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Knock was a transmutation spell that could open locked, barred, or stuck doors with only the spoken word.[4] Clerics who had access to the greed domain could also cast this spell as a divine power.[16]

Knock was one of the spells granted to the wearer of the commander's rings worn by the leaders of the War Wizards of Cormyr.[17] It was also a power of a rod of displacement, which was a magical item from Myth Drannor,[18] or of a staff of open doors or a staff of the magi.[19][20]

The spell had a reverse form called lock.[9]

Effects[]

This spell would instantaneously unlock or unstick a number of doors within a range of at least 100 feet (30 meters), depending on the power of the spellcaster. Bars holding doors shut would be lifted, and padlocks closing an item would become unlocked. Secret doors could be unlocked as well, but they still had to be found to be passed through. Magical locks could be unlocked—unless they had been protected by the secure spell—but they would relock after ten minutes.[4] Even existing portals through crystal spheres could be opened by the spell (or locked by its reverse form).[21]

The spell had a number of limitations. It only affected doors, boxes, or chests or other such things that could be opened. It did not actually open the door or box; it only removed the hindrances toward doing so, so a heavy gate or portcullis might still pose a problem for the caster. The spell had no affect on ropes or vines, so a box wrapped tightly in rope still had to have the rope untied or cut to be opened. It was limited to undoing only up to two means of preventing access, so that the contents of a locked chest welded shut and wrapped in a locked chain could still not be fully accessed by a single casting alone.[4]

One strange use of the knock spell was its ability to "unlock" the healing power of a star ruby when followed by the wraithform spell. The star ruby would then become a thick red vapor, which had powerful healing properties when inhaled.[22]

The reverse form, lock, shut, locked and bolted a door it was cast upon.[9]

Components[]

The spell simply required a verbal command.[4]

History[]

The spell was attributed to Netherese arcanist Ptack in −503 DR and was originally called Ptack's knock.[1]

Zaranda Star used the spell to open the gate to the keep of Castle Lutwill during her attack on that castle during the Tethyrian Interregnum.[23][24]

Appendix[]

Gallery[]

Appearances[]

Adventures

Novels & Short Stories

Video Games

Organized Play & Licensed Adventures

Referenced only
Sense of Wonder

External links[]

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the following links do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki, nor does any lore presented necessarily adhere to established canon.

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), pp. 24, 28. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  2. Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 207–210, 254. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
  3. Rob Heinsoo, Andy Collins, James Wyatt (June 2008). Player's Handbook 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 307. ISBN 0-7869-4867-1.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). Player's Handbook v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 246. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
  5. Monte Cook (October 2002). Book of Vile Darkness. Edited by David Noonan, Penny Williams. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 81. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
  6. Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (March 2006). Power of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 72. ISBN 0-7869-3910-9.
  7. James Wyatt (October 2001). Oriental Adventures (3rd edition). (Wizards of the Coast), p. 93. ISBN 0-7869-2015-7.
  8. Richard Baker (November 2004). Complete Arcane. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 92. ISBN 0-7869-3435-2.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 David "Zeb" Cook (August 1989). Player's Handbook (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc.), p. 143. ISBN 0-88038-716-5.
  10. Richard Baker (1996). Player's Option: Spells & Magic. (TSR, Inc), p. 180. ISBN 0-7869-0394-5.
  11. Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 125. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.
  12. Jeff Grubb and Andria Hayday (April 1992). Arabian Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 152. ISBN 978-1560763581.
  13. slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. Netheril: Empire of Magic (TSR, Inc.), p. 122. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
  14. Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). Oriental Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 80. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
  15. Len Lakofka (May 1981). “Leomund's Tiny Hut: A recipe for the Alchemist”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #49 (TSR, Inc.), p. 59.
  16. Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 189. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
  17. Sean K. Reynolds, Duane Maxwell, Angel McCoy (August 2001). Magic of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 0-7869-1964-7.
  18. Sean K. Reynolds, Duane Maxwell, Angel McCoy (August 2001). Magic of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 148. ISBN 0-7869-1964-7.
  19. Sean K. Reynolds, Duane Maxwell, Angel McCoy (August 2001). Magic of Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 150. ISBN 0-7869-1964-7.
  20. Monte Cook, Jonathan Tweet, Skip Williams (July 2003). Dungeon Master's Guide v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 280. ISBN 0-7869-2889-1.
  21. Jeff Grubb (August 1989). “Concordance of Arcane Space”. Spelljammer: AD&D Adventures in Space (TSR, Inc.), p. 79. ISBN 0-88038-762-9.
  22. Ed Greenwood, Eric L. Boyd (1996). Volo's Guide to All Things Magical. (TSR, Inc), p. 51. ISBN 0-7869-0446-1.
  23. Victor Milán (October 1995). War in Tethyr. (TSR, Inc), p. 207. ISBN 0-7869-0184-5.
  24. Dale Donovan, Paul Culotta (August 1996). Heroes' Lorebook. (TSR, Inc), p. 133. ISBN 0-7869-0412-7.
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