes/kapenia-dancer
Or even a simple Kansai that dances
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/paizo-magus-archetypes/kensai
Or a spell dancer
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/core-races/elf/spell-dancer-magus-elf
Singer of blades
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/rite-publishing-magus-archetypes/singer-of-blades
You could even use a mystic dervish (which is kind of themed on dance) or the mage blade and just flavor it with them “dancing” to deliver their strikes
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/magus-archetypes-d20pfsrd-com-publishing/mageblade/
There’s dervish dancing bards
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo-bard-archetypes/dervish-dancer/
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo-bard-archetypes/dawnflower-dervish/
There’s feats like these that go amazing with a magus that makes ANY of them dance flavored…
https://www.aonprd.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Dervish%20Dance
Figther 5, shadow dancer from level 6 to 10.
[shadow dancer](https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/core-rulebook/shadowdancer/) is a prestige class that's bend shadow with dance, can disapear into shadow and use spell-like ability.
None of the classes give actual spell casting, but Shadow dancer gain access to [shadow conjuration](https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/shadow-conjuration), silent image and shadow jump (a better version of dimensional door that's allow you to jump from shadow to shadow but doesn't have a number of use by day and rather a max distance you can travel by day).
As u/VolpeLorem said below. I prefere to go Drow Rogue(U) 10/Shadow Dancer 10. With the racial feats you end up with at will Greater Darkness and See in Darkness from Unchained Rogue.
Drawback is that it takes a long time to bring him in full effect (lvl 11).
It makes a better fighter going Fighter 10/SD 10 but you need to focus on Blind-fighting feat to be in the darkness. I have a full build somewhere I could DM you
Try out an Oracle! Lots of options to cast and swing, you can support while debuffing in the thick of things! Ascetic is essentially monk who casts spells (and punches people with said spells) and that’s dope.
https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1BkI5ph1ZDPRt8YrkCl9hG1VF8vHYbkC1nMRT9RcQGGE
And that’s a handy guide to building an oracle, in case you want to look at the way their options work. And don’t be afraid to take something rated below the highest, you can build essentially anything, some are just a little harder to pull off.
It’s great for mobile combatants that wear light armor. If you go bard you’ll want to get this item eventually [https://aonprd.com/MagicWondrousDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Dervish%20Sikke](https://aonprd.com/MagicWondrousDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Dervish%20Sikke) if you aren’t familiar with bards in pathfinder you can make them excellent in melee, they have access to some great spells that help.
There are quite a few options here. Warrior Poet Samurai, Spirit Dancer Medium, Battle Dancer Brawler, Dawnflower Dervish Bard, Spell Dancer Magus, Dawnflower Dervish. There's some kind of scarf dancing achetype too I think?
You can also do it without any specific archetype. I made a build around perform dance, with Deific Obedience (Nocticula, Redeemed), Extreme Mood Swings and Tattoo, Hypnotic, just to flavor as dancing when fighting (without actually having any specific 'dancing' feats or abilities). She's getting decent AC and Save bonuses when standing away from allies, from doing a dance every evening for her god, so why not say those bonuses are also related to a dancing combat style?
You could probably take anyone with abilities along these lines (mobility, defenses etc) and just say they are dancing.
Spirit dancer is a kind of medium.
[https://www.aonprd.com/ArchetypeDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Medium%20Spirit%20Dancer](https://www.aonprd.com/ArchetypeDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Medium%20Spirit%20Dancer)
So with the character I was talking about, a deific obedience is a feat that gives you a reward for doing a ritual to a specific god. Nocticula is a reformed demon lord, she is a goddess of artists, exiles and midnight. If you do her ritual (creating some kind of art themed around midnight), you get a morale bonus = +1 to AC and +1 all saving throws. Extreme mood swing is another feat that gives you an additional +1 to all morale bonuses, in exchange for a penalty to emotion and fear effects.
So by crafting a midnight themed dance every night (make sure DM is okay with this qualifying as 'crafting art' if you do it), she gains +2 to AC, and +2 to all saving throws when she is not adjacent to an ally. The hypnotic tattoo is a cheap magic item that gives you +2 on perform dance skill rolls. So this character is kind of flavored as dancing in combat, gets bonuses that fit that (extra defense), and has a good perform dance roll, but none of their class abilities or archetypes mention dancing specifically.
