My favorite is definitely prestidigitation. It does nothing in combat, but out of combat it does so much. All the abilities are great, but the ability to light fires and summon trinkets are probably the most useful. It can also act as a minor minor illusion, if you need to show a map or a face briefly. Maybe it's because we have few spellcasters in the party, but I literally use it every session.
My favorite cantrips are probably prestidigitation and guidance. Prestidigitation does so many convenient and useful things. Guidance can help anyone in the party with so many tasks. Guidance can be a bit situational since it may be noticed when cast which can limit its effectiveness in social situations but the rest of the time it is extremely useful.
Honorable mention goes to minor illusion and mage hand. Both hugely useful and minor illusion can be used for so many things with the imagination of the player being the most limiting factor. Other cantrips folks have mentioned are Mold Earth and Shape Water. Mold earth - tunneling, fortifications, construction. Shape water - freeze a 5' cube, manipulate water ... you can actually create a series of ice bergs to cross a water obstacle with this cantrip. (I think each 5' cube can hold about 280kg).
As for spells, one of the most perennially useful is Bless. Benefits to hit and saving throws and affects a good number of targets even at 1st level. Another good one is Find Familiar since a familiar is so incredibly useful and versatile.
I have had a thought about the spare the dying cantrip. It is not often, but sometimes I meet a bad player in AL who activly sabotage the gameplay (bullying the other players and NPC:s). Not healing them and cast spare the dying cantrip on them when they get to 0 hp, effectivly putting them out of the game for 1D4 hours (in game time) is my planned action this come up next time.
I took guidance as a tomelock in AL... it was pretty much a way to be actively involved in pretty much every ability check. After a certain point in most game any time someone needs to make an ability check they turn to me and wait for guidance.
There is a downside, though... as a Warlock I rely a lot on Hex, since casting it a higher level means it can be active all day long as long as I maintain concentration. But Guidance is a Concentration spell as well, so pretty much once combat starts for me as long as i"m holding concentration on Hex the guidance goes away for everyone else.
Other than that the spell that's given me the most clutch, game-changing moments has been Banishment. It's a Charisma saving throw, which a lot of big, ugly beasties aren't good at. It can completely change the battlefield, or at the very least get the most dangerous figure off the board so everyone can get away.
Guidance and Chill Touch are my two most used. Chill Touch because of the range and it doesn't set everything on fire if I miss, like Fire Bolt does.
Just a quick question but how does fire bolt set anything on fire if you miss? RAW, as far as I know, attacks do nothing at all if you miss.There aren't near misses, attacks hitting cover or critical failures in AL. Those are all either optional or homebrew rules. Rolling a 1 is a guaranteed miss on an attack roll but that's about it.
Guidance and Chill Touch are my two most used. Chill Touch because of the range and it doesn't set everything on fire if I miss, like Fire Bolt does.
Just a quick question but how does fire bolt set anything on fire if you miss? RAW, as far as I know, attacks do nothing at all if you miss.There aren't near misses, attacks hitting cover or critical failures in AL. Those are all either optional or homebrew rules. Rolling a 1 is a guaranteed miss on an attack roll but that's about it.
homebrew..most of the tables in the store I play at use that one, despite being AL (just depends on the DM). Just makes things funner, which is the real goal and what brings people back to the table (vs abiding by a specific set of rules). Sometimes you just gotta pick your head up out of the book. And its one of those homebrew rules that just makes sense IMO, you create a giant flame and wildly miss (1) with it...it's going to do something. You blindly flail around (1) with a very pointy sword in a tight group of goodguys and badguys and it's going hit something.
I like Shocking Grasp a lot. I usually play a Storm Sorcerer and for some reason get too close to the enemies, so I tend to ask the DM if they're wearing metal armor. It is a great way to set up a combo attack. Throw in Quicken Spell once you reach higher levels.
I like Shocking Grasp a lot. I usually play a Storm Sorcerer and for some reason get too close to the enemies, so I tend to ask the DM if they're wearing metal armor. It is a great way to set up a combo attack. Throw in Quicken Spell once you reach higher levels.
Shocking Grasp is fun. I love lightning damage (best. damage. ever.), and melee cantrips are just great for gish builds.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Blood Frenzy. The quipper has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage.
Disguise Self then either Friends or Charm Person. Let's you swindle someone and then watch as they look for the swindler. You can even run up to the person after you revert back and say 'He went that way!'
eldritch blast is awesome with eldritch spear and spell sniper, and with this i just sit in the back and fire on the enemies it is so fun
I had to that combination at one point... I almost never used it. Spell sniper alone gives eb a range of 240 feet... And I've only once encountered a valid target I could see from further away than that I could attack.
Booming blade and green flame blade on my arcane trickster have given him a means of keeping up with the big guys in melee combat by throwing out some additional D8's. Great hit and run tactics that cause the enemy to take extra damage when they decide to chase you.
Prestidigitation is a fun utility spell. I also like using thaumaturgy to announce the party barging into a tavern by blowing open the door.
Guidance is a great utility spell, especially if the party lacks a skill monkey.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Hello!
