Opening and Closing Doors as Free Actions

[Saintheart]

Lazy request: to better simulate trapdoor spiders, are there any abilities that allow a monster to open and close a door as a free action?

I'm aware of the PrC Dungeon Lord and how it allows the Lord, and eventually his minions, to do so, but I was wondering if anywhere else there's an ability that does this ... or some simple technique (spell, etc) that allows one to do the same as a free action (or at least a swift action).

[Rebel7284]

I mean, there are a bunch of ways to get extra move actions that then can be used to open/close. Is that sufficient? Hustle comes to mind, but there are others.

[Gruftzwerg]

Quicken Open/Close (spell: 0th lvl > 4th lvl with meta)

Unseen Servant (1st lvl spell) could do the job. And if you are lucky and you DM agrees, it maybe could ready an action to do this. It's unclear if the servant can react to conditions as trigger for a command. If your DM agrees, this is imho the best solution.

Quicken "Knock" (2nd lvl spell; 6th with meta) would be the other option but needs a much higher spell lvl and thus caster lvl.

[Saintheart]

I mean, there are a bunch of ways to get extra move actions that then can be used to open/close. Is that sufficient? Hustle comes to mind, but there are others.

Yep, that'd be good as well - can you elaborate a bit?

[Endarire]

What about house rules?

[Saintheart]

Yeah, in the end I've gone with a slightly different concept, but the suggestion of looking for extra move actions is handy :) - thanks all.

[Seward]

Dungeonlord PRC

Level 1 ability



Dungeon Mastery (Ex): Your familiarity with the dungeon is so complete that you know its entire layout by memory. While inside your dungeon, you can move at normal speed when unable to see and when crossing difficult terrain. You can move through any trap in the dungeon without triggering it, unless you choose to set it off. You automatically notice any difference to any chamber in your dungeon (such as a chair that is out of place, a bookshelf that has been reorganized, or an area of dust that has been disturbed). You also receive a +8 bonus on Survival checks made to track creatures in your dungeon.

In addition, you can open or close any door or secret door in your dungeon as a free action.


By third level you have clairvoyance everywhere in your dungeon and any of your creatures can ALSO open/close doors and secret doors as a free action.

It only works in your dungeon, and the PRC has pretty stiff requirements. But it's pretty cool in its own way.


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Regarding other comments - quicken open close is a swift action. Using unseen servant (or servant horde) is a move action. Servant horde can get a lot of doors as a move action, but it still takes that action. (I used to play a telekinesis themed sorceress. Opening and shutting doors was surprisingly useful, as was using servant hordes for other action-economy helping things as a simple move action. But....free action open/close was a holy grail I never reached. It would be tricky to do even with contingency)

[Jack_Simth]

If you get a ring of telekinesis for a familiar that can speak, the familiar can do it.
If you get an intelligent ring of telekinesis, then the ring can do it.