The Wizard class learns 5 Cantrips by 10th level, and does not learn any more by leveling.
The section on adding spells found to the spellbook specifies that that "When you find a wizard spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook", which sounds to me like it is specifically excluding cantrips.
So check me on this, even though the Wizard may choose between 14 'official' cantrips for his class, he will never be able to learn more than a total of 5 (apart from possible multi-classing or race/background perks). Is that correct?
Yeah, sadly it's a little limited. I like to homebrew in the ability to prepare cantrips and learn/record them like other spells for prepared spellcasters, I think it's a little more believable as cantrips are supposed to be simple.
I like adding at least 1 level of warlo0ck to my wizards so I can cast my mage armor using my warlock spell slpt and get it back after a short rest. Stacks well with Arcane Recovery. It also gets me things like Eldritch Blast, Hex, and Hellish Rebuke.
Also, that 1 level of Hexblade gives you martial weapons, medium armor, and shields. All for 1 level.
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Watch your back, conserve your ammo, and NEVER cut a deal with a dragon!
Multi-classing into Warlock (2 cantrips) or Sorcerer (4 cantrips).
This means you can get up to 16 total cantrips (at least). It's not really worth it imo and probably not feasible story-wise but who knows what can happen in D&D. EDIT: Forgot pact of the tome...
You get normal 2 warlock cantrips plus 3 extra cantrips from Pact of Tome. You'll also get 4 Warlock Spells and 2x 2nd-Level Spells that reset every short rest plus 2 invocation.
A 1 level dip to Sorc for 4 more cantrips. This is 9 already in addition to what you have as a Wizard. As mentioned you can get 2 from Magic Initiate, 1 from Spell Sniper and 1 or 2 from Race choice.
Human Mark of Making gets 2 cantrips: Mending, plus 1 which they get to change every day.
So by Level 8 you could get:
Race: Human - Marking of Making, 2 cantrips. 4 levels of Wizard: 4 cantrips 3 levels of Warlock: 5 cantrips 1 level of Sorcerer: 4 cantrips 4th Level ASI: Magic Initiate Feat: 2 cantrips
16 cantrips, 1 of which is changeable every day.
So, yeah, there's multiple options for getting more cantrips.
Oh, I didn't know that cantrips weren't placed in the spellbook. My bad.
You may wish to review the Spellcasting feature for the Wizard.
Spellbook
At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing six 1st-level wizard spells of your choice. Your spellbook is the repository of the wizard spells you know, except your cantrips, which are fixed in your mind.
I cannot confirm if there is a lore reason - realistically if they are so simple they can be permanently fixed in the mind there is no reason they could not be added to over time or swapped out like any other spell (since the process of preparing the spell is to fix it in the mind and once done they are permanently in your mind until you choose to change things).
The real reason is, of course, the mechanics of it. They offer a lot of options that you can do whenever you want as much as you want and most do not have material components so can be done within an focus or components - as long as you can speak and move one hand you can do it and a successful sleight of hand or stealth check can even let you cast spells without notice. And the attack cantrips usually offer helpful extra effects: going up against undead or clerics? Chill Touch causes undead to have disadvantage against you plus it prevents any healing - be it from a spell, regeneration, etc and this makes it super fantastic against vampires since it can reduce their attacking and negates their regen. You can use a trap or a Web spell to make a target or area covered in something flammable and then you can use a Firebolt to set them ablaze at a very safe distance. When trying to get away using Ray of Frost to slow the persuer or to help you if you're chasing them. An enemy gets too close? Use Shocking Grasp to negate their abilty to use reactions and they probably have armor with metal in so you also get advantage on the attack roll. If your party has melee fighters around an enemy Frostbite helps to keep them safe for an attack by forcing disadvantage. Facing enemies with high ACs or using cover? Why, a nice Acid Splash or Toll the Dead works wonderfully, especially if you are an evoker where they get damage even if they succeed on the saving throw. Out of combat, you reign supreme at utility: fix things with mending, set traps off harmfully at distance with mage hand, clean everyone up with prestidigitation, make a bridge of ice to cross a river with shape water, dig faster than any individual without needing tools with move earth, create darkness for your rogue by snuffing out lights with control flames, create distractions with dancing lights, plan discreetly without breaking your stealth or communicate round corners and in other rooms using message, and so much more.
Cantrips are very decent and can be amazing when you combine with other spells (ray of frost plus grease, firebolt and web, creating holes with move earth and covering them with an illusion - like another cantrip minor illusion!).
And lets not forget that damaging cantrips will automatically increase in power as your character levels up and this is based on your overall level not the specific class level - if you were 17th level and took a 1 level dip to a spellcasting class you get the starting cantrips and if one was firebolt: that instantly becomes 4d10 despite only 1 level of that spellcasting class. Low level needing a boost? Take magic initiate feat - you don't have to multiclass and you get 2 cantrips which will automatically level up for you and a 1st level spell of your choice.
Cantrips may not be super powerful but can be incredibly helpful if you use them right and so, being able to rearrange your cantrips every day for whatever you might need can be a bit extreme and so the rules design imposes a limit. A limit easily broken with a cost, as detailed in previous posts.
