Bigby’s Hand

5th level Evocation
Casting Time
1 Action
Range
120 Feet
Duration
Concentration, up to 1 minute
Components
V
S
M
Materials Required
An eggshell and a snakeskin glove
Class
Wizard
Artificer

Spell Description

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 (+8) and a Dexterity of 10 (+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.

At Higher Levels. 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.

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
Damage Dice 4d8 OR 2d6 4d8 OR 4d6 6d8 OR 6d6 8d8 OR 8d6 10d8 OR 10d6
Min Damage 4 4 6 8 10
Average Damage 18 18 27 36 45
Max Damage 32 32 48 64 80
Lvl Dice Min Avg Max
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th 4d8 OR 2d6 4 18 32
6th 4d8 OR 4d6 4 18 32
7th 6d8 OR 6d6 6 27 48
8th 8d8 OR 8d6 8 36 64
9th 10d8 OR 10d6 10 45 80

Is Bigby’s Hand Good?

Overall Rating: Sky Blue. This means that bigby’s hand is an amazing spell. If you do not take this spell your character would not be optimized.

Overall Notes: Bigby’s hand truly does it all. It can do turn after turn damage, help you escape dangerous situations, hold down a baddy, and allow you to fly all while increasing your action economy because it only uses a bonus action to command.

Class Specific Ratings for Bigby’s Hand

The Fathomless warlock: Bigby’s hand truly does it all. It can do turn after turn damage, help you escape dangerous situations, hold down a baddy, and allow you to fly all while increasing your action economy because it only uses a bonus action to command. Warlock’s usually want to keep their bonus action open for hex, but the utility that Bigby’s hand provides is well worth it.