[PF] What is mindless?

[Alcopop]

Hello,

My necromancer has recently gained access to some burrowing creatures I would very much like to make into zombies. However this opportunity brings up a question of communication;

So far I have only been able to give my undead very simple commands, "attack", "charge", "guard me" ect ect. This hasn't been much of a point of contention. However last session my GM indicated to me that if I made these new undead burrow I would not be able to get them back, as I would be unable to give them a new command (as they are out of ear...hole...shot)

I'm not particularly happy with that outcome and if possible would like to give my undead more complex commands,

"attack using your burrow, and when the creature is defeated return to me"

But this calls into question what level of complexity a - int creature is capable of following.

I cannot find any useful text to help me in this conundrum, do you know any, if not what would your personal rulings be?

TL;DR, How complex can an order be to a mindless undead?

[Anderlith]

Well undead skeletal warriors still know how to swing a sword, other creatures retain their intuitive knowledge. They should be able to intuit certain things like "Attack from below!" "Lie in wait beneath & strike an ambush when someone other than me comes"

This is the problem with calling things "intelligence" & "mindless" it's more a state of willfulnessless. They have no will to do anything, no instinct for self preservation, hunger, shelter, mating, nothing. They do what you tell them to so far as they can grasp the concept you illuminate. Interpretation depends largely on the DM so YMMV.

Ambushing from below should be perfectly within their limits though.

[Matticussama]

Depending upon your level, you might be able to do a work-around using other spells if your DM isn't willing to let you give more complex orders. You could use Arcane Eye to follow your burrowing undead so that you are aware of what it is seeing (if darkvision is a problem, strap a torch to the undead so you have light). If you see an enemy, or otherwise want to change its command, use either Message or Ghost Sound to deliver the order to attack/retreat/return/change direction/etc. There might be a better way to do it than using Arcane Eye, since it is a 4th level spell, but that is the first tactic that came to mind.

[Alcopop]

I should mention I am a cleric.

[Psyren]

Golems might provide a clue - they're also mindless, but you can give them some fairly nuanced orders - say, to only attack certain creature types, only to attack spellcasters, or to guard a certain area/room, or to only activate when a creature approaches within a certain distance etc. So I would imagine that you can give orders of similar complexity to undead.