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Gorum's divine fighting technique allows vital strike on a charge. But even more limitations here - only greatswords and only vital strike (not improved or greater with the strictest reading anyway).

Yeah... but once you can Vital Strike on a charge, you can then Spirited Charge for double damage after everything else. Easily makes up for the greatsword requirement and regular Vital Strike.

Are there more than CL/5 versions of a spell that can dispel the Spellbane? I imagine there are, especially if you include all of the touch range ones. Or just mimic Spellbane targeting Spellbane... though that is a 9th level spell so could go wacky.

Teisatsu Vigilante also gets Ki Pool at level 2. Otherwise, besides Ninja for Ki pool also at 2nd, I think the Dwarf alternate race feature Iron Within is really the only way to get Ki sooner.

Also (kind of expanding on UnArcaneElection), I thought Master of Many Styles level 1 feature only gave you a Style feat. Notably, the only feats that are actually "Style" keyworded feats are the initial feats to each chain. The follow up feats are merely "Combat" feats. The Wildcard feature (at 6, 10, etc) allows them to take the follow up feats for 'free', but you still need to meet prereqs.

Alternative: Graveknight.
Same +2 CR as Vampire, and similar ability score bonuses, but always in Desecrate(with an altar, additionally force concentration checks to use positive energy), immunities where Vampire has resistances, SR 11+HD, Standard Action take control of other Undead instead of Dominate, energy damage on weapon attacks vs energy drain, Phantom Mount vs summon swarms.
And can enter homes without invitation.
Creation is ... basically die horribly to elemental damage and be bitter about it.

Probably say a mix in a party though. Graveknight especially helps the rest of the party with always on Desecrate(and with altar).

For the Crook, since you succeeded on a grapple check on someone not adjacent to you, aren't they immediately pulled to an adjacent open space per the standard grapple rules? And since you were grappling with a weapon and the Crook is a Reach Weapon, you are no longer threatening an adjacent target with it, so the grapple auto-breaks?

Someone had this stellar first-level build using Medium and a Longsword... wish I could remember it better, or who posted it/could find the post. They had all sorts of traits and stuff really adding to what what they could do, I think they even had Burning Disarm as an SLA. Any chance this sounds familiar to anyone?

That seems to fit my level 1 Medium "Martial Pregen" character for PFS.

Human(Fey Magic, Adoptive Parentage)
16+2 Str, 14 Dex, 14 Con, 8 Int, 10 Wis, 12 Cha
Trait 1: Chosen of Iomedae (Start play with MW Longsword for free, Light 1/day and whenever anyone casts Light on this longsword it has double radius and duration)
Trait 2: Arodenite Sword Training (proficiency with Longsword, if you are already proficient +1 to AoOs)
Adoptive Parentage: Tengu do not have a weapon familiarity (they have Swordtrained) but otherwise qualify, so can take Weapon Focus(Longword). Or really any other sword-like object, but Longsword fits this character.
Fey Magic: Urban. Also gains Low Light Vision, but I think PFS turned off Fey Thoughts for Human. Guidance, Mending, Read Magic for 1/day Druid orisons. I like Goodberry here for 1/day Druid 1, but you can fit in the Burning Disarm. As you probably know, it's better if they save vs Burning Disarm at low levels and our DC is 12.

Medium 1 (no archetype), pick Champion Spirit most days, channel weaker spirit to gain 2 additional uses of Spirit Surge instead of Martial Proficiency/1 Exotic (unless you need the Exotic for a McGuffin)
FCB: +1 HP
Feat 1st: Spirit Focus(Champion)
Take Detect Magic and Light for Medium Knacks, since Light is more effective on your sword and Detect Magic is always useful even if you can't make the check to identify anything. Otherwise, Message to keep the party on Comms.
3 Skills to choose, I liked taking one for a day job(ie craft alchemy for cheaper Acid Flask, though you can channel Trickster on crafting days), Perception and Diplomacy.
150 gp: Scale Mail for 50gp (upgrade to Breastplate when you can afford), 50 gp potion of cure light wounds, and a few alchemic splash weapons (ir acid) plus backup weapons (kunai, morning star, longspear, etc). Alchemical weapons are very effective in our hands, since Spirit/Seance Bonus apply to their damage.

