D&D 5E Take enemy weapon with Mage Hand

[psychophipps]

IIRC, it specifically says that Mage Hand can't be used to attack. RAI, I'm quite sure, means "dealing damage directly".

 

[Tony Vargas]

The smart wizard grabs the arrows from the quiver.

One at a time. If the container is open. (And that's just 'RAW')


I guess I've just been DM'ing too long, but shooting down off-label uses of spells was a habit I got into a long, long time ago.

TK, for instance, used to 'accelerate' the object you cast it on, in the pages of The Dragon, there was a letter from someone asking if you could 'spin' an item, an arrow, I think it was, until it reach some ridiculous velocity and release it for massive damage. The response was that it would be too hard to aim or would burn up from atmospheric friction or something.

Those were the days. The days DMs learned to say 'no.'
5e's bringing back DM Empowerment does bring back a corresponding responsibility.


This kind of thing is also why I dismiss out of hand(npi) the idea that optionless classes 'can just improvise' to make up the difference with option-rich classes.
Because the more options you have, the more bases you have from which to improvise.

 

[Mouseferatu]

I guess I've just been DM'ing too long, but shooting down off-label uses of spells was a habit I got into a long, long time ago.

Huh. As both a player and a long-term DM, I enjoy and encourage off-label uses of spells. There's nothing I like more than coming up with, or being surprised by, a truly creative use of a spell.

Now, obviously, it's a case-by-case ruling--I'm not going to allow an interpretation that's utterly ridiculous or clearly broken--but other than that? Lay it on me.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

I guess I've just been DM'ing too long, but shooting down off-label uses of spells was a habit I got into a long, long time ago.

If mage hand can be used to pick a lock from afar it most certainly should be able to be used to "grab a handful of arrows". Now if the quiver was locked or sealed or required some extra ability to get to the ammunition then it might take two actions.

I just adjudicate mage hand as being a very weak invisible "hand" the mage can do things with.

 

[Tony Vargas]

If mage hand can be used to pick a lock from afar

Isn't that an Arcane Trickster thing?

it most certainly should be able to be used to "grab a handful of arrows".

DM's free to rule how he likes, yes. The wording says 'an object,' but Rulings beat Rules, every time.

Now if the quiver was locked or sealed or required some extra ability to get to the ammunition then it might take two actions.

The text certainly suggests that: open/close a container is one use, remove an object from an open container is another.

I just adjudicate mage hand as being a very weak invisible "hand" the mage can do things with.

A little more than the spell explicitly calls out, but perfectly reasonable - gives it a little name-based flavor. Might even be a little cooler if it could be seen.

 

[psimon85]

So our Wizard had the idea to "disarm" an enemy at range by using Mage Hand. The enemy has a shortbow that is not currently drawn. The shortbow weights less than 10 pounds, so it should be possible, but I think it's actually quite unlikely to succeed. What would you roll for such an action? Just use the magic attack modifier, as a higher magic modifier means better at handling spells?

As a DM I encourage this kind of thing.
As a player I do this kind of thing.

Using mage hand to grab an item that is on a person technically makes it an attended item. However I'd say this is possible if you could do it unnoticed.

I'd be tempted to say that to simplify the ordeal that you would need to roll a dex save against your own spell save DC.

Reason being your trying to do something dexterous with a spell unnoticed. This isn't t an easy task so you stand more chance of fumbling it yourself without the factor of the enemy noticing.

If the enemy does notice then sure they get a dex save to prevent the maneuver, but I don't see them failing against mage hand as it has no strength modifier so would automatically fail.

 

[Zorku]

I just adjudicate mage hand as being a very weak invisible "hand" the mage can do things with.

But it's explicitly not invisible. An arcane trickster gains the ability to make their mage hand invisible.

RAW a standard wizard can only use it to pick up stuff up to 10lbs, open/close unlocked doors/containers, take/drop off an item in an open container, pour out a vial, or do basic object interactions (like pulling a lever.)

"Magehand Legerdemain" powers it up to be all of the things you've adjudicated, so you might wanna give any arcane tricksters some bonus class feature to compensate if you're sticking with that.


If the guard is distracted for some other reason (maybe dozing off?) then sure you could pilfer his bow and/or arrows with the default mage hand, but otherwise you're gonna have to come up with some way to obscure his vision (knock an empty bucket off of the rafters with some string on the handle then tie the other end of the string into his shoelaces while he's confused?)

 

[Pjack]

So our Wizard had the idea to "disarm" an enemy at range by using Mage Hand. The enemy has a shortbow that is not currently drawn. The shortbow weights less than 10 pounds, so it should be possible, but I think it's actually quite unlikely to succeed. What would you roll for such an action? Just use the magic attack modifier, as a higher magic modifier means better at handling spells?

First off, how is the bow being carried? If it's slung around the enemy's shoulder, I don't see any way Mage Hand could tug it loose. Whereas if it's hanging off the enemy's back and not tied to anything, it seems reasonable that Mage Hand could lift it.

I'd allow the enemy a Dexterity saving throw to see if they can grab the bow back before the Mage Hand floats away with it. I'd set the DC at the caster's spell save DC. Depending on the circumstances, I might give the enemy Advantage or Disadvantage on the save. For example, if the Wizard is trying to be particularly sneaky about the theft and rolled a great Dexterity (Stealth) check, I'd probably give the enemy Disadvantage on the save. [EDIT] Also, if the enemy doesn't have any hands free, they might not want to drop what they're carrying to grab the bow.

My personal guideline for adjudicating rules is, "would this be fair if the tables were turned?" If it was an enemy wizard trying to snag a PCs bow with Mage Hand, I think it would be fair to handle it the same way.

 

[jayoungr]

My personal guideline for adjudicating rules is, "would this be fair if the tables were turned?"

Ooh, I like that as a test. *steals*

 

[Gillywonka]

Use the mage hand to cut the bow string with a small dirk. That would take the bow out for awhile (if the PC had extra bow strings, he'd have to fish around in his pack for it, then put it on. If he's doing that, he isnt attacking with it)