Banishment
Level 4 · Abjuration
- Concentration
- Save
- Control
Banishment occupies the abjuration school at level 4, available to cleric, paladin, sorcerer, warlock, and wizard. Cast time: Action. Range 30 feet, components V/S/M, duration up to 1 minute. Material: a pentacle. Marked concentration. Effect: One creature that you can see within range must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be transported to a harmless demiplane for the duration. At higher levels: You can target one additional creature for each spell slot level above 4.
Stat Block
- Level
- 4
- School
- Abjuration
- Casting Time
- Action
- Range / Area
- 30 feet
- Components
- V, S, M
- Duration
- up to 1 Minute
- Ritual
- No
- Concentration
- Yes
- Classes
- Cleric, Paladin, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
- Material
- a pentacle
Description
One creature that you can see within range must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be transported to a harmless demiplane for the duration. While there, the target has the Incapacitated condition. When the spell ends, the target reappears in the space it left or in the nearest unoccupied space if that space is occupied. If the target is an Aberration, a Celestial, an Elemental, a Fey, or a Fiend, the target doesn't return if the spell lasts for 1 Minute. The target is instead transported to a random location on a plane (DM's choice) associated with its creature type.
5e (2014) vs 2024 changes
This spell has both a 5e (2014) and 2024 Player's Handbook version. Doungim shows the current 2024 stat block above. Differences between editions typically affect components, range, or scaling — check both source books for the table.
Doungim Lore
School Fit
Banishment is Abjuration — the school of removal, denial, and warding. The spell sends a target to another plane for up to a minute on a failed Charisma save. If the target is native to that other plane and the duration expires while they're there, they remain. Abjuration's purpose is to deny effects; Banishment denies the target's entire physical presence for the duration.
Class Fit
- Cleric: Clerics often prep Banishment for a single arc — a kidnapping arc, a planar arc, a politics arc — and swap it out when the arc ends. Banishment scales when upcast — see the higher-level note on the spell page.
- Paladin: Paladins prepare Banishment as their go-to lockdown spell. Charisma-save targeting works well with the Paladin's Aura of Protection — most allies get to add their Charisma modifier to saves while in the aura, but enemies don't, making Banishment unusually effective when cast by a Paladin with high CHA.
- Sorcerer: Draconic, Wild Magic, Aberrant Mind, Clockwork Soul, and Lunar Sorcerers each get subclass-bonus spells. If Banishment is already on the bonus list, save the known-spell budget. The 30-foot range on Banishment leaves room for the caster to stay in the back line.
- Warlock: Tier 1 Warlocks have a single slot; tier 2 have two. Banishment only earns its known-spell slot if the build casts it most short rests. The higher-level scaling on Banishment is described in the spell text; check it before upcasting.
- Wizard: Wizards prepare Banishment at level 7. Concentration is the limiting cost — most tier-2 Wizard builds want a concentration spell up at all times, and Banishment is one of the few that locks down a single target instead of buffing the party. The upcast scaling adds one additional target per spell level above 4.
Tactical play (Doungim editorial)
Banishment removes a creature from the fight for a minute on a Charisma save. Best targets: fiends, fey, elementals (native creatures vanish forever if banished from their home plane — DM check first). Tier-2 boss with a CHA save? Banishment. Don't cast it on creatures with Legendary Resistance unless you've already burned their LR for the fight. Upcasts at slot levels above 4 add additional targets.
Related Spells
Frequently Asked Questions about Banishment
- What level spell is Banishment?
- In D&D 5e, Banishment is classified as a level 4 spell of the Abjuration school. Available classes: Cleric, Paladin, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard.
- What save does Banishment require?
- Banishment forces a Charisma save. The DC is the caster's spell save DC (8 + proficiency + casting modifier).
- What is the range of Banishment?
- Banishment has a range of 30 feet from the caster.
- Is Banishment a concentration spell?
- Banishment is a concentration spell. Maximum duration is up to 1 minute. The caster can only maintain one concentration spell at a time, and damage forces a Con save to keep it active.
- What components and casting time does Banishment need?
- For Banishment: the spell uses V, S, M components; on top of that, Material component: a pentacle.
- Can Banishment be upcast?
- Yes — You can target one additional creature for each spell slot level above 4.