Undead Bloodline Arcana vs. Undead Immunites...

[Takhisis]

The undead bloodline arcana makes mention of mind-effecting spells. However, by the literal RAW of the text, it is not limited to allowing just mind effecting spells to work on undead. Thus, I am wondering just just how many of an undead's immunities the bloodline arcana allows the sorc to bypass? Could the undead bloodline sorcerer, use, say, Enervation or ray of enfeeblement on undead since Undead are normally immune energy drain and ability damage just like they are mind-effecting spells? Could the undead bloodline sorcerer buff his own undead minions with Enlarge Person? Does the bloodline arcana allow those kind of things or was there an official errata or ruling that makes it so it works only with mind effecting spells? If anybody could answer these concerns i'd be grateful. Also, for reference, the exact text of the bloodline arcana is quoted below...

"Some undead are susceptible to your mind-affecting spells. Corporeal undead that were once humanoids are treated as humanoids for the purposes of determining which spells affect them."

[Stephen Radney-MacFarland]

It more than makes mention of mind-affecting spells.

Some undead are susceptible to your mind-affecting spells. Corporeal undead that were once humanoids are treated as humanoids for the purposes of determining which spells affect them.

The them in the second sentence refers to "your mind-affecting spells." Not spells in general. Thus the arcana, as written, and taken as a whole, allows you to affect corporeal undead with your mind-affecting spells as if they were humanoids.

I hope that helps.

[Ipslore the Red]

Stephen Radney-MacFarland wrote:

It more than makes mention of mind-affecting spells.

Some undead are susceptible to your mind-affecting spells. Corporeal undead that were once humanoids are treated as humanoids for the purposes of determining which spells affect them.

The them in the second sentence refers to "your mind-affecting spells." Not spells in general. Thus the arcana, as written, and taken as a whole, allows you to affect corporeal undead with your mind-affecting spells as if they were humanoids.

I hope that helps.

One important point- corporeal undead that were once humanoids. You still can't use charm person on a zombie gnoll, for example.

[Stephen Radney-MacFarland]

Sure you could. A gnoll is a humanoid (with the gnoll subtype).

[PathlessBeth]

Then the question becomes "which undead were once humanoids?"
If a creature is a humanoid with an undead-making template applied (e.g., lich), then it's pretty obvious. But for undead which aren't templates, how do you tell?
I guess that if I had a sorcerer with the undead bloodline in my group (which I haven't yet), then I would have to decide, for every single undead creature I throw at the party, whether they were 'once humanoid'. Which I guess isn't too hard, since if there is no indication at all I could just roll to decide.

[Ipslore the Red]

Huh. I could have sworn that gnolls were monstrous humanoids. Thanks for the correction, I've been running them as monstrous humanoids.

I picked a poor example, I admit, but the point stands.