Using Mage Hand in Combat

Some say the Mage Hand spell is not useful in combat. . . . I disagree.

 

Mage Hand spell description (5e SRD): "A spectral, floating hand appears at a point you choose within range. The hand lasts for the duration or until you dismiss it as an action. The hand vanishes if it is ever more than 30 feet away from you or if you cast this spell again.  You can use your action to control the hand. You can use the hand to manipulate an object, open an unlocked door or container, stow or retrieve an item from an open container, or pour the contents out of a vial. You can move the hand up to 30 feet each time you use it.  The hand can't attack, activate magic items, or carry more than 10 pounds."

TACTICS USEFUL AGAINST ANY FOE

• hold torch or lantern while PCs fight, freeing a PC's hand for a weapon or shield
• hold a shield in front of PC (in 5e, a basic shield weighs 6 lb)
• trip a known trap while PCs remain at safe distance
• empty a flask oil; drop a torch on the pool of oil
• pour a healing potion in PC's mouth
• drop a 10-lb stone from 30 ft in the air onto foe's head (if DM allows)
• drop something loud to distract a guard while PC sneaks or backstabs
• place upside-down bucket on foe's head, over and over again
• tie foe's shoelaces together
• pull foe's pants down around ankles
• throw sand in foe's eyes
• spread grease or ball bearings to cause foe to fall prone
• spread caltrops to slow down foe
• hold a strip of cloth/sack/hanky in front of foe's eyes as a blindfold
• put a sack over foe's head, blinding for a round
• ring a bell in the ear of a foe to distract the foe
• use needle/nail/knife to put holes in foes' water skins, potion flasks, etc.
• use torch to set fire to foe's clothes, backpack, sacks
• use torch to set fire to anything foe is standing on/in/behind (wooden shield, wooden wall, wooden house, wooden catwalk behind battlement, wooden table, wooden door, etc.) to obscure foe's vision or force foe to leave cover/position

 
TACTICS USEFUL AGAINST HAND-HELD WEAPON USERS

• hold a buckler or shield in front of PC (in 5e, a basic shield weighs 6 lb)
• untie foe's scabbard belt or weapon straps
• use torch to set fire to foe's scabbard or weapon straps
• "hold hands" with one of the foe's hands so that the foe cannot pick up a weapon (primary hand) or hold a shield (secondary hand)

 
TACTICS USEFUL AGAINST ARCHERS OR SLINGERS

• steal arrows from foe's quiver
• use torch to set fire to foe's quiver
• use torch to set fire to archer's arrows, burn off feathers, decrease arrow accuracy
• use knife or scissors to cut foe's bowstring
• grab onto foe's arrow just before it is released to weigh it down so it falls short
• grab onto side of foe's arrow just before it is released to make it hook to left/right
• grab onto feathers of foe's arrow before it is released so that it has no aerodynamic stability
• grab onto sling pouch and stone so that the stone can't leave the pouch
• "hold hands" with one of the foe's hands so that the foe cannot hold bow or pull bowstring

 
TACTICS USEFUL AGAINST SPELL CASTERS

• steal spell caster's spell focus
• steal spell caster's spell components/materials
• stuff a gag, of the hand itself, into spell caster's mouth to foil verbal spells
• ring a bell in caster's ear to break concentration
• use needle/nail/knife to put holes in foes' potion flasks
• spill bottle of ink on caster's scroll, defacing/obscuring it
• use torch to set fire to caster's scroll
• use torch to set fire to caster's wooden staff or spell focus
• use torch to set fire to caster's clothes, backpack, etc., to break concentration (if DM allows)
• "hold hands" with one of the caster's hands to reduce ability to cast spells with hand gestures (casters only need one hand free to cast a spell, but this would prevent holding a staff in the other hand, for example)

 
TACTICS USEFUL AGAINST UNDEAD

• drop vial of holy water on foe
• hold a holy symbol/garlic/wolfsbane and advance on foe
• use torch to set fire to undead (if DM allows)