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2021-05-08, 05:33 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2009
Changing spell like abilities to require verbal and somatic components
At some point I had a houserule of spell like abilities requiring the use of somatic and verbal components as normal. The fluff was that the components were simpler in nature but still necessary. The reason for this was that I wanted to stop outsiders shenanigans with hiding and spamming spell likes without making a sound. I remember finding outsiders too powerful in 3.5 especially compared to other monsters in the Core (except dragons), perhaps because they were a bit too low on the hd department in 3.0 the designers went the other way just a tad too much in 3.5.
I didn't hear complaints about this in pathfinder so maybe there is no need for this change or the fact they allowed weapons to ignore DR's acted as a indirect nerf to ousiders.
In any case the basic question is how would the game change if spell like abilities required somatic and verbal components?
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2021-05-08, 11:47 AM (ISO 8601)
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- Mar 2012
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- UK
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Re: Changing spell like abilities to require verbal and somatic components
All warlock invocations have a somatic component (only - including Baleful Utterance so it can be used in a silence effect), but they are different to normal spell-like abilities.
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2021-05-08, 01:36 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2016
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- New York
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Re: Changing spell like abilities to require verbal and somatic components
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2021-05-09, 12:45 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2009
Re: Changing spell like abilities to require verbal and somatic components
Ease of use? Why would I give them sorcerer casting?
I am not sure the whole point of spell like abilities is casting spells without somatic or verbal components. But you know, actually having access to the spell. Adding sorcerer casting would be more time consuming and would propably end up giving the monsters more spells known.
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2021-05-09, 12:45 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2009
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2021-05-09, 02:01 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2016
Re: Changing spell like abilities to require verbal and somatic components
I think the point was that since the warlock's SLAs already have a verbal component then you can just borrow those rules for your outsiders
"If you want to understand biology don't think about vibrant throbbing gels and oozes, think about information technology" -Richard Dawkins
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2021-05-09, 02:39 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2016
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- New York
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Re: Changing spell like abilities to require verbal and somatic components
instead of making something new theres already something functional. yeah they might get more known, but you'd be the DM picking which ones they know, so it wouldnt affect their power level unless you wanted it to. but seriously the only real functional difference between a creature that casts spells as if it has sorcerer levels and one with SLA's is that one doesnt need components. Thats literally basically the only difference.
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2021-05-09, 05:22 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Terra Australis
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Re: Changing spell like abilities to require verbal and somatic components
It always amused me that by RAW innate SLAs have no verbal or somatic components, yet they provoke AoOs..
How? What exactly is happening that provokes? Is it just the "concentration face" that they are pulling?My winning competition entries: Kinvig Arrumskor | The Great Pumpkinhead | Wynfrith d'Acker
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2021-05-09, 09:33 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2012
Re: Changing spell like abilities to require verbal and somatic components
It's because you have to "let your guard down" to cast anything with Concentration. Will link SRD shortly.
Edit: Link
Originally Posted by SRDLast edited by Techwarrior; 2021-05-09 at 09:36 PM.
Avatar courtesy of Ceika.
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2021-05-10, 03:41 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2009
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2021-05-10, 04:21 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- Terra Australis
- Gender
Re: Changing spell like abilities to require verbal and somatic components
My winning competition entries: Kinvig Arrumskor | The Great Pumpkinhead | Wynfrith d'Acker
Torn-City - Massively multiplayer online browser based crime RPG
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2021-05-10, 04:24 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2019
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2021-05-11, 11:30 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2016
Re: Changing spell like abilities to require verbal and somatic components
"If you want to understand biology don't think about vibrant throbbing gels and oozes, think about information technology" -Richard Dawkins
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Morrus' RPG Forum (EN World v2)
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2021-05-11, 02:20 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Oct 2019
Re: Changing spell like abilities to require verbal and somatic components
I think defensive casting is silly.
The AoO rules provide nice tactical engagement. Personally, I think the withdraw action is underutilized and under supported by WotC. I also think that spring attack is an underappreciated feat along with the prerequisite feats. I don't play at the high op levels many on these boards claim to play at. So my opinion on the matter is most likely not popular.
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2021-05-11, 02:20 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2009
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2021-05-11, 02:31 PM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2009
Re: Changing spell like abilities to require verbal and somatic components
I think the fact it progressively becomes easier as you go in higher levels is silly. I would use the trailblazer version before throwing defensive casting completely out the game.
Also at some point the guy who made the OSR clone Dark dungeons wrote some houserules for 3.0 that removed defensive casting.