@Golett03 hot take: cantrips ruined spellcasting. Spells should take spell slots unless they are a ritual or granted by a magic item. If I could go back in time and make cantrips not a thing, I would
I think some very basic things, like prestidigitation, are fine. Basically magical effects that a child might do by accident but controlled through experience. Damaging spells? Probably not. Essentially, if it adds flavor to knowing how to manipulate magic, fine. If it grants power, it’s probably not a good contrip.
Prestidigitation like effects I think are probably actually good to just let every spell caster (or at least wizards and probably sorcerers and warlocks) have. Things that don’t do anything critical, just give flavor that they understand how to control the weave. Just like a fighter probably has better control of their body and can do extra flourishes, a spellcaster can do minor flourishes of the weave. Prestidigitation might still be more powerful than what I have in mind even, but the idea is about right. Basically they’re able to create sparks, budge things, create a tiny bit of wind, or other very minor effects without expending much energy. Nothing actually useful to do anything except to say they can do things.
@Golett03 hot take: cantrips ruined spellcasting. Spells should take spell slots unless they are a ritual or granted by a magic item. If I could go back in time and make cantrips not a thing, I would
I think some very basic things, like prestidigitation, are fine. Basically magical effects that a child might do by accident but controlled through experience. Damaging spells? Probably not. Essentially, if it adds flavor to knowing how to manipulate magic, fine. If it grants power, it’s probably not a good contrip.
@Cethin pretty much every centripetal worth taking either deals damage, give combat advantages, or has a very useful effect like Light.
Essentially my hot take is that even Prestidigitation and Light should be a 1st level spell. Especially Light.
Totally agree light and damage spells should be.
Prestidigitation like effects I think are probably actually good to just let every spell caster (or at least wizards and probably sorcerers and warlocks) have. Things that don’t do anything critical, just give flavor that they understand how to control the weave. Just like a fighter probably has better control of their body and can do extra flourishes, a spellcaster can do minor flourishes of the weave. Prestidigitation might still be more powerful than what I have in mind even, but the idea is about right. Basically they’re able to create sparks, budge things, create a tiny bit of wind, or other very minor effects without expending much energy. Nothing actually useful to do anything except to say they can do things.