Rules question regarding undead and drain-type effects.

[Greenfield]

My discussion in the Intelligence Increase thread got me thinking about ability draisns v ability damage v things that affect ability scores.

Undead Type: Undead are once-living creatures animated by
spiritual or supernatural forces.
Features: An undead creature has the following features.
—12-sided Hit Dice.
—Base attack bonus equal to 1/2 total Hit Dice (as wizard).
—Good Will saves.
—Skill points equal to (4 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit
Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die, if the undead creature has an Intelligence score. However, many undead are mindless and gain no skill points or feats.
Traits: An undead creature possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).
—No Constitution score.
—Darkvision out to 60 feet.
—Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
—Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, and death effects.
—Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects.
—Cannot heal damage on its own if it has no Intelligence score, although it can be healed. Negative energy (such as an inflict spell) can heal undead creatures. The fast healing special quality works regardless of the creature’s Intelligence score.
—Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless).
—Uses its Charisma modifier for Concentration checks.
—Not at risk of death from massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points or less, it is immediately destroyed.
—Not affected by raise dead and reincarnate spells or abilities.
Resurrection and true resurrection can affect undead creatures. These spells turn undead creatures back into the living creatures they were before becoming undead.
—Proficient with its natural weapons, all simple weapons, and any weapons mentioned in its entry.
—Proficient with whatever type of armor (light, medium, or heavy) it is described as wearing, as well as all lighter types. Undead not indicated as wearing armor are not proficient with armor.
Undead are proficient with shields if they are proficient with any form of armor.
—Undead do not breathe, eat, or sleep.

As noted above, they are immune to ability Drains. What about ability damage?

Damage is different than drain. One can stack and the other can't, for example. The highlighted section above makes it clear that this distinction matters. When you look at Construct Type, it makes it clear that Constructs are immune to both Ability Drain and Ability Damage.

Then you have spells that affect ability scores, such as Feeblemind and Bestow Curse, but don't specify what kind of effect they are: Drain or Damage.

Most people play that they, like Constructs, are simply immune to the entire category of effects: If it lowers an Ability Score, they're immune.

So what are your thoughts on the subject?

And does anyone have any insight on how Bestow Curse, Feeblemind etc. might be rules or categorized?

 

[Nagol]

Damage to physical stats is noted in the bolded section. "Immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution)," So I guess you can target Int, Wis or Cha (assuming the undead has those scores, of course).

Some of the spells you mention are neither drain nor damage: they simply set a new score (Feeblemind) or apply a penalty that can only be overcome through different methods than drain or damage.