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Intro:
I imagine that many people are familiar with the Painter Wizard, a hyper-tuned machine that combines game breaking mechanics and RAW rules, which adequetly demonstrates the need for this post. In short the creator of the "Painter Wizard" guide lacked a sufficient understanding of the Pathfinder rules to correctly construct his build, in part because he filled in the numerous blanks with illogical and unsupported assumptions.
The First Problem:
In terms of build time, the original poster was woefully under-rating the absurd time needed to construct even one Trompe L'Oeil.
Noted in the templates construction section: "A trompe L’oeil is created from a masterwork painting of the base creature, with a cost varying on the size of the subject... Price varies (100 gp per HD plus cost of painting)."
Therefore before we even construct our construct an adequetly value-ful mundane, masterwork painting must first be acquired. Assuming DM fiat one would reasonably craft their own. So lets assume we are building an Efreeti (Trompe L'oeil) as the "Painter Wizard" would attempt to do, we would need a size large masterwork painting valued at 3000gp. Using the normal mundane crafting rules, this effort would cost us 1000gp, and a DC 30 Craft(Painting) check, since we are accelerating. Ultimately, if we assume we have a +20 to our craft check and take 10 (reasonable since we are supposedly attempting this at Lvl5) the effort would take 334 Weeks to complete. Ok, now that we have the painting we can being crafting the actual construct which will take a mere 5 additional days at a DC20 Craft(Paint)/Spellcraft check, assuming the same wizard build). Sounds like a fun way to spend a campaign.
The Second Problem:
Alright, if problem one was not bad enough, lets dive head first into core reading comprehension for problem two.
The "Painter Wizards" master plan is to create a 10HD, size Large Efreeti to have it cast the Wish spell for us. However the Trompe L'oeil template does not actually mention if we keep any Spell-like abilities, supernatural abilities, racial traits, or non-weapon/armor magic items from the creature we have copied.
In fact the template agonizes over what you do get to keep, which includes: natural attacks, weapon proficiency, All HD derived from class levels, BAB progression, Saving-Throw progression, Skills+INT per Lvl progression, and Natural Armor bonus. If the creature happens to be wearing any weapons, armor or shields, the construct also gets a masterwork copy of that item, made of paint, and since the creature you copy must be a "corporeal creature that has an Intelligence score" it gets normal feats per Lvl progression, but Nothing Else. Notably you could reassign the constructs feats and skills if you wanted as, "Most constructs are mindless, and so they do not have feats or skills. However, a small number of constructs have an Intelligence score, and their creator determines what feats and skill ranks the construct has when it is created. This choice cannot later be changed.".
Since we all know that Pathfinder is a rules based game of what you "can do" we understand that if you make an Efreeti (Trompe L'oeil) then you only get to copy what the template denotes, which does not include its' spell-like-abilities. Bummer. Some might argue that the template is an "Inherited Template" which only means "Creatures are born or created with these templates already in place, and have never known life without them." that is it. It is even hard to imagine what base statistics the Trompe L'oeil would have.
Luckily RAI helps us here as a formal version of the Trompe L'oeil exists. This formal version denotes the stats, of a construct made in the image of a Lvl 7 human aristocrat. By the example presented we can assume that the construct copies whatever base statistics the original creature possessed, or has only the base ability scores presented in that single entry (which are pretty trash). Well now this feels underpowered.
The Third Problem:
As if it was not bad enough, the "Painter Wizard" assumes his beloved Efreeti, Trompe L'oeil (which after these corrections would have been a monumental under taking to create), is in fact not going to spite him for those free wishes (which we already determined it would not have the ability to cast). Lets simply humor the goodly wizard here.
In terms of Alignment, "A Trompe L’oeil usually has the same alignment as its creator or the base creature. A Trompe L’oeil that seeks to destroy its original model, however, has an evil alignment (but the same alignment on the chaotic/lawful axis)". Wow they really used the word "usually" get ready for DM fiat. The developers have given free-reign here to a DM to just ruin the "Painter Wizard's" day as, if for some reason the DM allowed the template to copy all the nitty-gritty, Over-Powered abilities of it's original, then the DM could still just have the construct come out evil, after all that hard work. Yes, from page 6 of the Construct Handbook it does note that, "Once the crafting process is complete, the resulting construct is ready to receive orders. A construct recognizes its creator intuitively and obeys all commands issued to it by that individual." that does not mean that it wont use its intelligence to warp the meaning of your words and grant deleterious wishes. Ouch, last nail in the coffin.
So did you like the 3 problems I pointed out? There are 4 other problems I can think of regarding the "Painter Wizard" and its' poor use of RAW. That being said those problems are only small ones, not worth mentioning. Now this is a rules question forum... so where are my rules questions? Well, for those that read through my notes, I pose the question to you, did I miss anything? Are my numbers correct? Are my notions sound and logical for RAW, and RAI where it was mentioned?. Please get back to me as I would love to read what stance you take on the whole or part of the matter. I appreciate you stopping by.
