Mind-Affecting Immunity in Pathfinder

[Maat Mons]

Looking at Pathfinder, I see that Mind Blank no longer provides immunity to mind-affecting effects. And Protection from X now only protects again mental-control effects cast by X creatures. So what are my options to not get mind-controlled by Neutral spellcasters?

So far I've only found the Mind Buttressing armor enhancement. But that can't go on Bracers of Armor or even light armor. Who decided that Clerics and Druids were the ones who needed more protection from Will-save effects?

[Kurald Galain]

Clear spindle ioun stone + wayfinder. Scabbard of Pain.

Meditation tea. Orchid drops.

Rite of the Centered Mind and Enchantment Foil spells; and Animus Mine doesn't actually protect you but it's still a funny way of dealing with it.

Steadfast Personality feat, or just be a Mesmerist.

A familiar with the Emissary archetype.

[Rynjin]

It was made specifically pretty hard to get blanket immunity to mind affecting, because that's a ridiculously wide spectrum immunity.

Your options are to have class features that help (Paladins can become immune to charm and compulsion for example), boost your saves, and curate rerolls such as from Improved Iron Will or a Cap of the Free Thinker. Or be mindless or undead.

[Maat Mons]

According to d20pfsrd.com, a Clear Spindle Ioun Stone in a Wayfinder gives Protection From X 1/day. It also has a note about this being the result of "stealth errata."

I'd settle for immunity to Compulsions. Those are, in my view, the scariest mind-affecting effects anyway. But I'd like a class-agnostic approach.

[Rynjin]

According to d20pfsrd.com, a Clear Spindle Ioun Stone in a Wayfinder gives Protection From X 1/day. It also has a note about this being the result of "stealth errata."

I'd settle for immunity to Compulsions. Those are, in my view, the scariest mind-affecting effects anyway. But I'd like a class-agnostic approach.

Cast Spell Immunity a bunch against the ones you find the scariest?

You could also try this. (https://aonprd.com/MagicWondrousDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Indomitable%20 Jewel)

[Kitsuneymg]

According to d20pfsrd.com, a Clear Spindle Ioun Stone in a Wayfinder gives Protection From X 1/day. It also has a note about this being the result of "stealth errata."

Clear spindle used to have protection from X as a resonance power. In adventurers guide, it was reprinted with immediate action activation that forever renders the stone dull grey. It was never errataed in the original book. Hence stealth errata.

[Magelyte]

The only way I know of to get immunity to mind-affecting in Pathfinder (other than being a creature type with immunity to mind-affecting) is using the spell Form of the Alien Dragon III to turn into a nightmare dragon. It only lasts 1 minute/level though, and it requires you to turn into a huge dragon, which could be inconvenient in social situations.

[Zanos]

Turn yourself into an undead creature? I believe create undead has options for sentient templates in PF, and it's not like there's LA. Undead are still immune to mind-affecting spells in PF, but not crits for some reason. If you don't have someone to cast it on you, contingency goes up to 6th level spells, so you can stuff a create undead(juju zombie) in a contingency, and then kill yourself. Not only will you be immune to mind-affecting spells, you'll get a ton of other free stuff.


The only way I know of to get immunity to mind-affecting in Pathfinder (other than being a creature type with immunity to mind-affecting) is using the spell Form of the Alien Dragon III to turn into a nightmare dragon. It only lasts 1 minute/level though, and it requires you to turn into a huge dragon, which could be inconvenient in social situations.
I disagree, being a huge dragon tends to quickly resolve most social situations. :smallbiggrin:

[Kurald Galain]

Undead are still immune to mind-affecting spells in PF, but not crits for some reason.

That reason is, flavorwise, that undead have a clear anatomy and therefore have weak spots.

Rules-wise, a common complaint against 3E is that undead are pretty common and rogues are utterly useless against undead (at least, without certain items from splatbooks that many players wouldn't know about). So that's why.

[Zanos]

That reason is, flavorwise, that undead have a clear anatomy and therefore have weak spots.
I think that's weak. You could argue that maybe an undead should only have medium or heavy fortification, but there's no spot on the vast majority of undead creatures that's as vital as a living creature brain, heart, arteries, etc. I think not having mind-affecting immunity makes more sense for sentient undead than undead not having crit immunity.


Rules-wise, a common complaint against 3E is that undead are pretty common and rogues are utterly useless against undead (at least, without certain items from splatbooks that many players wouldn't know about). So that's why.
That's fine, but I think it would have made more sense to have sneak attack not be blocked by crit immunity at all and reflavor the ability as striking for maximum effect using a combat distraction, rather than striking vital organs specifically. Not like it would break the game.

