Your favourite ways to get Mind-affecting immunity?

[Jowgen]

I'm reasonably well familiar with the different means to get immunity to mind-affecting effects, but I'm just curious which one's people favour.

[Svata]

Undeadification. (Generally via necropolitan. Have done Dry Lich via WitW capstone as well.)

[Necroticplague]

1 level dip in the Ghost template class or about half a level for the Necropolitan template.

[Rubik]

An item of continuous Protection from Alignment. Sure, it's not complete immunity, but it protects against the majority of negative mind-affecting effects (charms and compulsions), as well as any attempt at possession (which isn't mind-affecting but is still dangerous), as well as a decent defense against summoned creatures. The best part is, it allows most positive mind-affecting effects through, since the majority are neither charm nor compulsion effects.

If you want an official item, there is a banner from Heroes of Battle that grants continuous Magic Circle Against Alignment to all allies nearby for a mere 8,000 gp.

[ILM]

An item of continuous Protection from Alignment. Sure, it's not complete immunity, but it protects against the majority of negative mind-affecting effects (charms and compulsions), as well as any attempt at possession (which isn't mind-affecting but is still dangerous), as well as a decent defense against summoned creatures. The best part is, it allows most positive mind-affecting effects through, since the majority are neither charm nor compulsion effects.

If you want an official item, there is a banner from Heroes of Battle that grants continuous Magic Circle Against Alignment to all allies nearby for a mere 8,000 gp.
Very cool. Niche bonus: it doesn't provide immunity against fear effects, which is good if you rely on the Craven feat.

Problem: what about Neutral enemies?

[Crake]

there's much contention as to what exactly protection from evil does or does not protect against for it to really stand as a true candidate in my opinion.

My personal favourite is the feytouched race. Racial immunity to mind affecting, and, as per the phb rule, racial trait immunities can be lowered to allow yourself to be affected by beneficial mind affecting effects without worry, so you can still benefit from all those juicy mind affecting buffs

[Deophaun]

Dread Necro 7 for a Ghostly Visage familiar.

OP said "favorite," not "optimized." :smallwink:

[Rubik]

there's much contention as to what exactly protection from evil does or does not protect against for it to really stand as a true candidate in my opinion.Except the section about protection vs mental control is entirely separate from the protection against evil creatures clause. There's no reason for anyone to believe that it only protects against Evil mind-affecting effects, since there's a very obvious break between the two parts.

[Psyren]

He's probably thinking of the PF version, which does require the effect to be aligned to the spell in order to be suppressed. (Thus in PF, TN is the best alignment for a would-be enchanter.)

[ZamielVanWeber]

i'm the rubik on this one. Both item wise and effect wise. This also means you can get it through Saint (although it will go down when you are asleep...).

[Jowgen]

Lets not have a Protection From Evil discussion. It's a terribly written spell, and even if you get it read out in detail you're still left which the issue of defining "ongoing control", which has a much disputed Sage-ruling attached... it's just not going to go anywhere. Although I do think dedicating a thread to the topic after this current one is done with would be a fun thing to do.

[ILM]

Good point, I missed that (in spite of it being mentioned in the List of Necessary Items, which I thought I knew well enough). It still lets some spells through such as Feeblemind, Mindrape, Insanity and Power Word: Whatever, but for 8,000 gp it's still way better bang for the buck than a Third Eye Conceal.

[ZamielVanWeber]

I ultimately exchange it for a 3rd eye conceal if I don't have access to Mind Blank. Immunity to divinations and all mind affecting is very nice. Amulet of Protection just makes an excellent stop gap for those, what, 13 levels?

[Necroticplague]

Also, if undeadism isn't your style, but templates still are, enamothropes also get mind-effecting immunity.

[ZamielVanWeber]

Also, if undeadism isn't your style, but templates still are, enamothropes also get mind-effecting immunity.

Entomanothrope (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/re/20040621a), because I just spent 5 minutes trying to find it.

