D&D General Limiting Utility Cantrips

[ezo]

Considering there are species of rats IRL who weigh over 10 lb, and in D&D you have giant rats... I could be a concern.

 

[TiQuinn]

Considering there are species of rats IRL who weigh over 10 lb, and in D&D you have giant rats... I could be a concern.

If they’re random encounters, sure!

 

[Distracted DM]

I don't think basic attack cantrips should be limited. They are just a way of letting casters participate combat in a way that feels on brand, rather than having them have to throw darts like a 1e MU.

Yup! I noted in the OP that this was just Utility cantrips we were talking about; maybe I missed someone else's post about limiting ALL cantrips, but as noted in OP I was against limiting attack cantrips due to mechanical concerns, pretty much what you cited :'D

 

[ezo]

If they’re random encounters, sure!

If you designed the trap for the dungeon, you'd expect large (or even giant) rats I would think, so keep the weight more than 10 lbs would make sense IMO.

Otherwise, just imagine the PCs come along and find a dead rat in a trap because the rat set it off... lucky PCs and annoyed trap designer.

 

[Clint_L]

I haven't found mage hand to be that big a deal. As far as using it for traps, it doesn't seem a whole lot different from the old 10' pole. I certainly wouldn't allow players to use it to pick a lock or disarm most traps from any kind of distance, not unless they had a rational explanation for how they could see the mechanism well enough from that far away.

 

[TiQuinn]

If you designed the trap for the dungeon, you'd expect large (or even giant) rats I would think, so keep the weight more than 10 lbs would make sense IMO.

Otherwise, just imagine the PCs come along and find a dead rat in a trap because the rat set it off... lucky PCs and annoyed trap designer.

I actually love the idea of the PCs finding a rat in the trap! It gives them a clear clue that "Hey, there are pressure plates around here!"

 

[Distracted DM]

I certainly wouldn't allow players to use it to pick a lock or disarm most traps from any kind of distance, not unless they had a rational explanation for how they could see the mechanism well enough from that far away.

That hits on niche protection: there's a feature that exists (AT's Mage Hand Legerdemain) that specifically allows you to use thieves tools to disarm traps and pick locks with Mage Hand. Allowing mage hand to do so without that feature buffs the cantrip greatly, and invalidates a big feature of that subclass.

 

[ezo]

I actually love the idea of the PCs finding a rat in the trap! It gives them a clear clue that "Hey, there are pressure plates around here!"

Not if you're the person who made the trap for the PCs when the dungeon (or whatever) was built.

 

[Merlecory]

Ah yes, the ubiquitous 10 pound rat. They’re good eats. I don’t know what all this delicious in Dungeon stuff is, I just need my 10 pound rats that wander all over.

I don't believe they exist.

 

[Chaltab]

IMO cantrips aren't really relevant to D&D's balance issues. If it did become a problem I'd maybe limit them to PB times per day.

Honestly the only cantrip I've ever seen become an issue is Guidance and I honestly think it should be a first level spell that works like Bless but for Ability Checks.