CANTRIP #20: Mage Hand (5E)

[@ChancesSpellbook]

*ADVENTURE IS CALLING! If you have a craving to play D&D or want to experiment with a new character, please come to our Interactive Campaign!* kzbin.info/door/9psrDU3oftnU49mrbUNWLA

[@quonomonna8126]

push/lift/drag is 20 lbs for mage hand

[@remor698]

Ah yes, the mage hand, what a handy little companion this one is. I could see this being used to give hand signs to an ally across the room, distract a guard by tapping them on the shoulder or, if you need it, to give yourself a high-five. Always great to have a tool like this on hand.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

I agree! One could say it's quite *handy* haha!

[@SpidermanandhisAmazingFriends]

Either this, Unseen Servant, or Telekinesis can be used make the bbeg go "burble burble burble" by flick their lips during the big speech

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Hahah I might have to do this in our campaign!

[@ShadiB21]

Not necessarily the coolest story but with me being a new D and D player, it's one of my first stories. I was in a campaign the had a slight puzzle element to it. We had arrived at three doors that required deciphering a riddle to determine which one to go through. One of the characters had chosen the wrong door and got sucked through and separated from the rest of us. The other party members had decided on the door that they thought would be correct but were still unsure. I was able to tell everyone to stand off to the side so I could use mage hand just in case the door was also wrong. It turned out to be the right door but being able to make a guess with no consequences was nice.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

AWESOME USE!!! Mage Hand when used properly, can literally make a lethal challenge completely harmless. Thank you so much @DarkPhoenixShod DPS !!!

[@williammoyer7537]

On victory I use the mage hand to give me high fives.... is that an alternative use?🤔

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Haha that's awesome!

[@pinkliongaming8769]

I use it to stroke my beard and moustache from Shape water and Minor Illusion

[@brianclasby4945]

Twin spell - double high fives!

[@chaoscommentary2179]

I used mage hand in my first game and had the hand take one of my dagger flout over to the enemy archer and cut his bow string.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Haha that would be awesome!

[@ZombieChimpanzee]

I used it as a distraction since it's not entirely see-through, it obstructs vision, so I put it up in an enemy's face to put him at disadvantage. didn't touch him, didn't attack him, but inconvenienced the hell out of him.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Haha That's great!

[@trillionbones89]

The ability to distract someone with the mage hand for disadvantage is an Arcane Trickster ability at higher levels (9 i think)

[@mindofthelion712]

I have a character who uses mage hand to improve his skill with a grappling hook. No need for rolls, just put it where I need it!

[@social3ngin33rin]

The hand can't "attack" but it can drop stuff and if something happens to be below the dropped item then....

[@marcusharper5880]

I know that you can tie knots in a rope and use you’re mage hand to retrieve thing that you can’t normally reach, while having advantage on athletic checks if you are dragging/carrying something with the mage hand/rope

[@absolstoryoffiction6615]

I thought the Mage Hand was not affected by modifiers (positive or negative mods). Unless Spells/Cantrips can be affected by modifiers in the rules. Either way. I can cast two different Mage Hands in order to perform a strike with a floating Claymore. (Rules as written). I'm not actually attacking the target with Mage Hand itself, like Force Choking the target. There's a lot of leeway with Mage Hand as it is written.

[@eitan1405]

As a bard with the telekinetic feat, can I distract people with a performance while the hand steals things? or do i have to actively concentrate on it?

[@reggieisaac6909]

Just the other night my group encountered a prisoner in a cell we couldn't unlock (my arcane trickster managed a roll of 19 and still it remained locked). My level 3 party wanted to help this "very attractively shaped" prisoner with a bag over her head. So I used my Mage Hand to remove the bag from outside the cell. As soon as of realized it was a Medusa, I replaced the bag with the same hand and left. Turns out me failing to unlock that door was a blessing in disguise!

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Hahah those tricky DM's!!!

[@chaoscommentary2179]

Could I have my mage hand hold a shield and flout in front of me giving me ether plus 2 to AC or maybe 1/4 cover

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Hmmm I want to say no, although I could see a DM allowing it!

[@jamesseifried207]

This is great content man, keep up the great work. These have been incredibly helpful for familiarizing myself with the cantrips.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

I'm so happy to hear I've been able to help you out! I know you'll make a fine caster!

