Planar binding without a trap?

[gomipile]

Can planar binding be cast to summon an outsider who would be friendly and willing to help the caster anyway without using the magic circle trap?

For one, roleplaying wise, I would think that such a creature might be more willing to help and believe the caster was acting in god faith if it wasn't imprisoned upon it's arrival.

Second, the wizard in my group is a specialist who has abjuration as a banned school, but can cast conjuration spells.

[Lord Vukodlak]

Well there is this spell called Planar ally that clerics use,

I suppose you could do it without the trap but it be dangerous very dangerous. Of course if there is a cleric in the group the cleric could cast the magic circle then the wizard use planar binding.

[HamHam]

You can, but there are probably better spells for it.

[Jack_Simth]

Can planar binding be cast to summon an outsider who would be friendly and willing to help the caster anyway without using the magic circle trap?

For one, roleplaying wise, I would think that such a creature might be more willing to help and believe the caster was acting in god faith if it wasn't imprisoned upon it's arrival.

Second, the wizard in my group is a specialist who has abjuration as a banned school, but can cast conjuration spells.

Potentially ... but you're getting into DM Fiat territory there. However, if you go to a library and research an outsider or elemental that's willing to engage in an exchange of services, contact it with Sending beforehand to see if it's willing to be Called up to negotiate a detailed contract, not trap it when you do Call it up, and actually pay it for it's time, most DM's won't have it attack you. But the standard blackmail is easier and faster.

However, the game does not require that the caster of Planar Binding spell also cast the Magic Circle Against X. You can have the party Cleric handle that... as long as what you're doing isn't specifically against the Cleric's ethos and deity (additional hint: People tend to object less if you trap them along the Law/Chaos axis than if you do the Good/Evil axis).