A frame to hold a net large enough to capture a creature of the size class "large" (that's everything up to and potentially slightly beyond an owlbear) is going to be heavier than 10 pounds.
Another unfounded assumption. The OP merely asked if it was possible for one Mage Hand to deploy a net effectively. Nothing was mentioned about the size of the creature (or animated object) that it catches. The target creature could very likely be Medium, Small or Tiny (though a Tiny creature might need just slip away through the holes in some nets).
it’s in the description of the net: see below
Proficiency with a net allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.
A Large or smaller creature hit by a net is restrained until it is freed. A net has no effect on creatures that are formless, or creatures that are Huge or larger. A creature can use its action to make a DC 10 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. Dealing 5 slashing damage to the net (AC 10) also frees the creature without harming it, ending the effect and destroying the net.
When you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to attack with a net, you can make only one attack regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make.
so yes, you can use it to catch a squirrel if you wish but it is big enough to affect a large creature.
in the end, ask your DM and they can decide if it is possible. And if using your action or bonus action for the AT, to use it to drop a net is what you want, go for it.
A frame to hold a net large enough to capture a creature of the size class "large" (that's everything up to and potentially slightly beyond an owlbear) is going to be heavier than 10 pounds.
Another unfounded assumption. The OP merely asked if it was possible for one Mage Hand to deploy a net effectively. Nothing was mentioned about the size of the creature (or animated object) that it catches. The target creature could very likely be Medium, Small or Tiny (though a Tiny creature might need just slip away through the holes in some nets).
Unless you're intending on chopping up and remaking your weighted net or otherwise homebrewing a smaller net, the net is large enough to hinder a large creature by RAW.
Seems like a whole lot of trouble to try and get this to work. And the net itself weighs 3 pounds so that only leaves 7 for the wood frame, clasps, and anything else needed to make your contraption. I assume the frame is square so it holds the net outstretched.
That assumption would be incorrect. There is no reason for the frame to be square. It can be shaped like an equidistant cross and be just as effective. Instead of 4 pieces of wood, you only need 2 pieces. The clasps are pieces of metal only large enough to clasp the fabric of the net.
I mean, except for the fact that the frame is dropping squarely onto something in that case and may actively keep the net outstretched and prevent it from collapsing inwards, especially in the case of an uneven drop. If the creature is caught by one limb of the cross, then the net is going to catch far less effectively.
Proficiency with a net allows you to add your proficiency bonus to the attack roll for any attack you make with it.
A Large or smaller creature hit by a net is restrained until it is freed. A net has no effect on creatures that are formless, or creatures that are Huge or larger. A creature can use its action to make a DC 10 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success. Dealing 5 slashing damage to the net (AC 10) also frees the creature without harming it, ending the effect and destroying the net.
When you use an action, bonus action, or reaction to attack with a net, you can make only one attack regardless of the number of attacks you can normally make.
so yes, you can use it to catch a squirrel if you wish but it is big enough to affect a large creature.
in the end, ask your DM and they can decide if it is possible. And if using your action or bonus action for the AT, to use it to drop a net is what you want, go for it.
The OP asked if a dropping a net is possible with Mage Hand. That is the question I answered: Yes, it is. Making the frame is a downtime activity. Buying a smaller net or making one with the Weaver's Tools is also a downtime activity. Ergo, unless your DM hates the players using downtime, it is very much possible.
By the time the players have made the contraption, it would probably be just as easy to have the contraption tied in position and then use mage hand simply to flip a catch or pull a piece of string and release the net.
The frame contraption is one way to keep the net open and to do so without a lot of site-of-deployment preparation since the prep happens during downtime. I'm sure there are several ways to do so.
The frame contraption is one way to keep the net open and to do so without a lot of site-of-deployment preparation since the prep happens during downtime. I'm sure there are several ways to do so.
Well as long as it is for a static trap. I wouldn't want to be lugging a 10 ft x 10 ft prepped net around with me.
