"Send Sight" a divination cantrip

[AetherShift]

I thought about this idea while working on the ins and outs of my Unseen Seer project. I wanted a divination cantrip that would be about the equivalent in utility as Mage Hand, which is what the Arcane Trickster is all about. This is a cantrip that I think might fill that gap in my home-brewed Unseen Seer subclass.

Send Sight
Divination Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 Minute

You create a magical eye within range that hovers in the air for the duration. As an action you can see through the eye from its vantage point using your own vision. The eye can look in every direction. As an action, you can move the eye up to 30 feet in any direction but it must remain within range and can’t enter another plane of existence. A solid barrier blocks the eye’s movement, but the eye can pass through an opening as small as 1 inch in diameter.

Spoiler: Original version

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Send Sight

Divination Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 Minute

A spectral, floating eye appears at a point you choose within range. The eye lasts for the duration or until you dismiss it as an action. The eye vanishes if it is ever more than 30 feet away from you or if you cast this spell again. You can see as if you occupied the eye’s space. You can use your action to control the eye. You can use the eye to pear around corners, gain a bird’s eye view of the battlefield, examine inaccessible creatures or objects and otherwise increase the range of you vision by up to 30 feet. You can move the eye up to 30 feet each time you use it.

Let me know what you think!

[Arracor]

I mean, I honestly have no real sense of balance for 5e yet so grain of salt, but it looks both interesting and useful to me without being ridiculous. The 30ft range keeps it from breaking the cantrip power level (IMO), being roughly equivalent to a 1st level spell in 3.5.

As an aside, I can see this spell being a 'constant use' while traveling on foot, since you can move it at pace with you while walking. It would give you far greater range of vision, or potentially float behind your head and prevent you from ever being snuck up on. Incalculably valuable for people keeping watch. I could see city guards or scouts in an army being trained to be able to use it in their duties.

Perhaps at higher levels, it allows multiple eyes. Or the range is extended. Or the eye becomes a bonus action to move. I can imagine a high level character with an eye in the corner of every room of a building, like their own personal Big Brother style camera system.

Does the eye glow? Can it count as a light source? Is it useful for espionage, or too visually obvious? How does the existence of this cantrip affect the world as a whole?

[toapat]

Perhaps at higher levels,

only attack cantrips scale with level

[AetherShift]

Here is a slightly different wording. While the first is based on the wording for Mage Hand (which is a conjuration spell) this wording more closely resembles the wording of Arcane Eye (which is a divination spell, and probably should have been the original template). Let me know which reads better, and weather this new one is still cantrip powered. Thank you.

Send Sight
Divination Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 Minute

You create an invisible, magical eye within range that hovers in the air for the duration. You mentally receive visual information from the eye as if you were occupying its space. The eye can look in every direction. As an action, you can move the eye up to 30 feet in any direction but it must remain within range and can’t enter another plane of existence. A solid barrier blocks the eye’s movement, but the eye can pass through an opening as small as 1 inch in diameter.

[Arracor]

Much, much more potent, given its invisibility. The use of this spell in espionage would be almost irreplacable.

[bloodshed343]

Does it have Darkvision? Or does it use the caster's senses?

[jedipotter]

The invisible eye might be too powerful....I'd make it a seen eyeball. I'd make it an action to look through and use the eye too.

[AetherShift]

The use of this spell in espionage would be almost irreplacable.

The hope was to give a hypothetical Unseen Seer rogue subclass a cantrip as useful as Mage Hand is to the Arcane Trickster.

To clarify, no dark vision. I should indicate that the eye uses the caster's sight.
I'll nix the invisibility, and make it an action to use the eye.

Would those fixes put it square into the cantrip power zone?

Adding new wording to the original post.

[Arracor]

Again, not a 5e expert, grainofsalt and such, but I think it sounds balanced. Question though; when you use it, does it replace your sight or is it additive?

[AetherShift]

Again, not a 5e expert, grainofsalt and such, but I think it sounds balanced. Question though; when you use it, does it replace your sight or is it additive?

As written I think it should replace your sight, although I would consider an alternate wording to make it more clear, if you think it would help.

Currently the text says:

"As an action you can see through the eye from its vantage point using your own vision."

I imagine it would be similar to using a periscope.

[Strill]

So how visible is this eye? Since it's not invisible, how easy it is to notice is quite important.