Bigby's grasping hand

Bigby's grasping hand was an evocation spell used by sorcerers that creates a magical hand of force to provide cover, shove, or grapple opponents. It was presumably developed by Bigby and is most commonly used by chaos sorcerers. Functioning similarly to Bigby's interposing hand, spectral claw can, in addition obstructing a creature, attack it. When it successfully does so, it holds the creature still for a moment and crushes it beneath its grasp, injuring it. For chaos sorcerers, it is also possible to use the hand to move a creature forcibly a number of feet dependent on the sorcerer's dexterity. Spectral claw can be cast again after a short rest of a few minutes or more.

Prior to the Spellplague, spectral claw was also used by wizards and was better known as Bigby's grasping hand. At this time the spell was more difficult to learn and was also restricted to a number of uses per day dependent on a sorcerer's overall spellcasting power or a wizard's preparation for its casting. A similar prayer was also used by clerics.