Cantrips - Treantmonk's recommended
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ค. 2024
- For your quick reference, my recommended Cantrips:
Minor Illusion - Blocks vision in combat and other creative uses
Guidance - Small bonus, but comes up all the time
Eldritch Blast - Almost all Warlocks will want this, the class is built for it
Fire Bolt, Chill Touch, Ray of Frost - All good, but pick just one
Toll the Dead - Good for Melee, High AC enemies, or other disadvantages to attack
Thorn Whip - The 10' pull effect provides advantages
Light - The best light spell
Mage Hand - Telekinisis is useful, no concentration
Mending - Useful, comes up more than you would think, really good for Archers
Prestidigitation - Very versatile, also fun
Booming Blade - for specific builds only, but for those builds, this is the best choice
Shape Water - Make ice bridges and a few other effects
Shillelagh - allows low level Druids to melee decently
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“You can’t change cantrips, you’re stuck with them.”
*Waves from 2021 “The poor, uncivilized fools…”
Saved my bacon with Prestidigitation once: a young kraken had hold of me over a pool of water, and nothing we were trying to talk our way out of the situation was working. I flavored my clothes where its tentacles were holding me to be incredibly bitter, and it dropped me. Gave us the opening we needed!
me likey
That's how you DnD!
Fire bolt's secondary effect is that it's the only attack cantrip that can target an object. Depending on the situation, that can be quite useful
Acid splash not being able to melt objects is acidnine.
I have used that effect before.
I hope you have seen his later videos where he picks Fire Bolt, saying his viewers pointed out how it is unique among cantrips by targeting objects too. Nice catch!
It should be noted that Thorn Whip is a Melee Spell Attack, with a 30' range. Not a Ranged Spell Attack.
Thanks, that's a good catch.
Ahhh, I love catches like this. Now I'm gonna have to look through everything for stuff that triggers off a melee attack and doesn't specify weapon attack, and do a build around it or something. :)
would a wisdom focused monk benefit from the sha-nay-nay spell? that thing that makes your phisical attacks depend on your wisdom I think.
@@BigAutisticDaddy it's a fine choice for a quarterstaff-weilding monk, absolutely. Only works on wood weapons so you couldn't use it for your unarmed strikes.
@@Torthrodhel A pretty good option that you'll probably take anyway with a Druid is Absorb Elements. You can add the elemental damage from Absorb Elements to your damage roll with Thorn Whip, which is fun to use against casters.
I'm kind of glad that eldricht blast isn't a warlock class feature, though I agree it should be, because having it as a cantrip means that you can transfer it onto another class' spell list using a feat. That may not sound like it would make a difference since you'll probably want a level or two of warlock anyway to improve the cantrip but . . . changing it's base casting stat or allowing it to interact with another class' features can definitely make a difference. None of that would be possible if it was a class feature rather than a cantrip.
I will say create bonefire is kind of underrated. Spell creates a bonfire that is a 5 foot square. You can theoretically place it in a way where it can hit 4 enemies on a grid at once. If there's some sort of restraint, you just need to maintain concentration to let it keep burning while slinging more spells at them. Outside of damage type, it's extremely powerful when compared to something like Sacred Flame.
Start the witch burning! Not enough witches? Any woman would do.
This video inspired me to make a character...
Martin the Mad Mage! A Tabaxi raised in the family business of selling "magical" trinkets, reading fortunes, and squeezing every last copper from the poor naive saps who visit the caravan he calls home (charlatan background). His personal shtick was to claim that he was a full fledged wizard, which required him to use many tricks and misdirections to pull off convincingly (high Dex and Cha, proficiency in deception and slight of hand)
Somewhere back in his family line there must have been some real power, some real connection to the divine however, because shortly after reaching maturity he began to manifest some of the sorcerous power which marked his heritage (level 1 = Divine Soul Sorcerer; Fire Bolt, Guidance, Mending, and Thaumaturgy).
After his powers began to awaken he was approached by the heavenly being which was assigned to watch over his family line and he made a bargain with him to gain more power (level 2 = Celestial Warlock; Sacred Flame, Light, Toll the Dead, Minor Illusion)
He continued to pretend to be a Wizard (only my DM knew my classes and the other players were a tad curious how I had so many divine spells but they just went along with it) and as he leveled up that only became easier (level 3 = Celestial Warlock, Armor of Shadows and Mask of Many Faces for his invocations).
After a few adventures, his party members are fully convinced of his noble wizardry status but still get suprised by his cantrip selection (level 4 = Celestial Warlock, Pact of the Tome, switched out Mask of Many Faces for Book of Ancient Secrets; Thorn Whip, Ray of Frost, Shape Water).
Now he has a "spellbook" and is actively looking for new spells. Whenever he finds one that isn't a ritual, he claims it's not worth his time, it's not good enough, he doesn't have enough money, or he already has that spell (level 5 = Celestial Warlock, Magic Initiate feat for Mage Hand, Message, and Find Familiar; 4th level warlock gives me another cantrip for Eldritch Blast, and another invocation for Agonizing Blast)
That's where he's sitting right now, can't decide if I want to go on in Warlock or switch back to Sorcerer. He pretty much only uses cantrips, which I know is suboptimal, but I just love to role-play him that way.
Fire Bolt, Guidance, Mending, Thaumaturgy, Light, Sacred Flame, Toll The Dead, Minor Illusion, Thorn Whip, Shape Water, Ray of Frost, Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand, Message
Perhaps switch back to sorcerer for a bit. He could easily pass it off as his research in creating new modular cantrips. Though make sure to communicate with your patron. He is there to protect you and your family.
That reminds me of a pair of characters I made up recently. One of them being a halfling dressed up in traditional wizard garb, who is actually the damage sponge, but has to keep up the appearance of being the squishy wizard. And the other being a particularly tall goliath with armor so thick and ornate the other one actually rides on the battlements fitted to the helmet during travel, who goes in front and 'protects' the other one in battle despite actually being the fragile spellcaster (with a level in cleric for heavy armor proficiency). And the idea is that by the time the enemies notice what's going on - that this walking castle they wasted energy running past rather than taking down is throwing out battlefield control spells while this fragile looking thing is taking all the punishment and dishing out staff attack after staff attack in return - it's already too late.
Love your content, sir! That said, Message definitely gets an honorable mention. Spammable telepathy is always helpful. Probably most especially for my own Wizard who is a homebrew race (a Fey corgi who masquerades as an actual dog in most social situations). :)
I also don't know why Eldritch Blast wasn't a class feature for warlocks IN THIS EDITION, because it totally was in fourth edition! It is still the primo choice for them, as you've said.
Been expecting this for a while, thanks for doing it! It really is entertaining and informative watching you.
Thank you.
mending can be combined with revivify to get past the limits of dismembered allies, because when dead they count as an object, which mending can fix.
If your ally was petrified and shattered you can mend them back together and use stone to flesh to bring them back to life.