I would have liked to add in a shield, but no proficiency. Eventually purchase MW light steel shield for 159 gp after an adventure or two since 2h on the Longsword isn't much of a benefit compared to +1 AC.

Summary:
11 HP AC 17 F/R/W 4/2/2
+5 Diplo, +4 Perception, +2 Initiative
Almost always in 40' normal light with 80' +1 light step, and Low-Light Vision
+8 to hit MW Longsword for 1d8+8 1h or +8 1d8+10 2h
+4 to hit touch Acid Flask for 1d6+4 acid
Can add +1d6 to a failed Hit or Fort save 3 times before penalties (basically losing spellcasting, and Int penalty)

the problem for him to not choose the shaman is because of the background he put ¨the monastery¨, shaman are like cleric of the wilds/savage so its not fit the part of the monastery which is more civilized

Yeah, because "Lore" and "Slums" spirits scream "Nature".

Just to take it in a different direction, you could look at the Shaman Class. It's a hybrid class of witch and oracle, prepared caster, and still counts as divine. Comes with a spirit animal familiar, functionally similar to the witch's familiar, but with some fun and flavorful spirit choices. I believe lore spirit is one of these that might suit you quite well. Shaman hexes are neat too, though often considered a bit weaker and/or more niche than witch hexes.

Yep, Lore spirit's Arcane Enlightenment can give several Wizard/Sorcerer spells on list. Also several of the FCBs give spells from other lists. Half-elf/Half-Orc/Human/Vanara are Cleric, Gathlain/Ghoran/Vine Leshy are Druid, Shabti is Psychic, and Wayang is Wizard. And Samsarans's Mystic Past Life of course.

Half-orc Amplified Rage Bloodrager with a valet familiar and have an 18 strength when it matters anyway?
Probably important to know if everyone in the party is starting with all 10s, or just your own character.

Starting with something that already exists on 'common' races...

There are several of the elemental races (Oread, Sylph, Ifrit) that have Fast Healing 2 for a round when struck with a damage type (acid/electric/fire respectively). It doesn't have to bypass their DR/Immunity, however it does have a cap of 2/HD per day.
Undine has something similar, but have to submerge in naturally occurring water to trigger it.
All of these replace their elemental affinity, which is only useful to a couple of classes anyway and probably weighted low on the points scale.
You could trigger it on taking untyped physical damage, but that is probably still more common than a specific elemental type. Maybe chose Piercing/Slashing/Bludgeoning (and maybe not trigger on multiple damage types), but that is just fine-tuning. Or maybe Bleed, but doesn't count as magical healing, so doesn't turn off bleed.

I just noticed the last sentence in planar adaption saying that it has no effect if cast on the material plane.

Your native plane, not Material Plane. Minor difference, but important for outsiders.

I think the "Planar adaptation has no effect when cast upon your native plane" means it doesn't do anything to help you survive when you are on your native plane. For example, you cast the spell while at the bottom of the ocean, it wouldn't give you water breathing or prevent damage from being in a vacuum. Or if you were already on your native plane, which just happened to be the plane of fire, it wouldn't help you survive it. It helps you when you go elsewhere.

The first line implies that you choose the plane when casting " harmful environmental effects of a particular plane of existence". It doesn't specify that it is your current plane, so you should get a choice.

...absent atmosphere could negate verbal components right off the bat.

Metamagic Rod of Silent Spell will unfortunately have to be the medium version, so 11k. Maybe chug an Elixir of Concordance to get a minute of Arcane Silent Spells for 1.1k. Typically though, if you have someone to cast Planar Adaptation, Life Bubble isn't far off, and a more versatile buff. Immunity to all harmful gasses and pressures and being able to breathe anywhere at 2 hours/CL is very good, and you can spread it out to the entire party. I've generally had someone in the party (usually myself) casting Life Bubble by the time we're all in the low teens, and I've never needed to cast Planar Adaptation.

Nycar, it has regeneration and ferocity... which means it cannot die(from hp damage anyway) unless someone uses cold iron on it.

3 levels of Flying Blade Swashbuckler and stab them every time they make an attempt to attack you?

