What Cantrip/Spell would you add?

[blackjack50]

Just wondering if there are any cantrip or spells you would want to add? What would it consist of? Reaction? Action? How would it work? Level?

I wouldn’t mind some low level cantrips/spells that work like spider man’s web slinging. Just an idea. I am just wondering if there are any ideas out there that don’t already exist :)

[Hellpyre]

I'd love a cantrip that could tactically move allies a small distance. Lightning Lure, for example, doesn't quite scratch that itch.

[Edea]

A cantrip for generating and firing magical ammo (ideally with side-effects on a hit) as part of a ranged weapon attack.

The SCAG cantrips are melee-only, and magic stone just wastes your action converting a basic cantrip's damage type to bludgeoning (note those are ranged spell attacks, you don't get any weapon-related modifiers even if you shoot them out of a sling).

[TrueAlphaGamer]

Off the top of my head, a proper AOE cantrip. Make the damage terrible, like 1d4, but give me a 15 ft. cone to shoot.

I have too many wacky spell ideas to just list. I mostly give them to the bad guys whenever I DM :smallamused:

[Joe the Rat]

More 0-2 Lightning spells.
More Cold spells, period.

[Amnestic]

Off the top of my head, a proper AOE cantrip. Make the damage terrible, like 1d4, but give me a 15 ft. cone to shoot.

I have too many wacky spell ideas to just list. I mostly give them to the bad guys whenever I DM :smallamused:

I think Word of Radiance (Xanathar's) is a pretty solid AoE cantrip. Lets you choose your targets to exclude allies, along with a decent damage type. CON save is a bit awkward but such is life.

[cutlery]

A cold-themed blade cantrip; rider could be disadvantage on target's next melee attack against the cold-blade user.

Lightning zap - a lightning themed fire bolt

Detect magic - just make it a cantrip, but make it require concentration for the duration. It makes it harder to just take (as it competes with other cantrips) and classes/archetypes that gain it through other means actually become useful.

[jjordan]

Cooperative spell casting. Allow more than one caster to cooperate on casting a single spell.

I like the idea for making detect magic a cantrip and requiring concentration. I'd also merge identify into it and allow upcasting.

[Hal]

I'd like to see something enchantment related, where you can have a creature make an attack.

Probably hard to balance something like that. Letting the Fighter take the Attack action could be a lot more powerful than any other cantrip. Same thing for having a monster use one of their attack actions.

[Mr Adventurer]

I'd like to see something enchantment related, where you can have a creature make an attack.

Probably hard to balance something like that. Letting the Fighter take the Attack action could be a lot more powerful than any other cantrip. Same thing for having a monster use one of their attack actions.

Cool idea. Maybe something like it's a Reaction to cast, when an enemy does something that would provoke an Opportunity Attack from one of your allies within range; who can then make an Opportunity Attack (without using their own Reaction). Basically sacrificing your Reaction to let them take an extra OA? Bit situational...

[OldTrees1]

Strong Breeze
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 reaction
Range: 30 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous

You inhale or exhale. As you do you amplify the force. Choose one creature in range, that target is pulled towards/pushed away from you 5ft. The target can make a Strength save to halve the distance traveled (round down).

At 5th, 11th, and 17th levels the distance increases by 5ft.

[T.G. Oskar]

Lance of Faith? (And maybe Righteous Brand while at it, for an alternative to Booming Blade but radiant?)

Specifically: a Cleric cantrip that requires a ranged spell attack roll and deals radiant damage. Could be 1d8 radiant damage, increasing to 2d8 at 5th level, 3d8 at 11th level and 4d8 at 17th level.

That way, Clerics can have a combat cantrip they can use freely. And thus, we can finally see Laser Clerics in 5e.

