Tinkering Mage Hand Limitations

[Asmotherion]

So, a player in my campain asked me to allow him to use mage hand to deliver dagger attacks. Wile the spell clearly states it can't do such a thing, he wants it for role playing reasons, and I don't really see the harm. I mean, it's going to use his action and his own stats to attack/damage, so it's just going to add some range and role playing flavor.

Anything you think I should keep in mind?

[Koren]

If it's just for flavor I would say keep the rules in mind when he does things. Like, mechanically he should still be throwing the daggers, just fluff it with Mage Hand.

[Ventruenox]

Addendum to the last post: if he is using the Mage Hand to throw the dagger, he would have to use Mage Hand once more to pick it up again. Using this spell for melee at range opens up the argument that the Mage hand is an allied combatant and thus enables sneak attacks.

[Asmotherion]

Addendum to the last post: if he is using the Mage Hand to throw the dagger, he would have to use Mage Hand once more to pick it up again. Using this spell for melee at range opens up the argument that the Mage hand is an allied combatant and thus enables sneak attacks.

I am actually ok with the second part, as long as it's not overly abused, and used realistically. I mean, if the mage hand attacks (not used by an Arcane Trickster, as it would use his own Action) an enemy in the back, it's logical that the enemy would then be distracted enough to allow a sneak attack to a rogue...

However, I'd hate to see mechanic abusage of this... any way to prevent it? Roll percentage die perhaps?

[DarkKnightJin]

I am actually ok with the second part, as long as it's not overly abused, and used realistically. I mean, if the mage hand attacks (not used by an Arcane Trickster, as it would use his own Action) an enemy in the back, it's logical that the enemy would then be distracted enough to allow a sneak attack to a rogue...

However, I'd hate to see mechanic abusage of this... any way to prevent it? Roll percentage die perhaps?

If you're going to allow this, I'd rule it like you would a Spiritual Weapon. It's not a creature, and it's not distracting, or skilled, enough to make Sneak Attacks or serve as an ally for the purposes of letting them make one themselves.

It also doesn't get to make AoO if it's threat ra ge is being abandoned without Disengage.

[greenstone]

You're giving them the ability to do a melee weapon attack at range, without any of the disadvantages of ranged combat (ammo, losing the weapon, disadvantage in melee, etc). Essentially, you've given the rogue a throwing dagger of returning that suffers no disadvantage if they use it within 5ft of a foe.

How could this be abused? Off the top of my head,

- Booming blade or greenflame blade.

- Divine Strike/Smite.

- Stunning Strike.