Sadras
Legend
This is a tall order. You want the cantrip to be effectively weaker than 1st level damaging spells, so no quadratic power up, but also useful enough to use as a viable action presumably at those higher levels? But maybe not? Maybe balance is of no concern and it is purely thematic and your idea of magic in the setting?
Other than making cantrips a limited resource the only other option I can think of would be roll over the damage dealing cantrips into first level and give bonus spell slots. Both those mess a little with balance but then again it depends on the theme of the campaign. For example, in @Hussar's Savage Worlds campaign their table agreed to nix cantrips.
EDIT: Magic is one of those areas where special consideration by the DM is required when designing his/her gaming world. So keeping damage-dealing cantrips at their base perhaps ensures that cantrips are really only viewed as play-play magic for those with true arcane/divine power, at least for that setting.
Other than making cantrips a limited resource the only other option I can think of would be roll over the damage dealing cantrips into first level and give bonus spell slots. Both those mess a little with balance but then again it depends on the theme of the campaign. For example, in @Hussar's Savage Worlds campaign their table agreed to nix cantrips.
EDIT: Magic is one of those areas where special consideration by the DM is required when designing his/her gaming world. So keeping damage-dealing cantrips at their base perhaps ensures that cantrips are really only viewed as play-play magic for those with true arcane/divine power, at least for that setting.
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