Concept - Recharge Cantrips

[Michael Morris]

So I'm toying around with the following idea - cantrips that don't scale with level but instead recharge like certain monster abilities. You get to use the cantrip, then on each following round you roll a d6 and on a 6 the cantrip is recovered for reuse. At 5th level the cantrip is recovered on 5 & 6, at 11th on 4-6 and at 17th the cantrip recovers on 3-6.

What effects can be balanced by this mechanic, if any?

 

[trentonjoe]

If you can use them less they should be more powerful. Up the damage or add an effect....

 

[Michael Morris]

Well yeah, but that only goes so far. D&D is prone to 'alpha striking' - if the fight ends in 3 rounds the fact you may only be allowed to use the cantrip once might not matter. So I have a feeling the balance line will be treacherous.

 

[trentonjoe]

What's the point? Not be snarky, I just can't figure out your motivation here.

 

[Michael Morris]

Mechanical variety.

 

[trentonjoe]

Well then there is nothing wrong with the recharge mechanic. If the damage doesn't scale the cantrips will be virtually useless in combat though.

 

[the Jester]

Well, to be honest, I think this is a terrible idea because it totally screws over spellcasters.

Cantrips are the bread and butter of (most) full casters in 5e. Without an at-will cantrip, you are forced to expend your spell slots very quickly. This means a shorter adventuring day.

At will spells are one of the very best things that 5e kept from 4e. In my opinion, moving cantrips to a recharge mechanic really de-powers casters, puts them back in the "I'm a wizard but sometimes I have to use a crossbow" box and really discourages pcs from taking non-combat cantrips. If you might run out of spell slots too quickly- and they go fast in 5e by default- and you might not be able to use fire bolt round after round, you might need another offensive cantrip instead of prestidigitation or mending.

The problem with 'balancing' a recharge mechanic for cantrips with anything at all is that it means you can't use them at will.

 

[Michael Morris]

I'm not removing the existing cantrips.

 

[CapnZapp]

No, he's putting them on recharge. Making you use different cantrips instead of spamming the same over and over.

Probably okay. Definitely not a severe nerf; all knee-jerk reactions to that nature are way out of line (or reading comprehension fail)

 

[Michael Morris]

No, I'm mulling over using recharge as a way to balance five new cantrips. Players can choose to use them or not. It's not an attempt at nerfing since if they are markedly weaker than the standard cantrips they won't be used.