Special Qualities (SQ)

Many creatures have unusual abilities. A special quality can be extraordinary (Ex), spell-like (Sp), or supernatural (Su).

Extraordinary: Extraordinary abilities are nonmagical and are not subject to anything that disrupts magic. Using an extraordinary ability is a free action unless noted otherwise.

Spell-Like: Spell-like abilities are magical and work just like spells, though they have no verbal, somatic, material, focus, or XP components. They are subject to spell resistance.

Spell-like abilities usually have a limit on the number of times they can be used. A spell-like ability that can be used "at will" has no use limit. Using a spell-like ability is an attack action unless noted otherwise, and doing so while threatened provokes attacks of opportunity. A spell-like ability can be disrupted just as a spell can be.

For creatures with spell-like abilities, a designated caster level serves to define how difficult it is to dispel their spell-like effects and to define any level-dependent variable the abilities might have. The creature's caster level never affects which spell-like abilities the creature has; sometimes the given caster level is lower than the level a spellcasting character would need to cast the spell of the same name.

The saving throw (if any) for a spell-like ability is 10 + the level of the spell the ability resembles or duplicates + the creature's Charisma modifier.

Supernatural: Supernatural abilities are magical but are not subject to spell resistance. Using a supernatural ability is an attack action unless noted otherwise. Supernatural abilities may have a use limit or be usable at will, just like spell-like abilities. However, supernatural abilities do not provoke attacks of opportunity and never require Concentration checks.