Baldurs Gate 3: Best Cantrips [Top 13]

Baldure Gate 3 has some of the most innovative Combat of any current-gen game. Although a little overwhelming, the turned-base battle is a breath of fresh air. However, many things must be learned before you can master action, including the Cantrips. Therefore, this guide will help you pick some of the best Cantrips for your party in Baldurs Gate 3.

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Key Takeaways

• These are the top 13 best Cantrips for players in Baldurs Gate 3.
• The Cantrips are magical actions that differ from Spells as they do not require a spell slot.
• Moreover, Cantrips can be used during Combat or even outside when exploring. 
• Some Cantrips like Fire Bolt are created to maximize damage, while Cantrips like Friends are designed to give your Ally an Advantage.

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Cantrips are magical spells that players can use. However, it is essential to remember that, unlike Spells, the Cantrips do not take up your spell slots. The Cantrips are an integral part of the Combat, allowing players to hurt the enemy and help their allies. Moreover, these magical abilities can also come in handy outside of Combat.

Cantrip Name	Cantrip Description	Cantrip Range
Sacred Flame	Hurl a Sacred Fireball at your enemies.	18m
Resistance	Protect an ally against adverse effects and attacks	0m
Guidance	The Ally gains a bonus on all Ability Checks.	0m
Ray of Frost	Freeze the target, slowing them down for 3m	18m
Fire Bolt	Launch a fireball at enemies that hardly ever misses.	18 m
Eldritch Blast	Crackling Energy will travel to a target and provide damage.	18m
Mage Hands	Summon a hand that can interact with objects at a distance.	18m
Friends	Give your Ally an advantage on their next turns	9m
Poison Spray	Spray out poison to closeby targets and put on negative effect.	3m
Vicious Mockery	Hurl insults at a target which puts them at a disadvantage on the next turn.	18m
Dancing Lights	Illuminate an area of around 9m radius	18 m
Bone Chill	Prevent the target from healing during their next turn.	18m
True Strike	Give your Ally an advantage on their next attack	18m

Sacred Flame

The Sacred Flame Cantrip is tied to the Cleric class. These are religious classes that follow a set religion. Therefore, only Clerics are capable enough to use this Cantrip.

The Cantrip is a powerful, damaging attack that projectiles toward enemies through a glowing flame. The damage can be between 1 to 8, although other effects can allow this to deal more damage.

Moreover, this attack can travel up to 18m to hit an enemy. As a result, enemies within the 18m range will need to use a Dexterity roll or take damage. This is a great attack and Cantrip to have in your party, although you do need a Cleric to use this Cantrip.

The best way to have this is to free Shadowheart from Mind Flayer’s Lair at the start of the game. Shadowheart, a Cleric, can use the Sacred Flame Cantrip.

Resistance

The Resistance is an Abjuration Cantrip, which makes it a protective or defensive asset. Moreover, this Cantrip can also be used outside of Combat to help your allies.

Although, this spell can also prove incredibly effective during Combat. A player can cast this Cantrip on any ally nearby or facing danger. This can protect a partner from any adverse effect or damage.

Resistance will provide extra protection, ultimately leading to a player receiving less damage. This Cantrip also allows players to receive 1 to 4 Bonus Saving Throws. Moreover, the effects of this Cantrip will last on a player for up to ten turns. However, it is essential to remember that casting this Cantrip will use your action resource for that turn.

Guidance

The Guidance is another Cantrip that does not cause any damage. Moreover, the Guidance is another Cleric-only Cantrip. However, the Clerics do not have this exclusively, as Druids can also use this spell.

The Guidance Cantrip grant the player an advantage on their rolls. This means that players are given an additional dice when required to roll.

Therefore, a player will always have a greater chance to roll the number required. This makes it an essential Cantrip whenever a player needs a significant number during a dialogue.

The effects of Guidance also last for ten turns and provides the player advantage on all their abilities. Although this Cantrip can also offer a bonus during Combat, not many players use it for this.

Use this Cantrip whenever a player is about to roll a dice, and the outcome will always be in your favor.

Ray Of Frost

The Ray of Frost is an excellent Cantrip to have during Combat. This Cantrip is capable of giving out a severe ranged attack. Moreover, this Cantrip can give out damage of 1 to 8 to any enemy within 18m.

However, giving out damage is not what makes this Cantrip very effective. The Cantrip is also capable of slowing down the enemy target’s speed.

This effect can last on the enemy for up to 3m, which makes it very effective during tense situations. Moreover, enemies weak to ice attacks can receive additional damage whenever this Cantrip is cast. The best way to utilize this spell is to slow down and damage the enemy closest. This will give you that extra time to plan your next move.

Fire Bolt

Our previous entry was an ice Cantrip, so it is only fair we now discuss a fire Cantrip. The Fire Bolt Cantrip is an everyday fireball magic spell. Therefore, like any fire magic, this Cantrip is also incredibly practical and gives out severe damage. The damage from this Cantrip can range from 1 to 10 depending on the dice roll.

This additional damage makes it one of the most potent and best Combat Cantrips in Baldurs Gate 3. This Cantrip ranges 18m and allows you to light fires to the grease puddles on the ground. The burnt floor will have a negative status effect on all enemies within the range. 

Most classes can use this Cantrip, making it an excellent choice for most range attacks. Moreover, if you directly see an enemy, you will always land this spell. This is one of the reasons why this is one of the best Cantrips in Baldurs Gate 3.

Eldritch Blast

The Eldritch Blast is another strong Cantrip specifically for Combat. This Cantrip can give out severe damage, making it a must-have for most builds. However, the bad news is that this Cantrip is only available for Warlock Class. Therefore, to take advantage of this Cantrip, you must either play as Warlock or have a Warlock in your party.

