Mage Hand Legerdemain Question

[JeenLeen]

I'm playing an Arcane Trickster. I get that I can use my Mage Hand to steal something off somebody as a bonus action. From what I can tell, they get a Perception check to notice it, but the difficulty is set per the Easy-to-Almost-Impossible chart.

What happens to the item after it is stolen, and how could a person try to steal it back?
I assume the item does not turn invisible, as the hand is.
From RAW, I could see that the item is now held by the hand, so (as a held object) it cannot be snatched back. That seems a bit overpowered and not too realistic. Last game I was stealing component pouches off of wizards, and the DM let them try to snatch it back. Wound up essentially being me making an Int roll (since Intelligence governs my casting) against the DC of their Dexterity check or something like that.

This ruling seems fine and fair, but I was curious if there are any RAW rules or if ya'll handled it in different ways.

[Hrugner]

It isn't teleportation or anything, it's still mage hand and needs to move the items around manually through space.

Generally, you should be able to use the mage hand and move it away from the mage in a turn. If the spell is already cast, you move it to the mage and pick pocket them, then as a bonus action move it back to you and place it in your backpack. If they fail their perception check, then they don't notice the item has gone missing. If someone wants to take something back from a hand that they've seen taking something, there shouldn't be a roll, the hand can't fight back.

Also, while the rules aren't spelled out exactly, since an invisible creature picking up an object makes the object invisible, I assume the mage hand's target becomes invisible as well.

[Tanarii]

You can move it up to 30ft each time you use it. Of course, depending on where it is that might not be enough to get it sufficiently far away from the target.

Edit: also, shouldn't their Perception check to notice you picking the thing be opposed by your Sleight of Hand check? If you're skilled enough, they may not even see it happen.

[Aembrosia]

Probably echoing

My group decided the invisibility interaction played out much like the Invisibility spell at will when casting mage hand. If you are holding something and become invisible the held object is invisible. If you are invisible and pick up an object the object is not invisible. This makes mage hand incapable of making objects invisible.

Because we didnt want other people in the world sending out spectral hands about as strong as a baby stealing the shirt off our back or ripping something out of our hand we kept to the RAW: The item has to be stowed in a container; not worn, not carried (no necklaces, belts, rings, anything tied to your person eg. a slung weapon). This could be a pocket in addition to the more clear containers, jar, box, backpack; and to our infinite delight, a scabbard or quiver.

The theft was sleight of hand with advantage against perception with disadvantage which was nice. Due to the fact that the hand is invisible. Pretty much guaranteed to get the object out of the container.

If the victim of such a theft miraculously succeeded on perception against the spectral hand or had an opportunity by some other means to seize their stolen property they did so without contest. You dont struggle to take candy from a baby. You just take the candy. Who is giving candy to babies? Where are this child's parents?

[Ninja_Prawn]

What happens to the item after it is stolen

You put it in a big sack with the word 'loot' written on it, maybe?

[Vogonjeltz]

I'm playing an Arcane Trickster. I get that I can use my Mage Hand to steal something off somebody as a bonus action. From what I can tell, they get a Perception check to notice it, but the difficulty is set per the Easy-to-Almost-Impossible chart.

What happens to the item after it is stolen, and how could a person try to steal it back?
I assume the item does not turn invisible, as the hand is.
From RAW, I could see that the item is now held by the hand, so (as a held object) it cannot be snatched back. That seems a bit overpowered and not too realistic. Last game I was stealing component pouches off of wizards, and the DM let them try to snatch it back. Wound up essentially being me making an Int roll (since Intelligence governs my casting) against the DC of their Dexterity check or something like that.

This ruling seems fine and fair, but I was curious if there are any RAW rules or if ya'll handled it in different ways.

Assuming they notice, they could grab it back using the disarm rules in the DMG.

[Klorox]

You put it in a big sack with the word 'loot' written on it, maybe?

LMAO.

I'm not a big fan of component pouches being removed, just because it's so crippling, and I can see a DM getting so angry about it he does it to my party wizard.

[Dalebert]

A component pouch is attached. You could perhaps take a specific component or two out of it.