User:MisterSinister/TOToM (3.5e Sourcebook)/SRP1/Important Ability Elements

Important Ability Elements

Abilities have a large number of rules that govern them across the board that, for some inexplicable reason, used to belong with spells. These have been slightly modified, and moved here for ease of reference.

Ability Types
There are four types of abilities that are used in The Other Tome of Magic: extraordinary, supernatural, spell-like and spell abilities. These function according to the following rules.

An ability marked as a spell follows all of the rules regarding Steps 1 to 3 as outlined in the Magic Overview section. Spells are subject to counterspells and dispel magic, and are negated by abilities such as antimagic field. Spells also have components.

An ability marked as a spell-like ability does not have components (thus omitting Step 1c) and do not provoke attacks of opportunity (thus omitting Steps 2a and 2b). Otherwise, they are identical to spells.

An ability marked as a supernatural ability does not have components and does not provoke attacks of opportunity (as per spell-like abilities above). Additionally, it does not allow spell resistance (thus also omitting Step 3a.

An ability marked as an extraordinary ability follows all the rules for supernatural abilities given above. It is also not considered magical and is thus not affected by abilities like antimagic field.

Components
Components are requirements a character must fulfil when using the ability. This occurs in Step 1c, and if the components of an ability cannot be provided, the ability cannot be used.

There are two types of component: verbal (abbreviated V) and somatic (abbreviated S). To supply a verbal component to an ability, a character must be able to speak without impediment. To supply a somatic component to an ability, a character must be able to move at least one arm (or similar appendage) freely.

In almost all cases, only spells have components. Spell-like, supernatural and extraordinary abilities are assumed to lack components unless otherwise noted.

Disbelief
Certain abilities allow a disbelief save. Creatures that encounter such an ability do not usually get a save to recognise it as not real. They do, however, receive a save (usually a Will save) if they carefully study or interact with the illusory perception in some way. Only if this yields a response that is atypical or strange will such a save be permitted. "Studying carefully" requires a lot of scrutiny, and this means that a casual glance, a few seconds of listening or something similar are not enough; thorough searching and probing, detailed listening for at least ten seconds and something of that degree are required to gain a save.

Additionally, most individuals don't expect their senses to lead them wrongly, and quite frequently, a wall made of fire might actually be a wall of fire spell, and very few individuals would risk checking this fact. Only highly-paranoid, aware or intelligent individuals, or those who understand they face illusions, should even be allowed to examine such effects to determine their veracity. This applies equally to NPCs as well, and players are within their rights in calling out GMs who do not play fair with these rules.

A passed save shows that the ability's effect is not real, but an outline of the effect remains. A failed save indicates that the individual has completely succumbed to the illusion, and will continue to insist that it is real. Future saves are not allowed. A creature who has disbelieved an [Image] effect can communicate this disbelief to others, granting them a +4 bonus on their saves (assuming they receive them). If other creatures understand that a creature is the subject of a [Phantasm] spell, they can communicate that this is not real to them, allowing them a +4 bonus on their saves. A creature that receives personal, incontrovertible proof that such an effect is not what it seems to be, after the normal save for disbelief (and the circumstances surrounding it), is allowed an additional save. If this is also failed, the individual in question has rationalised it so thoroughly that they insist the effect is real no matter what.

Dismissing
Any ability can be dismissed by its user, ending immediately with no further effect. Instantaneous abilities cannot be dismissed (they've come and gone already). Dismissing any number of abilities requires a move action.

Duration
Along with durations that are fixed, or that scale with character or caster level, there are three special kinds of duration: Recovery ends, Dissipation and Slot.

An ability with a duration of Recovery ends allows anyone affected by it to make a check at the end of their turn for each instance of such an ability affecting them. This check has a bonus equal to their character level, against a DC of 18 + the character level of the user of the ability. Each additional check attempted against the same ability receives a cumulative +1 bonus. If this check is successful, the ability ends for that character only. If it is failed, the ability continues, but another check can be made next turn.

An ability with a duraction of Dissipation requires its user to make a check at the beginning of each of their turns while the ability is active. To make this check, roll 1d20 + the user's character level, against a DC of 4 + twice the level of the ability (or the character level the ability was gained at if it has no level). If the check succeeds, the ability continues, but if it is failed, the ability ends. Each additional check for the same ability receives a -1 cumulative penalty.

An ability with a duration of Slot ties up the limited resource used to power it, such as the spell slot used to cast it or a limited use of an ability. While the ability remains active, this limited resource cannot be restored by any means. If the ability is dismissed, the slot can be recovered normally.

Foregoing Saves
Any ability that requires a save allows that save to be foregone by any that would be affected by it. This counts as automatically failing the save.

Range
Abilities have certain standard range types, which are defined by the character level of their users. These are:


 * Close: 25ft. + 5ft/2 character levels
 * Medium: 100ft. +10ft./character level
 * Long: 400ft. + 40ft./character level

Save DCs
Any DC for any ability is assumed to default to 10 + 1/2 the user's character level + some ability score modifier. This is often shortened: a DC of 10 + 1/2 the user's character level + the user's Charisma modifier is referred to as 'Charisma-based'.

For spells, the DC defaults to being based on an ability score as defined by the class.

Spell Resistance
Spells and spell-like abilities allow spell resistance by default, unless they have the [SR:Special] tag. Spell resistance is defined as a value, which is used as a DC for a caster level check in Step 1c of spellcasting. If this check is failed, the spell is wasted, but is not considered expended. Just like a save, spell resistance can be foregone.