You can design it so that it the two pieces of wood slide together so that it looks like just 1 piece of wood. Also, it's not likely to be 10 feet X 10 feet because that would weigh more than 10 lbs. Probably more like 5 feet X 5 feet.
I have thought about this several times, but both Mage Hand and Unseen Servants cannot attack.
Catapult, however, is totally feasible. It’s a recurrent strategy I’m employing with my Wizard. Really good damage and an annoying restraining for the target.
Catapult damages both the object thrown and the target...given that 5 slashing damage destroys the net, I doubt the net survives the 3d6 bludgeoning damage on impact to effectively restrain the target (using object hitpoints, that is)
On the general question being answered, I would rule no, the hand cannot drop the net on the enemy and effect the nets restraining effect. the hand cannot attack, and if it dropped the net, at best it would be a saving throw on the part of the target to dodge it for minimal bludgeoning damage, not effect the restraint.
You can design it so that it the two pieces of wood slide together so that it looks like just 1 piece of wood. Also, it's not likely to be 10 feet X 10 feet because that would weigh more than 10 lbs. Probably more like 5 feet X 5 feet.
Can your 5x5 foot net restrain an owlbear? Because the PHB's net can. Casting nets are pretty big, generally.
What do Owlbears specifically have to do with nets? The PHB net is a standard net, but it is by no means the only size of net out there. If you can make a 10 X 10 net, you can make a 5 X 5 net. It all depends what or who you are trying to catch.
The tricky thing about a 10 X 10 net, is that the the frame would need to be much larger. That A) makes it a lot heavier and B) makes it a lot less portable unless you have a Centaur or Goliath in the party who doesn't mind carrying bulky stuff for the spellcaster. It's still possible to use Mage Hand to release the net in that case, but you would need rope and pulley or a very strong branch as leverage to set up the rope, decreasing the amount of effective weight the Mage Hand would need to hold onto. The site of use then becomes a lot more limited.
All this theorycraft is pointless, to 'activate' a net you must make an attack roll with it as per RAW. The Mage Hand spell explicitly states that it cannot make attacks. Therefore Mage Hand is unable to actually entangle a target with a net, it could drop a light enough net on a target doing no damage and not entangling a target but that is it. All the rest of the discussion is simply people trying to get around the strictures of the spell or utilise a loophole in the rules that doesn't exist - unless you completely homebrew it - in which case this post is in the wrong forum.
What do Owlbears specifically have to do with nets? The PHB net is a standard net, but it is by no means the only size of net out there. If you can make a 10 X 10 net, you can make a 5 X 5 net. It all depends what or who you are trying to catch.
The tricky thing about a 10 X 10 net, is that the the frame would need to be much larger. That A) makes it a lot heavier and B) makes it a lot less portable unless you have a Centaur or Goliath in the party who doesn't mind carrying bulky stuff for the spellcaster. It's still possible to use Mage Hand to release the net in that case, but you would need rope and pulley or a very strong branch as leverage to set up the rope, decreasing the amount of effective weight the Mage Hand would need to hold onto. The site of use then becomes a lot more limited.
As this is the rules and game mechanics forum, the bias towards content discussion is going to be towards the rules as written with some discussion of interpretation as possible. By RAW, the net in the options for adventurers to take as a martial weapon captures large and smaller creatures. From there you get into homebrewing mechanics as all other nets fall into the two categories, by RAW, of:
1) Similar enough to a martial casting net, i.e., can be thrown and can hinder large and smaller creatures. This would fall under the written clause that a DM can rule an item as similar enough to a weapon to be used as one i.e. knife is to dagger as staff is to quarterstaff as chair leg is to club.
2) Dissimilar enough to not meet those functions, in which case you are dealing with an improvised weapon which does 1d4 damage when used as a weapon and any features beyond that will have to be homebrew.
