Does a Pathfinder Witch's Slumber Hex Count as Mind-Affecting Effect?

Question

From d20pfsrd.com, the Witch gets the following Hex:

Slumber (Su): A witch can cause a creature within 30 feet to fall into a deep, magical sleep, as per the spell sleep. The creature receives a Will save to negate the effect. If the save fails, the creature falls asleep for a number of rounds equal to the witch’s level. This hex can affect a creature of any HD. The creature will not wake due to noise or light, but others can rouse it with a standard action. This hex ends immediately if the creature takes damage. Whether or not the save is successful, a creature cannot be the target of this hex again for 1 day.

Now, my question is whether that would count as a Mind-Affecting Compulsion (as the Sleep spell does)? Mainly, I want to know if Protection from Good/Evil/Whatever would be enough to counter it.

Answer 1

The text you cited says that it works "as per the Sleep spell." The Sleep spell has the enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting] descriptors (Pathfinder core rules, p. 344). So, yes, PFG/PFE will protect against it as described.

Edit: Don't forget that, in the Pathfinder version of the PFE/PFG spells, the mental protection only works if the caster is of the appropriate alignment/at DM discretion (i.e., if the victim has PFE, they are only protected if the witch using the hex is of Evil alignment).

Answer 2

Please see the Pathfinder FAQ question here: http://paizo.com/paizo/faq/v5748nruor1fm#v5748eaic9o2p

In a nutshell, while the recipient of protection from evil would receive the +2 resistance bonus to an initial save against sleep (if cast by an evil caster), he does not get a second save with the morale bonus, as sleep is not considered an effect that allows the caster to exercise mental control over the target.

Answer 3

Count it as the sleep spell.

Protection from Good/Evil/Whatever will give the +2 to the save. And then another save with a +2 morale bonus.

Second, the subject immediately receives another saving throw (if one was allowed to begin with) against any spells or effects that possess or exercise mental control over the creature (including enchantment [charm] effects and enchantment [compulsion] effects). This saving throw is made with a +2 morale bonus, using the same DC as the original effect. If successful, such effects are suppressed for the duration of this spell. The effects resume when the duration of this spell expires. While under the effects of this spell, the target is immune to any new attempts to possess or exercise mental control over the target. This spell does not expel a controlling life force (such as a ghost or spellcaster using magic jar), but it does prevent them from controlling the target. This second effect only functions against spells and effects created by evil creatures or objects, subject to GM discretion.