Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Grundax 01-11-06, 12:13 AM	I was always under the assumption that monsters who cast spells as effective classes needed to follow all the rules of the classes and needed material components. This ended up coming up in a discusion with a friend. He thought you didn't need them. That was when we looked it up in the Monster Manual. It didn't clear anything up as it contradicts itself about this in the description. It says you don't need material components but then mentions use of them, then states that some monsters use eschew materials to not need them. From the SRD (same in Monster Manual): Sometimes a creature can cast arcane or divine spells just as a member of a spellcasting class can (and can activate magic items accordingly). Such creatures are subject to the same spellcasting rules that characters are, except as follows. A spellcasting creature that lacks hands or arms can provide any somatic component a spell might require by moving its body. Such a creature also does need material components for its spells. The creature can cast the spell by either touching the required component (but not if the component is in another creature’s possession) or having the required component on its person. Sometimes spellcasting creatures utilize the Eschew Materials feat to avoid fussing with noncostly components.
The Vorpal Tribble 01-11-06, 12:50 AM	Spell-like and supernatural abilities don't need components as they are inherent natural functions of the creature, like a blink dog's blink or a balor's spells. Some actually cast spells or manifest powers as if they had a class, and those do need components I believe, like a Planetar's ability to cast spells as a 17th level cleric and even has access to domains. Now, a planetar also has spell-like abilities, which as mentioned need no components. So some can have both.
Grundax 01-11-06, 04:01 AM	I know spell-like abilities don't need components but according to the Monster Manual monsters who cast spells as a class both need and don't need material components. It says they don't need components then goes on to mention the use of components. I'm curious if there is a ruling on this somewhere.
Vedic Cold 01-11-06, 02:23 PM	From the SRD (same in Monster Manual): Sometimes a creature can cast arcane or divine spells just as a member of a spellcasting class can (and can activate magic items accordingly). Such creatures are subject to the same spellcasting rules that characters are, except as follows. A spellcasting creature that lacks hands or arms can provide any somatic component a spell might require by moving its body. Such a creature also does need material components for its spells. The creature can cast the spell by either touching the required component (but not if the component is in another creature’s possession) or having the required component on its person. Sometimes spellcasting creatures utilize the Eschew Materials feat to avoid fussing with noncostly components. I don't see any contradictions in this text as you quoted it. Could you perhaps bold or otherwise call specific attention to the contradiction?
Radijs 01-11-06, 04:56 PM	Monsters can TAKE the FEAT Eschew Materials to make sure they don't need non-costly materials. They don't automatically HAVE the feat so they do need material components. SLA's (Spell Like Abilities) have no need for material components.