I am curious to hear what people in here has as their favorite cantrips and other spells in AE, and why.
My favorite is definitely prestidigitation. It does nothing in combat, but out of combat it does so much. All the abilities are great, but the ability to light fires and summon trinkets are probably the most useful. It can also act as a minor minor illusion, if you need to show a map or a face briefly. Maybe it's because we have few spellcasters in the party, but I literally use it every session.
My favorite cantrips are probably prestidigitation and guidance. Prestidigitation does so many convenient and useful things. Guidance can help anyone in the party with so many tasks. Guidance can be a bit situational since it may be noticed when cast which can limit its effectiveness in social situations but the rest of the time it is extremely useful.
Honorable mention goes to minor illusion and mage hand. Both hugely useful and minor illusion can be used for so many things with the imagination of the player being the most limiting factor. Other cantrips folks have mentioned are Mold Earth and Shape Water. Mold earth - tunneling, fortifications, construction. Shape water - freeze a 5' cube, manipulate water ... you can actually create a series of ice bergs to cross a water obstacle with this cantrip. (I think each 5' cube can hold about 280kg).
As for spells, one of the most perennially useful is Bless. Benefits to hit and saving throws and affects a good number of targets even at 1st level. Another good one is Find Familiar since a familiar is so incredibly useful and versatile.
I have had a thought about the spare the dying cantrip. It is not often, but sometimes I meet a bad player in AL who activly sabotage the gameplay (bullying the other players and NPC:s). Not healing them and cast spare the dying cantrip on them when they get to 0 hp, effectivly putting them out of the game for 1D4 hours (in game time) is my planned action this come up next time.
Guidance and Chill Touch are my two most used. Chill Touch because of the range and it doesn't set everything on fire if I miss, like Fire Bolt does.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
A rather comprehensive list of free WotC D&D resources
Deck of Decks
I took guidance as a tomelock in AL... it was pretty much a way to be actively involved in pretty much every ability check. After a certain point in most game any time someone needs to make an ability check they turn to me and wait for guidance.
There is a downside, though... as a Warlock I rely a lot on Hex, since casting it a higher level means it can be active all day long as long as I maintain concentration. But Guidance is a Concentration spell as well, so pretty much once combat starts for me as long as i"m holding concentration on Hex the guidance goes away for everyone else.
Other than that the spell that's given me the most clutch, game-changing moments has been Banishment. It's a Charisma saving throw, which a lot of big, ugly beasties aren't good at. It can completely change the battlefield, or at the very least get the most dangerous figure off the board so everyone can get away.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Just a quick question but how does fire bolt set anything on fire if you miss? RAW, as far as I know, attacks do nothing at all if you miss.There aren't near misses, attacks hitting cover or critical failures in AL. Those are all either optional or homebrew rules. Rolling a 1 is a guaranteed miss on an attack roll but that's about it.
homebrew..most of the tables in the store I play at use that one, despite being AL (just depends on the DM). Just makes things funner, which is the real goal and what brings people back to the table (vs abiding by a specific set of rules). Sometimes you just gotta pick your head up out of the book. And its one of those homebrew rules that just makes sense IMO, you create a giant flame and wildly miss (1) with it...it's going to do something. You blindly flail around (1) with a very pointy sword in a tight group of goodguys and badguys and it's going hit something.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
A rather comprehensive list of free WotC D&D resources
Deck of Decks
Depends on the class. I really like Eldritch blast, fire bolt, prestidigitation, guidance, light, druid craft, and minor illusion.
Your secret is safe with my indifference - Percy
I like Shocking Grasp a lot. I usually play a Storm Sorcerer and for some reason get too close to the enemies, so I tend to ask the DM if they're wearing metal armor. It is a great way to set up a combo attack. Throw in Quicken Spell once you reach higher levels.
Shocking Grasp is fun. I love lightning damage (best. damage. ever.), and melee cantrips are just great for gish builds.
Blood Frenzy. The quipper has advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature that doesn't have all its hit points.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 piercing damage.
Disguise Self then either Friends or Charm Person. Let's you swindle someone and then watch as they look for the swindler. You can even run up to the person after you revert back and say 'He went that way!'
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
A rather comprehensive list of free WotC D&D resources
Deck of Decks
Vicious Mockery by far... it's so much fun to repeatedly insult the DMs monsters and giving disadvantage with a cantrip is very powerful
Overall my favorite spell is probably Heroes' Feast
eldritch blast is awesome with eldritch spear and spell sniper, and with this i just sit in the back and fire on the enemies it is so fun
I had to that combination at one point... I almost never used it. Spell sniper alone gives eb a range of 240 feet... And I've only once encountered a valid target I could see from further away than that I could attack.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Booming blade and green flame blade on my arcane trickster have given him a means of keeping up with the big guys in melee combat by throwing out some additional D8's. Great hit and run tactics that cause the enemy to take extra damage when they decide to chase you.
Prestidigitation is a fun utility spell. I also like using thaumaturgy to announce the party barging into a tavern by blowing open the door.
Guidance is a great utility spell, especially if the party lacks a skill monkey.