Pathfinder 1E Using Spell Points for Spell-Like Abilities?

[VelvetViolet]

When reading the spell point system, I noticed that spell-like abilities are unaffected, using per day slots instead of spell points. Why exactly, if using the spell point system, should spell-like abilities not use them as well? It's a bit odd that creatures have an arbitrary X per day limit on their spell-like abilities when casters do not.

 

[Cadence]

That they're different from spells is reflected in the rules that they can't be counter-spelled, so there is some precedent.

For PCs, would making the spell-like domain, bloodline and school powers the same as spell slots make things a bit more boring (it would be all spells, no special powers) and also unbalanced (since some of the domains, etc... have Su and Ex instead of Sp for type you'd have some with a _lot_ more flexibility)? For monsters, how would that work for those that have at will, 3/day, and 1/day?

 

[Ahnehnois]

As [MENTION=6701124]Cadence[/MENTION] notes, Sp abilities were different from regular spells to begin with, so they don't necessarily have to be converted. However, it would be interesting to do so, but for monsters with lots of them, it would make them more powerful. Creature's with several spell-like abilities would gain the ability to spam one.

In many cases, it would make no difference. It's common for creatures to have just one spell-like ability, in which cases, converting the uses to spell points would not change anything. It's also common particularly in PF for monsters to have at-will or constant abilities, which I assume would remain as such even in the case of a conversion. In fact, I'm seeing that even the high level outsiders have entries like this:

Constant—true seeing, unholy aura (DC 26)
At will—dominate monster (DC 27), greater dispel magic, greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only), power word stun, telekinesis (DC 23)
3/day—quickened telekinesis (DC 23)
1/day—blasphemy (DC 25), fire storm (DC 26), implosion (DC 27), summon (level 9, any 1 CR 19 or lower demon 100%)

If those uses per day were converted to spell points, the creature would receive a modest boost in flexibility, but most of his abilities are at-will anyway. The biggest thing is if he repeated a few castings of Blasphemy or Implosion or Quickened Telekinesis. I don't see any real reason not to convert it, but I don't see that it needs to be done either.