[@Determinor]

The verbal component, as always, limits this spell massively without getting noticed sadly. I think you would be noticed by guards since 30 ft is close enough to hear someone talk, unless in a crowded place. However, there is a potential workaround. Since the spell says "appears at a point you choose within range" this means you can summon the hand inside the buildings (?) or, as a way to be not heard, do the casting in a corner or inside a room as to be not heard while specifying the point you made beforehand. Unwritten, it seems to give you perception of the hand and it's whereabouts, acting as a limited scout, that can be summoned inside the place you want to enter. But this all seems to hang on to the DM allowing you to cast this spell while targeting the inside of a building or casting while you are inside one: without having direct line of sight to the location target of your summon.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Haha Technically correct! I really like your creative problem solving!

[@bobbywatson9563]

On my first campaign and your videos have been really helpful !!!

[@TheGameFlinger]

I'm not sure if there is a limit on how large the hand can be, but if I'm not damaged by doing this, I would most likely use mage hand as a shield against projectiles by making the hand very large and holding it in front of me until the projectiles stopped, and if the target was close, I would push the hand forwards pushing the enemy away (without damage of course) allowing more time to concentrate on my own spells or for my team. This is under the assumption that the projectile is not very large/heavy such as a boulder and if it is a barrage of projectiles (say many arrows) I would have to make sure that it does not exceed the 10 lbs limit or I would start getting hit by the projectiles if they continued firing (assuming the projectiles stick to the hand, again like arrows)

[@ChancesSpellbook]

It really comes down to the DM, although I'd consider it worth the conversation!

[@ninaedada]

What if i use magic hand to drop a stink bomb in the middle of battle in a group of enemies? Or drag down their pants? Swirl a rope around an enemys feet and to a tree or someting? It wont do any damage but maby comfuse or make them imobile for a bit? Or what if i use magic hand to drop oil or anyting that explodes if tutched by fire into a campfire by enemies that havent noticed us yet? That one may do some damage but i didnt use a weapon or magic item.

[@absolstoryoffiction6615]

The question would be... Is the "Mage Hand cannot attack" rule based on the direct Mage Hand (like Force Choking an enemy) or/and based on physics (like spinning blades)? (Rules as Written) It only states that the Mage Hand can only carry 10 lb or less (single) object. So it says nothing about physics or another object interacting with the item Mage Hand is carrying. (Rules as written.) Thus... You can perform those actions (given the Action Rules) regardless if the target takes damage or not. If the target does take damage, then roll out the damages as a Saving Throw, a Difficulty Check, or an Armor Check. Although, check with your DM. For me, I play on my own so I mainly stick with the rules as written.

[@Raethen4e]

Nabbing keys and other small items that are carried by a creature is already a function of mage hand, but only as part of the arcane trickster rogue subclass, i believe it is a class ability called "ranged legerdemain" Could still use it to grab keys off of a wall hook or something though.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

I believe you are correct, I'd still allow it regardless. I'd just have them make a slight of hand check, with disadvantage.

[@neopolitandotexe]

I used this as a sorcerer and my dm allowed me to modify it by anything it touches disappears. I proceeded to scream *ZA HANDO GA KESU*

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Haha I needed a good Jojo reference today!

[@clarkmilstead9927]

In my first campaign, I used this to kill an intellect Devorer by picking it up and holding it to an open flame to save my whole party.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Jeez! Well I mean: if it works, don't fix it haha! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment! Feel free to use the Discount Code 'COMMENT', and get a free One Shot at chancesguild.com/collections/job-board!

[@clarkmilstead9927]

Chance's D&D Spellbook thank you!!! I just got the one-shot and I hope to run it with my family!

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Clark Milstead awesome! I’m probably going to be posting new ones weekly, so keep the code handy for then!

[@UnderRainClouds]

Our Gnome Wizard, Because of their backstory is under a permanent reduce spell, uses mage hand to pick her up and ride on. My Dm only allows this because of the rule of cool, but it gives a fun entrance/exit to any area.

[@DustyTheKitty]

Been able to use Mage hand in conjunction with my ability to create Healing Draught to hand my allies something to keep them going. I've enabled our One armed kobold to drink two beers at the same time at a Tavern party, And I've used it to flip the bird a few times, much easier to rub a middle finger in someone's face when you're 30 yards away from them.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

These are all pretty interesting uses, thank you soooo muuch!