This Cantrip, similar to Fire Bolt, can give out maximum damage of 10. However, what makes this Cantrip special is your ability to upgrade it with your character. Leveling up will allow players to unlock other additional effects of this Cantrip, making it even more vital. Moreover, this Crackling Energy can also travel up to 18m to deal damage.

Therefore, if you currently have a Warlock in your party, ensure you have this Cantrip equipped.

Mage Hand

The Mage Hand is a very niche Cantrip that comes in very handy. This Cantrip can be utilized by most classes in the game and allow you to conjure a magic hand. The magic hand will enable players to interact with things up to 18m in distance. Therefore, the Cantrip will be effective in Combat and help you solve puzzles.

This crafty hand can move around objects and interact with things in your environment. Players can use their hands to set up the battlefield to give the player the advantage. Even the slightest actions, like closing a door to an enemy, will change how the Combat plays out.

The Mage Hand is granted an extra turn every round. During this, players can interact with objects using their hands.

Friends

The Friends is another of the best Cantrips appearing in Baldurs Gate 3. Moreover, this Cantrip is mainly used outside Combat as the enchantment would not work in Combat. The player can cast this spell on any of the allies and or any target that would grant them an advantage on their rolls. 

This is especially effective right before dialogue, as this would allow players to get a charisma advantage on all their checks. Therefore, this will ensure that a player never loses during their dice rolls. This can be useful if you try to avoid Combat and talk your way out of a situation. The spell can be cast on any target within the 9m range.

However, it is essential to remember that the target can realize that they have been enchanted at higher levels. This could lead to critical failure and some hazardous consequences.

Poison Spray

The Poison Spray is another highly deadly and dangerous Cantrip. This Cantrip allows players to cast a poison smoke that will affect targets within the radius. Moreover, this Cantrip is highly dangerous and can give out 12 damage, one of the highest on this list. Every time this spell is cast, a constitution saving roll is done to determine the effects of the attack.

However, what this Cantrip makes in damage, it loses in range. The Cantrip has a minimal range and requires players to be close to their targets. Although the Poison Spray only has a range of 3m, the damage is enough to justify its low range.

Multiple classes can take advantage of this Cantrip. However, it is best to put this on tanky classes that can afford to be that close to the target.

Vicious Mockery

This Cantrip asks if hurling insults at the opponent can damage them, and the answer is yes. The Vicious Mockery is a unique Cantrip that can be used during Combat. The damage is nothing to write home about. However, the Cantrip can only give out damage between 1 till 4. Therefore, the special effect of the Cantrip makes it very useful.

The Vicious Mockery will not only give out damage to a target but will also put them at a disadvantage for the next turn. This will ensure that the target cannot give out much damage for the next turn. Therefore, this becomes incredibly effective if you try to save an ally too close to the target. 

Just hurl insults at the enemy and see how this causes them to lose heart in the fight.

Dancing Lights

The Dancing Lights is another very unique Cantrip. This Cantrip is effective both inside and outside of battle. However, the Dancing Lights Cantrip is helpful for specific situations. The Dancing Lights is designed for incredibly dark areas with very little visibility. The Cantrip allows players to light up a room of around 9m.

Moreover, this Cantrip also has a range of 18m and can last ten turns, making it very effective. This spell is handy for looking for enemies or other traps in a dark area. The Cantrip will illuminate all the surrounding areas making it an excellent exploration asset. Therefore, players won’t need to be afraid of dark spots and can continue exploring.  

Bone Chill

The Bone Chill is another very effective and unique Cantrip on this list. The Cantrip is incredibly useful during Combat and can define the outcome of your attacks.

Therefore, the Cantrip can land damage anywhere between 1 to 8 and has some unique effects. The Bone Chill is Necromancy Cantrip directly tied to the undead.

Once cast on a target, the Cantrip will give out damage but also make sure that the target will not be able to heal during the next turn. Moreover, this also puts the enemy target at a disadvantage for their next roll. Therefore, casting this Cantrip on a target will make sure that they won’t be able to heal and also they won’t be able to give out much damage.

If an enemy target is a problem, just cast this Cantrip and watch them slowly fade away.

True Strike 

The True Strike is another great Cantrip available for most classes. Like many on the list, this Cantrip does not specialize in giving out severe amounts of damage. Therefore, the True Strike Cantrip can only be used to gain an advantage whenever you perform your next attack. This will ensure that the attacks will never miss and you get the most damage out of your attacks.

Therefore, players can cast this spell on any of their allies, giving them a significant advantage during Combat. Moreover, the effects of this Cantrip lasts for two turns and can be cast to any partner within the 18m range. Not only will your Ally be able to give out more damage, but this also ensures that their attacks will not be missed.

This Cantrip is designed to put your party ahead in Combat and get out without taking much damage. 

These are some of the best Cantrips players in Baldurs Gate 3. The Cantrips range from Combat Cantrips to spells that can be effective in usual exploring. Some Cantrips, like Fire Bolt, are designed to output maximum damage. Meanwhile, Cantrips like Friends are designed to give your Ally an advantage during their dice rolls.

Players can choose from many Cantrips available. However, there are only a selected few that players can carry within their party. Therefore, it is best to know which of these Cantrips are helpful and what they can be used for. However, if you are still confused about a Cantrip, use it during a tricky situation. This will allow you to get used to the effects or change the Cantrip.

Moreover, you do not need to worry about Spell Slots, as Cantrips differ from spells and do not utilize the same slots.