School Understanding question.

I'm looking for clarification on the School Understanding Arcanist exploit. I have searched the boards and not found a specific answer.

Here is the copied text of the ability:

The arcanist can select one arcane school from any of the schools available to a character with the arcane school wizard class feature, but does not have to select any opposition schools. The arcanist gains one ability of that arcane school as though she were a 1st-level wizard, using her Charisma modifier in place of her Intelligence modifier for this ability. The ability must be one gained at 1st level and is limited in its use per day to 3 + the arcanist's Charisma modifier. As a swift action, the arcanist can expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir to bolster her understanding, allowing her to treat her arcanist level as her wizard level for the purpose of using this ability for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1). During this time, she also gains use of the other ability gained at 1st level for her selected school. She does not gain any other abilities when using this exploit in this way, such as those gained at 8th level. If the arcanist already has an arcane school (or gains one later), taking this exploit instead allows her arcanist levels to stack with the levels of the class that granted the arcane school when determining the powers and abilities of her arcane school.

My question is, when spending a point to gain access to the other abilities is your wizard level treated as lv 1 or equal to your arcanist level. (I.E. is "this ability" referring to the lv 1 wizard ability or to the exploit?)

For example:

a 20th level arcanist has the school understanding exploit and has selected the teleportation school and he selects Shift as his first level ability. By spending 1 point he gains access to the conjuration summoner's charm ability. Does he use the Summoner's Charm ability function as a 20th level wizard when empowered or a first.

Assuming summoner's charm operates at lv 20 then here is a follow up question. Does the summoners charm ability apply to duration when the summon is cast or does it check every round. So if the same summoner (assume a CHA bonus of +2) empowers the school understanding exploit and then casts summon monster the following round, is the summon permanent?

As a swift action, the arcanist can expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir to bolster her understanding, allowing her to treat her arcanist level as her wizard level for the purpose of using this ability for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1).

Thanks Skylancer but that is actually the sentence that is causing all the problems as the pronoun is unclear. Rereading my post I wasn't very clear on exactly what I'm confused about. I understand that by spending a point the "Shift" ability I selected would operate at my arcanist level, but any secondary abilities acquired are unclear. I'm looking for the clarification on the "this ability" pronoun, as the interpretation completely changes how the exploit plays out.

There are two possible ways to interpret this sentence so let me replace "this ability" with the possibilities. Assuming the previous arcanist the ability could read one of two ways(sorry for the caps, I can't figure out how to italicize on this forum):

"As a swift action, the arcanist can expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir to bolster her understanding, allowing her to treat her arcanist level as her wizard level for the purpose of using THE SELECTED WIZARD ABILITY for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1). (I.E. referring to the ability selected in the second sentence of this exploit, so any other wizard abilities would not be affected by the increase)

or

As a swift action, the arcanist can expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir to bolster her understanding, allowing her to treat her arcanist level as her wizard level for the purpose of using THIS EXPLOIT for a number of rounds equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 1). (Implying that he can use his arcanist level as his wizard level for the purpose of any additional lv 1 wizard abilities granted by this exploit during the duration)

I assume that it is the latter, as there is no mention of what level should be applied to the other level 1 abilities granted when this exploit is empowered. The second question still remains. Is duration determined when the spell is cast?

"This ability" would be referencing the particular ability it had been to that point, the level 1 wizard ability not the exploit.

As for the duration, yeah when you cast a spell it is probably easiest to think of it as taking a snapshot of your relevant attributes and using them to determine effects.

Otherwise you get fluctuating durations and DCs which is just a mess.

So because it would ONLY apply to the selected "shift" ability and the "summoner's Charm" ability would only function as a level 1 ability? Or does the change also impact the other abilities acquired when you empower this feat.

It looks like the "in question" ability would function as if your wiz level matched your class level. The additional ability you got, had no such bump mentioned so would work at 1st level as that is what the ability initially allows for.

Excellent, thank you for the clarification. Your explanation is what I was attempting to imply with option 2, that using Arcanist level for Wizard level works for all abilities acquired and not just the first one selected.

It looks like the "in question" ability would function as if your wiz level matched your class level. The additional ability you got, had no such bump mentioned so would work at 1st level as that is what the ability initially allows for.

That is the way I have been interpreting it. It's possible the writing will be more clear in the 2nd printing which should be available (in PDF form) in the next two weeks.

The character gains use of the other ability at level $UNDEFINED. Not level 1. Hence the question.

In general, when a class ability allows you to access an ability from a different class, you use your actual class levels for virtual levels in the other class.

The character gains use of the other ability at level $UNDEFINED. Not level 1. Hence the question.

In general, when a class ability allows you to access an ability from a different class, you use your actual class levels for virtual levels in the other class.

The problem is it actually is defined. When you take the exploit you choose one of the powers granted at first level and can use it as if your level was 1st. Then when you use the point that one ability treats your level as your class level now, and this same exploit grants you access to the second power that was granted at first level. The exploit is still providing you access to the second power as a first level wizard. The initial power is specifically being told to treat your levels as higher.

Your wizard level is default 1st level, as per the exploit. And the exploit is what is granting you access to the second power.