Minor Illusion vs. Thaumaturgy

[CoolOnTheTable]

For all of the veteran players out there(cause I'm certainly not), what's the difference between Minor Illusion and Thaumaturgy? Their description is very close, and I'm not sure which of them I should take as my last level 1 cantrip(my others are Firebolt, Shocking Grasp, and Prest.).

Thanks for your time, and any advice is apprectiated.

[AttilatheYeon]

Thaumaturgy isn't available to Sorcerors, so by default, Minor Illusion.

[tieren]

Isn't thaumaturgy just the divine version of prestidigitation?

[Tanarii]

I'm going to assume you meant vs Prestidigitation.

Minor illusion allows you to create either an illusion of an object (which includes things such as 'muddy footprints') or sounds (including discrete sounds). The limitation on 'an object' is highly debated, but it very clearly cannot create can't create sound, light, smell or any other sensory effect.

Prestidigitation allows on of the following specific effects:
You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor.
You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire.
You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot.
You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour.
You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour.
You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn.

So Minor Illusion is very flexible, but limited to illusions. Prestidigitation allows you to make very specific limited and small illusions / sounds, but also allows sensory effects (which minor illusion can't do). As well as the other things, which Minor Illusion can't do at all.

Prestidigitation is components V,S has a range of 10ft but lasts an hour.
Minor Illusion is components S,M lasts 1 minute and has a range of 30ft. So you don't have to make a noise to use it and it has longer range, but it's far shorter effect.

[CoolOnTheTable]

I'm going to assume you meant vs Prestidigitation.

Minor illusion allows you to create either an illusion of an object (which includes things such as 'muddy footprints') or sounds (including discrete sounds). The limitation on 'an object' is highly debated, but it very clearly cannot create can't create sound, light, smell or any other sensory effect.

Prestidigitation allows on of the following specific effects:
You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor.
You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle, a torch, or a small campfire.
You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot.
You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour.
You make a color, a small mark, or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour.
You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand and that lasts until the end of your next turn.

So Minor Illusion is very flexible, but limited to illusions. Prestidigitation allows you to make very specific limited and small illusions / sounds, but also allows sensory effects (which minor illusion can't do). As well as the other things, which Minor Illusion can't do at all.

Prestidigitation is components V,S has a range of 10ft but lasts an hour.
Minor Illusion is components S,M lasts 1 minute and has a range of 30ft. So you don't have to make a noise to use it and it has longer range, but it's far shorter effect.

I overlooked that Thaumaturgy was not on the Sorcerer list, but I'm still curious, as their description is so similar. But if you had to pick between Prest. and MI, which would you go with?

[CoolOnTheTable]

Isn't thaumaturgy just the divine version of prestidigitation?

It looks like the Cleric version of Minor Illusion, and I just wanted to check if there was much of a usage difference.

[CoolOnTheTable]

Thaumaturgy isn't available to Sorcerors, so by default, Minor Illusion.

Yea, I got the spell lists mixed up. I'm looking into a Cleric MC though, so I might end up picking it up eventually.

[solidork]

The only way they are similar is that they can both create noise in some fashion. Minor Illusion is much better in this regard, as you can do more complex things with it such as reproducing intelligible speech or creating a delay between when you cast the spell and when the noise occurs.

Even if your GM rules heavily against Minor Illusions utility in combat, it is still very useful. Just imagine any situation where you would have to describe how something looks to someone; with Minor Illusion you can just say, "It looks exactly like this."

[Tanarii]

I overlooked that Thaumaturgy was not on the Sorcerer list, but I'm still curious, as their description is so similar. But if you had to pick between Prest. and MI, which would you go with?
Personally? Minor Illusion, every single time. I think Prestidigitation is pretty worthless as an adventurer. Apart from being able to keep your underwear clean, which of course every adventurer should love. :smallwink: The ability to create an illusion of a trinket in your hand or faint music notes doesn't even come close to an illusion of any object that can fit in a 5ft cube, or any number of discrete sounds, within 30ft.

I mean, in real life I'd love to prestidigitate. And it's great if you want to be a font of arcane magic and be able to do a number of very specific minor magical effects all day long. But in terms of useful during an adventure, Minor Illusion wins hands down IMO.

Thaumaturgy vs Prestidigitation vs Druidcraft are considerably different effects, so I'm not sure why anyone would get them confused.

Edit: It's worth noting that many players, and even DMs, don't pay close attention to the limits on what Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation, Thamaturgy and Druidcraft can do. If you get one of those DMs any of these cantrips becomes considerably more powerful.