Simple question: Do familiars (who can speak, such as mephits) gain bonus languages when the master gains ranks in Linguistics?

I cannot seem to find any rules for whether or not outsiders or constructs can "die" due to old age. As the answer to this question leads back to what caused the question: do elementals, mephits, imps, quasits, or homunculi (improved familiars) have the capacity to die of old age, or are they effectively immortal (barring premature death through violence, etc.)?

Ok, so the debate on how good the MT is has beaten the horse to a bloody pulp. Not getting into that. My question is: are the bloodline/mystery spells considered to be class features and cease to progress with levels in MT or are they a part of "spells." My thinking is that they will not advance with the PrC, but I would like input to be sure.

Is there a list somewhere that my Google-fu can't find that lists which undead are considered to have souls? The best I can find in the rules is a mention in Magic Jar that states that "intelligent undead have or are souls." Does this mean any undead that has an Int score also has a soul?

I've seen a few crafty threads about this strategy, but I'd like to hear what the consensus on this matter is:

Can you cast a spell while under the effects of Binding (Minimus Containment)?

Is it possible to cast Magic Jar while under Minimus Containment?

Further, can you use the gem you're trapped in as the focus for Magic Jar?

I was recently asked to play (as a PLAYER, no less) in a level 20 game. I thought this would be the best time to try out an idea I had for an entrepreneurial character: Matilda of Matilda's Magical Market (TM). She's a crafter, through and through. Crafting comes with one main caveat: time. She's supposed to be an ancient spell caster that has been making common "magical market" items (potions, scrolls, enchanted Adamantine Full Plate for the high level fighter) for generations.

To get over the time problem, you need to have access to Reincarnate (allows resurrection after natural death) and Contingency (to have it actually go off at the right time). In Core-Only (yes, this is strictly Core-Only. Personal stipulation), this necessitates the Druid and Wizard spell lists. Thus, Mystic Theurge seems the way to go for this market-focused gal. (If not Core-Only, I'd just play a Witch, take Forced Reincarnation and the Healing patron, and call it a day.)

Without drawing the "MT sucks, don't play it ever" (since low level problems will never come up), what steps should be taken to breathe mechanical life into this concept?

Options chosen thus far:
- Wiz7/Drd3/MT10
- Trait: Magical Knack (Wizard) [not Core-Only, but allowed for PFS Core, so it counts]
- Divination School
- Weather/Fire domain (Weather because it's good, or Fire because it is emblematic of the phoenix)
- Brew Potion
- Scribe Scroll
- Craft Wand
- Craft Magical Arms and Armor
- Craft Wondrous Item

EDIT: Aside from the crafting feats, all chosen options are subject to change based on feedback.

Ever the munchkin and paranoid wizard player, I'm concerned about one particular aspect of playing a divine caster. Is there a feat or other similar character option that allows a divine caster to forgo the Divine Focus requirement? Wizards can take Eschew Materials and Spell Mastery to cast after being captured and robbed, but I'm not familiar with any options a cleric can exercise in the same manner. Should I just invest in Craft (woodworking) to make them on the fly if robbed, or is there some other option I'm missing?

Knowing the flavor behind the Witch, is it possible for a witch to "fall" like a Cleric when his/her patron no longer wishes to impart knowledge? Witches lack the "Ex-X" line in their class abilities, so I'm inclined to believe they cannot lose their powers mechanically, regardless of their alignment or how they interact with their patron.

(I'm speaking in game terms, not RP terms.)

The Spell Lattice is a wondrous item that lists 2 feats as part of its crafting requirements. Can the knowledge of the spell still be ignored? In the case of an Arcanist, specifically: can one take Scribe Scroll and Craft Wondrous Item then create a Spell Lattice of an unknown spell to add to one's spell book? Since the item requires Scribe Scroll, I accept that. However, scrolls themselves are not called out as exceptions to the "ignore requirement at +5" rule. Just "spell completion" items, which this does not seem to be. Am I missing something, or can the Arcanist "scribe" spells it doesn't know into its spell book without the need for another character to donate the spell to be scribed?