[@madmachanicest9955]

I mage hand a Speer together to throw the weapon and recover it to throw it again or move it to me after short range teleport.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Very interesting idea!

[@danjbundrick]

The carry weight of a 10 pound rope that is attached to 100 pounds is 110 pounds

[@scrumpitboy9125]

What about the snake with a hundred mage hands

[@fduro123]

3:00 wrong symbol on the 10 pounds sign

[@dongeonmaster8547]

In older versions of this spell it had less range and could carry only 5 lbs. The hand could be spectral or invisible. The hand was incapable of making attacks as its movements were slow and not especially dextrous. A possible way to circumvent this was to simply have it drop an object on a target. Of course the range had to be within 15ft of the caster and the object had to weigh less then 5lbs. Still many other great uses for this spell. Then and now.

[@biophysique]

Careful with the alternate usage. Those must take into account the fact that some classes/archetype have alternate usage of this spell already.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Good point, thank you sooo much!

[@biophysique]

@@ChancesSpellbook I was thinking about the Arcane Trickster and one of the Psionic. ^^

[@KTSalyer83]

The hand cannot administration potions of healing, as that is the Activate a Magic Item action.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

It's an interesting conversation! The vast majority of DMs are cool with it, yet it is a little bit of a grey area. For example, most players wouldn't consider pouring a vial to be magical. However if you have a mechanic in place, where a person must infuse some of their spirit energy to activate the healing properties, then it could be considered to be magical!

[@pinkliongaming8769]

I wouldn't say that's activating

[@animeqverlord669]

I was playing a psychic warrior fighter which can cast mage hand but the hand is invisible so used it to shut our troublesome party member up by putting it over her mouth. She had the tendency to piss people off at us

[@TheMARSHalMELLOW]

spin a net like a pizza dough, dispelling the hand drops the net, no attack.

[@madmachanicest9955]

You can use it to reload a range weapon when you don't have a free hand. So long as you cast the spell ahead of time and 1 mint has not past.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Haha I like it!

[@bekfast_]

1 .Use mage hand to hold a pocket hole 2. Drop it into another pocket hole/bag of holding more than 10ft away 3. Instawin On that note, since pocket holes weigh essentially nothing, one of them (or the Handy Haversack, weighs 5 pounds) could be used to bypass the weight limit pretty easily...

[@celebrityguest.9530]

i have a few ideas for mage hand for a character i'm gonna be using in a.. pretty lighthearted campaign with a dm who is very open to flexibility with magic-- esp considering my character is a wild magic sorcerer who's essentially an... imaginary friend who somehow got conjured into existence-- anyway so some ideas i have for mage hand, he has a little cat buddy he can talk to but i'm getting really fond of the idea of him even just casually using mage hand to keep the cat entertained but also perhaps have it communicate with the cat with mannerisms like thing from the addams family lol. i also am thinking about how it could work in conjunction with cantrips like friends or spells like suggestion if i wanna get real bold, like hey, gimme yer keys, that kinda thing! i realize in this case there's gonna be a lot more flexibility than pprovided strictly like, in the rules, but it's interesting to think about ehehehe

[@MegaVergan]

I used this spell to give someone a wedgie.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Haha I agree!

[@pupplings8439]

I’m new to dnd but I believe you can you mage hand to deactivate traps. I’m playing a 1st lvl bard with mage hand and minor illusion I put the hand inside to skull to puppet it and I use minor illusion to get it to speak, very freaky. You could also throw a cloak on top of it and pretend it’s a person I suppose.

[@ajjessen5236]

Mage hand would make for a wicked prosthetic arm for a magic user if your DM would allow it.

[@LlorDrei]

Unstopper and activate a Decanter of Endless Water, send the Mage Hand thirty feet away... presuming the maximum distance to height would be fifteen feet away and up, not certain... with it, having it move back and forth, or forming shapes over the ground, while holding the decanter, pouring out a Stream or Fountain along the ground to completely cover it in a puddle of water for various effects, while being able to keep the area just in front of you clear of water, while making the area an approaching enemy is coming towards completely soaked, or, even continue pouring water over the bodies of approaching enemies... Fresh water can be frozen with cold or shape water effects to make the floor slippery, or freeze feet in place, or even freeze soaked enemies... Salt water can be electrified for an entire group standing in, and/or covered in the water... Shape earth with a muddy dirt floor... Put a water elemental, like a water weird, into the puddle... Put out fires... etc. Likely best to speak the command word to end the Decanter's pouring before using ice or electricity.

