Hand - Dragon

The spell brings into being a faintly glowing area of force similar in size and shape to a human hand. It has four fingers and an opposable thumb. The fingers of the hand are much more precise in their movements than, for example, an unseen servant. The Dexterity ability score of the fingers is equal to the casting dragon's Intelligence, plus 1d3-l.

The hand is very weak when compared to typical dragon strength. It can lift objects weighing up to 60 pounds and can apply an equivalent amount of force. Thus, it can crush only the most fragile of objects. The hand cannot wield a weapon or throw an object.

The hand can deliver a single slapping attack per round; its THAC0 is the same as the dragon's. The slap causes no damage, but a successful hit will break a spellcaster's concentration and ruin a spell.

The dragon must have a direct line of sight to the hand. As soon as the dragon's view of the hand is blocked, the spell ends.

Hand is one of the few draconic spells that might possibly be learned by a non-dragon.

For dragons unable to polymorph or shapechange into human or demihuman form, the lack of small manipulating digits is a real problem. They can't write, they can't open small jewelry boxes, and so on. The hand spell solves this problem.

Notes: Common for dragons; otherwise very rare. Known to be in the Draconomicon.