So banishment, right?

[BlackDog918]

So I've noticed something about dismissal and banishment, if the outsider banished has a way to plane shift, what's to stop them from simply doing so? I know Holy Word has a clause for that but it seems like the others should, no? Or am I missing something?

[Geddy2112]

Yeah, that is the problem with these spells-you can banish and dismiss your garden variety extraplanar folks, but the big nasties will come right back. That said, there is a 20% chance you send them to another plane, which might be better or worse. Sending a devil to heaven or an angel to hell will be a bad time for banished/dismissed creature.

And planar travel is still not all that accurate, but it just goes to show you can't banish really big nasties for long.

[Kelb_Panthera]

So I've noticed something about dismissal and banishment, if the outsider banished has a way to plane shift, what's to stop them from simply doing so?

Nothing at all. However, since planeshifting (as the spell) puts you in a random location on the target plane, the outsider in question isn't your problem anymore unless it also happens to have greater teleport available to return to the fray. Even if it does have g. teleport, it may simply ignore the fact that it could return to the fray unless it has some compelling reason to do so.

[Crake]

the outsider in question isn't your problem anymore unless it also happens to have greater teleport available to return to the fray.

Which makes dismissal/banishment a really fun combo with divert teleport :smalltongue:

That said, very few creatures have both plane shift AND greater teleport

[Inevitability]

That said, very few creatures have both plane shift AND greater teleport

And those that do are probably at least minor BBEG's, and if years of playing D&D have taught me anything, than it's that you don't want BBEG's to escape, much less let them yourself.

[Necroticplague]

So I've noticed something about dismissal and banishment, if the outsider banished has a way to plane shift, what's to stop them from simply doing so? I know Holy Word has a clause for that but it seems like the others should, no? Or am I missing something?

There's nothing. However, do note Plane Shift is incredibly inaccurate. The closest you can get to your destination is 5 freaking miles, and you could end up 500 miles away. So while it's possible to end up back on the same plane easily, the chance of getting back to where you were to bother whoever Banished you isn't very good (barring other teleportation abilities).

[Darth Ultron]

The spells are a bit of a holdover from 2E. And they are a good example of the creators and/or editors not doing a good job.

See, in older editions, it was hard for a lot of creatures to come to the Prime Plane. In fact, lots could not do so unless called and let in. So if they were banished, they could not come back.

3E+ ''forgot'' little details like this.....so you have a spell that does not make sense any more.