Spell-Like Ability confusion?

[Mulkhoran]

Skip's article in no way contradicts what's in the PHB. To find out how long it takes to use a SLA, you use the ability description. How do you find the ability description? By looking in the spell that the ability mimics.

Ok, yes, absolutely. I see this. Now what happens when you go look at the spell and it says "Casting time: 10 minutes"?

 

[hong]

Ok, yes, absolutely. I see this. Now what happens when you go look at the spell and it says "Casting time: 10 minutes"?

It takes 10 minutes.


Hong "is this a trick question?" Ooi

 

[sledged]

This is pointless pedantry.

*Flips though his pocket dictionary* Peculiar... pecuniary... pedage... pedal... pedantry... "(n) pedantic presentation or application of knowledge or learning."

*Continues flipping* Pedantic... "narrowly, stodgily, and often ostentatiously learned; unimaginative, pedestrian."

Ahh, I see. Too bad you feel that way. However, I feel it's a distinction worth noting.

"Ability description" and "spell description" are not terms of art, and interpreting them as if they referred to different things in this context is unnecessary and absurd.

That's your point of view. Mine is that there is nothing about the context that suggests ability description includes spell discription.

 

[hong]

That's your point of view. Mine is that there is nothing about the context that suggests ability description includes spell discription.

"The demon uses its unholy blight spell-like ability."

"What does that do?"

"It doesn't say."

Please.

You figure out _everything_ about a spell-like ability -- what range it has, who you can target, what area it affects, whether it blows things up or heals them -- by looking at the related spell description. (There are a few SLAs whose effects are explicitly spelled out in the ability description, but they're few and far between.) Thinking that the ability description doesn't implicitly include the spell description is just silly.

 

[Mulkhoran]

It takes 10 minutes.


Hong "is this a trick question?" Ooi

A-ha! So now, we return most smoothly, to the question I so awkwardly attempted to pose in the beginning of thisheah thread:

Why so many people seem to think that you can take a 10 minute casting time spell, make it a Spell Like Ability, and it only takes a standard action?

A-ha!

 

[hong]

Why so many people seem to think that you can take a 10 minute casting time spell, make it a Spell Like Ability, and it only takes a standard action?

Because people are stupid.

NEXT!

 

[Mulkhoran]

Because people are stupid.

NEXT!

A-HA!

so much for "common wisdom".............

 

[sledged]

You figure out _everything_ about a spell-like ability -- what range it has, who you can target, what area it affects, whether it blows things up or heals them -- by looking at the related spell description.

No, not everything. It does not determine components, focus, or XP cost, and according to the SRD and the All About Spell-Like Abilities article, it doesn't determine the time it takes to activate it. Nor does the spell description determine how often the spell-like ability can be used. All that is explicitly stated under the Special Abilities section. Except for the latter which is stated in the ability description itself.

 

[hong]

No, not everything. It does not determine components, focus, or XP cost, and according to the SRD and the All About Spell-Like Abilities article, it doesn't determine the time it takes to activate it.

Only under an untenably pedantic interpretation of the SRD and the article.

"The demon uses its unholy blight spell-like ability."

"What does that do?"

"It doesn't say."

Please.

How do you figure out what a given SLA does? By looking up the spell description. The one is part of the other. Therefore, when the SRD refers to "ability description", it implicitly includes a reference to the spell.

Nor does the spell description determine how often the spell-like ability can be used. All that is explicitly stated under the Special Abilities section. Except for the latter which is stated in the ability description itself.

Did you have a point, or were you just happy to see me?

 

[Mulkhoran]

No, not everything. It does not determine components, focus, or XP cost, and according to the SRD and the All About Spell-Like Abilities article, it doesn't determine the time it takes to activate it. Nor does the spell description determine how often the spell-like ability can be used. All that is explicitly stated under the Special Abilities section. Except for the latter which is stated in the ability description itself.

One more time:

A spell like ability has a casting time of 1 standard action unless noted otherwise in the ability or spell description.

So, you want to know how long it takes to use, you look at the ability description. Doesn't say? Ok, you go look a the spell description, under casting time.

"unless noted otherwise in the ability or spell description"