Best uses for Cunning Brilliance?

[centeotl]

Cunning Brilliance (Ex): At 19th level, you become the ultimate jack of all trades. Your sharp mind and keen sense of your surroundings allow you to duplicate almost any ability you witness. At the start of each day, choose three extraordinary class abilities. Each ability must be available to a standard character class at 15th level or lower, and must appear on the advancement table or in the text description for that class. By spending 4 inspiration points as a free action, you gain the benefits and drawbacks of one chosen ability for 1 minute. You use the ability as if your level in the relevant class equaled your factotum level. You can use each chosen class ability once per day.

What useful things can I do with cunning brilliance?

[Humble Master]

Can you get 8th level spells with this? If so then just use 8th level spells.
Also can you get abilities from a PrC? If so there are some probably good ones you could use.

[centeotl]

Spellcasting is not explicitly noted as Ex. Doesn't mean it isn't Ex, but it probably isn't.

I checked for binding, shaping, powers, maneuvers. None explicitly Ex.

I wonder... what would the most versatile factotum prepare? Class Ex abilities aren't that amazing for a level 19 ability. None that I can think of, anyways.

[Humble Master]

Actually it states that Maneuvers are Extraordinary unless otherwise noted. Most Desert Wind and Shadow Hand maneuvers say that they are Supernatural for example.

[centeotl]

Actually it states that Maneuvers are Extraordinary unless otherwise noted. Most Desert Wind and Shadow Hand maneuvers say that they are Supernatural for example.

Oh crap, you're right.

One use of cunning brilliance. What about others?

Also, have you ever tried playing factotum to level 20? How do they fare at 17-20? Relevant, or not really?

[Arcanist]

Spellcasting is not explicitly noted as Ex. Doesn't mean it isn't Ex, but it probably isn't.

Then what do you suggest Spellcasting actually is? A Supernatural ability? A Spell-like ability? It has to be one of those three.

[centeotl]

Then what do you suggest Spellcasting actually is? A Supernatural ability? A Spell-like ability? It has to be one of those three.

Could it be a natural ability? And where is the text that says an unnamed class ability must be an Ex?

[Rubik]

You could gain all of a fighter's feats, or a rogue's full sneak attack, or the animal companion of a 20th level druid.

Or you could gain the feats of a fighter and a feat rogue all simultanously. That's a lot of feats.

[centeotl]

You could gain all of a fighter's feats, or a rogue's full sneak attack, or the animal companion of a 20th level druid.

I'm sorry, could you quote for the first two? I'm not seeing it. As for the animal companion, do I have the time to summon it?

edit

Also, are there any more utility-focused Ex abilities I should be aware of?

[Rubik]

I'm sorry, could you quote for the first two? I'm not seeing it.All class abilities are Ex, Su, Sp, or Ps. There literally are no other choices, since all abilities qualify as those four or Na, which is racial rather than class (and classes that give you Na abilities always specify as such; otherwise they're Ex).

Are sneak attack and fighter bonus feats Su, Sp, or Ps? No. No, they are not.

Ergo, they must be Ex. Quod erat demonstrandum.


As for the animal companion, do I have the time to summon it?If there happens to be one nearby that you set up beforehand, such as one you bought earlier in the day at the local bazaar, then you don't have to. It does take a bit of extra prep-work, but it could be quite useful.

[centeotl]

All class abilities are Ex, Su, Sp, or Ps. There literally are no other choices, since all abilities qualify as those four or Na, which is racial rather than class (and classes that give you Na abilities always specify as such; otherwise they're Ex).

Are sneak attack and fighter bonus feats Su, Sp, or Ps? No. No, they are not.

Ergo, they must be Ex. Quod erat demonstrandum.

That's a very strong argument. Reviewing the SRD I'm inclined to believe it, but what about


Natural abilities are those not otherwise designated as extraordinary, supernatural, or spell-like.

Since spellcasting was not "designated" as Ex, Su, or Sp, why wouldn't it follow the above line from the SRD rather than


classes that give you Na abilities always specify as such; otherwise they're Ex

which I assume was inferred from


This category includes abilities a creature has because of its physical nature.

I mean, it seems pretty reasonable that spellcasting is not an ability that occurs because of a race's physical nature. But does physical nature have a specific meaning in RAW? Can you quote it? It'd be really helpful. RAW is king in the games I play.

This is really great though. Spellcasting is amazingly useful.