Ousider's Summon ability

[heirodule]

When a demon or devil or what have you summons another one, is it assumed that the summon spell like ability is othewise identical to the Summon Monster spell?

1. Does it take a full round?
2. Is the range of the spell "close"?

Is this stated clearly somewhere?

 

[Li Shenron]

It takes just a standard action, if it's a spell-like or supernatural ability.

The rest isn't usually specified IIRC (although it probably says the equivalent spell level). As I recall, we haven't usually paid any attention to the range as the summoning happened in combat, and we have set the duration last as long as the original creature was standing.

It's first time I notice how this information is incomplete

 

[Li Shenron]

Ah don't worry, it actually says it's like Summon Monster:

A creature with the summon ability can summon specific other creatures of its kind much as though casting a summon monster spell
...

Summoned creatures automatically return whence they came after 1 hour.

So I suppose it summarizes up to the following:

required time = 1 action (spell-like / supernatural ability)
range = as Summon Monster (close)
duration = 1 hour

I suppose some may argue it should take a full-round action, I'm kind of 50% about it.

 

[shilsen]

The description for spell-like abilities does say that it "has a casting time of 1 stanard action unless noted otherwise in the ability or spell description" (PHB pg.180). Since the spell description for summon monster spells does say that it takes 1 full round to cast, I'd say the same is true for it as a Sp ability.

 

[Li Shenron]

The description for spell-like abilities does say that it "has a casting time of 1 stanard action unless noted otherwise in the ability or spell description" (PHB pg.180). Since the spell description for summon monster spells does say that it takes 1 full round to cast, I'd say the same is true for it as a Sp ability.

In this case I am not completely sure of which takes precedency...

 

[Aesmael]

It does seem an odd thing to say. Why not simply state that using a spell-like ability takes as long as casting the spell? The only spell with a casting time shorter than a standard action I can recall offhand is feather fall anyway.

I know my preferred reading is that a spell-like ability takes a standard action to use unless specified otherwise in the description of the spell-like ability in question, however I doubt that reading is supported by the text.

But in any case, isn't the Summoning ability not a spell-like one? Erm... srd documents don't seem to be opening so I can't check.

 

[Knight Otu]

According to Errata,

The Monster Manual is the primary source for monster descriptions, templates, and supernatural, extraordinary, and spell-like abilities.

This is pretty much what the Monster Manual (actually the SRD file Types, Subtypes and Abilities) has to say on the topic:

Spell-Like: ... 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. ...

It does not rule out using the spell description, but also does not tell you to use it explicitly. The tactics section of various fiends is not helping either, since they do not note if the creature should adjust its position even when using Sp abilities based on spells taking a standard action to cast. I'd be inclined to use a standard action myself, but the thought to use the normal casting time has a certain appeal...

Aesmael, the Summon abilities are Spell-like.