[Svata]

Yep. And what gets ne is that Meldshapers don't get any sort of Mind Blank effect, even though they have a PFE equivalent from level 1 in the form of Planar Ward, and get a Nondetection+Charm Immunity with the Enigma Helm. IMHO, the Ward should have given a Mind Blank effect if bound to the throat chakra, as you don't get that until level 14, which is about the same time casters get Mind Blank (A level before, but its self-only, and Psions get a self-only one at level 9).

[Darrin]

Shape Soulmeld: Planar Ward. Immunity to possession, charms, and compulsions, available from level 1.

[Raven777]

Undeath...

[Svata]

Shape Soulmeld: Planar Ward. Immunity to possession, charms, and compulsions, available from level 1.

Like I said, Protection From Evil equivalent.

[ILM]

To be honest, a Staff of 1/day Mind Blank (UMD'd) is only 24,000 gp - and adding spells to a staff has decreasing costs, which can quickly make things quite cost-efficient.

Of course, then your problem becomes Dispel Magic and the like.

[Rubik]

To be honest, a Staff of 1/day Mind Blank (UMD'd) is only 24,000 gp - and adding spells to a staff has decreasing costs, which can quickly make things quite cost-efficient.

Of course, then your problem becomes Dispel Magic and the like.Dispelling is usually an issue for just about any buffs (supernatural abilities notwithstanding), though staves use their minimum caster level or yours, whichever is higher, so they're certainly better than wands or scrolls.

[Ferronach]

3 levels of warfoged juggernaut! Its so fun when a caster tries to control the looming spiked warforged with a weak will save and the warforged just shrugs off the compulsions XD

[Frostthehero]

I have to say my favorite way is mind blank. It uses an 8th level slot, sure, But I love the unbeatable protection it gives! Not even a wish gets through.

[MilesTiden]

As was mentioned earlier in the thread, entomanothrope is definitely my favorite way. In a very close second is Deformity (Madness) and (less importantly) Insane Defiance. Oh, you targeted me with a mind affecting effect? Not only am I immune, you now have to make the save, with a -4 penalty. :smallamused:

[WeaselGuy]

Cowl of Warding, Magic of Faerun, 200,800 gp. Continuous Mind Blank, Freedom of Movement, and Spell Turning. It's expensive, but it's pretty much the creme de la creme.

[Jowgen]

So nobody likes the Sakrash drug from Lords of Darkness (p. 185)? I thought it would have at least a few fans... :smallannoyed:

[Judge_Worm]

Int -

Or do you mean for a PC?
Construct type.

[OldTrees1]

Undead be it Necropolitian(warrior), Ghost(rogue), or Lich(mage)
alternatively Warforged(warrior)

[Belial_the_Leveler]

1) I cast "Dominate" on myself.

2) I willingly fail my save.

3) I order myself to always act as I normally would if I weren't under the influence of mind-affecting effects other than this one.


:smalltongue:

[OldTrees1]

1) I cast "Dominate" on myself.

2) I willingly fail my save.

3) I order myself to always act as I normally would if I weren't under the influence of mind-affecting effects other than this one.


:smalltongue:

*Dominate Belial*
I order you to order yourself to obey me!

[Andion Isurand]

If you're making an word activated or continuous item of protection from chaos/evil/good/law for its mental protections... I would also look at protection from possession from Ghostwalk. It doesn't include the numerical bonuses, or prevent bodily contact with summoned creatures.... but it has a longer duration of 10 minutes/level which will make it last longer when used for a command word item, or cost less for a continuous item.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

First, this was a joke. Secondly, the highest level effect wins. If same level, the successful opposed charisma check wins - that's why I usually play sorcerors.

[OldTrees1]

First, this was a joke. Secondly, the highest level effect wins. If same level, the successful opposed charisma check wins - that's why I usually play sorcerors.

First, your joke was funny.
Second, where could I find the "higher level trumps" and "cha check" rules?
Third, a sorcerer under their own heighten dominate person sounds like a good defense.