That shouldn't be allowed
Except Mending takes one minute to cast, which uses up the window of opportunity for Revivify.
@@scottreigle1756 good catch. Gentle repose could fix that, but you'd need someone to cast it within ten rounds of the character perishing. Gentle repose does not make a corpse alive.
Metamagic can lengthen the spell, too. That'd work.
This is kinda hilarious. I can just see the character desperately clawing their way to safety. "Guys! Goodness me, I barely got out of that alive. Bastard took my arm! Don't suppose there are any healers among you?" "Well... of a sort." "Oh I don't care what sort, can you put my arm back before it turns to rot?" "Yes, yes I definitely can." "Please do!" "Okay, hold still, first I'm gonna have to kill you..." "wait what"
Thorn whip is actually a melee attack despite its 30ft range (or 60ft with Spell Sniper, lol). This means you don't attack at disadvantage if an emey is within 5ft. The damage isn't exactly impressive, though, and the secondary effect is wasted if the target is right next to you anyway.
One I'd recommend is Vicious Mockery. It is not, as I've seen some guides suggest, the defacto best cantrip in 5e(what? lol), or even close. But it targets will, can be cast with only a verbal component, and potentially can save you or a party member from taking a very large hit. Targeting will is what makes this spell IMO better than frostbite(despite doing less damage, frostbite targets CON), as most of the enemies you want to inflict with disadvantage on an attack have lower will saves, mainly at low to mid levels. It's not even a cantrip I'd take every time as a bard, but it's one near the top of the list for consideration. At low levels you're often better off simply attacking, assuming you have a good dex, as a dead enemy has no chance to hit you at all, but once you hit levels 4+ vicious mockery starts to become somewhat more appealing as enemies have enough HP to survive a couple weapon attacks. It's also very flavorful and fun to use, getting a kill with it is always fun to RP out.
RPing death by vicious mockery is definitely fun. "You hurt my feelings, TO DEATH!"
@@TreantmonksTemple Dying of shame.
Plus, it has a better damage type than frostbite
I agree, especially in the very early levels were disadvantage can cripple a big enemies single attack.
Still, I'd prefer an attack that doesn't give them an option to attack at all, like slowing them, or hidiing behind a fake wall.
I see Vicious Mockery more as a support/debuff cantrip than a damage cantrip. But lets be honest, no cantrip does great damage, so IMHO it's better to view _all_ damage cantrips first in terms of what sort of support or control they offer. VM is a nice at-will debuff, and I'd probably take it over most other damage cantrips if it was available.
Damage will be lower _unless_ it's an Agonizing Eldritch Blast, in which case it's on-par with a typical Ranger's damage. You can increase your contribution even further by concentrating on another spell at the same time, such as Hypnotic Pattern or Hex. This is one reason why the Sorlock (sorcerer with at least two levels of warlock) is so popular.
Lol hypnotic pattern is so good. Sadly, our dm doesnt let us abuse it.
I always prefer putting super slow-down on EB if I'm taking it. Combining lance of lethargy with one of two other invocations can either doom an enemy to be pulled toward you or doom it along with some of its mates (to a lesser extent) to be pushed away from you. Who doesn't like effectively sapping 20ft off a target's movement with a single cantrip? Or 40ft with two if you're burning through some sorceror points at the same time. Very combinable with some other effects too (I personally like the UA Summon Shadow Spirit with the despair option for an additional 20ft slowdown while it mauls them).
Reading the comments on here got me to reconsider Mold Earth. I can now see it being a pretty decent cantrip with more frequent and useful application than shape water.
Just need to carry around a jug of water to increase the situations you can use shape water in.
Another unsung perk of Toll the Dead (or other "Save" cantrips); if your Cleric uses Guiding Bolt and you want another character to get the Advantage attack (whether it's because they're a Rogue with Disadvantage, and it negates that), it doesn't eat that up like Firebolt would.
I never considered that. Good idea.
Yet another perk: cover (aside from total, obviously) doesn’t give the target any benefit on this particular saving throw.
I was about to take shocking grasp. Will change it right away! Thanks!
thanks for all your hard work Treatmonk, had concussion and sprained wrists from a tramping accident a few months ago and now I can finally twiddle light figure painting with my hands.Been listening to ALL your content while I work. Really appreciated. Playing a Lore Bard in the Kobold Press Midgard world using their Heroes handbook with some really nice spell options to consider for my Magical Secrets too. Love your approach and strategic summaries. be nice to see 5e updated by WoTC to make other spell options more compelling as it seems such a waste of playtest and flavour to have only 30-40 spells viable out of all the choices in the PHB alone. My mate is playing a War Cleric and is reluctant to spam Spiritual guardians and Spiritual weapon as it seems the same as every other cleric build at 5th plus, sure, it's effective as all get out, but not as 'in your face' as a melee build should be, be nice if there were special Booming Blade style equivalent cantrips for specific subclasses. Anyway, always nice to hear your voice!
Teantmonk, you have a very calming ASMR voice and I just wanted to say thank you for getting me through the night shift with your helpful and extremely interesting videos.😁. One thing, thorn whip is actually a melee attack spell not ranged, so if you have anything that can enhance your melee attack rolls it will help with thorn whip.
You'd think Toll the Dead would be on the Bard spell list.
There's always magical secrets.
Metallica build? :)
Subbed, great videos! Really helpful
Why mention light and not produce flame? Produce flame gives light without concentration, gives you a ranged spell attack roll (a rarity on the druid list, the only class that gets this cantrip), and gives you a way to deal fire damage (also not as common on the druid list as you'd think) when you are up against something like a troll or hydra. Also, shillelagh isn't concentration and has a 1-minute duration, there's nothing to stop you from repeatedly casting it on your staff in anticipation of a fight as you walk through the dungeon, freeing up the bonus action on your first turn.
Produce flame is only accessible by druids, whereas all classes might want to consider light.
The range of the light from produce flame is pretty bad
Chill touch is my favorite damage cantrip. Completely shutting down healing is absurdly good situationally, and hampering undead is also good situationally, which means it's useful a lot more often than one would expect.
Shocking grasp is better than you give it credit for, which you allude to in the "complex" discussion. It doesn't disengage you, it stops reactions against your entire party; which can be extremely good. It also has advantage against things wearing metal (or I'd rule made of it as well, since that just makes sense) which means it's more accurate and likely to crit against quite a few foes than other cantrips. Sure, it's melee, but there are enough builds that like to be in melee against certian enemies (especially other casters).
Another argument for Shocking Grasp (and other melee spells) is that it‘s an attack that can get buffed with things like Hex and saving throw cantrips can‘t. This is big in tier 1. So because you can actually change cantrips now with Tasha‘s I will start with Shocking Grasp as secondary Damage Cantrip and later on swap it to Mind Sliver. I want that sweet -d4 on saving throws on my big save-or-suck spells on higher levels.
