Instant Enemy & Focused Enemy?

[Krodjin]

The Nirmathas Irregular, or Woodland Skirmisher as it's called on d20pfsrd, replaces Favoured Enemy with Focused Enemy.

Can this archetype make use of the spell "Instant Enemy"?

Instant Enemy wrote:

School enchantment; Level ranger 3

CASTING
Casting Time 1 swift action
Components V, S

EFFECT
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets one creature that is not your favored enemy.
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

DESCRIPTION
With this spell you designate the target as your favored enemy for the remainder of its duration. Select one of your favored enemy types. For the duration of the spell, you treat the target as if it were that type of favored enemy for all purposes.

Focused Enemy wrote:

Focused Enemy (Ex): At 1st level, a woodland skirmisher selects one favored enemy (usually “humanoid [human]”). He does not gain additional favored enemies at higher levels. He does get to increase his favored enemy bonus by +2 at 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level.

This otherwise acts as and replaces the standard favored enemy ability.

I'm thinking it does as the archetype still gets a favoured enemy. Sure, that enemy is pre-determined and limited to just one type, but it is still a favoured enemy... The spell seems to only require you to have a Favoured Enemy, rather than the Favoured Enemy class feature.

[Krodjin]

One other question: After casting Instant Enemy does your Animal Companion receive the benefit of treating the target as a Favoured Enemy?

[Krodjin]

Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone? Hoping to verify if this archetype functions how I think it does... Cheers!

[Mysterious Stranger]

Since it specifically states you still chose a favored enemy at first level the spell should work. The last sentence also supports this by saying it replaces the Standard Favored Enemy.

Since the description says that you treat the target as a favored enemy I would say your animal companion does not get the benefit. Although the spell has a target other than you, it is actually affecting you instead of the target. This is why the target does not get a saving throw, and their spell resistance does not apply.

[Mathwei ap Niall]

Mysterious Stranger wrote:

Since it specifically states you still chose a favored enemy at first level the spell should work. The last sentence also supports this by saying it replaces the Standard Favored Enemy.

Since the description says that you treat the target as a favored enemy I would say your animal companion does not get the benefit. Although the spell has a target other than you, it is actually affecting you instead of the target. This is why the target does not get a saving throw, and their spell resistance does not apply.

I have to disagree with your idea that the animal companion doesn't get the favored enemy bonus.

Remember the AC doesn't get the favored enemy class ability, it gets:

Quote:

A ranger's animal companion shares his favored enemy and favored terrain bonuses.

Whatever the ranger is currently getting the favored enemy class feature on the BONUS from that is shared down to the AC.

[Mysterious Stranger]

Mathwei ap Niall wrote:

Mysterious Stranger wrote:

Since it specifically states you still chose a favored enemy at first level the spell should work. The last sentence also supports this by saying it replaces the Standard Favored Enemy.

Since the description says that you treat the target as a favored enemy I would say your animal companion does not get the benefit. Although the spell has a target other than you, it is actually affecting you instead of the target. This is why the target does not get a saving throw, and their spell resistance does not apply.

I have to disagree with your idea that the animal companion doesn't get the favored enemy bonus.

Remember the AC doesn't get the favored enemy class ability, it gets:

Quote:

A ranger's animal companion shares his favored enemy and favored terrain bonuses.

Whatever the ranger is currently getting the favored enemy class feature on the BONUS from that is shared down to the AC.

After rereading the section I have to agree with you that the animal companion does get the bonus.

[Krodjin]

Thank you both.

[Nicos]

Mysterious Stranger wrote:

Since it specifically states you still chose a favored enemy at first level the spell should work. The last sentence also supports this by saying it replaces the Standard Favored Enemy.

MS interpretation is supported by the FAQ

Pathfinder Design Team wrote:

FAQ: http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9qto

Archetype: If an archetype replaces a class ability with a more specific version of that ability (or one that works similarly to the replaced ability), does the archetype's ability count as the original ability for the purpose of rules that improve the original ability?

It depends on how the archetype's ability is worded. If the archetype ability says it works like the standard ability, it counts as that ability. If the archetype's ability requires you to make a specific choice for the standard ability, it counts as that ability. Otherwise, the archetype ability doesn't count as the standard ability. (It doesn't matter if the archetype's ability name is different than the standard class ability it is replacing; it is the description and game mechanics of the archetype ability that matter.)

Example: The dragoon (fighter) archetype (Ultimate Combat) has an ability called "spear training," which requires the dragoon to select "spears" as his weapon training group, and refers to his weapon training bonus (even though this bonus follows a slightly different progression than standard weapon training). Therefore, this ability counts as weapon training for abilities that improve weapon training, such as gloves of dueling (Advanced Player's Guide), which increase the wearer's weapon training bonus.

Example: The archer (fighter) archetype gets several abilities (such as "expert archer") which replace weapon training and do not otherwise refer to the weapon training ability. Therefore, this ability does not count as weapon training for abilities that improve weapon training (such as gloves of dueling). This is the case even for the "expert archer" ability which has a bonus that improves every 4 fighter levels, exactly like weapon training.