“A creator can create an item at a lower caster level than her own, but never lower than the minimum level needed to cast the needed spell. Using metamagic feats, a caster can place spells in items at a higher level than normal.” So my question is can you increase the general CL of an item like:
So here is a bit of background. My medium sized character uses a +1 Cold Iron Longsword as its’ main weapon. However I would like my weapon to deal a bit more damage at base without using magic, so I would like to make this weapon one size category larger and apply an Effortless Lace to the item to deal with the penalty.
The wondrous item known as Iron Lord's Transforming Slivers would allow me to make this change if I drank a enlarge person potion, and while under the duration of the spell, poured the pouch out onto the blade and left it over night in a Forge.
What I want to know is if I can simply use some Cold Iron bars with the weapon and a fabricate spell to net the same result. The Transforming Slivers site Fabricate as the primary spell used in its crafting so I wonder if I can effectively simplify the process if I have the spell being emulated. I would like a rules based response if such a thing exists for this unique interaction.
So my question is fairly straight forward, but I was not able to find a ruling one way or another. If I found a +2 Longsword during my adventures, and had all of the necessary requirements to use Craft Arms and Armor for this weapon, could I change this weapon into a +1 Flaming Longsword. Ultimately I am wondering if it is possible to remove a +1 from an already existing and pre-enchanted item and replace it with a special ability worth a +1. If such a thing is possible, what would the crafting time for this change? I seek a rules based response.
I have a rather odd rules question I would like to better understand. The Alchemist (Toxicant Archetype)has an abiltity known as:
Toxic Secretion (Ex):
At 1st level, a toxicant has learned to mimic creatures with the ability to secrete harmful toxins through the skin. Once per day, in a process that takes 10 minutes, the toxicant can create and imbibe a tincture that causes her skin to secrete a mild toxin. The toxicant is immune to this secretion, but any creature that hits her with a natural attack or unarmed strike must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1/2 the toxicant’s alchemist level + the toxicant’s Intelligence modifier). On a failed save, the target takes an amount of damage equal to the toxicant’s Intelligence modifier. At 4th level, a target that fails its save must succeed at a second save 1 round later or take the same amount of damage again. This effect repeats as long as the target continues to fail its saving throws, to a maximum number of rounds equal to 1 + 1 for every 4 alchemist levels the toxicant possesses (to a maximum of 6 rounds at 20th level).
This is a poison effect. The toxicant can suppress this secretion as a standard action, in which case it remains suppressed for 1 hour or until the toxicant reactivates it as a standard action.
At 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter, the toxicant can choose a condition to have her toxin impose.
Once this choice is made, it can’t be changed. A creature that fails its save against the toxic secretion also gains these conditions until it succeeds at a save against the secretion, or until the toxin’s duration ends.
At higher alchemist levels, the toxicant gains access to stronger conditions; some replace lower-level conditions, which must be selected first. The following conditions are available at the given alchemist levels: 3rd—bleed (1d6), dazzled, fatigued, or sickened; 6th—dazed or shaken; 9th—blinded (replaces dazzled) or staggered (replaces dazed); 12th—exhausted (replaces fatigued); 18th—stunned (replaces exhausted and staggered).
As a swift action, the toxicant can collect and concentrate this secretion into a poison she can deliver as a touch attack or apply to a weapon. Targets of such attacks must attempt saving throws as if they had touched the toxicant’s toxic secretion. The toxicant can do this a number of times per day equal to her alchemist level + her Intelligence modifier.
This ability replaces mutagen.
And I want to know if the toxin when concentrated to a poison as a swift action counts as "created" poison for the Alchemist Discovery Sticky Poison. Notably the wording does not say crafted, instead opting to say created. I would like to determine from a RAW standpoint if these two abilities interact.
So I want to know if a Class (Supernatural) Ability, that effects spell casting, also effect Spell-Like Abilities. Here is some context:
Sorcerers have a Bloodline called Shapechanger. This bloodline has both a Bloodline Arcana and a Bloodline Power (called Mutable Flesh) that effect Transmutation spells that you personally cast.
Bloodline Arcana: You are very skilled with magic that transforms you. Transmutation spells you cast only on yourself affect you as though your caster level were 1 higher.
Mutable Flesh (Su): At 3rd level, once per day when you cast a transmutation spell with a duration of 1 minute per level that affects only you, you can increase its duration to 10 minutes per level. At 9th level, you can increase the duration to 1 hour per level.
Dragon Disciples have a spell like ability called Dragon Form that allows them to cast Form of the Dragon on themselves.
Dragon Form (Sp): At 7th level, a dragon disciple can assume the form of a dragon. This ability works like form of the dragon I. At 10th level, this ability functions as form of the dragon II and the dragon disciple can use this ability twice per day. His caster level for this effect is equal to his effective sorcerer levels for his draconic bloodline. Whenever he casts form of the dragon, he must assume the form of a dragon of the same type as his bloodline.
What I want to know is if the Bloodline Arcana and/or the Bloodline Power of the shapechanger bloodline effect the Dragon Disciple's, Dragon Form, spell-like ability. I am asking this question as a rules only question based on raw.
