Special Mount Spell-like Equivalent Dilemma

[Scharlata]

Hi!

Hmmmm.....

Not that it were a mayor issue, but are you aware that the recently finished article of WotC by Skip W., Rules of the Game: All about Spell-like Abilities, mentions in Part 3:

As noted earlier, some spell-like abilities don’t duplicate spells. For example, a paladin’s ability to call a special mount is a spell-like ability gained at 5th level. This ability is very similar to the 1st-level mount spell and can be treated as a 1st-level effect.

Unquote

The Player's Handbook Errata from 24th of September 2003 by Skip W. ... er.... the Sage states:

Special Mount
Player's Handbook, page 44
Text doesn’t mention what level of spell this spell-like
ability represents.
After the first sentence of the second paragraph, insert:
This ability is the equivalent of a spell of a level equal to
one-third the paladin’s class level.

How do I handle this dilemma? Someone has a suggestion?

Kind regards

 

[Telperion]

How do I handle this dilemma? Someone has a suggestion?

Well, I would say: make a judgment call. I would go with the spell level derived from the original spell, which is the Mount spell in this case. So, if you were to Counterspell the mount before it appears then it would go like so:

Dispel Magic, roll d20+caster level.
DC: 11 + spell's caster level.

So, the actual level of the spell-like ability that the Paladin uses to summon that mount of his doesn't even matter. Just remember that a Paladin's caster level is 1/2 his Paladin level.

What was your dilemma again?

 

[FireLance]

The dilemma is that Rules of the Game directly contradicts the PHB "errata". The solution is to just pick one and apply it consistently. My preference is to go with RotG as the increasing spell level equivalent makes no sense to me. If it scaled with mount power, and the paladin has the option of calling a lower-level mount if he wants to (if he was using the ability defensively, for example) then it would make sense.

I believe Book of Exalted Deeds also lists Call Mount as a 2nd-level paladin spell which allows a paladin to call his mount for 1 hour/level. If you are using BoED, you might want to peg the spell level equivalent as 2nd or even 3rd instead, since the paladin's spell-like ability is effectively an Extended version of that spell.

Whichever you choose, just apply it consistently in your game.

 

[Pax]

The errata trumps the Sage and anythign he writes which is not errata.

IOW, the errata trumps everything.

A 15th level paladin calling his mount, is using a spell-like ability with an effective spelllevel of 5. Even a greater globe of invulnerability won't stop the mount from appearing.

And yes, in the BoED, there is a 2d level spell which allows the Paladin to call their mount again; that wold definitely be more applicable than the 1st level spell "Mount" (which calls an ORDINARY horse, not a Paladin's Warsteed).

As for counterspelling: it shouldn't BE counterspellable, except MAYBE by another paladin. THe Paladin's Summon Bonded Mount ability is NOT precisely the same as the 1st-level spell Mount.

The Sage is on crack. Accept it, internalise it, and move on. ^_^