Another Stupidly Under-CR'd Monster?

[Thrawn183]

So sure we've all heard of the crab and the like, but I was perusing Monsters of Faerun when I encountered this little gem: the Banelar.

A CR 5 that casts as a level 6 wizard AND a level 6 cleric with access to 3 domains.

Think that sounds impressive? Well it gets to cast one spell every round as a free action! All this on top of natural immunities to things like poison and acid. Occaisionally I really wonder how things like this got through the editing process.

[Ryuuk]

So essentially, its 2 CR 6 creatures with the same HP pool. Hmm, its still just one creature though. If it's going into a fight with buffs up, it'll be hard to take down, but how squishy is it when the party gets the jump on it?

[Runestar]

Its cr was revised to 8 in serpent kingdoms, IIRC. Pretty decent stats though - huge with 7 abberation HD).

Note the quickened spell is only when it attacks, so I don't think this allows it to cast 2 spells each round (at least, the banelar in sundering of the weave adventure did not take advantage of this).

[arguskos]

Monster of Faerun is full of gems like the Banelar. Check out the Ibrandlin and the Sharn for other prime examples.

[Thrawn183]

So essentially, its 2 CR 6 creatures with the same HP pool. Hmm, its still just one creature though. If it's going into a fight with buffs up, it'll be hard to take down, but how squishy is it when the party gets the jump on it?

73 HP? It doesn't have great AC (14), but then again it does have the spell slots to keep stuff like mage armor up all day and cast say... shield for an extra little boost.

A rules clarification, it says it can cast as a free action when attacking, that means while casting a harmful spell right? I know that counts as attacking for the purpose of breaking invisility.

[Quietus]

73 HP? It doesn't have great AC (14), but then again it does have the spell slots to keep stuff like mage armor up all day and cast say... shield for an extra little boost.

A rules clarification, it says it can cast as a free action when attacking, that means while casting a harmful spell right? I know that counts as attacking for the purpose of breaking invisility.

I believe the term "attack" is, in fact, defined in just that way. Anything that requires an attack roll, save, or targets someone, I think?

[herrhauptmann]

A rules clarification, it says it can cast as a free action when attacking, that means while casting a harmful spell right? I know that counts as attacking for the purpose of breaking invisility.

Or while making an attack action? Full round attack + spell? Standard attack + spell + move?

[Irreverent Fool]

A rules clarification, it says it can cast as a free action when attacking, that means while casting a harmful spell right? I know that counts as attacking for the purpose of breaking invisility.

It just says 'a single spell every round as a free action while attacking'. It doesn't say as an attack or at its opponent. Thus, if it is making an attack, it can cast a spell as a free action at the same time (much like a character with a +1 or better base attack bonus can draw a weapon during a move action).

The invisibility spell specifically makes mention of harmful spells counting as attacks but it also says that such rulings apply only for the purposes of invisibility.

I believe the term "attack" is, in fact, defined in just that way. Anything that requires an attack roll, save, or targets someone, I think?

The PHB glossary defines an attack as

Any of numerous actions intended to harm...disable... The outcome of an attack is determined by an attack roll.

Technically, you could have things that require attack rolls that do not fall under the definition of attack. For example, an opposed attack roll to avoid having a held item sundered is not an attack.

The Rules Compendium states under 'Attacks and Damage' that

Attacking is a basic part of combat. Doing so takes a standard action or part of a full-round action.

So, an attack is something that is intended to generally inconvenience someone, requires an attack roll and takes a standard action or part of a full-round action. The action tables in the SRD list 'attack' multiple times, once for each type of action that constitutes an attack. 'Cast a spell' is also listed. Why do I mention this last bit? Because it shows that casting a spell is a completely different action from an attack.

Yes, some spells require you to make an attack roll, but much like an opposed attack roll to avoid a sunder, it is not itself an attack.

Some may argue that because these spells deal damage and can critically hit that they constitute an attack but I disagree. The rule regarding critical hits states

When you make an attack roll and get a natural 20...

It does not state that this roll must be part of an attack action.

Therefore, 'while attacking' must mean during a 'standard' attack. (Note that I don't refer to a standard action, but the act of hitting a creature with a thing that could be considered a weapon.)

Some might argue that it doesn't specify 'taking an attack action' but 'attacking' here is used in the same way other actions are used elsewhere. Improved Bull Rush for example makes no mention of the 'bull rush' action but only 'when performing a bull rush'. Were the 'attack action' called 'smurf' rather than 'attack' the ability would state 'while smurfing' and there would be no confusion between 'smurfing' and 'attacking with a spell'. It is the unfortunate side effect of using common language in mechanics that has caused the confusion.

To boil it all down: No, a Banelar cannot cast a spell and gain another spell as a free action through use of this ability. It may only use its ability to do so while attacking as either part of a full-round action or attacking as a standard action.

Edit: This makes it a bit less dangerous. As a DM, I believe I would simply give the creature the ability to cast a spell as a free action once per round in any round that it did not cast any other spells.

obnoxious
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