D&D 5E Obvious Attack Cantrips That Should Exist

[jmartkdr2]

Never played 4E so if they originated there, my bad.

Like most of the best things in 5e, this did in fact come from 4e.

4e overdid it (as usual) - your favorite cantrip was also your basic attack for things like opportunity attacks and warlord maneuvers that granted you a free attack.

 

[Azzy]

Wow, just wow. Seven years dead, an someone makes an account to flame a poster that hasn't been active for three years. This is some premium drama.

 

[Tony Vargas]

Cantrips are probably one of the best things that happened to magic users in 5E.
Never played 4E so if they originated there, my bad.

Cantrips date all the way back to 1e, but you traded in a 1st level spell to memorize 4 cantrips, and they had virtually no effect in combat.
At-will magical attacks started officially with the Warlock's Eldritch Blast in 3.5, but 3e cantrips, though there were a few with non-trivial combat effects, were still 'prepared.'
4e gave effective at-will attacks to all classes, those that used Implements instead of weapons, including Eldritch Blast, corresponding to 5e attack cantrips. 4e wizards also got at-will minor utility spells that were actually called cantrips.

So, at-will attacks for all casters was a 4e innovation, but at-will utilities for all casters was a 5e thang.

 

[Fenris447]

Cantrips date all the way back to 1e, but you traded in a 1st level spell to memorize 4 cantrips, and they had virtually no effect in combat.
At-will magical attacks started officially with the Warlock's Eldritch Blast in 3.5, but 3e cantrips, though there were a few with non-trivial combat effects, were still 'prepared.'
4e gave effective at-will attacks to all classes, those that used Implements instead of weapons, including Eldritch Blast, corresponding to 5e attack cantrips. 4e wizards also got at-will minor utility spells that were actually called cantrips.

So, at-will attacks for all casters was a 4e innovation, but at-will utilities for all casters was a 5e thang.

As someone who came in with 5e, I always appreciate learning the history of each mechanic. Thanks!

 

[ChaosOS]

Like most of the best things in 5e, this did in fact come from 4e.

4e overdid it (as usual) - your favorite cantrip was also your basic attack for things like opportunity attacks and warlord maneuvers that granted you a free attack.

Not quite true - that was only applicable for some at-will powers. You had to meaningfully choose whether you wanted the basic attack with your power selection.

Also, if we're being really nitpicky, the idea of at-will spells started with Complete Mage in 3rd edition with the Reserve feats. That got turned into a baseline feature of casting classes with 4e, but even in 3rd they recognized and tried to patch the "spellcaster runs out of slots and is stuck with an xbow" problem.

 

[Weiley31]

Not quite true - that was only applicable for some at-will powers. You had to meaningfully choose whether you wanted the basic attack with your power selection.

Also, if we're being really nitpicky, the idea of at-will spells started with Complete Mage in 3rd edition with the Reserve feats. That got turned into a baseline feature of casting classes with 4e, but even in 3rd they recognized and tried to patch the "spellcaster runs out of slots and is stuck with an xbow" problem.

And nobody EVER wanted to be a Spellcaster stuck with an Xbox.