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Cantrips
 

Cantrip Tables

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Unearthed Arcana

Cantrips are the magic spells learned and used by apprentice magic-users
and illusionists during their long, rigorous, and tedious training
for the craft of magic-use. An aspiring magic-user or illusionist may
use 1 cantrip per day as a 0-level neophyte (-2000 x.p. to -1 001 x.P.),
2 cantrips per day as a 0-level initiate (-1000 to -501), and 3 cantrips per
day as a 0-level apprentice (-500 to -1). Cantrips must be memorized
just as higher-level spells are.

Most cantrips are simple little spells of no great effect, so when the individual
becomes a Prestidigitator (MU1), the knowledge and info
pertaining to these small magics are discarded in favor of the
more powerful spells then available. However, a magic-user may opt
to retain up to four cantrips in place of one 1st-level spell. This assumes
that the magic-user has, in fact, retained his or her book of
cantrips -- a tome as large as a good-sized book of higher-level
spells.

All cantrips are 0 level, have a 1 “ range, have a generally small AREA
of effect, require only soft, simple verbal and somatic components,
and are cast in a very short time (1/10 to 1/2 segment). Only those which
involve living creatures afford any saving throw. Individuals in a state
of extreme concentration (such as when casting a spell) do not have
that concentration broken by person-affecting cantrips. The effects of
cantrips, and the people and items affected by them, radiate a very
faint magical aura.
 

Q: What is a cantrip?

A: Cantrips are minor magical spells for
magic-users and illusionists, often
referred to as "0-level" spells. Typical
cantrips include polish, sweeten, curdle,
knot, flavor, (summon) mouse, and (produce)
belch. These spells were described
in issues #59-61 of DRAGON Magazine,
and are reprinted in the Best of
DRAGON® Vol. III anthology.
(79.16)

The Casting of Cantrips:

Cantrips are basically cast the same way that spells are cast. Note
that despite their simple components and short casting times, only
two cantrips can be cast during any round by a single magic-user or
apprentice. Furthermore, the segment of the round in which the cantrip
is cast is dependent on the usual factors: surprise, initiative, and
so on. After the first of the two cantrips is cast, the magic-user must
roll a four-sided die to determine how many segments later he or she
will be able to cast the second cantrip (if so desired). It is not possible
for a magic-user to cast both a spell and a cantrip during the same
round, no matter how short the casting times are. Cantrips are
grouped according to general effect or purpose into six categories -
useful, reversed, legerdemain, person-affecting, personal, and
haunting-sound - plus a seventh available only to illusionists, minor illusion cantrips.
Any magic-user or illusionist has the potential to
know cantrips in all of the categories.
 

ILLUSIONIST SPELLS

CANTRIPS

For general information on cantrips and how they are cast by illusionists,
see the text under the heading of magic-user cantrips beginning
on page 45. Everything given therein applies to illusionists and aspiring
illusionists as well, including the ability to use those minor spells
defined as magic-user cantrips. Below and on the following page are
described the special minor illusion cantrips available only to those of
the illusionist sub-class.