Bigby's clenched fist

Bigby's clenched fist was an evocation spell that conjured a hand of force to attack one's foes. Clerics who cast this spell named it for their deities&mdash;Torm's clenched fist, for example. To Zakharan mages, always reluctant to acknowledge ajami names and accomplishments, the spell was known simply as clenched fist, and counted among the spells of the universal province.

Effects
This spell was one of the Bigby's hand family of spells. It created a fist of force about the size of an ogre that could be used to pummel an opponent. All versions of this spell relied on the caster's senses to detect and locate a target, the fist did not have senses of its own.

The earliest versions never missed the target once it was designated, but the quality of each strike and the amount of damage were random. A new target could be chosen after each attack, but otherwise the caster did not need to concentrate on the spell to maintain it. Later versions required a successful melee spell attack to damage an opponent and the caster had to direct the fist for the duration of the spell. The clenched fist could also be used in the same manner as Bigby's interposing hand or as an improved Bigby's forceful hand with greater strength. If cast at a higher level than the minimum, additional damage could be inflicted.

Range and duration varied widely over the history of this spell. For the earliest versions, a wizard that had advanced just enough to cast this spell could control the fist for 16 minutes and extend its reach to 80 ft (24.4 m) indoors/80 yd (73.2 m) outdoors. Later versions lasted only a minute or two, but the reach was extended from 120 ft (36.6 m) to 260 ft (79.2m) at a minimum.

For all versions of this spell, the health of the fist was the same as the caster's uninjured health.

When cast on Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells, the fist appeared to be a fiend's clenched claw.

Components
In addition to the verbal component, all versions required somatic gestures. After the Second Sundering, the hand imitated the movement of the caster's hand for the duration of the spell. The early versions required a glove made of leather and a pair of brass knuckles (four conjoined rings that fit over four fingers with a crossbar in the palm) as the material component. A later version used only the glove without the brass knuckles. After the Second Sundering, the material components were refined to an eggshell and a glove made of snakeskin.

Baldur's Gate II (computer game)
This spell is available to mages in Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. It created a disembodied hand which squeezed one creature. The first attack dealt some damage and the target was held by the hand. The target had a chance to escape the second or the third squeezing, but otherwise suffered more damage and was immobilized.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Dungeon #28: "The Pipes of Doom"
 * Video Games
 * Dungeon Hack &bull; Eye of the Beholder III: Assault on Myth Drannor &bull; Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal &bull; Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition
 * Card Games
 * Spellfire: Master the Magic