Campaign Design - Spells: Darmas' Grasping Hand

Darmas' Grasping Hand (from the Player's Handbook; originally Bigby's Grasping Hand)

Evocation [Force]

Level: Sorcerer/Wizard 7, Tyranny 7
Components: V, S, F/DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 feet + 10 feet per caster level)

Target, Effect, or Area: 10-foot hand

Duration: 1 round per caster level (D)

Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes

Darmas' grasping hand creates a Large magic hand that appears between you and one opponent. This floating, disembodied hand then moves to remain between the two of you, regardless of where you move or how the opponent tries to get around it, providing cover (+4 AC) for you against that opponent. The grasping hand can also grapple one opponent that you select. The grasping hand gets one grapple attack per round. Nothing can fool the hand - it sticks with the selected opponent in spite of darkness, invisibility, polymorphing, or any other attempt at hiding or disguise. The hand does not pursue an opponent, however.

The grasping hand's attack bonus to make contact equals your caster level + your Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier (for wizards, clerics, and sorcerers, respectively), +10 for the hand’s Strength score (31), -1 for being Large. Its grapple bonus is this same figure, except with a +4 modifier for being Large instead of -1. The hand holds but does not harm creatures it grapples.

The grasping hand can also bull rush an opponent as forceful hand does, but at a +16 bonus on the Strength check (+10 for Strength 31, +4 for being Large, and a +2 bonus for charging, which it always gets).

A grasping hand is 10 feet long and about that wide with its fingers outstretched. It has as many hit points as you do when you’re undamaged, and its AC is 20 (-1 size, +11 natural). It takes damage as a normal creature, but most magical effects that don’t cause damage do not affect it.

The grasping hand never provokes attacks of opportunity from opponents. It cannot push through a wall of force or enter an antimagic field, but it suffers the full effect of a prismatic wall or prismatic sphere. The grasping hand makes saving throws as its caster. Disintegrate or a successful dispel magic destroys it.

Any creature weighing 2,000 pounds or less that tries to push past the hand is slowed to half its normal speed. The hand cannot reduce the speed of a creature weighing more than 2,000 pounds, but it still affects the creature’s attacks. Directing the spell to a new target is a move action.

Arcane focus: A soft glove.

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