Can a machinesmith take Scribe Scroll?

Question

The third-party base class machinesmith can make prototypes, which basically function like spells. The prerequisite for the feat Scribe Scroll is having a caster level of 1. Every single magical thing the machinesmith does counts the creature's machinesmith level as the creature's caster level. In addition, a machinesmith gains bonus item creation feats:

Crafting Expertise (Su): At 3rd level, the machinesmith gains Craft Wondrous Item as a bonus feat. At 8th level he gains Craft Magic Arms and Armor. At 15th level he gains the Craft Construct feat. He uses his machinesmith levels in place of caster level when making such items. In order to add a special ability to an item, he must have access to the prerequisite spells, either through use of a magical item or cast by another spellcaster.

(Emphasis mine.) Does such items mean that the creature's machinesmith levels count as caster levels only and exclusively for creating magic items covered by the feats listed for craft expertise? Or, using this as a guideline, can a machinesmith meet the prerequisite for, for example, the feat Scribe Scroll?

Answer 1

No.

They have a "virtual" caster level for the purpose of using those class abilities only.

What we have here is the specific rule (Crafting Expertise) changing a more general rule (Crafting feats and their requeriments), but only for the purpose of the feats listed on the specific rule.

It's the same with alchemists, for the purpose of certain abilities, we consider that their caster level is the same as their alchemist class levels, but they do not actually have a caster level because they are not casters. Thus, they do not qualify for item creation feats.

Answer 2

No, non-magical classes that have spell like functions do not have a 'Caster Level' and do not qualify for magical crafting Feats except in cases where they are given them as class features. Even in 3pp, when it tells you to use your class level 'in place of a Caster Level', it is not granting you an actual Caster Level.

This is frequently homeruled the other way, but this answer is correct RAW and has been addressed by Paizo as something that may change in the future.

Source

Alchemist: Is an alchemist a spellcaster for the purpose of crafting magic items other than potions?

As written, no, alchemists are not spellcasters, and therefore can't select feats such as Craft Wondrous Item. The design team is aware that this creates some thematic problems with the idea of an alchemist creating golems and so on, and plan to examine this in the future.

Answer 3

This third-party material seems flawed. Strictly speaking, in order to use a feat, you need to meet its prerequisites, but nothing here says that you either gain these bonus feats without meeting these prerequisites, nor does anything say your machinesmith levels count as caster level for the prerequisites. As such, you cannot use these feats, even the bonus feats, since you do not meet their prerequisites.

What it says instead is that you meet the caster level requirements of items you craft. But that’s not terribly helpful when you either cannot take, or cannot use, the required feat.

It seems extremely likely that the authors intended you to use machinesmith levels in place of caster level for all things relating to these feats, including qualifying for them. The discrepancies I bring up are, admittedly, rather obtuse technicalities—though one would hope that someone asking for your money is up on their technicalities, even if they are obtuse. (Then again, Paizo itself doesn’t meet that standard.)

I recommend ruling that a machinesmith can use their machinesmith levels for these feats.