Is it just me, or is Mage Hand useless? Like, impressively useless.
I’m new to DnD (and DnD-like games) so I could be in the wrong here, but every time I think of something that Mage Hand should be able to do, it just doesn’t.
Want to pick up an unreachable item and carry it to me? No.
Want to loot an otherwise unreachable body? No.
Want to pickpocket someone without being caught? No. (Okay, I get that this one would be pretty broken, even in normal DnD this is sometimes disallowed)
Want to fly a few feet up and light an overhead brazier? No.
Want to do literally anything useful? No.
Want to squeeze through a small hole to see a room you’ve already looted? Sure!
I’m at the point where instead of trying to think creatively about how to use it, I just immediately write it off because it probably can’t do whatever I’m thinking of. I am genuinely surprised when I find out Mage Hand can do something, and that’s not a good thing.
The only idea I had that actually worked was using it to stealth the early phase spider section by just throwing the gem at the end backwards, then moving the hand in the opposite direction to draw aggro. That’s literally the only “useful” thing I’ve done with it, and I’ve still not found a use for the gem.
So I ask, what have you done with Mage Hand that’s actually useful?
Read Mage Hand’s 5e rules again. I’m convinced the only reason Mage Hand is so “useful” at the table is because of DM fiat on things it shouldn’t be able to do or non-functional utility that has no analogue in a hard-coded game. There’s no mechanic for pulling a shirt over someone’s head or pulling their pants down.
I’m not even sure they’re allowed to make checks or force saves.
I did read them. If you think the game follows them then tell me why it’s unable to pick up a small gem and carry it to me? It’s less than 10lbs and requires no fine-grained control.
You can move a whole barrel of powder to your character. You merely need to move them on the screen rather than trying to grab it in the hand.