D&D 5E Cantrip nerf (house rule brainstorm)

[Musing Mage]

Hello all,

A bugbear about 5e (for me at least) was the idea of unlimited spammable cantrips for casters. To us 'get off my lawn' grognards, this seems a touch excessive.

I had an idea for a nerf I wanted to brainstorm - Each cantrip can only be cast a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. Recover all uses upon short rest.

And discuss...

 

[embee]

Hello all,

A bugbear about 5e (for me at least) was the idea of unlimited spammable cantrips for casters. To us 'get off my lawn' grognards, this seems a touch excessive.

I had an idea for a nerf I wanted to brainstorm - Each cantrip can only be cast a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus. Recover all uses upon short rest.

And discuss...

If you allow/require a short rest to refresh your cantrips, every encounter will be followed by a short rest.

 

[Atomoctba]

If you want to nerf cantrips, I would just remove the improved damage with improved caster level. A spamable at-will cantrip with basic damage is roughly equivalent to stop to cast spells and attack with a weapon, but more thematic to a caster.

 

[not-so-newguy]

How about # of cantrips known + Proficiency bonus; recoup on a long rest?
A 1st level wizard could cast 5 cantrips

Arcane recovery: recoup # of cantrips divided by 2 rounded down
A 1st level wizard can recoup 2 cantrips

 

[Musing Mage]

If you allow/require a short rest to refresh your cantrips, every encounter will be followed by a short rest.

That's already a thing, so nothing really changes. But prolonged encounters, and prolonged periods between resting opportunities will make those casters think about resource management.

If you want to nerf cantrips, I would just remove the improved damage with improved caster level. A spamable at-will cantrip with basic damage is roughly equivalent to stop to cast spells and attack with a weapon, but more thematic to a caster.

I'm okay with the scaling, it's the spamming that I have issue with. Running out of uses necessitates variety, as well as non-magic backup options.

 

[el-remmen]

I am frequently tempted to simply get rid of all damage dealing cantrips. Or just replace the whole idea of cantrips with the 2E notion of the spell Cantrip.

 

[Musing Mage]

How about # of cantrips known + Proficiency bonus; recoup on a long rest?
A 1st level wizard could cast 5 cantrips

Arcane recovery: recoup # of cantrips divided by 2 rounded down
A 1st level wizard can recoup 2 cantrips

Also an interesting idea... more aligned with the normal spell slot system.

 

[tetrasodium]

cantrip damage compared to melee damage is bad, like freakishly bad to an almost unbelievable degree. This kind of change would need to pair with some improvements elsewhere but the changes would need to somehow relate to the changes made elsewhere. Are you wanting to do this in relation to some other set of changes you have in mind?

 

[DemoMonkey]

Casters can cast a number of cantrips equal to their Int score per short rest, or suffer a level of exhaustion

Weapon users can make a number of weapon attacks equal to their Con score per short rest, or suffer a level of exhaustion.

What? If you want to limit at will abilities, limit at will abilities.

 

[D1Tremere]

So casters can attack each round just like any other class, and that's bad?
The whole point is not to have A: Let the Wizard rest, or B: I'll just be setting here the next hour or so while you guys play, scenarios. A caster casting is no different than an arrow or sword swing in this regard.