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View Full Version : Should arcane strike be treated as a spell like ability gain through a feat?



Phillharmonik
2019-03-05, 11:54 PM
Should arcane strike be treated as a spell like ablitity for the purposes of feats that effect spell like abilities. I know it is a feat but for example in the feat Enervate Spell-Like Ability [Metamagic]
This feat allows Characters with spell-like abilities to enhance one according to one of their ability scores. It says that a spell like ablitity GAINED THRU A FEAT is an option as shown below. Arcane strike acts like a spell like ability gain thru a feat.
Prerequisite:*Character level 6, Spell-like ability gained through either a FEAT, Racial Ability or class feature.
Benefit:*This Feat allows a character or monster with spell like ability to enhance one spell-like ability with the bonus from one ability score (int, wis, or cha only)to each die of damage 3 times a day.

For all intents and purposes Arcane strike acts as a spell like ability. A spell-like ability has no verbal, somatic, material, focus, or XP components. Using a spell-like ability is a purely mental action, albeit one that requires enough concentration to provoke attacks of opportunity (unless other wise noted as some do).
In the current version of the*D&D*game, the term "spell-like ability" has taken on a little more meaning. It refers to a broad category of magical abilities that work more or less like spells, as noted below. (Like arcane strike)

A spell-like ability cannot be used as a counterspell
(Acrane strike cannot as well)
A spell-like ability is not subject to spell failure.
(Ok but unless other wise noted in the ability)
A spell-like ability need not be prepared in advance.
(Arcane strike does not)
A spell-like ability is not subject to metamagic.
(And arcane strike is not, correct?) Can it be empowered? I would think not.

So how should we view arcane strike? Can I apply a feat to it like Envenerate spell-like ability or am I stretching that?

Deophaun
2019-03-06, 12:11 AM
You're stretching.

First, this is homebrew from DND Wiki and the fact that feats are mentioned doesn't mean anything. There are plenty of feats in the game proper that say that they do grant you spell-like abilities, such as the various dragonmark feats or any of the ones that represent exotic bloodlines (e.g. Fiendish Legacy).

But simply, Arcane Strike does not call the ability spell-like, so it is not.

But, as said, this is homebrew from DND Wiki. It's precisely as valid as you coming up with the "Empower Arcane Strike" feat and asking your DM to accept it.

Phillharmonik
2019-03-06, 01:14 AM
Yeah I saw that it was home brew after I posted definitely a stretch. Thanks for the info!

Mr Adventurer
2019-03-11, 04:49 AM
Is the consequence of this, that Arcane Strike can be used inside an AMF?

Crake
2019-03-11, 05:35 AM
If anything, arcane strike would be more indicative of a supernatural ability rather than a spell-like, mainly because using arcane strike doesn't provoke an attack of opportunity, wheras SLAs do.