Simple RAW Thread for 3.5: 30. Really? 30?

[marphod]

Q 053 How do Bloodline levels (Unearthed Arcana) interact with multiclass feats and corresponding abilities?

Q 053a
More Specifically, a character with 7 class levels Scout 3, Ranger 2, Swordsage 1, Barbarian 1 with 2 Bloodline Levels and Swift Hunter. Bloodline levels do not, RAW increase the scout's effective level with respect to Skirmish (despite being calcuable, it is on a chart like sneak attack). However, Swift Hunter adds Ranger levels to the Scout's Skirmish Progression. So, does the character have the Skirmish abilities of a 5th level Scout (3 Scout Levels + 2 Ranger) or a 7th level scout (3 Scout Levels plus (2 Ranger and 2 bloodline)) (I can see an argument for 9th level, as well, but that argument is weak.)

Q 053b
What is the characters effective martial initiator level?
It could be anywhere from 4 (Ssage 1 + 1/2 other class levels, ignoring Bloodline levels) to 9 ( Ssage + bloodline + 1/2( (scout+ bloodline) + (ramger + bloodline) + (barbarian + bloodline)). I tend to think it is 6 (ssage + bloodline + 1/2 others), but can also see an argument for any of the aforementioned values or even others in that range.