What can be done to best optimize a human Dual-Cursed Oracle with the Blackened and Consumed (non-adv.) curses? The idea is to use Oracle's Burden to amplify damage through Blackened's spells. Mysteries on the table are Life (to mitigate the non-lethal damage that racks up through Consumed), Flames (largely flavor based, but gives higher level fire spells), Lore (utility support through skills when not blasting), and Time (good class skills and mid-level spells). Character is level 5, but feats at 3 and 5 are spoken for. Misfortune will be taken as one of the revelations to improve the chances of Oracle's Burden sticking. So, what is the optimal set-up for 2 revelations (1 and 3) and 2 feats (both at 1)?

I realize only 2 feats free poses a challenge, but I want to see what can really be done with limited resources.

I took it upon myself to make a guide that is the fruit of my endeavors to make a "Spontaneous Crafter." I hope someone will find some use in this guide. I also hope to spark a little discussion on some of the nuances of crafting, specifically regarding spontaneous casters.

Here it is: Guide to the Spontaneous Crafter

Reading over Versatile Spontaneity while trying to make a "spontaneous crafter" has sparked an interesting set of questions:

1) What characters can actually create spell books? Does it just require a Spellcraft check, or is having a casting mechanic based on book preparation needed to actually write one?

2) Can I use spells prepared through Versatile Spontaneity to craft magic items, thus lowering the inevitable +5 most spontaneous casters incur for making items?

This leads to the final question:

3) Can a spontaneous caster buy a scroll, scribe it into a spell book, prepare it through Versatile Spontaneity, and craft a Page of Spell Knowledge for the spell at a DC 22 instead of DC 27?
[EDIT: Effectively, through this method, a Sorcerer/Oracle/Ley-Line Guardian/etc. can BUY a new spell known. 1st = 535gp, 2nd = 2190gp, etc.]

If so, it's very possible to truly birth a spontaneous caster with access to LITERALLY every spell on their class spell list, as long as they can afford a large enough book. And this can start as early as Level 5.

When choosing the Arcane Bond class feature, many automatically go with familiar for the no-risk bonuses. However, I have to wonder if that is optimal for any wizard who multiclasses or decides to enter a prestige class. The familiar ceases to advance, leaving it with low NA and low Int. I have a few questions regarding both options:

(for the following questions, assume a character of Bard 1/ Wizard 5/ Magaambyan Arcanist 2)

Familiar:
1) What ways exist to advance the familiar to HD rather than Wizard level?
2) Do these methods allow for Improved Familiar to be taken?

Bonded Item:
1) Does the concentration check only apply to Wizard spells?
2) Therefore, if parted with a magic wand/ring/etc., can I still cast my Bard spells?

It seems like the Item is better for a multiclass character, as it advances by your spell and caster level, not your wizard level. However, it becomes a liability if it hinders your casting through other classes, making a non-scaling familiar more attractive. Which interpretation is correct? Or, rather, which interpretation is closest to RAW?

EDIT: Additional questions:
1) If I choose a Bard archetype (Magician, Arcane Duelist, etc.) that grants an Arcane Bond, am I required to use that version of the bond regardless of if I meet the level it is granted?
2) Does choosing a Bard archetype that grants an Arcane Bond cause the concentration checks to Bard spells IF the bond is gained through other means, and never through the Bard class?

I'm making a crafting-focused PC as a support for a game. Now, what kind of self-respecting traveling merchant couldn't make a simple Cure potion or wand? While there are ways to get around things using other classes (Bard, Witch, Alchemist all have CLW), the Wizard remains the best crafter (bonus feats) and fits the flavor of what I'm going for.

So, what are valid, RAW ways for a Wizard to add CLW to her spell list?

So far, I have:
- Collegiate Arcanist (Halcyon Magic) - entry lvl 6
- Samsaran (Mystic Past Life alt racial feature) - requires specific race
- Independent Spell Research - only as an absolute last resort, since it's iffy

What other methods exist?

I'm currently building an NPC for a short campaign. While Master Craftsman allows the alchemist to qualify for certain crafting feats, this still leaves out key items (mainly Greater Potions and Rings). According to the developer (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2sf75?Alchemist-Spell-Knowledge-Discovery), the discovery Spell Knowledge grants a caster level and should, theoretically, allow an alchemist access to all crafting feats she qualifies for using Alchemist level as CL.

Is this interaction considered legal, per the wording and rules?