D&D 5E What "attack"-oriented cantrips do you like the most?

[DND_Reborn]

Besides, we all know True Strike is the best cantrip

How DARE you!!! May your d20's always roll 1's!

 

[bedir than]

I've been using Green Flame Blade and then Toll the Dead in a combo so my Bladesinger can clear mooks.

Vicious Mockery remains my favorite to take via Magic Initiate.

 

[ZeshinX]

How DARE you!!! May your d20's always roll 1's!

Well, my elven Rogue (Scout) seems to think of True Strike as the best "attack" cantrip. You'd be hard pressed to find any of her enemies that would disagree (among the three still living ones anyway).

 

[DND_Reborn]

Well, my elven Rogue (Scout) seems to think of True Strike as the best "attack" cantrip. You'd be hard pressed to find any of her enemies that would disagree (among the three still living ones anyway).

Well, I don't want to get off-topic, particularly in a thread I started, but it's been beaten to death over and over again the True Strike is pretty much the most worthless cantrip in the game. Which, incidentally, is why I am pretty certain @Gadget was being sarcastic.

I mean, I know it isn't on this list because it really isn't an "attack"-type cantrip, but I know what you mean. I prefer Shillelagh myself for "combat" cantrips that don't, themselves, make an attack or force a save.

But, hey, I'll bite. Why do you like it so much?

 

[ZeshinX]

Well, I don't want to get off-topic, particularly in a thread I started, but it's been beaten to death over and over again the True Strike is pretty much the most worthless cantrip in the game. Which, incidentally, is why I am pretty certain @Gadget was being sarcastic.

I mean, I know it isn't on this list because it really isn't an "attack"-type cantrip, but I know what you mean. I prefer Shillelagh myself for "combat" cantrips that don't, themselves, make an attack or force a save.

But, hey, I'll bite. Why do you like it so much?

Well the intent of the post was merely to be mildly humorous.

I don't see it as a particularly excellent cantrip myself (flat, no real options), but for that particular character I played, it was an enormously easy way to give herself advantage on her attack roll, and ergo, sneak attack damage. Looooots of other ways of course without having to "give up" an action for a round, but as a simple, straightforward means for an otherwise non-caster, it was useful in many instances.

I made the most of her elven-granted cantrip by giving her one that would support the concept I had for her, which was a ranged (longbow) skirmisher-style rogue scout. It fit the flavour of the character. Other cantrips could have been just as interesting or useful of course, but this one was mainly flavour/concept that happened to help mechanically from time to time.

 

[FrogReaver]

I voted for ones with cool effects. Booming blade, vicious mockery and eldritch blast (many ways to tweak it)

 

[DND_Reborn]

Well the intent of the post was merely to be mildly humorous.

Oh! Whew! Boy, I hate it when I just can't tell. Ok, glad to hear that!

There are people who insist this is still a "really good cantrip" and I have yet to see an instance when it holds true due to the limit on the range primarily (30 feet isn't that far after all). Combining it with Elven Accuracy to get 3d20 is about it as far as I know.

 

[shadowoflameth]

Eldritch Blast is so good that many in my game have considered taking Magic Initiate feat to get it. Damage ranged and it scales batter than maybe anything else. Greenflame blade uses a melee attack so you can sneak attack or smite with it. I've always been confised as to the attraction to Booming blade. More damage if you move? Hard to visualize. IMHO

 

[jmartkdr2]

Eldritch Blast is so good that many in my game have considered taking Magic Initiate feat to get it. Damage ranged and it scales batter than maybe anything else. Greenflame blade uses a melee attack so you can sneak attack or smite with it. I've always been confised as to the attraction to Booming blade. More damage if you move? Hard to visualize. IMHO

The idea of booming blade is they're surrounded by a wall of energy - if they try to walk through that, they'll get stung.

It's also more tactically interesting since it forces a choice on the target, (which means it often serves the goal of making an enemy not move, which may be more useful in the moment than extra damage) and fantastic with Warcaster since using it as an opportunity attack means you're hitting someone who does want to keep moving.

But greenflame blade probably looks cooler, and benefits form things that work with fire damage like Elemental Adept, Flames of Phlegethos (tiefling racial feat), Elemental Affinity (dragon sorcerer) and Radiant Soul (celestial warlock).

 

[DND_Reborn]

Eldritch Blast is so good that many in my game have considered taking Magic Initiate feat to get it. Damage ranged and it scales batter than maybe anything else. Greenflame blade uses a melee attack so you can sneak attack or smite with it. I've always been confised as to the attraction to Booming blade. More damage if you move? Hard to visualize. IMHO

The other issue with Booming Blade over Green-Flame Blade (for me) is too many things are resistance to fire IME, but very few are resistant to thunder damage. Also, unless there is another target within range, the rider for GFB isn't as attractive to me as the rider for BB. BB does offer (in theory at least) more damage to the primary target since the rider affects the same target as the attack, instead of second target. My preference has always been to beat down foes one-at-a-time rather than softening up the next.

And like @jmartkdr2 says, combined with War Caster (which my PC has), using it for OAs is ridiculous since it also allows my full sneak attack on their turn.

Since you can SA or smite with BB as well as GFB, a lot of the preference becomes situational IMO. Personally, if I have the room, I have taken both to optimize the damage output dependent on the situation.