Cantrips

Cantrips that Deal Damage
Playtesting has shown that damage-dealing cantrips are incredibly useful to the point where they are the preferred method of engagement for every class that has them:

• They are cast at range so the caster is not subject to being threatened by enemies
• They are at least as good or better than any other melee or ranged weapon in terms of damage per round (either because they force a save rather than go against AC or simply deal more damage - compare Fire Bolt to a Longbow)
• They apply a wide range of status effects (moving enemies, slowing them, affecting their attack rolls or saves) not available to mundane weapons and they do this in addition to the superior damage they deal. Melee classes must use class resources (spell slots, superiority dice etc) to get these effects
• At the 5th caster level and beyond, cantrips begin to out-damage 1st level spells like magic-missile and significantly out-damage mundane weapons
• They are effective enough that they are used in place of spells in any 'mundane encounter'. Spell slots are therefore reserved for 'alpha strikes' on any meaningful encounter. This means spellcasters are not really faced with the difficult choice of ending an easier encounter sooner (by using spell slots to cast non-cantrips). This also means other encounters, which may be balanced around casters not being at full power at all times, are curb-stomped. This turns more meaningful encounters into unexciting slogs and removes a difficult choice with interesting outcomes regardless of choice from the game. This is just bad design.

To address these shortcomings, damage or status-dealing cantrips are receiving an overhaul. Cantrips are too varied for me to build an exact list or rule, so the following guidelines will be used. In the list below, out-perform means "takes into consideration all of the following: targets affected, attack modifier, damage modifier, base die type, status affect or limitation applied, actions required to use."

1. A damage-dealing cantrip with a range beyond 'melee' cannot out-perform a thrown dagger (to hit: 1d4 + ranged spell modifier, damage: 1d4 + spellcasting ability modifier, range: 20/60, no allowed status affects)
2. A damage-dealing cantrip with a range of melee cannot out-perform a short sword (to hit: 1d6 + melee spell modifier, damage: 1d6 + spellcasting ability modifier, no allowed status affects)
3. A cantrip cannot both deal damage and apply a status effect of any kind
4. A cantrip that deals damage or applies a status affect cannot affect more than a single target
5. A cantrip that applies any sort of status affect must allow a save to avoid the effect. The cantrip cannot affect a creature of size L or larger (see below)
6. A cantrip can only deal damage of type Fire, Lightning, Acid, or Cold
7. In case it isn't clear from the restrictions above, cantrips do not scale with level

The DM and the player will discuss possible cantrip choices and apply the guidelines above to reach a consensus on the changes necessary to the cantrip to make it conform to the goals above. If necessary, the modified cantrip will be recorded below so we have a record of the decision.

Example Cantrip
The cantrip below can be used to replace any damage-dealing cantrip. This cantrip complies with all of the constraints above:

Lesser Evocation
Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Melee or 20ft (up to 60ft with Disadvantage)
Target: 1 creature or object
Components: V, S, M (focus)
Duration: Instantaneous

You gather the latent magical potential nearby to form a potent mote of fire, lightning, acid, or cold. You can choose to smash this mote into an enemy in melee range or hurl it at a more distant target. When using it against a foe in melee range, make a melee spell attack. On a hit, the target takes damage of the specified type equal to 1d6 + the caster's spell casting modifier. Alternately, the mote may be hurled at an enemy within 20ft. Make a ranged spell attack against the target (you can attack a target up to 60ft distant, but the ranged spell attack roll is made at Disadvantage for a target beyond 20ft). On a hit, the mote strikes the target and does damage of the specified type equal to 1d4 + the caster's spell casting modifier.

The mote is exceptionally small but potent. The mote can be aimed at inanimate objects and may damage them depending on the circumstances. Possible outcomes include setting flammable materials alight (fire), chilling water (cold), defacing metallic objects (acid). Electrical damage will be ruled on a case by case basis since I can't think of anything at the moment.

Cantrips Against Large Foes
Cantrips are not powerful magic. A cantrip cast at a foe of size Large or larger is less likely to have its intended effect:

• Damaging cantrips work as defined in the cantrip (almost all situations of these cantrips require a to-hit roll and therefore a save is not usually neccessary). Should a damaging cantrip allow a save, the target has Advantage on the saving throw
• Cantrips that apply a status effect are ineffective against creatures of size Large or larger

Specific Cantrip Rulings
The following cantrips have been reviewed for compliance against the goals above and are important enough to be recorded here.

Cantrip: Eldritch Blast (when cast by a Warlock)
Change: use RAW/RAI rather than the rules above. This cantrip and its associated add-on effects are the Warlock's signature ability and are not subject to the above changes.