Can a creature with an active mind blank spell target itself with encode thoughts?
My gut instinct was no. Upon further review, maybe?
For context:
I am playing a divination wizard in a West Marches campaign and, if all goes well (i.e. I don't die during our capstone level-up quest), I will reach level 15, gaining access to 8th-level spells.
The character I play is quite concerned with information security and, as a result, will certainly be taking mind blank upon reaching 15th level. One of his concerns is that, if he maintains 24-hour-a-day uptime on blanking his mind, then he won't be able to encode any of his thoughts via encode thoughts.
Will he still be able to?
The mind blank spell description (PHB, p. 259-260) has a duration of 24 hours, and says:
Until the spell ends, one willing creature you touch is immune to psychic damage, any effect that would sense its emotions or read its thoughts, divination spells, and the charmed condition. The spell even foils wish spells and spells or effects of similar power used to affect the target's mind or to gain information about the target.
I think RAW, despite the hefty and powerful defenses offered by the spell, he should be able to. Here's my reasoning:
- Mind blank prevents "any effect that would [...] read its thoughts". Encode thoughts isn't sensing any of his thoughts per se (right?), the wizard has his own thoughts naturally and the spell only copies them.
- Encode thoughts (GGtR, p. 47) is an enchantment spell, not a divination.
- Mind blank says, "The spell foils wish spells [...] used to affect the target's mind or gain information about the target." Encode thoughts neither affects the wizard's mind, nor gains information; the information about the target is already "gained" or known to the wizard innately, and his mind isn't affected, as the thought being encoded by the spell remains unaffected and in place and is only copied.
Is my thinking complete and correct? If this works, is it also RAI?
Related: Does the Encode Thoughts spell remove the target thought from memory, or does it create a copy?