Homebrew Cantrip Upgrades for ALL (D&D 2024 PHB)

[Frankie1969]

I like to extrapolate the missing pieces of patterns. When it comes to 5E spells, I fill in Higher-Level effects for nearly every spell (leaving out 8th level spells and Paladin/Ranger 5th level).
Most of the 5.5 cantrips have Cantrip Upgrades, including some that didn't have such in 5.0.
Here's the rest. My goal is for cantrips to be playable (but not excessive) in the upper levels, when they frequently get discarded as taking up too many resources (Actions & Concentration) for the meager value they offer.

(Non-Combat) Cantrip Upgrades Beta release​

Base spell changes are in red. My commentary is in blue italic. Your commentary is welcome.
Edit: removing the combat cantrips because they need much more careful balance.

Dancing Lights (Possibility 1)
(Summary: Action, 120', Conc 1 minute: 4 dim lights or 1 form, Bonus Act: move.)
Cantrip Upgrade. The spell stops requiring concentration at level 11, ending if you dismiss it as an Action or cast it again.
Starting at level 17, you can cast the spell as a Bonus Action.

Dancing Lights (Possibility A)
Duration: 1 minute (no concentration)
You create up to three Tiny lights within range, appearing as glowing and hovering torches, lanterns, or orbs. Alternately you combine the lights into one third as many (round down) glowing, vaguely humanoid Medium forms.
The spell ends if you cast it again.
Cantrip Upgrade. The number of lights increases when you reach levels 5 (five), 11 (seven), and 17 (nine).
I don't know which of these two routes is more appropriate.

Druidcraft
(Summary: Action, 30': Weather Sensor, Bloom, Sensory Effect, or Fire Play.)
Cantrip Upgrade. Additional options become available at levels 5 (Clean or Soil from Prestidigitation) and 11 (Tremors from Thaumaturgy).
Starting at level 17, you can cast the spell as a Bonus Action, with no components except body language (such as a gesture, look, or breath).
This puts Druidcraft on a more even footing with its Arcane & Divine peers, adding some useful but still nature-themed options.

Elementalism
(Edit: I didn't notice this one and will need to think about it.)

Friends
(Summary: Action, 10', Conc 1 minute: non-hostile Humanoid must WIS save vs Charmed.)
Cantrip Upgrade. The range doubles when you reach levels 5 (20 feet) and 11 (40 feet).
Starting at level 17, you can cast the spell as a Bonus Action.

Guidance
(Summary: Action, Touch, Conc 1 minute: Choose a skill, target gets +1d4 on skill check.)
The target adds 1d4 to the first ability check using the chosen skill before the spell ends. (similar to the 5.0 base spell.)
Cantrip Upgrade. Starting at level 5, the target adds 1d4 to each check with the chosen skill until the spell ends. (This is the 5.5 base spell.)
The number of target creatures increases when you reach levels 11 (two) and 17 (three).
Guidance 5.0 was good enough, so low level casters won't really suffer too much from this brief nerf.

Light
(Summary: Action, Touch, 1 hour: object 20' Bright +20' Dim. One active casting at a time.)
Cantrip Upgrade. The number of active castings at a time increases at levels 5 (two) and 11 (three).
Starting at level 17, you can cast the spell as a Bonus Action.

Mage Hand
(Summary: Action, 30', 1 minute: floating hand does Object Interaction. Action: move & interact again.)
Cantrip Upgrade. The number of active castings at at time increases to two at level 11.
Starting at level 17, you can cast or control the spell as a Bonus Action.

Mending
(Summary: 1 minute, Touch: repair 1 break up to 1 foot.)
You mend a break or tear no larger than 1 foot in any dimension, leaving a scar or seam where the damage used to be.
Cantrip Upgrade. Starting at level 5, you leave no trace of the former damage. (the 5.5 base spell.)
The number of breaks repaired and number of feet increase at levels 11 (two) and 17 (three).
Rock Gnomes and other innate cantrip species will view reaching level 5 as an important milestone in life, especially in home maintenance.

Message
(Summary: Action, 120', 1 round: target receives whisper message & may reply.)
Cantrip Upgrade. The range and number of targets increase at levels 5 (180 feet, 2 creatures) and 11 (240 feet, 3 creatures).
Starting at level 17, you can cast the spell as a Bonus Action.

Minor Illusion
(Summary: Action, 30', 1 minute: create a Sound or Image in a 5' square.)
Cantrip Upgrade. The number of active castings at a time increases at levels 5 (two) and 11 (three).
Starting at level 17, you can cast the spell as a Bonus Action.

