Summoner Magic Item assembly line

[Celanian]

Would the following be legal?

Have a Summoner's Eidolon take various crafting feats and have it create magic items for the Summoner and party. Take the skilled evolution that gives +8 to spellcraft. Give it some sort of cheap spell like ability so that it has a caster level.

This probably works best for an Evolutionist since they can transmute their eidolon to factory worker during downtime and into combat mode when adventuring. A Master Summoner/Evolutionist mix might work really well for this since the Eidolon for a MS is pretty wimpy anyway so turning it into an assembly line worker isn't much of a sacrifice. A Broodmaster might be able to get away with multiple workers at the same time.

The downside obviously is that any feats spent on crafting isn't one spent on combat for the eidolon. Still, getting several craft feats that don't come from your personal total seems pretty worthwhile to me.

[darkwarriorkarg]

Eidolons are not spellcasters, so they'd need master craftsman.

Short answer: no

[blashimov]

Also; what else were you doing with your feats?

[Celanian]

darkwarriorkarg wrote:

Eidolons are not spellcasters, so they'd need master craftsman.

Short answer: no

I found this from the FAQ

Item Creation Feats: Does having a caster level from a spell-like ability meet the caster level prerequisite for selecting an item creation feat?

Yes.

Doesn't this mean that if they purchase a cheap SLA from their evolutions that they have a caster level and can thus create magic items?

[Artanthos]

They can.

So could a fighter or rogue. If you want to spend your evolutions on non-combat feats, go for it.

[Celanian]

It only costs 2 evolution points, skilled and minor magic, to be able to do this plus whatever feats you want the eidolon to sacrifice. Dirt cheap at medium to high levels. And you don't even have to sacrifice the evo points if you're an evolutionist or have access to transmogrify.

The real cost is the feats spent. For summoners who use their eidolons as cheap skill monkeys such as master summoners and broodmasters, it's no big deal and is a huge bargain compared to spending your own feats.

What can make this idea especially sleazy might be for a Druid to use their animal companion to craft items. Get them up to at least 3 int and pick a companion with hands such as an ape. Give them a cheap item with an enhancement bonus to spellcraft and you should be good to go with at least low to mid level items.

The beauty of using an animal companion is that you can dismiss and replace them any time. So put your ape engineer to work in town and then summon your pouncing great cat when adventuring.

[aceDiamond]

Further way to get the most for your money. Take those feats yourself and get Cooperative Crafting so you and your Eidolon can pump out magic items for double the money. Works even better when you can grab Leadership and let your followers take crafting feats and Cooperative Crafting again, as the feat increases exponentially with the number of cooperative crafters working together increases.

Granted, this can seem pretty cheesy in some circumstances.

[DrDeth]

The devs have also said that Cohorts are generally NOT to be used to make magic items, so the same would go with a Eidolon.

[LazarX]

Celanian wrote:

Would the following be legal?

Have a Summoner's Eidolon take various crafting feats and have it create magic items for the Summoner and party. Take the skilled evolution that gives +8 to spellcraft. Give it some sort of cheap spell like ability so that it has a caster level.

This probably works best for an Evolutionist since they can transmute their eidolon to factory worker during downtime and into combat mode when adventuring. A Master Summoner/Evolutionist mix might work really well for this since the Eidolon for a MS is pretty wimpy anyway so turning it into an assembly line worker isn't much of a sacrifice. A Broodmaster might be able to get away with multiple workers at the same time.

The downside obviously is that any feats spent on crafting isn't one spent on combat for the eidolon. Still, getting several craft feats that don't come from your personal total seems pretty worthwhile to me.

No way would I allow this as a DM nor the Animal Companion cheese discussed elsewhere in this thread.

[Leisner]

DrDeth wrote:

The devs have also said that Cohorts are generally NOT to be used to make magic items, so the same would go with a Eidolon.

You could argue that they are not the same situation, as a cohort is not a class feature, but just comes from a feat, while the eidolon is a class feature.

The argument does hold some value, as with a cohort, you exchange one feat for many, and get some added benefits on top, while with the eidolon, you do exchange some power for the ability to craft.

I would agree that the eidolon probably isn't intended to be used this way.

I, personally, would actually allow this, the feats are still lost on the eidolon, so it would be a trade-off, and if the player is an evolutionist, great, a boost to a weak archetype, and he isn't, well that is some evolution/skill points that could have been spend on other things, again a trade-off.
On a Master Summoner's eidolon, not a chance.

[Ellis Mirari]

Dont be surprised if the next time you walk into a cave, you find a Rust Monster.