[Rynjin]

I think that's weak. You could argue that maybe an undead should only have medium or heavy fortification, but there's no spot on the vast majority of undead creatures that's as vital as a living creature brain, heart, arteries, etc. I think not having mind-affecting immunity makes more sense for sentient undead than undead not having crit immunity.

I can't think of an undead type that isn't classically depicted as having some kind of weakness. Zombies and skeletons generally stop moving if you destroy their head, vampires have a thing about being stabbed in the heart, etc.

The main exception is ghosts and such, but incorporeal undead ARE immune to Sneak Attack, so it doesn't change anything there.

[Zanos]

I can't think of an undead type that isn't classically depicted as having some kind of weakness. Zombies and skeletons generally stop moving if you destroy their head, vampires have a thing about being stabbed in the heart, etc.
Being decapitated kills people. It isn't a weakness unique to undead. Being killed by being hit in one place is better than being killed by being hit in any of ten different places.

And I think this is only the case for modern, 'infected' type zombies? Most fantasy zombies can take an arrow through the brain and aren't particularly bothered by it. D&D zombies and skeletons can be decapitated and not stop moving, and I remember Elder Scrolls actually had headless zombies has a more powerful variant. ASoIAF wights are also unbothered by decapitation. IMO the theme is that the more a zombie is animated by necromancy rather than 'science' or 'infection', the less it's bothered by having its head severed. Although losing it's head may perplexing remove it's ability to see or hear, despite the fact that those organs were rotting off to begin with...

Vampire I will grant, but is usually only a wooden stake through the heart that does anything notable. Simply being stabbed through the heart with a sword does not cause any more meaningful damage to a vampire than any other wound, in most depictions.

[Kurald Galain]

Being decapitated kills people. It isn't a weakness unique to undead. Being killed by being hit in one place is better than being killed by being hit in any of ten different places.
Being decapitated does not kill, for instance, elementals (and that's why they are immune to sneak attacks, too).

It doesn't have to be a vital spot because sneak attack is not a one-hit kill; but a skeleton has e.g.
bone joints which you can aim for to cripple him, and an elemental does not. It strikes me as reasonable that any creature with a discernible anatomy has "strong spots" and "weak spots", and will instinctively try to protect its weak spots, and you can aim for those weak spots for extra damage. And that's a sneak attack.

[Raven777]

If you choose the Undeath route to escape the threats of charms and domination, be careful that you expose yourself to the potentially more dangerous Control Undead. I count it as more dangerous, because contrary to Dominate Person, Control Undead does not have the clauses that allow the target new saving throws for actions against its nature and to ignore obviously self-destructive orders. Control Undead will let the caster order a Vampire straight into sunlight with no recourse. Control Undead is also straight Necromancy, not a compulsion or mind affecting effect, so there are much fewer defenses available against it.

If you don't trust your Will save, I recommend a healthy application of Spellbane (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/aroden-s-spellbane/) before heading out!

[Calthropstu]

Protection from X grants protection from any and all spells that attempt to exercise mental control. Full stop. It works on all alignments for that purpose only.

[Zanos]

Being decapitated does not kill, for instance, elementals (and that's why they are immune to sneak attacks, too).

It doesn't have to be a vital spot because sneak attack is not a one-hit kill; but a skeleton has e.g.
bone joints which you can aim for to cripple him, and an elemental does not. It strikes me as reasonable that any creature with a discernible anatomy has "strong spots" and "weak spots", and will instinctively try to protect its weak spots, and you can aim for those weak spots for extra damage. And that's a sneak attack.
{Scrubbed}


If you choose the Undeath route to escape the threats of charms and domination, be careful that you expose yourself to the potentially more dangerous Control Undead. I count it as more dangerous, because contrary to Dominate Person, Control Undead does not have the clauses that allow the target new saving throws for actions against its nature and to ignore obviously self-destructive orders. Control Undead will let the caster order a Vampire straight into sunlight with no recourse. Control Undead is also straight Necromancy, not a compulsion or mind affecting effect, so there are much fewer defenses available against it.

If you don't trust your Will save, I recommend a healthy application of Spellbane (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/aroden-s-spellbane/) before heading out!
True, undead typing does give you some vulnerabilities that are hard to defend against. Thankfully control undead is 7th level and only a sor/wiz spell. I think the cheapest way to defend yourself against anti-undead measures, though, is a mundane disguise. Buff up your disguise check during downtime to appear living to get a sky high disguise DC, and your DM will have a hard time justifying why people keep trying to use anti-undead spells on you.


Protection from X grants protection from any and all spells that attempt to exercise mental control. Full stop. It works on all alignments for that purpose only.
In 3.5, yes. In pathfinder, all the functions of Protection from X only work against X.

[Calthropstu]

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In 3.5, yes. In pathfinder, all the functions of Protection from X only work against X.

Oops. I missed a line. Nvm, you are correct.