Thaumaturgy is pure flavour but it *does* have some minor combat applications: Making the ground shake can actually be very useful, say you're fighting on ice, a steep incline or the Wizard just cast a Grease spell, well with the ground shaking the DM might say that everything now has disadvantage on their dexterity saves! Also making your eyes burn with hellfire and your voice boom three times as loudly while ominous whispers can be heard in the background might get you an advantage on your intimidation roll!
Thanks for this!
Really helpful I just wanted to point out that Thorn Whip is a melee attack with a range of 30ft so it may not be a good idea to take it with Shillelagh
Thanks
You're churning these out!
What about message? I find it incredibly useful in a variety of party situations
I almost always take message, it's great out of combat.
@@bhityoon5250 how?
@@ShugoAWay
I mean, message is like walkie talkie, not telelepathy, most if the time the difference is negligible in sneaking scenarios if you dont just shout
I really don't mind my Life Cleric's Sacred Flame - it's far from the best Cantrip, but we're currently only doing PHB and that's the only range I have outside of drawing my crossbow and loading it, which sounds like it should be pretty slow to me and I don't use it unless I have plenty of time before combat. In addition, Knowledge and Light domains get to add their Wis Mod to the damage at level 8 - that's not too bad either. Your Wizard Guide brought me here - it's such a masterpiece, I have went over it a few times over the last year and I've never played a Wizard... but now I want to LOL. Edit: I also, really like Ray of Frost more than the others - robbing someone of 10ft of movement can be pretty useful, whether you're the hunter or the hunted.
Thank you for doing these videos. As much as I have found your guides useful over the years, videos allow for further exploration of things.
For the priests and minstrels among us, it is instructive to point out that there are only 'save or suck' cantrips and if you are going to take two of them, ensure they have different saves and/or dam-types. As much as my Grave Cleric loves his 'Toll the Dead', Sacred Flame is what brings all the skellies to the bone-yard.
I'm curious as to thoughts regarding Primal Savagery as an alternative to Shillelagh. Mind you, it's not EB, but...
Skeletons, strangely enough, like most undead, take necrotic damage just fine, which makes toll the dead more effective against them than sacred flame. I know that's counter intuitive. Poison damage is the one to avoid.
Last I checked, only incorporeal undead have immunity to necrotic damage, and necrotic resistance is rarer than you would think. I wouldn't start the game with sacred flame, but maybe pick it up at later levels.
@@TreantmonksTemple I was making a reference to the Milkshake sone and it fell flat. Sorry.
In seriousness, 11 critters in the MM are resistant to necrotic and 11 are immune. That's better than most dam-types, with only radiant and force being better and about equal to thunder and psychic. As you say, poison is the dam-type to avoid (95 immune), with fire being a distant second (43 res/40 imm).
This leads me back to the question about Primal Savagery vs. Shillelagh. (1d10 acid that levels vs. 1d8+WIS)
I think necrotic is “drain the energy from” as opposed to a form on energy hitting you for damage.
Mind Sliver is another great save based cantrip to have if the DM allows it. Psychic damage based upon an INT save works VERY consistently across different enemy types and the secondary effect can be quite a potent debuff, especially when combined with Bane.
Mind Sliver is great (especially if you took Chill Touch for your attack cantrip and want to mix your damage types), but to be fair Tasha's wasn't out yet when Chris made this video.
@@Oscar_Milde Oh yeah that makes sense why it wouldn't have been featured, but hopefully my comment was still useful for somebody lol
Shocking grasp is a d8 along with most of the other spells you mentioned. Not saying it's the best but it's not bad especially if you are fighting armor creatures and/or a lightning dragon sorcerer that lets you add your spell modifier to the damage. So 2d8+4 at lvl 6 isn't a cheap cantrip damage.
While disengage is free you give up doing anything to run away. At least with shocking grasp you can still deal damage before you retreat. It depends on the situation. You even said you do much better with a spell attack spell than a saving throw.
If you roll that attack and fail to hit, now you're stuck right by the creature you were trying to get away from or risking an attack of opportunity (which the Disengage ensures won't happen). While I could see this cantrip being less terrible at higher levels, perhaps (where the Wizard can actually take a hit and where cantrips have scaled in damage), it seems to me that Toll the Dead or just Disengage win out in many scenarios.
I guess if you are in a campaign facing down a ton of metal-armored enemies, I'd consider Shocking grasp more strongly. But it's been an interesting exercise for me to think about (and realize) how few enemies actually had metal armor in the games I've run and played in 5e. And I suspect most of those metal-armored enemies aren't going to care that much about a single Shocking grasp. If Shocking grasp's damage is that crucial, it would seem Toll the Dead would just do a better job at that point.
@@brandonstracener5076 I could see Shocking Grasp being useful at higher levels to rob spellcasting enemies of reactions. For example, if you're blocking a Shield or a Counterspell, it's quite nice. If the game rules by default let you retrain cantrips, I could easily see myself swapping into this as a Sorcerer with a Quicken Spell + Find Familiar.
But as an alternative to disengage, it's a disappointment. CR10+ enemies, with a few outliers like the demilich, have 120 hp minimum, they ain't going to care about some weakass 3d8 damage.
Chill Touch is a personal favorite for cantrips. The undead thing is a neat side benefit on a cantrip, but the ability to shut down healing is absolutely clutch in many fights. I've short-circuited several encounters using it.
I went for a Vengeance Paladin with four levels in Divine Soul Sorcerer. I went for guidance, booming blade, chill touch, Shocking Grasp. 5th undecided yet, probably Toll the Dead/ Mind Sliver / Blade Ward (quickening). I took shocking grasp for easy escape without using misty step or to prevent reactions (counter-spell/shield) from enemy spell-casters.
A smart person knows a lot, a wise person knows there is a lot still to learn
we are starting a new campaign at adventure league and everyone is making new characters...I think they expect everyone to make different classes than they used last time, but after doing all this research I want to make another wizard and try it again because I've learned so much about 5th edition and the spells since then and want to take what I learned and apply it. I mean the videos on 1st level spells and cantrips have me really excited to start over with a new wizard!
I used Toll the Dead a lot on my cleric (18 wis) I think it has landed twice. It is resisted sooooooooo much. My DM even let me use a homebrew cantrip with a die roll simply because it landed so rarely...and I rolled low on the damage when it hit too.
Brute Force Minor Illusion: Banshee's scream in an opponent's ear
my favorite cantrips for human wizard are:
-light
-mending
-mage hand
-prestidigitation
-minor illusion
-ray of frost
Problem is, that it's more than i can take. :D
Chill touch allowed my necromancer to solo kill a high level cleric, along with bookend fireballs! Chill Touch also allowed me to kill an ex pc troll character, after kiting him. I like to cast Light on a pebble and use mage hand to move the light pebble away from the party to attract attention.
is booming blade good for an enchanter with warcaster feat? i can only do PHB+1 at adventure league and i used Xanathar's for absorb elements and shape water, should i have used sword coast guide for spellsword and booming blade? I'm high elf
Shocking grasp is my favorite attack cantrip. Idk why people dont like it. It allows built in advantage against metal armored opponants giving you a better chance at a crit. The disengage should not be understated (especially against armored foes).Also it does a d8 and the damage type is not resisted or immune to many creatures (iirc).
