[RPM] The tricky division between Mind, Spirit and Undead?

[dataweaver]

For me, Mind vs. Spirit/Undead is an easy one: Spirit and Undead provide limited subsets of Mind (mainly in the form of compulsions and bans), but don’t provide the full range of capabilities: you can’t use Spirit to read a spirit’s thoughts, alter its memories, or even influence its preferences (when you compel a spirit to act, it does so unwillingly). If you want to affect the mind of a spirit, you need to use the Path of Mind — and you need to have Spirit Empathy.

The undead are either mindless (in which case it’s a moot point) or they have human-like mentalities (in which case you can use the Path of Mind to affect their minds as normal).

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

For me, Mind vs. Spirit/Undead is an easy one: Spirit and Undead provide limited subsets of Mind (mainly in the form of compulsions and bans), but don’t provide the full range of capabilities: you can’t use Spirit to read a spirit’s thoughts, alter its memories, or even influence its preferences (when you compel a spirit to act, it does so unwillingly). If you want to affect the mind of a spirit, you need to use the Path of Mind — and you need to have Spirit Empathy.

...I'm sorry, but you are incorrect. To wit:

Path of Spirit effects are identical to those
of Path of Body (pp. 7-8) or Path of Mind
(pp. 11-12), but limited to affect only spirit
subjects.

Path of Undead effects are identical to
those of Path of Body (pp. 7-8) or Path of Mind (pp. 11-12), but
limited to affect only undead subjects.

See p. 12 of GURPs Thaumatology: Ritual Path Magic.

Edit: Of course, if that's how you play it in your game - awesome! Fantastic. That's a interesting way to split it up. But I was under the impression that Vicky was asking for a RAW answer - and that's far from RAW.