Clint_L
Hero
There are ramifications to making it an ability rather than a spell, though. For instance, it could no longer be counterspelled. Would it be affected by antimagic - does it count, for example, as an "other magical effect"...and if so, could it be considered one "created by a deity" and thus immune? Making it an ability rather than an exclusive spell does open category issues that could potentially be confusing. That's not to say it's a bad idea, but there are some potential consequences that would have to be taken into account.