It being a touch spell is rare and not at all a bad thing considering most other spells are ranged.
also, being a touch spell, your familiar can use it through you.
Beware the stealthy zappy owl.
I'm going to ask my dm, but another thing I think shape water should do, put water and then freeze it on your weapon, make it a little stronger until the ice breaks off or something, then redo it. I'm using it for my Water Genasi Barbarian, freeze it on his maul to do +2 damage maybe or whatever and make it a giant cone to deal piercing instead of bludgeoning
Magic Initiate Fireball: Material Component, one bag of flour... Gust + any fire cantrip
Control water can only have 3 effects going. Sadly your ice bridge is limited to only 15 feet.
It's still a really fun spell though that you can do a lot with. My charlatan for example uses it in conjunction wit prestidigitation to make bottled water appear as fine wine, champagne, oil, acid pr other mich more valuable substances, which he sells to customers who won't realize they have been scammed until the effect wears off an hour later.
A ranger friend used it for handcuffing bad guys too. I imagine it can be quite devastating if a fight occurs in really wet conditions.
Also a question for you regarding minor illusion, because i might've misunderstood what is written in player's handbook. So it says that physical interaction reveals it to be an illusion. After revealing that it is an illusion can the enemies see through it but it also says that to illusion to become faint one must make an inv. check. It's kinda unclear that physical interaction makes it faint, how do you use it while playing?
The way we play is if physical interaction reveals it, we basically treat it as not there. I try to place so it won't be interacted with.
Ok good to now, thanks for responding :)
There is no rule that says that the illusion disappeara after enemies notice that its an illusion, or that they can see through it. They just know that the object is not real. Thats it.
I was actually choosing cantrips for tomorrow's Level 1 Wizard and this helped out a lot! I'm variant human so I'm going for Magic Initiate-wizard just to have some of the extra flavor cantrips for roleplaying in the city (we're doing Waterdeep Dragonheist). Thanks!
I'd personally recommend cleric or druide for magic initiate, you can pick up stuff like guidence, bless, and goodberry, which Wizards can't get.
@@lughfiregod16 that was my gut feeling but I decided it just doesn't match the character. I love a lot of the role play cantrips and since dragon heist is looking to be pretty social I thought it would be fun. Next time I do an optimized wizard druid would definetly be on my list for magic initiate!
@@lughfiregod16 with wizard can get find familiar, prestidigitation, and minor illusion. Good stuff for non Wizards too....
Yeah of course, but he's already a Wizard, so it gives him more of the same options instead of new options.
@@lughfiregod16 I missed that. In that case I agree with you 100%
Minor illusion can be crazy op if your dm allows it. Hands down my favorite cantrip. ... and just to be a little contrarian, ray of frost is maybe overrated. My wizard regretted taking it from day one. And the second I got a new cantrip I never cast it again. The 60’ range was a constant issue, and the whole slow effect just never actually seemed to matter.... also thaumaturgy can be tons of fun.
Shape water, freeze the contents of your waterskin for an unexpected bludgeon
Cantrips power is from their availability also 6 second cool down is awesome in on a magic attack
I find my most-taken cantrips to be toll the dead, guidance, light, mending, mold earth, shape water, and... yeah, true strike. Fight me. (just don't be aware you're fighting me until after I've already hit you with it)
I can see the use of resistance as a kind of dungeon trap insurance. Still very niche though. I do like create bonfire, even though I don't really take it for the damage dealing. I dunno, it just seems more characterful to take more bespoke spells - I'm keen on prestidigitation for characters who might be used to cleaning things or flavouring things, for instance. That's also why I don't take minor illusion as often as maybe I should - doesn't always suit the character. Ray of frost is another one I would take more if I didn't want my ice builds to really stand out as ice builds (same with limiting the lucky feat to characters that are very luck-based in some way). Really I am quite averse to no-brainers. I always try to find a reason not to take eldritch blast. Sometimes successfully, sometimes not so successfully.
Do you think that minor illusion could have added effects of the other 'x illusion' spells at latter tiers and not destabilize things spell wise?
It's already really very good, and unlike those spells doesn't require concentration, so I don't think beefing it up is necessary.
Hey Treantmonk, another bonus about Thorn Whip is that it is actually a "melee spell attack" so there is no disadvantage on the roll if an enemy is within 5 feet of you.
As a caster , its a mistake to build for damage. The ray of frost and Chill touch secondary characteristics should elevate them above fire bolt. I take chill touch because there are very few powers that prevent regeneration or possibly healing. That said ray of frost can be useful too. Firebolt does actually have secondary characteristic, it can ignite flammable material... do you have gunpowder in your setting?
Alexander Maxwell fire bolt can also prevent regeneration in some cases. I always liked Ray of Frost though, 10 ‘ reduction doesn’t seem like much but somehow it comes up as effective more than you think.
Fire Bolt can target objects. Nuf said.
So.. for booming blade, a e knight from a level lower than 5, or higher than 6 but lower than 11 it can be a monstruous choice of a cantrip
It can also pair up with Spell Sniper on a Reach weapon since the default range is 5 ft but SP doubles it. A niche build could also allow a Fighter/Sorcerer to Quicken Booming Blade (requires a melee attack, but on a Polearm Master or a dual wielder you conveniently can deliver one as a bonus action!). Assuming PAM that's 1d10+Str mod + 1d8 + 1d4+Str mod + 1d8 damage as early as F2/Sorc 3, and you inflict it even if the target does not willingly move. Meaning you could even start as a Variant Human, pick PAM, take two levels of Fighter and put the rest into Sorc. Or dual wield shortswords then you won't even need PAM.
hello treatmonk! I have a question for you
For some time I started playing D&D online and I met a couple of people who are convinced that through tricks like mold earth, mold water etc .. You can basically break the game using the logic of: "since it is not expressly said that not can be done, then it can be done ".
Long distinctions were born and as a useful source to clarify I recommended your video on theoretical and practical optimization but it didn't help much.
So my request is: "Could you make a short video where you specifically discuss these cantri?" Or even just a slightly more elaborate comment about it or something similar.
Thanks in any case!
My English is probably not the best, I'm Italian, I hope it's all understandable: D
I'd also suggest Mold Earth, because of all the incredible tactical advantages it can create. Sure, it doesn't usually work in dungeons, but a bag of holding full of dirt (that you filled using Mold Earth) can provide you some instant dirt to create barricades or ramps with. It also allows you to quickly dig graves, bury treasure, excavate treasure, excavate graves, make pit traps, fill in pit traps, draw plans, or remove difficult terrain to make an arduous climb up a slippery shale face into a lazy stroll.
