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Old Gus' Daft DraftsIt's Only Magic
Cantrips are simple, low-powered spells that almost anyone can learn. In a modern fantasy setting, cantrips can be as ubiquitous and unremarkable as twenty-first-century technology. Instead of using the flashlight function of a smartphone, use a light cantrip. Instead of running a dishwasher or vacuum cleaner, use a cleaning cantrip. Instead of using a megaphone, use a voice-amplifying cantrip.
Cantrips are generally not powerful enough to directly affect an unwilling creature or damage an unattended object. In the rare case that using a cantrip might cause actual harm, change, or damage, the attack roll for the cantrip is hindered by two steps (unless otherwise noted).
Any PC can learn two cantrips by spending 2 XP. How they learn them depends on the setting—they might need to study with a mentor, take a specific college class, pay for an informative ritual, study a magical book, invent it on their own, unlock some previously unrealized potential within themselves, and so on. Learning cantrips does not count toward character advancement. There is no limit to how many cantrips a PC can learn. In all other respects, cantrips work just like other character abilities.
Unless the theme of the setting is that everyone is quite proficient in magic, it's probably best to limit an individual NPC to knowing just a couple of cantrips, with many people not knowing any at all. A reasonable guideline is that an NPC can know a number of cantrips equal to their level.
Editor's Notes — The Modern Magic flavor suggests an exchange rate of four cantrips to one low-tier ability. It's Only Magic also suggests the GM might limit the use of cantrips by NPCs (including followers) to once or twice per level each day.
In some fantasy settings, cantrips are commonly available, but not everyone knows how to cast them (in the same way that phone and computer apps are common, but not everyone knows how to code an app). When someone tries to learn a cantrip, have them attempt a level 3 Intellect-based task (skills such as magical lore affect this). If they succeed, they learn the cantrip. If they fail, they don't. A PC only spends the 2 XP to learn cantrips when they succeed at this roll. This way, learning a cantrip isn't automatic—it's more like passing a final exam. And there are ways for the character to "cram" for this test, including expending Effort, getting help, or using an appropriate asset.
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Old Gus' Daft DraftsYou cause writing from one source (such as a book) to be copied onto parchment (or into some other appropriate object) you provide. This ability copies approximately 250 words per minute for up to an hour, creating a perfect transcription of the original. The ability only copies mundane text, ignoring illustrations, diagrams or supernatural inscriptions, leaving empty spaces where excluded items appeared in the original. Alternatively, you can also use this ability to dictate verbally, and have your dictation transcribed as if written in your own hand.
The ability automatically turns to the next blank page and continues its transcription until it completes the transcription, or it runs out of available pages.
Action to initiate.
You summon a nearby level 0 bee, housefly, gnat, or similar flying pest to a spot within an immediate distance. The pest acts normally and (appearing in an unfamiliar area) probably begins flying around, possibly landing on a creature. The cantrip doesn't work if there are no suitable pests within a short distance.
You summon a nearby level 0 spider, cockroach, silverfish, or similar crawling pest to a spot within an immediate distance. The pest acts normally and (appearing in an unfamiliar area) probably begins moving around, possibly crawling on a creature. The cantrip doesn't work if there are no suitable pests within a short distance.
A level 0 creature isn't a threat to a character and is instantly killed if hit. However, tiny creatures like the ones described in the Bee Cantrip and Bug Cantrip usually have a level 2 modifier for Speed defense because of their size.
You touch a creature and they release a loud belch, potentially aiding digestion.
Forcing an unwilling creature to belch is an attack, and attacking with a cantrip hinders the task by two steps.
You create up to four candle-like lights that move to your mental commands (but no farther away than how far you can reach), lasting about ten minutes. Each light can be a different color.
You produce up to three unwrapped small candies, with a color, shape, flavor, and texture of your choice. The candy provides no nourishment, but if another creature eats one, you gain an asset on your next social interaction with them for one day. You can only affect a creature in this way once. Unconsumed candies disappear after one hour.
You lower the temperature of a target within short range. If the target is a creature, for the next couple of rounds they feel like they're standing under an air conditioning vent. If the target is an object no larger than a 1-foot (30 cm) cube, you cool it down as if you'd dunked it into a bucket of ice.
