At Will

[jmucchiello]

All throughout the books class abilities and monster abilities and especially spell like abilities are listed as being usable "at will". Is this term defined anywhere in the rules? I assume it just means they can use the ability anytime they can take an action. But it could mean any time.

The most annoying problem involving "at will" is spells that require concentration. If the demon can detect thoughts at will, does it take a standard action to do so? Provoke an AoO?

Thanks.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

"At Will" special abilities can be used any time the creature can make the appropriate action.

Thus, a spell-like At Will ability can be used as a standard action, every round.

Thus, for the Detect Thoughts ability, the first round he activates it, he gets the presence or absence of thoughts. A 2nd round of concentration reveals the number of thinking minds and the Intelligence score of each.

If he waits a round, he has to start over at the 1st round of scrutiny.

There's just no limit to the number of times he can do this per day.

Whether or not using the ability draws an AoO depends on whether it's a Spell-Like (Yes) or Supernatural (No) ability.

 

[Sejs]

"At will" just means that there is no limit to the number of times per day that the creature can use a particular ability. The use of the ability still has to follow all the normal rules such as time requires to use, AoOs provoked, etc, etc.

 

[jmucchiello]

"At will" just means that there is no limit to the number of times per day that the creature can use a particular ability. The use of the ability still has to follow all the normal rules such as time requires to use, AoOs provoked, etc, etc.

Where is that written in the books or SRD? I agree fully with your assessment and the one above. But why do we agree? Where is it written? The rules define everything else in detail, why not that phrase?

I had a fellow DM who believed until I discussed it with him fully, that at will meant at any time, just like one can speak "at will" (common definition) in combat.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Here you go:

A spell-like ability usually has a limit on how often it can be used. A spell-like ability that can be used at will has no use limit. Using a spell-like ability is a standard action unless noted otherwise, and doing so while threatened provokes attacks of opportunity. It is possible to make a Concentration check to use a spell-like ability defensively and avoid provoking an attack of opportunity, just as when casting a spell. A spell-like ability can be disrupted just as a spell can be. Spell-like abilities cannot be used to counterspell, nor can they be counterspelled.

So, there it is.