TRPG Tips and Tricks

The Ultimate Guide to D&D 5e's Best Cantrips

Not sure which cantrips to give your character? Whether you're a seasoned dungeon crawler or a fresh-faced adventurer rolling your first character, cantrips are the backbone of any spellcaster's arsenal. These magical workhorses cost no spell slots, scale with your level, and can be cast until the cows come home (or until the DM calls for a long rest). With the release of the 2024 Player's Handbook, some beloved cantrips got exciting updates while others remained trusty classics.

Often when creating a new character, players might feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of cantrips they have to choose from. So let's dive into the most essential cantrips that belong in every spellcaster's toolkit!

Eldritch Blast - The Warlock's Crown Jewel

Classes: Warlock

If cantrips were dice, Eldritch Blast would be the perfect d20 – reliable, versatile, and always ready to roll high. This force damage cantrip fires multiple beams as you level up (2 at 5th level, 3 at 11th, 4 at 17th), each dealing 1d10 damage with a 120-foot range.

What Makes It Special: The real magic happens with Warlock invocations. Agonizing Blast adds your Charisma modifier to damage, while Repelling Blast pushes targets 10 feet away. Suddenly, you're not just dealing damage – you're battlefield control.

Creative Uses:

Push enemies off cliffs or into hazards
Separate foes from their allies
Knock flying creatures out of the sky
Create space between your party and charging monsters

Minor Illusion - The Swiss Army Knife of Cantrips

Classes: Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard, Arcane Trickster Rogue, Eldritch Knight Fighter

This unassuming cantrip creates either a sound or a static visual illusion for one minute. Don't let its simplicity fool you – Minor Illusion is limited only by your creativity.

What Makes It Special: It's investigation-proof unless someone physically interacts with it, and the versatility is unmatched among cantrips.

Creative Uses:

Create fake walls to hide behind
Mimic voices to confuse enemies or send messages
Generate distracting sounds (footsteps, breaking glass, screaming)
Make yourself appear as a statue or furniture
Create convincing evidence at crime scenes
Signal allies with specific sounds only they'd recognise

Guidance - The Subtle Game-Changer

Classes: Cleric, Druid, Artificer

Adding a d4 to any ability check might seem modest, but Guidance is the difference between success and failure more often than you'd think. The 2024 version allows more flexible timing for when the bonus die is rolled.

What Makes It Special: It works on any ability check, has a 30-foot range, and can mean the difference between failure and success.

Creative Uses:

Boost stealth rolls for the entire party during infiltration
Help with crucial social encounters
Assist with complex skill challenges
Enhance investigation rolls when searching for clues
Support athletics checks during chase scenes

Mage Hand - Your Invisible Assistant

Classes: Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard, Arcane Trickster Rogue, Eldritch Knight Fighter

This spectral hand can manipulate objects, open doors, and perform simple tasks at a 30-foot range. Arcane Tricksters get special benefits, including the ability to make it invisible and use it for sleight of hand.

What Makes It Special: It's like having a teammate who can reach anywhere and never gets tired.

Creative Uses:

Trigger traps safely from a distance
Retrieve items from dangerous locations
Pickpocket while maintaining your innocence
Operate mechanisms while staying hidden
Pass items between party members silently
Create distractions by moving objects

Prestidigitation - The Ultimate Utility Spell

Classes: Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard, Artificer, Eldritch Knight Fighter

This jack-of-all-trades cantrip can create sensory effects, clean or soil objects, chill or warm items, and much more. The 2024 version expanded its capabilities even further.

What Makes It Special: You can have up to three effects active simultaneously, and the variety of applications is staggering.

Creative Uses:

Create diversions with sounds, smells, or lights
Clean bloodstains or muddy clothes for better social interactions
Warm food and drink for comfort and morale
Create small trinkets as gifts or bribes
Soil enemy equipment or clothing for embarrassment
Leave magical marks or messages for allies

Thorn Whip - Nature's Grappling Hook

Classes: Druid, Artificer

This melee spell attack has a 30-foot range and pulls Large or smaller creatures 10 feet closer to you while dealing 1d6 piercing damage.

What Makes It Special: Forced movement on a cantrip opens up tactical possibilities usually reserved for higher-level spells.

Creative Uses:

Pull enemies into environmental hazards
Drag foes into melee range for your allies
Yank enemies off high ground
Separate spellcasters from their bodyguards
Pull creatures into areas of effect spells

Shape Water - The Underestimated Powerhouse

Classes: Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard

This transmutation cantrip manipulates water within a 5-foot cube, allowing you to move it, freeze it, change its colour or opacity, or create simple shapes.

What Makes It Special: Environmental manipulation that works in countless situations if water is present.

Creative Uses:

Create ice bridges or barriers
Part water to reveal hidden objects
Freeze water around enemies' feet
Create distractions with moving water
Make water opaque for concealment
Form ice weapons (though they're fragile)

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Building Your Cantrip Arsenal

When selecting cantrips, consider this balanced approach:

One Reliable Damage Dealer: Every spellcaster needs consistent damage output
One Utility Powerhouse: Choose something versatile like Minor Illusion or Prestidigitation
One Situational Specialist: Pick something that shines in your campaign's common scenarios
One Social/Exploration Tool: Cantrips that help outside combat are invaluable

If you're keen on a particular cantrip but your class doesn't have access, consider options such as multiclassing, or taking a feat that gives you access to new cantrips outside of your class (such as Magic Initiate).

Rolling for Success

Cantrips are like the foundation dice in your collection – you'll use them constantly, so choose wisely. Whether you're wielding the eldritch power of a Warlock's blast or bending reality with a Wizard's illusions, these magical workhorses will serve you from first level to twentieth.

Remember, the best cantrip is the one that fits your character's style and your campaign's needs. A Toll the Dead might be mathematically superior, but if Minor Illusion creates memorable moments and solves problems creatively, it's the better choice for your table.

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