You remove dirt, mud, and similar substances from one set of clothing (such as the clothes you're wearing), about 1 cubic foot of loose material (clothes, curtains, a box of toys, and so on), or an immediate area on a surface (such as a wall or floor). When used on clothing, this also does a decent job of removing wrinkles.
You change the color of an object, or you brighten or dull its color. The object can be up to about 1 cubic foot in size and up to a short distance away. If used to change a creature's hair color, it lasts a few days.
When using a rideshare or taxi app, you are connected with a driver who can pick you up within a couple of minutes. If you use this cantrip in a remote area where drivers are scarce, results can get strange; for example, the car and driver might be ghosts, you might have to share your ride with a dangerous supernatural creature, or you might arrive at your destination minutes before or hours after you were picked up.
You accelerate the preparation and cooking of one dish, reducing the time until it's ready by about ten minutes. (Time-consuming cooking, such as a large turkey, requires multiple castings.) Under normal circumstances, this doesn't burn, overcook, or otherwise ruin the dish.
You cut an object up to level 2 as if using a sharp knife or a pair of scissors, up to an immediate distance away. For example, this works on rope, candles, food, cloth, paper, or even a thin wire or thin chain necklace. The object usually gives off harmless blue sparks when it's cut.
Cut Cantrip isn't hindered by two steps when used to damage an unattended object.
You suppress light in a cubic or spherical area about 1 foot (30 cm) across within an immediate distance. Outdoors or in bright light, this area becomes very dim; otherwise, it becomes darkness. When you create this area, decide if it remains at a specific location (such as on a desk) or if it is attached to some part of you (such as your head or left hand) and moves with you. The cantrip ends after about a minute.
You erase up to a page of text from a typical surface (such as paper, parchment, wood, or plastic) within immediate range. The writing slowly disappears over a few seconds. Affecting magical writing requires an Intellect-based attack roll.
Erase Cantrip doesn't remove fingerprints, impressions in the paper, or other evidence that writing used to be there.
You create a bolt of energy that kills one common vermin creature (level 0) within a short distance, such as a fly, worm, cockroach, or mouse. One casting can affect multiple smaller creatures (such as ants or fleas) within 1 cubic foot. The spell is accompanied by a quick bolt of black and yellow energy.
Exterminate Cantrip is an exception to the rule that trying to cause direct harm with a cantrip is hindered by two steps. A swarm whose level is 1 or higher is unaffected by this cantrip, even though the individual creatures in the swarm might be.
A table you touch somehow has room (and a chair) for one more person to comfortably sit there without affecting anyone else at the table. This lasts anywhere from ten minutes to an hour, or less if the person in the extra chair leaves for more than a few minutes.
You update a recent fast food or delivery order so that when it arrives, it includes an additional order of French fries or other side available from the restaurant (tater tots, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, and so on). Sometimes this happens for free, and sometimes you have to pay an additional charge. Remember to tip your server.
You create a crown-like manifestation of fire on your head that lasts for ten minutes. The fire doesn't burn you. If anyone touches it or makes a melee attack aimed at your head, you can make a free Intellect-based attack roll against them to inflict 1 point of damage.
Variants of Fire Crown Cantrip create a crown of lightning, smoke, ice, water, or thorns.
You create an illusory firework within short range, which bursts with sparkling lights and a loud pop. The effect is obviously an illusion but might distract or startle people who aren't expecting it.
You touch one plate or bowl of food or one large glass or mug of liquid, improving its flavor. This doesn't affect the nutritional value or texture, nor does it fix spoiled food; it just makes it taste more to your preference (so you could eat spoiled meat or moldy vegetables and they'd taste fine). You decide the sort of flavor change—more or less spicy, salty, savory, sweet, and so on, in any combination appropriate for food or drink.
You touch up to 50 pounds (23 kg) of loose objects or material, which become buoyant enough to float in water for ten minutes. In addition to other options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the weight affected by an additional 50 lbs. (23 kg).