(Lance of Faith was an at-will power for the 4e Cleric, and one of the most basic ones. It was an Implement power [i.e., required the use of a spellcasting focus such as a holy symbol] that hit the target's Reflex defense [i.e., think a Dexterity save, but you made the roll to "hit", rather than the opponent making the save, and you could grant one ally a bonus to their attack rolls. The one cool thing was that, based on the choice of...let's say "domain" but not in the same way as 5e, you could modify that spell. It was, IIRC, a set of feats that modified it; thus, if you, say, chose the Arcana domain, the cantrip gave you a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls for all "arcane powers" [i.e., spells that were related to Arcane classes like Warlock or Wizard] used next turn. It's one minor thing that 4e had that's interesting, if it weren't because it cost you a feat, and feats were rather scarce - or rather, numerous, but each one gave small benefits and you had to wait two levels for the next one, and you needed to spend at least one or two feat slots to get the +1 feats to stuff like attack rolls in order to remain truly competitive.)

[Tvtyrant]

Blockade from 3.5. Make a 5x5ft cube that lasts a turn that can be used to block hallways, line of sight, etc.

[Edea]

Also, a version of True Strike that doesn't blow chunks.

[Mr Adventurer]

Blockade from 3.5. Make a 5x5ft cube that lasts a turn that can be used to block hallways, line of sight, etc.

Blockade was an awesome spell to have in a wand, but it was a 1st level spell.

I also liked that it didn't have any level dependent benefits: the size of the blockade and the spell duration were fixed.

[Tvtyrant]

Blockade was an awesome spell to have in a wand, but it was a 1st level spell.

I also liked that it didn't have any level dependent benefits: the size of the blockade and the spell duration were fixed.

Yeah it was a first level spell because it was a swift action. As a normal action it is cantrip level.

[Gale]

Strong Breeze
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 reaction
Range: 30 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous

You inhale or exhale. As you do you amplify the force. Choose one creature in range, that target is pulled towards/pushed away from you 5ft. The target can make a Strength save to halve the distance traveled (round down).

At 5th, 11th, and 17th levels the distance increases by 5ft.

I'm not sure how I feel about Sorcerers, Wizards, etc. being able to escape opportunity attacks by pushing the threatening enemy away at least 5 ft. at 5th level and beyond. But then again, it does consume their reaction which means they don't get to use it to cast Shield or anything similar.

Nothing else to say, just curious what other people think.

[OvisCaedo]

It has always bothered me that Glitterdust didn't make it in. That's such an iconic spell, to me. And always delighted me that it was an effective spell despite just being a giant blast of obnoxious glitter.

[PhantomSoul]

Strong Breeze
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 reaction
Range: 30 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous

You inhale or exhale. As you do you amplify the force. Choose one creature in range, that target is pulled towards/pushed away from you 5ft. The target can make a Strength save to halve the distance traveled (round down).

At 5th, 11th, and 17th levels the distance increases by 5ft.

Is it being a reaction a typo? From the description and the lack of trigger, it looks like an action (bonus action would seem too strong given it ends grapples and prevents opportunity attacks). It also doesn't really have a fail condition starting at level 5; you always push the creature, like Gale (ironically?) noted... which is pretty odd for a cantrip that can be used against a (potential) foe.

[Edea]

Sonic Snap
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous

You swing your arm in a horizontal arc and snap your fingers as a crescent-shaped blade of green-glowing vibrational energy surges outward from you. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 1d6 thunder damage and is pushed back 5 ft..

This spell's damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6). In addition, when you reach 11th level, the amount of distance of the push on a successful hit increases by 5 ft. (total 10 ft.).

---

Something more like that?

[Sigreid]

Lemound's Secure Shelter was always one of my favorites that didn't make it over.

Glassteel has a lot of possibilities, including armor for druids.

[ahyangyi]

A cold-themed blade cantrip; rider could be disadvantage on target's next melee attack against the cold-blade user.


Well, considering they have been converting 4E swordmage at-will powers to weapon cantrips, the obvious candidates we have are Frostwind Blade and Frigid Blade.

Frigid Blade damages and slows.
Frostwind Blade also damages another enemy within 15 feet, but it must be marked.