Mold earth won't pull the dirt out if the bag of holding. You would need to pull it out by hand or dump the entire contents of the bag.
I've never even heard of a scenario when players needed to bury treasure, especially not so fast that couldn't use a shovel.
The problem is that it only works on loose dirt.
Its almost useless, cause its limited to loose dirt, sand and etc..It doesnt work on stone and normal soil.
Thanks for this. I know its sub-par, but I do like Shocking Grasp. I've always wanted to find some whacky build that heavily makes use of it somehow. Like maybe a tempest cleric level 2 and draconic sorcerer 6+ with the matching dragon background for a damage buff and maybe quickened somehow so I could do 2; maybe picking up a familiar somehow as well so it can do the same, and maybe adding in lightning lure and booming blade for additional antics. :) Maybe some warcaster or sentinel action for extra shocking grasp uses. :)
Its probably a silly dream. :)
unicyclepeon your familiar can use it IIRC if it’s within 100’.
Don't forget that shocking grasp is a casters disengage action. If you don't like being up close to the action use shocking grasp and back away especially if they are wearing armor
I'm not a tempest cleric but I do meet most of those details. Also as an added benefit you can flavor shocking grasp out of combat like a constant effect that engulfs your hands. I recently got very petty after a sour encounter with some npcs and just shocking grasped their wall in their hallwayI left their building.
It's a great spell
Its not as good as a disengage action for YOU. The disengage action is guaranteed, Shocking Grasp requires a to-hit roll, if in that spot YOU need to get out of dodge. However, if you can take a hit, then I would try it to get some damage across. If in metal armor and using your familiar it improves as you are not in danger and can free up a teammate. This could, for example, save a Ki point for a party monk.
I like Light for lightsabers :)
Shocking grasp is the ultimate spell against other spellcasters
How so
@@jrg305 Prevents their reaction. Meaning they can't use counterspell if you hit it.
Love your videos but I disagree with you on shocking grasp. It does seem to provide a free disengage with a melee spell attack if you get into melee and don't want to be. Not to mention the attack with a familiar. Scalable 1d8 not 1d6. Can you touch more on this if i'm missing something.
You are correct about the damage, but let me put it this way:
So you have a Wizard who got into melee and desperately wants out. Your wizard has shocking grasp. It seems to me you have 2 options:
1) Use your action to cast shocking grasp, and if you hit, you can disengage and do a bit of damage. If you miss, you're in big trouble.
2) Use your action to disengage, which works 100% of the time.
It seems to me #2 is more reliable, and I didn't need to use up a cantrip slot. Basically #1 is gambling, where the stakes are cantrip damage vs putting yourself in danger - I think that's a terrible gamble.
@@TreantmonksTemple I do see what you are saying but I guess when I am looking at shocking grasp for a character I am thinking more along the lines of I'm weak in melee but if I find myself in it I'd like to have an attack option that also provides me a good chance of also retreating without provoking an opportunity attack and also be able to use in conjunction with my familiar thus also giving me a ranged option that provides 100 ft and a possible disengage for my familiar. Basically I just find more value here especially since you have sold me on familiar as one of the best tactical advantages in the game. By the way. Thanks a lot I have found your videos very thought provoking and informative, Chris.
*offers Treantmonk a jellybaby in a crumpled paper bag*
My only Halloween costume 😉
Shape water only lets you do two freezes at a time
What about Frostbite. Its damage is only a d6, but it can be very useful from round to round, for defense against an attacking creature, as it just GIVES the target disadvantage on its next weapon attack roll. (A natural weapon, is still a weapon)
It targets CON. Take a look at the saving throws of the monsters in the compendium. It's trash-tier just for the saving throw.
I chose Frostbite as my cantrip. (Silver Dragon Sorcerer, Human with Ritual Caster as Feat)
Its worse then vicious mockery.
If I was designing a dungeon in a world where mage hand existed as a cantrip, I'd have the inside end of the lock set off hidden floor spikes rather than open the door. Not only would it stop them escaping, but I'd just have to look at who has the bloodied legs to know who the spellcasters are.
The Message cantrip is one I find useful for allowing secret conversations and signaling a party member to spring an ambush. I am confused by it having vocal components though, and wonder if that refers to the silent wording of the message or if there is vocalization for casting, which would reduce the value of it for stealth operations.
I'm curious as to your thoughts since you didn't recommend Message. My current groups rule it as silent and it has become a fantastic method of tactical communication in hostile settings/circumstances.
Definitely useful at early levels, but once you hit level 9 and Rary's telepathic bond becomes available, it becomes obsolete.
@@cmckee42 You're right. I haven't made it that far with a 5e wizard yet so I didn't consider it.
Thanks for the insight.
@@stevenbell9058 Don't thank me, thank treantmonk. I picked up that tip from the level by level wizard guide on his website.
@@sharkforce8147 Rary's has a ritual tag, so it doesn't have to be prepared nor expends a spell slot if cast as such. Thus it has the frequency of use similar to a cantrip.
@@sharkforce8147 as Steven said, it is a ritual
True strike is easily the best cantrip. So op
I really like Mold Earth to make little fortifications, but I find that you probably need to be playing with miniatures to keep track of terrain and enemies if you use it that way. In my last game it got to be a pain in the ass for my DM and I had to stop using it. If you can use it to its full extent, however, you can really "Minecraft things up", as Charles Fredrick was saying.
I'd like to see some sort of commentary from Wizards on things like trying to move the dirt under someones feet or moving a pile of dirt onto someone who is prone. It could be a really fun spell.
I have recently acquired mold earth last level in Tomb of Anihilation and so far it has been paying major dividends. We've been digging trenches with them (moving a 5ft deep pit of earth into a 5ft wall adjacent to it takes a whopping 20STR to jump over according to RAW!). Party members can take 3/4 or even full cover behind it, depending on enemy position, and character sizes.
Best of all is my necromancery theme-combo: Thaumaturgy to cause tremmors in the earth, mold earth to write a character's name and the current date on a rock that looks like a gravestone, then open a 5x5 pit of earth underneath them by surprise! Clearly not a combat thing... =P
I've also buried a sleeping person alive with it where just attacking him wasn't an option.
Still exploring more uses
I prefer Green Flame Blade over Booming Blade because I don’t have to worry about weather or not my character is going to hit level 5 for it to start building up momentum, not to mention it just has more style points.
Respect. We often overvalue things that come into line at higher levels ignoring the fact that most play is at lower levels. One thing to consider with Green Flame Blade though is it will rely on your spellcasting ability score while Booming Blade does not.