If you are referring to Fame/Prestige, I don't think that detracts from expected loot. On the high side, you can use 2 prestige to pick up an item worth 750gp, and an adventure path gives 4 prestige and 1 full level in XP. The first part, "Shards of Sin" is for characters between 3-5, and awards 4800 gp in Society Play according to the chronicle sheet. However, it is only locations B1-D15. What is listed on the chronicle sheet for purchase is usually(in the older adventures anyway) what you would have found during the adventure. I am seeing something like 23k-24k gold on the chronicle, divide out by 4800 is 5 "players" (legal table size is 4-7 if I remember correctly). There very well could have been regular or masterwork items worth enough to bring that up to 6 players, I haven't looked at the actual adventure in a long time. I remember one high level adventure that was just like "and 6k gold worth of masterwork items of various kinds in this room." Which I adapted to be racks of weapons to be used by one of the enemies with Telekinesis...
Anyway, if the player picked up two wands for 750 each, that would be an increase in loot of 30%, or 6300 gp total. If the loot is under that mark, maybe drop a few wands or make the partially charged wands full.

I'd say it more mimics Flame Blade/Gozreh's Trident/Holy Ice Weapon/Desperate Weapon/Hedging Weapons rather than Spiritual Weapon.
Same 0' range, min/level, effect: melee weapon of some sort.
Flame Blade/Gozreh's Trident are SR:Yes and no save, the others are SR:No and no save. Hedging Weapons has neither listed either.
That it doesn't have SR or a Save would have to be intentional.
Spiritual Weapon actually deals force damage, not weapon damage and strikes like a spell.
Force Sword is probably a good comparison. It is the same level as Instant Weapon, but has some advantages, so it makes sense that Instant Weapon would different advantages. Force Sword is an Evocation(Force) that starts off as a +1 weapon up to +3, can be handed off to someone else (or thrown) and cannot be attacked except by specific spells, but has SR:Yes. Instant Weapon is a conjuration(creation)(force) that can be any masterwork weapon, but has 20 hardness(can be attacked) and can't be dropped or given away. It makes complete sense from a balance point of view that it ignores SR.

Want glowing pages? Did you know that Prestidigitation can create a substance/item, but that substance/item can't be useful in combat in any way? Do you further know that there's an alchemical ink that glows? So... Prestidigitate some glowing ink into existence, scribble it into some pages, then tear them and toss them for faintly glowing pages that will only last an hour.

Similarly you could use the visible version of Arcane Mark to do the same thing and the glow would last longer.

Did you know that Prestidigitation explicitly cannot duplicate the effects of any spell other than what is listed? Sure, it can create (fragile and artificial looking) objects, but they can't be used as tools. Guess what type of object Glowing Ink is? An Alchemical Tool. Glowing Ink doesn't even illuminate the area as a candle(no listed mechanic), just gives a bonus on perception checks to see it and 'allows you to read it in normal darkness'.

Battle Poi, because it's damage type is Fire (not Slashing/Piercing/Bludgeoning). Which makes things interesting.
Also Shuriken for 'free' quick draw, since for drawing they are considered ammunition. Best if they are also Durable and Adamantine for 61 gp each.

If you're using ABP get a Phylactery of Positive Channeling, or if you're not using ABP but your GM allows combining magic items, Phylactery of Positive Channeling + Headband of Wisdom is really good. Also, a Ring of Protected Life will let you Channel as a Swift 1/day when you need an in-combat burst of healing or nuke undead.

Another trick (Life) Shaman have that Clerics don't is Amulet of Spirits. Not for the specific Life Spirit effect, but the clause: "If a creature that already has the associated mystery or spirit wears the amulet, that wearer does not gain the abilities listed below; instead, the effective level of her mystery or spirit powers increases by 2." Plus the Phylactery and you are effectively at +3d6 channel.

And Ki Channel/Tea of Transference (+minor creation) mentioned already.

Unfortunately, the Corpse Companion doesn't draw rules from other similar abilities like Animal Companion or Familiar. If it did, it might get an ability called Share Spells, which among other things typically allows your companion to be affected by personal spells that are against type.

