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Cantrip Auto-Scaling - A 5e Critique
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<blockquote data-quote="Blue" data-source="post: 7534166" data-attributes="member: 20564"><p>Great question, let's give it some numbers.</p><p></p><p>Let's assume the conservative 5 encounters of 4 rounds each. That's 20 actions to cover. Add in an extra spell per encounter - say a reaction like shield or a bonus action. That's 25.</p><p></p><p>Let's assume you cast some spells a day cast outside combat - be it utility, mage armor, foresight, what have you. When you have more slots you're more likely to do this. For a conservative number lets say proficiency - 1. So only one until 5th level, and only five all the way at 20th. Nice and low.</p><p></p><p>At 1st, you have 2 slots for 26 castings. Sounds like mostly Firebolt or your damage cantrip of choice.</p><p></p><p>At 5th we have 9 slots for 27 casting. 2/3 cantrips.</p><p></p><p>At 9th we're up to 14 slots for 28 castings - 1/2 cantrips.</p><p></p><p>At 13th it's 17 slots for 29 castings. Still over 10 Firebolts a day.</p><p></p><p>At 17th it's 19 slots for 30 castings - still haven't reduced to 1/3 of your spells cast are cantrips.</p><p></p><p>At 20th it's 22 slots for 30 castings! Only 8 Firebolts that day.</p><p></p><p>Now, at higher level you probably have some magic item activations in there as well. So if you are a 20th level caster and use wands and stuff 8 times per day, you can just avoid casting a cantrip. It's harder at the lower levels.</p><p></p><p>So it looks like there's a lot of cantrip use. The majority of casting will be cantrips until reaching 9th, and even high levels will be doing it some.</p><p></p><p>This will vary a bit by class - some have less reaction spells, or sorcerers with quicken spell will cast more cantrips on their actions.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Blue, post: 7534166, member: 20564"] Great question, let's give it some numbers. Let's assume the conservative 5 encounters of 4 rounds each. That's 20 actions to cover. Add in an extra spell per encounter - say a reaction like shield or a bonus action. That's 25. Let's assume you cast some spells a day cast outside combat - be it utility, mage armor, foresight, what have you. When you have more slots you're more likely to do this. For a conservative number lets say proficiency - 1. So only one until 5th level, and only five all the way at 20th. Nice and low. At 1st, you have 2 slots for 26 castings. Sounds like mostly Firebolt or your damage cantrip of choice. At 5th we have 9 slots for 27 casting. 2/3 cantrips. At 9th we're up to 14 slots for 28 castings - 1/2 cantrips. At 13th it's 17 slots for 29 castings. Still over 10 Firebolts a day. At 17th it's 19 slots for 30 castings - still haven't reduced to 1/3 of your spells cast are cantrips. At 20th it's 22 slots for 30 castings! Only 8 Firebolts that day. Now, at higher level you probably have some magic item activations in there as well. So if you are a 20th level caster and use wands and stuff 8 times per day, you can just avoid casting a cantrip. It's harder at the lower levels. So it looks like there's a lot of cantrip use. The majority of casting will be cantrips until reaching 9th, and even high levels will be doing it some. This will vary a bit by class - some have less reaction spells, or sorcerers with quicken spell will cast more cantrips on their actions. [/QUOTE]
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