Hey everyone was just wondering if someone could help me out. Was just wondering, when an Int Weapon uses a spell it has, does the spell come off of the weilders action? Ex, lets say a sword had Invisibility as a once per day spell. If the sword casts the spell and the spell (which it does) requires a standard action, does the weilder lose their standard?
aaron Ellis is corrent. The rules reference, if you need it:
Activating a power or concentrating on an active one is a standard action the item takes.Source
Therein lies the real power of intelligent items - they get actions!
Sadly, intelligent weapons in Pathfinder are very bad at some of the things they're traditionally known for. They're terrible at all skills, and they're lousy at being wise or intelligent counselors. They're not any better at being weapons than non-intelligent weapons (or armor for that matter). What they are very good at is casting low level spells.
Also, the "best" magic items to make intelligent are things other than weapons or armor - because the base price of the item increases the ego, and you probably want your weapon or armor to be magically enchanted to more than +1. The ideal intelligent magic item is slotless and cheap, like a 25g burned-out Ioun stone!
Think of an intelligent weapon as if it were a spellcasting familiar. It would use its turn and actions, not its master's.
Actually... while they do indeed get their own actions, intelligent items go on their bearer's turn.
"Unlike most magic items, intelligent items can activate their own powers without waiting for a command word from their owner. Intelligent items act during their owner's turn in the initiative order."