@@TreantmonksTemple most play is low level but most parties do make it past 5 that said green flame blade does do more damage overall
No, green flame blade does not do more damage than booming blade, its actually booming blade the one that does more damage, obviously for only one creature, which is a great concentrated damage, while green flame blade is more like an aoe spell, also you can not make the flame hit the same creature, if i dont remember wrong
Gray Dragoon I mean yea bb is good for a single target while gfb is good for if u want to basically split the damage between two different enemies. I personally really like both of em but prefer bb (it’s actually my fave damage dealing cantrip). I’d say they do around the same damage (they’re both good in different situations u know?). Also gfb is pretty much a guarantee damage while bb requires them to move to deal a lot of the damage (but that’s y I’m picking up mobility as a feat to make it that a lot easier). Ps. If u go 8 lvs into arcana cleric (which is an easy way to get access to these spells) u get potent spell casting which means u can add your spell modifier to the damage of your cantrips and that would apply for both the creatures hit by gfb. But maybe that would apply for booming blade too (dms Discretion), when they get hit by the weapon and then when they move. Idk how that works.
I know bladesingers didn't exist 3 years ago but booming blade on bladesinger is lovely even though you get two attacks, one can be a cantrip so yeah xD
How much is booming blade really worth to an arcane trickster? Isn't dual wielding kind of good for rogues since that increasses their chance of delivering their sneak attack damage? Don't get me wrong i do see the use of using booming blade and using your bonus action for cunning action. I'm just asking is it better than dual wielding or not.
Most of the time you should expect to land hits as a rogue, especially if the party is doing its job properly and setting up advantage on the attack for maximum crit potential. Booming blade adds on to the damage (and the initial damage dice can also be doubled in a critical hit), and also discourages the enemy from following you for revenge after you disengage. Sometimes, encouraging an enemy to stay put is more useful than dealing an extra d6 or d4 of damage in a round with your off-hand attack-and this is a minor point, but if you have an enemy with resistance to mundane weapon damage, it’ll be nice to have an extra little magic damage that relies on your Dexterity to hit rather than Intelligence.
I get the advantages of booming blade. As i see it there are a couple of scenarios to consider.
You get sneak attack from attacking something that is next to one friendly creature.
1. You hit great booming blade is just extra damage. But even if you dual wield you can still use cunning action to disengage and make the friendly creatures aoo the discouragement for the creature to chase after you(I realize that he only has 1 reaction).
2. You miss and don't do any damage in the case of booming blade while you can try one more time to deliver your sneak attack damage while dual wielding.
I'm not contending that booming blade is better if you hit i'm just contemplating if the extra chance to deliver sneak attack damage is worth more. And if the dmg is anything to go by if you use pointbuy and take asi in dex at level 4 and 8 you have an average accuracy of 65% which whould be 87,75% with advantage 87,75% is great 65% not so much.65% accuracy means that you are more likely to miss out of sneak attack damage atleast once during 2 rounds of combat 1-(0,65^2)=0,6775.
SimonGrandell The big problem with dual wielding, unfortunately, is that it uses your bonus action, which automatically rules out cunning action. As a rogue, I always wanna be using that thing to get the heck out of dodge-honestly, avoiding getting hit will always be more important to me as a rogue than dealing raw damage. If the enemy’s on its last legs, maybe I make that exception. Sometimes the glass cannon misses and that’s okay, although I’m not sure where those accuracy percentages come from when considering baddies all have different Armor Classes.
That said, here are some other things to consider: you can use booming blade sometimes, but then switch to dual wielding in specific situations (say, the former if you only have a single instance of advantage, such as from guiding bolt or the help action, but then the latter if you have an ally standing next to the target you can flank, as you say). Finally, it’s not quite RAW, but you could consider asking your DM to let you use Dual Wielding with BB, given that it’s very nearly just the attack action for you. The first attack would be the BB attack, the second would be the inferior, usually-useless offhand attack.
Those accuracies comes from page 274 in the dungeon masters guide and an assumption of pointbuy. Of course i'm aware of that badies have variying AC but going by that is not useful at alla since i i whouldn't be able to reach any conclussion at all. It's just me making an assumption that if i don't know the AC of a baddie i'm going to assume 65% accuracy based on page 274 in the dmg. And right now the baddie in question is unknown hence why i assume 65% accuracy. I'm aware of the opportunity cost of using an off hand attack with dual wielding "cunning action". And i would be careful of making the assumption that i have advantage since my allies ability of giving me advantage is most of the time dictated by initiative since it's most of the time not a good idea to ommit attacking for martials.
what no create bonfire or shocking grasp?
Nope.
Create bonfire is OK, though that concentration will become a problem by mid level.
I give my reasons for shocking grasp near the end of the video.
Booming blade is great with rogues.
Yes, an amazing combo. Go in, SA+BB, then cunning action disengage. Very effective.
Newer players could use a little bit of GUIDANCE! ;)
Eldritch blast vs toll the dead
Minor illusion: is it possible to create a big mirror front of enemy archers - what is transparent from our point of view?
You can see through your own illusions...
@@FerunaLutelou
Sure, i do, but what about my allies? Can i do an illusion, what is reflecting from one side, and transparent from the other side - for everyone?
@@Ironfist85hu1 ask your DM, cause there is no rule that wouldnt allow you to do that.
Logically speaking it should be possible for your allies to see through the illusion as well, cause if you create a "cover" with minor illusion the enemies get a disadvantage on their attacks and your party gets an advantage on their attacks.
There are many interpretations of how this cantrip works and what it can do. For example it says that you can create an illusion of an object or sound. Some DMs would say that you cant create an incomplete image of an object (the one that you can see through from one side). Others will say that it should be only one object. Others will say that the object should be something simple. Even tho there are no rules that would prevent you from doing any of these things.
@@FerunaLutelou
Ok, thx.
Actually, i am the DM, so based on this, i'll allow it, once the players think something like this. :)
@@Ironfist85hu1 another thing to think about is "can you create a static illusion of a creature if you just convince yourself that its just a very detailed statue". There is no limit in the description on how detailed the illusion can get or any clear distinction between a static illusion of a creature or a moving illusion of a creature (aka if its not moving then can it be considered as an object instead).
There is also no limit on how loud the sound created by the illusion can be, or can it be of low/high enough frequency that the enemies wouldnt be able to recognise that there is noize or can they be damaged by such noise (cause in real life you can kill people with low/high frequency sound, but this is an illusion of a sound so idk if it would even work), like, can their eardrums be ruptured by an illusion of a noise, can it cause status effects and etc..
Technically speaking this spell doesnt make sense.
On Booming Blade:
This spell gets closer to mandatory IF you have a group using command or dissonant whispers or compulsion as you can force its trigger. Then of course you might want get warcaster also as getting of a damaging cantrip as a reaction is well worth it
"If the target willingly moves before then" I think is an important part of the descriptor. If you force a move, is it "willingly:?