Prestidigitation
(Summary: Action, 10', up to 1 hour: Sensory Effect, Fire Play, Clean or Soil, Minor Sensation, Magic Mark. (Minor Creation moved to the Upgrade section).
Cantrip Upgrade. Additional options become available at levels 5 (Minor Creation) and 11 (Altered Eyes from Thaumaturgy).
Starting at level 17, you can cast the spell as a Bonus Action, with no components except body language (such as a nod, twitch, or wave).
Delaying one option until level 5 is only a little painful, and makes it more even with Druidcraft.

Thaumaturgy
(Summary: Action, 30', up to 1 minute: Altered Eyes, Booming Voice, Fire Play, Invisible Hand, Phantom Sound (Tremors moved to the Upgrade section).
Cantrip Upgrade. Additional options become available at levels 5 (Tremors) and 11 (Fire Play from Prestidigitation).
Starting at level 17, you can cast the spell as a Bonus Action, with no components except body language (such as a scowl, snap, or stomp).
IMO, Tremors ought to be more fearsome, which means you can't have 1st level randos going BOOM BOOM BOOM in every hallway. As with Prestidigitation, this small temporary nerf lets Druidcraft catch up.

 

[aco175]

I think I would understand more if you listed the base spell and then any changes you were thinking. I'm not sure everything needs to scale either.

 

[Clint_L]

Cantrips being relatively weak but allowing unlimited use is done for game balance. Your changes are a huge boost to spellcasters, and basically make it mandatory to either play a class with access to cantrips, or to take feats to gain access to them. If that is your design intent, then that's cool, but there are significant ramifications.

 

[bedir than]

I'd take the four generic cantrips that define the class and have their increases not be new abilities, but their effects would last longer or be larger.

That makes the higher level mage feel more powerful even with their tiny things

 

[Frankie1969]

Thanks much for the replies.

@aco175 , I'll add a summary of each one.
Including the complete text seems like it would go past "fair use".

Your changes are a huge boost to spellcasters, and basically make it mandatory to either play a class with access to cantrips, or to take feats to gain access to them.

@Clint_L , could you please elaborate? Which of the upgrades are too powerful and reach the level of "mandatory"? My goal is to make them just plain playable at level 11+, where non-combat cantrips usually fall into disuse.

I'd take the four generic cantrips that define the class and have their increases not be new abilities, but their effects would last longer or be larger.

@bedir than , could you clarify, which four are those? I suspect you mean Druidcraft, Prestidigitation, Thaumaturgy, and ... ?

 

[Clint_L]

Thanks much for the replies.

@aco175 , I'll add a summary of each one.
Including the complete text seems like it would go past "fair use".


@Clint_L , could you please elaborate? Which of the upgrades are too powerful and reach the level of "mandatory"? My goal is to make them just plain playable at level 11+, where non-combat cantrips usually fall into disuse.


@bedir than , could you clarify, which four are those? I suspect you mean Druidcraft, Prestidigitation, Thaumaturgy, and ... ?

Many of your upgrades are now better than similar leveled spells. Take the first one on your list, blade ward, and compare the high level version of it to various similar defensive spells that cost a spell slot. Unarmoured defence, for example.

Cantrips are supposed to be used less as you gain spell slots and more powerful options. Changing them to also be more powerful options, competitive with those leveled spells, is a big power boost and one any character would be foolish not to take.

You may as well argue that level 1 spells don’t get used enough at high levels either, and add extra power-ups to those, too. And so on. The logical extension is a system that does away with spell levels altogether and just lists spells, with their power tied character level exclusively. Which is not a bad idea; some systems use it! But there are huge design and balance implications.

 

[bedir than]

could you clarify, which four are those? I suspect you mean Druidcraft, Prestidigitation, Thaumaturgy, and ... ?

Elementalism is new to 5.5 and is in the SRD

 

[Frankie1969]

Many of your upgrades are now better than similar leveled spells. Take the first one on your list, blade ward, and compare the high level version of it to various similar defensive spells that cost a spell slot. Unarmoured defence, for example.

Blade Ward, yes, I agree I didn't put enough thought in.
Guidance might also need another look.
If you're saying "Many" when you actually meant "Your changes to Blade Ward were terrible and I pretty much stopped reading there", I get it, but I'd really appreciate if you took another look at the others. I honestly don't see how any of the non-combat cantrip upgrades are overpowered.

 

[sevenbastard]

Casting Dancing Lights as a bonus action feels fine. If your 11th level you shouldn't have to waste an action on a illumination cantrip. But also im not sure ive ever played in a game where someone had the Dancing Lights cantrip.

 

[Clint_L]

Blade Ward, yes, I agree I didn't put enough thought in.
Guidance might also need another look.
If you're saying "Many" when you actually meant "Your changes to Blade Ward were terrible and I pretty much stopped reading there", I get it, but I'd really appreciate if you took another look at the others. I honestly don't see how any of the non-combat cantrip upgrades are overpowered.

I’m questioning your underlying rationale. Why stop at cantrips?