Warlock Planar Binding

[Dr.Samurai]

Assuming I'm at least level 11 and have three spell slots as a warlock, I want to cast an Inverted Magic Circle, Summon a creature, then cast Planar Binding.

However, am I understanding it correctly that because I have to concentrate in order to cast a spell with a long casting time (Planar Binding) I can't actually do this? Because I have to concentrate on the Summon spell.

So is the only way to bind a summoned creature to do so with an ally that casts the summon spell?

[SharkForce]

Assuming I'm at least level 11 and have three spell slots as a warlock, I want to cast an Inverted Magic Circle, Summon a creature, then cast Planar Binding.

However, am I understanding it correctly that because I have to concentrate in order to cast a spell with a long casting time (Planar Binding) I can't actually do this? Because I have to concentrate on the Summon spell.

So is the only way to bind a summoned creature to do so with an ally that casts the summon spell?

Technically, you could also physically capture an already existing fiend, celestial, fey or elemental, keep them from running away, and planar bind them like that as well. It doesn't require a summoned creature, it just (in theory) is supposed to be possible to use it in conjunction with other summoning spells.

In fact, the rules are a lot less screwy if you do that than if you have two people cooperating. For example, have you considered that the spell that summoned or created the creature has the duration increased, but nothing specifies that you become the caster, so... you'd have the planar binding making it so that you can give orders to the creature, but the original summoner/creator would also have whatever control they originally had too. There's also the argument whether it removes any concentration requirements (I say yes because it increases the duration "to" the same as planar binding, and concentration is part of duration... but I've had plenty of people argue otherwise).

It also makes it really unclear for using glyph of warding, because presumably the glyph would continue giving the same orders the glyph originally had loaded into it... maybe? It's not really clear.

There's also technically a thing where basically every summoning spell ever runs out in one hour, so you pretty much have the summon disappear moments before you can finish casting planar binding.



Basically, the actual mechanics of planar binding didn't get much proper consideration of how they'd work in light of the actual game mechanics, and as a result the spell is unable to function as described. Talk to your DM about how they think it should work because the way it's written is just borked. Or rather, borked except when you cast it using a wish spell, which eliminates all the drawbacks of the planar binding spell and turns it into an instant long-term mind control effect that you can use in the middle of battle on creatures of any CR and is generally many times more broken than the planar binding spell used in the way it is described as being used. I guess there is also technically a rather borked magic item in some official adventure from years ago that could let you instant-cast a stored spell that you could use the same way. Can't remember what they're called, and I rule them out of existence because I don't think an item that lets you ignore casting time should exist.

Alternately, just start capturing existing creatures and use planar binding on them.

My *personal* ruling is that having two people co-operate doesn't work at all (I don't want to deal with two masters who could give conflicting orders, therefore I make it so that it can't happen), but I have the concentration and duration of the original spell preserved until planar binding is either finished or interrupted (if interrupted, the original spell is lost, if planar binding finishes the duration of the original spell is extended to the same as planar binding). YMMV.

[JackPhoenix]

Pretty much what SharkForce said.
Planar Binding is broken for the purpose of binding creatures you or anyone else summons, because the creature must be present before you start casting, and 1h duration that started before you started a 1h casting will also finish before you finish the casting.

Otherwise, finding a "wild" creature, assistant caster or Glyph of Warning (note that the later carries some risks as the creature appears next to whoever triggered the glyph (you) and not necessarily where you want it (inside the circle), and you can't give it any commands, it's forced to attack the triggering creature) is the way to go.

[Dr.Samurai]

Thank you both. So a couple of thoughts:

1. Glyph of Warding doesn't seem available on the warlock spell list right?

2. Re Summoning and Control, I had considered that, and thought the Planar Binding binding the creature to serve you for the duration would override the summon control, especially since the original duration on the Summon would expire if not for Planar Binding.

3. I did think the Summon duration being exactly the Planar Binding casting was wonky, but something that appears to be sort of hand-waived.

4. Without Glyph of Warding, seems like there wouldn't be a lot of control over this as if you could choose your Summoning spell, and the creature you summon, each day. Given that warlocks can't upcast this, it will never be for more than 24hrs, so seems like more trouble than it's worth to catch in the wild, so to speak.

[SharkForce]

1) It does not.

2) To be clear, I am in favour of making assumptions that allow the spell to function in the way as described, but also to be clear, that's an assumption which is not supported by any rules text and nothing suggests multiple casters working together is the intended solution in the text. You'll need to talk that over with your DM.

3) I mean, it's on the list of things that the DM will need to fix if you want the spell to be able to function as described, yes. Particularly since some summoning spells even have a casting time longer than 1 action.

4) Again, talk to your DM. The spell is clearly described as being usable in a certain way, yet the mechanics do not support that use of the spell. There's obviously a mismatch of some kind here, and you'll need to talk to your DM to sort it out basically no matter how you look at it.