does protection from evil block dominate person?

I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I just noticed a direct contradiction in those two spells' descriptions.

dominate person said:

Protection from evil or a similar spell can prevent you from exercising control or using the telepathic link while the subject is so warded, but such an effect neither prevents the establishment of domination nor dispels it.

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protection from evil said:

Second, the barrier blocks any attempt to possess the warded creature (by a magic jar attack, for example) or to exercise mental control over the creature (including enchantment (charm) effects and enchantment (compulsion) effects that grant the caster ongoing control over the subject, such as dominate person).

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So in one description, protection from evil specifically blocks dominate person. But in the other, it specifically does not. How would one resolve that - does it block it or not? On one hand it does seem a bit powerful for a 1st level spell to block a 4th AND 9th level spell (dominate monster), but on the other hand, if that doesn't do it, what does?

I don't think it's contradictory. Protection from evil doesn't prevent the subject from being affected by the spell, but it does prevent active control of the subject by the caster. So if the protection ends before the dominate person, then the caster can fully utilize the domination for the remaining duration.

Protection from evil just prevents ongoing control, it doesn't grant immunity from the dominate person spell. Think of it as suppressing the effects of the dominate person for the duration of the protection from evil spell.

So you're saying the "(including ... dominate person)" phrase in protection from evil modifies only the "exercise mental control over the creature" statement, and NOT the "any attempt to possess the warded creature" statement?

This seems reasonable, but at the same time every single time I've read that description I always took it to mean that the phrase in question modified both statements. It's also tricky in that "exercise mental control over the creature" does not directly say but could also be taken to imply "initiating that control" - and I said it "could" be taken that way again because I always have.

But this would certainly clear things up. Any other thoughts?

Also, if this is true, how does one beat the dominate spells? (Other than "high will saves." Or dispel magic, after-the-fact.)

Domination => mental control.
Possession => mental control.
However, possession =/= domination.

Think about it this way: a vampire can dominate many people at once. A ghost can only possess one person at a time.

How to break domination: break enchantment, maybe?

Cheers, -- N

evilbob said:

I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I just noticed a direct contradiction in those two spells' descriptions.



So in one description, protection from evil specifically blocks dominate person. But in the other, it specifically does not. How would one resolve that - does it block it or not? On one hand it does seem a bit powerful for a 1st level spell to block a 4th AND 9th level spell (dominate monster), but on the other hand, if that doesn't do it, what does?

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Put me down in the "no contradiction" category.

Protection from Evil stops control by dominate effects, but not the establishment of the dominate effect itself.

If you're under the effect of a Protection from Evil spell when you fail a save vs. Dominate Person, you don't take orders... until the Protection from Evil expires (at which point, the Dominator can start issuing orders, which will be obeyed).

If you're under the effect of a Dominate Person spell when you get hit with Protection from Evil, you stop taking new orders, but the Dominate Person effect remains.

No, Protection from Evil only prevents you from controlling someone you've dominated. It doesn't prevent dominating effects, but it does prevent you from giving commands to the dominated individual while they're under Protection from Evil. Those are separate clauses in the same overly-long sentence, is all.

It only outright prevents possession, such as by a ghost or a Magic Jar spell. It does not outright prevent other controlling effects, instead only stopping any commands from getting through after the domination is established, until the Protection from Evil runs out.

Well, I see the reasoning here and I believe you guys are all right. There is no contradiction; I just read it incorrectly.

Thanks!