Yeah, sadly it's a little limited. I like to homebrew in the ability to prepare cantrips and learn/record them like other spells for prepared spellcasters, I think it's a little more believable as cantrips are supposed to be simple.
This - I think your homebrew fix will not break the game. ;)
Cantrips have negligible spell components and there is no need to prepare them. This benefit is weighed against the 5 cantrip limit to produce a balanced class. Cantrips are incredibly appealing as they are not resource intensive, do not demand short or long rests, and have flexible "utility" options. if a wizard had 14 cantrips, they would hardly need spell slots at all.
Cantrips have negligible spell components and there is no need to prepare them. This benefit is weighed against the 5 cantrip limit to produce a balanced class. Cantrips are incredibly appealing as they are not resource intensive, do not demand short or long rests, and have flexible "utility" options. if a wizard had 14 cantrips, they would hardly need spell slots at all.
Agreed! The Pact of the Tome where warlocks get 5 cantrips at 3rd level and a total of 7 cantrips is a huge advantage! Add on the Magic Initiate feat for 2 more and you won’t care that you’re limited to 2 spell slots.
you could always multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi class (Bard,Druid,Cleric,Sorcerer,Wizard,Warlock). You'd know 16 cantrips and 12 1st level spells (not counting all the extra class-specific spells depending on how each class specializes) as a level 6 character. It's not as gimpy as its sounds as you'd have normal spell slots (4 1st level, 3 2nd level, 2 3rd level. and your Pact slot) so you'd be at full power with any spell that scales. And since you're a cleric, you'd have medium armor (although you're also a druid so you'd be in the midst of quite the moral dilemma...maybe that's why you hung up your antlers)....you'd be a rather sturdy bag of tricks with a pile of options.
And picking a Human with Magic Initiate gives you 2 more cantrips and another 1st level spell (so 18 cantrips). oh, and at 4th level you could get another Magic Initiate feat so +2+1 more. lol.
and you're a wizard so don't forget about your rituals.
although you'd probably piss everyone off while you think through your options.
The Wizard class learns 5 Cantrips by 10th level, and does not learn any more by leveling.
The section on adding spells found to the spellbook specifies that that "When you find a wizard spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook", which sounds to me like it is specifically excluding cantrips.
So check me on this, even though the Wizard may choose between 14 'official' cantrips for his class, he will never be able to learn more than a total of 5 (apart from possible multi-classing or race/background perks). Is that correct?
There are a few feats that can give you more. Magic Initiate and Spell Sniper, maybe some others
I suppose multi-classing with Warlock a couple levels would add to low level flexibility
Yeah, sadly it's a little limited. I like to homebrew in the ability to prepare cantrips and learn/record them like other spells for prepared spellcasters, I think it's a little more believable as cantrips are supposed to be simple.
I like adding at least 1 level of warlo0ck to my wizards so I can cast my mage armor using my warlock spell slpt and get it back after a short rest. Stacks well with Arcane Recovery. It also gets me things like Eldritch Blast, Hex, and Hellish Rebuke.
Also, that 1 level of Hexblade gives you martial weapons, medium armor, and shields. All for 1 level.
Watch your back, conserve your ammo,
and NEVER cut a deal with a dragon!
Feats:
Magic Initiate: 2 extra cantrips
Spell Sniper: 1 attack cantrip
Racial traits:
Mark of Making Human: Mending cantrip.
Or High Elf: 1 extra cantrip
Other options:
Multi-classing into Warlock (2 cantrips) or Sorcerer (4 cantrips).
This means you can get up to 16 total cantrips (at least). It's not really worth it imo and probably not feasible story-wise but who knows what can happen in D&D. EDIT: Forgot pact of the tome...
3 levels of Warlock to choose Pact of Tome.
You get normal 2 warlock cantrips plus 3 extra cantrips from Pact of Tome. You'll also get 4 Warlock Spells and 2x 2nd-Level Spells that reset every short rest plus 2 invocation.
A 1 level dip to Sorc for 4 more cantrips. This is 9 already in addition to what you have as a Wizard. As mentioned you can get 2 from Magic Initiate, 1 from Spell Sniper and 1 or 2 from Race choice.
Human Mark of Making gets 2 cantrips: Mending, plus 1 which they get to change every day.
So by Level 8 you could get:
Race: Human - Marking of Making, 2 cantrips.
4 levels of Wizard: 4 cantrips
3 levels of Warlock: 5 cantrips
1 level of Sorcerer: 4 cantrips
4th Level ASI: Magic Initiate Feat: 2 cantrips
16 cantrips, 1 of which is changeable every day.
So, yeah, there's multiple options for getting more cantrips.
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Can't you learn them from scrolls if they're for the right class?
Nope. The feature of adding spells from scrolls and tomes you come across is specifically limited to spells of 1st level or higher.
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Oh, I didn't know that cantrips weren't placed in the spellbook. My bad.
You may wish to review the Spellcasting feature for the Wizard.
