D&D is a world of monsters, beasts, might and of course, magic. If you have ever played a caster class, you must know the struggle of having to pick the appropriate spells for the campaign you are playing, and using them at the right times. In earlier editions, cantrips, also known as 0-level spells, the beginning of your caster’s career; were limited like the rest of your spells.
In 5th edition, WoTC has changed cantrips to have unlimited castings! Which brings us to a newer problem;
If you have the ability to do something forever without running out of it, you’d certainly want it to be the best.
So here, we have gathered a list of our own picks for the best cantrips for every D&D class. Well, caster classes. With cantrips.
1. Wizard - Mage Hand
Wizard, the most known and most played caster of all. With the mind of a genius, wizards dedicate their lives to arcane studies and thus can learn spells not just from leveling up, but also externally found scrolls.
Except cantrips, which are fixed in number. So you’d want your wizard to be best equipped.
Then, why Mage Hand? Wizard has a vast selection of cantrips, from damage spells to telepathic message sending, but most would agree that Mage Hand is the most useful and versatile of them all. Giving you the ability to pull levers, lift 10 pounds objects, open and close doors from a 30 ft distance; Mage Hand is a go to for trap-checking in dire situations in dungeons. It is a third hand. What you can do with it is only limited to your mind, and likely your DM.
- Casting Time: 1 Action
- Range/Area: 30 ft
- Components: Verbal and Somatic
- Duration: 1 Minute
- School: Conjuration
More information on: https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/mage-hand
2. Bard - Prestidigitation
Our beloved artists, poets and singers; bards are a unique type of caster. With their magic tied to their artistic abilities, not only do they cast spells but also perform while doing so.
We chose a cantrip that can enhance any performance a bard might make and take them up to the next level, and provide many roleplay avenues; Prestidigitation.
You are a story-teller bard, who wants their audience to hear the faint music of a serenading lover in your tale? Prestidigitation!
You are a songstress, who’d like to end their performance with a flourish; a shower of sparks? Prestidigitation!
The food you are eating is bland because you got kicked out of the last tavern you were in due to bedding the innkeeper’s daughter? —well, Prestidigitation!
Create small images, clean surfaces, send fear into the hearts of your audience by snuffing out lights; and many more, whatever you, as a wonderful bard, can come up with.
- Casting Time: 1 Action
- Range/Area: 10 ft
- Components: Verbal and Somatic
- Duration: 1 Hour
- School: Transmutation
More information on: https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/prestidigitation
3. Cleric - Spare the Dying
A holy warrior or a healer hand, wrath of the gods or a messenger of their will; clerics are as versatile as the religions themselves. They can be built in many different ways according to your party’s needs, but there’s one need that’s almost never going to change; staying alive.
Spare the Dying solves that problem! Your party member is on the verge of dying? With this cantrip, you can stabilize them without having to spend a healing spell, or if you have run out of them. Or perhaps, the barbarian accidentally fatally wounded an enemy you were meant to get information from? Acting quick, you can make sure they don’t die.
As merciful as 5e is compared to older editions, death saves continue to haunt everyone. You can save a character from a horrible death, and your friend the anxietyof rolling those saves. Both will certainly be thankful to you and your character.
- Casting Time: 1 action
- Range/Area: Touch
- Components: Verbal and Somatic
- Duration: Instantaneous
- School: Necromancy
More information on: https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/spare-the-dying
4. Sorcerer - Fire Bolt
Chosen by blood in their veins or the magical forces of the world, sorcerers are born casters. And likely envied by most wizards. The ability to cast your spells without preparing them is a strong blessing, however also a curse when you choose your spells wrong and none of them are useful for what’s going on.
Not to say other cantrips are wrong of course; but you simply cannot go wrong with Fire Bolt. A bit of change from the earlier mentioned cantrips, this one is a fire damage spell that increases in power as your sorcerer grows. Valued at first at a d10 (ten sided die), it will keep you good and a very violent company during combats that will turn your enemies to ash while you get to safely watch from a distance.
- Casting Time: 1 Action
- Range/Area: 120 ft
- Components: Verbal and Somatic
- Duration: Instantaneous
- School: Evocation
More information on: https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/fire-bolt
5. Druid - Shillelagh
Forces and wills of nature, a guiding hand or a teacher of lessons, druids are a class that are known for their connection to the land and beyond. However at lower levels it can be a bit weak compared to other casters or classes. Shillelagh solves one of the problems, your expertise in melee.
Giving you the option to deal damage with your spellcasting ability instead of strength, a quarterstaff or a club can turn into a deadly weapon in the druid’s hands. It may not be the go to option for higher level druids but by then, you will not depend on your cantrips as much as you used to.
- Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action
- Range/Area: Touch
- Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material (mistletoe, a shamrock leaf, and a club or a quarterstaff)
- Duration: 1 Minute
- School: Transmutation
More information on: https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/shillelagh
6. Warlock - Eldritch Blast
One of the most customizable classes in D&D, no two warlocks are the same except their one spell; Eldritch Blast. Their powers come from the otherworldly connections and patrons they’ve acquired with reasons to their own; curiosity for knowledge, hunger for power, zeal akin to a cleric towards one of these beings…
Whether you chose to pact with a hag, a demon, a devil or well, Cthulhu, your Eldritch Blast is most definitely your most essential ability. It evolves and develops as your warlock grows, with options to customize and adapt it to your needs. Pairing perfectly with some Eldritch Invocations and doing force damage, in my opinion not only is it the warlock’s best cantrip but the most powerful cantrip in D&D.
- Casting Time: 1 Action
- Range/Area: 120 ft
- Components: Verbal and Somatic
- Duration: Instantaneous
- School: Evocation
More information on: https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/eldritch-blast
