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[Raishoiken]

But only if we know what it means to have "the ability to cast" something. Do we know the comprehensive list of circumstances that this encompasses? I've seen a thread recently where some debate about this was had.

will edit with progress made

[Raishoiken]

This may seem like a silly question, but what it means precisely determines exactly how things that say "grant you the ability to cast x" work. Seems obvious enough, but i've seen debate arise from "yeah, it says it gives you the ability to cast x, but you dont meet y and z criteria for spellcasting in order to cast it"

an example being things regarding "minimum caster level required" which is one thing i remember specifically being hotly debated

[Elves]

So is there a specific situation you're asking this in regards to?

[RedMage125]

I, too, would need more specifics. But, in general, if something gives you "the ability to cast" one or more spells, it also delineates what ability you would use as your spellcasting ability, and you would follow subsequent rules from there, unless whatever granted you "the ability to cast" explicitly says otherwise.

[Menzath]

If I recall in the MM it says that if you are given a spell or spell-like to cast, but nothing else given, your default caster level is your hd and spell casting attribute is Cha. With a save being 10+1/2hd+ caster mod.

Says it all there in MM pg 315.

Edit: so the MM pretty much tells you fill in the blanks yourself so that you can actually cast what you are given, if it's not spelled out already. Seems simple enough.

[Crake]

If I recall in the MM it says that if you are given a spell or spell-like to cast, but nothing else given, your default caster level is your hd and spell casting attribute is Cha. With a save being 10+1/2hd+ caster mod.

Says it all there in MM pg 315.

Edit: so the MM pretty much tells you fill in the blanks yourself so that you can actually cast what you are given, if it's not spelled out already. Seems simple enough.

The save is based on the level of the spell, not half HD, with an order of precedence of which caster list to use: "A monster’s spell-like abilities are presumed to be the sorcerer/wizard versions. If the spell in question is not a sorcerer/wizard spell, then default to cleric, druid, bard, paladin, and ranger, in that order."

[Crichton]

Like the others, I'm not sure what specific context you're looking at, but a few things of note:


The only things that are ever "Cast" are actual Spells. There are several abilities that can replicate the effects of Spells, such as Spell-Like Abilities, but those abilities aren't ever actually "Casting," nor are what those abilities produce considered to be actual "Spells"

- It should be noted, however, that in some instances where the normal requirement for something is listed with the text 'ability to cast X,' sometimes other rules come in and provide legal substitutions for that requirement. Those substitutions aren't necessarily 'Casting' or actual 'Spells' in those cases, they're merely a specific legally allowed substitute (for example, a Warlock can't ever meet a requirement that says 'ability to cast Xth level spells' but they can meet a requirement like 'ability to cast [spell name]' if they have an Invocation that provides an equivalent effect, because there is rules text to provide a specific alternate substitution for that particular type of requirement - see Complete Arcane pg 72 for more details)




So far as I am aware without diving into the books to research, there are only two possible ways to gain the actual ability to cast real, true Spells:

- the Class-feature based ability, typically named "Spells" in the rules entry for a given class
- the Special Ability called "Spells" found in some creature/monster entries

[Menzath]

The save is based on the level of the spell, not half HD, with an order of precedence of which caster list to use: "A monster’s spell-like abilities are presumed to be the sorcerer/wizard versions. If the spell in question is not a sorcerer/wizard spell, then default to cleric, druid, bard, paladin, and ranger, in that order."

Right you are. I just glanced over the entry and only really read the end when it was talking about supernatural abilities.

Either way I got the page and entry right, that sorta still counts for something I hope.