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I've always been a fan of cantrips, back since they were introduced in Unearthed Arcana in 1st ed. I generally like the Pathfinder at-will power for them, but a few more slots would be nice. I played around with unlimited cantrips back in my 1st ed game, and generally speaking, they were a hit.
Here's a few houserules I'm planning for my own campaign which others may find useful for theirs.
Houserule #1: The various feats, such as the ones in Complete Arcane, that allow a suite of 3 cantrips a day, instead operate as Pathfinder Cantrips. Your fighter or rogue can now have a little extra daily magic without taking a spellcasting level. And your wizard or cleric can do the same if they want more cantrip slots and are willing to blow a feat. Note that these extra slots are dedicated, rather than swappable.
Houserule #2: Having high Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma will give you bonus 0-level spells. Look at Table 1-3 in the PRPGCR and extend the chart to apply. This means you get one bonus 0-level spell with a stat of 10 and two with a stat of 18.
Houserule #3: Specialist Wizards get extra cantrips of their schools, the same as they do spells of higher level.
Houserule #4: Clerical Domains have Orisons attached to them too, and yes, you get bonus Domain Orisons.
Houserule #5: Create Water is a little too powerful for an unlimited 0-level spell, but it's fine as a 1st level spell. However, the 0-level Dowsing spell from Relics & Rituals is a fine replacement.
Note: I'd recommend adding in all the cantrips from Relics & Rituals.
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Houserule #1: The various feats, such as the ones in Complete Arcane, that allow a suite of 3 cantrips a day, instead operate as Pathfinder Cantrips. Your fighter or rogue can now have a little extra daily magic without taking a spellcasting level. And your wizard or cleric can do the same if they want more cantrip slots and are willing to blow a feat. Note that these extra slots are dedicated, rather than swappable.
I'd also allow a Trait variation that gives one Cantrip, usable at will. (My Clerics always want prestidigitation it seems!)
Houserule #2: Having high Intelligence, Wisdom or Charisma will give you bonus 0-level spells. Look at Table 1-3 in the PRPGCR and extend the chart to apply. This means you get one bonus 0-level spell with a stat of 10 and two with a stat of 18.
Houserule #3: Specialist Wizards get extra cantrips of their schools, the same as they do spells of higher level.
Houserule #4: Clerical Domains have Orisons attached to them too, and yes, you get bonus Domain Orisons.
All of these sound awesome.
Houserule #5: Create Water is a little too powerful for an unlimited 0-level spell, but it's fine as a 1st level spell. However, the 0-level Dowsing spell from Relics & Rituals is a fine replacement.
Most cantrips are not level dependent at all, so I'd remove the gallons / level feature and have it always function at CL 1.
And, applying to both create water and acid splash, conjuration (creation) cantrips with an instantaneous duration should be an exception to the 'permanant once created' rule. If not consumed or expended, water or acid created by these cantrips should disappear at the end of 1 minute.
Note: I'd recommend adding in all the cantrips from Relics & Rituals.
Keep an eye on Steal Sleep. It might be a little too good, depending on how it works. The others seem fine, and, in the case of Chill/Warmth, might even be a little too weak (since prestidigitation can already be used to chill / warm items).
These were written *ages* ago, but here are some cantrip ideas. The page is not as easy to read as I would like, but I don't have access to any software to update my webpage, so it's stuck like that for now.
I'd also allow a Trait variation that gives one Cantrip, usable at will. (My Clerics always want prestidigitation it seems!)
This is an excellent suggestion, and a good way to give someone a single cantrip without having them burn a feat.
Houserule #5: Create Water is a little too powerful for an unlimited 0-level spell, but it's fine as a 1st level spell. However, the 0-level Dowsing spell from Relics & Rituals is a fine replacement.Most cantrips are not level dependent at all, so I'd remove the gallons / level feature and have it always function at CL 1.
And, applying to both create water and acid splash, conjuration (creation) cantrips with an instantaneous duration should be an exception to the 'permanant once created' rule. If not consumed or expended, water or acid created by these cantrips should disappear at the end of 1 minute.
A good suggestion. Another is to apply the logic from the Light cantrip where you can only have one of these active at a time, and if you cast a new one, the first vanishes.
So with acid splash, you have a pint of acid, whenever you need it, but when you cast it again, the previous pint goes *POOF* (but leaves behind the damage it did). Letting someone summon a gallon of water whenever they want is fine, so long as the previous gallon goes bye-bye.
I don't mind someone having a single pint or gallon on hand for use later, but being able to stockpile it leads to abuse.
Note: I'd recommend adding in all the cantrips from Relics & Rituals.Keep an eye on Steal Sleep. It might be a little too good, depending on how it works.
Hmm, it might be a bit on the good side, but you can only use it once a day, at least successfully, so that's a big limiting factor. Especially if it's taking up one of your precious auto-reload cantrip slots.
I'll need to look at your cantrip ideas. I'm thinking also of grandfathering in all the cantrips from the 1st ed Unearthed Arcana, unless they've been since revised.
With Chill/Warmth, I think it should be it's only cantrip, rather than shoehorned in to Prestidigitation. Ditto Clean.
There are more cantrips I've found. Here's a list of all the Wizards sources:
http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/spellbooks2.pl
And here's a useful list, though would require some checking before allowing everything into a game:
http://www.istari.org/gnba/spells/gnsb/html/lev0.html
I'd also allow a Trait variation that gives one Cantrip, usable at will. (My Clerics always want prestidigitation it seems!)This is an excellent suggestion, and a good way to give someone a single cantrip without having them burn a feat.
