Alter Enhancements (Su): An arcanist with this exploit can modify the enhancements placed on a weapon, suit of armor, or shield. The arcanist can use this exploit to change one weapon or armor special ability to another with an equal cost. This ability can only be used to change the item's special abilities, not its enhancement bonus. Using this ability requires the arcanist to touch the item as a full-round action and expend 1 point from her arcane reservoir, and doing so provokes an attack of opportunity. This ability cannot be used on an item in the possession of an unwilling creature. This change lasts for a number of minutes equal to the arcanist's Charisma modifier (minimum 1). The arcanist must have the arcane weapon exploit to select this exploit.
The ability allows the Arcanist to modify shields, but is this restricted to "armor" special abilities that work on shields?
Afterall, it doesn't really say anything about altering "shield" specific special abilities.
Note how the text refers to "Equal Cost" not "Equal Bonus". Weapon and shield enchantments are not priced equally.
That's...not really what I meant, but an interesting fact none the less.
What I mean is to ask if it is possible to target, say, a +1 Adhesive Shield, and turn that into a +1 Bashing Shield, since the "Bashing" enhancement doesn't really count as an "armor" enhancement or a "weapon" enhancement.
I think shield enhancements are armor enhancements that only work on shields, because shields are both armor and weapons.
I guess that works.
At high levels, you could add the "reflection" special ability multiple times a day and be immune to most spells!
(A Skirnir Magus gets the same ability, but he's a Skirnir Magus).
Theoretically, this should also work for stuff like getting Bane against whatever you are fighting, but the Magus can get that too, but even better since his is a swift action. To say nothing of the Inquistor who has is as a class feature.
That "full round action" is really holding this ability back, but then again, I guess a class that can cast "Time Stop" doesn't really care.