Spell-Like Abilities Question

[moritheil]

Yeah, pretty much:

"If an evil creature that has the ability to cast divine spells comes within 100 feet of the item, the item begins to glow with a faint blue radiance."

By strict RAW, then, this would not be activated by SLAs.

 

[green slime]

Why is an Evil priest a heretic?!?

Heresy is not tied to Evil.

Heretic: a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church.

Protestants are heretics, in the eyes of the Catholic church.

So the name sucks, IMO.

Furthermore, it sounds to me, that Detect Evil does basically the same job. Why do we need another spell? What does Sense Heretic bring to the table?

On topic: No, it shouldn't detect SLA's.

 

[Animal]

i for once disagree. SLA are not spells but they function just like spells. the wording you provided doesn't say "detects evil clerics", it says "evil creatures with ability to cast divine spells". and SLA's actually ARE cast as spells, arcane or divine, and they count as spells for purposes of fulfilling PrC requirments (e.g. mage hand as a SLA would let one qualify for an arcane trickster), and determining other similiarities between spellcasters and SLA-wielders (magebane weapons deal extra damage to creatures with SLA's just as they do to spellcasters, occult slayer's powers work against creatures with SLA's, etc.)
so i can see no reason why this spell shouldn't detect evil creatures who can cast divine spells as SLA's.

 

[green slime]

i for once disagree. SLA are not spells but they function just like spells. the wording you provided doesn't say "detects evil clerics", it says "evil creatures with ability to cast divine spells". and SLA's actually ARE cast as spells, arcane or divine, and they count as spells for purposes of fulfilling PrC requirments (e.g. mage hand as a SLA would let one qualify for an arcane trickster), and determining other similiarities between spellcasters and SLA-wielders (magebane weapons deal extra damage to creatures with SLA's just as they do to spellcasters, occult slayer's powers work against creatures with SLA's, etc.)
so i can see no reason why this spell shouldn't detect evil creatures who can cast divine spells as SLA's.

Except for the fact that the Balor is regarded as a "heretic", and the Babau is not. Which, imo, feels very contrived.

 

[Ogrork the Mighty]

If we wanted to debate the appropriateness of spell names we'd be arguing forever. Let's just say the spell is meant to detect evil divine spellcasters and leave it at that.

While I agree that SLA replicate the effects of spells, I haven't seen anything yet that indicates that SLA replicate the method of activating those spells. In fact, the only reference I have seen is that the activation method is different from spellcasting (Su effect so standard action casting time vs. whatever the casting time of the spell is; also the components can differ).

So it's simply not the case that SLA = spellcasting. SLA = spell, maybe. SLA = spellcasting, no.

On the other side of the coin, the most convincing argument I've seen yet is that SLA count for purposes of qualifying for prestige classes.

 

[Animal]

While I agree that SLA replicate the effects of spells, I haven't seen anything yet that indicates that SLA replicate the method of activating those spells.

i don't think it's relevant. there are feats that can change the casting time of a spell, components, etc. but spells and SLA share some very fundamental similiarities. like they both need to be CAST, the may be interrupted in the process, caster gets a concentration check if he's interrupted, SLA effects can be dispelled just like spells they emulate and they also don't work in antimagic zones, etc., etc., etc. in most situations SLA behave just the same way spells do.

 

[Slaved]

If we wanted to debate the appropriateness of spell names we'd be arguing forever. Let's just say the spell is meant to detect evil divine spellcasters and leave it at that.

While I agree that SLA replicate the effects of spells, I haven't seen anything yet that indicates that SLA replicate the method of activating those spells. In fact, the only reference I have seen is that the activation method is different from spellcasting (Su effect so standard action casting time vs. whatever the casting time of the spell is; also the components can differ).

So it's simply not the case that SLA = spellcasting. SLA = spell, maybe. SLA = spellcasting, no.

On the other side of the coin, the most convincing argument I've seen yet is that SLA count for purposes of qualifying for prestige classes.

More convincing that your own post?

Spell-Like: Spell-like abilities are magical and work just like spells (though they are not spells

 

[Animal]

true, but imho you've emphasized the wrong part of the sentence. for instance, the aforementioned balor can cast blasphemy as a SLA. yes, he may cast it differently from the way an evil cleric casts it. but the effect is the same, balor effectively casts a divine spell. thus he can be detected using that sense heretic spell.

 

[Slaved]

Where does it say Spell-Like Abilities are Cast?

 

[Walking Dad]

...
and they count as spells for purposes of fulfilling PrC requirments (e.g. mage hand as a SLA would let one qualify for an arcane trickster)
...

Where is this from? We played the opposite