I love the flavor of Frostwind Blade, but the "marked" thing doesn't exist in 5e so some alteration must be done to make it comparable to Green-Flame Blade.

EDIT: perhaps change it to "another enemy within 15 feet that had attacked you since your last turn" or something...?

[OldTrees1]

Is it being a reaction a typo? From the description and the lack of trigger, it looks like an action (bonus action would seem too strong given it ends grapples and prevents opportunity attacks). It also doesn't really have a fail condition starting at level 5; you always push the creature, like Gale (ironically?) noted... which is pretty odd for a cantrip that can be used against a (potential) foe.

Reaction was intentional. The inspiration was "reaction move ally" that could be used out of combat. It lacks a trigger because it is meant to be open ended. Since it was meant to be open ended, I let it also target non allies.

It would not end grapples because you would be dragged with the grappler if I understand grappling correctly.
It can prevent opportunity attacks, if adjacent to only 1 foe, but then your reaction is spent until your next turn. Honestly, I would just take the AoO and use Shield.
I considered the fail (push 5ft at T2 and 10ft at T4) to be weak enough to apply on a fail. For a lower power level you could make it save negates.

[Amnestic]

It would not end grapples because you would be dragged with the grappler if I understand grappling correctly.

Grappled condition:

The condition also ends if an Effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the Grappler or Grappling Effect, such as when a creature is hurled away by the Thunderwave spell.

Forced movement from your cantrip would break a grapple.

Also just not really a fan in general of spellcasters getting a ranged shove that's objectively better than the one martials can do (the strength save will almost always be weaker on an enemy than provoking *either* an athletics or acrobatics check, pushes further, done at range).

[Hellpyre]

It lacks a trigger because it is meant to be open ended. Since it was meant to be open ended, I let it also target non allies.


I'm being a bit pedantic here, but that's not how reactions work in the rules. You can only take a reaction if the trigger condition is met, and the only way you can specify a trigger in general is taking the Ready action, which limits you to things that are an action normally.

[PhantomSoul]

I'm being a bit pedantic here, but that's not how reactions work in the rules. You can only take a reaction if the trigger condition is met, and the only way you can specify a trigger in general is taking the Ready action, which limits you to things that are an action normally.

It doesn't seem pedantic; even if we assume the name implying a trigger were an accident, there's still no way to say when this is a valid (re)action to take. It's essentially a floating free action once per round without restrictions and can interrupt turns without a reason why.

I think Hellpyre on the right track; if you want it to be a reaction and don't want to give a trigger, then that's an extra reason to make it an action because then you can ready it.

[OldTrees1]

I guess back to the drawing board a bit.


I think Hellpyre on the right track; if you want it to be a reaction and don't want to give a trigger, then that's an extra reason to make it an action because then you can ready it.

No it can't be an action. That would make it irrelevant for its intended purpose. You can't ready a cantrip every round of the day. Although I would want everyone to have a few open ended reactions. So maybe I should adjust the reaction rules first.

[Mr Adventurer]

I mean, "when a creature you can see moves within 60 feet of you" or whatever the range of the cantrip is, would do it.

[OldTrees1]

I mean, "when a creature you can see moves within 60 feet of you" or whatever the range of the cantrip is, would do it.

How would you, as a reaction, move a stationary ally with that trigger? The intended use is to move an ally when that ally needs to move NOW. There is not always a convenient creature moving at that time.

But, back to the drawing board for now.

[TrueAlphaGamer]

Strong Breeze
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 reaction
Range: 30 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous

You inhale or exhale. As you do you amplify the force. Choose one creature in range, that target is pulled towards/pushed away from you 5ft. The target can make a Strength save to halve the distance traveled (round down).

At 5th, 11th, and 17th levels the distance increases by 5ft.

Having it as a reaction is completely busted. Re-positions are very strong already (as mentioned with the grapple interaction), as combat often occurs in rather confined spaces. 5+ ft. can be the difference between having that orc be just out of range of your AOE and that orc getting burnt to a crisp in a fireball.

