Gate

Gate is a conjuration spell that connects two planes for travel or summoning.

Gate is a common spell in the Realms.

Effect
Casting a gate spell has two effects. First, it creates an interdimensional connection between your plane of existence and the plane desired, allowing travel between the planes in either direction. Second, you may then call a particular individual or type of being through the gate. The gate itself is a circular hoop or disk from 5 to 20 feet in diameter (caster's choice), oriented in the direction you desire when it comes into existence (typically vertical and facing you). It is a two-dimensional window into the plane you named, and anyone or anything that moves through is shunted instantly to the other side. The gate has a front and a back. Creatures moving through the gate from the front are transported to another plane; creatures moving through it from the back are not.

Planar Travel
As a mode of planar travel, gate functions much like the plane shift spell, except that the gate opens precisely at the point you desire (a creation effect). Note that deities and other beings who rule a planar realm can prevent a gate from opening in their presence or personal demesnes if they so desire. Travelers need not join hands with you - anyone who chooses to step through the portal is transported. A gate cannot be opened to another point on the same plane; the spell works only for interplanar travel.

A clever caster could fill a hallway with the gate's opening in order to absorb almost any attack or force coming at her by gating it to the target plane. Whether the denizens of that plane appreciate this tactic is, of course, another matter.

You may hold the gate open only for a brief time, no more then a couple seconds, and must concentrate on doing so or sever the interplanar connection.

Calling Creatures
The second effect of the gate spell is to call an extraplanar creature to your aid (a calling effect). By naming a particular being or type of being as you cast the spell, you may cause the gate to open in the immediate vicinity of the desired creature and pull the subject through, willing or unwilling. Deities and unique beings are under no compulsion to come through the gate, although they may choose to do so of their own accord. This use of the spell creates a gate that remains open just long enough to transport the called creatures.

If you choose to call a type of being instead of a known individual - for instance, a barbazu or a ghaele eladrin - you may call either a single creature or several creatures. In the case of a single creature, you can control it if its HD do not exceed twice your caster level. Deities and unique beings cannot be controlled in any event. An uncontrolled being acts as it pleases, making the calling of such creatures rather dangerous. An uncontrolled being may return to its home plane at any time.

A controlled creature can be commanded to perform a service for you. These fall into two categories: immediate tasks and contractual service. Fighting for you in a single battle or taking any other actions that can be accomplished within a couple minutes counts as an immediate task; you need not make any agreement or pay any reward for the creature's help. The creature departs at the end of the spell.

If you choose to exact a longer or more involved form of service from the called creature, you must offer some fair trade in return for that service. The service exacted must be reasonable with respect to the promised favor or reward. In general, a gift of several 100 gp per day of service is reasonable. (Unfortunately, some creatures want their payment in “livestock” rather than in coin, which may involve complications.) Immediately upon completion of the service, the being is transported to your vicinity, and you must then and there turn over the promised reward. After this is done, the creature is instantly freed to return to its own plane.

Failure to fulfill the promise to the letter results in your being subjected to service by the creature or by its liege and master, at the very least. At worst, the creature or its kin may attack you.

Descriptor Note
When you use a calling spell such as gate to call an air, chaotic, earth, evil, fire, good, lawful, or water creature, it becomes a spell of that type. For example, gate is a chaotic and evil spell when you cast it to call a demon.

History
The Netherese arcanist Voldick is given the credit for the creation of this spell in -1822DR.

Realmslore
The spell gate is one of the spells used in creation of a portal.