D&D 5E Planar Ally is it the most powerful conjuration spell in the game? How do you run it?

[gyor]

No constration needed, it can last just about forever if you have the gold income for it, no CR limit, it can summon any CR Celestial, Fiend, or Elemental. You can not only ask your deity for the Planar Ally, but also other cosmic beings like Primordials, Demon Princes, Archdevils, Celestial Paragons, Solars, Empyreal Titans, Archelementals, what ever super powered Succubi are called, Utraloths, Slaadi Lords, Primus, The Dark Powers of Ravenloft, Far Realmsian Old Ones, Elder Evils, powerful Primal Spirits, and the Cosmic being can't say no, but they can send you something weak I guess. Plus you can request a Planar Ally by name (this is the real value of the Arcana and Religion skills).

So how do you handle Planar Ally, what do you allow to be summoned?

And is it over powered compared to the conjure animals/fey/woodland creatures/minor elementals/Elementals/Celestials?

It seems swingy depending on ones DM I wish they'd given more guidance with it.

Also I find it funny that the Cleric/Favoured Soul can summon fiends like demons, succubi, devils, yugoloths, and so on, but the Conjurer Wizard can't, plus can summon elementals safer (conjure elemental is dangerous). Conjure Celestial is still valuable, it's cheaper.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

Also I find it funny that the Cleric/Favoured Soul can summon fiends like demons, succubi, devils, yugoloths, and so on, but the Conjurer Wizard can't, plus can summon elementals safer (conjure elemental is dangerous). Conjure Celestial is still valuable, it's cheaper.

This bugs me to no end, because it makes little sense. Presumably the only one a cleric should be contacting to request reinforcements is their deity (who might send fiends or celestials or whoever they want). Wizards are the ones who summon up whatever random being they want to work with.

It seems like it's straight up on the wrong spell list.

 

[jaelis]

It is different from a standard summing spell though. It doesn't conjure a creature under your control, it's more like joining up with a helpful NPC. The creature will have it's own goals and ideas, and of course it gets a share of the XP (and, effectively, treasure). I would not myself send a creature with a CR higher than the party's level, but if you do then (a) that has a big impact on the XP awards and (b) the creature's own goals will take priority, and the party would probably end up helping the creature more than vice versa. (IE: you want me to kill that vampire for you? Sure thing. But in return, let me get you to rescue this abbey...)

If you interpret it that way, I think the spell is balanced, and appropriate for a the cleric list. Wizards are (traditionally) more about summoning creatures they can control, not equal partners to collaborate with. The summoning spells in the UA article make more sense for that.

 

[gyor]

It is different from a standard summing spell though. It doesn't conjure a creature under your control, it's more like joining up with a helpful NPC. The creature will have it's own goals and ideas, and of course it gets a share of the XP (and, effectively, treasure). I would not myself send a creature with a CR higher than the party's level, but if you do then (a) that has a big impact on the XP awards and (b) the creature's own goals will take priority, and the party would probably end up helping the creature more than vice versa. (IE: you want me to kill that vampire for you? Sure thing. But in return, let me get you to rescue this abbey...)

If you interpret it that way, I think the spell is balanced, and appropriate for a the cleric list. Wizards are (traditionally) more about summoning creatures they can control, not equal partners to collaborate with. The summoning spells in the UA article make more sense for that.

Some of those spells offer no control.

 

[gyor]

It is different from a standard summing spell though. It doesn't conjure a creature under your control, it's more like joining up with a helpful NPC. The creature will have it's own goals and ideas, and of course it gets a share of the XP (and, effectively, treasure). I would not myself send a creature with a CR higher than the party's level, but if you do then (a) that has a big impact on the XP awards and (b) the creature's own goals will take priority, and the party would probably end up helping the creature more than vice versa. (IE: you want me to kill that vampire for you? Sure thing. But in return, let me get you to rescue this abbey...)

If you interpret it that way, I think the spell is balanced, and appropriate for a the cleric list. Wizards are (traditionally) more about summoning creatures they can control, not equal partners to collaborate with. The summoning spells in the UA article make more sense for that.

It depends on how long you summon the creature for, it only demands xp and an equal share of the treasure if you make it a permanent member of your party.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

If you interpret it that way, I think the spell is balanced, and appropriate for a the cleric list. Wizards are (traditionally) more about summoning creatures they can control, not equal partners to collaborate with. The summoning spells in the UA article make more sense for that.

I agree that it isn't the most appropriate for the wizard spell list as written (3e did a better job of differentiating in that). And I'm looking forward to seeing in Xanathar's gives us some of those more specific spells. However, I still think it is worse on the cleric list as written.

Probably the easiest house rule is to leave it as a cleric-only spell, but straight up require them to contact their deity. It just makes no sense otherwise.

 

[Greg K]

If I run 5e, I will do the same thing that I did in 3e which was to determine a specific type of planar ally for each being capable of granting a celestial being. For instance, in 3e, the sun god had a Phoenix with a few templates added. Another deity had an ancient dragon with templates added. There will be other conditions/limitations on summoning added.

 

[Bardbarian]

It's only as powerful as the Dm allows it to be The Dm chooses what shows up. THen it is under no obligation to fight at the cheapest discount rate It can be prideful and demand more than what the PHB suggests or it can ask for something all together different based on its personality and the situation.

 

[gyor]

I think the DMG should have given advise on how to best use Planar Ally.

 

[jaelis]

I think the DMG should have given advise on how to best use Planar Ally.

I was really hoping that the DMG would have a whole section of advice on interpreting and running spells.