Cantrip Focused

[Xuldarinar]

A concept came to mind recently. If not easily accomplished currently, perhaps something for a later homebrew.

An effective character who casts only level 0 spells, one who specializes on them.

[Rubik]

The Launch Bolt cantrip can deal a rather huge amount of damage if you hurl Huge-sized bolts using Eschew Materials and Chain Spell.

Sonic Snap deals one point of nigh unavoidable damage. Add Fell Drain to turn it deadly.

[eggynack]

My first instinct is a wizard packing a bunch of advanced cantrips. Thus, you'd have detect magic upgraded to arcane sight, identify, and analyze dweomer, mage hand upgraded to greater mage hand and telekinesis, prestidigitation upgraded to limited wish and wish, and so on. There'd probably be a good way to flavor it so that it'd feel more cohesive around the infinite cantrip theme, but it seems like it'd work.

[Zombulian]

Use all of your higher level spell slots to power Reserve Feats?

[Kazyan]

Stick is basically magical duct tape. If you can't figure out a way to use that, you're not creative'ing right.

[Reddish Mage]

My first instinct is a wizard packing a bunch of advanced cantrips. Thus, you'd have detect magic upgraded to arcane sight, identify, and analyze dweomer, mage hand upgraded to greater mage hand and telekinesis, prestidigitation upgraded to limited wish and wish, and so on. There'd probably be a good way to flavor it so that it'd feel more cohesive around the infinite cantrip theme, but it seems like it'd work.

That sounds like just following a spell progression.

[DSmaster21]

Based on the PF infi-use cantrips.

Spam ghost sound of something big or backup, max out bluff and intimidate and use dancing light to create what look like torches and lie your butt off.

Alternatively play a human with fleet and combat caster (until you reach odd levels when you get more fleet) and use full sprints to bug out then shoot the enemy until he catches you, take a daze him defensively and take a five foot step. When he does the logical thing and tries to follow he fails to move so he sits watching you with loathing after using his standard to walk 5 ft. Bug out, rinse, repeat.

I have sorta done this sort of thing when I ran out of spells but I just Flatout legged it back to town (it was a solo adventure, I and (most(okay some (a few))of) my characters would not ditch our party like that)

[eggynack]

That sounds like just following a spell progression.
Well, yeah, but themed around cantrips. You could call identify "charged detect magic," and greater mage hand "greater mage hand". It'd be sweet. You could even screw that, and act like the high level spells actually are the lower spells, just in a higher power version. So you'd call out, "Sonic snap," and then as your opponents laugh, the skies crack open and release a great thunderclap. All your life has been spend honing these apprentice wizard spells, instead of advancing to the next level, and you've reached the point where they might as well just be the real thing (because they are).

[Rubik]

Use the feat progression used to create the Locate City Bomb (which would work if it weren't for the stupid Area entry) or the Locate City Wightocalypse and apply them to Detect Magic. A nice 60' cone that blasts everything you look at, possibly giving negative levels at the same time? Very nice.

[DSmaster21]

Well, yeah, but themed around cantrips. You could call identify "charged detect magic," and greater mage hand "greater mage hand". It'd be sweet. You could even screw that, and act like the high level spells actually are the lower spells, just in a higher power version. So you'd call out, "Sonic snap," and then as your opponents laugh, the skies crack open and release a great thunderclap. All your life has been spend honing these apprentice wizard spells, instead of advancing to the next level, and you've reached the point where they might as well just be the real thing (because they are).

This is called roleplaying. Roleplaying someone who is either clueless, about magic/doesn't care about how prestigious or cool what he can do is, or devious.

[nedz]

I have played a Gnome Bard 1 / Sorcerer 1 who started out with a lot of cantrips (Gnome racial, Bard, Sorcerer). He was quite fun in fact he called himself the Archmage of Cantrips.
I'm sure you could do better by just stacking lots of 1 level dips in various casterly classes.

[Plerumque]

I've always liked the Master of One (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201585) homebrew PrC, which may fulfill the intent. There's also the Cantrip Caster (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7451922&postcount=1), although by the end of the progression 4th-level spells are considered cantrips for its purpose, so that may not be suitable.

[gorfnab]

Power Class - Hedge Wizard by Mongoose Publishing is a cantrip focused mage.

A Whisper Gnome Shadowcaster 1 with the feat Magic in the Blood has 12 SLAs/day, 9 Fundamentals/day, and 1 Mystery/day.

[TuggyNE]

This is called roleplaying. Roleplaying someone who is either clueless, about magic/doesn't care about how prestigious or cool what he can do is, or devious.

Well, yes and no. The idea was, I think, to homebrew a class, and probably new spells, that would enforce and give bonuses to this idea, so no spells could be cast that were not somehow related to existing cantrips.

And once you have mechanics that fit a concept and impose restrictions on it, what more do you want?

[eggynack]

Well, yes and no. The idea was, I think, to homebrew a class, and probably new spells, that would enforce and give bonuses to this idea, so no spells could be cast that were not somehow related to existing cantrips.

And once you have mechanics that fit a concept and impose restrictions on it, what more do you want?
Eh, I usually go with non-homebrew solutions, though an ultra-cantrip class could be valid as well. I just kinda like the idea of scouring random source books for spells related to various wizard cantrips, and building a character out of that. It's a highly stylish maneuver.

[Reddish Mage]

Why not just play a rogue that dips into an arcane spellcaster class, and focus on gaming board strategies for using cantrips effectively? There are all sorts of things you can do, especially using pathfinder rules that allow unlimited casting. I would also consider as an interesting concept just using a wizard that is very cautious with spell slots and likes using low level spells. Read up on their effective usage and you will find you can do great things without high level.

Now calling "wish" superduper prestidigitation? But actually mechanically casting wish? I think that gets old fast.

[Tulya]

... That actually seems like fun for a one-shot adventure.
Arcane Thesis some cantrips, go wholehog on the metamagic, and revel as a 1d3 damage cantrip nevertheless disables multiple targets with a slew of added effects.

[nedz]

Why not just play a rogue that dips into an arcane spellcaster class, and focus on gaming board strategies for using cantrips effectively? There are all sorts of things you can do, especially using pathfinder rules that allow unlimited casting. I would also consider as an interesting concept just using a wizard that is very cautious with spell slots and likes using low level spells. Read up on their effective usage and you will find you can do great things without high level.

Now calling "wish" superduper prestidigitation? But actually mechanically casting wish? I think that gets old fast.

Acid Splash: Ranged Touch, No save, No SR, Acid and you can add SA.

[Xuldarinar]

Acid Splash: Ranged Touch, No save, No SR, Acid and you can add SA.

How well would Shadowcaster 1/Battle Sorcerer 1/Favored Soul 1/Rogue x work?

[AstralFire]

Arguably, certain builds of Warlock would be indistinguishable from this cantrip caster, if fluffed out of the Grimdark Hot Topicness of the Hot Grim Couture.

[peacenlove]

How well would Shadowcaster 1/Battle Sorcerer 1/Favored Soul 1/Rogue x work?

Bloodline levels or arcane / divine trickster would improve it with the appropriate planning.

[Rebel7284]

Gnome illusionist substitution levels give you silent image as a 0 level spell. Shadowcraft Mage is quite good when loaded up with heightened silent images.

[Thiyr]

I once played a sorc/incantrix focused on Ray of Frost.

Fell Drain Chain Split Ray Twin Ray of Frost is amusing. Just need to find a way to boost its base damage slightly to ensure the chain'd targets get hit and you've given the whole room a fun time.