The Cantrip spell

[Van]

Hey David, I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this. Please move it where it belongs if it's not. I was wondering if you could enlighten me on how the cantrip spell works. The 2nd ed PH says that it last for 1 hour/level and that "once cast, the cantrip spell enables the caster to create minor magical effects for the duration of the spell." Later, it also states that "whatever manifestation the cantrip takes, it remains in effect only as long as the wizard concentrates."

So what I want to know is this: If a 5th-level wizard casts the cantrip spell, is he able to create many and varied "minor magical effects" for the entire 5-hour duration, with each effect lasting only as long as he concentrates on it? Or should this be interpreted that he can create a single magical effect that can continue for as long as he concentrates on it, up to a maximum of 5 hours?

Obviously, I prefer the former interpretation. This would mean that a wizard could cast it at the beginning of a day's adventuring and be able to do all sorts of little things to help out his party, even assisting a little in combat (pulling an enemy's cloak or helmet down over his head, make flowers appear to shoot out of the tip of his sword, etc.) If this is how it should be interpreted, would casting another spell interrupt and discontinue the cantrip spell?

Just some musings, because I'm trying to think of ways that this little spell could come in handy during our adventures, because I recently re-discovered that Maedhros has access to it in a spell book we've found on Charn. Thanks!


Van

P.S. Actually, now that I think of it, would he be able to learn the cantrip that the villagers told us about that removes slugs from a person's body? If so, would such an effect be covered by the cantrip spell? Or would he have to learn that specific cantrip itself?

[David]

The first level spell cantrip allows the user to perform minor magics and slight-of-hand for one hour per level -OR- to simulate the power of any defined cantrip (0 lvl spell) -OR- (with DM approval) to create similar effects.

So, for instance, Jasmine can use cantrip to astound and entertain children for hours on end (ten, to be precise, which is WAY longer than most anyone's attention span) -OR- Jas can use it to change the color of her clothing (color) or shape/cut of her gown (mute) or simply clean a nasty spill in the bar (gather and/or clean) -OR- to do her hair (theoretically, there should be a cantrip like style or curl or straighten given there's untangle, grow, cut, etc) or various other effects along these lines.

I would definitely say that casting a spell, going into combat, using an item, etc would end the duration of an hour/level effect of cantrip as would running, swimming, studying, etc although until then the caster could do many minor tricks (juggle harmeless fireballs, pull scarves out of his ass, make coins vanish, etc) -- but any cantrip that affects another automatically allows a save.

There is also another version of cantrips, those being 0 level spells. A mage (or anyone with access to 1st level spells) can trade one first level spell slot for FOUR 0 level (cantrip) slots. There is a complete list of cantrips in the Unearthed Arcana, but a partial list includes:

Chill, Curdle, Change, Belch, Bee, Creak, Clean, Dirty, Distract, Blink, Bluelight, Footfall, Color, Dusty, Hide, Cough, Bug, Groan, Dampen, Hairy, Mute, Giggle, Firefinger, Moan, Dry, Knot, Palm, Nod, Gnats, Rattle, Dust, Ravel, Present, Scratch, Mouse, Tap, Exterminate, Sour, Sneeze, Smokepuff, Thump, Flavor, Spill, Twitch, Spider, Whistle, Freshen, Tangle, Wink, Tweak, Gather, Tarnish, Yawn, Unlock, Polish, Untie, Salt, Wilt, Shine, Spice, Sprout, Stitch, Sweeten, Tie, Warm, and Wrap

The inhabitants of Charn have invented a new cantrip, bullet blink. Under normal conditions I would NOT allow the first level cantrip to duplicate this effect unless the caster was familiar with the Charnian version. Bullet bink does a momentary, partial hide on the target, but does NOT target anything made of metal -- the target fades away for a few moments but the bullets remain. This then allows the caster to visually target the bullets with a present and remove them from the body.

Narrissa will teach you the cantrip in exchange for you teaching her a spell back...