Skip to main content

Arcane Hand

← Back to Spell List

Arcane Hand
  • Level: 5
  • School: Evocation
  • Class: Sorcerer, Wizard
  • Casting Time: Action
  • Range: 120 feet
  • Components: V, S, M (an eggshell and a glove)
  • Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a Large hand of shimmering magical energy in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. The hand lasts for the duration, and it moves at your command, mimicking the movements of your own hand.

The hand is an object that has AC 20 and Hit Points equal to your Hit Point maximum. If it drops to 0 Hit Points, the spell ends. The hand doesn't occupy its space.

When you cast the spell and as a Bonus Action on your later turns, you can move the hand up to 60 feet and then cause one of the following effects:

Clenched Fist. The hand strikes a target within 5 feet of it. Make a melee spell attack. On a hit, the target takes 5d8 Force damage.

Forceful Hand. The hand attempts to push a Huge or smaller creature within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a Strength saving throw, or the hand pushes the target up to 5 feet plus a number of feet equal to five times your spellcasting ability modifier. The hand moves with the target, remaining within 5 feet of it.

Grasping Hand. The hand attempts to grapple a Huge or smaller creature within 5 feet of it. The target must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw, or the target has the Grappled condition, with an escape DC equal to your spell save DC. While the hand grapples the target, you can take a Bonus Action to cause the hand to crush it, dealing Bludgeoning damage to the target equal to 4d6 plus your spellcasting ability modifier.

Interposing Hand. The hand grants you Half Cover against attacks and other effects that originate from its space or that pass through it. In addition, its space counts as Difficult Terrain for your enemies.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. The damage of the Clenched Fist increases by 2d8 and the damage of the Grasping Hand increases by 2d6 for each spell slot level above 5.

Tactical Usage​

When to Choose Arcane Hand:

  • Excellent for controlling battlefield positioning through push/grapple
  • Strong choice for protecting vulnerable allies with defensive positioning
  • Valuable for dealing reliable force damage at range
  • Essential for manipulating enemy formations in tactical combat

Mode Selection Strategy:

  • Clenched Fist: High single-target damage against priority enemies
  • Forceful Hand: Battlefield control and positioning manipulation
  • Grasping Hand: Lock down key enemies or prevent escapes
  • Interposing Hand: Provide cover and create difficult terrain zones

Positioning Considerations:

  • 120-foot range allows safe casting position
  • 60-foot movement per turn provides excellent mobility
  • Large size blocks movement and provides substantial cover
  • AC 20 and high hit points ensure battlefield persistence

Spell Combinations​

Tactical Synergies:

  • Wall Spells: Create channeling zones for Forceful Hand pushes
  • Area Control: Combine with hazard zones to push enemies into danger
  • Battlefield Control: Layer with other positioning effects
  • Damage Amplification: Use vulnerability effects before Clenched Fist attacks

Defensive Combinations:

  • Shield: Protect yourself while hand provides cover
  • Mirror Image: Additional protection while concentrating
  • Counterspell: Ready action to protect concentration
  • Misty Step: Escape while maintaining hand position

Material Component Details​

Eggshell and Glove:

  • Symbolism: Creation (eggshell) and manipulation (glove)
  • Availability: Common items available in most settlements
  • Cost: Negligible (few copper pieces total)
  • Preparation: Intact eggshell preferred, any glove suitable

Roleplay Opportunities:

  • Describe the delicate balance between fragility and strength
  • Reference the protective and grasping nature of hands
  • Use component preparation as ritual focus
  • Emphasize the spell's connection to manual dexterity and control

Creator Notes​

Adjudication Guidance:

  • Hand doesn't occupy space but can be targeted and attacked
  • Each mode requires separate bonus action to activate
  • Grapple escape uses spell save DC, not Athletics contest
  • Hand can't perform fine manipulations or complex tasks

Encounter Design Considerations:

  • Provides significant battlefield control for players
  • NPCs can use this to devastating effect against party positioning
  • Creates dynamic combat with multiple tactical options
  • Consider terrain features that enhance or limit effectiveness

Balancing Notes:

