D&D 5E Wizard Cantrips: Which are the best early on?

[Sword of Spirit]

Every time you take a prisoner and interrogate him/her. They are hostile towards you before and after the spell, so friends is only benefit in that case

Excellent idea!

The biggest problem is that it's a bard cantrip, which makes me think it's supposed to be for a bard who wants to be "charming" all the time (without expending a spell slot for charm person), yet it is completely inadequate and generally counterproductive to that task.

With the ease of knocking people out in the edition, I've seen a lot of interrogation, and this cantrip would be useful for that.

 

[Inebriated Alhoun]

Every time you take a prisoner and interrogate him/her. They are hostile towards you before and after the spell, so friends is only benefit in that case

Definitely a practical use for it's short duration. Sadly, if you look closely at the first sentence in the description, it only affects non-hostiles.

I suspect this cantrip should be titled "Enemies", because that is the only effect it absolutely guarantees.

 

[raleel]

Hrm... disguise self + friends might be handy, particularly if you are a level 6+ illusionist. Friends in one disguise, walk away, change the disguise - they are hostile to something that no longer exists. Same with Alter Self - higher level spell slot and concentration, but no illusion spec required. Just make sure you get out of the way before that minute expires.

Useful for getting past guards, I imagine.

Does the DMG talk about hostility?

 

[aramis erak]

Hrm... disguise self + friends might be handy, particularly if you are a level 6+ illusionist. Friends in one disguise, walk away, change the disguise - they are hostile to something that no longer exists. Same with Alter Self - higher level spell slot and concentration, but no illusion spec required. Just make sure you get out of the way before that minute expires.

Useful for getting past guards, I imagine.

Does the DMG talk about hostility?

Yes. Briefly.

 

[PnPgamer]

Excellent idea!

The biggest problem is that it's a bard cantrip, which makes me think it's supposed to be for a bard who wants to be "charming" all the time (without expending a spell slot for charm person), yet it is completely inadequate and generally counterproductive to that task.

With the ease of knocking people out in the edition, I've seen a lot of interrogation, and this cantrip would be useful for that.

Sorcerers also get it.

Definitely a practical use for it's short duration. Sadly, if you look closely at the first sentence in the description, it only affects non-hostiles.

I suspect this cantrip should be titled "Enemies", because that is the only effect it absolutely guarantees.

Uhhh... don't tell your DM?

How about you can use the spell Enemies to your advantage? Provoke an npc into attacking you, frame him for assault amidst the crowds?... heck it isn't even framing as he/she is doing it anyway.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

It seems to me it really just needs a bit longer duration. If it lasted for a minute or so you could use it to get past a guard or whatever, which seems to be the intention.

 

[Inebriated Alhoun]

It seems to me it really just needs a bit longer duration. If it lasted for a minute or so you could use it to get past a guard or whatever, which seems to be the intention.

You're in luck. It's a concentration spell with a maximum of one minute. I suspect the example you gave is exactly what it was meant for. Better have a real good way of making yourself scarce afterward though.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

For some reason I had gotten it into my head that it only lasted a round, even though I have the book right there.

I think it still bugs me, and I've determined why. With limited cantrips, you generally only want a cantrip that you plan to use regularly. I can't think of many character that would cast friends regularly. Not even NPCs. It's more of an "occasionally" sort of spell. But it can't be a 1st level spell, because charm person is 1st level and does the job better.

Maybe I should create an alternate social influence cantrip by altering friends. If I made it require a Will save, not work on creatures immune to charm, only provide advantage on one Charisma check (but keep the 1 minute duration), a creature who makes their save or is affected by it is immune for 24 hours, and keep the non-hostile target requirement, it might be balanced to drop the automatic hostility statement.

Thoughts on balance? Is the limitation on only one check per usage necessary?

 

[raleel]

That, as stated, is far worse than Guidance, which can be used repeatedly and gives 1d4 with no downside. Advantage is not always +5, although it is quite a bit. Yours is very limited.

 

[Sword of Spirit]

That, as stated, is far worse than Guidance, which can be used repeatedly and gives 1d4 with no downside. Advantage is not always +5, although it is quite a bit. Yours is very limited.

Good point! I was contrasting it to charm person to make sure it was significantly less powerful and didn't take too much of its thunder, but guidance is another spell that provides an example of how powerful it should be.