Special Quality = Supernatural Ability?

[lotofsnow]

Can a "supernatural ability" meet the "special quality" prerequisite for a feat?

The "Handbook for building a strong Beguiler (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=805782)" on the Wizards optimization forum suggests taking a level in Minbender to delay Advanced Learning. That's all well and good.

It also suggests taking the feat "Mindsight," from Lords of Madness, due to the level of Mindbender granting you Telepathy. Telepathy special quality is a prerequisite for Mindsight, but Mindbender grants Telepathy as a supernatural ability. Are they equivalent by RAW?

[ZeroNumerous]

A special quality is just something a character has that not everyone does. Weither it's supernatural or extraordinary isn't important.

[Amiria]

Yes, the Mindbender's telepathy ability qualifies as a prerequisite for the feat. It doesn't matter if the Special Quality is (Ex), (Su), or even (Sp).

[Peregrine]

What Zero said. The whole 'Special Attacks' and 'Special Qualities' thing was never a great idea to begin with -- the terms weren't well defined or consistently applied. (The rejigged stat blocks are a little more consistent in this regard, but they've met with resistance simply because people finally got used to using the old ones. And because they omit some things, but that's another discussion...)

But basically, if it's something 'special' about you, and it's not just your hit dice, attack bonus, skills, or feats (and even some of those qualify), it's a Special Attack or Quality. Even spellcasting can and has been considered a Special X (I think); spell-like/supernatural/extraordinary abilities are definitely SAs or SQs. (Usually.)

[lotofsnow]

Thanks for the quick replies. I was never really sure how that all worked out. And now I know.

[AtomicKitKat]

Generally, Special Attacks are "offensive"(anything that lets you touch/attack/fire at someone), while Special Qualities are a catch-all for more or less everything else(Resistances, DR, Immunities, Evasion, Mettle, Uncanny Dodge, etc.)