Planar binding bomb?

[LimaBeanMage]

After contemplating planar binding for a while, specifically what creatures would be useful in combat, I suddenly thought of a possible way to use them for combat purposes without paying.

Rather than summoning something for combat and paying for it, and possibly getting screwed in a deal by the DM, just summon something which hungers for combat or food and set it free amongst your enemies.

- Planar Binding: Summon a wide variety of creatures
- Alacritous Cogitation (CM): Spontaneously cast a spell from an empty slot as a full round action
- Anticipate Teleportation (SpC): Anticipate and delay any teleportation effect including teleport typed spells

Cast Anticipate Teleportation at the beginning of the day, find yourself in combat and cast Planar Binding through Alacritous Cogitation making it a full round action, and summon something with low intelligence and big appetite. The Anticipate Teleportation should delay the calling spell for one round, because it is a "Teleportation effect". Knowing what is about to be unleashed, just teleport yourself somewhere safe, take out a crystal ball and watch the battle while eating popcorn.

Except for one thing, this seems like a wonderful 2 round combo (or 1 round with a quickened teleport) to summon an equal or greater HD monstrosity to deal with your enemies for free. That one thing that might make this more complicated than it needs to be is the trap. You must lay down a magic circle focused inward to make that trap for planar binding. So, the question is, do you need to actually draw a trap for planar binding if you merely intend to call a creature to a spot and not trap it?

A few key wordings in planar binding and magic circle against evil make me think that you can improperly create the circle and summon a creature into a free area by accident. And if you can do it by accident then you can do it on purpose.

[Operation Shoestring]

Is planar binding a teleportation effect?  It doesn't have the [teleportation] tag, IIRC.  or does it?

[veekie]

Delay spell then, not a particularly big concern, I think.

[LimaBeanMage]

Any Teleportation spell or effect, (including all spells with the teleportation subtype) can be anticipated.

The wording "teleportation spell or effect" is deliberately separate from the inclusion of all teleporation typed spells, so I'm pretty confident that it is a broad term which includes calling spells and other teleport-like spells.

[Akalsaris]

It's definitely a cool idea! 

[Suzerain]

Woah. For a moment there I thought you came up with something equally ridiculous as the locate city bomb or the coat hanger.

But, you've found a combat use for Planar Binding Spells, well done! The rules check out, though I think using Alacritous Cogitation to reduce the casting time reeks of cheddar. Doesn't make the game too much more unbalanced, though (imho), since you can pretty much do this if you enslave things with Planar Binding.

[LimaBeanMage]

Woah. For a moment there I thought you came up with something equally ridiculous as the locate city bomb or the coat hanger.

But, you've found a combat use for Planar Binding Spells, well done! The rules check out, though I think using Alacritous Cogitation to reduce the casting time reeks of cheddar. Doesn't make the game too much more unbalanced, though (imho), since you can pretty much do this if you enslave things with Planar Binding.

Hehe, thank you! I have always been a bit miffed at the lack of power of the summon monster spells, so this was a fun little find.

The other perk for this is that it is truly a versatile summon monster. Planar binding the regular way can let you enslave things, but you might always find yourself in a situation asking for a creature with a certain ability in combat. Being able to choose from dozens and dozens of monsters with unique abilities as a full round action and without a price certainly is deliciously flexible option.

Also, on the note of gouda-aligned cheese, if there is another idea for reducing a spellcasting time for this without alacritous cogitation, I am all open for ideas.

[Akalsaris]

What's the name of the feat that goes along with Spell Mastery, which can let you spontaneously cast a spell as a full round action?  That would work.

If it's alacritous cogitation, then I'm out of ideas

[Aharon]

What key wordings make you believe this is possible?

[Operation Shoestring]

What's the name of the feat that goes along with Spell Mastery, which can let you spontaneously cast a spell as a full round action?  That would work.

If it's alacritous cogitation, then I'm out of ideas

Uncanny Foresight.

[LimaBeanMage]

What key wordings make you believe this is possible?

[PhaedrusXY]

I agree that this should work. You can also emulate Planar Binding via Limited Wish to get the casting time down to a Standard Action. It will cost you a bit of XP, and you won't be able to emulate the Greater version like this, but it still might be worth it in some situations, and it doesn't require specific feat combinations, or cheese that is likely to be vetoed by a DM.

[sendmeanewid]

You will of course also need to determine a way to deal with whatever monstrosity you bring through.

Perhaps you could planar bind some snakes to deal with them, then some gorillas to deal the snakes, and then winter should take care of the rest.  (Simpsons S10E3 Bart the Mother)

[Aharon]

@LimaBeanMage:
Yes, it does:

I think that pretty clearly states that you must cast magic circle first - you can't lure a creature to a trap that doesn't exist.

Depending on your other plans with the spell, you might point out to your DM that Magic Circle against Evil has Will negates (harmless) (This is often ignored, because most groups use the interpretation that this only refers to the beneficial version of the spell - RAW, this is not the case). In another thread, it was pointed out to me that this doesn't negatively effect your ability to use Planar Binding during downtime, as there are other ways to deal with the called creature than using the magic circle.
So if you call something with a high will save, it might break free of your magic circle and attack the people around it deems responsible.
The creature can also use its spell resistance to test the trap - you just cast the magic circle at caster level 5, so it will probably break free.

[PhaedrusXY]

Even if you think so, this can still work. It just takes an extra action or two to pull off. The Magic Circle trap only takes a standard action to cast itself. All the crap about a calling diagram that takes 10 minutes is explicitly and entirely optional.

So, cast Magic Circle, then cast Planar Binding (or emulate it using Limited Wish), then Dispel the Magic Circle, and run like hell.

If the DM says it can escape with a Will save, all the better. That just means you don't have to waste an action Dispelling it.

[Aharon]

Sorry, didn't make my point clear: I'm not searching for ways to make this not work, just want to make sure it works within RAW. What about using contingency? 1st round: cast magic circle 2nd round: cast planar binding => "teleport is activated as soon as I have finished casting planar binding" as trigger for the contingency. Still useful?

[Kuroimaken]

Even if you think so, this can still work. It just takes an extra action or two to pull off. The Magic Circle trap only takes a standard action to cast itself. All the crap about a calling diagram that takes 10 minutes is explicitly and entirely optional.

So, cast Magic Circle, then cast Planar Binding (or emulate it using Limited Wish), then Dispel the Magic Circle, and run like hell.

If the DM says it can escape with a Will save, all the better. That just means you don't have to waste an action Dispelling it.

Or dismissing it as a free action? 

[PhaedrusXY]

Or dismissing it as a free action? 

It's not listed as dismissable. Even if it was, dismissing a spell is a standard action.

[Kuroimaken]

Or dismissing it as a free action? 

It's not listed as dismissable. Even if it was, dismissing a spell is a standard action.

Well dang. I was absolutely sure it was free.

[Nunkuruji]

The Halaster's Fetch series of spells from Forgotten Realms / City of Splendors: Waterdeep might also accomplish similar results.