D&D 5E Rebalancing the Gust cantrip

[Sword of Spirit]

Like most of the cantrips from the Elemental Evil Player's Guide, gust is rather underwhelming. I have a PC with it, and he's maybe used it once or twice in dozens of sessions, despite loving the idea of it. It just isn't worth taking an action for in combat.

Enter the Telekinetic feat from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. Its third feature does basically the same thing as the gust cantrip, except that it can either pull or push, while gust can only push but also has minor non-combat effects. But the big difference is that the feature from Telekinetic can be done as a bonus action rather than an action.

Reverse engineering the design intent of feats is difficult since the power level of feats is currently in flux, with the new feats often being significantly better than all but the best of the old ones. But looking at that feature from Telekinetic, as well as looking at the second feature of the Telepathic feat and comparing it to the message cantrip, all differences in feat structure aside, has made me wonder if in fact they consider that gust-like feature to actually be about worth a cantrip. And if that were the case, then the gust cantrip would be considered balanced if it were made into a bonus action.

So that's my question for you all. Would the gust cantrip be balanced if it took a bonus action rather than an action?

 

[James Gasik]

I don't see why it wouldn't be. I recently tried using Gust on my Wizard, feeling that a forced movement cantrip would be useful. Unfortunately, every time I used it, the target made the Strength save, so I finally swapped it out. I'd say either the save has to go or yeah, bonus action.

My DM did suggest giving it d6 damage (I think he was suggesting bludgeoning), but with a save for half damage, that'd be a fairly meh consolation prize if the target saves.