Nerdy AD&D question.

[Dinner]

As you may or may not know I've been replaying the old 1988 SSI classic AD&D 1st edition gold box game Pool of Radiance. It's a real blast from the past reminding me of nights spent playing the game in 6th and 7th grades while talking about the game with my friends at school; it honestly seemed like every guy was playing it at the time. Now here is something that bothers me. The magic spell Knock is supposed to open all doors even magically locked doors so why can't you use knock to open up the main gate at the Zhentil Keep outpost? Yes, yes... "The programmers didn't plan for it" but if we take the game book at its word then the spell should and, further more, that would render castiles, keeps, and city walls worthless because any army with a 3rd level mage in it could just magically open the city gates.

[Docfeelgood]

Sorry, can't help ya dude, I was getting laid a lot in the eighties.

[Dinner]

I was to young to get laid in the 80's. 6th grade in 1988 which is... 12-13?

[Docfeelgood]

I was to young to get laid in the 80's. 6th grade in 1988 which is... 12-13?

That's not too young.
Great times tho

[ZEE]

As you may or may not know I've been replaying the old 1988 SSI classic AD&D 1st edition gold box game Pool of Radiance. It's a real blast from the past reminding me of nights spent playing the game in 6th and 7th grades while talking about the game with my friends at school; it honestly seemed like every guy was playing it at the time. Now here is something that bothers me. The magic spell Knock is supposed to open all doors even magically locked doors so why can't you use knock to open up the main gate at the Zhentil Keep outpost? Yes, yes... "The programmers didn't plan for it" but if we take the game book at its word then the spell should and, further more, that would render castiles, keeps, and city walls worthless because any army with a 3rd level mage in it could just magically open the city gates.

There are some advanced magics which knock will not affect. also knock will not open a securely barricaded huge gate. It is the general understanding that knock is the same as in Oblivion when you have the spell "Open Lock" but there are some doors which still require a key (such as huge gates or doors locked by incredibly powerful wizards.)

If this does not satisfy your needs, then you have just explained the one major reason i stopped playing those types of games on a PvP level. The game is great until actual human beings get involved and ruin it with bull****

[ColdWizard]

Gates are clearly not doors. Also, knock doesn't raise bars or open portcullises.

[self biased]

Gates are clearly not doors. Also, knock doesn't raise bars or open portcullises.

this. the portcullis wasn't locked in the first place. it just needed to be raised.

[Dinner]

Here is the description for knock straight out of the 1st edition player's handbook.

The knock spell will open stuck or held or wizard locked doors. It will also open barred or other wise locked doors. It causes secret doors to open. The knock spell will also open locked or trick opening boxes or chests. It will loose shackles or chains as well. If used to open a wizard locked door, the knock does not remove the former spell, but simply suspends it for one turn. In all other cases knock will permanently open locks or welds - although the former could be closed and locked again thereafter. It will not raise bars or similar impediments (such as a portcullis). The spell will perform two functions, but if the door is locked, barred, and held, opening it will require two knock spells.

So we have a partial answer to our question. It is interesting to note that in the "Against the Giants" series several giant sized doors which are locked (such as the frost giant Jerald's treasure room) can be opened with a knock spell. So in final judgement if a gate or large door does not have a portcullis knock will not work but other bars (such as wood beams across doors) would likely break.

[Wezil]

I have reams of 1st edition stuff packed in a box somewhere. Some of which would be considered collectibles (Dungeon magazine issues going back to issue #1, early Modules, etc).

I would be willing to part with them for the right price...

[Dinner]

I have the same reams of old stuff which I recently actually dug out of boxes in my attic because I started to replay the old SSI gold box games. BTW I checked ebay and those old books aren't worth much right now. Blame the bad economy but people stop spending on old collectible books and what not.

[Wezil]

The mags are (last I looked).