Wards an immediate area (enough to cover a large table at a holiday family gathering) against conversation about a topic of your choice, such as "the election," "Mommy's trial," or "that Cordell kid." Anytime someone in the area attempts to talk about this topic, make an Intellect-based roll against them; success means they either talk about something else or remain silent. The cantrip lasts for ten minutes or until you fail an Intellect-based roll to stop someone from talking about that topic.
You gather a scattered bunch of items into a small space, as if you had spent a minute sweeping them together with your hands or a broom. This affects about 1 square yard (1 sq m), up to an immediate distance away. The cantrip is mainly useful for collecting things that have been spilled, or for making it easier to clean up a room.
You sprout a pair of ghostly wings that immediately unfurl, then vanish a few seconds later. If you cast this cantrip while falling, you reduce the damage from the fall by 1 point.
You touch a target's visage, and its features you deem unsightly—for example, growths, acne, burns, or scars—are replaced with smooth, featureless skin (and any make-up of your choosing) for one hour. In addition to other options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the duration by one hour. You can affect up to two creatures at a time with this ability.
You attach two touching objects or surfaces with level 2 bond up to 1 foot (8 cm) in diameter. In addition to other options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the level of the bond by 1.
You tweak the traffic lights at an intersection within long range so that one of them turns green within a few seconds. The other lights in that system automatically adjust to compensate (turning yellow and then red for cross traffic). Depending on that traffic system, the light remains green anywhere from about ten seconds to a minute.
You levitate or manipulate an object of 10 pounds (4.5 kg) or less at up to a short distance. The effect is not particularly strong—about the same strength as trying to push, pull, or twist something just using the strength of your hand (without your arm).
You conceal one target within immediate range for about a minute. The target can be no larger than a typical rabbit, or several objects no larger than dice. The target is basically invisible to anyone in front of you, but the illusion doesn't work on anyone to your side or behind you. (If someone is intent on seeing the invisible target, make an Intellect-based attack roll against them to hide it from their view.) Action.
You toggle up to four light controls (such as a wall switch or a lamp's button, knob, or pull cord) within short range. You must be able to see these light controls or have a clear idea of where they are (such as turning on your front porch light and living room floor lamp from outside your home). You can toggle these switches on or off in any combination.
You amplify your voice, allowing you to speak at up to three times your normal volume. This isn't enough to harm anyone, but you can speak comfortably to a large crowd or across a very long distance without effort.
You create a costume mask on the face of a creature you touch. The mask can be simple (like a domino mask), fancy (like a masquerade ball mask), or deceptive (like a Halloween costume mask of a monster or specific person). The mask is obviously just a mask, not a disguise, but a deceptive mask viewed from at least a short distance away might fool someone into thinking it's a real face, providing an asset to disguise tasks at this range. The mask lasts for about a minute. If removed, the mask immediately disappears.
You create an invisible force that kneads your aching muscles and massages the joints (or those of another creature of your choice). If target remains within short range of you, it can add +1 to a one-hour or ten-hour recovery roll. Alternatively, the cantrip can perform soothing actions, for example, scratching the back, or massaging the scalp, which provides an asset to attempts to remain calm or fall asleep.
Action to initiate, 1 hour to complete.
You touch a broken object of up to level 3 and attempt to magically repair a single break or tear in it, such as a cracked stone wall, a shattered hand mirror, or a torn piece of clothing. The damage can be no larger than about what you can cover with both of your open hands. If you succeed at an Intellect-based roll against the object's level, you repair it (although it still shows signs of being previously broken, and may be fragile there). You can use this ability multiple times on the same object to repair larger breaks.
You whisper a short message (about five to ten seconds) to a creature you can see within a long distance. The target hears it as if you had whispered it in their ear.
When you learn this cantrip, choose a type of bird as your messenger, for example, ravens, owls, or pigeons. You can use this cantrip in multiple ways:
Messenger Bird level 1; cunning, flying, and Speed defense as level 3; flies a long distance each round, or 60 miles (100 km) per hour during uninterrupted travel; carries up to 2.5 ounces (75 g)<
The GM might put reasonable restrictions on Messenger Bird Cantrip, for example:
GM Intrusion: A rookery's location arouses unwanted suspicion. A message is accidentally delivered to an unintended recipient. A bird is killed en route. An ill-attended rookery flock revolts against their master.
