Quick Q: Abilities on the Defensive?

[Clefton Twain]

I'm pretty sure this has been covered before but I couldn't find it anywhere.

Can you use spell-like and supernatural abilities on the defensive? I know, if hit while using one, you make a concentration check but can you actually use them on the defensive? Does combat casting help this?

--CT

 

[AGGEMAM]

Spell-like abilities, yes.

No need to do it with super-natural abilities since they do not provoke AoOs.

And I don't think Combat Casting applies to Spell-like abilities.

 

[Elder-Basilisk]

Perhaps more significantly, what is the concentration DC for the defensive use of spell like abilities which don't map to ordinary spell levels?

An Erinyes's Unholy Blight would logically be DC 19 (15+4 as Unholy Blight is a 4th level spell), but how about an Erinyes's charm ability (which is a cross between Suggestion and Dominate Person)? Or how about a Paladin's Lay on Hands?

 

[Henrix]

The Erinyes charm ability is not a spell like, but a supernatural, ability, and so provokes no AoO.

The Paladin's Lay on Hands is another matter. I'd rule it as a first level spell.

 

[Voadam]

Not only do supernatural abilities not provoke AoOs but more importantly they can not be disrupted.

from the srd:

Use supernatural ability [Standard][AoO: No]

Using a supernatural ability is usually a standard action (unless defined otherwise by the ability description). Its use cannot be disrupted, does not require concentration, and does not provoke attacks of opportunity

 

[Voadam]

forgot to include SLAs

from the srd:

Use spell-like ability [Standard][AoO: Yes]

Using a spell-like ability works like casting a spell in that it requires concentration and provokes attacks of opportunity. Spell-like abilities can be disrupted. If a combatant's concentration is broken, the attempt to use the ability fails, but the attempt counts as if the combatant had used the ability. The casting time of a spell-like ability is 1 action, making its use a standard action, unless the ability description notes otherwise.

A combatant may attempt to use a spell-like ability on the defensive, just as with a spell. If the Concentration check (DC 15) fails, the combatant can't use the ability, but the attempt counts as if the combatant had used the ability.


So from that last paragraph you can use SLAs on the defensive.