So let's just say a mage sent one of your party members to another plane (plane shift for example).
How does the party locate their friend?
I have not been able to find any divination spell that can traverse planes. It's almost as if WoTC only wants spells like this used on Monsters.
"Um yeah, you are sent to another plane, in a random location, and you have to find your way home. Sorry, but you and I are going to have to play 1 on 1 for the next 3 months, out of session..."
Does anyone know of a spell or other method that can help the party locate and save their lost friend? I almost feel that an opportunity to use the planes is crushed by lack of planar divination spells.
If your party member is aware enough of where they are then a sending might allow them to tell you how to get to them. Also, some of the straight "contact your god" type of divination spells might obtain the required information through good question asking(commune or divination or there is one that is literally called contact other plane).
If you have access to 9th level spells, then I would think you should certainly be able to locate a party member on another plane with a little bit of effort.
The Sending spell isn't a divination spell but it can contact creatures on other planes (with a 5 percent chance of failure) thus letting the stranded player communicate with their friends. Then the party can try to piece together what plane their lost friend is on through a description of their friend's surroundings condensed to 25 words or fewer. It's not much and the surrounding environment might be inconclusive as to which plane it is but any kind of communication is better than complete isolation.
If you have access to 9th level spells, then I would think you should certainly be able to locate a party member on another plane with a little bit of effort.
For example, by casting Gate :p I’m not really sure what point you’re trying to make, haha.
Getting trapped in an alternate plane is either an inherently high-level problem that warrants a high-level solution, or it’s a narrative conceit that’s MEANT to be solved by OP’s “guess we’re doing this for three months” scenario.
Another point is that spells like Divination and Commune can absolutely be used to find banished companions. You can get a lot out of Commune’s three yes/no questions per day with a binary search of the planes.
[EDIT] Aaand they’ve already been mentioned, haha.
So let's just say a mage sent one of your party members to another plane (plane shift for example).
How does the party locate their friend?
I have not been able to find any divination spell that can traverse planes. It's almost as if WoTC only wants spells like this used on Monsters.
"Um yeah, you are sent to another plane, in a random location, and you have to find your way home. Sorry, but you and I are going to have to play 1 on 1 for the next 3 months, out of session..."
Does anyone know of a spell or other method that can help the party locate and save their lost friend? I almost feel that an opportunity to use the planes is crushed by lack of planar divination spells.
If your party member is aware enough of where they are then a sending might allow them to tell you how to get to them. Also, some of the straight "contact your god" type of divination spells might obtain the required information through good question asking(commune or divination or there is one that is literally called contact other plane).
Gate.
If you have access to 9th level spells, then I would think you should certainly be able to locate a party member on another plane with a little bit of effort.
"Not all those who wander are lost"
The Sending spell isn't a divination spell but it can contact creatures on other planes (with a 5 percent chance of failure) thus letting the stranded player communicate with their friends. Then the party can try to piece together what plane their lost friend is on through a description of their friend's surroundings condensed to 25 words or fewer. It's not much and the surrounding environment might be inconclusive as to which plane it is but any kind of communication is better than complete isolation.
For example, by casting Gate :p I’m not really sure what point you’re trying to make, haha.
Getting trapped in an alternate plane is either an inherently high-level problem that warrants a high-level solution, or it’s a narrative conceit that’s MEANT to be solved by OP’s “guess we’re doing this for three months” scenario.
Haha no worries. I was just laughing at the fact that you proposed the nuclear option. I mean... it certainly gets the job done :)
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Another point is that spells like Divination and Commune can absolutely be used to find banished companions. You can get a lot out of Commune’s three yes/no questions per day with a binary search of the planes.
[EDIT] Aaand they’ve already been mentioned, haha.
You could probably wish to know what plane they are on. ;)
"Not all those who wander are lost"
All great stuff! Thanks for sharing your ideas!