Rules for animated objects can be found here.
Rules for adjusting their size can be found here; about halfway down the page.
The caster only has to spend an move action to redirect their targets if he feels like changing them, otherwise they continue attacking their already chosen target.
Ack! Copy and pasted the wrong link; my apologies. Try this one.
It's BAB would be based on its Hit Dice, which would be based on its size.
blackbloodtroll is correct about the swords. They would be Small objects (+1 to hit) with a BAB of +2 and a Str of 10 (for no modifier), with a total of +3.
So the spell is 100% a waste of space. :(
I mean really how many level relevant foes can get hit by a BAB:2 non magical weapon?
Just because the spell is not efficient in battle, that doesn't make it a waste of space. It provided empirical evidence of just how much caster power it takes to mobilize inanimate objects.
Don't underestimate the power of multiple animated objects with the right CP spread ganging up to use the Aid Another on an opponents to subdue them...that +2 for each participant stacks up quick, and imagine the look on the BBEG's face when you capture him with a bunch of patio furniture. :-)
Fair enough, but CL 12 (only one level above minimum to cast) creates 6 medium-sized animated objects. Give them the grab special ability for a total of +9 CMB on each attack, and a total of +10 to one of them from the Aid Another actions, and you get +19 to the roll. Not too shabby. Boosting to fewer Large-sized creatures might help further, but that's my rules-math allowance before I've had my coffee.
Granted, at CL 12, there are much better ways to go about this, but I've always had fun with the versatility of it, and always questioned why it wasn't on the wizard spell list instead.
Takes a lot of AA to make a CMB of 5 effective against a CR8+ creature. The Cleric/Oracle/Bard might as well grapple the creature without wasting a spell.
At lvl 11 when you can cast it, you might as well make an huge animated object. With +15 to hit and 1d8+15 damage in up to 5 attacks, it should be rather useful. Adding in 3 small constructs for flanking and aiding will boost the attack and/or defense of the creature in question. You could also loose an attack and go grap with a CMB of +19.
All in all the spell got great versatility, and the ability to create minions that are as strong Summon Monster VI.
I always wondered this:
What happens when you animate special material objects?
Nothing, unless you pay for those abilities with CP.
My animated objects need more CP.
Use Craft Construct. Then you get to pick and choose, and pay for those extra CP.
But I do love those construction flaws from Haunting of Harrowstone. Slower means that any animated object get to be flying, burrowing, climbing and swimming, at 10 ft. less than their base speed, without any cost...
Can you animate a less than caster level allowed number of smaller than caster allowed objects with more CP?
The rules does not provide for it. But with GM control I could see it done without serious issues.
I don't have a great suggestion on how to balance the calculation however. A solution might be to make animated objects using the HD and CP of a larger animated object without increasing the size, but paying the equivalent number of "small objects" needed. I am not sure how it would play out.
it should include the statistics for the animated objects, or at least hard links to it in order to help people break down the math to calculate the suit's statistics.