Anyway to get arcane spell casting from something other than class dip?


Advice


Got an idea for a character but I need the ability to cast arcane spells as a pre-requisite. I need to get Arcane Strike so I can take Spell Cartridges and eventually Infused Spell Cartridges. The problem, I'm stuck playing a Sorcerer with the Psychic bloodline as my caster class and I can't afford another class dip since I'm already getting +0 BAB from two other prestige classes.
Is there a trait or something that gives you arcane spells? They could honestly be anything. I know spell like abilities don't work for this.


The only traits I can think of only give you access to a spell off a different list, but you cast it the same way you cast otherwise.

If you want to use Spell Cartridges, the Bloodrager with Blooded Arcane Strike has infinite ammunition during Bloodrage. Blooded Arcane Strike gives you some mileage out of Vital Strike, too. But it doesn't really offer much for Infuse Spell Cartridges. Still, an Urban Bloodrager with the Arcane Bloodline can get some good use out of Spell Cartridges.

Sorry for the tangent, what is it about your current build that draws you to want to use Spell Cartridges, if you are already set on the Psychic Bloodline?


VoodistMonk wrote:
if you are already set on the Psychic Bloodline?

Long story short our GM is a nut for guns in pathfinder and he's made this really gun heavy setting where the guards all have guns and clockwork familiars somehow even tho magic is very restricted. But they are still exotic for some reason. Basically psychic is the only way to get past the check points. As to why I'm using guns, the party agrees someone probably should. I drew the short straw. Using those feats would have let me keep most of my character intact and be okay with firearms. But since I can't meet the requirements...


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I wouldn't call it mechanically ideal, but this might work for you.

Caster's Champion (Combat) wrote:

You draw upon the power of an allied arcane spellcaster to enhance your weapons with magical energy.

Benefit: Three times per day as a swift action, when you are within 30 feet of an ally who is an arcane spellcaster, you can channel a portion of her arcane power into your weapons. For 1 round, you gain a +1 bonus on all weapon damage rolls, and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. When your base attack bonus reaches +4 and every 4 points thereafter, this bonus increases by 1, to a maximum of +5 at 16th level.

Special: This feat counts as Arcane Strike for the purposes of prerequisites.


Artificial 20 wrote:

I wouldn't call it mechanically ideal, but this might work for you.

Caster's Champion (Combat) wrote:

You draw upon the power of an allied arcane spellcaster to enhance your weapons with magical energy.

Benefit: Three times per day as a swift action, when you are within 30 feet of an ally who is an arcane spellcaster, you can channel a portion of her arcane power into your weapons. For 1 round, you gain a +1 bonus on all weapon damage rolls, and your weapons are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. When your base attack bonus reaches +4 and every 4 points thereafter, this bonus increases by 1, to a maximum of +5 at 16th level.

Special: This feat counts as Arcane Strike for the purposes of prerequisites.

That's not bad


If I'm not misremembering, racial spell-like abilities count as arcane.

So either go for a race with SLA or with an alternate racial trait like Fey-born that gives one.

There are also quite a number of traits that grans low-level SLAs.


Teupokoles wrote:

If I'm not misremembering, racial spell-like abilities count as arcane.

So either go for a race with SLA or with an alternate racial trait like Fey-born that gives one.

There are also quite a number of traits that grans low-level SLAs.

while it's true that Spell-like abilities are considered arcane/dvine based on spell lists the ability comes from, with the default being arcane. They don't count as the "ability to cast spells". Otherwise people would use gnomes and other races that get racial spell like abilities to qualify for prestige classes.

I'm not aware of anything that counts as casting spells outside of levels in a class that gives you spell casting ability.

On a side note, while Caster's Champion is a good find, since Spell Cartridges also require the ability to cast arcane spells it wouldn't solve the principle issue.


.... I know of a way but it is a bit 'iffy' and requires you to have 'help'. And, it is not going to work out in PFS.

Find a Bard or Skald (or anyone with access to the Bard spell list) and have them cast Blood Song on you. Make sure it is extended or see if your GM will allow the Permanency spell to work with it.

There! Now you have a few arcane spells. Never cast them, as they won't renew, but you still have the ability to cast them.


This may not be really helpful, but 7 days of retraining will let you change one of your dips into a different class.

Pick up the Wizard archetype Spellslinger and you'll be able to sacrifice spells to temp enchant a barrel of your gun. You'll also pick up the Gunsmithing and Firearms proficiency for free. All the restrictions on casting only apply to wizard spells, so don't advance as a wizard.

