Do Intelligent Items get Skills?

[baggageboy]

So I saw a thread on the phantom blade and it got me thinking, do intelligent items get skills? They have attributes and something akin to a level or HD. If they do, how many and what would be considered class skills for such things?

[LordKailas]

They do get skills.

Intelligent Items wrote:

Intelligent items can actually be considered creatures because they have Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. Treat them as constructs. Intelligent items often have the ability to illuminate their surroundings at will (as magic weapons do); many cannot see otherwise.

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.

and then from constructs

Constructs wrote:

Skill points equal to 2 + Int modifier (minimum 1) per Hit Die. However, most constructs are mindless and gain no skill points or feats. Constructs do not have any class skills, regardless of their Intelligence scores.

[baggageboy]

Sweet, does that mean they get feats as well then?

[Dave Justus]

LordKailas wrote:

They do get skills.

Intelligent Items wrote:

Intelligent items can actually be considered creatures because they have Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. Treat them as constructs. Intelligent items often have the ability to illuminate their surroundings at will (as magic weapons do); many cannot see otherwise.

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.

and then from constructs

Constructs wrote:

Skill points equal to 2 + Int modifier (minimum 1) per Hit Die. However, most constructs are mindless and gain no skill points or feats. Constructs do not have any class skills, regardless of their Intelligence scores.

This is incorrect.

Skill ranks are a power that an intelligent item can have, but just because you 'treat them as constructs' doesn't mean they gain the construct creature type. They don't have HD (phantom blade progression is not HD), so (2+X) * 0 isn't going to get you anything anyway.

[Kayerloth]

Dave Justus wrote:

LordKailas wrote:

They do get skills.

Intelligent Items wrote:

Intelligent items can actually be considered creatures because they have Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. Treat them as constructs. Intelligent items often have the ability to illuminate their surroundings at will (as magic weapons do); many cannot see otherwise.

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.

and then from constructs

Constructs wrote:

Skill points equal to 2 + Int modifier (minimum 1) per Hit Die. However, most constructs are mindless and gain no skill points or feats. Constructs do not have any class skills, regardless of their Intelligence scores.

This is incorrect.

Skill ranks are a power that an intelligent item can have, but just because you 'treat them as constructs' doesn't mean they gain the construct creature type. They don't have HD (phantom blade progression is not HD), so (2+X) * 0 isn't going to get you anything anyway.

And I'd say you are already pretty far out into GM judgement and ruling territory that it's really up to the GM just how far to go with the skills and HD thing. And consider it does say treat them as constructs not animated objects. Generally I think this means they have the appropriate hp and hardness of the item, fixed skill ranks and -- for HD but nothing says the GM can't mix in some familiar/animal companion/Leadership(cohort) type rules and give the item HD and the ability to level (either on its own or as a companion would). Basically a whole lot of GM creation and oversight will be needed regardless and a very unique and unusual magical item will be the result.