The Five Best Non-Damaging Cantrips in D&D
Cantrips are every spellcaster’s best friend. They provide you with a basic attack – but they can do so much more!
Cantrips are a vital part of D&D 5th Edition. If you’ve ever played a spellcaster you know how much they can do. Need to set an enemy on fire? Shoot ’em with a ray of frost? Cantrips have got you covered.
They’re minor magical effects you can always count on being around. But for all they do, sometimes Cantrips might not seem like the most exciting things. After all, spells with higher levels can do a lot – but when you drill down and look at what each Cantrip can do? The world becomes your oyster.
Today we’re going to look at what else you can do with your omnipresent spells besides do some damage. Because sometimes what you really want, is to get more out of your action than a few points of damage.
Guidance
Everyone needs a helping hand from time to time – and if you’ve got Guidance on your spell list, that helping hand is often you. If you’re a bard, this one is definitely worth grabbing to make your bardic inspiration go that much further – but everyone always loves what amounts to a free +1d4 on an ability check. Whether you’re looking for traps, trying to disarm them, or figuring out the best way to rescue your friend from the trap they failed to disarm, we could all use a little guidance from time to time.
Thaumaturgy
Are you tired of being taken for a conjurer of cheap tricks? Thaumaturgy is the spell for you. This spell is my favorite of the miscellaneous magical effect cantrips. Prestidigitation might let you magically clean things, Druidcraft might be able to tell you what the weather is tomorrow, but Thaumaturgy lets you make an impression:
You manifest a minor wonder, a sign of supernatural power, within range. You create one of the following magical effects within range:
- Your voice booms up to three times as loud as normal for 1 minute.
- You cause flames to flicker, brighten, dim, or change color for 1 minute.
- You cause harmless tremors in the ground for 1 minute.
- You create an instantaneous sound that originates from a point of your choice within range, such as a rumble of thunder, the cry of a raven, or ominous whispers.
- You instantaneously cause an unlocked door or window to fly open or slam shut.
- You alter the appearance of your eyes for 1 minute.
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its 1-minute effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.
What’s not to love?
Mold Earth
This is another minor magical effect spell – but it has one surprisingly useful ability: you can create difficult terrain wherever you like for up to an hour. It’s incredibly helpful if you’re needing to prepare defenses. Conversely, if you need to clear a path through difficult terrain, Mold Earth has got you covered. You’ll find it in the Elemental Evil Player’s Companion.
Minor Illusion
We couldn’t, in good conscience, leave out Minor Illusion. This spell is just so broadly applicable. It lets you create sound, create images – give yourself a piece of wall to hide behind. Can’t get to a safe hiding spot? Create one – generate a barrel that you can just crouch down in and your enemies won’t see you. Create the sound of approaching guards if you need to scare folks off. It’s a tricky spell because it relies on your DM playing along, and that can be difficult for some DMs who want everyone to just see through magical disguises, but! But! This spell lets you do so much. If it’s on your list, it’s well worth taking.
Message
The last one is for all those moments when you’d love to be there but your character isn’t – you can reach out and whisper to someone up to 120 feet away. Instantaneous communication, undetectable since “only the target” hears the message. And it works through solid objects as well.
There are plenty of other Cantrips out there – so give them a try. And let us know in the comments which ones are your favorites!
As always, Happy Adventuring!
