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History: I've had a player in my CotCT game who has been playing a summon-focused wizard, and they've expanded out to using Planar Binding. At first I ran binding right from the book, with the caveat that the player can only have 1 bound creature at a time - this encouraged the player to set contract termination goals, cycle in new minions, etc. As we round into the end of the AP, the player and I sat down and brainstormed revising the binding process to be a bit more dynamic than just opposed checks. So here is the homebrew binding rules; let me know your thoughts.
Step One: Research
The player spends time researching the outsider they would like to bind, typically taking 1 day of research per CR of the outsider when access to an appropriate library is available. At the end of that time, the player makes a Knowledge (Planes), or other appropriate check, as if identifying the monster in combat.
Success means the PC knows the powers and abilities of the creature they are going to bind - AKA: let them see the stat block. They are going to look it up anyway to decide what they want to bind, this just gives them an in-game excuse for looking it up.
Step Two: Binding Preparations
As optional steps, the player can draw an appropriate Magic Circle spell to hold the outsider, and add a spell diagram to help anchor the bound creature. Instead of the flat DC 20 Spellcraft check however, the DC is equal to 10 + twice the CR of the creature to be bound (including templates, if any). In the case of permanent diagrams (see below), the Spellcraft check is representative of your attunement to the existing diagram, and not your competency in drawing the diagram.
A successful diagram still requires the casting of Dimensional Anchor to activate the enhanced protections: stopping extra planar travel and the outsider breaking free via their CR.
However, instead of the diagram providing a +5 to the caster on opposed Charisma checks flat out, the bonus scales based upon the type of material used to make the diagram, and whether it is a temporary diagram or a permanent one. Permanent diagrams cost significantly more, but provide a better bonus and can be re-used binding to binding.
- Blood or chalk (1 cp) is used like a material component to draw the diagram. +0 bonus.
- Salt (1 gp) is used like a material component to draw the diagram. +1 bonus.
- Powdered silver or cold iron (50 gp) is used like a material component to draw the diagram. +2 bonus.
- Permanent diagram is carved into wooden floorboards (100 gp to hire an artisan, or 40 gp + Craft (woodworking) DC 20). This is used like a focus component, but adds 8 hours of work to the preparation time when first created. +3 bonus.
- Permanent diagram is carved in stone and filled with a precious metal (200 gp to hire an artisan, or 80 gp + Craft (stoneworking) DC 25; and an additional 300 gp in precious metals). This is used like a focus component, but adds 1 week of work to the preparation time when first created. +4 bonus.
- Permanent diagram is carved in stone and filled with rare or exotic materials such as a skymetal (1,000 gp to hire an artisan, or 800 gp + Craft (blacksmithing) DC 30; and an additional 4,000 gp in exotic materials). This is used like a focus component, but adds 2 weeks of work to the preparation time when first created. +5 bonus.
Step Three: Casting Planar Binding
The player casts a Planar Binding spell and the target outsider makes a Will save against the spell to negate it.
If you did not cast Magic Circle at all, roll initiative and start an encounter!
If you prepared correctly, the outsider applies its Spell Resistance to your Magic Circle - OR you skip this step entirely if your Spellcraft check from Magic Circle was successful.
Now, the outsider can outright escape via extra dimensional travel - UNLESS you cast that Dimensional Anchor earlier, activating the enhanced protections.
Finally, the outsider gets one Charisma check (DC 15 + 1/2 your caster level + your Charisma modifier) to try and escape the Magic Circle.
OLD Step Four: Negotiation
Normally, the player has 1 day per caster level on the Dimensional Anchor (or the Magic Circle, whichever caster level is lower) to negotiate a deal with the outsider. The PC can make 1 offer per day, and the outsider can only refuse if they succeed at an opposed Charisma check, with a +0 to +6 bonus based on how one-sided the deal is. If the player's offer is not reasonable by the powers of the outsider, the binding fades after 1 day per caster level.
In this homebrew, this step is broken into smaller pieces which add nuances to the agreement.
NEW Step Four: Initial Negotiation
The player starts the negotiation by describing the service they want performed, and any incentives they are willing to provide to the outsider. The outsider is then able to reject the deal, or negotiate with the player on additional terms. The player usually has 1 day per caster level to negotiate a deal, but some outsiders may stick around to complete the deal if it seems lucrative enough.
After the initial offer, the two make opposed Charisma checks. An overly generous initial offer can provide up to a +5 bonus to the player.
- If the player wins by 6+, the outsider agrees but gets to negotiate up to 1 additional clause to the agreement.
- If the player wins by 5 or less, the outsider agrees but gets to negotiate up to 3 additional clauses to the agreement.
- If the outsider wins by 5 or less, the outsider gets to negotiate up to 5 additional clauses to the agreement.
- If the outsider wins by 6+, it outright refuses the deal, and the player must come back with a more agreeable initial offer after at least 24 hours if they wish to continue negotiation.
If the player's initial proposal requests multiple services, the outsider can negotiate for 1 additional clause per additional service that would be performed.
NEW Step Five: Terms & Conditions
The outsider and the player negotiate additional terms to their agreement, one clause at a time with roughly 8 hours spent haggling on each clause.
At the start of each clause, the outsider proposes an additional payment for its services, condition on type of service, or situation on which it will become free, determined by its nature, goals, and personal desires. Don't worry too much about what will happen if the player can't or doesn't pay; that will be covered in Step Six.
If the player accepts this clause at face value without argument, then the clause took less than an hour to discuss instead of 8 hours.
If the player wishes to haggle, they can offer a counter-proposal. The player and the outsider then make opposed Charisma checks. If the player wins by 10+, they win the negotiation round by outright rejecting the additional clause. If the outsider wins by 10+, the clause is added to the deal as originally proposed. If the difference between the rolls is 9 or less, use the difference to determine who won the negotiation and by how much they moved the middle ground in their favor (roughly a 5% move from exact middle per point).
This step repeats until the outsider has proposed the number of additional clauses it was allowed in the initial negotiation.
Example: Varian is in negotiations with a Kyton. The Kyton proposes an additional payment of one of Varian's fingers for each day of service. Varian counter-proposes one finger per day taken from a slain enemy, if any. The two make opposed Charisma checks and the Kyton wins by 3. The player and GM work out an appropriate middle ground that is 65% of the way to the Kyton's proposed clause, settling on Varian surrendering 1 finger at the end of each week or until the binding is broken by other means.
NEW Step Six: Broken Terms
The outsider lays out 1 final proposal at the end of negotiations, a clause handling the punishment to the player should they fail to uphold their end of the bargain, skip out on full payment, etc. Use the same process as Step Five to come to an agreement.
The proposal and counter-proposal should take all previously agreed terms and conditions into consideration, but need to be feasible for the player to pay. Consequences can range from as lax as negation of the binding and the outsider turning hostile, to as monumental as the PC losing their soul and is whisked away to face immediate final judgement.
After landing on appropriate consequences, the player can review the entire agreement and decide if they still want to bind the outside on this agreement. The player has until the negotiation time (typically 1 day per caster level from the time of casting the binding spell) runs out to agree to the final deal or reject it. If the deal is rejected, the outsider is returned to their home plane.
Once accepted, the binding is complete, and the player and GM have a nuanced document defining the nature of their relationship.