Highlights
- Cantrips are a key feature of spellcasting in Baldur's Gate 3.
- Eldritch Blast, Fire Bolt, and Ray of Frost are popular cantrips that offer damaging and utility effects in the game.
- Mage Hand and Guidance are versatile cantrips that offer useful abilities both in and out of combat, with a focus on object manipulation and ability bonuses, respectively.
The latest entry in the long-running and much-loved Baldur's Gate franchise, after two games and several DLCs and expansions that have lasted more than two decades, Baldur's Gate 3 is making a profound impact. Character customization, a feature that the franchise inherited from the D&D universe on which it is based, is one of the reasons BG3 has endeared itself to players.
One skill that makes a character unique is the cantrips they can cast. Cantrips are "level 0 spells," which means they require very little effort to cast, not requiring a spell slot nor a day of rest to restore to your action bar. They are assigned to a character as part of their class, race, or background, and here are some of the best ones you can learn in BG3.
8 Eldritch Blast
Eldritch Blast is a simple but destructive spell that sends a searing beam of crackling energy at the target. It does 1d10 of damage and is effective against most enemies, in particular slimes and spiders.
Normally, Warlocks have this cantrip from level one, but Fighters who choose the subclass Eldritch Knight will also be able to use this cantrip. Other spellcasting classes can learn it as a spell later but can't use it as a cantrip.
7 Dancing Lights
A cantrip from the Evocation school, it's available to High Elves, which includes the half-High Elf subrace. Another way to learn this cantrip via a class is to roll a Rogue and choose Arcane Trickster as your subclass or roll a Druid.
This handy spell illuminates everything in a nine-meter radius around the caster, which is great for the Underdark, but only preferable when Stealth isn't an issue. If it is, consider the cantrip Light, which uses an object as the source of the glow as opposed to the caster.
6 Fire Bolt
Fire Bolt is one of the most popular cantrips you'll see in Baldur's Gate 3. It's the default for several races and classes that have access to a cantrip from the beginning of the game, such as High Elves and Wizards and is handy for more than just doing 1d10 of fire damage to enemies.
Use this cantrip to ignite flammable surfaces, like grease or alcohol, or set off explosive charges. Be wary of blowback when using Fire Bolt as an incendiary, however, as it can also harm you and your allies.
5 Ray Of Frost
This cantrip will not only do 1d8 of cold damage but also slow the target down to only three meters of movement per turn. High Elves can learn this cantrip as part of their racial background, but several classes also have access to this handy spell.
Wizards and Sorcerers can learn this cantrip during the character-creation process. Another way to get it is by choosing Eldritch Knight as a Fighter subclass or Arcane Trickster as a Rogue subclass.
4 Blade Ward
Blade Ward is a cantrip used by more squishy classes as a handy way to avoid or mitigate damage in melee combat because it can only be cast on yourself. All casters have access to it as a spell at some point, but only High Elves or Clerics can get it as a cantrip.
The spell protects the caster by giving them increased resistance to piercing, bludgeoning, and slashing damage from normal weapons. It's from the Abjuration school, and the effect lasts for two turns.
3 Mage Hand
Asmodeus Tieflings also have this cantrip in addition to the High Elf races, and it's also popular in the tabletop version of the game thanks to how useful it is both in and out of combat. You can use it to conjure a spectral hand to move or manipulate objects up to 18 meters away, with some limits when it comes to size or smaller details.
Casting this spell requires a Concentration check, and if you pass it, you can use the Mage Hand for 10 turns. Any casting class can get this cantrip, except the Bard, who can only use the Mage Hand cantrip if they choose the College of Lore or the College of Valour as a subclass.
2 Guidance
Guidance is a very useful cantrip that at least one party member should have, and it's only available to Clerics and Druids. It can be cast on a party member or ally to give them a 1d4 bonus to ability checks, but it's not just something for combat.
Guidance also acts as a passive ability that gives a bonus to Intimidation, Persuasion, Strength, or Charisma rolls along with abilities like Pick Locks or Stealth. You can choose to use it for difficult rolls only, but it doesn't have a set amount of charges, so there's no reason not to use it every time.
1 Shocking Grasp
An ideal cantrip for those classes that want some extra offensive magical abilities at melee range, this allows the caster to not only do 1d8 of lightning damage but also keeps the target from using any reactions.
High elves can choose this as a cantrip, and Sorcerers and Wizards can use it from level one. Eldritch Knights and Arcane Tricksters can get it with their choice of subclass. It does extra damage against enemies wearing plate armor, but be careful using it if you're standing in water.