Yes, as long as it uses it’s reaction (dissonant whispers) or it’s move like command or compulsion. Provoking multiple opportunity attacks is the entire reason these spells are great. Remember that you CAN make an opportunity attack on your turn, so warcaster means you can cast dissonant whispers and get an opportunity attack in yourself, with BB if you have it. The BB move damage is automatic also as the move must happen.
I agree that it isn’t “willingly” in that they choose of their own volition to move, but it is willingly as they spells are compelling their choice to move and direction. Tactical positioning is required, but you can make them run a gauntlet
It is "willingly" as far as the Basic rules of movemnet are concerned. "willingly" by lawful legal "court" terms, probably no.
Crawford disagrees twitter.com/jeremyecrawford/status/703385127582171138?lang=en
I've been reading your page for a while and just found your TH-cam channel. I really like your advice on Wizards.
I like a wizard build where I add a single level of Druid. Trading signature spell for one level of druid is a great deal IMHO.
Anyway, what do you think of the Druidcraft cantrip, especially as compared to Prestidigitation?
Druidcraft has basically the limited illusion and fire making abilities of Prestidigitation, and exchanges the later's palm illusion and cosmetic/comfort uses, for a weather predicting illusion and and limited plant growth powers.
Also Druidcraft has a range of 30' while Prestidigitation is only 10'.
What do you think?
I'm surprised no one recommends acid splash. It's not the greatest dmg spell even if you can target two creatures, but who needs knock when you can simply melt away locks and hinges? I mean, knock can be useful if you are in a rush and thieves tools when you need to be stealthy. But otherwise, acid splash will open most things. Even if the lock is magical the hinges aren't, and if you remove those it's not difficult to open whatever it is.
I really dont get Shillelagh.
Moon druids can just ignore it. Other druids can just turn into draft horses and have a +6 attack for 2d4+4 damage, although that wastes an action it does make 19 free HP.
Also if your dex at least 14, just ignore shil and use a rapier. No reason to take Shil for a +1.
I would just take frostbite. The damage it can prevent scales really well. I'd rather be underpowered for levels 1-4 than 5-20.
If you could swap cantrips it would be much more appealing. But druids only get 2 until level 4, and 1 should almost always be guidance. Taking shil means you dont have any ranged cantrips until 4.
What Sharkforce said about the melee cantrips from SCAG, if you’re not focused on Strength or Dexterity. It’s also helpful if you can pick it up for free as a Nature Cleric so you don’t need to raise your Strength above a 15 (honestly a good enough strategy in my mind that all melee-based clerics should consider picking it up with a feat), and I had one Gloom Stalker Ranger who got shillelagh through Wood Elf Magic and that worked beautifully. Finally, it gives those wooden weapons a small bump in damage (magical staves are actually viable melee weapons now), and if you’re concerned about resistance to nonmagical weapons, this takes care of that. The bonus action casting is a bit of a grouch at higher levels, but since it’s a cantrip and presumably not too strenuous, you can re-cast it every 30 seconds or so as you explore a dungeon and don’t need to worry about taking up valuable action economy in combat.
SharkForce Go a lv into Arcana cleric and u can get both the bb and gfb. Both the classes use wis so it isn’t MAD and both the spells count as cleric spells (if u go 8 lvs into arcana cleric u can then add your wis mod again to the damage because of potent spell casting if u casted bb or gfb that is). And then pick up Polearm mastery so u can get a reaction almost every round and then maybe pick up mobility so the extra bb damage is easier to get and let’s u get away from the middle of the fray if needed.
Maybe not the best for a Druid, but took Shillelagh as one of my extra cantrips for my Pact of the Tome Warlock I played to level 5, and it was perfect. I had a solid and unlimited ranged attack with EB, and a magic melee weapon with Shil that didn’t depend on my low Str & Dex. That left me three cantrips for utility, and most of my spell slots for defense and fun effects.
Thorn Whip vs the SCAG Lightning Lure?
I prefer the to hit roll, but they're comparable.
Can anyone actually pick both? Overall thornwhip is probably better because those lightning lure is a strength save. It's gonna be a good save for lots of monsters
Unless you are a lightning sorcerer like me then you get to give it extra damage
@@sakisaotome6753 I think you would need to multiclass to get both, or use a feat.
Initiative is an ability check... if you know it's coming... Guidance! (don't annoy your DM by saying your always cashing guidance)
Artificers can replace their cantrips when they gain levels.
“Cantrips are a backup” not eldtrich blast twin for 82 a round or 112 if you used hex and 160 if both hex and hex blades curse
Shape Water might not be the bridge making spell one hopes it to be. If the water is flowing, the ice block is going to flow away with the current. If you try to stand on a block there's a good chance it will just flip over. It probably does work as a temporary, albeit chilly, raft, if one is seated or prone to distribute one's weight. If the water isn't flowing and you can anchor the initial block to a solid surface then it might work out as a bridge. Taking advantage of water expanding as a solid holds some possibilities. That lock might break if its submersed in water and then suddenly frozen. Same with stonework or a boulder blocking a path. Could take a while. Then there's the possibility of dropping a 5ft cube of ice on someone from above like a frozen cinderblock.
@@dustinsmith2021 With a rope you could anchor it (good idea). However, you'd need a bunch of ropes anchored at various points to give it stability and at that point you'd have a rope bridge. There's this video of a guy climbing an iceberg while explaining how insanely dangerous it is given their propensity to tip over. Granted it's a 5x5x5 ice block but I don't think it's going to be all that stable even with a rope running through it, it's going to be more like trying to stand on a Flutter Board.
boat for traveling across water and use the abilit to move water to move the boat, resolves the bridge issue.
Water weighs 8.34lbs per gallon and there are 7.48 gallons per square foot. A 5’ cube of water is therefore 935 gallons and 7798lbs ya the bridge isn't moving and you manipulate water that can fit within in 5 feat cubed you can make it any length or width you want as long as its a simple shape
@sum body heavy things are still harder to move than lighter things even if its buoyant. how is weight irrelevant can you move a battleship as easy as a raft?
@sum body naturally formed ice has air bubble inside, thats why it floats. These icecubes dont have any air inside and the ice has to melt naturally, so you can have more then just 2 ice blocks at a time. Also, nobody said you cant attach them together, cause this is basically waterbending as a cantrip.
but toll the dead IS BROKEN!!!
Shape Water: "If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have no more than two of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, ..."
Wouldn't this mean that you can hve only 2 5x5x5 feet cubes of ice?
Enough for many a drink, but not enough to make an ice bridge, no? =)
No, the ice has to melt naturally. Thats why everyone is a using it to make ice bridges.
