What was Gandalf's XP level?

[WizarDru]

He also cast Hold Portal once, IIRC.

He certainly didn't know Knock.

 

[Celebrim]

He certainly didn't know Knock.

Yes he did. Gandalf informs us that he had at one time or another known the words of every spell of opening in all the tongues of elves and men. When he's trying to get into Moria, the first thing that he tries on the door is Knock, but the dwarves of old had wrought mighty spells and it doesn't work.

 

[WizarDru]

Yes he did. Gandalf informs us that he had at one time or another known the words of every spell of opening in all the tongues of elves and men. When he's trying to get into Moria, the first thing that he tries on the door is Knock, but the dwarves of old had wrought mighty spells and it doesn't work.

That wasn't Knock, that was guessing a password. 'That is plain enough,' said Gimli. 'If you are a friend, speak the password, and the doors will open, and you can enter.' Unless he cast Knock a whole bunch of times while the rest of the fellowship sat down for brunch.

And it was Celebrimbor who enchanted the door...or the letters, at least. And considering he forged the rings of Power, I'm guessing he enchanted the door, too, while Navri simply made the physical doors themselves.

 

[Miln]

... Afterall, the Balrog does kill Gandalf, and kill him dead - requiring the direct intervention of the Valar to heal his spirit and restore his flesh. ...

I have recently been reading through, "The Letters of JRR Tolkien" and he (Tolkien) writes a fascinating letter that covers much of this ground (detailing exactly what Gandalf was). I don't have the book in front of me but, of interest to me was what he relates about the struggle between Gandalf and the Balrog.

-First, as has been stated above, they really do kill each other, no ifs, ands, or buts.
-Second, it was outside the domain of power for the Valar to do anything about his death. They didn't have control over the fates decided for the different types of beings (immortality and reincarnation for elves, a mysterious death for mortals, and something else for the Mia).
-Third, Gandalf was directly "remade" by Ilúvatar (God). This was one of the few times that He actually intervened in history.

So, while agree it is difficult if not impossible to stat up Gandalf the Grey, it seems like it would be really impossible to stat up Gandalf the White as he ceased to be "like" anything else. He, in a sense, became the instrument of God.

I wish I had the whole letter in front of me to quote from, but oh well. Maybe later.

 

[Celebrim]

That wasn't Knock, that was guessing a password. 'That is plain enough,' said Gimli. 'If you are a friend, speak the password, and the doors will open, and you can enter.'

But the first thing Gandalf tries isn't password.

"I once knew every spell in all the tongues of Elves or Men or Orcs, that was ever used for such a purpose. " (emphasis mine)

"He stepped up to the rock again, and lightly touched with his staff, the silver star in the middle beneath the sign of the anvil. "Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen! Fennas nogothrim, lasto beth lammen!" He said in a commanding voice.

'Annon edhellen, edro hi ammen! Fennas nogothrim, lasto beth lammen!" is not by any stretch a password. It is a spell of command in elvish very similar to the one which he just before this used to set a peice of wood on fire.

After Gandalf exhausts his spell repetoire, then he turns to trying to guess the password.

Then he tried other spells, one after another, speaking faster and louder, now soft and slow. Then he spoke many single words of Elvish speech. Nothing happened. The cliff towered into the night, the countless stars were kindled, the wind blew cold, and doors stood fast.

Again Gandalf approached the wall, and lifting up his arms he spoke in tones of command and rising wrath. Edro! Edro! He cried, and struck the rock. Open, Open! He shouted, and followed it with the same command in every language that had been spoken in the West of Middle-earth. Then he threw his staff on the ground, and sat down in silence.

Clearly Narvi and his kin knew alot about making doors resistant to being opened. I claim it was Narvi because the secret door into Erebor (the Lonely Mountain) in the hobbit seems to have an equally magical lock, and though it works by entirely different principles I also doubt that it would yield to opening even though Celebrimbor was not involved in its making at all. Narvi's craft in stoneworking far exceded Celebrimbor's and his ability to enchant stone would have exceeded Celebrimbor's to an equal degree. My guess is that Celebrimbor merely provided the calligraphy and artwork for the doors. It's entirely possible that it was just the plans that Celebrimbor produced and the actual enlay work was performed by Dwarves. After all, the script on the door records:

"I, Narvi, made them. Celebrimbor of Hollin drew these signs."

and not...

"Narvi of Dwarrowdelf made them. I, Celebrimbor, drew these signs."

 

[Teemu]

He, in a sense, became the instrument of God.

So Gandalf the White is Jesus?

 

[Celebrim]

So Gandalf the White is Jesus?

No. And let's not go there, 'k? This isn't the place and your comment indicates that you wouldn't take such a discussion seriously even if it was.

 

[Miln]

So Gandalf the White is Jesus?

I'll just say "No," and add that Tolkien hated allegory.

 

[Orius]

Legolas: Male Elf (Wood) Fighter 4;

Legolas should be a Sinda, not a wood elf, actually, since his father is specifially mentioned as a Sinda as well.

Frodo Baggins: Male Hobbit Fighter/Aristocrat 1/1; CR 2; Small Humanoid (Halfling); HD 1d10+1d8+6; hp 27; Init +2; Spd 20 ft.; AC 18; Atk +3 melee (1d6+1, short sword +1); AL LG; SV Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +6; Str 10, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 12; Height 3' 6", weight 40#

Skills and Feats: Appraise +4, Climb +2, Diplomacy +5, Hide +6, Knowledge (The Shire) +6, Listen +5, Move Silently +4, Perform +5, Ride +5, Spot +3, Swim +1, Wilderness Lore +2; Iron Will, Toughness

Possessions: Sting (see below), +1 mithral shirt

You spelled "mithril" wrong. This is LotR after all, so the correct spelling should be used, regardless of how WotC chooses to hide its plagiarism.

Also shouldn't Frodo's possessions also include the One Ring?

Elrond: As Numenorean; NG Cleric 9

It could be argued that Elrond is an elf rather than half-elf.

Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth: LG Human Paladin 5

Faramir: NG Human Ranger 6

Also, Imrahil, Faramir, and other prominent Gondorians probably should be statted as Numenoreans rather than ordinary humans.

Smaug: Adult red dragon

I'd make Smaug older.

 

[Celebrim]

-Third, Gandalf was directly "remade" by Ilúvatar (God). This was one of the few times that He actually intervened in history.

That's interesting, and now that you mention it I seem to recall Gandalf saying something about passing beyond the walls of this world, and I should certainly have said 'direct intervention by Eru' if that was the case. I was assuming Gandalf's existance was tied to that of Arda, and he - like the elves - could not be completely destroyed or part from it while it existed, and thus that Gandalf wound up in the Halls of Mandos. Clearly I need to go back and read the books again.

When Eru intervened in previous episodes (e.g. 'The Breaking of the World') it came about through the intercession of Manwe. Do you recall whether Tolkein said if the Valar appealled to Eru for intervention on Gandalf's behalf, or did this miracle come as much of a surprise to them as it did to the other inhabitents of Arda?