Spell-likes and magic items

[Raishoiken]

Is there anything anywhere that suggests a creature can use spell-like abilities that don't duplicate a spell effect to create a magic item that replicates the spell-like ability?

[Psyren]

Is there anything anywhere that suggests a creature can use spell-like abilities that don't duplicate a spell effect to create a magic item that replicates the spell-like ability?

I'm not sure what you mean by "don't duplicate a spell effect." The general answer is yes (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#prerequisites), you can use SLAs to craft items:

"A spell prerequisite may be provided by a character who has prepared the spell (or who knows the spell, in the case of a sorcerer or bard), or through the use of a spell completion or spell trigger magic item or a spell-like ability that produces the desired spell effect. For each day that passes in the creation process, the creator must expend one spell completion item or one charge from a spell trigger item if either of those objects is used to supply a prerequisite."

But those SLAs are duplicating the spell effect, because that's how they satisfy the spell prerequisite. For example, a gnome could use their dancing lights SLA to scribe a dancing lights scroll. An unrelated SLA that doesn't mention dancing lights couldn't be used to make a dancing lights scroll. Am I misunderstanding your question?

[Powerdork]

I'm not sure what you mean by "don't duplicate a spell effect." The general answer is yes (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/magicItemBasics.htm#prerequisites), you can use SLAs to craft items:

"A spell prerequisite may be provided by a character who has prepared the spell (or who knows the spell, in the case of a sorcerer or bard), or through the use of a spell completion or spell trigger magic item or a spell-like ability that produces the desired spell effect. For each day that passes in the creation process, the creator must expend one spell completion item or one charge from a spell trigger item if either of those objects is used to supply a prerequisite."

But those SLAs are duplicating the spell effect, because that's how they satisfy the spell prerequisite. For example, a gnome could use their dancing lights SLA to scribe a dancing lights scroll. An unrelated SLA that doesn't mention dancing lights couldn't be used to make a dancing lights scroll. Am I misunderstanding your question?

The question seems to be about whether magic items that replicate non-spell SLAs can be made freely by creatures with those SLAs.

Such as the yuan-ti halfblood's chameleon power, or (for an SRD example) a black dragon's corrupt water.

[Psyren]

The question seems to be about whether magic items that replicate non-spell SLAs can be made freely by creatures with those SLAs.

Such as the yuan-ti halfblood's chameleon power, or (for an SRD example) a black dragon's corrupt water.

If there's an item that has one of those things as a prerequisite, then it could be used to satisfy that prerequisite. I'm not aware of any items that simply say "any random SLA of your choice."

And if they're asking about a custom item, well... that's a question for their GM.

[Nifft]

Is there anything anywhere that suggests a creature can use spell-like abilities that don't duplicate a spell effect to create a magic item that replicates the spell-like ability?

It seems like most monster abilities which do this give you enough info to price the resulting item. For example:



Create/Destroy Water (Sp)

A blue dragon of any age can use this ability three times per day. It works like the create water spell, except that the dragon can decide to destroy water instead of creating it, which automatically spoils unattended liquids containing water. Magic items (such as potions) and items in a creature’s possession must succeed on a Will save (DC equal to that of the dragon’s frightful presence) or be ruined. This ability is the equivalent of a 1st-level spell.


It's a 1st-level spell equivalent, so you can make a Wand of Create/Destroy Water with a known price.

You'd presumably need UMD to activate the wand, of course.

[Psyren]

Such a wand doesn't actually exist, so you'd need the GM to first okay a custom item before you can go crafting it.

[Raishoiken]

The question seems to be about whether magic items that replicate non-spell SLAs can be made freely by creatures with those SLAs.

Such as the yuan-ti halfblood's chameleon power, or (for an SRD example) a black dragon's corrupt water.


Precisely this



And if they're asking about a custom item, well... that's a question for their GM.

No gm, thought exercise

[Kalkra]

I can think of a few invocations I'd like wands of...

[Falontani]

Per http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/creatingMagicItems.htm custom items have an agreed upon price. Most SLAs that do not precisely mimic a spell (like the above Corrupt Water from the dragon) say that the spell works as X but Y. So the SLA usually has an explicit price to create a scroll/wand/staff/potion/etc of the sla in question. Warlock Invocations have spell level equivalents as well (not the least, lesser, greater, dark; but actual levels in the invocation's description) with minimum caster levels to boot.

Mysteries and Utterances both can have magic items that can be crafted from them, even though Mysteries eventually become Supernatural abilities, and Utterances are called out as spell like abilities. It appears that (at least from Tome of Magic's perspective) you could create a scroll from any spell, spell like ability, and even Supernatural abilities (that function like a spell).

I am sure that there will be at least one example of a spell like ability that does not mimic a spell not having a spell level (or sometimes even a caster level) but that won't be the common thing, and should be easily enough to gauge what spell level it should be.

[Psyren]

Precisely this



No gm, thought exercise

Then the answer to your academic question is "yes, custom items can have any justification/duplicate any ability you can think of."

[Powerdork]

Most SLAs that do not precisely mimic a spell (like the above Corrupt Water from the dragon) say that the spell works as X but Y.

I don't mean to detract from your point when I say that I chose the examples that I did precisely because they didn't mention spells. A blue dragon's create/destroy water SLA mentions create water, while a black dragon's corrupt water is self-contained.

[Raishoiken]

Then the answer to your academic question is "yes, custom items can have any justification/duplicate any ability you can think of."

I had a nagging feeling that It'd come to: "theoretically, i guess" but hoped in vain against it lol.
Alas, tis cheese only in my fantasies

[Falontani]

I don't mean to detract from your point when I say that I chose the examples that I did precisely because they didn't mention spells. A blue dragon's create/destroy water SLA mentions create water, while a black dragon's corrupt water is self-contained.
That's what I get for not checking that portion of my argument right before bed. I still believe that corrupt water should be an exception to the rule, but there may be more exceptions that I thought there would be.