Mage hand: can it fly?

[Majushi]

No, you cannot attack with a Mage Hand. 20 pounds of force isn't enough to be any sort of combat threat.

Mage Hand, however, reading it, can be a substitute for Quick Draw for Wizards, allowing the use of the power to swap items in hand with minor actions... that's nice.

I would think that 20 pounds of pressure is alot when behind the point of a dagger.

I mean. How much pressure does it actually take to puncture skin?

 

[jaelis]

The power doesn't say the hand can only exert 20 lbs of force, it says it can manipulate an item weighing 20 lbs or less.

However, the hand can only manipulate items. IIRC, the rules make a definite distinction between manipulation and attacking.

 

[Regicide]

The power doesn't say the hand can only exert 20 lbs of force, it says it can manipulate an item weighing 20 lbs or less.

However, the hand can only manipulate items. IIRC, the rules make a definite distinction between manipulation and attacking.

Take a 20 lb object with your flying mage hand 25 feet up and drop it on something. I'd call that an attack. A pretty lethal one.

 

[lukelightning]

Take a 20 lb object with your flying mage hand 25 feet up and drop it on something. I'd call that an attack. A pretty lethal one.

And a very hard to aim one.

 

[Skyscraper]

Mage hand is not supposed to allow melee attacks, but if the player manages to get an object 25 feet into the air and drop it on another creature, why not allow it? I think I'd make that a non-proficient basic ranged attack with damage depending on the object being dropped (say 1d10 perhaps). If the player comes up with the power in an exciting way, i might grant better bonuses or damage, who knows.

Sky

 

[jaelis]

Take a 20 lb object with your flying mage hand 25 feet up and drop it on something. I'd call that an attack. A pretty lethal one.

I would allow that, just as I would allow a character flying 25 ft up to drop an item on an opponent as a free action. But the chance of hitting would be pretty low, I'd probably make it an attack roll with no ability bonus vs AC. And the damage would be low, as for an improvised weapon of that size.

 

[Regicide]

And the damage would be low, as for an improvised weapon of that size.

Falling 20 feet causes 2d10 damage. A 20lb object falling 2 stories on to someone has an excellent chance of killing them. I'm really really inclined not to drop 20 lb barbells on my feet from 2 or 3 feet, forget about 25... on to my head.

 

[Syrsuro]

A 20lb object falling 2 stories on to someone has an excellent chance of killing them. I'm really really inclined not to drop 20 lb barbells on my feet from 2 or 3 feet, forget about 25... on to my head.

Wholly and Absolutely irrelevant.

Hitting someone with a sword also has an excellent chance of killing them, and yet will rarely do so in D&D (unless the someone is a minion).

Hit points are abstract, represent far more than damage, and do not work that way.

I'd go with Int vs Reflex and low normal damage, if the attack worked in the first place (it's not like they can't see the rock being manuevered into place above them). And no bonus for 1/2 level because the character isn't really aiming the rock, they are simply dropping it at a remote distance with no oppportunity to line up the shot with any accuracy.

Besides - finding a limitless supply of 20# rocks isn't exactly easy (amazing how many rocks actually weight 21#...).

Carl

 

[Regicide]

Wholly and Absolutely irrelevant.

...

Besides - finding a limitless supply of 20# rocks isn't exactly easy (amazing how many rocks actually weight 21#...).

Well since the rock falling 20 feet isn't taking 2d10 damage since falling damage is absolutely irrelevant in your campaign, then just re-use the same rock.

And btw, a 20 lb rock falling 20 feet probably strikes with more force than a 3 lb sword swung 2 feet. 2d10 damage for it is probably low.

 

[Wepwawet]

Take a 20 lb object with your flying mage hand 25 feet up and drop it on something. I'd call that an attack. A pretty lethal one.

Only if the object being dropped is a Grand Piano!

What about slapping? If this spell conjures a floating hand (which I think is sooo lame) it's possible to slap someone on the face... Or a bum

Edit: btw, how many kilograms are 20 lb?!?