Animal Companion - Share Spells (Ex): The druid may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her animal companion (as a spell with a range of touch) instead of on herself. A druid may cast spells on her animal companion even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the companion's type (animal). Spells cast in this way must come from a class that grants an animal companion. This ability does not allow the animal to share abilities that are not spells, even if they function like spells.

Familiar - Share Spells: The wizard may cast a spell with a target of “You” on his familiar (as a touch spell) instead of on himself. A wizard may cast spells on his familiar even if the spells do not normally affect creatures of the familiar's type (magical beast).

Eidolon - Share Spells (Ex): The summoner may cast a spell with a target of “you” on his eidolon (as a spell with a range of touch) instead of on himself. A summoner may cast spells on his eidolon even if the spells normally do not affect creatures of the eidolon's type (outsider). Spells cast in this way must come from the summoner spell list. This ability does not allow the eidolon to share abilities that are not spells, even if they function like spells.

Playing a character focused on making Bleed damage your thing? Shax is probably your god. Or maybe it's Achaekek, and you're rocking Sawtooth Sabres.

Lamashtu's Carving via Divine Fighting Technique as well for bleed.

I had a Warpriest(for greater weapon of the chosen) with 2h fighter dip(for overhand chop) with an obsidian falchion and disposable weapon. Roll twice to threaten (and auto confirm a crit) instead of adding 4x Str modifier as normal damage(on the crit), it is instead Bleed damage. Looking back at it now, I am not sure if greater weapon of the chosen would actually apply, but at the time the GM thought so since it wasn't a full attack.

Irori, basically be the best you you can be. Also, Ki Channel.

And obviously our lord Saran Wrap (Sarenrae with a Tengu accent in my parts).

Are you keeping Heroism up on yourself? How about Greater Invisibility? Improved Precise Shot? Deadly Aim & Rapid Shot giving you too many penalties? What about retraining into an Archetype that helps your accuracy, like Urban and/or Totemic? Red Tongue and share some teamwork combat feats?

What about a single level in Medium, with Spirit Focus(Champion) and Spirit-Bonded armor enchant for +3 to hit and +5 to damage?

A combat scabbard is an improvised weapon, it can't be enchanted as a weapon.

Being sharpened doesn't change it into a normal weapon, it stays an improvised weapon.

Even without that, the ability teleport only the weapon. Not other stuff.

Does it stay improvised though? The sharpened version says you can use it like a weapon, not an improvised weapon. The martial weapons table also has "improvised, see text" for the regular scabbard, but just "see text" for the sharpened version. So I could see a decent argument for losing Improvised.

I'd also like to grapple someone to attach a weapon cord and a called weapon to teleport them, but I don't think its in the cards.

Also size increases amd the Impact weapon enchantment help. So find a way to get easy Enlarge Person.

I wondered about that recently. I've always played that you can put Impact on an Amulet of Mighty Fists(usually natural attackers)... but Impact doesn't apply to light weapons, and the Amulet can only take enchantments that can apply to unarmed strikes... which is a light weapon.

Potions of Enlarge Person are cheap (50gp) at even low levels and are 'faster' than having someone cast the actual spell since it makes you large as a standard action instead of a 1-round action. Throw on a spring loaded wrist sheath (or just walk around with one in hand when you expect combat) and maybe even a way to drink the potion faster (potion glutton/etc).

I'm reading people post that the scaled fist monk AC bonus doesn't stack, and trying to understand why?

Monk = Add CHA to AC as untyped bonus
Paladin = Add one point of CHA to DEX for AC.

Completely different.

Except exactly the same in practice.

Per this FAQ, you basically treat an untyped bonus from an ability score as a "that ability score"-type of bonus. So in the Iroran Paladin's case you end up with 10(base) + Strength-typed-bonus(Scaled Fist) + (not Dex but) Strength-typed-bonus(Iroran Paladin) + other modifiers.

In this case, all of the relevant abilities are of the Charisma(if any) construction that is explicitly called out in the FAQ. "an Iroran paladin adds 1 point of his Charisma bonus (if any)" and "the monk adds his Wisdom bonus (if any)"

As the same typed bonus doesn't stack, you only get one instance of Str-typed-bonus.

