MAGIC CIRCLE | Protection And Trap? - Spell A Day D&D 5E +1

Alrighty day 213! Today is Magic Circle. I couldn't do a sea bear circle again. Though outside of swapped out memes, want a protection spell (or planar cage). The image of a menagerie of extraplanar creatures, stuck in a magic circle, just won't leave my head. A zoo of pickings from fiends, elementals, celestials, fey, and whatever else you can shunt into your wizard fueled zoo.

Classes Available:
PHB: Cleric, Paladin, Warlock, Wizard

What situations would magic circle be optimal?

[Tomeroche]

I was so surprised when I learned that this spell wasn't a Ritual and the creatures could still cast spells/attack through it.

[saiyanwarrior]

The Harry Dresden magic circle comes to mind, and it works if you can pull it off that way

[quinnyunker]

This spell is definitely intended to be used by a caster that swaps spells on a rest for a specific situation

[DyrgeAfterDark]

The purpose of this spell:
Conjure Elemental, Planar Binding at 9th level congrats you have an elemental Servant.
The real Purpose of this spell:
Magic Circle -> Summon Greater Demon picking imp or quasit> cast Geas instruct them to find and inform you of a Demons True name> cast Banishment returning them to the abyss> cast Sending to the Imp and tell them to reply once they have the Demons True name.
You now have a spy in the lower planes

[stormallen]

Note that this spell is specifically called out by Planar Binding as almost required.

Other uses: Banishment.

This is primarily an NPC spell, I think, for protecting themselves after they summon something big and scary, while they make a deal, or unleash a horde of undead. Actually yeah, Bag of Holding filled with skeletons armed only with swords, or zombies: set up in the only entrance to a dungeon, open the thing the on the inside of the dungeon (but outside the circle).

Set up at the entrance to a crypt, either while the thing inside is out hunting, or while its inside; you've either trapped it out for the sunrise, or trapped it in while you wait for the paladin to get back from their pilgrimage, or the work crew to get there and excavate it. Heck, cast it around a vampire's coffin while the rest of the party kills it, and you've defeated it. Anything with a time limit to get a vessel or whatever, keep the vessel within the circle. This is short-notice short-duration budget Hallow: not as useful, or effective, but sometimes exactly what you need.

Or, y'know, How To Get A Shiny Pet if you're a wizard.

[adriel]

Its made to be mixed with glyph of warding and conjure devils or things like that in order to have them permanently bounded to you

[aetherwolf]

It is a powerful niche.
Also it is the perfect save state you need to bind something to yourself.
5/10
Have a nice day
AEther

[wwade]

Get yourself a Spell Gem and cast it as an action. Now you're talking!

[Razdasoldier]

So fun fact. Thanks to lineages there is a chance to lock a player character out of the spell not trapping them with an undead horde

[frantisekvrana]

Demon trap from Supernatural.

Oh, a thing to point out. The spell prevents the targetted creatures from _willingly_ entering/leaving the area. The affected creatures can still be pushed into/out of, and summoned into/banished out of this spell.
Though a funny thing would be if you tried to banish a demon out of a Magic Circle and the demon chose to not resist. Then the demon would be a willing creature for the Banishment spell and not resisting it using it's Charisma Saving throw against Banishment, but since it would be willingly attempting to leave a Magic Circle, it would have to roll Charisma Saving throw against Magic Circle to be Banished.

There is also the question of gravity. Let's say you trap a being in this cylinder, which is 20ft tall. Does the creature have to roll Charisma save before casting Reverse Gravity in the area, as that would cause it to be flung out of the cylinder? Or would it merely have to roll the Charisma Save in order to be able to not roll the Strength save against the Reverse Gravity?

[commanderroddi]

Only reason I'd use this is to combine with plannar binding. That's it.

[brandond]

Agree with aetherwolf
It's a niche, but it's a powerful niche, especially when leveraged by a caster looking to bind stuff
5/10

[targetdreamer]

I have REALLY been looking for a way to use this spell and Planar Binding! I just haven't played a game where I was high enough to cast both or if I was in a game where it was high enough to cast both I wasn't playing the right type of caster.
The DREAM scenario for me would to be able to cast both Magic Circle and Planar Binding and then have someone else cast Summon Greater Deamon and have a Burlura buddy for a year.

[whitegrill]

Can an Angel just fly out from the top? Or is there a cap on top of the cylinder? Asking because we’re fighting 2 angels in an arena during a tournament. (I have a ring of spell storing to circumvent the casting time) so instead of 1 minute it’s an action.

[Technodreamer]

I don't get why it doesn't go up to year/until dispelled!

[wwade]

Question for you. Will you be doing any of the other spells from other source material? These were fantastic! Also, suggest you do "best of" recaps.

[danjbundrick]

I could forgive the material cost, but that casting time makes this spell almost unusable. The opportunity cost of preparing that spell on the off chance that your DM will present you with that very specific scenario during your campaign is easy too high

[carlosvillanueva]

What if you have a vampire group trapped and use moon beam in the same circle?

[saucierspoon]

Day 165 of waiting for him to cover Zone Of Truth