Top 20 Best Cantrips in D&D 5e [Ranked]

When creating your first spellcaster in D&D, you’ll be greeted by Cantrips as your first and go-to spells.

Cantrips are the lowest-level spells in 5e; most players understand them to be simple forms of magic to help you kickstart your adventure.

Even though Cantrips are usually forgotten after a few levels, the ones below should be remembered and incorporated into your play at higher levels.

Best Cantrips 5e

20. Light

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, M (phosphorescent moss or a firefly)

Duration: 1 hour

Wading through the darkness without light can spell your party’s demise, so have Light illuminate your path.

Touching an object no larger than 10 feet has it shed bright light in a 20-foot radius with dim light for another 20 feet.

Note: You’ll be able to choose the color of the light.

Touching a creature will have them make a Dexterity saving throw to avoid carrying the light with them.

19. Guidance

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

Provide targets with the knowledge to guide them through tough situations.

By touching a willing creature, they may roll a d4, adding the rolled number to an ability check.

Note: You can roll the d4 before or after an ability check.

18. Create Bonfire

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

In need of a cooking tool or just a burning obstacle? Well, Create Bonfire provides both.

You can create a bonfire on the ground filling a 5-foot cube. Creatures within the area will take 1d8 Fire damage if they fail a Dexterity saving throw.

Note: While it’s not officially stated, most DMs will surely let you use Create Bonfire for some large-scale barbeque from time to time.

17. Gust

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

If you want to become an air bender in training, try giving Gust a go!

You compel the area around you and choose 1 of 3 effects.

The effects range from pushing a (Medium) creature up to 5 feet, pushing a 5-pound object up to 10 feet, or creating a harmless sensory air effect.

Note: Try pushing an enemy off a cliff; it’ll be instant death and a fun way to pass the time.

16. Message

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S, M (one short piece of copper wire)

Duration: 1 round

Some discussions are better left private without curious ears overhearing your plans.

Pointing your finger to a target allows you to whisper a message. The spell doesn’t travel straight and can pass through barriers.

Note: The message can pass through 3 feet of wood blocks, 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of everyday materials, or a very thin sheet of lead.

15. Booming Blade

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Self (5-foot radius)

Components: S, M (a melee weapon worth at least 1 sp)

Duration: Instantaneous

Booming Blade can make a spellcaster useful in melee situations.

Using a physical weapon, you make a melee attack against one creature, filling them with booming energy. If the creature willingly travels at least 5 feet, it’ll take 1d8 Thunder damage.

Note: Much like the Green Flame Blade, except it lasts much longer. However, Green Flame Blade can have its fire leap, making it better against groups.

14. Mending

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (two lodestones)

Duration: Instantaneous

Patchy equipment can make adventuring unpleasant, so simply mend it.

Touching a break or tear in an object no larger than 1-foot repairs it. There will be no trace of former damage after the repair.

Note: Mending physically repairs constructs or magic items but cannot restore their magic.

13. Prestidigitation

Casting Time:  1 action

Range: 10 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Up to 1 hour

Playful magicians use Prestidigitation for simple tricks, yet it can be used for much more.

You create one of six magical effects, which novice spellcasters usually use for practice.

The spell can create nonmagical trinkets, snuff out or light candles, or have harmless sensory effects. It can also chill, warm, or flavor nonliving material, clean or soil an object, or even color, mark, or put a symbol on the surface of an object.

Note: Up to 3 non-instantaneous spells can be active at a time.

12. Thorn Whip

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (the stem of a thorny plant)

Duration: Instantaneous

Weaker foes stand no chance against a seasoned frontline, so be sure to pull them right into the fray.

Making a melee spell attack deals 1d6 piercing damage on a hit and pulls a creature the size of Large or smaller up to 10 feet closer to your position.

Note: If you’re outnumbered, singling out the weakest enemies and dealing with them first can be a good strategy!

11. Toll the Dead

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

Those damaged in a battle are one step closer to death, and Toll the Dead brings them ever closer still.

You make dolorous bells fill the air, having a target succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d8 Necrotic damage. Targets missing HP will instead take 1d12 Necrotic damage.

Note: Eliminating those close to death makes dealing with the enemies left behind easier.

10. Shape Water

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: S

Duration: Instantaneous or 1 hour

In this case, all water bender enthusiasts will be delighted to learn about Shape Water.

Choosing an area of water fitting in a 5-foot cube allows you to manipulate it in 1 of 4 ways.

You can move or change the flow of water, form the water into simple shapes that animate if commanded, change the color or opacity of water, or freeze it if there are no creatures in it.

Note: Casting the spell multiple times allows you to have 2 non-instantaneous effects active simultaneously.

9. Vicious Mockery

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V

Duration: Instantaneous

If there’s one thing Bards do well, it’s making insults hurt emotionally and physically!

Unleashing a string of insults at a create forces them to make a Wisdom saving throw, succeed, or take 1d4 Psychic damage and have a disadvantage on its next attack roll before the end of its next turn.

