SR vs. Slaying Arrow

[dcollins]

Would Spell Resistance protect against an Slaying Arrow? (I assume it would, because the death effect counts as a spell-like effect? But it's established that SR does not protect against a Flaming Sword?)

 

[Infiniti2000]

SR doesn't apply because it's not a spell-like ability or a spell. Death ward would, however, as noted in the item description.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

SR doesn't apply because it's not a spell-like ability or a spell.

I disagree.

Magic items produce spells or spell-like effects.

Slaying Arrow: This +1 arrow is keyed to a particular type or subtype of creature. If it strikes such a creature, the target must make a DC 20 Fortitude save or die (or, in the case of unliving targets, be destroyed) instantly. Note that even creatures normally exempt from Fortitude saves (undead and constructs) are subject to this attack. When keyed to a living creature, this is a death effect (and thus death ward protects a target). To determine the type or subtype of creature the arrow is keyed to, roll on the table below.

A greater slaying arrow functions just like a normal slaying arrow, but the DC to avoid the death effect is 23.

Strong necromancy; CL 13th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, finger of death (slaying arrow) or heightened finger of death (greater slaying arrow); Price 2,282 gp (slaying arrow) or 4,057 gp (greater slaying arrow); Cost 1,144 gp 5 sp + 91 XP (slaying arrow) or 2,032 gp + 162 XP (greater slaying arrow).

The arrow uses its own CL - 13 for a "stock" arrow of slaying - to overcome the SR of the target.

 

[dungeon blaster]

Then wouldn't a creature get SR versus a flaming sword?

 

[Infiniti2000]

I disagree.

So, since magic items can't produce spell-like abilities, you must be arguing that the slaying arrow produces a spell. What spell? And, specifically where in the item description does it say what spell? I hope you're not going to say that the prerequisite spell used for crafting is the spell it produces.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

So, since magic items can't produce spell-like abilities

Try again.

Magic items produce spells or spell-like effects.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Then wouldn't a creature get SR versus a flaming sword?

Only if the creature were the target of the flaming enhancement, as per the rules for SR and targeted spells.

Spell Resistance (Ex): A creature with spell resistance can avoid the effects of spells and spell-like abilities that directly affect it.

The flaming enhancement directly affects the sword, and not the creature, so therefore SR does not come into the question.

 

[Infiniti2000]

Try again.

Nope, you try again. You read both passages, but fail to discern the difference. There is a HUGE difference between the words "abilities" and "effects." Magic items produce "effects" while SR works only against "abilities" (and spells). A "spell-like ability" is a specific term and does not equate with "spell-like effect."

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Nope, you try again. You read both passages, but fail to discern the difference. There is a HUGE difference between the words "abilities" and "effects."

I disagree. A spell-like ability is just the ability to creat a spell-like effect.

Continuing on:

Spell-Like: Spell-like abilities are magical and work just like spells (though they are not spells and so have no verbal, somatic, material, focus, or XP components). They go away in an antimagic field and are subject to spell resistance if the spell the ability resembles or duplicates would be subject to spell resistance.

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.

For creatures with spell-like abilities, a designated caster level defines how difficult it is to dispel their spell-like effects and to define any level-dependent variables (such as range and duration) the abilities might have. The creature’s caster level never affects which spell-like abilities the creature has; sometimes the given caster level is lower than the level a spellcasting character would need to cast the spell of the same name. If no caster level is specified, the caster level is equal to the creature’s Hit Dice. The saving throw (if any) against a spell-like ability is 10 + the level of the spell the ability resembles or duplicates + the creature’s Cha modifier.

Some spell-like abilities duplicate spells that work differently when cast by characters of different classes. A monster’s spell-like abilities are presumed to be the sorcerer/wizard versions. If the spell in question is not a sorcerer/wizard spell, then default to cleric, druid, bard, paladin, and ranger, in that order.

 

[Infiniti2000]

I disagree. A spell-like ability is just the ability to creat a spell-like effect.

While I agree with your concise definition, it actually only serves to prove my point. Doesn't a spell produce a spell-like effect? Don't supernatural abilities in many cases produce spell-like effects? With that logic, all three would be identical, which we both know isn't true.

Just because something, a magical item, produces a spell-like effect does not mean that it has a "spell-like ability". This is wholly defined term in the glossary that has real meaning. For example, a creature may have spell-like abilities, but you cannot say that he has spell-like effects. It would be, quite honestly, nonsensical. Those spell-like abilities produce spell-like effects.

I'm not intentionally trying to be long-winded here, but the point is that SR works against spells and spell-like abilities. It does not work against any magical effects (spell-like or otherwise) that you can create unless they originate from spells or spell-like abilities.