Cantrips, or 0 Level Spells, represent the basic building blocks of Magic. They are the parts and pieces that an Adept masters and manipulates to develop and learn proper spells. Most Cantrips are little more then learning devices, but a few can have practical applications with minor tweaking. A starting Adept may have 2 to 4 (1D3+1) Cantrips in his/her Spell Book. As the Adept advances in level they may automatically add 1 new Cantrip to their spell book at each level increase, until they reach the maximum they are able to learn. The maximum number of Cantrips an Adept can learn equals his/her IQ.
NOTE: Some Cantrips are prerequisites for more powerful spells! For example, an Adept must know the cantrip ‘Fire Finger’ in order to learn ‘Burning Hands.’
MEMORIZING CANTRIPS
Cantrips DO NOT need to be memorized. Cantrips deal in basic principals of magic that are so ingrained into the Adepts memory at this point in his or her career, that they do not need to be studied in advance. ‘Energy’ must be allocated for the casting of Cantrips, limiting the number that can be cast in a day, but the Adept can use that energy to cast ANY of the Cantrips known.
COMPONENTS OF CANTRIPS
Cantrips typically have only verbal and wand gesture components (though they may require materials to act upon) The words and gestures are often softer or more covert than other spells. Unless under someone’s direct observation, an Adept may often employ a cantrip without anyone knowing its source. However, if directly observed, the Adept will usually be seen, so be careful.
CASTING CANTRIPS
Unlike more powerful spells, casting a Cantrip DOES NOT require a Concentration Check, As a result there is no Disability Check or Unintended Consequences for spell failures. If the Adept is interrupted as he/she casts a Cantrip, the energy is simply lost. It is not strong enough to be dangerous.
LIMITATIONS ON CANTRIPS
Cantrips are usually weak, typically have brief duration, and often have penalties when one attempts to employ them against unwilling, living, intelligent targets.
-
Living creatures who do not willingly submit to the effects of a cantrip cast DIRECTLY upon them will always get a saving throw if they are 1st level or higher, have 1+1 Hit Dice or more, or have an intelligence rating higher than ‘animal.’ Success negates the effect entirely.
-
Cantrips will have no affect on magically summoned beings (such as from other planes of existence).
-
Cantrips will have no affect on characters or creatures already enchanted with a spell (unless they are willing targets) or in the process of casting a spell or employing a spell like ability. The existing or building magical aura around such creatures prevents these minor intrusions.
-
Cantrips cast upon nonliving objects in the possession of those who would normally get a saving throw, will normally get a saving throw (identical to the possessor of the item). Success will negate the cantrip’s effect entirely.
-
Though low in power a cantrip will still count as an action during the round. One may employ a cantrip and move up to half their movement rate or employ two cantrips without moving. They may never employ a cantrip and cast a higher level spell in the same round.
DEFAULT SETTINGS FOR CANTRIPS
-
All cantrips have default casting times of 1 segment.
-
All cantrips have default duration of one hour/level. If the cantrip summons some material, assume the material will permanently stay unless told otherwise.
-
All cantrips have default range increments of 1″ (10 feet). NOTE: When a cantrip states ranges, it is assumed that nothing is blocking the way. For example, if one mile/level is mentioned, this means there is no obstructions in between the caster and the target that they couldn’t walk around, given free movement and time, so a thick forest would not hinder them, nor would being indoors (unless in a sealed, airtight room), but the spell should not also be taken to mean one mile underground. For example, DRINK, would not get water from that far underground, so surface sources must be available in the spell’s range. Otherwise, these minor spells are not powerful to summon such obstructed items.
List of Cantrips
|
Bee Belch Blink Bluelight Bug Change Chill Clean Color Cough Creak Curdle Dampen Dirty Distract Dry Dust Dusty Exterminate Fire Finger Flavor Footfall Freshen Gather Giggle Gnats Groan Hairy Hide Knot Moan Mouse Mute |
Nod Palm Polish Present Rattle Ravel Salt Scratch Shine Smoke puff Sneeze Sour Spice Spider Spill Sprout Stitch Sweeten Tangle Tao Tarnish Thump Tie Tweak Twitch Unlock Untie Warm Whistle Wilt Wink Wrap Yawn |