Gate

### Level

***Gate*** was a conjuration spell that connected two planes for two-way travel or the summoning and control of creatures or beings of great power to aid the caster. Older versions of this spell allowed one-way travel for a named entity and requested their help rather than commanding it.

## Effects

The early versions of this spell required the caster to call out the name of the being they wished to contact and ask for their aid. The *gate* spell then opened a temporary one-way portal near the named entity allowing them, or perhaps their designated representative, to step through into the presence of the caster. Deities and other uniquely powerful individuals could prevent such portals from opening near them, but they were always aware of the request for help. What stepped through the *gate* and what action it took depended on a great number of factors including the alignment of the caster, the alignment or character of the caster's companions, the nature of the threat to the caster, and the exigency of the situation.

Asking for extraplanar aid was not to be done on a whim: this spell aged the caster by five years and the aid usually came with an additional price. If the situation was deemed trivial or unworthy of the named entity, it might have exacted some punishment or penalty on the caster and then returned to its plane of origin. If the status was deemed interesting or important but not urgent, some bargaining for the entity's service might have ensued. If the circumstances were dire and immediate, the entity might have taken appropriate action and then named a price later.

A well-centered *lightning bolt* blast could interfere with magics of open *gates*, closing them after rippling through the fabric of the spell with electric feedback.

The newer version of this spell was much more forceful in its summons and also could be used for interplanar travel:

### Interplanar Travel

Similar to the *plane shift* spell, *gate* allowed two-way passage between two different planes of existence but was very precise, connecting two specific points exactly. Beings who were powerful enough to control a realm could prevent the opening of a gate within their demesne or near their person if they wished. The temporary portal lasted only as long as the caster maintained concentration on it and never longer than a few seconds per experience level of the caster. Anyone or anything, including most magical spell effects, entering the gate were instantly transported to the other plane. A *gate* filling a hallway was an extremely effective barrier, diverting almost any form of attack into the destination plane (and possibly angering the residents).

### Calling Creatures

If a creature type or a specific creature was named as part of the casting of this spell, the *gate* opened up in close proximity to the desired creature(s) (subject to the limits imposed by deities and the like, which could not be compelled to enter the *gate* against their will) and pulled them through into the presence of the caster whether they were willing or not. The gate subsequently closed, allowing no other passage. Deities had to be bargained with, but lesser creatures were under the control of the caster and could either be commanded to perform an immediate task for no reward lasting no longer than a few seconds per experience level of the caster, or offered terms for a longer period of servitude or for performing a more complex task. The terms of the contract had to be fair and reasonable to both parties and formed a bond between them. Upon completion of the terms of service, the creature(s) immediately appeared before the caster and payment was due at that time. If full payment was not made, the caster was then forced to serve the injured party (or its master) which could do as they wished, including attack. After the resolution of the contract the creature or creatures were free to return to their plane of origin.

Instead of aging the caster, calling creatures with this version of *gate* cost him or her a significant amount of life experience. One large and/or very tough creature could be summoned and controlled by this spell, or several smaller/weaker creatures, but the caster was advised to know beforehand if he or she had enough experience to control all that was summoned. Any uncontrolled creature was free to return to its home plane, might or might not bargain, and could act according to its reason and instincts, making this form of *gate* a very dangerous spell to cast.

## Description

The *gate* itself was circular with a diameter of 5 to 20 ft (1.5 to 6.1 m) as specified by the caster and could be placed at any convenient angle and location within 100 ft (30 m) plus 5 ft (1.5 m) per experience level. It had an active side and a passive side. The active side looked like a perfect window into the other plane and anything (matter or magic) that entered the active side was instantly transported to the other plane. Anything that entered the passive side was ignored by the *gate*.

## Components

Only verbal and somatic components were required to cast this spell, but there was a price for summoning a creature. The older version aged the caster by five years whereas the newer version cost a significantly large amount of life experience.

## Descriptor Note

When used to call an air, chaotic, earth, evil, fire, good, lawful, or water creature, this spell became a spell of that type. For example, *gate* was a chaotic and evil spell when used to call a demon.

## History

The Netherese arcanist Valdick was given the credit for the creation of this spell in 2037 NR (−1822 DR), when it was called ***Valdick's gate***. *Gate* was a common spell in the Realms in the 1360s DR. This spell was used as a component in the creation of a portal.

## Appendix

### Appearances

Novels
*Azure Bonds* • *Daughter of the Drow* • *Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor*
**Referenced only**
*Tymora's Luck*
### External links

* Gate (priest) article at the ***Baldur's Gate Wiki***, a wiki for the *Baldur's Gate* games.
* Gate (wizard) article at the ***Baldur's Gate Wiki***, a wiki for the *Baldur's Gate* games.
* D&D Beyond

### References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. *Netheril: Empire of Magic* (TSR, Inc.), pp. 22, 25. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
2. ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). *Player's Handbook 5th edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 208–211, 244. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams (July 2003). *Player's Handbook v.3.5*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 234. ISBN 0-7869-2886-7.
4. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). *Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 62, 66. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
5. ↑ Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). *Player's Guide to Faerûn*. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 86, 89. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 David "Zeb" Cook (August 1989). *Player's Handbook (2nd edition)*. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 195, 234. ISBN 0-88038-716-5.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 David "Zeb" Cook (April 1995). *Player's Handbook 2nd edition (revised)*. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 248, 296. ISBN 0-7869-0329-5.
8. ↑ Cook, Findley, Herring, Kubasik, Sargent, Swan (1991). *Tome of Magic 2nd edition*. (TSR, Inc), p. 154. ISBN 1-56076-107-5.
9. ↑ Richard Baker (1996). *Player's Option: Spells & Magic*. (TSR, Inc), pp. 184, 186. ISBN 0-7869-0394-5.
10. ↑ Barry A. A. Dillinger (May 1996). “The Dimensional Wizard”. In Pierce Watters ed. *Dragon* #229 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 50–52.
11. ↑ Sam Witt (March 1994). *The Complete Sha'ir's Handbook*. Edited by Dezra D. Phillips, C. Terry Phillips. (TSR, Inc.), p. 126. ISBN 1-56076-828-2.
12. ↑ slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. *Netheril: Empire of Magic* (TSR, Inc.), p. 121. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Gary Gygax (1978). *Players Handbook 1st edition*. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 53, 92. ISBN 0-9356-9601-6.
14. ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). *Oriental Adventures*. (TSR, Inc), p. 71. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
15. ↑ Gary Gygax, David Cook, and François Marcela-Froideval (1985). *Oriental Adventures*. (TSR, Inc), p. 96. ISBN 0-8803-8099-3.
16. ↑ Carrie Bebris (2001). *Pool of Radiance: Ruins of Myth Drannor*. (Wizards of the Coast), chap. 11, p. 202. ISBN 0-7869-1387-8.
17. ↑ slade, Jim Butler (October 1996). “The Winds of Netheril”. In Jim Butler ed. *Netheril: Empire of Magic* (TSR, Inc.), p. 27. ISBN 0-7869-0437-2.
18. ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). *Forgotten Realms Adventures*. (TSR, Inc), p. 152. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
19. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). *Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 61. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.