[torrasque666]

Warforged Juggernaut. Because I'M THE JUGGERNAUT! (http://projectfandom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Im-the-Juggernaut-bitch.gif)

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Second, where could I find the "higher level trumps" and "cha check" rules?
It's in the general magic rules section of the SRD. Few people read those though so lots of stuff are missed. How for example conjuration effects need a surface that can support you, thus a dungeon with a swampy floor is as impossible to teleport into (or call or summon allies) as a location in mid-air. Or how multiple abjurations for prolonged periods begin to glow, and that sources of light cannot become invisible.



Third, a sorcerer under their own heighten dominate person sounds like a good defense.
Self-dominating Sorcerer is an interesting curiosity. A self-dominating Balor OTOH, is a nice surprise for a caster that Gates stuff a lot, as are all the demons that bought the services of his at-will Dominate ability so they can auto-disobey their summoners and go free once they're in the Prime.

[Cruiser1]

I have to say my favorite way is mind blank.
For spells, I like Empryeal Ecstasy (BoED). Complete immunity to mind-affecting spells and effects, and available two spell levels earlier too. In addition (unlike Mind Blank) it doesn't negate positive mind-affecting spells already in place. That makes Empryeal Ecstasy the spell for extreme buff stacking builds (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=280365). Empryeal Ecstasy doesn't give immunity to divination, but it does give half damage from melee and ranged attacks, which is useful to have.

[Jowgen]

If you're making an word activated or continuous item of protection from chaos/evil/good/law for its mental protections... I would also look at protection from possession from Ghostwalk. It doesn't include the numerical bonuses, or prevent bodily contact with summoned creatures.... but it has a longer duration of 10 minutes/level which will make it last longer when used for a command word item, or cost less for a continuous item.

That spell is a far nicer catch than you possibly realize. The x1.5 rather than x2 cost multiplier due to duration is nice bit of saved coin, but what really struck me upon reading is how its wording differs from the regular Protection from X line. It blocks attempts "to exercise mental control" and gives vampire dominate as an example, but no mention of the oh-so-clusterf**ked "ongoing control" clause.

As far as I can tell, this allows Protection from Possession to ward you againt more effects than regular Protection from X. Instanteneous/1-round compulsions, for one. Getting an effect defined as "mental control" is a far easier and straight forward thing than arguing about "ongoing mental control".

The loss of protection against summons is a shame, but I think overall it wins out in this :smallsmile:

[Eldariel]

It's in the general magic rules section of the SRD. Few people read those though so lots of stuff are missed. How for example conjuration effects need a surface that can support you, thus a dungeon with a swampy floor is as impossible to teleport into (or call or summon allies) as a location in mid-air. Or how multiple abjurations for prolonged periods begin to glow, and that sources of light cannot become invisible.

Arguably, if you can hover/walk on the air, any tile (with air) has a surface capable of supporting you. Also, swampy floor is only problematic at points where they can't support you: most of the surface of a swamp is still capable of supporting a normal humanoid.

[atemu1234]

Necropolitan. Just an old favourite.

[Fuzzy McCoy]

Along the lines of protection from evil: disobedience, from complete scoundrel. It's the same wording as PFE, unfortunately, but it lasts for hour/level, and is chainable.

[Optimator]

Seven levels in PF Master Spy!

[ZamielVanWeber]

A personal favorite that I was reminded of is impractical, but hilarious: Death Master 20. Death Master 15 gives you immunity to mind-affecting. Death Master 20 turns you into a lich, which gets immunity to mind-affecting; you are also undead, which is immune to mind-affecting. Three layers of protection!

[Necroticplague]

On a slightly funnier note: Hairy Spider and Dustform. Both of these (a race and a template) have LA. However, they are also both mindless (which has the unfortunate effect of meaning they don't have feats or skill points),and thus immune to mind-effecting things (can't effect a mind you don't have!).