Cantrips in DnD are very straightforward in Dungeons and Dragons, but the name itself (“cantrips”) doesn’t exactly provide any help as to what exactly they are or what properties they have.
The name actually comes from an old Scottish word for magical spells, but as you’ve probably gathered, it’s not a word that sees any use in modern English. So, what are cantrips in DnD, and what do they do?
Cantrips in DnD are spells that the caster has practiced to such a degree that they do not need to prepare it. Furthermore, cantrips do not take up spell slots. Cantrips have relatively weak effects compared to other spells, but can be cast every turn without expending any resources except for the action it takes to cast it.
In this article, I’ll go over cantrips in detail and some of the best cantrips that are available in DnD. Keep reading to learn all about it.
What Are Cantrips?
As I mentioned earlier, cantrips are useful little spells that characters have practiced for a long time. That practice has given them the ability to cast cantrips without preparation, and since they don’t use spell slots, they are practically free (except for the action spent).
However, cantrips are weaker than spells that take up spell slots, typically. For example, cantrips can have effects such as casting a Fire Bolt or summoning something with low HP such as a Mage Hand.
Of course, the power levels of different cantrips still vary a lot. Some cantrips, such as Eldritch Blast, are incredibly powerful, especially since they don’t take up a spell slot.
Eight of the basic classes have access to cantrips. Other classes that don’t start with cantrips can still gain them in some ways. For example, Rogues can either specialize in the Arcane Trickster at level 3 or pick the feat Magic Initiate instead of increasing their ability score.
Here’s a table of the eight classes that start with cantrips (and the cantrips themselves):
| Class | Cantrips |
| Artificer | Two cantrips from the Artificer spell list |
| Bard | Two cantrips from the Bard spell list |
| Cleric | Three cantrips from the Cleric spell list |
| Druid | Two cantrips from the Druid spell list |
| Sorcerer | Four cantrips from the Sorcerer spell list |
| Warlock | Two cantrips from the Warlock spell list |
| Wizard | Three cantrips from the Wizard spell list |
These are only the cantrips that the classes get at 1st level, however. The classes get additional cantrips as they level, and some have bonus cantrip abilities. For example, Circle of the Land Druids can choose an additional cantrip from the Druid spell list at level 2, and Wizards gain Potent Cantrips at level 6.
What’s the Difference Between Spells and Cantrips?
So, if cantrips are spells, then what’s the difference between what is called “spells” and what is called “cantrips”? It’s fairly simple, really.
Cantrips are level 0 spells. Any other spell needs to be prepared to cast and expends a spell slot when cast. In other words, spells of other kinds have limited use, while cantrips can be cast without cost.
Cantrips are certainly a good source of utility for any spellcaster. However, the majority of a character’s power does not come from cantrips, but from spells of higher levels.
Can Cantrips Increase in Power?
Cantrips that are somewhat effective at the start of the game would almost be completely useless if they didn’t somehow scale. So, cantrips scale. How they do this depends largely on the cantrip. For example, Fire Bolt’s power level scales by adding multiple d10 dice: “one additional 1d10 when you reach 5th level (2d10), 11th level (3d10), and 17th level (4d10).”
Eldritch Blast, on the other hand, casts multiple beams at higher levels: “two beams at 5th level, three beams at 11th level, and four beams at 17th level.”
So, do cantrips increase in power? Yes, they do, although the specific method of scaling varies depending on what cantrips you have.
Which Cantrips Should I Take?
What cantrips you should take at level 1 for your builds varies greatly on what you want to accomplish, both in a roleplaying sense and a mechanical one. However, here are some cantrips that are always solid if available:
- Fire Bolt — Fire Bolt is the go-to damaging cantrip for players who need it. It has good range and scales well with later levels. However, it doesn’t compare with prepared spells in damage. It’s the spellcaster’s version of doing a basic attack with a bow or something of the sort.
- Eldritch Blast — Eldritch Blast is only available for Warlocks but you can still get this cantrip through multiclassing. It’s probably the best damaging cantrip in the entire game, especially at early levels. It deals Force damage, which isn’t a particularly common resistance to have, combines well with other Warlock spells, and is a one-handed attack.
- Mage Hand — Summons a spectral hand to do your bidding. Very good utility spell that can help you do all sorts of things. It can’t attack, but it can pick locks, pickpocket, distract NPCs, and do many other creative things.
- Guidance — Guidance gives you a 1d4 bonus to one ability check of choice. That is, on average, a 2.5 bonus to any skill check you want to perform. It’s incredibly strong. Some players think it’s OP for a cantrip, in fact.