Special Holy Symbols from Complete Champion benefit SLAs?

[Jowgen]

Simple question to ya'll. Those special holy symbols from page 133 of Complete Champion: can they be used to boost the caster level of SLAs (provided all other requirements are met, of course)?

I'm interested in RAW, RAI, fluff-opinions and so forth. I personally think the RAW is sketchy but that, in terms of fluff and RAI, it should work.

[Debihuman]

Simple question to ya'll. Those special holy symbols from page 133 of Complete Champion: can they be used to boost the caster level of SLAs (provided all other requirements are met, of course)?

It does not say that it affects SLAs so I'd rule it out.

[NevinPL]

It does not say that it affects SLAs so I'd rule it out.
Ditto - it mentions spells, not spell-like abilities, so RAW - no, but I would allow it.

A question - does the Barbs of Hextor symbol, and Evil domain bonus to CL stack ? They're both unnamed, and from different sources, so by RAW it looks like they do.

[Jowgen]

It does not say that it affects SLAs so I'd rule it out.

Ditto - it mentions spells, not spell-like abilities, so RAW - no, but I would allow it.

Hmmm... I do still have my doubts on the RAW here. I've bolded the parts that give me reason to in the quote below.



Typically, only clerics and paladins (and a few other divine casters) need to use holy symbols in spellcasting and other similar actions.However, any spellcaster can gain benefits from using these special holy symbols, assuming that she can cast spells of the appropriate type (see below).

Using an SLA is certainly a "similar action", and while that is almost certainly meant to refer to Turn Undead and such, I think it at least implies that these Holy Symbols can extend their benefits to similar actions that fit the bill. For example, if some divination-descriptor class ability required a Holy Symbol to work, a Special Holy Symbol that boost divination CL should work. Furthermore, there is this section from CA:


A requirement based on a specific spell measures whether the character or creature in question is capable of producing the necessary effect, and as such, invocations and spell-like abilities that generate the relevant effect meet the requirements for specific spell knowledge.

It seems to me that "spell of the appropriate type" is very much a requirement for specific spell knowledge (although some might argue it's not "specific enough). I think this circumvents the issue of "cast spells of the appropriate type" and the Special Holy Symbol descriptions referring to spells.

The one thing that really does throw a wrench in the RAW is the part about being a spell-caster. While invocation users qualify as "Arcanists", SLA use in itself does not make one a Spell-caster by any definition I know. However, if one already did count as a spell-caster due to some other source, I think this would become a moot point.

Bottom-line, I do think that SLAs can RAW-wriggle their way into benefitting from these holy symbols, mainly to CA's inclusively-worded text on meeting specific spell requirements.


does the Barbs of Hextor symbol, and Evil domain bonus to CL stack ? They're both unnamed, and from different sources, so by RAW it looks like they do

I agree. No reason they shouldn't stack whatsover.