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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ptolemy" data-source="post: 9481381" data-attributes="member: 1412">Charlaquin, you are entirely correct (as is MechaT with their comments about hold monster and Skid with their idea about Gate), it is possible, through great effort and danger, to use planar binding in a more creative manner. However, without being very high level or having to fund an entire expedition to acquire a servitor (or persuade the party to load spells and give time to satisfy your desires) the current summon spells are the most plausible way to go about summoning creatures and having them use their skills and abilities for you. My example of an invisible stalker had the ability to always know the location of the thing it was hunting. Azers were famous for smithing ability. Relatively low powered things could cast healing spells or bless or, well, you get the picture. The flip side was that opposing casters could charm your pets, dispel your control and leave you to deal with angry fiends or whatever. I had already lamented (but not entirely got over) the reduction in summoning spells from the old Monster Summoning I-IX which allowed for a summoner build which didn't cast any spells other than summons and just used their magics. Not only did they get rid of these spells but (and I don't know why this happened) they also stripped the vast majority of magic from a lot of creatures and made most of them walking slabs of HP. But at least the elementals gave some flexibility and fun. Now planar binding appear to mainly function as a way of having a summoned spirit without need to concentrate. And I realise that is something major. However, it is a fraction of what was possible and feels that it is pulling the magician into being focused on combat in a game which is famous for being combat centric. I suppose I am left wondering why a spell invented when magic users could summon a huge variety of creatures without there being a concentration rule (which makes the whole things a good deal harder) is still included. Once it was a scary power which meant you had arrived. Now it is mainly a way of avoiding a rule constraint. I wonder why they kept it in the game.I’ll just add, by way of an edit, that there are lots of fun ways to achieve goals. The concentration thing can be circumnavigated with cunning use of glyph spells. The iron flask (personally my most desired item but one I have never managed to acquire) makes this all a lot easier (if you even need to bother), and questing to capture a creature which will make a huge difference can be really fun for a party. And is also add that I love a lot of the things from 5e compared to the AD&D which I grew up playing. It was really important to prevent the total overshadowing of non-magic users at high levels and to let magicians survive past first level. I just don’t like all of what has been changed.</blockquote>

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