[@thetopnep6165]

How about it picking up a flintlock pistol and pressing the trigger? It's more of the hand manipulating the object rather than attacking.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

I'd probably consider it an attack roll! I'd ask your DM for their thoughts though!

[@levkrasovsky4920]

What about spells with the range of touch that don't provoke an attack roll?

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Sadly not! Mage hand is just for interacting with objects!

[@pblackcrow]

check for a trap or mimic.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Great idea!

[@Girlhead]

I used heat metal to make the warrior we were fighting drop his dagger. Another character used mage hand to grab it. Turns out, the dagger was pretty valuable to the point where the guy stopped fighting to bargain with us to get it back. We didn't give it back but ended up making him call off his minions. He ran away and we got a good weapon.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

That's great! What a cool story!

[@itzplant3196]

You can probably play cards with the hand

[@ChancesSpellbook]

I would allow it!

[@knightx605]

What about nabbing a flying sword that is in the air?

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Hmm sounds interesting, under the right circumstances I would probably agree to it!

[@westernjustice3824]

Can i use it with prestigitation to throw eggs at people Edit Evil king gives a speech suddenly from the direction from his evil right hand man an egg flies at him You embarrassed the king in front of his people and someone evil gets killed by said king Two birds one egg

[@madvulcan8964]

Can you use mage hand to hold a burning item then use control flames whale mange hand is holding a candle? If you can allow MH to retentive an item from far away why can’t it push objects away or you can just not at a fast velocity to be effective as a through. One last thing at higher levels don’t you get the ability to use multiple MH’s? Like the highest was four hands at time/once?

[@ChancesSpellbook]

You could definitely use the Mage Hand to manipulate items that would otherwise be harmful, so long as the weight limit was factored in. Whether or not the hand can push or pull objects, comes down to your DM. I personally am fine with players pushing or pulling objects within the weight limit. Sadly with the 5e rules, you can only have one Mage Hand.

[@MnJiman]

If a player attempts to use Mage Hand to blind a target, here is a notion to argue against it: The move speed of a target is the movement of a targets body from point a to point b, however that does not take into account the overall movement of a persons extremities it makes considering x-y-z axis's. Case in point, when you walk/run your body parts are weaving and bobbing constantly, meaning that your head's overall movement from point (a) to point (b) is much more significant movement. Imagine a spring partly stretched out for example... then stretch it all the way.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Very interesting way to look at it! I feel inclined to agree with you. Another way to handle the exploit would be to explain that the spectral nature of the hand makes it transparent!

[@thepopemichael]

I'd bet the amount of times Mage Hand has been used to manipulate genitalia is staggering. In my own play experience, I've seen it being used at elf brothels and as a distraction to the BBEG. In the latter case the BBEG opted to have his testicles to become removed, sacrificed to his evil god. Now the eunuch BBEG had a GIGANTIC powerup thanks to the ultimate sacrifice: The potential of his family line... That entire potential was his to control. The "good guy" players were offered a similar powerup by the gods for a similar sacrifice once it was discovered that the BBEG was now practically a demi-god.. and not a one of them took the gods up on the offer. In the end, the world was burning down around them. People that helped them on their journey were dying all around them... the player's names on their lips in their last breaths. They were begging them for help. Finally, they had enough! The players did the only thing that they thought was right... they gated the hell out of there and picked a new prime material to live. I stopped DMing for those people after that. That game told me a lot about people that I thought I knew.

[@xZeralf]

Can it catch an arrow? Like, how fast is it? 🤔

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Xeralp I would say no. However depending on the circumstances I might allow mage hand to remove arrows from a target. I’d certainly allow it with the arcane tricksters mage hand haha

[@regoso8580]

Small race + Enlarge/Reduce spell now you can ride around in the palm of your own (Mage) Hand.

[@madmachanicest9955]

Mage hand can not attack can not attack but it can drop something for 30 feet in the air. That 2d6 or 3d6 fall damage and allot of weapons are less then 10 bounds so you could drop a 1d8 morning star on some one. Because its falling its a Dex save and not an attack round.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Man, your poor DM!