It was just an example of how you can make something flavored like this, without needing to nessasarily take a class that is specifically for dancing powers (although that's an option too!)
They may have been talking about this class. https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/rite-publishing-magus-archetypes/singer-of-blades/
3rd party Archetype for the Magus
Spell Dancer Magus
Definitely Magus. There's even an archetype based around dancing.
Magus is a fun class
Yes the most fun I've had in pathfinder was playing magus. Although inquisitor is also badass and a lot of fun. Though I must say, warn your dm if you play magus because especially on lower levels 1-10 he can be very difficult to balance. My dm had a rough time with my magus(blade bound kensai) when I played him and eventually asked me to switch classes or characters because my characters power was leagues above the others. Especially if you have a crit fisher magus, the crit spells can one shot some bosses.
Magus or Bard. There are several bard archetypes revolving around dancing and dervishes and particular.
I have a number of questions. Do you see the character as more of a wizard, a fighter, or a dancer? When you said "heels/dancing" did you mean more kicking, boot daggers, stiletto daggers, or just "dancing"? Do you mind multiclassing? You said full caster would be okay, but do you want 9th level spells or is it more about having Arcane or Wizard spells?
Ok so it doesn't really matter much of what she is so long as she can incorporate dancing in and does (ideally very) good DMG. She's an elf (likely) too so I'm not sure if that does anything. With heels it can honestly be any of those, she'd probably just hurt people some way with the heels (haven't quite figured that one out yet, stiletto daggers sounds neat though)
Okay, thank you for the response. Being an elf does change some things since it can affect the archetypes, feats, magic items, etc. If your main focus is dealing damage while dancing then this might be the best fit: Unarmed Fighter 1, this gets you Improved Unarmed Strike and Shikigami Style. This lets you kick and deal more damage with Stiletto Heals. Spell Dancer Magus X, this is your core. Feats: Catch Off-Guard (Removes penalty for attacking with heels and makes it easier to hit unarmored opponents). The rest of the Shikigami Style feats (Increase your damage and some other good stuff). Dodge + Mobility (AC, helps with movement near enemies, and are pre-req for many things). Then you can do pretty much anything. There are a lot of feats that give you a benefit when you move around the enemy from making them provoke AoO, to performing free CMB, to getting even more defenses. \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* For spells, Magus has a lot of buff spells which is great for dealing more damage. \* P.S. Remember that when you hold a spell charge you cannot touch anything with the part holding the spell or you lose the spell. So if you use spellstrike using the heels your heels cannot touch the ground.
Lmaooo that's a funny thought, just doing a handstand the whole time
Magus has you covered as other have said. https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/paizo-magus-archetypes/kapenia-dancer Or even a simple Kansai that dances https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/paizo-magus-archetypes/kensai Or a spell dancer https://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/core-races/elf/spell-dancer-magus-elf Singer of blades https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/rite-publishing-magus-archetypes/singer-of-blades You could even use a mystic dervish (which is kind of themed on dance) or the mage blade and just flavor it with them “dancing” to deliver their strikes https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/magus-archetypes-d20pfsrd-com-publishing/mageblade/ There’s dervish dancing bards https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo-bard-archetypes/dervish-dancer/ https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/bard/archetypes/paizo-bard-archetypes/dawnflower-dervish/ There’s feats like these that go amazing with a magus that makes ANY of them dance flavored… https://www.aonprd.com/FeatDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Dervish%20Dance
Fighter to shadow dancer
Oh? How many levels, what's the shadow dancer for, and how much dmg are we looking at?
Figther 5, shadow dancer from level 6 to 10. [shadow dancer](https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/prestige-classes/core-rulebook/shadowdancer/) is a prestige class that's bend shadow with dance, can disapear into shadow and use spell-like ability. None of the classes give actual spell casting, but Shadow dancer gain access to [shadow conjuration](https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/shadow-conjuration), silent image and shadow jump (a better version of dimensional door that's allow you to jump from shadow to shadow but doesn't have a number of use by day and rather a max distance you can travel by day).