Note: While not dealing a ton of damage, the disadvantage given to an attack roll increases its usefulness exponentially.

8. Fire Bolt

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

Fire Bolt is the definition of ‘what you see, you get.’

You make a ranged spell attack against one creature; if hit, it’ll take 1d10 Fire damage.

Note: Flammable objects hit by Fire Bolt ignite; however, they cannot be carried or worn.

7. Word of Radiance

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 5 feet

Components: V, M (a holy symbol)

Duration: Instantaneous

The between a Cleric and the divine shouldn’t be underestimated, as they can access effective divine radiance!

Uttering a divine word has burning radiance erupt from you, having each creature of your choice successfully complete a Constitution saving throw or take 1d6 Radiant damage instead.

Note: While not extremely powerful, the spell has an exceptional damage type and specializes in situations where enemies surround a party.

Clerics don’t have many AoE spells, so having a spell this powerful so early on can positively affect the early game.

6. Minor Illusion

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: S, M (a bit of fleece)

Duration: 1 minute

Illusions are powerful ways of deception, no matter their size!

Choose the create a sound or image:

– Sounds have a volume that ranges from a whisper to a scream. Any sound you choose can be mimicked and lasts the entire duration.

– Images and objects can be no larger than a 5-foot cube. It doesn’t create sound, smell, light, or sensory effects.

Note: Be careful of physical interactions with illusory images, as things will pass through them.

Examination of an illusory image and successfully discovering it as an illusory object makes the image seem faint to the one who discerned it.

5. Eldritch Blast

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

A simple offensive spell in the eyes of most, yet a powerful tool that can bring the death of thousands if in the right hands!

Making a ranged spell attack against a creature sends a cracking energy beam their way. If hit, the creature takes 1d10 Force damage.

Note: Reaching higher levels (5th, 11th, and 17th) gives Eldritch Blast an additional beam. Beams target the same creature, or different ones. You’ll also make different attack rolls for each beam.

Eldritch Blast works exceptionally well with a Warlock, as they have many powerful Eldritch Invocations to combine with it.

4. Mind Sliver

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 60 feet

Components: V

Duration: 1 round

Digging into the mind of your enemies reveals their weaknesses, but it also gives you the ability to harm them physically.

Plunging a psychic spike into the mind of a creature forces it to successfully complete an Intelligence saving throw or then take 1d6 Psychic damage. The creature must also subtract 1d4 from its net saving throw before its next turn.

Note: Much like Vicious Mockery, however, it is available to more spellcasters and deals extra Psychic damage.

Mind Sliver will increase with 1d6 Psychic damage at the 5th, 11th, and 17th levels, so you’ll get more damage but keep the ease of use a Cantrip has.

3. Guidance

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

No matter the place, party member or allies often lose their calm, but with Guidance, you can guide them to victory.

Touching a willing creature allows it to roll a d4, adding the rolled number to one ability check it chooses.

Note: The roll can be made before or after the ability check.

It’s recommended to repeatedly cast Guidance if you have no better Concentration spells to focus on. Any boost to ability checks throughout the entire game is extremely powerful.

2. Mage Hand

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: 1 minute

Manipulating objects provides spellcasters endless ways to fool others, retrieve the treasure, or make a quick buck.

A floating spectral hand appears where you point, vanishing if it moves more than 30 feet away from you.

Using an action controls the hand. With it, you can manipulate objects by opening or moving them however you want.

Note: The hand cannot be used to attack others, carry more than 10 pounds or activate any magical items.

Many players use Mage Hand to pull levers or fetch items out of their reach in dungeons. You can even use it to make money by performing as a street magician.

1. Spare the Dying

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: Touch

Components: V, S

Duration: Instantaneous

Death is never permanent in D&D, but at lower levels, it costs a fortune to resurrect fallen party members. Spare the Dying solves that, allowing you to save your comrades before it’s too late!

Touching a living creature with 0 HP makes it stable.

Note: Spare the Dying doesn’t affect constructs or undead.

Players might think that spells, items, or knowledge are the most important in D&D, but the most important aspect is numbers, specifically intelligent ‘player character’ numbers.

So having a spell that can save a companion from being killed means you’ll have one extra helping hand in a tough situation.

Full List of Cantrip Spells in D&D 5e

Final Thoughts

With the abovementioned Cantrips, you’ll think you’re using 1st or 2nd-level spells without realizing it. Their utility, impressive damage, or general ease of use can skyrocket their potential usefulness.

Even if you don’t like Cantrips, I urge you to try these. I’m sure you’ll see just how useful some of these Cantrips can be!

You might also be interested in the following:

• Best 1st-Level Spells 5e
• Best 2nd-Level Spells 5e
• Best 3rd-Level Spells 5e
• Best 4th-Level Spells 5e
• Best 5th-Level Spells 5e
• Best 6th-Level Spells 5e
• Best 7th-Level Spells 5e
• Best 8th-Level Spells 5e
• Best 9th-Level Spells 5e