Common issue seem to be that banishing just isn't useful, because a good manabolt is better for banishing. Basically. And experience has shown this seems to be true. Both times my group's mage has tried banishing, he nearly died.
I'm trying to figure out how to make it more useful to him, because he's already got the skill. "Don't use banishing, it sucks" is not helpful this late in the game.
Problem is, banishing, when it works, is pretty powerful. But it often doesn't work. And if we're dealing with a bound spirit, the drain is hell.
Not sure what to do about this. I'd like to give him a reason to use banishing, but I don't want it to be the end of spirits.