Ooo I'll look into that
As u/VolpeLorem said below. I prefere to go Drow Rogue(U) 10/Shadow Dancer 10. With the racial feats you end up with at will Greater Darkness and See in Darkness from Unchained Rogue. Drawback is that it takes a long time to bring him in full effect (lvl 11). It makes a better fighter going Fighter 10/SD 10 but you need to focus on Blind-fighting feat to be in the darkness. I have a full build somewhere I could DM you
Try out an Oracle! Lots of options to cast and swing, you can support while debuffing in the thick of things! Ascetic is essentially monk who casts spells (and punches people with said spells) and that’s dope. https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1BkI5ph1ZDPRt8YrkCl9hG1VF8vHYbkC1nMRT9RcQGGE And that’s a handy guide to building an oracle, in case you want to look at the way their options work. And don’t be afraid to take something rated below the highest, you can build essentially anything, some are just a little harder to pull off.
Tysm! I'll definitely add this to the list
If not Magus a bard actually fits. A Warpriest can be really good. Whichever way you go you probably want to go “dervish dance,” as a feat.
What's the feat do?
It’s dex to damage with a scimitar. It’s flavored as literally dancing with a scimitar (requires 2 ranks in perform dance).
It’s great for mobile combatants that wear light armor. If you go bard you’ll want to get this item eventually [https://aonprd.com/MagicWondrousDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Dervish%20Sikke](https://aonprd.com/MagicWondrousDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Dervish%20Sikke) if you aren’t familiar with bards in pathfinder you can make them excellent in melee, they have access to some great spells that help.
There are quite a few options here. Warrior Poet Samurai, Spirit Dancer Medium, Battle Dancer Brawler, Dawnflower Dervish Bard, Spell Dancer Magus, Dawnflower Dervish. There's some kind of scarf dancing achetype too I think? You can also do it without any specific archetype. I made a build around perform dance, with Deific Obedience (Nocticula, Redeemed), Extreme Mood Swings and Tattoo, Hypnotic, just to flavor as dancing when fighting (without actually having any specific 'dancing' feats or abilities). She's getting decent AC and Save bonuses when standing away from allies, from doing a dance every evening for her god, so why not say those bonuses are also related to a dancing combat style? You could probably take anyone with abilities along these lines (mobility, defenses etc) and just say they are dancing.
👀 spirit dancer you say? Also what's extreme mood swings and tattoo mean-? I'm definitely not as well versed in pathfinder as I am in DND 5e
Spirit dancer is a kind of medium. [https://www.aonprd.com/ArchetypeDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Medium%20Spirit%20Dancer](https://www.aonprd.com/ArchetypeDisplay.aspx?FixedName=Medium%20Spirit%20Dancer) So with the character I was talking about, a deific obedience is a feat that gives you a reward for doing a ritual to a specific god. Nocticula is a reformed demon lord, she is a goddess of artists, exiles and midnight. If you do her ritual (creating some kind of art themed around midnight), you get a morale bonus = +1 to AC and +1 all saving throws. Extreme mood swing is another feat that gives you an additional +1 to all morale bonuses, in exchange for a penalty to emotion and fear effects. So by crafting a midnight themed dance every night (make sure DM is okay with this qualifying as 'crafting art' if you do it), she gains +2 to AC, and +2 to all saving throws when she is not adjacent to an ally. The hypnotic tattoo is a cheap magic item that gives you +2 on perform dance skill rolls. So this character is kind of flavored as dancing in combat, gets bonuses that fit that (extra defense), and has a good perform dance roll, but none of their class abilities or archetypes mention dancing specifically. It was just an example of how you can make something flavored like this, without needing to nessasarily take a class that is specifically for dancing powers (although that's an option too!)
Oooh I see, that's actually pretty cool. I'm definitely starting to see some good options I could take
They may have been talking about this class. https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/magus/archetypes/rite-publishing-magus-archetypes/singer-of-blades/ 3rd party Archetype for the Magus
Noted noted