Why Take Arcane Lock?

[GrandMajora]

At what point in the game does this spell EVER become useful, or even practical for the party to cast? It locks a door or container, while warding it against attempts to lockpick it open.

So great, it sounds like you can use this to funnel the enemies into taking a detour through a path of your choosing. Except, oh wait, there are very few instances in the game where this is actually possible. Not only that, but the enemy always has the option of simply busting down the door, especially at higher levels.

As for casting it on a container, I can't think of any reason to do this, aside from trolling the rest of the party on Multiplayer.

[TheMasterBlaster]

not every spell is fireball

[jait]

Despite how dumb the previous answer is, it's partially true for Larian. You only need about 5 spells in this game. They decided to include a bunch of fluff like Arcane Lock, and leave out 80% of the actual D&D spell lists, because work, balance, making games is hard.

[Cutlass Jack]

I cast it on my chastity belt before retiring for the night. Never know when one of my companions might be feeling frisky.

[TaKo]

use it to make crimes easier by using minor illuions to draw witnesses out of a room or into one then lock it magically, locking doors to funnel enemies is possible too as you said

its not smth a sorcerer or bard should be wasting spells known on, but doesnt hurt to learn it as a wizard, simply 1 more tool available

[Mike Garrison]

Apparently you can use Arcane Lock to lock the hag in the Teahouse, so she can't escape into her lair. (At least, that was I claim I heard recently. I haven't tried it myself.)

[AmberWinter]

you can use it on the caravan box for the zent. take the flask and relock it. you can use it to lock the hag from running away, though i wouldnt use it for that, as you cant get the hair this way. if your in a house you can use it to lock people inside in act 3 especially. like you said they can break the doors down, but thats also a few turns wasted on their end. its a very niche spell but it can be used strategically, as with any spell in this game. is the best choice? def not, but not every spell is going to be s tier, or as that other dude said, fireball.

[Midnight Meows]

Crimes - locking doors to prevent random entry, or locking NPCs into a room so that you have free roam of their buildings.

Combat - Force them onto a certain path as you said, or cast something like stinking cloud, cloud kill, summoned entity, et al into a room and lock them inside of the room with it.

Sneaking - Same with crimes, but it prevents annoying wandering NPCs in some locations so it may avoid random battles.

Some events are scripted to ignore it, like the druids. You can't lock them inside of the stone room to prevent the rest of the events in the grove. Sadness.

But basically just use your imagination and have a giggle with it.

[GrandMajora]

Originally posted by TaKo:

use it to make crimes easier by using minor illuions to draw witnesses out of a room or into one then lock it magically, locking doors to funnel enemies is possible too as you said

Oooh, that's actually genius!

[Razorblade]

Many door are indestructible, such as those in the House of Hope, Shar's Gauntlet, House of Grief, and the Creche. It's a fantastic spell for cheesing a lot of boss fights, especially when you're underleveled.

[Harukage]

The fight in the last light inn. To stop the stupid priestess from suicide running into more flying ghouls.
In Iron Throne you can lock the section where enemies spawn after prisoners had escaped from that part. You just need someone like Wildheart barbarian Karlah with speed aura and speed potion to free them turn one and run back. Additionaly you can leave your wizard or Gale inside after that, teleport with Misty Step/Dimension Door towards Omeluum, free him and let him warp you/Gale out to submarine. Provided your wizard have enough ptrotection, though at that point wizard usually have as much AC in general as your Fighter, so not particulary hard.

[Quillithe]

I think you can use it to amusing effect on a cage at the circus

[brendan_in_china]

Originally posted by Quillithe:

I think you can use it to amusing effect on a cage at the circus

I just jammed that lock with lock picking. Though you might e referring to the dinosaur cage?

Honestly, these utility spells are more about immersion and trying inventive new approaches to encounters you've long mastered.

Also, if you do challenge runs, these odd spell/ability interactions can solve unexpected problems.

[Simon McAllister]

Isn't it if you use arcane lock you can't undo it? Or is it a concentration spell and you can cancel it after. Cause it could be useful for some of those fights that if a enemy gets out of the room they can get more into the fight. Just shut and lock the door and they are stuck in the room with you.

[brendan_in_china]

Originally posted by Simon McAllister:

Isn't it if you use arcane lock you can't undo it? Or is it a concentration spell and you can cancel it after. Cause it could be useful for some of those fights that if a enemy gets out of the room they can get more into the fight. Just shut and lock the door and they are stuck in the room with you.

That's what Razorblade was getting at. I've seen a streamer divide Raphael's cambions with the spell and defeat them in detail. It's 10 turn duration, think it's concentration, so can be dropped at will.

Not bad for just a level 2 spell.

[AokiYakumo]

I mean, it's the same for Knock, really. I didn't expect Knock to be AT ALL useful because ROG Expertise with +1 Hide or +2 Chain and a set of gloves that boost Sleight of Hand, while using Smuggler's Ring, is enough to net like a +11 bonus minimum with 8 DEX, and the highest DC is 30 in the vault (no I do not count the Netherbrain's DC 99). Astarion with 20 DEX and the full shama-llama-banggang can hit +19-23 on Sleight of Hand and with Reliable Talent that's a minimum 29-33. Legit base 62.5% chance to succeed on unlocking DC 30 locks, all before Enhance DEX which shoots it to like 86% or some sh*t

EXCEPT!

Knock is hella useful in the DJ fight, because you can use it to unlock the door to Balty's mancave without triggering the skells' dialogue, link him into the fight, and take both encounters out at once by taking advantage of the chaos of war.

I figure Arcane Lock can be used to similar effect. In fact, there's a video of someone cheesing the Mystic Carrion fight by dropping Insect Plague into the room, Arcane Locking the room, and bolting; because Insect Plague is a huge AoE and mummies be dummy and daddy likey dummy.