You change the appearance of your eyes. If you just change their color to a different hue (such as to blue, green, or brown), the change lasts for an hour. If you change them to something unusual, such as red, yellow, solid black, or glowing, it only lasts for a minute.
You affect flames within a short distance, making them appear brighter or dimmer, flicker strangely, or change color. This lasts for one minute. You can affect up to several dozen candles, a few torches, or one typical campfire with each casting of the cantrip.
You open or close a small object within short range, such as a bag, box, bottle, footlocker, window, or lightweight door. This cantrip cannot lock or unlock locks.
While holding an unpaired, nonmagical object—for example, a glove, sock, or shoe— you know the direction (but not distance) to it's matched pair. If no pair exists—for example, a gold earring that had been melted down and reforged into something else—or if the pair is located on another plane of existence, this ability has no effect.
You write with your finger on a surface for up to ten minutes as if using a common ballpoint pen. The "ink" immediately dries once you write, but it can be smeared or cleaned up like a normal pen. The ink is blue, black, or dark brown, decided when you cast this cantrip.
You touch a creature or object, surrounding it with an illusory odor of your choice for one hour. For complex or unfamiliar smells, the GM might require an Intellect task to successfully create the smell. In addition to other options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the duration by one hour. You can only create two perfume effects at a time.
Attaching an unwanted smell to a creature is an attack, and attacking with a cantrip hinders the task by two steps.
You touch the circumference of a hole or portal up to 1 foot (30 cm) in diameter and 3 inches (8 cm) deep, creating a seal over the area. The seal appears as a dull material of your choice, for example, wood, stone, metal, or opaque glass. The plug remains in place for up to 24 hours. Creating a plug is difficulty 2 Intellect task, and creating another simultaneous plug raises the difficulty of the task by 1. While waterproof and airtight, the seal is otherwise a level 1 barrier. In addition to other options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the level of the seal by 1.
You touch an object or surface up to 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter, causing it to become highly reflective for one hour. In addition to other options for using Effort, you can choose to use Effort to increase the duration by 1 hour.The shape, texture, and other material properties of the area are unchanged.
You cause up to 1 gallon of mundane liquid—for example, dirty dishwater, milk, beer, or wine—within short range to move up to an immediate distance (usually into another container).
You teleport an object within an immediate distance into your upturned hand. The item has to be something you're carrying (such as a gem in your pouch or a dagger in your boot), something you can see (such as a coffee cup or mobile phone on the other side of the table), or something you know is within range (such as a note you saw someone put in their pocket). The cantrip affects one small object (for example, a cup or mobile phone) or up to a dozen smaller items from the same location (perhaps coins or dice).
You muffle the noise from one target within a short distance for a few seconds. Breaking a window or knocking a glass off the table would be no louder than someone tapping their finger on the glass. An obnoxious security alarm would only be as loud as a computer speaker. A ringing phone would be barely audible. If you cast this on a willing creature, they gain an asset on stealth tasks for one round if they move no more than an immediate distance on their turn.
Affecting an unwilling creature (or something they're carrying) with an ability requires an attack roll to succeed. If you're using a cantrip, by default that attack roll is hindered by two steps.
You create a softly glowing band of colors resembling a rainbow, extending from your hand to an object or willing creature within short range. The far end doesn't move (a creature could move away from it by going around a corner or out of range). You can anchor your end in place or allow it to move when your hand moves. The rainbow gives off light like a candle and lasts about a minute.
You touch a mundane book, scroll, document, poster, or sign, and a face with an appearance and voice of your design appears and reads the text aloud. You can use an action to command the face to stop, start, skip ahead, or reread something. The face's ability to read is informed by your own, so it mispronounces words you don't know or understand just as you would. The face dismisses itself if you move more than a short distance away from the reading material.
Action to initiate, action to complete.
You change the shape of a metal, glass, or stone object you touch into a different shape. For example, you could turn a coin into a ring, a cup into a plate, or a piece of glass into something resembling a gemstone. This normally lasts about a minute, but the object tends to revert early if anyone else touches or examines it too closely.
