In Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition (5e), Earthbind is a 2nd-level transmutation spell that allows a caster to restrain a flying creature. The spell requires the caster to have a piece of earth or stone in their hand when casting.
When the spell is cast, the targeted flying creature must make a Strength saving throw or have its flying speed reduced to 0 feet for the spell’s duration. The creature is effectively restrained and cannot move unless it uses an action to try to break free. The spell’s duration is concentration, up to one minute.
Earthbind can be a useful spell in combat encounters, as it can ground flying creatures, making them vulnerable to attacks from ground-based characters. However, it may be less effective against creatures with high Strength scores or who are immune to the restrained condition.
Check also: Cloud of Daggers
Choose one creature you’ll see within range. Yellow strips of magical energy loop around the creature. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or its flying speed (if any) is reduced to 0 feet for the spell’s duration. An airborne creature full of this spell descends at 60 feet per round until it reaches the ground or the spell ends. Your foe will reach you in seconds. You cast this spell, and yellow strips of magical energy loop about its wings, hampering its flight and dragging it to the ground.
Exploring the Earthbind Spell in D&D 5e
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range: 300 feet
- Components: V
- Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
- Scales: No
- Casters: Druid, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard
You hinder the subject creature’s ability to fly (whether through natural or magical means) for the duration of the spell. If the target fails its saving throw, its fly speed (if any) becomes 0 feet. An airborne creature subjected to the present spell falls to the ground as if under the effect of a feather fall spell. although a new effect would grant the creature the power to fly, that effect is suppressed for the duration of the earthbound spell.
Earthbind has no effect on other sorts of movement, or maybe on effects that may grant airborne movement without granting fly speed (such as jumping or levitating or air walk spells).
- It seems to be a really good spell, though limited by the fact you will not be ready to use it in every situation.
- It has a variety of 300ft, so you’ll nearly always be ready to target who you would like, regardless of how far they’re in combat.
- The target only makes one Strength Save against be against the spell, and if it fails, it is affected for the whole duration (or Concentration is lost), requiring no future Saving Throws.
- If an effect reduces the target’s Flying Speed to 0, which may include Flying (Hover) and spells that grant you a Flying Speed.
- It also will pull an airborne creature right down to the bottom 60ft each turn, until it reaches the bottom of the spell ends.
- It seems incredibly powerful in some circumstances and allows you to bring a flying opponent out of reach, accessible for your Close-Ranged PCs.
Oddly, it’s as if it can cripple the Beholder, and a few other flying creatures (like an Air Elemental). The Beholder would lose their speed, and be forced onto the bottom for the duration, as long as the caster isn’t incapacitated or killed. Often I hear of the Darkness + Earthbind combo. There are two spellcasters, one casts Earthbind on the Beholder, and the opposite casts Darkness where the Beholder lands, which now leads to the Beholder being unable to attack in any way unless someone decides to remain within 5ft of it for its Bite.
Recently during a game, a weird situation occurred, and we ruled it a method, as no folks seem to own come upon this case before. Basically, we were fighting harpies that were flying over the ocean, and therefore the Druid cast Earthbind on one among them, and it failed the save.
In this Earthbind spell, you would like to choose a creature that you are ready to see within a variety. The yellow stripes of the magical energy loop around the creature. Also, the target should succeed on a strength saving throw instead its flying speed (if any) has been reduced to 0 feet for the spell’s actual duration. Normally, an airborne creature that has been suffering from this d&d spell descends at 60 feet per round until it’ll reach the ground or the tip of this spell.