Quick question: Spell - like abilities and wands

[Iceheart2112]

Just a quick question for the playground. If a creature or player or whatnot has a spell - like ability (but no spellcasting class or UMD, say a mephit for example) and was given a wand of that spell, would it be able to use it?

Example: an ice mephit (with the magic missile SLA) is handed a wand of magic missile and told to use it against the enemy.

Spell trigger says "can be used by anyone whose class can cast the corresponding spell. This is the case even for a character who can't actually cast spells, such as a 3rd level paladin"

SLA: Spell-like abilities are magical and work just like spells (though they are not spells and so have no verbal, somatic, focus, or material components)

[lytokk]

My gut instinct would be to say no. You have to be able to cast the spell to use a wand, and spell like abilities aren't being cast. Its just an ability that's like the spell it describes. But someone more knowledgeable may come along and contradict me, which is fine.

[Yuki Akuma]

Spell trigger items require you to have the spell in question on your spell list.

Spell-like abilities are not spells. They're spell-like abilities. Creatures with spell-like abilities do not have spell lists unless they also happen to be spellcasters.

No. An ice mephit cannot use a Wand of Magic Missile unless he has a level of Sorcerer or Wizard.

Now, a creature with the racial ability to cast spells as a Sorcerer or Wizard (like a dragon or illithid) would be able to use the wand. Ice mephits have no such racial ability.

[Frosty]

Depends. In PF, yes. IIRC, Paizo recently released a FAQ that says this counts.

[TuggyNE]

Spell trigger says "can be used by anyone whose class can cast the corresponding spell. This is the case even for a character who can't actually cast spells, such as a 3rd level paladin"

It's right there in the quote: "anyone whose class can cast the corresponding spell." RHD are not class HD, period, end of story.

[Iceheart2112]

Thanks for the help!