Polymorph, Assume Supernatural Ability & SLAs

[WebTiefling]

Yeah, I haven't been able to find the answer to this one in the archives.

If I polymorph into something with SLAs, let's say an Astral Deva, while I have the Feat Assume Supernatural Ability, can I select all of the SLAs as one Supernatural Ability?

They're all listed as one entry "Spell-like abilities" in the main stat block, but there are numerous different spells that constitute the entry.

What's the ruling on this? Does "Assume Su Ability" apply to the whole entry of "Spell-like abilities" or does it apply just to one of the spells in the list of SLAs?

[Humble Master]

My understanding of it is that Spell-Like Abilities and Supernatural abilities are two different things. So no, you couldn't use Assume Supernatural Ability to get any SLAs let alone all of them.

[Rubik]

As stated, supernatural abilities and spell-like abilities are not the same.

There's a feat in Savage Species called Supernatural Transformation that turns one spell-like ability into a supernatural ability, so if you managed to grab that it should work.

[Mando Knight]

(Sp) is not (Su), even though there are Supernatural abilities that function similarly to spells. You cannot use Assume Supernatural Ability to assume a Spell-Like Ability.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

As stated, supernatural abilities and spell-like abilities are not the same.

There's a feat in Savage Species called Supernatural Transformation that turns one spell-like ability into a supernatural ability, so if you managed to grab that it should work.

Not really. You need to have the spell-like ability before you can select it for Supernatural Transformation, and you can't gain it until you have Supernatural Transformation for it. Trying to Polymorph into a creature that already has Supernatural Transformation for the ability in question also wouldn't work, as you do not get any of the assumed form's feats, it would still be a spell-like ability with regards to your character.

[WebTiefling]

As always, The Giant in the Playground comes through!

I hadn't caught the difference between SLAs and SUs at all, I'm afraid. Thank you all!

[Rubik]

Not really. You need to have the spell-like ability before you can select it for Supernatural Transformation, and you can't gain it until you have Supernatural Transformation for it. Trying to Polymorph into a creature that already has Supernatural Transformation for the ability in question also wouldn't work, as you do not get any of the assumed form's feats, it would still be a spell-like ability with regards to your character.Part of the problem is that you can apparently take feats you don't qualify for so long as you are capable of becoming qualified for them. Say you're a Str 8 druid with wild shape. You can take the Power Attack feat so long as you can turn into a bear or whatever, but you can't use it so long as you don't have Str of 13 or more.

The same could arguably apply here.

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Part of the problem is that you can apparently take feats you don't qualify for so long as you are capable of becoming qualified for them. Say you're a Str 8 druid with wild shape. You can take the Power Attack feat so long as you can turn into a bear or whatever, but you can't use it so long as you don't have Str of 13 or more.

The same could arguably apply here.

Not exactly. You need to currently have a feat's prerequisite to take that feat, and you can't use a given feat if you've lost a prerequisite. You cannot gain a feat expecting to gain its prerequisite at some point, or gain a feat before qualifying for it even if it will meet its own prerequisite upon gaining it. Furthermore, you have to choose one of your own spell-like abilities for the feat to apply to when taking it. You cannot choose someone else's spell-like ability whose form you can take, nor can you choose a spell-like ability you don't have yet.