What do Owlbears specifically have to do with nets? The PHB net is a standard net, but it is by no means the only size of net out there. If you can make a 10 X 10 net, you can make a 5 X 5 net. It all depends what or who you are trying to catch.
The tricky thing about a 10 X 10 net, is that the the frame would need to be much larger. That A) makes it a lot heavier and B) makes it a lot less portable unless you have a Centaur or Goliath in the party who doesn't mind carrying bulky stuff for the spellcaster. It's still possible to use Mage Hand to release the net in that case, but you would need rope and pulley or a very strong branch as leverage to set up the rope, decreasing the amount of effective weight the Mage Hand would need to hold onto. The site of use then becomes a lot more limited.
As this is the rules and game mechanics forum, the bias towards content discussion is going to be towards the rules as written with some discussion of interpretation as possible. By RAW, the net in the options for adventurers to take as a martial weapon captures large and smaller creatures. From there you get into homebrewing mechanics as all other nets fall into the two categories, by RAW, of:
1) Similar enough to a martial casting net, i.e., can be thrown and can hinder large and smaller creatures. This would fall under the written clause that a DM can rule an item as similar enough to a weapon to be used as one i.e. knife is to dagger as staff is to quarterstaff as chair leg is to club.
2) Dissimilar enough to not meet those functions, in which case you are dealing with an improvised weapon which does 1d4 damage when used as a weapon and any features beyond that will have to be homebrew.
There is nothing in the rules saying that PCs cannot craft standard bog-ordinary items for themselves. Why is this hard to understand? A net made to capture Medium-sized creatures is still just a net. Nothing magical, nothing outside RAW. It's actually a Weaker net, by most standards, because it can't capture Large ones. If you say that ONLY PHB exact items exist in your game, then your basically also saying that wakizashis can't exist by RAW in D&D because it's explicitly spelled out in the PHB. That's ludicrous.
What do Owlbears specifically have to do with nets? The PHB net is a standard net, but it is by no means the only size of net out there. If you can make a 10 X 10 net, you can make a 5 X 5 net. It all depends what or who you are trying to catch.
The tricky thing about a 10 X 10 net, is that the the frame would need to be much larger. That A) makes it a lot heavier and B) makes it a lot less portable unless you have a Centaur or Goliath in the party who doesn't mind carrying bulky stuff for the spellcaster. It's still possible to use Mage Hand to release the net in that case, but you would need rope and pulley or a very strong branch as leverage to set up the rope, decreasing the amount of effective weight the Mage Hand would need to hold onto. The site of use then becomes a lot more limited.
As this is the rules and game mechanics forum, the bias towards content discussion is going to be towards the rules as written with some discussion of interpretation as possible. By RAW, the net in the options for adventurers to take as a martial weapon captures large and smaller creatures. From there you get into homebrewing mechanics as all other nets fall into the two categories, by RAW, of:
1) Similar enough to a martial casting net, i.e., can be thrown and can hinder large and smaller creatures. This would fall under the written clause that a DM can rule an item as similar enough to a weapon to be used as one i.e. knife is to dagger as staff is to quarterstaff as chair leg is to club.
2) Dissimilar enough to not meet those functions, in which case you are dealing with an improvised weapon which does 1d4 damage when used as a weapon and any features beyond that will have to be homebrew.
There is nothing in the rules saying that PCs cannot craft standard bog-ordinary items for themselves. Why is this hard to understand? A net made to capture Medium-sized creatures is still just a net. Nothing magical, nothing outside RAW. It's actually a Weaker net, by most standards, because it can't capture Large ones. If you say that ONLY PHB exact items exist in your game, then your basically also saying that wakizashis can't exist by RAW in D&D because it's explicitly spelled out in the PHB. That's ludicrous.
There is nothing in the rules saying that PCs cannot craft standard bog-ordinary items for themselves. Why is this hard to understand? A net made to capture Medium-sized creatures is still just a net. Nothing magical, nothing outside RAW. It's actually a Weaker net, by most standards, because it can't capture Large ones. If you say that ONLY PHB exact items exist in your game, then your basically also saying that wakizashis can't exist by RAW in D&D because it's explicitly spelled out in the PHB. That's ludicrous.
