Re-designing spells

[Garfunion]

I'm trying to re-design magic in my world and was hoping to get a balance look over. Here are two spells re-designed to function like cantrips.

Magic Missile

Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

You create one glowing darts of magical force. A dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range. A dart deals 1d4 + 1 force damage to its target. The spell creates more darts at 5th level (2), 11th level (3), and 17th level (4).The darts all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 1st level or higher, the spell creates one more dart for each slot level above 1st.

Dragon's Breath
(Burning Hands)

Evocation Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (5-foot cone)
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Special: When you learn this cantrip choose a damaged type listed; acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder. This choice is permanent.

As you cup your hands over your mouth and yell, your breath turns into that of a dragon's breath attack. Each creature in a 5-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 1d6 (special)damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This spell’s damage increases by 1d6 and the cones size by 5ft when you reach 5th level (2d6/10ft cone), 11th level (3d6/15ft cone), and 17th level (4d6/20ft cone).
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 1st level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 and the cones size increases by 5 ft for each slot level above 1st.

I am also planning on giving spellcasters bonus cantrips known.

[nickl_2000]

Magic Missile

Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous

You create one glowing darts of magical force. A dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range. A dart deals 1d4 + 1 force damage to its target. The spell creates more darts at 5th level (2), 11th level (3), and 17th level (4).The darts all strike simultaneously, and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 1st level or higher, the spell creates one more dart for each slot level above 1st.



The guaranteed hit seems to powerful to me for a cantrip. I know the damage is much smaller than other cantrips and it doesn't give other functions, but still that feels to powerful. If you want to keep the feel of Magic Missile that it always hits, then you should down the damage even more. 1d2+1 or 1d4-1.





Dragon's Breath
(Burning Hands)

Evocation Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (5-foot cone)
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Special: When you learn this cantrip choose a damaged type listed; acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder. This choice is permanent.

As you cup your hands over your mouth and yell, your breath turns into that of a dragon's breath attack. Each creature in a 5-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 1d6 (special)damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one. This spell’s damage increases by 1d6 and the cones size by 5ft when you reach 5th level (2d6/10ft cone), 11th level (3d6/15ft cone), and 17th level (4d6/20ft cone).
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 1st level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 and the cones size increases by 5 ft for each slot level above 1st.


The half damage on a save for a cantrip is not normal for a cantrip. If you made it a full damage on miss and no damage on save this seems like it would fit for the first 4 levels. The lengthing of the cone as it levels up is a cool idea, but adding both damage and size at the same time seems OP to me as well. Either reduce the damage increase at higher levels or completely eliminate it if you want the size increase

[Garfunion]

Dragon's Breath is supposed to mimic two spells, burning hands and cone of cold. So the damage and size progression can be close to those spells

[nickl_2000]

Dragon's Breath is supposed to mimic two spells, burning hands and cone of cold. So the damage and size progression can be close to those spells

Except both those spells are leveled spells and getting that higher damage/size requires you to spend something extra to get it. I meant the the lengthening is a cool idea for a cantrip as there are none like that right now. I still feel the same way about damage or size, not both.

[Arkhios]

I think that downgrading Magic Missile to cantrip is, in theory, a decent idea. But as Nickl above me said, auto-hit for damage is just too strong for a cantrip.

Here's my idea, but of course you're free to ignore it.

I would make it a Dexterity Save to negate all damage on success, but full damage on a failure.
Damage per missile would be equal to your spellcasting modifier (minimum 1). Now, now hear me out. In general it's rare to have 18 in your primary stat from the start, so you're more likely to have only +3 for the first 3 levels.
If your damage per missile is 3 damage, it's basically same as the average of 1d4+1, which would be 2.5+1 = 3.5, which in turn is rounded down to 3 by rules as written. So, each missile is technically dealing average damage for the majority of time - if the target fails its save. Since there's that 'if' floating around, damage without rolling dice is quite alright. Why? Because it's basically equal to having made an attack roll with unarmed strike without being a monk or having the tavern brawler feat; unarmed strike deals damage equal to 1+your strength modifier, which is only 1 point more per hit, than the cantrip would be.

Although, I would rename the cantrip as Force Missile or something, and keep magic missile as it is. 1st level magic missile would be much better than Force Missile. On average, a 3d4+3 magic missile deals 10.5 damage, which is by far much more than the cantrip can do for the first 10 levels.

[Garfunion]

I made some tweaks to Dragon's Breath.

Dragon's Breath

Evocation Cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (10-foot cone)
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Special: When you learn this cantrip choose a damaged type listed; acid, cold, fire, lightning, poison, or thunder. This choice is permanent.

As you cup your hands over your mouth and yell, your breath turns into that of a dragon's breath attack. Each creature in a 10-foot cone must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes 1d6 (special)damage on a failed save. This spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 1st level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 and the cones size increases by 10ft(maximum 60ft) for each slot level above 1st. Additionally if a creature successfully saves it now takes half damage.

I'm still looking into the magic missile cantrip. It needs to auto hit and have a simple progression.

Edit: How much damage is acceptable for an auto hit cantrip

[Arkhios]

Edit: How much damage is acceptable for an auto hit cantrip

It's hard to say, seeing that there is no precedent for such a cantrip. Making one is to step into gray area when it comes to balance.

In all honesty, I would ask maybe Jeremy Crawford's opinion on that. If you have twitter account, might want to try there.

If you absolutely can't drop the idea having Magic Missile to start as a cantrip, and follow its normal progression with spell slots of 1st level or higher, maybe the damage could be the minimum per each dart, without rolling the damage (1d4+1 = 2 at minimum). Even then it would basically be too powerful, because in white room with unlimited time, spamming just a cantrip that always hits and deals damage is still going to be more powerful than any other cantrips compared.

[nickl_2000]

I still say 1d4-1 so there is still a 25% chance of doing 0damage even though it hits