Aasimar(Angelkin) would fit. +2 Str/Cha which works nicely with Paladin. Though that might be more after he rips off his wings. Aasimar do have a feat to gain wings though at 10.

I don't remember D2 very well, but I don't think we actually have much reference of what Tyreal can do, combat-wise. He has a sword, and wing-like-objects... so basically you imagination's the limit.

However, he does resurrect your mercenaries in D2, so probably take Ultimate Mercy if you are going the Paladin route. Oath against Fiends would certainly be on point. Maybe Celestial Obedience for Ragathiel and prestige Crimson Templar? Though the fiery wings feels more like Urzael in D3.

Good old Fire Shield type effects(like Water Shield, Profane Numbus, Thorn Body, etc).

You might get some push back from "melee weapons with reach" clause, but point out that the weapon they are using doesn't have reach(probably) they are using natural reach from Longarm/etc.

Caustic Blood is fairly significant. Every attack is followed up by a Ref/half for 15d6 (at max level) followed by another 7d6 Ref/negates the next round. Example, 6 attacks, save or take 90d6 followed by 42d6. Toxic Blood is similar (though lower level) except its save or take Con poison damage.

Blade Snare and check for a grapple every time they attack. If they are grappled they can't use 2h weapons or make AoOs. Similarly, Resinous Skin for Reflex or weapon gets stuck (though its ambiguous what type of action that strength check is to get the weapon back).

Normal anti-rage effects, like Waves of Fatigue.

Blindness or some other way of restricting vision.
Acrobatics, you are flatfooted if you are forced to make a balance check(well DC 10 or higher). For example, a Severely sloped (>45°)(+5 DC), Icy(+5 DC), Gravel(+2 DC) Greater than 3 feet wide(base DC 0) is DC 12. Maybe combine the two with Sleet Storm on a Slightly sloped (<45°)(+2 DC) floor.

Creatures with Spines/Quills/Thorns like Spine Dragon(CR16), Porcupine, etc.

Heavyload Belt, and Muleback Cords are fairly cheap (or a wand of Ant Haul) but take up your belt/shoulder slot respectively. But a Handy Haversack is the same price.

If you are looking for Budget capacity though, Bag of Holding, Minor or Pathfinder Pouch are 1000gp, and if you are just starting out a Masterwork Backpack lets you treat your str at 1 higher for carry capacity... but weighs 4 lbs. It only gives you additional light load if your strength is 10 or higher. If you are looking at medium load, going from 1 str to 2 is greater than 4 lbs. Maybe see if you make it from Darkleaf Cloth for light load, but that gets expensive low level.

Medium and Occultist are Psychic actually. But the Medium can gain access to the Cleric or Wizard lists up to 6th level with a days notice. Some archetypes do change it up though.

It seems like you are decent on damage in the party, so maybe something support-ish. Maybe something like a level dip in Dual-Cursed Oracle for Misfortune trigger some rerolls (note: you can use it on your allies when they roll poorly). Then maybe Witch with the Agility Patron for Haste and Freedom of Movement and careful selection of Hex and Spells.

Is there a particular reason you need Arcane other then Knowledge checks maybe?

Silksworn Occultist with a level dip in Spellslinger Wizard and Spell Cartridges?

Firebug wrote:

Specifically, if they have DR/Magic their natural attacks count as magic for overcoming DR(but not for striking incorporeal, etc)

Tangental to original Q, but is this accurate? Per FAQ, attacks that bypass DR/magic count as magic for harming incorporeal creatures. Don’t have the link handy just have the picture saved on my phone in pathfinder-related… this was answered Oct 31, 2014. Exact wording was “Such attacks should also be able to harm incorporeal creatures as if the attack was magic.”

Maybe?

Let me find that FAQ...Monk Ki Pool(Magic) vs Incorporeal probably? "At 4th level, ki strike allows his unarmed attacks to be treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction." Same 'purpose of overcoming damage reduction' so yeah, I think you are correct.

What kind of DR matters as well.

Some forms of DR allows them to bypass similar DR. Specifically, if they have DR/Magic their natural attacks count as magic for overcoming DR(but not for striking incorporeal, etc). Same thing with DR/Epic. Aligned-subtyped creatures (they have the good, evil, chaos, or law creature subtype) overcome DR/alignment as if their natural attacks have that same type(s). Aligned-subtypes don't need to actually have the DR to bypass it.