A net with a wooden harness isn't a "standard bog-ordinary item" though. It is a highly specialised creation of engineering - and the classic D&D world isn't high tech - otherwise you get back to the portable hole and bag of holding arrow.
No, it was a legitimate response to the statement that you made saying you had banned them in your game because they were to overpowered. The message in the equipment section is quite clear as to how to add in your own weapons and equipment - chose the nearest thing in the table, use it's stats and just change the name. They also give several examples for doing this. A Wakizashi was considered a short sword, used sometimes on it's own or sometimes with a Katana so using the stats for a shortsword and simply saying it looks like a Wakizashi is completely acceptable, same thing for a Gladius Iberius as used by roman soldiers. The point is that it doesn't matter if the net is the standard one in the PHB or if the player makes their own smaller sized net. The mechanics are identical unless you homebrew. In order to entangle someone with a net you must make an attack roll. Mage Hand cannot make attacks and therefore by RAW cannot entangle someone in a net. The only way to allow this is to homebrew it.
No, it was a legitimate response to the statement that you made saying you had banned them in your game because they were to overpowered. The message in the equipment section is quite clear as to how to add in your own weapons and equipment - chose the nearest thing in the table, use it's stats and just change the name. They also give several examples for doing this. A Wakizashi was considered a short sword, used sometimes on it's own or sometimes with a Katana so using the stats for a shortsword and simply saying it looks like a Wakizashi is completely acceptable, same thing for a Gladius Iberius as used by roman soldiers. The point is that it doesn't matter if the net is the standard one in the PHB or if the player makes their own smaller sized net. The mechanics are identical unless you homebrew. In order to entangle someone with a net you must make an attack roll. Mage Hand cannot make attacks and therefore by RAW cannot entangle someone in a net. The only way to allow this is to homebrew it.
He was saying that his post was sarcasm, not yours, lol
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
it’s in the description of the net: see below
so yes, you can use it to catch a squirrel if you wish but it is big enough to affect a large creature.
in the end, ask your DM and they can decide if it is possible. And if using your action or bonus action for the AT, to use it to drop a net is what you want, go for it.
EZD6 by DM Scotty
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/397599/EZD6-Core-Rulebook?
Unless you're intending on chopping up and remaking your weighted net or otherwise homebrewing a smaller net, the net is large enough to hinder a large creature by RAW.
I mean, except for the fact that the frame is dropping squarely onto something in that case and may actively keep the net outstretched and prevent it from collapsing inwards, especially in the case of an uneven drop. If the creature is caught by one limb of the cross, then the net is going to catch far less effectively.
The OP asked if a dropping a net is possible with Mage Hand. That is the question I answered: Yes, it is. Making the frame is a downtime activity. Buying a smaller net or making one with the Weaver's Tools is also a downtime activity. Ergo, unless your DM hates the players using downtime, it is very much possible.
By the time the players have made the contraption, it would probably be just as easy to have the contraption tied in position and then use mage hand simply to flip a catch or pull a piece of string and release the net.
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
The frame contraption is one way to keep the net open and to do so without a lot of site-of-deployment preparation since the prep happens during downtime. I'm sure there are several ways to do so.
Well as long as it is for a static trap. I wouldn't want to be lugging a 10 ft x 10 ft prepped net around with me.
You can design it so that it the two pieces of wood slide together so that it looks like just 1 piece of wood. Also, it's not likely to be 10 feet X 10 feet because that would weigh more than 10 lbs. Probably more like 5 feet X 5 feet.
Catapult damages both the object thrown and the target...given that 5 slashing damage destroys the net, I doubt the net survives the 3d6 bludgeoning damage on impact to effectively restrain the target (using object hitpoints, that is)
On the general question being answered, I would rule no, the hand cannot drop the net on the enemy and effect the nets restraining effect. the hand cannot attack, and if it dropped the net, at best it would be a saving throw on the part of the target to dodge it for minimal bludgeoning damage, not effect the restraint.