You create a harmless puff of smoke within an immediate distance. The smoke fills about a 1-foot (30 cm) cube and dissipates over the next few rounds. You decide if the smoke is white, grey, blue, brown, green, red, or yellow.
You cause the border between the spirit world to tremble, causing your to voice to boom, flames to flicker, harmless tremors to move through the environment, or nearby unlocked windows and doors to fly open or slam shut. This effect lasts for up to 1 minute.
Action to initiate.
You make seeds sprout at an accelerated rate, causing a week's worth of growth to happen in just a few moments. The seeds must be within a 1-foot (30 cm) cube and no more than an immediate distance from you. If the seeds are in viable soil, they take root as if planted there. If cast on immature or closed flowers, they bloom. If cast on a piece of unripe fruit, it immediately ripens.
You sew two touched pieces of cloth or thin leather together, up to about 2 square yards (1.5 sq m). The stitches are of the same quality of hand stitching by a tailor or leatherworker of reasonable skill. You choose the path of the stitches, so you could create a piece of clothing by casting this cantrip several times. Instead of sewing together two items, you can unravel the stitches of a touched object, affecting up to 2 square yards (1.5 sq m).
You create one of the following effects:
A demon appears within immediate range. If you applied a level of Effort as part of the summoning, the demon is amenable to your instructions; otherwise, it acts according to its nature. Regardless, the demon persists for up to one minute before it fades away—you hope.
Action to initiate.
You create an image on your skin, as if tattooed there by a reasonably talented artist. The image can be no larger than your hand, and consists of just one color. You can cast this cantrip multiple times to create a larger tattoo, use more colors, or both. The image lasts about an hour.
You summon a nearby object of stone, brick, concrete, cement, asphalt, or a similar hard and common mineral to your hand. The cantrip doesn't work if there are no suitable loose materials within a short distance.
You control a piece of string, rope, or twine within short range, causing it to tie itself to another object within 1 foot (30 cm) of it, using any sort of simple, common knot (such as a square knot). Instead of tying a knot, you can cast this cantrip on a simple knot within short range, untying it.
You create a single image of a creature or object within immediate range. The image must fit within a 1-foot (30 cm) cube. The image can move (for example, you could make the illusion of a mouse jump or crawl around), but it can't leave the area defined by the cube. The illusion includes sound (up to the volume of a person's normal speaking voice) but not smell. It lasts for one minute, but if you want to change the original illusion significantly—such as making a creature appear to be wounded— you must concentrate on it again (though doing so doesn't cost additional Intellect points). If you move beyond immediate range of the cube, the illusion vanishes.
Action to create; action to modify.
You make the ground or floor vibrate within a short area, feeling similar to a mild earthquake. Other objects on the floor might vibrate or slide (no more than a hand's span) because of this vibration.
You raise the temperature in a very small area (about 1 cubic foot) within short range, enough to make someone's face feel flushed or warm a drink to about the temperature of freshly served coffee.
You clean the outside of a typical passenger automobile within immediate range as if it had gone through an automatic car wash. Very large or very dirty cars may require multiple castings. The cantrip works on motorcycles, bicycles, and other small vehicles as well.
You alter the moisture level of an object or area within immediate range, affecting about a 1-foot (30 cm) cube or one set of clothing. If you want the target to be wetter, it is dampened as if you poured a cup of water on it. If you want it drier, it is dried as if you hung it out in the sun on a warm day.
A plethora of icy formations weave together at your command. Choose one of the following effects:
You improve wireless network reception in an immediate area for ten minutes. This improves poor or average reception to full strength and zero bars to at least one bar. When you cast this cantrip, you decide if this improved reception affects everyone in the area or just you.
You use available materials to wrap up an object within an immediate distance. The wrapped object must fit within a 1-foot (30 cm) cube. For example, you could wrap a gift box with decorative paper, wrap a piece of paper around a letter to create an envelope, or wrap a pile of potatoes with burlap to create an easily carried bundle.
You change the appearance of your face so you look about ten years younger than your normal appearance, lasting about an hour.