Also, it becomes so much easier to force Booming Blade riders. No feat tax and no Bonus Action Disengage needed. Just hit them, push them 5 feet guaranteed at level 5+, and watch the enemy eat the extra damage.

[PhantomSoul]

No it can't be an action. That would make it irrelevant for its intended purpose. You can't ready a cantrip every round of the day. Although I would want everyone to have a few open ended reactions. So maybe I should adjust the reaction rules first.

Yeah, with the game as is, an actual trigger seems pretty necessary to include. (I think part of it is the intended purpose seems to be "whenever you want a creature to be somewhere else", which is MASSIVELY powerful, and the cantrip being unconstrained and it only gets even more overpowered when factoring in the fact that a target is pushed even if they succeed, which is wild.)


How would you, as a reaction, move a stationary ally with that trigger? The intended use is to move an ally when that ally needs to move NOW. There is not always a convenient creature moving at that time.

But it isn't just moving an ally -- it's moving anyone at any time. That's huge!


But, back to the drawing board for now.

A good point to start would probably constraining the effects -- it could take more than one spell to do what you want! And definitely not having the spell always push an unwilling target.

[Amnestic]

How would you, as a reaction, move a stationary ally with that trigger? The intended use is to move an ally when that ally needs to move NOW. There is not always a convenient creature moving at that time.

But, back to the drawing board for now.

You could do "Reaction: When an enemy moves within 5' of an allied creature within this spell's range" or "Reaction: When an enemy ends their turn adjacent to an allied creature within this spell's range". That second one mirroring the Scout Rogue's reaction.

Have it only applicable to allied creatures, not enemies. Include a clause either preventing this from working when the allied creature is grappled or at the very least offering a contested grapple

[da newt]

Something like Batman's Grapple Gun:

ELDRITCH LASSO
1st lvl spell - 30' range - attack roll - on hit : if creature/object is smaller it moves to caster, if caster is smaller it moves to object/creature, if equal size/weight then roll d6, 1&2 caster moves, 3&4 target moves, 5&6 they meet in the middle.

Pretty much remove the damage from THORN WHIP, and change so smaller thing moves to the bigger thing, and max 30' move.

So many possible creative uses. The equal size/weight can be changed for consistency, but I like the random.

[Falconcry]

Is anything broken from added object as a valid target for Thorn Whip? If you lasso that tree branch you may do enough damage to bring it down on top of you. Less likely on a stone wall.

[Mr Adventurer]

How would you, as a reaction, move a stationary ally with that trigger? The intended use is to move an ally when that ally needs to move NOW. There is not always a convenient creature moving at that time.

But, back to the drawing board for now.

Ah, I see. Then perhaps "reaction: when an ally you can see within range is about to provoke an opportunity attack from an enemy by moving"?

[OldTrees1]

Ah, I see. Then perhaps "reaction: when an ally you can see within range is about to provoke an opportunity attack from an enemy by moving"?

Traps are a better example use case (combat should not be the first use case examined unless a cantrip has no other use). Everyone is minding their own business until suddenly, you need to move your ally right NOW. The idea needs to be redesigned, but that general utility seemed reasonable compared to other popular utility cantrips.

To reiterate: Well, back to the drawing board for now.


Is anything broken from added object as a valid target for Thorn Whip? If you lasso that tree branch you may do enough damage to bring it down on top of you. Less likely on a stone wall.

No nothing breaks and it makes it harder to detect Mimics. Just figure out how to resolve pulling at an object that is resisting movement.

[Mr Adventurer]

Traps are a better example use case (combat should not be the first use case examined unless a cantrip has no other use). Everyone is minding their own business until suddenly, you need to move your ally right NOW. The idea needs to be redesigned, but that general utility seemed reasonable compared to other popular utility cantrips.

To reiterate: Well, back to the drawing board for now.

Yes, it's an interesting idea to drawing-board.

Though it sounds like a Reaction get-out-of-jail-free card, which is probably more likely a leveled spell.

[micahaphone]

Definitely a lightning cantrip that's not melee range