Can your 5x5 foot net restrain an owlbear? Because the PHB's net can. Casting nets are pretty big, generally.
What do Owlbears specifically have to do with nets? The PHB net is a standard net, but it is by no means the only size of net out there. If you can make a 10 X 10 net, you can make a 5 X 5 net. It all depends what or who you are trying to catch.
The tricky thing about a 10 X 10 net, is that the the frame would need to be much larger. That A) makes it a lot heavier and B) makes it a lot less portable unless you have a Centaur or Goliath in the party who doesn't mind carrying bulky stuff for the spellcaster. It's still possible to use Mage Hand to release the net in that case, but you would need rope and pulley or a very strong branch as leverage to set up the rope, decreasing the amount of effective weight the Mage Hand would need to hold onto. The site of use then becomes a lot more limited.
All this theorycraft is pointless, to 'activate' a net you must make an attack roll with it as per RAW. The Mage Hand spell explicitly states that it cannot make attacks. Therefore Mage Hand is unable to actually entangle a target with a net, it could drop a light enough net on a target doing no damage and not entangling a target but that is it. All the rest of the discussion is simply people trying to get around the strictures of the spell or utilise a loophole in the rules that doesn't exist - unless you completely homebrew it - in which case this post is in the wrong forum.
As this is the rules and game mechanics forum, the bias towards content discussion is going to be towards the rules as written with some discussion of interpretation as possible. By RAW, the net in the options for adventurers to take as a martial weapon captures large and smaller creatures. From there you get into homebrewing mechanics as all other nets fall into the two categories, by RAW, of:
1) Similar enough to a martial casting net, i.e., can be thrown and can hinder large and smaller creatures. This would fall under the written clause that a DM can rule an item as similar enough to a weapon to be used as one i.e. knife is to dagger as staff is to quarterstaff as chair leg is to club.
2) Dissimilar enough to not meet those functions, in which case you are dealing with an improvised weapon which does 1d4 damage when used as a weapon and any features beyond that will have to be homebrew.
There is nothing in the rules saying that PCs cannot craft standard bog-ordinary items for themselves. Why is this hard to understand? A net made to capture Medium-sized creatures is still just a net. Nothing magical, nothing outside RAW. It's actually a Weaker net, by most standards, because it can't capture Large ones. If you say that ONLY PHB exact items exist in your game, then your basically also saying that wakizashis can't exist by RAW in D&D because it's explicitly spelled out in the PHB. That's ludicrous.
I've baned wakizashis from my game-- to OP.
A net with a wooden harness isn't a "standard bog-ordinary item" though. It is a highly specialised creation of engineering - and the classic D&D world isn't high tech - otherwise you get back to the portable hole and bag of holding arrow.
A Wakizashi is just a shortsword, and uses shortsword stats. It isn't OP, it just has an Oriental theme and appearance.
Scarcasm
No, it was a legitimate response to the statement that you made saying you had banned them in your game because they were to overpowered. The message in the equipment section is quite clear as to how to add in your own weapons and equipment - chose the nearest thing in the table, use it's stats and just change the name. They also give several examples for doing this. A Wakizashi was considered a short sword, used sometimes on it's own or sometimes with a Katana so using the stats for a shortsword and simply saying it looks like a Wakizashi is completely acceptable, same thing for a Gladius Iberius as used by roman soldiers. The point is that it doesn't matter if the net is the standard one in the PHB or if the player makes their own smaller sized net. The mechanics are identical unless you homebrew. In order to entangle someone with a net you must make an attack roll. Mage Hand cannot make attacks and therefore by RAW cannot entangle someone in a net. The only way to allow this is to homebrew it.
He was saying that his post was sarcasm, not yours, lol