Casting time of warlock invocations that duplicate spells

[Sword of Spirit]

According to The Complete Arcane (p. 7):

"A warlock's invocations are spell-like abilities; using an invocation is therefore a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity."

According to the SRD (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#spellLikeAbilities):

"A spell-like ability takes the same amount of time to complete as the spell that it mimics (usually 1 standard action) unless otherwise stated."

This seems like it could be interpreted either way when it comes to invocations that mimic spells with longer casting times.

Thoughts?

 

[Grogg of the North]

I've always run it that an invocation takes a standard action unless whatever you're doing takes longer. Otherwise you'd be giving everyone rapid spell for free.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

That's how I've interpreted it also.

But then I realized the phrasing in Complete Arcane can be taken to be an "otherwise stated." Ie, for warlocks, all invocations are standard actions.

The alternative interpretation is that the Complete Arcane uses an oversight in its language, and you should use the normal spell-like ability rules.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Is anyone else interested in weighing in on this question? There are actually a significant number of invocations based on spells with casting times other than "1 standard action," but no significant discussion of how to interpret the rules (according to my Google searches, that is).

 

[Nezkrul]

if it is mimicking a spell, but does not list a casting time, then the DM needs to make a judgement call on whether the casting time is 1 standard action "unless otherwise stated" and isn't stated in the invocation description, or it must use the casting time of the spell it mimics.