D&D (2024) Planar Binding

[MarkB]

So the consensus appears to be that planar binding is just for the summoned spirits which come with the newer summon spells (unless you have access to Gate). So yes, it is merely a way of extending those spells and not a way of being creative in magic use. I’m terribly disappointed.

Thanks everyone for their comments.

You can still use it to bind creatures of the appropriate type that you find out in the wild. As an alternative to magic circle, using the new version of suggestion with the wording "stand here and do nothing to resist my ally's spellcasting upon you" will not only keep the target in place but also compel them to willingly fail the saving throw against the planar binding.

 

[ECMO3]

I'm wondering how to use planer binding in the revised 5e rules as it seems that it isn't possible to actually bring creatures into you magic circle to bind. The summon spells don't summon a creature, right? They summon a spirit similar to a creature. But this isn't something planar binding works on, or is it? Is it expected that you go to the the elemental plane of air, find an elemental, beat it unconscious, drag it home, pop it in a magic circle and cast planar binding on it (I'm not necessarily against this, btw)? Or, maybe, I need to trick a priest into using planar ally and I can do something with that. Or is planar binding basically just a way of making the summoned spirits have a longer duration and that's it? Have I missed ways of calling creatures into my circle? Can I call an invisible stalker into my circle, bind it and send it with a valuable package across the ocean? Can I call a salamander and have it help me craft a sword? Is the intention to strip away all these uses for magic?

The following spells summon creatures that you can use Planar Binding on:

Summon Celestial
Summon Fey
Summon Elemental
Summon Fiend
Find Familiar

With the exception of Find Familiar they all require concentration meaning this will typically be a two-person operation.

 

[ptolemy]

You can still use it to bind creatures of the appropriate type that you find out in the wild. As an alternative to magic circle, using the new version of suggestion with the wording "stand here and do nothing to resist my ally's spellcasting upon you" will not only keep the target in place but also compel them to willingly fail the saving throw against the planar binding.

This is true. And it is perhaps a better outcome for some types of games. Still, I miss the days when even lesser devils had Teleport No Error and "put a girdle around the world in 40 minutes" to deliver a message or item.

 

[MonsterEnvy]

Planer Ally is still the spell I see people casting to use Planer Binding on.

At high levels Gate can also be used to grab powerful Planer creatures.

 

[ptolemy]

The following spells summon creatures that you can use Planar Binding on:

Summon Celestial
Summon Fey
Summon Elemental
Summon Fiend
Find Familiar

With the exception of Find Familiar they all require concentration meaning this will typically be a two-person operation.

Yes, and I said earlier, this is exactly what I didn't want to be the case. Not being able to actually summon entities but merely some watered down garbage "spirit" version of an entity. I'm not sure why the old Monster Summoning I-IX were done away with, but if it was to make it easier on DMs and players then all I feel is contempt. Once you could go full Elric and only manifest magic through your summoned minions. Now you can barely summon a minion. Instead the fiend you can summon if you are very high level has 13 strength and can spit pathetic bits of fire at people, or whatever. It has no skills or spells. In the past a lowly Vrock could cast Teleport No Error, detect invisibility, detect magic, dispel magic, mass charm, mirror image and telekinesis. Now it's a slab of meat with the spore thing. So not only are they a puerile shadow of their former selves and consequently an easy thing for PCs to fight and feel good about slaying, they aren't even worth trying to summon. Not that one can.

But you try telling that to the young'ens today...

 

[ptolemy]

Planer Ally is still the spell I see people casting to use Planer Binding on.

At high levels Gate can also be used to grab powerful Planer creatures.

I'm curious to see how the planar ally approach would work out. Someone above suggested God would be annoyed and I'm inclined to agree.

 

[FrogReaver]

You need a friend to use a summon monster spell, and as soon as the monster appears, you need to start the binding, because you can't concentrate on the summoned monster and cast a spell that takes longer than an action, as that takes concentration (see Longer Casting Times on page 236 of the 2024 PHB). That is a good deal, you get 23 hours of extra minion for the cost of one spell; sounds like it would be worth your buddy's 9th level slot to get the most out of the minion.

I think two casters could corral most outsiders they find on an adventure (and most adventures have at least one elemental, fiend, fey, or celestial in them). Caster 1 holds monster, caster 2 does the magic circle, and either of them can planar bind. Just remember that dispel magic was common in the at will or 3 times per day spell casting for demon lords and archdevils, so best to upcast the magic circle as high as you can.

Unless you are playing a one-shot, I wouldn't abuse planar ally. The best-case scenario is that the cleric's 6th level spell is now reduced to "summon mephit" or "summon dretch", because the god won't be happy with the cleric unless the cleric does something get back in the god's favor (want to guess which PC needs to die to make that happen?) or the god sends something to punish your PC (that was Plantar Angels' gig in 5e, and I wouldn't be shocked if it was now).

Divine intervention for planar binding seems appropriate?

 

[Shadowdweller00]

Can't speak for anyone else, but considering that the spell consumes a 1,000 gp component and can be negated by a save, I'd personally as DM consider allowing a player to potentially summon an extraplanar creature as part of the casting.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

I'm curious to see how the planar ally approach would work out. Someone above suggested God would be annoyed and I'm inclined to agree.

Bad decisions make good plot.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

Divine intervention for planar binding seems appropriate?

The text of the spell says, "That entity sends a Celestial, an Elemental, or a Fiend loyal to it to aid you". It isn't just a bunch of Aether that you are forming into a creature like the summon monster spells (or even the conjure monster spells), you are getting an actual outsider that has probably seen and talked to the god (or at least a higher-level servant) [which is why I always encourage the party to talk to the ally to see if the god has any messages or useful information to impart], and now you have violated all kinds of laws of decency and hospitality and gratitude and thumbed your nose at the god (important in case it is an evil god that doesn't care about decency and hospitality, but you can be sure it cares about obedience and the money you are taking out of its pocket by tying up one of its "good earners").