The original poster is correct. The spell limits you to two uses of non-instantaneous effects from Shape Water at a time. The freeze effect is one of the hour long duration options. So, one, yes you are limited to two frozen 5x5x5 cubes at a time, and two, the ice does not "need to melt naturally" as indeed it cannot melt naturally. It lasts exactly 1 hour, no more (though you can dismiss the effect at any time). All that said, you can still "bridge" a section of water with it, but you would need to do it 10 feet at a time (ie freeze the first two sections of water, walk out onto the ice, melt the back piece, and then freeze a piece in front of you, repeat until you are across). Of course if the water is moving at all it could be unstable or drag you down river, ect...
Very true and crossing a body of water is only one potential use for the spell. I've heard some pretty insane ideas thrown around regarding what a person/party can do with ice.
Mold earth is the greatest cantrip. It's minecraft in spell, for dirt and sand! Instant half cover for you or a friend! Build a mud house for resting!
Really only works for half cover in an area with dirt floors, so not useful in a stone floored dungeon or city. Plus, minor illusion can make you or a friend heavily obscured, which is generally better than half cover.
Minor illusion doesn't actually block the projectile though. Mold Earth does. Minor illusion is not cover.
@@TheCharlesFr half cover provides +2 AC. The illusion, while it doesn't block does obscure, giving your attacks advantage and your opponents attacks disadvantage. Advantage and disadvantage are almost always better than a flat +2.
It doesn't even work for dirt floors, it requires loose earth, and any proper floor would certianly be tightly packed down.
@@lughfiregod16 that is actually more up to your dm, because the DM could rule that anything short of stone qualifies as loose dirt.
Using cantrips round after round for hours is a point of contention for me (as in the example of making ice bridges at sea or, as happens quite a lot, 'prestidigitationg' dungeons clean). Since magic is supposed to be difficult and since casting most spells occupies the same action as vigorous weapon fighting, it's my judgment that you'd take on levels of exhaustion.
I know players who keep themselves 'loaded' with guidance, theoretically casting it once every minute. Even if spell casting were easy, think of reciting a short nursery rhyme over and over all day!
"...vigorous weapon fighting... ...take on levels of exhaustion."
I reckon it would have to be a house rule, then. As far as I know, there are no exhaustion rules for fighting.
@@AllenLinnenJr Do we really need the lines painted on this? Contextually I'm talking about hours of an activity without significant break.
@@micahiwaasa9304 - But you can't just state it's necessarily fatiguing. (Well, if you're the DM you can, but stating it doesn't mean it's actually realistic.)
Think of people with OCD complexes that do some little hand motion or mumble to themselves *constantly.* They don't drop down at the end of the day just exhausted from doing their little quirk... if anything, they probably barely notice they do it, since they're so used to it.
Edit: Now, ruling someone has to occasionally make checks to ensure they *remember* to do their Guidance chant every minute makes sense (until they become so OCD about it they start taking Charisma penalties instead,) but giving them exhaustion seems like overkill.
@@rodjacksonx There's neither a rule that swinging a mace every round of every day is exhausting. I think our difference here is over how involved it is to cast a cantrip. (Reciting a nursery rhyme is my favourable case for it being easy.) Now, the PH actually uses the expression 'over and over' regarding them. I do think that that particular author *does* mean to indicate that they're easy on top of the frequency that they can be performed.
I differ in that most of them take an action (and some even concentration!). The same mechanism by which you can sword fight you can otherwise prestidigitate. You can't run and cantrip at the same time!
And most importantly, the notion blows up game balance. A spell that gives you +1d4 on every initiative throughout the day - what level slot is that? How about one that gives you advanatage on the first attack you make in every combat? Or one that gives you resistance to sl/pi/bl damage until your first turn of every combat (and against every trap)? How about forming an ice bridge across a strait? Or digging infinitely through earth? It's not 0th level scope.
Micah Iwaasa do you penalize your fighters after they fight three groups of enemies then? They would be quite exhausted by then I imagine.
Green flame blade is better for melee users than booming blade by more than double
Newer Player's need Guidance... See what you did there!
Referenced a cantrip just for making fire.. you mean campfire?
I thin kthts far more useful than just making campfire starting..
You can use it do deny positioning.. say they're behidn cover? Bam. bonfire there preventing their use vs having to save a lot or damage
Did you make any content for 4e?
Very early on I did make a wizard guide, but I switched to Pathfinder very quickly after 4e came out.
4e guides aren't as necessary, since you have to work against the system if you want to make a bad character
@@cmckee42 True. I like 4e for introducing new players to the hobby. Well I love 4e in general :P
@@concibar4267 I enjoyed 4e, but IMO, 5e is simple enough to introduce new players too.
@@cmckee42 Absolutely! But I don't like 5e at all tbh. Just personal preference :)
Frankly, in reality, the Cantrip list is very limited, some are much better than others, so, except RP reasons, there is no point in taking bad ones.
Taking feat to get a Cantrip is almost never worth a feat. The opportunity cost is too great. It competes with things like +2 to Ability, Resilient, Lucky, War Caster, or utility feats as Observant and Keen Mind.
Many people forget that you have to have the water already present when using Shape Water
18:15 Even using normal spells you will not do comparable damage in many cases
no message?
Magic initiate makes eldrich blast available for every class..
Although crucially not the invocations that really make it shine, and also for some classes, crucially using the wrong casting attribute.
I'm not a fan of Ray of Frost. The lower range actually hurted me a lot of times. Chill Touch is most likely the best attacking cantrip for damage type and secondary effect.. But I don't know why, Necromancy spells are sometimes forbidden for moral issues or external reasons.
In that case, Firebolt actually has a secondary effect. The ignite effect comes up really handy if you pick Pyrotechnics (2nd level spell). This spell requires a non-magical flame and Firebolt's flame is a regular flame after all, it doesn't have special magical properties. Pyrotechnics is a powerful spell that is toned down by the necessity of having a flame near the enemy. Well, that's what Firebolt does! You blind enemies 10ft around the flame. Of course there's a saving throw, but it's basically an aoe upgrade of Blind/Deafen which also is a 2nd level spell. The secondary effect provides heavy obscurement, it's circumstancial but it kinda replicates the effects of Darkness (another 2nd level spell) except the Devil Sight shenanigans with Warlocks.
Fire Bolt has no secondary effect? Tell that to the fools that tried to hide in trees in my last session, muahahahaha
@sum body oh haha I was talking about Fire Bolt, not Sacred Flame, but yes ignoring cover is one of those things you don't think about until your DM goes to a castle and discovers the magic of arrow slits.
Fire Bolt is great cause you can target objects with it. If you take it to just attack the enemies then you better just pick up any other damage cantrip instead
Fire Bolt also has 120' range, which I think gets overlooked since the only competition it has is Eldritch Blast (which most people don't get) and Chill Touch (which while having a superior damage type, does less damage). It's really a tossup between Chill Touch and Fire Bolt for most people, since while Chill Touch's effect doesn't apply in most encounters, when it DOES apply it can completely turn about an otherwise bad match, like against Hydras or monsters with Mass Heal/Power Word Heal.