You attempt to send one creature that you can see within range to another plane of existence. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be banished.
If the target is native to the plane of existence you’re on, you banish the target to a harmless demiplane. While there, the target is incapacitated. The target remains there until the spell ends, at which point the target reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied.
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.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 5th level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 4th.
* - (an item distasteful to the target)
If I banish someone and they return to their home plane, do they return to a random place?
(Ie: could they fall into a dangerous place like a volcanoe etc?)
If I was in a different plane, could I cast banishment on myself to return home? Most of earth is covered by water of course. Would I return to a random place, or one that is safe for me?
Assuming of course you are randomly transported back to ground level.
What if you got banished and wound up finding yourself 2 miles skyward and falling fast?
Or 3000 leagues deep underwater and suffocating from the immense pressures?
Or maybe just lost in a random cave somewhere abandoned by Duergar?
Its a good question, I think I'd resolve it by saying banishment transports you back home, wherever that may be for you, likely a place that you are most familiar with.
I believe that they are making that assumption based off of the Dimissal part of Dispel Evil and Good; however that spell also specifies the whole "not their home plane" condition.
this could derail elemental evil
edit: oh there is material components
Arcane foci can override material components; so it depends on how your table plays. For me, I have it so that in order for you to send something back to its home plane, you need to concentrate for the full minute. Thus if someone banishes an Arch's boss, they can do so, but need to avoid damage in order to successfully avoid the conflict.
That interpretation follows RAW.
Can be extremely powerful in an extraplanar campaign
Oi, oi oi, I would be vary of using the spell in that regard. If we assume that Toril has a similar continent to ocean ratio then there are around 71% chance that you end up in water. Even if you don't the chances of appearing in some ****ed up area is extremely high.
Depends. Are you casting this as if you were on the material plane? I believe this was answered already in the comment section.
Noce
As a DM, if you use this on a player, I would recommend NOT leaving them incapacitated in the demiplane, as that could be very boring and even more frustrating that being taken out of the fight already is. Sure, there is nothing they can do to escape the demiplane, but having a door in the room they are in that opens back to the room they are in would be better than just "You can take a nap until somebody breaks concentration on that evil wizard." Maybe throw in a clue to the dark wizard's plan that somehow ended up in the demiplane.
This spell is OP. Parties routinely banish the boss mob, kill all minions, then dispatch the boss when it reappears.
House rules - Creatures can be banished back to the plane from where they came. The slot is spent and spell fails on a creature native to the plane in which it is cast.
Only material components without a gold cost, which this spell doesn’t require for whatever reason.
Try using legendary resistance or counterspell, or maybe even enforcing the “item distasteful to the target” material components, even with a focus. That way you could make a whole adventure out of digging up things the BBEG hates and trying to get one.
Hope this helps!
So if you were to cast this on, for example, a Demon/Devil, while you're in the Material plane, during combat. As the DM, would you still give the creature it's actions? As established, it doesn't become incapacitated if it gets sent to its home plane, so there's no reason why it wouldn't. Granted, without a specific enemy in mind, I'm not too sure if there's much use for this other than a caster using a buff/injured enemy healing, but it's also something I haven't seen mentioned. I suppose it could hold an action too for if/when it comes back.
Also, how long until a banished creature that doesn't return, is able to just planeshift (if possible) back in? I'm assuming straight away per the spell.
Other question. If i cast this on a creature on a moving vehicle, for example a boat. Would the creature reapear in the air and fall in to the water where the boat was or will it reapear on the boat?
This spell has a lot of debate around it. I collected a lot of the questions and clarifications I've found on this site here, if it's helpful to anyone: https://mymswell.com/2021/11/05/clarifying-banishment-dnd-5e/
im using this to free my demon patron from inbetween plains by banishing him to his home plain
I wonder if anyone has used this defensively on their fellow party members - like "oh crap, the Ranger is going to cease living by next round" (for any multitude of causes obviously ) - and there is nothing any other party member can do before that happens - so the Cleric Banishes them for a minute while the rest of the party sorts out the situation or at least gets in position to help.
I've done that before! If your fellow adventurer is grappled by a creature and would take more damage than the cleric/druid/whatever spellcaster can heal, you can buy them 10 rounds to make a better plan (i.e. trapping/distracting the foe, etc.). This has got to be one of my favorite spells for all of the fun use-cases. Plus, you can initiate a discussion with the DM on relativity in 5E!