Notably, DR/weapon types (bludgeoning, piercing, slashing, and -) don't overcome themselves, nor does DR/material (cold iron, silver, adamantine, etc).

actuly they do interact. a sla count as a spell in all respect beside where it doesn't. and it require casting. it just doesn't use somatic or verbal comp. hance the concentration check if damaged or trying to cast defensively.

as opposed to say supernatural ability that doesn't provoke or need concentration.

look it up in the magic section it tells exactly how they defare and how they are the same in other aspects.

"Usually, a spell-like ability works just like the spell of that name. A spell-like ability has no verbal, somatic, or material component, nor does it require a focus. The user activates it mentally. Armor never affects a spell-like ability’s use, even if the ability resembles an arcane spell with a somatic component.

A spell-like ability has a casting time of 1 standard action unless noted otherwise in the ability or spell description. In all other ways, a spell-like ability functions just like a spell.

Spell-like abilities are subject to spell resistance and dispel magic... "

it works like a spell in all ways except what component are used to cast it. it is activated mentally but is still called casting, is effected by spell resistance and can be dispelled.
it call for concentration and provoke just like any other spell casting.

Except they aren't spells.

Not to mention the multiple 'you can't use a spell-like for that' FAQs. Item Creation CL, Metamagic feats, and Metamagic Rods.

When the game first came out, you were allowed to use SLAs for early access on Prestige Classes/etc. They have long since FAQed that to oblivion. Like literally a decade ago.

The Tea of Transference requires you to have the have the ki pool class feature. Iron Within is a racial trait not a class feature. It would work with a Multiclassed monk/cleric, but not a 1st level cleric.

If it quacks like a duck. There was a lengthy thread a long time ago with one of the game designers. Basically if it functions like that class feature for other game element purposes it is that class feature except for the stated exceptions. The stated exceptions in this case are: starts at 1 (instead of 1+ability score), it stacks with other ki pools, and can't use it for ki strike.

Is there anything else that improves the bonus from Good Hope? I could have sworn there was an item or a feat that boosted morale bonuses that come from you, but for the life of me cannot find it.

You might be thinking of the Courageous weapon enchant... pre-errata. The change from first printing to second was: In courageous, in the last sentence, after “any morale bonus” add “on saving throws against fear”.

Iron Within(gives 1 point of ki pool) Dwarven Cleric(or whatever with channel at level 1) with Ki Channel and a source of Tea of Transference. Technically infinite healing though it costs 40 gp for a 1d6 Channel Energy 30' radius. Not limited to once per target unlike the witch and is a 30' radius.

Sure, gold cost. But it's a follower of a higher level character who presumably has gold. Or Minor Creation since the tea isn't magical and presumably made of nonliving vegetable matter.

Personally, I prefer to actually dip 2 into Ninja for the Ki Pool, because then the healer can Vanish basically at-will as well.

I think the designers overestimated the class' focus on Con.

I would say that the extracts-infusions rules have more than a few flaws.

The trick of using the Touch Injection spell/infusion and personal range spell with negative effects and no save or spell resistance, like Polypurpose Panacea, can kill even the mightiest dragon if you can cast a combo of one second level spell and one first level spell and hit its touch AC. It will require a coup de grace against a sleeping creature, but you have an hour to prepare and deliver it.

Several other spells have strange effects if made into infusions. Extracts are an interesting idea, but they needed more development to work flawlessly.

Touch Injection now gives a Fort save and SR for Personal range infusions. Poisoner's Gloves got the same treatment, Fort save and SR. Injection Spear and Syringe Spear weren't updated but that is likely because they are from a bit more obscure sources.

So at least RAI, that trick is 'closed'.

- Extracts cannot be made for spells that have Focus components - so no Extract of True Strike, even though it's on their formula list.

Odd that there is a FAQ that asks specifically about an Infusion of True Strike and they respond as if it were possible. But that's probably more of a case of answering one aspect of the question(personal spells as infusions) and not doing their due diligence(checking for other reasons it's no allowed).

