Mage hand and 10 darts worth of pain

[Kinrehlin]

*note: I'm a bit new to D&D and I don't get to play very often, just FYI*

During writing up our characters, my boyfriend stumbled across the 0-level spell mage hand. Then, he got the idea of combining 5 lb. telekinesis with 10 darts (each weighing 1/2 lb.) for a ranged attack dealing 10d4s to a target within 15' of his sorcerer. The description in the PHB doesn't seem to conflict this idea, except that the object that the spell is casted on has to be unattended (although I guess he could just drop them then cast it). Munchkining aside, does this really work by RAW?

[Dr Bwaa]

Mage hand can only target one object. So yes, you could mage hand one dart like this (though your DM would probably still require you to make a ranged attack), but no more than one at a time.

EDIT: also, unattended just means (effectively) not on the person of a hostile person. So you can mage hand darts out of your rogue's outstretched hand (assuming he's cool with that), but not pick pockets with it.

[tyckspoon]

Mage Hand targets 1 object. So he could launch a single dart at something within 15 feet, assuming your DM is lenient enough to let the spell be used to make an attack. He could potentially do two per round if he stands completely still and trades down his standard action for another move action to control the spell again. 2d4 possible damage at the cost of standing inside of 15 feet next to something that wants to kill you. Probably safer to just throw the darts by hand.

[The Glyphstone]

This trick does, however, work very well with full-on Telekinesis. Granted, you don't use darts there, you use ballista bolts, but still. :)

[Shpadoinkle]

I would never allow that. No DM in his right mind would, either.

As I recall, Mage Hand specifically states that it moves a single object, weighing no more than five pounds, SLOWLY, and the limit is something like 30' per round. That's not even as fast as something would fall.

Consider how much damage something, say a dart, would do if it fell thirty feet. Probably not much, but enough to worry about. Now consider something travelling at say, half that speed. Much less damage.

There's no way it's doing more than a single point of damage. I'd let you "throw" a dart, every round even, with Mage Hand, but you'd get a penalty to hit, and even if they did hit, they'd never do more than 1 point of damage.

[Curmudgeon]

Note that Mage Hand (and ditto for Telekinesis, for that matter) provides no weapon proficiencies. Wizards don't have proficiency with darts, so they would suffer the usual -4 to hit.

Also Mage Hand has restrictions built into its "Target" specification:

Target: One nonmagical, unattended object weighing up to 5 lb.

There is no provision for continuing the spell and allowing you to target another object; it's one target only. And once a weapon sticks in an enemy it is no longer unattended, and the spell ends.

[Epic_Wizard]

There are also a couple of specialized spells that let you launch items (to lazy to look them up) and make attack rolls. These are better for things like say Tanglefoot Bags that normally have sucky range increments though.

[Mystery Meep]

Nah, don't worry about the darts. What you use mage hand for is to quietly levitate that bag of flour over the invisible opponent of yours, because you have see invisibility and the rest of your party doesn't.

See, you release your hold and the bag of flour falls. Is it all that efficient? Probably not. Is it absolutely hilarious? Yes.

[Leon]

There are also a couple of specialized spells that let you launch items (to lazy to look them up) and make attack rolls. These are better for things like say Tanglefoot Bags that normally have sucky range increments though.

One is called Launch Items

[Curmudgeon]

One is called Launch Items

Actually that's Launch Item (singular); there's also Launch Bolt (both in Spell Compendium).

[Frog Dragon]

Another one Is Catapult from Csco

[Deimos_]

Did anyone else think "vectors" when looking at this thread?

[RagnaroksChosen]

just use launch bolt... from the spell compendium.

[Darrin]

During writing up our characters, my boyfriend stumbled across the 0-level spell mage hand. Then, he got the idea of combining 5 lb. telekinesis with 10 darts (each weighing 1/2 lb.) for a ranged attack dealing 10d4s to a target within 15' of his sorcerer. The description in the PHB doesn't seem to conflict this idea, except that the object that the spell is casted on has to be unattended (although I guess he could just drop them then cast it). Munchkining aside, does this really work by RAW?

Doesn't work, as others have already stated. However, some other things you could try:

Put four flasks of acid in a sack (4.5 lbs). Have the mage hand carry the sack over and above a target, and then empty the sack. The four acid flasks will then drop into the target's square and shatter. If your DM is leniant, he *may* give you four attack rolls to see if the flasks hit the target. Otherwise, they shatter somewhere in the square (roll 1d4 to determine which corner) and all creatures within 5' take 4 points of acid damage.

Or do something similar with a bag of caltrops. A 2 lb bag fills a 5' square, assuming your DM concedes that emptying a bag over a square is the same as spreading them by hand. The caltrops get an attack roll against a target in that square if the target moves into it or has to fight in that square, so just have an ally attack the target.

If there's a rogue in the party, then you can make him your BFF by doing the same trick with a bag of marbles (Arms & Equipment Guide, p. 24). Target has to make a DC 15 Balance check and might fall. Even if the target makes this check, unless they have 5 ranks in Balance, they are considered flat-footed (hello Sneak Attack!) until they leave that square.

[littlebottom]

throwing 10 doesnt work, no, but floating a 5lb rock into the air 15 foot above the target and dropping it on his head might well work. same with a dart but if your being realistic, the dart wont do that much from the speed it falls, unless you get it poisoned i suppose. but as long as your DM is lenient, or like me, praises inventiveness, then they will allow it, when i DM i like to see inventive ways to use spells and the like, as long as its realistic. a 5 lb rock dropped on your head from about 15 foot has potential to crack your skull open, or more likely, knock you out.

[Curmudgeon]

throwing 10 doesnt work, no, but floating a 5lb rock into the air 15 foot above the target and dropping it on his head might well work

Nope, it won't work. The rules are in the DMG and here. A 5 lb. rock must fall at least 70' to do 1d6 damage; any less and the damage is zero.