Just stumbled across this, and given I have a character kinda set, I'd like to get some questions out the way. See how this works before making the effort to swap things around.
Mainly it's about the Clockwork Spy to Clockwork Familiar.
1) You upgrade Clockwork Spy into Familiar at level 6. Under the Clockwork Bond (Ex) entry it states;
At 7th level, a clockwork spy can communicate with constructs with the clockwork sub-type.
Does this carry over to the Clockwork Familiar as there's no way you'd still have a Clockwork Spy by then.
2)
Clockwork Familiar (Ex)
At 6th level, the tinkerer turns her familiar into a clockwork familiar that takes any form she wishes
Clockwork Bond says the same but states you must use the stats for Clockwork Spy regardless of what it looks like. Does this mean I should use the stats for Clockwork familiar when upgrading?
3) Clockwork Familiar also says
She gains the clockwork familiar at no cost, as if she were a 7th-level spellcaster with the Improved Familiar feat.
Does this mean I count as having Improved Familiar in ALL things? Or just this?
4) Follow up question; how does this work with "Improved Familiar" anyway? It says "improved familiars do not gain the ability to speak with other creatures of their kind (although many of them already have the ability to communicate)" - so does Tinkerer Familiar learn how to speak with clockwork types?
5) How does this work with Archetypes that deal with "Speak with own kind"?
Okay I think that might be everything. Maybe another question or two based on the answers I get.
It is possible to have a 7th level clockwork spy if you multiclass (tinker 5 wizard 3) for example.
Clockwork Familiar is like Improved Familiar, so it would include the removes speak with creatures of their own kind (or in this case, clockwork subtype)
If you become a 6th level tinker, you change out your clockwork spy for a clockwork familiar (with the modifications outlined in clockwork bond) but otherwise it is just like other clockwork familiars.
It would not be any more (or less) compatible with familiar archetypes than a wizard using improved familiar to get a clockwork familiar.
It is possible to have a 7th level clockwork spy if you multiclass (tinker 5 wizard 3) for example.
Clockwork Familiar is like Improved Familiar, so it would include the removes speak with creatures of their own kind (or in this case, clockwork subtype)
If you become a 6th level tinker, you change out your clockwork spy for a clockwork familiar (with the modifications outlined in clockwork bond) but otherwise it is just like other clockwork familiars.
It would not be any more (or less) compatible with familiar archetypes than a wizard using improved familiar to get a clockwork familiar.
I read the "Learn how to talk to clockwork" as a separate ability granted by the Tinkerer's level, not the Familiars natural "Speak with"
It strikes me as weird that when leveling you LOSE an ability or skill.
So it loses slam and gains a bite, which also makes one upgrade earlier completely useless to consider.
Meaning it's basically not compatible with any familiar archetype.
This does answer my questions but also makes me think it's not as useful as an archetype as I thought it would be. I might as well keep Crypt breaker