Occultist can get (an improved version)Telekinesis as a Focus power at 9th. And as a 5th level spell, though that's at 13.

Not to mention the Aether Kineticist...

Kirin Strike also takes 3 Swift Actions to get Int to damage (start the style, identify, and damage), so typically round 3. You can get it sooner, but that takes even more feats or some limited use items.

Arcane Sight allows you see the illusion aura put off by a (magically at least) invisible creature. Soulsight Goggles lets you do that permanently for 15k, and get some bonuses vs incorporeal creatures.

Lenses of Situational Sight are cheaper at 5k, though its 10 1 minute increments of See Invisibility (and/or detect magic, and/or darkvision).

Cheaper still at 2,592 gp is the Pipe of Revealing Mists which allows you to check a 30' cone 3/day for invisible creatures. And looks cool.

Lantern of Auras is even cheaper at 2k, and well, it allows you(and the target) to know if magic is in a direction as if you cast detect magic. If the target somehow manages to sit still for 3 rounds you can pinpoint their location.

A Noble's Vigilant Pillbox with just the black pearl remaining is probably the cheapest 'permanent' option... assuming you just need to know if you walk within 10 feet of an invisible creature. And you want to mutter a command word every round and pretend you are a witch or shaman with cackle/chant.

Pulling from my alchemist's toolbox, the Elixir of Spirit Sight is very effective for when you have unexpected guests... but much more expensive (1k for 1 minute) for non-alchemists (due to Alchemical Allocation).

And finally, a wand of Faerie Fire is pretty cheap at 750 gp if you have UMD.

Otherwise, stack your perception check?

Note that the potion creation rules have this line:
"Potions are like spells cast upon the imbiber. The character taking the potion doesn’t get to make any decisions about the effect—the caster who brewed the potion has already done so."
And scrolls have this line:
"A spell successfully activated from a scroll works exactly like a spell prepared and cast the normal way."

Spells prepared in the normal way allows you to make any decisions when cast.

Does the CL 12 sword (or whatever) cast the CL 1 Shocking Grasp put into at +11 levels? No. Absolutely not. That is freaking silly to assume, because nothing else does that... and if you were to insist, I would invite you to leave my table and not return.

There is a premium to be able to cast it at "+11 levels". We're talking at minimum a +2 weapon, so 8k. It's very likely a character isn't able to afford that until roughly level 8 or so (25% of 33k). But, the example spell is one that doesn't grow in power after level 5. In fact, the only change from CL 5 to CL 12 is countering spell resist. Sure, you could use different spells... but again by the time you can afford the enchant, the spells you are putting into it (3rd and lower spells) are basically at their peak anyway.

If anything, going with CL 12 makes the 'fighter that dips into wizard' more competitive as a concept since they are able to use their few spell slots to do ok damage and maybe actually bypass SR once in a while.

It's not that I cannot debate or come to logical compromise... it is that you are clearly in the habit of abusing Paizo's horrible editing practices.

Both the Ring of Spell Storing and the Spell Storing weapon enchant were printed in the Core rulebook and reprinted in Ultimate Equipment. If they were meant to have the same rules, they had plenty of opportunity to make them have the same rules text. All they had to do was give it the same language as the Ioun Stone(from all of 3.0, 3.5 and PF) which says "as a ring of spell storing, minor" and adding "except only a single spell and it activates as a free action on hitting with the weapon".

As I alluded to, this issue stems all the way back from D&D 3.0. In 3.0 the spell storing weapon was CL 8 but required CL 12 to create. 3.5 updated both to CL 12 and it hasn't changed since. The ring has had the same minimum CL language from the beginning of 3.0.

So there have been at least 3 opportunities (3.0->3.5, ->PF:CRB, ->PF:UE) to give the weapon the same restrictive language as the ring but they never have. In fact, Ultimate Equipment added the Spell Storing armor enchant which has the same language as the weapon enchant (well, touch vs targeted spell and being hit vs hitting, but otherwise the same). So I must conclude that it is intentionally different.

Spell Storing weapon exists in PF2e, but the ring doesn't. However, spells in PF2e don't really vary by CL, just the slot used to cast it. But it does set the DC of the spell to 30, not the caster's normal DC, which is similar to my 1e view of the weapon casting the spell. But I haven't actually played 2e, so I might be missing some context.

