Slightly different Mind Blank question...

nhl_1997 · Sep 2, 2004

... or at least I have yet to see any discussion on this particular aspect of mind blank.

Do any of you GMs out there rule that since mind blank "protects against all mind-affecting spells", heroism and greater heroism have no effect on someone who is warded by mind blank? Both of these spells are mind-affecting compulsions, so in theory, they cannot affect anyone with mind blank active.

Maybe that conclusion is automatic. However, from wording such as protects and "Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)" in the mind blank spell description, I get the feeling that the spell is designed to have only "good" effects without any inconvienent side-effects.

Thanee · Sep 2, 2004

Hmm... no, I would have it work against all of them, harmful or beneficial. The spell doesn't really mention conscious control, your mind is blanked out and such spells simply fail.

Bye
Thanee

nhl_1997 · Sep 3, 2004

Thanks for your response. Would you also decide that an empathic link with a familiar also be suppressed?

Treebore · Sep 3, 2004

Not unless the familiar is unable to share the spell with its master. If they are both effected by the same spell I would say they stay connected.

Thanee · Sep 3, 2004

Since it is clearly not a mind-affecting spell, I'd say the link is unaffected.

Bye
Thanee

Thanee · Sep 3, 2004

Generally I'd say, that your own spells/effects can affect you just fine, but outside influences cannot.

Bye
Thanee

nhl_1997 · Sep 3, 2004

The mind blank description clearly states that the subject is protected from all devices and spells that detect, influence, or read thoughts or emotions. The empathic link with a familiar, in my opinion, falls under the "device" category, and it certainly allows thoughts and emotions to be detected.

I like the solution of having spells and effects from the mind blank caster not be affected. I was looking for a common sense or spirit-of-the-rules solution. This seems to work.

Lord Pendragon · Sep 3, 2004

nhl_1997 said:
The mind blank description clearly states that the subject is protected from all devices and spells that detect, influence, or read thoughts or emotions. The empathic link with a familiar, in my opinion, falls under the "device" category, and it certainly allows thoughts and emotions to be detected.

This depends on how you interpret the mechanics of the master/familiar bond. If you interpret it as an ongoing spell effect that allows each creature to read the others' thoughts, then yes, I can see how you'd rule that Mind Blank interrupts this magical exchange of thoughts.

Personally, I describe the master/familiar bond as a joining of spirits, which once initially created does not require continuous magical energy to sustain it. Similar to the way in which the magic that allows a golem to move is not suppressed in an Antimagic Field, I don't allow any magical effect to interrupt the master/familiar bond. Only death or the master's conscious rejection can do so.

But that's only my personal interpretation.