D&D 5E removing cantrips: what to give instead?

[Keravath]

Cantrips fill the role of second rate damage for casters on turns where they concentrate on spells. It is typically less than the damage possible from most melee or ranged weapon builds since in most cases they do not add the casting stat (eldritch blast + agonizing blast being a notable exception).

Cantrips also provide some utility abilities (like Prestidigitation, mage hand, druidcraft, minor illusion but these are probably not the ones you are referring to).

If you run campaigns with 2-4 encounters/long rest, casters can afford to use spell slots on many combat rounds and combat cantrips are much less essential. In a longer day with 6-8 encounters, the spell slots get spread more thinly and the damage cantrips give the casters the ability to contribute a little bit of scalable damage to the encounter. Keep in mind that spells can be hit or miss, sometimes no one saves, sometimes everyone saves. Casting Banish or hypnotic pattern might do nothing or completely change an encounter. Cantrips also give casters something to do when spell slots are expended.

 

[cbwjm]

I just recalled an idea I had if I ever ran a 2e or basic game of DnD again: Basic wands and staves that allowed a ranged magical attack.

For 5e it might look something like the following:

Implement​	Range​	Damage​
Wand	120 feet	1d6 + spellcasting modifier force damage
Staff	60 feet	1d10 + spellcasting modifier force damage

This could also lead to granting extra attack to a magic-user allowing two attacks at level 5 when using an implement only. More powerful implements might have additional effects like a push or slow effect.

 

[Weiley31]

Man everybody has a strange hard-on for no Cantrips.

 

[Charlaquin]

Maybe just limit cantrips to being able to cast a number of times equal to casting modifier per short rest?

That’s a pretty good idea!

 

[Charlaquin]

I just recalled an idea I had if I ever ran a 2e or basic game of DnD again: Basic wands and staves that allowed a ranged magical attack.

For 5e it might look something like the following:

Implement​	Range​	Damage​
Wand	120 feet	1d6 + spellcasting modifier force damage
Staff	60 feet	1d10 + spellcasting modifier force damage

This could also lead to granting extra attack to a magic-user allowing two attacks at level 5 when using an implement only. More powerful implements might have additional effects like a push or slow effect.

That’s a really good idea!

 

[Charlaquin]

Man everybody has a strange hard-on for no Cantrips.

I think for most folks, it’s specifically about damage-dealing cantrips. A wizard can cast Prestidigitation and Mage Hand all day e’rry day for all I care. But handing them an at-will ranged attack that keys off their casting stat, has no ammunition cost, does as much damage as a heavy crossbow, and scales better than a Fighter’s extra attack is a bit silly. I have no problem with the basic idea of casters’ “basic attacks” being magic instead of weapons, but damage cantrips are just better than weapon attacks (even those made by martial characters) in pretty much every way. Toning them down at least a bit seems perfectly reasonable to me.

 

[ccs]

Well, I think Eldritch Blast could be an at-will feature of the warlock instead of a cantrip.

Though popular, that's a very limiting way to play a warlock.
I would much rather have the choice of selecting a non-damaging (cantrip/At-Will) for some characters vs always getting EB.

 

[Weiley31]

I just recalled an idea I had if I ever ran a 2e or basic game of DnD again: Basic wands and staves that allowed a ranged magical attack.

For 5e it might look something like the following:

Implement​	Range​	Damage​
Wand	120 feet	1d6 + spellcasting modifier force damage
Staff	60 feet	1d10 + spellcasting modifier force damage

This could also lead to granting extra attack to a magic-user allowing two attacks at level 5 when using an implement only. More powerful implements might have additional effects like a push or slow effect.

Now that seems like it would be a nice substitute. Heck, you could even bring back the 4E implement types as different arcane firearms.Wand, Staff, Orb

 

[Tales and Chronicles]

I just recalled an idea I had if I ever ran a 2e or basic game of DnD again: Basic wands and staves that allowed a ranged magical attack.

For 5e it might look something like the following:

Implement​	Range​	Damage​
Wand	120 feet	1d6 + spellcasting modifier force damage
Staff	60 feet	1d10 + spellcasting modifier force damage

This could also lead to granting extra attack to a magic-user allowing two attacks at level 5 when using an implement only. More powerful implements might have additional effects like a push or slow effect.

Oh, I forgot about that idea. Its like in Pillars of Eternity, where implement are weapons with different effect.
Let expend on this, what about Druidic and Divine focus!? Love it.

 

[Tonguez]

Nothing, spellcasters are overpowered anyway, nerfing their cantrips is a minor issue