Sword of the Arcane Order

[schreier]

The Feat has a couple benefits. The relevant ones for this discussion are:

You can use your paladin and ranger spell slots to prepare wizard spells. You must have a minimum Intelligence score of 10 + the spell’s level to prepare it, and the save DC of the spell is equal to 10 + your Int modifier (as if you were a wizard).

and

If you also have levels in wizard, your wizard caster level is treated as the sum of your wizard, paladin, and ranger class levels


OK ... got purposes of prestige classes, do you count as an arcane spellcaster? I would think that, as long as you have an arcane spell of the appropriate level, you could count? For example, a Ranger 11 can cast level 3 spells. If you took Virtuoso 1 (to get Bardic Music), could you qualify as sublime chord?

Similarly, could you qualify for obtain familiar? It requires arcane caster level 3. A Ranger's normal spellcaster level (for Divine spells) is half his ranger level - so a level 11 would be a level 5 caster for divine (I assume round down?). Would he be a level 5 arcane caster, or a level 11 arcane caster? Since he doesn't have levels in wizard, does the second ability apply at all? If not, what is his caster level? (I figure 11 or 5 are the two options ... leaning towards 11 for arcane, 5 for divine). If that is the case, I would think he could get obtain familiar.

If a Ranger with Sword of the Arcane Order has levels in wizard as well - would they count towards obtain familiar levels (i.e. are they arcane spellcaster levels?)

If a Ranger takes Ranger Knight and Theurgic Mount, do his base ranger levels count for the mount through the feat?

Thanks in advance
schreier

[WhamBamSam]

Whatever else might be the case, SotAO does not make Ranger an Arcane Spellcasting Class, because you aren't casting arcane spells by virtue of your class features alone.

However, it seems to be generally accepted that the wizard spells you cast are arcane, so you do have an "Arcane Caster Level" for the purposes of Obtain Familiar or the like.

[schreier]

Whatever else might be the case, SotAO does not make Ranger an Arcane Spellcasting Class, because you aren't casting arcane spells by virtue of your class features alone.

However, it seems to be generally accepted that the wizard spells you cast are arcane, so you do have an "Arcane Caster Level" for the purposes of Obtain Familiar or the like.

So basically - it will qualify you for anything, but won't be advanced by classes that specifically advance arcane spellcasting classes?

It also seems like it might qualify you for obtain familiar, but the levels from ranger wouldn't count, since the obtain familiar feat says "For the purpose of determining familiar abilities that depend on your arcane caster class level, your levels in all classes that allow you to cast arcane spells stack."? Meaning that you can get a familiar, but with 0 levels of applicable class, if you don't have any other classes?

That would also mean it would not qualify as Theurgic mount, which looks at arcane spellcasting classes?

[WhamBamSam]

So basically - it will qualify you for anything, but won't be advanced by classes that specifically advance arcane spellcasting classes?

It also seems like it might qualify you for obtain familiar, but the levels from ranger wouldn't count, since the obtain familiar feat says "For the purpose of determining familiar abilities that depend on your arcane caster class level, your levels in all classes that allow you to cast arcane spells stack."? Meaning that you can get a familiar, but with 0 levels of applicable class, if you don't have any other classes?

That would also mean it would not qualify as Theurgic mount, which looks at arcane spellcasting classes?Yes, I believe that's correct.