So a 19th level expaladin/blackguard can have a 10 hit die human zombie. With the empathic sense and communicate with master. In addition, when it dies (and it will), the blackguard has to wait a year and a day to replace it. Just in case you want another instead of casting Animate Dead on a 10 headed hydra or something.

In unrelated news I am unable to find any references that call out the confused condition as being mind affecting. So EX abilities that cause confusion should affect mindless and Mind Blanked targets.