Out of the three options listed, only one of them is literally as simple as it can be every single time. Let's go with that one, shall we?

And it just so happens to be the same as the Ring of Spell Storing... wierd.

Oh, guess not the simplest then.

Not official, but I go with B) because the enchant says "the weapon can immediately cast the spell" and the weapon has a CL of 12.

Firebug wrote:

So Bolt damage (+5 from Medium), Bomb damage (+5 from Medium), and Acid Flask damage (+5 from Medium).

About this combo: isn't there a rule against stacking bonuses from the same source? I doubt you can add the +5 medium bonus three times on the same explosive arrow...

Note: Its 3 different damage rolls. In my example, it's a Piercing damage roll followed by a Fire damage roll and an Acid damage roll. You aren't applying the medium damage bonus multiple times on a single roll.

This isn't generally a good thing. For example, if something has damage reduction(or energy resist or hardness) it applies to each individual portion.

You might be thinking of the rule (FAQ really) that untyped ability score bonuses do not stack.

Also forgot to mention a Conductive Weapon enchant in my previous post for an extra bomb instance on the Explosive Missile at the cost of 2 uses.

Targeted Bomb Admixture for double Int to damage, but doesn't splash.
Unstable Accelerant for fire bombs.

A level dip into Medium channeling Champion spirit gives +1 to hit and +3 damage (+1/+1 from Sprit Bonus, +0/+2 from seance). Another +1 hit and damage with the feat Spirit Focus, and if you aren't playing PFS the Spirit-Bonded medium armor enchant brings another +1/+1. So +3 to hit and +5 to damage. If you compare that to losing a level in bomb progression, it's not bad. Half a d6 is an average of 1.75 damage and you comparing that to +5.

Medium also gets you a d6 added to failed attack rolls or fort saving throws with Champion spirit a few times a day. It also gets you cantrips... notably Detect Magic which I always found annoying to not have as an Alchemist. Also proficiency in all martial and any exotic weapon you feel like (and can change it daily) or a few more of those d6s. Also medium(ha) armor proficiency.

Personally, I find it's well worth the dip. On most classes.

And when you run out of bombs, throwing an Acid Flask for 1d6+5+Int still feels good at medium-low levels (and don't get me started on Hybridization Funnel which keeps it relevant in the low teens). The Grenadier archetype even allows you to attach one of those Acid Flasks (which may or may not be hybridized) to your crossbow bolt that AVR mentioned that you fire with Explosive Missile. So Bolt damage (+5 from Medium), Bomb damage (+5 from Medium), and Acid Flask damage (+5 from Medium). Though, I would probably go with Tangleshot or Dye bolts to lock in that touch attack at the expense of the bolt damage.

Building on the skinning theme: Angelskin with the chop shop being run by Pallid Angels pretending to be real angels.

Soul Gem farming with Cacodaemons. A humble chicken spirit is worth 25 gp. Not terribly impressive... but a normal chicken costs between 2 cp and 1 gp. Getting between 25x to 1250x return on your investment is pretty good. I looked into Awaken to increase the value of the gem (to 100 gp), but the 2,000 gp material cost kills that unless you have a way of ignoring material costs (SLAs, etc).

Again I am coming at this from Skald experience, but one of the fiddly bits that I really liked about Community-Minded is that on an Urban Skald (or regular Skald and an ally with a different set of morale bonuses on their rage) is that the alternate stats continue even if they switch to the other stats.

For example, Urban Skald at level 8 starts Inspired Rage giving +4 Morale bonus to Dex to the standard Barbarian who accepts the rage on the Skald's turn. At the start of the Barbarian's turn, they continue to accept the rage, but execute the clause that they can use the bonuses from their own rage, gaining +4 str/con and maintaining the +4 dex for 2 more rounds. Notably, this doesn't work with Lingering Performance, because the Skald hasn't stopped performing.

Community-Minded is also similar in allowing Morale bonuses to stick around 2 extra rounds. Though it is more effective on a Skald whose Inspired Rage also comes with penalties, which won't stick around with Community-minded but will with Lingering Performance.