what is your strategy when you cast planar binding?

[Zhepna]

Hi,

we play a high level game and I would like to cast planar binding.
I play cleric.

What are the spells you cast in the room in before casting it?

Thanks for the information and have a nice day.

[RandomPeasant]

It depends. planar binding allows you to summon almost any outsider or elemental that exists, and there are a huge variety of ways you can deal with those creatures when summoned. If you're summoning an outsider so you can kill it and make it into a Skeleton or Corpse Creature to control with animate dead or Rebuke Undead, your planar binding setup is "a whole bunch of trap spells". If you're summoning an intelligent outsider for a friendly negotiation, your position might benefit from the display of trust that comes with nice furniture and no defensive spells. If you're doing the stereotypical "demon, I bind you by your True Name" thing, you want an appropriate magic circle an additional defenses specific to whatever threat the specific creature you're summoning poses. And there are any number of other things you could be doing as well.

[Zhepna]

For the moment, I only plan to bring an nightmare and would like to use it as an ally.

[Maat Mons]

I've never used Planar Binding, myself. But I'd figure a Magic Circle against Evil, prepared as a trap and enhanced with a casting of Dimensional Anchor right before casting Planar Binding, as described in the text for Magic Circle against Evil.

[Telok]

For the moment, I only plan to bring an nightmare and would like to use it as an ally.

In that case you want the corpses of the last six or seven you summoned, someone skinning one of them for a rug, and offer it some fresh squeezed demon juice (something at least 6 or 7 cr higher).

[tiercel]

I feel compelled to point out that by default, at least in 3.5, clerics cast planar ally and not planar binding.

Since you want an ally, this is probably right up your alley, but since you are requesting this from your deity, hopefully he/she/they are cool with sending you an Evil outsider.

Lesser planar ally is strong enough to get you a bog-standard 6 HD nightmare and will cost you 100 XP, plus a stack of gold commensurate with the length of the task (the max length being 1 day/caster level, which will set you back 6000gp — though you might be able to reduce that if the task is “nonhazardous” and/or “strongly aligned with the creature’s ethos”).

If you want the beefier upgraded cauchemar version of the nightmare (15 HD), you’ll need to spend 500 XP casting greater planar ally and the base cost for 1 day/caster level will be a cool 15,000 gp (subject to modification as above).

Note that unlike planar binding, planar ally spells generally by default don’t involve you throwing around a lot of other prep work, as the premise is the called creature is interested in working with you, is sent by your deity, and you are paying for the service (likely with gold and at least with the XP cost of the spell).

You’re also more effective at this if you are in the thaumaturgist (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/thaumaturgist.htm) prestige class.

If you want a long term ally, you’re probably seeking a cohort; if you can swing that (via Leadership or some fancy RP maneuvering/fast-talking with your church), the regular nightmare counts like a 10th level character, the cauchemar like a 19th level one (!).

….perhaps most importantly, step zero of any planar calling is Talk With Your DM and make sure your DM is on board with what you’re wanting your character to achieve so that your plan doesn’t turn into some kind of wish-twisting Monkey’s Paw sort of scenario.

[Psyren]

Pathfinder has supplemental rules (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/variant-magic-rules/binding-outsiders/) describing what creatures who are bound either find appealing or find repulsive. Both sorts of substance can be used to get them to work with you - whether by appealing to their fear or their desires.

The general advice for all types is to make a deal:


Smart arcane binders often make deals with the creatures they call. Like clerics using planar ally, they bargain and shower the outsider with gifts in exchange for their services. While it is always good for an arcane spellcaster to make these deals from a position of strength, it is much better to get the outsider to come to mutually agreed upon terms for the service, rather than forcing it to commit actions against its nature or desires.

UM goes on to describe some examples for each of the major classes of outsiders, which should be enough for the GM to come up with similar hooks for the ones not listed.

The big difference between Ally and Binding is that the latter is less inherently likely to work with you (since they're not an envoy of the Power you serve), and far more precautions must be taken to avoid calamity. However, the advantage to Binding is that you, rather than your boss, chooses what exactly you get when you cast it.

[Anthrowhale]

Clerics can access planar binding via the Demonic domain.

[redking]

First, take a look at this planar binding guide. (https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2rrug?DMDMs-Guide-to-Planar-Binding-DRAFT-Part-1)

What you want to do is force the outsider into a deal that it cannot refuse, and offer no monetary or other incentive, except perhaps "you will grow more powerful in service to me" (meaning, it gets a share of experience points from your adventures, which would happen anyway).

Getting a Nightmare to serve as your mount for 1 day per caster level shouldn't be hard. Make sure you buff your charisma with spells or items. Nightmares only have a CHA score of 12. It should be easy.

[Segev]

If you're looking to planar bind a mount, might I suggest an Ecalypse over a Nightmare? They're in the Planar Handbook, and if you can manage a DC 35 Ride check, you can actually just offer one its freedom if it will test you as a worthy rider, then ride it and get its true loyalty.

[Zhepna]

Thanks a lot for the answers!

[Nifft]

If you're looking to planar bind a mount, might I suggest an Ecalypse over a Nightmare? They're in the Planar Handbook, and if you can manage a DC 35 Ride check, you can actually just offer one its freedom if it will test you as a worthy rider, then ride it and get its true loyalty.

Ecalypse isn't in the monster section of Planar Handbook -- do you mean the ur’Epona (p.130) perhaps?

Or is it in another section of the book?

[Segev]

Ecalypse isn't in the monster section of Planar Handbook -- do you mean the ur’Epona (p.130) perhaps?

Or is it in another section of the book?

It's in there, under... hrm. It's one of three sub-entries under..ah, "Ephemeral." Look up "Ephemera" or "Ephemeral" or something like that in there. It's the second monster.

[sreservoir]

It's in there, under... hrm. It's one of three sub-entries under..ah, "Ephemeral." Look up "Ephemera" or "Ephemeral" or something like that in there. It's the second monster.

It's listed in the tables, but the monster entry is actually on MotP 170.

[Nifft]

It's listed in the tables, but the monster entry is actually on MotP 170.

Thanks!

ten char