Planar Binding in AL

[Warmaster Horus]

The Planar Ally spell allows the caster to bind a fey, fiend, celestial or elemental to their service for up to 1yr+1day and 1000gp as 9th level spell. So for some casters you can potentially have a large number of powerful servants in their thrall.

Any DM guidance on this possibility? How is service time tracked? What about APL calculations and the potential to exceed even the Very Strong recommendations as it's possible for very powerful and/or large numbers of creatures to be in thrall?

 

[jasper]

That is Planar Binding. One I would rule like the "true polymorph" on page 7 of DDal faq 7.1. The ally goes away at the end of the adventure or session.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

That is Planar Binding. One I would rule like the "true polymorph" on page 7 of DDal faq 7.1. The ally goes away at the end of the adventure or session.

There's a lot of gold being expended and Simulacrum, which also costs gold & allows a semi-permanent ally, has no such limitation. Would be good to have this question considered for inclusion in the FAQ.

 

[kalani]

Actually, the ruling also applies to Simulacrum, undead created via animate dead (or similar), or any other spell effect whose duration may extend beyond the duration of the adventure.

As I understand it, DMs are free to allow/disallow any NPC or summoned entity which came from a different adventure/table. While I have never had an issue with maintaining my leomund's secret chest between adventures, I am well aware that my DM is under no expectation to allow the duration to continue. For this reason, I typically inform my DM that I prepare and recast LSC during the first day of a new adventure, or at times when I expect fast-travel to occur.

If I turn out to be wrong, and the "fast travel" doesn't happen - I am more than happy to accept the loss of a single prepared spell and 4th level slot for that adventuring day.

Simulacrum's et. al. are a completely different issue - as there is no way for your DM to track things like current HPs, expended spell slots, whether you lost control of your animated undead, or (at the extreme end of the example): whether you even spent the spell slot to begin with (and didn't just fabricate the log entry).

Given there are so many unknowns - DMs are entitled to make judgement calls, and the default expectation is: Assume your DM will say no, but ask anyway (as they might allow your previously acquired minion to tag along).

 

[Warmaster Horus]

I would think such things should be recorded in a log entry the DM can ask to see. You can bring uncerted magic items into other games, which are recorded in this method, after all. Unlike Inspiration, which I've found typically doesn't transfer for the reason stated, actions that require DT &/or Gold expenditures like Story Awards, etc, do reach between sessions if properly logged. Several players I've played with are bringing in Resistances earned from using Wishes per the bulleted uses in the PH and allowed by the FAQ, with documentation in their player logs.

So which magical/special effects stretch between adventures/sessions and which don't? Hence the need for guidance here.

 

[kalani]

As a general rule - the only things that are guaranteed to carry over, are spells/effects/creatures which are specifically granted as rewards during an adventure, and which you can point to a page reference for.

If it is a spell you cast yourself, you are subject to DM interpretation as that spell effect is not something specific to the adventures text.

Regarding Wish specifically, I was under the understanding that Wish in AL is specifically (by design) impermanent, and its effects only last until the end of the session, regardless of what the specific effect was? Give me a sec to refresh my memory

 

[Warmaster Horus]

From FAQ ...

WISH
The following guidance applies:

Reality Repairs Itself. The effects of any wish made for something outside of the bulleted list in the spell’s description are at the DM’s discretion using the guidance provided in the spell’s description. These discretionary effects expire at the end of the adventure or the session—whichever comes first.
This means that any conjured creatures or items disappear into nothingness, the dead rise from the grave as if nothing happened, and the denizens of that back-water village don’t remember that amazingly-hilarious joke you told, etc.

Stressful Things Are Stressful. Casters run the risk of stress-induced effects incurred by casting wish regardless of whether or not the effects of the wish are temporary. Losing the ability to cast wish in the future can be undone only by wishing for a reroll (as detailed in the spells description).

You Are You; and So Is He. If a simulacrum you have created casts wish, both you and your simulacrum suffer the stress associated with casting the spell—including the risk of being forever unable to cast wish again. The inability to cast wish extends to any simulacrum you create in the future.
Table Boundaries. Only characters in your group may benefit from a wish that you cast. The benefits don’t extend to other groups or tables.

Must Be Overseen by the DM. Due to the risks inherent in casting wish, it must be cast in the presence of a DM during an adventuring session.​

So here effects OUTSIDE OF BULLETED AREAS expire at the end of the adventure/session. This leaves the specific bulletted effects in place (providing there is a DM present t oversee the session and Wish use). This does carry over (provided properly logged, I assume).

So the question remains, specifically for Planar Binding, what are the guidelines. It costs gold (Wish does not have a costly material component) and mentions specific durations of the binding based on the level of spell used. Hence the need for clarification.

 

[jasper]

No guidelines.
In Sa-compendium page 15. It clarifies planar binding does not summon a creature. It attempts to bind a creature that is within the spell's range.
Nothing in ddal faq 7.1.
Nothing in ddal dungeon master's guide.
So it depend on each dm. You could ask on facebook.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

No guidelines.
In Sa-compendium page 15. It clarifies planar binding does not summon a creature. It attempts to bind a creature that is within the spell's range.
Nothing in ddal faq 7.1.
Nothing in ddal dungeon master's guide.
So it depend on each dm. You could ask on facebook.

The spell also states that the duration of a summoning spell to bring forth a creature for Planar binding extends to equal the time the creature is bound for. So usually a creature will be summoned, possibly placed in a magic circle and then bound.

The issue I have here is that there are specific high level spells that are defined on how they interact with AL. I expect that players in high Tier III and Tier IV, will be using this spell to have various monsters at their bidding (though perhaps somewhat unreliable). I'm hearing DM's discretion but given the clarifications of other spells I thought it would be good to bring up here. I guess Facebook is the place, then?

 

[jasper]

Yes D&d Adventure League