My Homebrew: Races | Subclasses | Backgrounds | Spells | Magic Items | Feats
Need help with Homebrew? Check out this FAQ/Guide thread by IamSposta
See My Youtube Videos for Tips & Tricks using D&D Beyond
Yeah, I read it. I guess I just put every spell in my spellbook without thinking. Thanks for clearing that up.
That being said, is there a lore reason for this, or is it a purely mechanical thing?
I cannot confirm if there is a lore reason - realistically if they are so simple they can be permanently fixed in the mind there is no reason they could not be added to over time or swapped out like any other spell (since the process of preparing the spell is to fix it in the mind and once done they are permanently in your mind until you choose to change things).
The real reason is, of course, the mechanics of it. They offer a lot of options that you can do whenever you want as much as you want and most do not have material components so can be done within an focus or components - as long as you can speak and move one hand you can do it and a successful sleight of hand or stealth check can even let you cast spells without notice. And the attack cantrips usually offer helpful extra effects: going up against undead or clerics? Chill Touch causes undead to have disadvantage against you plus it prevents any healing - be it from a spell, regeneration, etc and this makes it super fantastic against vampires since it can reduce their attacking and negates their regen. You can use a trap or a Web spell to make a target or area covered in something flammable and then you can use a Firebolt to set them ablaze at a very safe distance. When trying to get away using Ray of Frost to slow the persuer or to help you if you're chasing them. An enemy gets too close? Use Shocking Grasp to negate their abilty to use reactions and they probably have armor with metal in so you also get advantage on the attack roll. If your party has melee fighters around an enemy Frostbite helps to keep them safe for an attack by forcing disadvantage. Facing enemies with high ACs or using cover? Why, a nice Acid Splash or Toll the Dead works wonderfully, especially if you are an evoker where they get damage even if they succeed on the saving throw. Out of combat, you reign supreme at utility: fix things with mending, set traps off harmfully at distance with mage hand, clean everyone up with prestidigitation, make a bridge of ice to cross a river with shape water, dig faster than any individual without needing tools with move earth, create darkness for your rogue by snuffing out lights with control flames, create distractions with dancing lights, plan discreetly without breaking your stealth or communicate round corners and in other rooms using message, and so much more.
Cantrips are very decent and can be amazing when you combine with other spells (ray of frost plus grease, firebolt and web, creating holes with move earth and covering them with an illusion - like another cantrip minor illusion!).
And lets not forget that damaging cantrips will automatically increase in power as your character levels up and this is based on your overall level not the specific class level - if you were 17th level and took a 1 level dip to a spellcasting class you get the starting cantrips and if one was firebolt: that instantly becomes 4d10 despite only 1 level of that spellcasting class. Low level needing a boost? Take magic initiate feat - you don't have to multiclass and you get 2 cantrips which will automatically level up for you and a 1st level spell of your choice.
Cantrips may not be super powerful but can be incredibly helpful if you use them right and so, being able to rearrange your cantrips every day for whatever you might need can be a bit extreme and so the rules design imposes a limit. A limit easily broken with a cost, as detailed in previous posts.
My Homebrew: Races | Subclasses | Backgrounds | Spells | Magic Items | Feats
Need help with Homebrew? Check out this FAQ/Guide thread by IamSposta
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Also, at 18th and 20th level, Spell Mastery and Signature Spell let wizards cast higher level spells as if they're cantrips.
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This - I think your homebrew fix will not break the game. ;)
You should be careful putting all your spells into a spell book, as it costs gold and gp.
Cantrips have negligible spell components and there is no need to prepare them. This benefit is weighed against the 5 cantrip limit to produce a balanced class. Cantrips are incredibly appealing as they are not resource intensive, do not demand short or long rests, and have flexible "utility" options. if a wizard had 14 cantrips, they would hardly need spell slots at all.
Jesus Saves!... Everyone else takes damage.
Agreed! The Pact of the Tome where warlocks get 5 cantrips at 3rd level and a total of 7 cantrips is a huge advantage! Add on the Magic Initiate feat for 2 more and you won’t care that you’re limited to 2 spell slots.
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if you are a Wizard get a Hat of Wizardry it has a cool effect
He who fight and runaway live to fight another day
you could always multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi class (Bard,Druid,Cleric,Sorcerer,Wizard,Warlock). You'd know 16 cantrips and 12 1st level spells (not counting all the extra class-specific spells depending on how each class specializes) as a level 6 character. It's not as gimpy as its sounds as you'd have normal spell slots (4 1st level, 3 2nd level, 2 3rd level. and your Pact slot) so you'd be at full power with any spell that scales. And since you're a cleric, you'd have medium armor (although you're also a druid so you'd be in the midst of quite the moral dilemma...maybe that's why you hung up your antlers)....you'd be a rather sturdy bag of tricks with a pile of options.
And picking a Human with Magic Initiate gives you 2 more cantrips and another 1st level spell (so 18 cantrips). oh, and at 4th level you could get another Magic Initiate feat so +2+1 more. lol.
and you're a wizard so don't forget about your rituals.
although you'd probably piss everyone off while you think through your options.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
A rather comprehensive list of free WotC D&D resources
Deck of Decks