Kind of an outrageous idea would be to become an Avenger Vigilante using the archetype Magical Child. The advantages are you get +1 BAB from the dip, 1 vigilante social talent, and you cast like an unchained summoner . Oh, and you get a familiar whether you want one or not.

Another Vigilante choice would be the Cabalist. I think this one sounds a bit less fun, but the witch list is more interesting than summoner. Since you are only going one level anyways you could pick up...cure light wounds as your arcane spell?!? Strange but true.


The Magical Talent trait gets you a single 0-level spell as a spell-like ability. Wealthy Dabbler (called 'Arcane Dabbler' on pfsrd) gets you 2 non-harmful cantrips, but you have to be from Taldor, so your GM would probably have to approve for a different setting.


Foeclan wrote:
The Magical Talent trait gets you a single 0-level spell as a spell-like ability. Wealthy Dabbler (called 'Arcane Dabbler' on pfsrd) gets you 2 non-harmful cantrips, but you have to be from Taldor, so your GM would probably have to approve for a different setting.

Won't work (barring a house rule). Early entry prestige class shenanigans ruined this sort of thing for everybody.


blahpers wrote:
Foeclan wrote:
The Magical Talent trait gets you a single 0-level spell as a spell-like ability. Wealthy Dabbler (called 'Arcane Dabbler' on pfsrd) gets you 2 non-harmful cantrips, but you have to be from Taldor, so your GM would probably have to approve for a different setting.

Won't work (barring a house rule). Early entry prestige class shenanigans ruined this sort of thing for everybody.

Hmm, Magical Talent calls it out as a spell-like ability, but Wealthy Dabbler doesn't. Of course, it came out in a splatbook (Inner Sea Primer) in 2010, so maybe they hadn't nailed down the mechanics yet. Still, it might count as a technicality.


Following the Blood Song example, if it works, any version of Imbue with Spell Ability might work for pre-reqs: But only if it's a reliable source.

If you are really desperate, and this works, then a Spellcasting Contract could be really useful. (Its Asmodeus related, so expect prayers to him, legalese, and lawful/evil rules).

**************
Btw unless an spell ability specifies it applies only to the class (Ex: Magus Spellstrike) it affects all spellcasting classes. It's why people dip Sorcerer, to gain access to their Arcana.


As it reads on AoN, Wealthy Dabbler gives you two Arcane Cantrips, useable 1/day each...

Category Region
Requirement(s) Taldor
You study magic at one of Taldor’s many social clubs, wowing your friends with your expertise in the simplest of magical exploits. Select two non-harmful arcane cantrips. You can cast these two cantrips once per day each (caster level 1st). If you have levels in a class that can cast these cantrips, your caster level for these cantrips is equal to that class level.

It continues to use the word Cantrip, states that it must be Arcane, and never hints that it is a SLA. This technically works as Cantrips are 0-level Arcane spells, and Arcane Strike does not specify a minimum Arcane spell level requirement.


Yeah, I would have started with Imbue with Spell Ability, or Spellcasting Contract, but the OP was looking for arcane casting. Took me a bit to find something that worked.


I completely agree with a ruling that bars using SLAs as prerequisites for prestige classes, seen one too many Aasimars running with that trick, bu do you have a reference to FAQ, erreta or the like that rules this out?

My google-fu is failing me.

Shadow Lodge

Spell-Like Abilities, Casting, and Prerequisites: Does a creature with a spell-like ability count as being able to cast that spell for the purpose of prerequisites or requirements?

FAQ wrote:
Only if the pre-requisite calls out the name of a spell explicitly. For instance, the Dimensional Agility feat (Ultimate Combat) has "ability to use the abundant step class feature or cast dimension door" as a prerequisite; a barghest has dimension door as a spell-like ability, so the barghest meets the "able to cast dimension door prerequisite for that feat. However, the barghest's dimension door would not meet requirements such as "Ability to cast 4th level spells" or "Ability to cast arcane spells".


This might work: Half Elves have an Alternate Racial Trait.

Arcane Training wrote:
Half-elves occasionally seek tutoring to help them master the magic in their blood. Half-elves with this racial trait have only one favored class, and it must be an arcane spellcasting class. They can use spell trigger and spell completion items for their favored class as if one level higher (or as a 1st-level character if they have no levels in that class). This racial trait replaces the multitalented racial trait.


That doesn't really let you cast arcane spells.

*****************
Also, @DeathlessOne, I kind forgot about requirement I was thinking of all the ways you can get spells from other lists. But you are right, Imbue with Spell and Spellcasting Contract are not normally arcane.


3.5 had Magical Training in Player's Guide to Faruen, but it's 1st level only and 3.5 material.


Be sure to get the Gloves of Arcane Striking to buff your damage output.

/cevah

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