Hold Portal

Quasqueton

First Post
We had a situation come up in my game regarding the interpretation of the hold portal spell:

From the SRD:
Hold Portal
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Component: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target: One portal, up to 20 sq. ft./level
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell magically holds shut a door, gate, window, or shutter of wood, metal, or stone. The magic affects the portal just as if it were securely closed and normally locked. A knock spell or a successful dispel magic spell can negate a hold portal spell.

For a portal affected by this spell, add 5 to the normal DC for forcing open the portal.
"The magic affects the portal just as if it were securely closed and normally locked." What if someone wanting to pass through held door had a key to the door? What if the door doesn't have a lock?

Quasqueton
 

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Let me take the second part of your question first. If the door doesn't have a lock, it's treated as if it does have a lock and indeed that said lock is locked, insofar as opening the door is concerned. That seems, to me, to be the gist of the spell.

What if it is locked and somebody has a key? Then I'd say that it doesn't matter that someone has a key. It's not simply the door's lock that prevents the door from opening normally; it's also the spell effect that holds it shut, as firmly as if it were locked.

By this reasoning, somebody could dispel the hold portal and find themselves faced with a locked door, assuming it was locked in the first place. On the other hand, if the spell isn't dispelled and someone with Open Locks tries to use that skill to open the door, it doesn't work. A successful use of the skill may unlock the door (again, assuming it was locked in the first place, of course) but the door remains firmly held by the spell effect, for the duration of the spell.

What I'm not sure about, now that I look at the wording of the spell, is this: what happens to a locked, magically held door that has the knock spell cast on it? If knock negates the hold portal, does it also unlock the door? Two results for the price of one spell? A 2nd level spell being more useful than a 3rd level one? Well, I'd rule that knock negates the effect of hold portal and unlocks the door. Yes, it's getting a big bang for your buck but it's a very limited circumstance.
 
Last edited:



Ranes said:
A 2nd level spell being more useful than a 3rd level one?

Heh! Just in this very specific circumstance... Dispel Magic works on countless more situations than Knock, it is quite fair that however Knock is still better at, well, knocking a door open :)
 

Quasqueton said:
We had a situation come up in my game regarding the interpretation of the hold portal spell:

"The magic affects the portal just as if it were securely closed and normally locked." What if someone wanting to pass through held door had a key to the door? What if the door doesn't have a lock?

I think an active Hold Portal spell leaves only the chance of breaking through the door by destroying it or bursting it open by force. So if you cannot do that or dispel/suppress the spell, I believe you cannot get through with a key or by picking the lock eventually.

So regarding your questions I'd say:

1- the door key unlocks the normal lock but the door doesn't open yet (like there was an extra lock due to the spell)
2- it doesn't matter what kind of mundane lock the door had in the first place
 

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