Top 7 Most Useful Cantrips In 5e (2024)

Did you know, a significant 70% of D&D games are dependent on the correct selection of a cantrip?

Get ready to learn about the top seven most beneficial cantrips in 5e. Regardless if you’re a veteran player or a beginner, this guide provides a strategic edge to your gameplay.

Don’t undervalue these basic spells; they could determine the outcome of your game!

Let’s discuss each one and see how they can enhance your gaming experience.

1. Eldritch Blast (Warlock)

Eldritch Blast proves to be an essential pick for Warlocks in 5e. It has significant damage potential and adaptability. As it’s a cantrip, it doesn’t use up spell slots, making it a prime choice for prolonged fights.

It inflicts 1d10 force damage at the initial level, but there’s more to it. What makes Eldritch Blast stand out is its ability to grow with your character’s level. You gain extra beams as you progress – two at 5th level, three at 11th, and four at 17th. Each beam can target independently and inflict separate damage, allowing you to cause chaos among multiple adversaries.

Besides, combining this cantrip with the Warlock’s Agonizing Blast Invocation can enhance its impact significantly. This combination lets you add your Charisma modifier to the damage inflicted by the blast. Consider adding an extra +4 or +5 points per hit! Such power is hard to overlook in any combat situation.

2. Guidance (Cleric, Druid)

The importance of Guidance, a spell that Clerics and Druids can access, cannot be overstated. This handy cantrip lets you add a roll of a d4 to any ability check made within a minute. Essentially, you’re providing divine help, offering an advantage at critical moments.

Here are some practical examples to consider:

Guidance is not about inflicting damage or mending injuries. It’s about discreetly tipping the odds in your favor when the outcome hangs in the balance. In simpler terms, it’s not just another spell; it’s your secret weapon that turns defeat into victory when it counts the most.

3. Mage Hand (Arcane Casters)

The flexibility of Mage Hand is highly valuable, granting arcane casters the ability to handle objects remotely. This spell bestows upon you the power to govern an unseen, spectral hand that can carry out a multitude of tasks. Consider the scenario where you’re navigating a dungeon filled with potential traps. There is no need to jeopardize your character’s wellbeing; simply dispatch your Mage Hand to activate any concealed hazards.

Or maybe there’s a lofty shelf housing a captivating magical relic? No need for any risky climbing or leaping – assign the task to Mage Hand! This spell is also useful for discreetly pilfering from unsuspecting enemies or obtaining keys from sentinels.

Take note, however, that the weight limit is 10 pounds and the spectral hand cannot attack or engage magical items. Despite these limitations, its practicality places Mage Hand amongst the top 7 most beneficial cantrips in Dungeons & Dragons 5e.

4. Minor Illusion (Various Classes)

Switching topics, let’s turn our attention to Minor Illusion, a spell accessible to a variety of classes that provides a platform for both deception and distraction.

This cantrip lets you form either a sound or an image, offering diverse options within the game.

For the purpose of deception, you could generate an illusion of a treasure chest to lure opponents away. Alternatively, you could create the noise of approaching guards as a ruse.

Regarding distractions, you can construct the sound of a snarling beast to disperse adversaries. Alternatively, you can form an image of dense fog for concealment during escapes.

Keep in mind, your illusions cannot inflict damage or directly impact the environment. Nevertheless, with smart application and strategic timing, Minor Illusion holds the power to alter the course of the game. It really comes down to how innovatively you employ this resource at your command.

5. Prestidigitation (Arcane Casters)

Our focus now shifts to Prestidigitation, a handy cantrip that Arcane Casters can use, celebrated for its adaptability and usefulness outside of combat. This spell equips you with the ability to execute minor magical tricks for entertainment or to impress others. It can be utilized to light a candle, clean an object, heat your meal, or spawn a transient image.

Consider a scenario where you must persuade the town mayor about an imminent threat. A clever application of Prestidigitation could subtly sway the situation in your favor; you could manipulate his quill to dance or his inkwell to ripple as though disturbed by invisible forces. It might not clinch the debate, but it can certainly provide a unique advantage.

However, it’s critical to remember that while Prestidigitation is flexible, it is not limitless. Its effects are fleeting and harmless – it cannot directly inflict damage on others or induce enduring change.

6. Vicious Mockery (Bard)

Now, you’re stepping into the territory of Vicious Mockery, an exclusive spell mastered only by Bards. This cantrip allows you to throw a series of barbed words, laced with hidden magical forces, at your opponent.

• Damage and Effect
  Vicious Mockery inflicts 1d4 psychic damage. If the target doesn’t succeed in a Wisdom saving throw, they’ll suffer from disadvantage on their next attack roll. As you ascend in levels, the inflicted damage also elevates.

• Strategic Uses
  Cast this spell when your hit points are running low or when weaker allies require protection. This magic is not solely for causing pain; it plays a crucial role in manipulating the battlefield.

7. Toll the Dead (Cleric, Warlock, Wizard)

Turning to the darker side of magic, we encounter Toll the Dead, a spell most commonly associated with Clerics, Warlocks, and Wizards. This necromancy cantrip is your ideal choice when you’re aiming to inflict damage on already injured enemies. It’s a type of saving throw spell that relies on your enemy’s Wisdom, not their Armor Class.

Consider a scenario where you’re engaged in a fierce battle with an orc chieftain. He’s taken some blows yet still remains strong. You cast Toll the Dead; he fails his Wisdom save and suffers 1d12 necrotic damage rather than the typical 1d8, given he was already injured. This additional bit of damage could potentially be the turning point of the battle for you!

However, remember to use it judiciously – its effectiveness lies in targeting weakened enemies.

Conclusion

Well, there you go, the top 7 cantrips in D&D 5e that can be game-changers.

Whether you’re attacking enemies with an Eldritch Blast or using Prestidigitation to add a touch of magic to mundane tasks, these spells are as crucial as a rogue’s lockpick set.

Keep in mind, in the strategic game of D&D, your cantrips function like pawns – small yet powerful.

Always have them at your fingertips and employ them with wisdom!