Custom Item with Error on Bootstrap Condition Timing

[Skarn]

TLDR: Should I be worried about an error I get after creating a unique item if the error only shows up in debugging mode?

I used the editor to create a custom item for one of the campaigns that I'm playing in where the GM has created unique minor artifacts to distribute to the PCs.

The item is a slot-less Wondrous Item that can be equipped; using a bootstrap condition, when the item is equipped, it bootstraps an Ability.

Up to this point, all is working as expected, but when I first added the condition to the bootstrap, I got the following error:

Attempt to access non-existent parent pick for a top-level container from script
Location: 'eval' script for Component 'Ability' (Eval Script '#4') near line 5
- - -
Attempt to access non-existent parent pick for a top-level container from script
Location: 'eval' script for Component 'SetName' (Eval Script 'Append livename Details') near line 117

I was still in 'Enable Data File Debugging' mode after pulling the Debug Tasks lists to check for timing my condition as described in Mathias' Scripting 401: Bootstrap Conditions post, and after some experimentation, I learned that the error goes away if I uncheck 'Enable Data File Debugging'.

The bootstrap condition

fieldval:gIsEquip <> 0

is at First/500, though I've also tried First/999 to be as late as possible while still being before any of the related tasks from the debug list.

My questions comes down to this: Is there a way that I can eliminate the error, and should I be worried about the error if it only pops up in debugging mode?

 

[Mathias]

If it shows up in debugging mode, that means there's something going wrong. If that message isn't displayed to normal users, HL may be throwing away a line of code that's giving it an instruction it can't understand, which means that it is not applying the effects you expect it to be applying - it just doesn't tell the normal users about the fact that it has not executed that line of code.

 

[Skarn]

This makes the error strike me as all the more odd, since the item appears to work correctly.

My design intention was to make the Ability disappear from the Specials summary pane and the Special & Spells tabs if the item is unequipped.

I've done a bit more digging, and the error gets thrown when I equip the item, thus causing the Ability to appear on the character.

I can adjust the timing of the bootstrap condition to First/5000 without any apparent change in what's happening. However, if I move it any further back, compile fails since the first task from the Ability's debug list hasn't run yet.

Is there a way to disable the Ability if the item is unequipped, rather than deleting it? Off the top of my head, I'm not aware of any items I could examine to pull such code from.

 

[Mathias]

For an example of an equippable magic item with bootstrapped abilities, how about the belt of dwarvenkind.

Also, please post more details about the ability or abilities you're adding - those error messages are coming from components that aren't going to be on the magic item itself.

 

[Skarn]

The item is supposed to grant a +1 Sacred Bonus to AC and all Saves, plus grant 1/Day the ability to cast one of two different level 3 spells as a spell-like ability with CHA-based Saves. It has two additional abilities which I'm not coding in, as triggering either of these results in the destruction of the item.

The Wondrous Item is configured with 'Magic Item Aura Information' (CL 20 Abjuration, Conjuration, Evocation [Good, Lawful]), it can be equipped but doesn't take a magic item slot, it has 1 charge as 'uses/day', is not permitted for Pathfinder Society characters, and has a Source defined in a custom .1st file.

The sacred bonuses are handled in the Wondrous Item itself:

First/4000

    if (field[gIsEquip].value <> 0) then

        ~ Grant +1 Sacred Bonus to AC
        hero.child[ArmorClass].field[BonSacred].value = maximum(hero.child[ArmorClass].field[BonSacred].value, 1)

         ~ Grant +1 Sacred Bonus to Saves
        #applybonus[BonSacred, hero.child[svAll], 1]

    endif

The item bootstraps a General->Ability using the bootstrap condition:

First/500

fieldval:gIsEquip <> 0

The Ability being bootstrapped is configured as an 'Item Power Helper', 'Shown in Specials List', appends spell information for Archon's Aura and Invisibility Purge, 'Ability Classification' and 'Special Ability Type' are both set to 'Spell-Like Ability', 'Saving Throw' is tagged as 'See Text' (so that a single base item may be used to create three other items with different spells to choose from as spell-like abilities that have different save types), 'Show in Tracked Resources' is checked, with 1 charge '/day', and the same custom Source is applied.

The Ability has an Eval Script to calculate Save DCs and add them to it's own livename:

Post-attributes/5000

#dc[abGMKSPBgt] = 13 + hero.child[aCHA].field[aModBonus].value

I have not filled in the 'Name' or 'Abbrev' fields on any of the tags for the Wondrous item or the Ability.

 

[Mathias]

Given your description, why bootstrap abilities? The bonus to AC and saves is applied by the item itself, and for the SLAs, bootstrap the spells directly as item spells. (and assign ChargeUse.1 tags on the spells and Helper.TrackCharg to the item, so that both SLAs draw 1 charge from the item's pool when they're used, meaning they end up drawing from the same pool, sort of like the spells on a staff).

 

[Mathias]

Or, the problem is probably the "Item Power Helper" option - that's only used on armor and weapon powers like keen or bane or bolstering - I think it causes problems if it's not within the gizmo of an armor or weapon (like the way you've set it up here).

 

[Skarn]

Given your description, why bootstrap abilities? The bonus to AC and saves is applied by the item itself, and for the SLAs, bootstrap the spells directly as item spells. (and assign ChargeUse.1 tags on the spells and Helper.TrackCharg to the item, so that both SLAs draw 1 charge from the item's pool when they're used, meaning they end up drawing from the same pool, sort of like the spells on a staff).

Or, the problem is probably the "Item Power Helper" option - that's only used on armor and weapon powers like keen or bane or bolstering - I think it causes problems if it's not within the gizmo of an armor or weapon (like the way you've set it up here).

As to the 'Item Power Helper' that was, indeed, what caused the error.

As to not putting the spells directly on the item, my own ignorance of how to best use the editor is to blame.

Before using the method of putting the spell-like abilities directly on the item, however, I need to figure out two more things: How to make the Caster Level = the Character Level (I tried adding Helper.StaffSpell to the item spell bootstraps, but that didn't do it), and if possible, I'd like to add the save DC to the livename for the item spells.

I do, however, now have a fully functional item that I can duplicate and pass out to the rest of the party for their own versions. Domo arigato, Mathias-sensei.

 

[Mathias]

From the 6.19 change list:

• Added the Helper.ClsCastLev tag for use with spell like abilities. Normally, spell like abilities are bootstrapped to the race and use the rSpCastLev field on the race to set their CL. If a spell like ability has this tag it instead uses the #totallevelcount macro to set the CL equal to all class levels (not counting racial HD).
• Added the Helper.HDCastLev tag this is similar to ClsCastLev, but sets the Cl to the total HD (both from race and class levels). If this and ClCastLev are both present, this overrides and total HD will be used.

It's not quite obvious, because those are talking about racial spell-like abilities, and you're dealing with item spells, but I'm pretty sure Helper.HDCastLev will set the CL you want on your spells.

 

[Mathias]

Whether a spell shows a DC or not should be based on the save tags for that particular spell.