Spell Level of Spell Like Ability


Rules Questions

Dark Archive

I'm sure I've seen this defined somewhere but I just can't find it in all the threads.

I believe that the answer was along the lines of it's level is the same as the highest level spell you can cast at the point that you get it (with respect to the class that gives it to you).

- which most of the time, means first level.

This is *very* important, btw, for anyone thinking in terms of a rogue/spellcaster combination using touch spell-like abilities (like the aquatic bloodline dehydrating touch), to deliver sneak attack damage, since you're going to have to make concentration checks all the time to do it.

(As an aside, the fact that the Oracle's abilities are Su rather than Sp is a very big deal for this type of character build, i.e. Waves Mystery / Wintery Touch, so I hope this is never erratad away !!)

Richard

Sovereign Court

The most recent errata inserted the following near the bottom of the Magic chapter:

If a character class grants a spell-like ability that is not based on an actual spell, the ability's effective spell level is equal to the highest-level class spell the character can cast, and is cast at the class level the ability is granted.

This errata is WRONG. SKR posted a while back on the subject but when it was translated into errata it came out pretty much the opposite of what SKR posted.

It should be something like:

If a character class grants a spell-like ability that is not based on an actual spell, the ability's effective spell level is equal to the highest-level class spell the character can cast at the level it was granted, and is cast at the character's current class level.

Too bad this little mess up actually made it into print in the last printing.

Sovereign Court

Found it, it's in the FAQ, but I didn't see it before. I was afraid it was removed once the errata was posted...but it's still there.

SKR in the FAQ wrote:

Cleric domains, sorcerer bloodlines, wizard schools, and certain other class features give spell-like abilities that aren't based on spells. What's the effective spell level for these abilities?

The effective spell level for these spell-like abilities is equal to the highest-level spell that a character of that class could normally cast at the level the ability is gained.

For example, a 1st-level elemental bloodline sorcerer has elemental ray as a spell-like ability. Because a sorcerer 1's highest-level spell available is 1st, that spell-like ability counts as a 1st-level spell. A 9th-level elemental bloodline sorcerer has elemental blast as a spell-like ability. Because a sorcerer 9's highest-level spell available is 4th, that spell-like ability counts as a 4th-level spell.

—Sean K Reynolds, 07/07/11

Dark Archive

Ok, thank you. I thought I'd read it somewhere.

Two more other points to just touch base on.

1) Spell like abilities do not have V, S or M components, so armour does not interfere with them.

2) With the Eldritch Heritage feat, you would use your "effective" sorcerer level (i.e. character level minus 2, unless you had Greater Eldritch Heritage) for Concentration and Spell Penetration checks for the particular bloodline ability you've chosen.

Richard


1) Yes

2) Thats how I understand the feat as well.


What level would something like this be?

"Shadow Jump (Su)

At 4th level, a shadowdancer gains the ability to travel between shadows as if by means of a dimension door spell. The limitation is that the magical transport must begin and end in an area with at least some dim light. A shadowdancer can jump up to a total of 40 feet each day in this way; this may be a single jump of 40 feet or four jumps of 10 feet each. Every two levels higher than 4th, the distance a shadowdancer can jump each day doubles (80 feet at 6th, 160 feet at 8th, and 320 feet at 10th). This amount can be split among many jumps, but each one, no matter how small, counts as a 10-foot increment."

Dark Archive

I didn't think you had to worry with Supernatural Abilities.

Richard


Okay, I missed that one. I've looked at that a couple of times the past few days and missed the Su.

Dark Archive

I've only really recently appreciated just how massive a difference there is between Sp and Su.

Richard

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