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

[DND_Reborn]

they are also good when the target has cover. Which happens surprisingly often.

Deleted because... well, just because...

 

[jmartkdr2]

No love for most of the close-range cantrips (except BB and GFB).

I was surprised at the gap between those two, actually. I nearly always take both on any character who can use either.

 

[MarkB]

Except that cover grants a bonus against most save cantrips (only Sacred Flame is the exception) as well. So, attack or save, doesn't matter much IMO (unless you have Spell Sniper! ).

Cover only affects Dexterity saves, and Sacred Flame certainly isn't the only ranged cantrip that uses a non-Dex save. There's also Frostbite, Infestation, Lightning Lure, Poison Spray, Toll the Dead and Vicious Mockery.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Cover only affects Dexterity saves, and Sacred Flame certainly isn't the only ranged cantrip that uses a non-Dex save. There's also Frostbite, Infestation, Lightning Lure, Poison Spray, Toll the Dead and Vicious Mockery.

True! I totally forget it was for DEX saves only. I stand corrected! Thanks.

 

[MarkB]

True! I totally forget it was for DEX saves only. I stand corrected! Thanks.

For what it's worth, I'd forgotten that it applied to any saves until you mentioned it.

 

[DND_Reborn]

For what it's worth, I'd forgotten that it applied to any saves until you mentioned it.

LOL, touché!!

 

[ZeshinX]

I voted for Eldritch Blast (EB), Ray of Frost (RoF) and Shocking Grasp (SG). Others I enjoy, these just cover how I value cantrips in 5e overall.

I generally lean towards how flavourful I find it, and how it fits the typical class that will rely on it. Cantrips strike me as those things for spellcasters to keep them doing what they do when they run out of slotted spells (to avoid the "I've run out of magic....pull out ye olde crossbow/sling" syndrome of casters past). They have other uses, naturally, but that strikes me as their predominant raison d'etre.

Now I still like them to be otherwise effective and why I tend to favour the ones requiring attacks rolls, since I've never been fond of save and nothing type spells. Granted, attack rolls are pretty much a rose by a different name in that it's the same result...you miss, no damage instead of they save, no damage. From a flavour angle (as it relates to my preference when it comes to flavour), the attack roll and hit/miss still feels somewhat dynamic and relatable, whereas a save or nothing is significantly more abstract and requires a wee bit more than surface flavouring (again, as far as my own preferences go).

I also like the rider/option elements of those cantrips.

EB - multiple rays, option of multiple targets
RoF - Hit and speed reduction rider is fun
SG - A nifty, gish-y melee cantrip...advantage vs metal-clad targets

So I guess mainly I like my cantrips to have options/riders. Nothing drastically powerful of course, just nifty flavour.

 

[NotAYakk]

Mockery, because it is the only real control at-will cantrip.

EB, because it (with an invocation) scales so well.

Booming Blade, because it redefined how combat cantrips work.

 

[TwoSix]

EB is going to be the clear winner here, because...well...obvious reasons lol. I also like Toll the Dead and Frostbite

Well, that's kinda the problem with EB. It's obviously the most powerful cantrip when combined with Agonizing Blast (and other warlock invocations), but that very design makes it a proud nail compared to the other cantrips. I didn't vote for it precisely because it's powerful instead of interesting.

 

[Gadget]

Well, that's kinda the problem with EB. It's obviously the most powerful cantrip when combined with Agonizing Blast (and other warlock invocations), but that very design makes it a proud nail compared to the other cantrips. I didn't vote for it precisely because it's powerful instead of interesting.

I don't consider EB a proud nail because it was intentinally designed to be a little better option for Warlocks and is only on the Warlock spell list for that reason. Now, maybe they could have chosen a different way to give Warlocks a little extra oomph, and many consider spamming EB bland/boring, but still. If a non Warlock manages to acquire the cantrip, it looses some of its potency, though still arguably in contention for the best due to the ability to split the beams among multiple targets at higher levels, damage type, and damage dice. Firebolt matches EB's damage and range, but lacks multi-target capability and is a less coveted damage type. It is one of the few cantrips that can target objects though. Toll the Dead and Poison Spray exceed EB's raw damage but lack the range (especially Poison Spray) and are Saving Throw based.

In the end, I would have to consider Class when making a choice. Clerics have always seemed more support and protection oriented to me, so it makes sense that their Pew, Pew cantrips are more limited and not as great as a Wizard/Sorcerer/Warlock, ergo Sacred Flame seems fine to me. Shocking Grasp, GFB, BB and such are valuable to a Gish type build.

In addition, I like the flavorful ones that impose some sort of condition or hindrance to the target, so Chill Touch, Frostbite, Vicious Mockery, and such have a certain appeal. I really wish necrotic spells would have followed Chill Touch's lead and added a little debuf with damage but that is water under the bridge.

Besides, we all know True Strike is the best cantrip