by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Cantrip Evocation spell available to Sorcerers and Wizards. It deals 1d8 Lightning and, more importantly, stops the target taking Reactions until your next turn.
Spell description: Lightning springs from your hand and prevents the target from taking reactions. You have Advantage when using this spell on creatures wearing metal armour.
Spell properties
- Damage: 1d8 Lightning
- Damage type: Lightning
- Range: Melee (1.5m)
- Duration: 1 turn
- Attack type: Melee spell Attack Roll
- Condition: Cannot take Reactions
- Cost: Action
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
At character level 5, damage increases to 2d8 Lightning. At character level 10, damage increases to 3d8 Lightning.
How to obtain Shocking Grasp
- Sorcerer, Wizard at Class level 1
- Eldritch Knight (Fighter) and Arcane Trickster (Rogue) at Class level 3
- High Elf and High Half-Elf at Character level 1
- Granted by features: Magic Initiate: Sorcerer, Magic Initiate: Wizard, Spell Sniper
Damage:
1-8
1d8, Lightning
Lightning springs from your hand and prevents the target from taking Reactions. Advantage against metal armour.
When to cast Shocking Grasp
The no-Reactions clause is the trick. Hit an enemy with Shocking Grasp and you can walk away without an opportunity attack, which is exactly what a Wizard caught in melee wants. It also shuts down enemy Reaction abilities for a turn.
You get Advantage against anything in metal armour, so it lands reliably on the heavily armoured brutes who are usually the ones you most want to disengage from. Niche, but genuinely useful on a squishy caster.
by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Cantrip Evocation spell available to Sorcerers and Wizards. It deals 1d8 Cold and slows the target’s Movement Speed by 3m. The slow is what makes it more than a damage cantrip.
Spell description: Call forth a frigid beam of blue-white light and reduce the target’s Movement Speed by 3m.
Spell properties
- Damage: 1d8 Cold
- Damage type: Cold
- Range: 18m (60ft)
- Duration: 1 turn
- Attack type: Attack roll
- Condition: Movement Speed reduced by 3m
- Cost: Action
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
At character level 5, damage increases to 2d8 Cold. At character level 10, damage increases to 3d8 Cold.
How to obtain Ray of Frost
- Sorcerer, Wizard at Class level 1
- Eldritch Knight (Fighter) and Arcane Trickster (Rogue) at Class level 3
- College of Lore (Bard) at Class level 6 via Magical Secrets
- Bard at Class level 10 via Magical Secrets
- High Elf and High Half-Elf at Character level 1
- Granted by features: Magic Initiate: Sorcerer, Magic Initiate: Wizard, Spell Sniper
- Source item: Mourning Frost
Damage:
1-8
1d8, Cold
Call forth a frigid beam that deals Cold damage and reduces the target’s Movement Speed by 3m.
When to cast Ray of Frost
It is a solid all-round attack cantrip with a bonus: the slow helps you kite melee enemies who are already struggling to reach you. Chip damage plus a little control for one Action.
Cold also plays into the wet-and-freeze combos, and it feeds Chilled and Encrusted with Frost effects from certain items. A dependable default cantrip for an arcane caster.
by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Cantrip Evocation spell available to Bards, Clerics, Sorcerers, and Wizards. It makes an object glow until your next Long Rest. That is all it does, and in the darker stretches of the game that is enough.
Spell description: Infuse an object with an aura of light.
Spell properties
- Range: Melee (1.5m)
- Duration: Until Long Rest
- Cost: Action
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
This cantrip does not scale.
How to obtain Light
- Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer, Wizard at Class level 1
- Light Domain (Cleric) at Class level 1, as a Domain Spell
- Arcane Archer (Fighter), Arcane Trickster (Rogue), and Eldritch Knight (Fighter) at Class level 3
- High Elf and High Half-Elf at Character level 1
- Granted by features: Magic Initiate: Bard, Cleric, Sorcerer, or Wizard
- Source item: Guiding Light
Infuse an object with an aura of light.
When to cast Light
Cast it on a weapon or a piece of gear and your character carries a torch without giving up a hand. Handy for the Underdark, the crypts, and anywhere you would otherwise be fumbling around in the dark taking Disadvantage.
Races with Darkvision need it less, and it does nothing against magical Darkness. It is pure convenience, but it is the kind you appreciate when you have it prepared.
by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Cantrip Enchantment spell available to Bards, Sorcerers, Warlocks, and Wizards. It gives Advantage on Charisma checks against a non-hostile creature, with a sting in the tail.
Spell description: Enchant a non-hostile creature to gain Advantage on Charisma Checks against it. Once the spell ends, the creature knows it was Charmed and might accuse the spellcaster.
Spell properties
- Range: 9m (30ft)
- Duration: 10 turns
- Concentration spell
- Cost: Action
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
This cantrip does not scale.
How to obtain Friends
- Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard at Class level 1
- Eldritch Knight (Fighter) and Arcane Trickster (Rogue) at Class level 3
- High Elf and High Half-Elf at Character level 1
- Granted by features: Magic Initiate: Bard, Sorcerer, Warlock, or Wizard
Enchant a non-hostile creature to gain Advantage on Charisma Checks against it.
When to cast Friends
Advantage on a Charisma check is strong, and on a caster who is not your face this is the cheapest way to get it. Cast it, then persuade or deceive the target with a much better shot at success.
Here is the catch that bites people: when it ends, the creature realises it was magically charmed and turns hostile or calls the guards. Use it on someone you are about to rob or leave behind, not the shopkeeper you want to keep trading with.
by Claude Helper | Sep 8, 2026 | Spells
Cantrip Transmutation spell available to Clerics. It gives you Advantage on Intimidation and Performance checks for ten turns. Pure dialogue utility, no combat use at all.
Spell description: Manifest a sign of supernatural power that grants you advantage on Intimidation and Performance checks.
Spell properties
- Range: Self
- Duration: 10 turns
- Cost: Action
- Recharge: Per action
Spell upcasting
This cantrip does not scale.
How to obtain Thaumaturgy
- Cleric at Class level 1
- Giant (Barbarian) at Class level 3
- Zariel Tiefling at Character level 1
- Granted by features: Magic Initiate: Cleric
Manifest a sign of supernatural power that grants Advantage on Intimidation and Performance checks.
When to cast Thaumaturgy
Cast it before a conversation where you plan to lean on someone. Advantage on Intimidation is a genuine boost to your success rate in a lot of dialogue checks, and it costs nothing but a prepared cantrip slot.
If your Cleric is your talker, it is worth having. If someone else runs your conversations, it will sit unused. That is the whole spell.
Range: Melee (1.5m)
Duration: Until Long Rest 
