[RPG] Can Mage Hand be used on the turn it is cast

actionsdnd-5espells

The description for Mage Hand lists a casting time of 1 action. The spell's description elaborates on its function as:

You can use your action to control the hand.

I would personally interpret this such that you could only start using your Mage Hand the turn after you cast it. However, this makes it pretty unusable in combat or situations where immediate action is required.

Is my assumption correct that the casting time of one action makes the Mage Hand only controllable the turn after it was cast?

Best Answer

Your assumption is correct. Unlike, for example, Spiritual Weapon, Mage Hand doesn't say anything about a free use on the turn you cast it, so it requires your action to cast it followed by your action on a subsequent turn to use it.

Minor caveat: An Arcane Trickster can control a Mage Hand with a bonus action, so they could create with their action then use it with their bonus action. Also, a Fighter could use Action Surge to gain an extra action and use it on the same turn.