Can you grapple or shove a non-creature

attackdnd-5egrappletargeting

The rules for grappling and shoving clearly apply to creatures:

Grappling. When you want to grab a creature or wrestle with it, you can use the Attack action to make a special melee attack, a grapple. If you’re able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them.

Shoving a creature. Using the Attack action, you can make a special melee attack to shove a creature, either to knock it prone or push it away from you. If you’re able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them.

However, in 5e there are a number of entities that are not technically creatures:

Is it possible to shove or grapple these entities?

Best Answer

No, grapple and shoving attacks can be performed on creatures only.

You quoted the relevant rules: both attacks require that the target be a creature.

In particular, about your listed entities:

  • Bigby's hand is an object, not a creature: it can grapple because its description says so, under the Specific beats general principle.
  • Guardian of Faith is neither a creature, nor an object. It does not provide any stats block, nor point to a Monster stats block. Moreover, the spell description does not provide any partial stats (AC, HP, attacks) that might suggest a DM ruling in that sense.
  • Spiritual Weapon is...a weapon. You can check the difference with a Flying Sword, which is technically a creature and hence can be grappled and/or shoved.
  • Unseen Servant is not a creature either.

A DM has always the final word.

The above considerations are based on the direct application of the rules. A DM has the final decision, they may allow these kinds of attack even for objects and for other entities (such as an Unseen servant).