  • 5th-level slot cost appropriate for versatile battlefield control
  • Concentration requirement limits simultaneous magical options
  • High AC and hit points ensure meaningful battlefield presence
  • Multiple modes provide tactical flexibility without overwhelming power

Environmental Interactions​

Terrain Utilization:

  • Forceful Hand can push enemies into environmental hazards
  • Interposing Hand can block narrow passages completely
  • Hand can operate in any environment the caster can see
  • Large size allows interaction with most architectural features

Physical Limitations:

  • Cannot perform delicate manipulation tasks
  • Blocked by total cover from caster to hand
  • Must remain within visual range of caster
  • Affected by anti-magic fields and similar effects

Creative Applications:

  • Block doorways or narrow passages
  • Manipulate large environmental objects
  • Provide mobile cover for advancing allies
  • Control enemy movement through terrain features

Common Rulings & Clarifications​

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Can the hand attack multiple times per turn? A: No, only one effect per bonus action, though you can move it first.

Q: Does the hand provide cover against all attacks? A: Only against attacks that pass through its space when using Interposing Hand.

Q: Can multiple hands be active simultaneously? A: No, casting the spell again ends the previous hand.

Q: What happens if the hand is dispelled? A: The spell ends immediately, regardless of the hand's remaining hit points.

Alternative Applications​

Non-Combat Uses:

  • Construction Aid: Manipulate heavy objects during building projects
  • Rescue Operations: Reach victims in dangerous or inaccessible areas
  • Crowd Control: Manage large groups without violence
  • Performance Art: Dramatic magical demonstrations

Creative Problem-Solving:

  • Block pursuit by creating temporary barriers
  • Manipulate environmental features from safe distance
  • Provide assistance in climbing or traversal challenges
  • Create distractions during stealth operations

Hand Magic Variants:

  • Mage Hand: Basic telekinetic manipulation
  • Chill Touch: Necrotic touch attack
  • Shocking Grasp: Electric touch spell
  • Vampiric Touch: Life-draining touch magic

Battlefield Control:

  • Telekinesis: Direct object and creature manipulation
  • Wall of Force: Immovable magical barriers
  • Forcecage: Imprisonment and containment
  • Spiritual Weapon: Mobile attacking construct

5th-Level Alternatives:

  • Hold Monster: Single-target incapacitation
  • Wall of Stone: Permanent barrier creation
  • Animate Objects: Multiple attacking constructs
  • Cone of Cold: Area damage effect

Scaling Analysis​

Level Progression:

  • Early Access (Level 9): Significant tactical advantage for mid-level play
  • Mid Game (Levels 11-16): Reliable battlefield control option
  • Late Game (Levels 17+): Useful for specific tactical situations

Damage Scaling:

  • 5th Level: 22.5 average damage (Clenched Fist)
  • 6th Level: 31.5 average damage (solid improvement)
  • 7th Level: 40.5 average damage (competitive with other options)

Long-Term Viability:

  • Battlefield control remains valuable at all levels
  • Damage scaling keeps it competitive through mid-levels
  • Tactical flexibility provides ongoing utility
  • Concentration cost becomes more significant at higher levels

Narrative Flavor​

Extended Description: As you speak the words of creation and carefully crack the eggshell while donning the glove, reality ripples and a magnificent hand of pure magical force materializes before you. This spectral appendage mirrors your own movements, its translucent fingers crackling with barely contained energy. The hand hovers with patient menace, awaiting your mental commands to reach out and reshape the battlefield according to your will. Whether gentle or violent, protective or aggressive, the hand serves as an extension of your magical might.

Sensory Details:

  • Visual: Shimmering, translucent hand of crackling magical energy
  • Auditory: Low humming of contained magical force
  • Kinesthetic: Sympathetic sensations in your own hand when it acts
  • Magical: Awareness of distant magical appendage under your control

Cultural Context: The Arcane Hand represents the ultimate expression of magical manipulation and control, embodying the wizard's desire to interact with the world through pure force of will. Different magical traditions may visualize the hand differently—some as skeletal and menacing, others as gentle and protective—reflecting their philosophical approaches to power and control.