Bigby's Hand

A
Damage

Bigby's Hand is a Damage spell. Damage spells focus on dealing harm to enemies.

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spell that summons a spectral hand to strike, grapple, and shove foes, offering
battlefield control

Bigby's Hand is a Battlefield Shaping spell. Battlefield Shaping spells alter terrain, create obstacles, introduce hazards, and affect enemy positioning.

See all Battlefield Shaping spells →
and
bonus action speed

Bigby's Hand is a Action Economy spell. Action Economy spells grant you more choices on future turns.

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.

2024 Rules

Level & School
5th-level evocation
Casting Time
Action
Range
120 feet
Components
V, S, M (an eggshell and a glove)
Duration
Concentration, 1 minute
Classes
Artificer, Sorcerer, Wizard
Source
Player's Handbook (2024)

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.

2014 Rules

Level & School
5th-level evocation
Casting Time
Action
Range
120 feet
Components
V, S, M (an eggshell and a snakeskin glove)
Duration
Concentration, 1 minute
Classes
Artificer, Sorcerer, Wizard
Source
Player's Handbook (2014)

You create a Large hand of shimmering, translucent force in an unoccupied space that you can see within range. The hand lasts for the spell's 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. It has a Strength of 26 ({@d20 8}) and a Dexterity of 10 ({@d20 0}). The hand doesn't fill its space.

When you cast the spell and as a bonus action on your subsequent turns, you can move the hand up to 60 feet and then cause one of the following effects with it.

Clenched Fist. The hand strikes one creature or object within 5 feet of it. Make a melee spell attack for the hand using your game statistics. On a hit, the target takes 4d8 force damage.

Forceful Hand. The hand attempts to push a creature within 5 feet of it in a direction you choose. Make a check with the hand's Strength contested by the Strength (Athletics) check of the target. If the target is Medium or smaller, you have advantage on the check. If you succeed, 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 to remain within 5 feet of it.

Grasping Hand. The hand attempts to grapple a Huge or smaller creature within 5 feet of it. You use the hand's Strength score to resolve the grapple. If the target is Medium or smaller, you have advantage on the check. While the hand is grappling the target, you can use a bonus action to have the hand crush it. When you do so, the target takes bludgeoning damage equal to 2d6 + your spellcasting ability modifier.

Interposing Hand. The hand interposes itself between you and a creature you choose until you give the hand a different command. The hand moves to stay between you and the target, providing you with half cover against the target. The target can't move through the hand's space if its Strength score is less than or equal to the hand's Strength score. If its Strength score is higher than the hand's Strength score, the target can move toward you through the hand's space, but that space is difficult terrain for the target.

Using a Higher-Level Spell Slot. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the damage from the clenched fist option increases by 2d8 and the damage from the grasping hand increases by 2d6 for each slot level above 5th.

Bigby's Hand 5.5e 2024 vs. 5e 2014 edition differences

Clenched Fist now deals 5d8 force damage instead of 4d8. Forceful Hand now affects Huge or smaller creatures and uses a Strength save instead of a contested check. Grasping Hand now uses a Dexterity save/Grappled condition, and its crush damage rises to 4d6+mod. Interposing Hand now gives half cover and makes enemies’ space difficult terrain.

Bigby's Hand popularity

How popular is Bigby's Hand? It is a seldom seen spell in the game, but is often chosen over other options when available. This spell could be a valuable addition for spellbooks.

Read about how this popularity data is calculated.

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