[@madmachanicest9955]

@@ChancesSpellbook on i am a Clever and inventive one. I just use falling damage for player as the damage being hit by a falling object. This rule is different in 3e 3.5e pathfinder and 5e. In short if mage had drop something it would fall doing 3d6 fall damage and work like a dead fall trap aka dex save .now would it also do the weapons damage. No not really but it's worth talking to your DM about it being a possibility. I can't be a poor DM i have been running game of 22 years at this point. I love the creative uses of spells and like to reword players for thinking out side the box. (Form page 183 PHB) Tho trying to remember what fall damage rule goes with what rules set can be hard . i am an extremely poor typist tho I'll at met to that.

[@XTheCrystalBeastGuyX]

I did the same thing but with a grenade instead because the DM allowed me to have them. He regretted that idea very quickly as I was really thinking of how I can deal damage, taunt someone, and use mage hand for something other than rude hand gestures.

[@datanotfound4556]

The only thing I'm gonna use mage hand for is making it do a little tap dance with it's fingers

[@datanotfound4556]

That and making it do middle fingers and self high-fives as well

[@SuperBatSpider]

I used a Monk who through multi classed into Arcane Trickster Can I punch using mage hand? Usually it’s too limited but Arcane Trickster is supposed to be better at using mage hand

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Sadly you still cannot attack with mage hand!

[@SuperBatSpider]

Chance's D&D Spellbook alright

[@SuperBatSpider]

Chance's D&D Spellbook I was a Arcane Trickster Rogue and a Drunken Master Monk at the same time

[@alanschaub147]

Mage Hand cannot attack , but it could deliver items such as dropping Alchemist’s Fire on a sleeping troll. 🔥

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Ahhh yes, the infamous "Accidental Attack haha!

[@alanschaub147]

Chance's Spellbook Sage Advice seems to support “accidental” attacks by a Familiar. 😁 www.sageadvice.eu/sage-advice-answer/comment-page-109/#comments

[@Reubenaut]

Make an expensive glove with gunpowder it just weighs under ten pounds and is only one die less of fireball

[@SuperVegetaAF]

Currently playing a session in storm king. I have the spell and I was in somewhat of a disagreement with my group as to the uses of mage hand. The doors are giant when we try to move or open them, I stated I wanted to use mage hand instead because my strength is dog shit 9. And he said to make a check of athletics. I stated I can’t the hand doesn’t have those and the spell reads it can lift 10 pounds but doesn’t say it can’t push open doors. But it does specify that it can open doors, containers, etc that aren’t locked and he said they weren’t locked so I didn’t see the issue he just wouldent allow it to open. I was tempted to keep the argument going but at the end of the day DM over rules everything so I just let it go but it bugged me how everyone else in the group could do some wild stuff and I can’t even open a door with mage hand. Literally he allowed the necromancer in our group to resurrect a dead pet from a boss we killed with raise dead and allowed him to keep it as a pet where he then also allowed him to keep reviving any dead summons he’s had multiple times including the pet and I can’t even open a freaking door with mage hand.

[@westernjustice3824]

Some guy in a bar angers you meta magic the hand next to him and have smack a barmaids ass

[@XTheCrystalBeastGuyX]

As an alcoholic, chain smoking bard/rogue, I'd use this to steal smokes and drinks from bars, pick pocket money from someone I didn't like in the bar, or pinch a bar maid's butt to get some random dude smacked. DM rolls for damage, he's unconscious. Bar fight erupts. I leave without paying my tab.

[@ChancesSpellbook]

Haha I like it!

[@dongeonmaster8547]

Mage hand is not sentient in any way. Its actions must be guided by the caster. If the caster cannot see what the hand is doing that they are driving a remote controlled hand blindly. One might allow the caster to work through sense of touch but that would be granting abilities not listed in the spell.

[@TaliaBennett]

I cast it inside a wall (that we were told had “some extra space” for soundproofing) suspected of having a hidden tunnel, and I knocked along the wood with my elf ear up against the wall to listen for a weak/thin spot so our tank could bust through the wall. Cue a hilarious scene of our rogue lady teaching the lion man how to use a crowbar and smashing their way through. Good times. 😂

[@samuelwest6435]

The symbol you drew means less than 10lbs not greater than 10lbs. Sorry I = lonely nerd + troll No hate please I can't control me!!! 😭 Your videos are awesome, I shall like & subscribe post haste. 😎

[@steelpokemon123]

Thought the same bru