A lot of folks hold that Misty Step is the one way guaranteed to get out of restrained/grappled conditions. The reading of Ensnaring Strike states, "a writhing mass of thorny vines appears at the point of impact", which would indicate that they are wrapped in magical vines restraining them. I started to wonder if a character could Misty Step out of it? It is not another entity holding them, but basically magic entwined around them separate from the ground or being tethered. When they do Misty Step, would the spell continue to affect them like any other spell effect which is not from a physically bound source (Blindness/Deafness)? Most of the reason you may Misty Step from a spell would be Web or another spell which fills an area and does not travel to the new position. Are there any other spells which can entrap a character and a teleport spell not be able to free them?

Questions:

Can you Misty Step out of Ensnaring Strike?

If not, are there any other spells with a similar control?

 edit: spelling correction.

The way it reads, then you can't misty step out of it because it will come with you.

This is debatable.  Not clearly worded.  I would ask for clarification from Sage Advice.

The spell says "at the point of impact", which a DM can read as at the location you were at, or it can be read at the part of you it hit.

Misty Step will definitely still let you move, the question is will the vines come with you. 

A tweet I found confirms my suspicion that this is up to DM. Ropes/vines, magic or otherwise, up to DM.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sageadvice.eu/caster-using-misty-step-to-free-herself/amp/

Might be a fun house rule to make them roll a concentration or spellcasting ability check to see if they can control what teleports with them, otherwise take the restraints or leave equipment/clothes.

ensnaring strike says

The next time you hit a creature with a weapon attack before this spell ends, a writhing mass of thorny vines appears at the point of impact, and the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained by the magical vines until the spell ends.

So it really just comes down to whether the DM rules the 'point of impact' is a point in space, which you could teleport away from, or a point on the target's body

Quote from AntonSirius >>

ensnaring strike says

The next time you hit a creature with a weapon attack before this spell ends, a writhing mass of thorny vines appears at the point of impact, and the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be restrained by the magical vines until the spell ends.

 

So it really just comes down to whether the DM rules the 'point of impact' is a point in space, which you could teleport away from, or a point on the target's body

 And then if the point on the targets body is attached or if it is only hanging on with the tangling of the vines. AND THEN if the entangled vines can be teleported out from in the first place (this would be the same ruling as rope bindings or handcuffs).

But yeah, (for various reasons) debatable and up to DM are the majority consensus.

The point of impact is odd wording to use, so I'd say that it is the point on the creature where the weapon hit.

The Sage Advice suggests that JC is thinking that if the entangling effect is anchored to something other than the creature, then misty step will allow escape.

Quote from Farling >>

The point of impact is odd wording to use, so I'd say that it is the point on the creature where the weapon hit.

 Honestly, I think it was meant as descriptor text. "This is what you see" rather than "exactly this effect happens." The key mechanical effect of the spell is that you are bound by vines giving you the restrained condition.

id let a character teleport out of it.

I would let a character misty step out of it, but I would describe it as enough of the vines coming with them that they remain restrained at their new location.

Quote from DxJxC >>

Quote from Farling >>

The point of impact is odd wording to use, so I'd say that it is the point on the creature where the weapon hit.

 Honestly, I think it was meant as descriptor text. "This is what you see" rather than "exactly this effect happens." The key mechanical effect of the spell is that you are bound by vines giving you the restrained condition.

 I take the "point of impact" to mean that the vines are entirely wrapped around the creature, not anchored to anything else in the creature's space.

This thread is making me think about a ranger/Astral Self monk MC where the astral arms are reflavored as vines or something more nature-y, just I can do an ensnaring unarmed strike

Quote from Farling >>

Quote from DxJxC >>

Quote from Farling >>

The point of impact is odd wording to use, so I'd say that it is the point on the creature where the weapon hit.

 Honestly, I think it was meant as descriptor text. "This is what you see" rather than "exactly this effect happens." The key mechanical effect of the spell is that you are bound by vines giving you the restrained condition.

 I take the "point of impact" to mean that the vines are entirely wrapped around the creature, not anchored to anything else in the creature's space.

 Yeah same.

The sage advice makes it feel like if the bonds can move with the character they go with Misty Step. If they are tethered, then the character can Misty Step out. This spell makes me feel that when the weapon strikes, the slice/pierce/bash plants a seed of nature magic at that point of contact which explodes out around the target. Burning a Misty Step will teleport the character to a new location, but they will still be bound, just like they were in manacles or tied up, but not tethered.

My personal thought is that being tethered would be the key component to allowing escaping from bonds of any kind using this method.

Are there any other spells that bind like Ensnaring Strike?

Quote from theHumanChris >>

Are there any other spells that bind like Ensnaring Strike?

 Entangle, snare, etc.

Quote from DxJxC >>

Quote from theHumanChris >>

Are there any other spells that bind like Ensnaring Strike?

 Entangle, snare, etc.

 Except those two spells specifically create something on the ground, and thus anchor the restraining things to that space.

Quote from Farling >>

Quote from DxJxC >>

Quote from theHumanChris >>

Are there any other spells that bind like Ensnaring Strike?

 Entangle, snare, etc.

 Except those two spells specifically create something on the ground, and thus anchor the restraining things to that space.

 So spells that are exactly like ensnaring strike and not just spells that bind?

Technically snare lifts into the air not the ground. So pretty close.

Mechanically speaking, I'm not sure if I understand the distinction being made. You're restrained when the effect happens and even if you step away, the condition travels with you. At that point, it's just a question of how the DM wants to flavor it.

DMs ruling that you can teleport but remain restrained basically treat the vines as being worn or carried, much like manacles would as opposed to other restraining effects grounded in place.

I think a good rule of thumb could be to adjudicate base on the effect's ability to move itself or remain fixed.

If its of any interest to any if you,. a Dev once said you could teleport out of chaîns tying you up https://www.sageadvice.eu/does-misty-step-allow-you-to-escape-from-chains-tying-you-up/amp/

@PaladinAsherd Does Misty Step allow you to escape from a grapple, from chains tying you up, etc.?

 

@mikemearls yes, as long as you can cast the spell