There's a trait in the Character Traits Web Enhancement that gives one cantrip ... usable once per day.
This seems quite the upgrade, no?
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There's a trait in the Character Traits Web Enhancement that gives one cantrip ... usable once per day.
This seems quite the upgrade, no?
It is, and yet it's also got the precedent of Sacred Touch, which is essentially a touch range Stabilize orisen, usable at will.
Even if it's not at will, the Trait version should at least allow uses equal to 3 + Cha mod or something. A single cantrip once / day is hardly trait worthy, particularly if it's supposed to be a 'half-feat' and the OP is thinking of having a Feat that allows three cantrips usable at will.
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There are more cantrips I've found. Here's a list of all the Wizards sources:
http://realmshelps.dandello.net/cgi-bin/spellbooks2.pl
From the list of 'all Wizards sources,' I'd consider tweaking Caltrops to only affect a single 5 ft. square and only last 1 minute. It's a little too good for the cantrip / at-will level, IMO.
Sean Reynolds put up some energy cantrips on his site, to go along with Acid Splash and Ray of Frost.
Yeah, I already specifically nixed Launch Bolt and we haven't even started playing yet. It makes crossbow proficiency rather redundant.
Thinking about allowing it as a 1st-level spell which fires as a heavy crossbow, though.
It makes crossbow proficiency rather redundant.
Crossbow proficiency is already redundant. As far as I'm aware, there is no class that is not proficient with light or heavy crossbows.
Launch bolt does make light crossbows themselves redundant but ... so what?
Honestly, a bunch of mimes with imaginary crossbows which can shoot real bolts is the way wizards would be doing their dueling, if they were having to use weapons at all.
It doesn't violate any game balance that I can see. And does a lot to get rid of the former trouble of the wizard sighing as they're either out of spells or saving them and reaching for the dreary crossbow.
If the Wizard can do Launch Item at will with playing cards, and it's ruled that they do the same damage as light crossbow bolts, with the same damage and whatnot, exactly what does it hurt? This is the same guy who occasionally turns a ball of bat poop into an incendiary bomb.
I'd also allow a Trait variation that gives one Cantrip, usable at will. (My Clerics always want prestidigitation it seems!)This is an excellent suggestion, and a good way to give someone a single cantrip without having them burn a feat.There's a trait in the Character Traits Web Enhancement that gives one cantrip ... usable once per day.
This seems quite the upgrade, no?
Actually, checking the Character Traits Web Enhancement, I note that the cantrip granted by the Magical Talent trait is actually slightly improved over a plain cantrip in that it's now a spell-like ability.
However, even with that, I think giving it a bump to at-will hardly breaks anything. Compared to the by-the-book wizard who has three infinitely recastable cantrips per day, and can swap them out every day for new ones to suit the occasion, the person with Magical Talent having one extra cantrip that they can't swap out? Hardly a game breaker, or even anything other mages will talk about in hushed whispers.
I'm pretty sure any wannabe-rogue is going to have at-will Acid Splash right from first level, then.
My problem with Launch Bolt is how tremendously much better it is than a crossbow. If it were subject to the same limitations, I wouldn't really care; but essentially, you're trading a cantrip slot for a feat (rapid reload) and the ability to load a crossbow one-handed (which does not otherwise exist).
Saving 35 gold at 1st level, which is almost three scrolls, is just icing.
I'm pretty sure any wannabe-rogue is going to have at-will Acid Splash right from first level, then.
Very likely, but then again, you can already do something very similar by just having the rogue with one level or wizard or sorcerer.
But the runaway wizard's apprentice is one of the classic rogue backgrounds.
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
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If the Wizard can do Launch Item at will with playing cards, and it's ruled that they do the same damage as light crossbow bolts, with the same damage and whatnot, exactly what does it hurt? This is the same guy who occasionally turns a ball of bat poop into an incendiary bomb. [Emphasis Mine]
Heh, I think you've just created Gambit, Kevin. :-)
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Monte's Books of Eldritch / Hallowed Might also have some fairly neat Cantrips, some of which I find very cool (Devlin's Barb, Animated Tattoo, Hygiene, Long Flame, Web Splat);
BoEM1
Devlin's Barb - creates one temporary nonmagical piece of ammunition
Enchanting Flavor - improves the taste of food
Mental Alarm - alerts user to some events
Minor Ward - inscription harms those who pass it
Tongue of Angels - allows caster to speak Celestial
Tongue of Fiends - allows caster to speal Infernal
BoEM2
Quick Boost - gives momentary +2 boost to Str, Dex or Con
BoEM3
Animated Tattoo - creates tiny permanant animated tattoo
Comrade's Trail - you leave a glowing trail that only named allies can see
Detect Disease - as it says
Hygience - cleans self, +1 vs. disease for 24 hours
Keep Dry - items remain dry, even if submerged
Keep Fresh - 1 lb of food doesn't spoil for 24 hours
Long Flame - greatly increase duration of torch / lantern / etc. flame
Recent Occupant - learn name of last occupant of area
Sample - places sample in crystal flask safely
Transcribe - magically write 1 sq foot worth of text
Web Splat - throw tiny blob of webbing at foes
Learn Heritage - identify bloodline(s) of target
BoHM1
Audible Whispers - everyone in 100 ft can clearly hear you
Clarity of Mind - +1 to Concentration checks