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From D&D 5e wiki:

A spectral, floating hand appears at a point you choose within range. The hand lasts for the duration or until you dismiss it as an action. The hand vanishes if it is ever more than 30 feet away from you or if you cast this spell again.

You can use your action to control the hand. You can use the hand to manipulate an object, open an unlocked door or container, stow or retrieve an item from an open container, or pour the contents out of a vial. You can move the hand up to 30 feet each time you use it. The hand can't attack, activate magic items, or carry more than 10 pounds.

If multiple people cast mage hand on the same object, would it be possible to collaboratively carry an object over the 10 lbs. limit? Would the group be able to carry an object of maximum weight of 10 lbs. per mage hand?

I am mostly looking for RAW, although any input on spell collaboration would be sufficient.

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2 Answers 2

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Yes, multiple mage hands may carry more weight.

In general, game effects with the same name do not stack. In this case however, stacking is not an issue. Although a cursory reading of RAW would indicate that you could not lift an object over 10 pounds in weight, a more careful analysis of the wording reveals that a mage hand may not "carry more than 10 pounds", not that it may not "carry an object weighing more than 10 pounds".

So yes, if you want to carry a two person tent (20 lbs), then it is perfectly reasonable for two mage hands to each carry 10 pounds of the weight.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Nice catch on the wording. I'm glad to have something more concrete than "DM's call". \$\endgroup\$
    – A.B.
    Jun 6, 2017 at 19:30
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RAW no.

In 5e when players collaborate in an action it is simply "Help"

Help

You can lend your aid to another creature in the completion of a task. When you take the Help action, the creature you aid gains advantage on the next ability check it makes to perform the task you are helping with, provided that it makes the check before the start of your next turn.

As this requires no skill check there would be no effect when using multiple mage hands in this fashion.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Carrying something isn't subject to skill checks unless the object is heavier than a characters carrying capacity, which isn't applicable in this case \$\endgroup\$
    – MasterArcanist
    Jun 4, 2017 at 5:21
  • \$\begingroup\$ Actually the item in question is specifically heavier than the hands carrying capacity. \$\endgroup\$
    – Slamerz
    Jun 4, 2017 at 5:23
  • \$\begingroup\$ A better example of the "help" action is distracting a target while a buddy pick pockets them. \$\endgroup\$
    – starlord7
    Jun 5, 2017 at 18:30

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