Dysfunctional Rules X: I Cast Comprehend Rules

[Beni-Kujaku]

The whole metamagic on an SLA thing comes under the jurisdiction of "In all other ways, a spell-like ability functions just like a spell" from the SRD. A few monsters even use Augment Summoning on summon SLAs and School Focus to increase SLAs' CL. Maybe strict RAW reading would disagree, but the RAI seems clear to me, clear enough that I wouldn't call it a dysfunction.

[loky1109]

The whole metamagic on an SLA thing comes under the jurisdiction of "In all other ways, a spell-like ability functions just like a spell" from the SRD. A few monsters even use Augment Summoning on summon SLAs and School Focus to increase SLAs' CL. Maybe strict RAW reading would disagree, but the RAI seems clear to me, clear enough that I wouldn't call it a dysfunction.

Well, it IS dysfunction, but it's not specific monster's/class's dysfunction, but whole SLA and feats-for-spells rules' dysfunction.

[ShurikVch]

I assume everybody knows the kerfluffle with warlocks and metamagics, but to recap: The text of all metamagic feats explicitly require casting spells, but there's a paragraph in the start of the chapter saying "Obviously, since the sudden metamagic feats don't modify spell slots, warlocks can benefit from them." meanwhile the benefit is "you can cast a spell better."

Acrually, WotC themselves used "cast as a spell-like ability" phrase:

Innate Spell [General]
You have mastered a spell so thoroughly you can now cast it as a spell-like ability.
Prerequisites: Quicken Spell, Silent Spell, Still Spell.
Benefit: Choose a spell you can cast. You can now cast this spell at will as a spell-like ability once per round, without needing to prepare it. One spell slot eight levels higher than the innate spell is permanently used to power it. If the innate spell has an XP component, you pay the XP cost each time you use the spell-like ability. If the innate spell has a focus, you must have the focus to use the spell-like ability. If the innate spell has a costly material component (see the spell description) you use an item worth 50 times that cost to use as a focus for the spell-like ability.
Since an innate spell is a spell-like ability and not an actual spell, a cleric cannot convert it to a cure or an inflict spell. Divine spellcasters who become unable to cast divine spells cannot use divine innate spells.

See: they told "cast ... as a spell-like ability" - despite, in the very next paragraph, admitted SLA aren't spells

Also, Chimeric Champion of Garl Glittergold PrC:

Finally, at 9th level, the chimeric champions knowledge of illusion magic reaches its peak. She chooses an additional 2nd-level arcane illusion spell to cast as a spell-like ability, and she also chooses one 3rd-level arcane illusion spell to cast as a spell-like ability. Each of these new abilities can be used once per day.

One paragraph before that note is the one about weaponlike spells feats. I posted in a different thread about the issues with weapon focus and weaponlike spells. the short version is that paragraph makes equally little sense, or even less, as it might manage to randomly break how sorcerers and wizards work.

In addition:
Weapon Focus (ray),
Weapon Focus (energy missile),
Weapon Focus (eldritch blast),
and Weapon Focus (Grapple)...

[Inevitability]

Acrually, WotC themselves used "cast as a spell-like ability" phrase

The hexblade dead levels class feature does it too, for something a bit later in 3.5's lifecycle.

Forced Omens (Ex): At 6th level, a foreboding sense of doom travels with the hexblade, as candle lights flicker, fresh food turns green, or the air becomes stale. A hexblade adds prestidigitation to their list of spells known. If a hexblade already knows this spell, the character may choose a different 1st level spell. As a bonus spell, prestidigitation cannot be traded for another 1st level spell.

At 8th level, a hexblade may cast prestidigitation as if augmented by the Silent Spell feat without using up a higher-level spell slot. At 11th level, a hexblade may cast prestidigitation as a spell-like ability, lacking both somatic and verbal components, but is still limited to their spell slots per day. At 14th level, a hexblade may cast prestidigitation a number of additional times per day equal to 3 + their Charisma modifier. At 18th level, a hexblade can cast prestidigitation at will. The prestidigitation spell disappears from their list of spells known at this level.

[bekeleven]

Not to belabor the point but, if warlock invocations counted as casting spells, warlocks would become a much better class overnight due to qualifying for 5x as many prestige classes.

(What I'm trying to say is, let me know if they do, I would like to take some of those classes)

[Inevitability]

Shadows from the Last War, the Undead Eyes spell.

This spell allows the user to form a telepathic link with a mindless undead creature that the caster has first cast control undead upon. The telepathic link provides two benefits. First, the caster can issue telepathic commands to the target (with the normal restrictions for control undead). Second the caster can form a sense-link to the target as a free action. This link allows the caster to see and hear through the senses of the undead creature.

The issue? Undead Eyes is a 2nd-level cleric and sorcerer/wizard spell. Control Undead is sorc/wiz only and 7th-level...

Also, Undead Eyes lasts for days/level while Control Undead is over in minutes, but that's more of an ambiguity than a true dysfunction.

[Tohron]

Well, it is plausible that someone who can cast a powerful spell might develop weaker spells to situationally supplement it, though that still doesn't explain Undead Eyes being available to clerics.

[ShurikVch]

though that still doesn't explain Undead Eyes being available to clerics

Undeath domain?

[Chronos]

My guess is that it was supposed to work on any undead that the caster already had control of, also including ones they'd commanded via Rebuke Undead and those they controlled by virtue of having created them. That'd give it a use case for clerics, and would also make the long duration relevant.

[InvisibleBison]

My guess is that it was supposed to work on any undead that the caster already had control of, also including ones they'd commanded via Rebuke Undead and those they controlled by virtue of having created them. That'd give it a use case for clerics, and would also make the long duration relevant.

I'm almost certain that the author of undead eyes confused control undead with command undead, which is a 2nd level spell.

[St Fan]

My guess is that it was supposed to work on any undead that the caster already had control of, also including ones they'd commanded via Rebuke Undead and those they controlled by virtue of having created them. That'd give it a use case for clerics, and would also make the long duration relevant.

I would agree with this reading, since it's the most functional ruling.

I'm almost certain that the author of undead eyes confused control undead with command undead, which is a 2nd level spell.

Very likely, although command undead is still not a Cleric spell.

[Inevitability]

From the PHB II readthrough thread:

Luminous Assassin says:

After its initial attack, a Luminous Assassin attacks its target every round, taking its turn after your turn is completed.

And yet for some reason, the luminous assassin statblocks come with Improved Initiative...