In a recent session, our party was attacked by two NPC wizards, two NPC fighters, and a barlgura (demon). Our cleric successfully cast Banishment on the barlgura. Unknown to our party, one of the NPC wizards had summoned the barlgura before the encounter. During battle, another barlgura appeared on the battlefield. (Unknown to our party, the wizard who had cast Summon Greater Demon for the first barlgura simply dropped concentration and recast the spell to summon another barlgura.)
Here’s my question: Would the cleric know to drop concentration on Banishment (based on some sort of divine magical sense) when the wizard dropped concentration on the first casting of Summon Greater Demon? Or would the cleric automatically lose concentration because the wizard dropped concentration on SGD? Or would the cleric continue to think that concentrating on Banishment was indeed keeping the first barlgura away?
"If the target is native to a different plane of existence than the one you're on, the target is banished with a faint popping noise, returning to its home plane. If the spell ends before 1 minute has passed, the target reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. Otherwise, the target doesn't return."
The cleric needs to concentrate on the spell for the full minute or the demon may return.
From summon greater demon:
"If you stop concentrating on the spell before it reaches its full duration, an uncontrolled demon doesn’t disappear for 1d6 rounds if it still has hit points."
In addition, the uncontrolled demon doesn't disappear for 1d6 rounds after the concentration ends.
Adjudicating the interaction between these spells is up to the DM but at a minimum the demon could take actions for 1d6 rounds after the wizard stops concentrating if allowed to return. Of course the uncontrolled demon could attack anyone so bringing it back might be a useful tactic depending on who is closer to it.
In addition, as DM, I'd have the demon return under all circumstances if banishment ended early and then immediately disappear if its duration after the concentration ended had been exceeded. It seems to me the logical way for the spells to interact.
So is this how the encounter should have played out ...
(Right before the encounter, the evil wizard casts Greater Summon Demon to summon barlgura 1.)
Round 1:
Cleric casts Banishment on barlgura 1 (and succeeds)
Evil wizard sees barlgura 1 disappear so decides to drop concentration to cast Summon Greater Demon once again for barlgura 2
Barlgura 1 doesn't do anything (because banished)
Barlgura 2 is now in the battle (it follows evil wizard's command, Charisma saving throw at end of its turn)
Round 2 - Option A:
Cleric maintains concentration on Banishment (to keep barlgura 1 away)
Evil wizard continues to concentrate on Summon Greater Demon (and takes turn as normal)
Barlgura 1 doesn't do anything (because banished)
Barlgura 2 either follows or does not follow evil wizard's command depending on previous Charisma saving throw (another Charisma saving throw at end of its turn)
Round 2 - Option B:
Cleric drops concentration on Banishment (for whatever reason)
Evil wizard continues to concentrate on Summon Greater Demon (and takes turn as normal)
Barlgura 1 returns to battle for 1d6 rounds (because both the evil wizard and cleric stopped concentrating) and attacks closest non-demons
Barlgura 2 either follows or does not follow evil wizard's command depending on previous Charisma saving throw (another Charisma saving throw at end of its turn)
So looking at the wording of banishment; If the target had been native to the current plane, it could not have been resummoned before the spell ended, but since it was sent home it can be resummoned without the caster knowing.
Post 4 is a good example of how it could have played out, but not necessarily how it should have played out. And I would argue it is a worse situation for the cleric's party in that example.
In a recent session, our party was attacked by two NPC wizards, two NPC fighters, and a barlgura (demon). Our cleric successfully cast Banishment on the barlgura. Unknown to our party, one of the NPC wizards had summoned the barlgura before the encounter. During battle, another barlgura appeared on the battlefield. (Unknown to our party, the wizard who had cast Summon Greater Demon for the first barlgura simply dropped concentration and recast the spell to summon another barlgura.)
Here’s my question: Would the cleric know to drop concentration on Banishment (based on some sort of divine magical sense) when the wizard dropped concentration on the first casting of Summon Greater Demon? Or would the cleric automatically lose concentration because the wizard dropped concentration on SGD? Or would the cleric continue to think that concentrating on Banishment was indeed keeping the first barlgura away?
The cleric knows how the Banishment spell works.
"If the target is native to a different plane of existence than the one you're on, the target is banished with a faint popping noise, returning to its home plane. If the spell ends before 1 minute has passed, the target reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. Otherwise, the target doesn't return."
The cleric needs to concentrate on the spell for the full minute or the demon may return.
From summon greater demon:
"If you stop concentrating on the spell before it reaches its full duration, an uncontrolled demon doesn’t disappear for 1d6 rounds if it still has hit points."
In addition, the uncontrolled demon doesn't disappear for 1d6 rounds after the concentration ends.
Adjudicating the interaction between these spells is up to the DM but at a minimum the demon could take actions for 1d6 rounds after the wizard stops concentrating if allowed to return. Of course the uncontrolled demon could attack anyone so bringing it back might be a useful tactic depending on who is closer to it.
In addition, as DM, I'd have the demon return under all circumstances if banishment ended early and then immediately disappear if its duration after the concentration ended had been exceeded. It seems to me the logical way for the spells to interact.
So is this how the encounter should have played out ...
(Right before the encounter, the evil wizard casts Greater Summon Demon to summon barlgura 1.)
Round 1:
Round 2 - Option A:
Round 2 - Option B:
So looking at the wording of banishment; If the target had been native to the current plane, it could not have been resummoned before the spell ended, but since it was sent home it can be resummoned without the caster knowing.
Post 4 is a good example of how it could have played out, but not necessarily how it should have played out. And I would argue it is a worse situation for the cleric's party in that example.