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Necrosnoop110
2021-04-15, 10:57 AM
If we imagine for a moment that each class can cast a single Cantrip as a bonus class ability. And that that single Cantrip is in the style and powerlevel of Druidcraft/Prestidigitation/Thaumaturgy what would they look like? Let's "assign" Druidcraft to druids and Prestidigitation to Wizards. Has anyone homebrewed anything that would fit with each class?

Artificers:
Barbarian:
Bard:
Cleric: Thaumaturgy
Druid: Druidcraft
Fighter:
Monk:
Paladin:
Ranger:
Rogue:
Sorcerer:
Warlock:
Wizard: Prestidigitation

nickl_2000
2021-04-15, 11:57 AM
If we imagine for a moment that each class can cast a single Cantrip as a bonus class ability. And that that single Cantrip is in the style and powerlevel of Druidcraft/Prestidigitation what would they look like? Let's "assign" Druidcraft to druids and Prestidigitation to Wizards. Has anyone homebrewed anything that would fit with each class?

Artificers:
Barbarian:
Bard:
Cleric:
Druid: Druidcraft
Fighter:
Monk:
Paladin:
Ranger:
Rogue:
Sorcerer:
Warlock:
Wizard: Prestidigitation

Clerics already have Thaumaturgy that would apply perfectly fine to this style.

Necrosnoop110
2021-04-15, 12:20 PM
Clerics already have Thaumaturgy that would apply perfectly fine to this style.

Yes! Thank you, forgot about that one.

nickl_2000
2021-04-15, 12:53 PM
Yes! Thank you, forgot about that one.

As for the others, I haven't really homebrewed anything, but lets see if I can come up with a few ideas.

Artificers: Make a small mechanical object, something akin to the Rock Gnome tinker ability
Barbarian: Bonus action to make a tattoo appear or change on your skin
Bard: Cantrip to make a simple melody play in the air.
Cleric: Thaumaturgy
Druid: Druidcraft
Fighter: Change the design/images/artistry on your weapons, shields, and armor as a bonus action
Monk: Summon incense/pipe weed as a bonus action to assist with meditation
Paladin: Cantrip to clean and style your hair as a bonus action
Ranger: Summon a tiny beast to you from the area around you.
Rogue: Pocket item, bonus action to make an tiny object in your hand disappear into your pack or pocket
Sorcerer: Create sparks and lights in the air (ala Jubilee)
Warlock: Create Shadows. Upon casting you create darkened, sinister shadows on the walls and can make them move.

Well there is one for each. There are some that are pretty weak/pointless (*cough* Paladin), but it is something that you can work with.

GalacticAxekick
2021-04-15, 04:25 PM
As for the others, I haven't really homebrewed anything, but lets see if I can come up with a few ideas: Some of these are pretty great! Others, though, are either redundant or limited.


Artificers: Make a small mechanical object, something akin to the Rock Gnome tinker ability This is great! Its fitting, unique and balanced.


Barbarian: Bonus action to make a tattoo appear or change on your skinThis is very limited. Think of the huge variety of things a spell like Prestidigitation can do!

I would give the barbarian something strength related. For example "Destroy one tiny, unattended, nonmagical object, cause harmless tremors (which can slightly move small objects such as shaking a painting from a wall or shaking a bolt from a lock), or shout loud enough to be heard from a 300 ft.


Bard: Cantrip to make a simple melody play in the air.Prestidigitation and Minor Illusion can both do this. The bard already has both


Fighter: Change the design/images/artistry on your weapons, shields, and armor as a bonus actionLike the barbarian's tattoo effect, this is very limited.

I would write a "weapon trick" cantrip for the fighter that let's them move and manipulate objects using a weapon. Carve your initials into a dude's shirt with a rapier. Smash a rock into a statue with a warhammer. Pin a guy's sleeve to the wall behind him with an arrow. Skoot a jewel off the shelf with a sling. Unlike other cantrips, this would be compatible with Extra Attack.


Monk: Summon incense/pipe weed as a bonus action to assist with meditationI would give the monk the same weapon trick as the fighter, and allow them to do these tricks with their bare hands.


Paladin: Cantrip to clean and style your hair as a bonus actionPaladins are essentially martial clerics. Just give them thaumaturgy.


Ranger: Summon a tiny beast to you from the area around you.Rangers are essentially martial druids. Just give them druidcraft.

Summoning a tiny beast is cool though! I would add that to druidcraft's effects.


Rogue: Pocket item, bonus action to make an tiny object in your hand disappear into your pack or pocketDexterity (Sleight of Hand) already does this. If a spell can completely replace a skill, nobody who can access the spell will both taking the skill, which is a shame for one of the rogue's signature skills.

That said, I'm struggling to come up with an open-ended utility cantrip for the rogue.


Sorcerer: Create sparks and lights in the air (ala Jubilee)Prestidigitation and Minor Illusion can both do this. The sorcerer already has both


Warlock: Create Shadows. Upon casting you create darkened, sinister shadows on the walls and can make them move.Minor Illusion can do this. The warlock already has it, as well as thaumaturgy

nickl_2000
2021-04-16, 07:15 AM
Some of these are pretty great! Others, though, are either redundant or limited.



I completely and utterly agree with you there. I was trying to come up with something a bit unique to each class rather than giving Prestidigitation and Thaumaturgy to multiple classes. Plus, this is coming as a free gift at level 1 from the DM to the players rather than taking up a cantrip slot, so being a little bit more limited is okay.

My goal on a few of them is that they replicate something from another cantrip, but do it better. Minor Illusion allows you to create a shadow, but it doesn't allow you to animate it. The Warlock cantrip creates the shadow, but it can also animate it and make it move. I thought it makes it distinct enough from Minor Illusion, but maybe not.

For the Rogue, it doesn't completely replace slight of hand since you can't steal from someone else. However, you have a solid point in that it does reduce the usefulness of the skill overall. The issue I was running into is that there are a lot of things that can already be done with a disguise kit or the disguise self spell that I don't want to invalidate either.

As for Druidcraft, well it needs a boost anyways. I would love to see the animal summon ability added to it.