If a character needs two hands to hold a weapon (e.g. Heavy Crossbow), can they cast the Mage Hand cantrip to carry a torch for them since the torch weighs less than 10 pounds? I'm specifically concerned about the ability to "renew" Mage Hand every minute out of combat to insure the torch isn't dropped. While exploring dark places, would they be able to act normally and interact with the environment while moving the Mage Hand so it keeps the torch at their side? The assumption during combat is that the Mage Hand would remain stationary while the character is fighting, therefore not consuming any actions.
To summarize, can Mage Hand be maintained and moved continuously to carry a torch out of combat without dropping it and without preventing the character from moving & interacting with the environment normally?
Best Answer
RAW, no
Mage hand specifies (PHB 256):
Additionally,
Given that the casting of the spell is an action, it would take 6 seconds after the first hand disappeared for you to be able to grab the torch again. In any normal circumstance, the torch would fall to the ground.
However, many DMs (myself included) rule that it can do what you're asking, even though that's not the strict reading.