Cantrips
Cantrips are the everyday magic of Tales & Tails — small sparks of power that any magical hero can summon at any time, without using a spell slot. While Tier 1–3 spells are weighty and deliberate (powerful magic that takes real energy), cantrips are as natural as breathing for a spellcaster. A Glowcaster might absentmindedly conjure a light while reading, or a Leafling might let petals drift around their fingers while waiting. Cantrips cost nothing to cast but create small, meaningful effects — a flicker of flame, a whispered message, a single pebble flung with a pop. They are the difference between a hero who casts spells and a hero who lives in magic.
All 20 cantrips listed here are available to magical Callings. Some require a roll; others are purely narrative. Cantrips are marked by type to help players choose flavor that matches their character's nature.
Sparkle
Light — Cantrip
Effect: Create a glowing ball of light that floats nearby, illuminating the area. Range: Self Duration: 1 hour
"A little sun in your pocket — perfect for dark caves, spooky hallways, and showing off."
Tiny Flames
Fire — Cantrip
Effect: Summon a small harmless flame that can be used to cook food, light a torch, or ignite a small dry object. Can also be used offensively to deal 1 damage to a target in touch range. Range: Touch Duration: Instant (or held up to 1 minute)
"It doesn't look like much. Then you point it at the campfire and suddenly everyone has hot cocoa."
Mini Gust
Air — Cantrip
Effect: Blow a small focused gust of wind strong enough to push light objects, scatter papers, douse candles, or cool a hot drink. Range: 15 ft Duration: Instant
"A gentle little breeze. Unless you're a candle. In which case: goodbye."
Bubble Shield
Protection — Cantrip
Effect: A brief swirl of shimmering bubbles encircles you, hardening momentarily into a protective shell. Gain +1 Dodge until the start of your next turn. Range: Self Duration: 1 round
"Soap bubbles that can stop a sword. Magic is wonderful."
Color Splash
Illusion — Cantrip
Effect: A burst of rainbow light dazzles one target. The target has Disadvantage on their next roll. No roll required — the flash simply lands. Range: 20 ft Duration: Instant (Disadvantage applies to the next roll only)
"You throw a tiny firework directly at their eyes. Rude, but effective."
Magic Mending
Utility — Cantrip
Effect: Magically repair a small broken object — a cracked toy, a torn garment, a snapped rope, a chipped cup. Cannot repair magical items or anything larger than a backpack. Range: Touch Duration: Permanent (the repair holds)
"Broke something? It was like that when we got here. Also: fixed it."
Pebble Pop
Earth — Cantrip
Effect: Fling a small stone with surprising magical force. Deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage to a single target. Range: 20 ft Duration: Instant
"It's a rock. Thrown with love. And a little magic. Mostly the rock."
Whisper Wind
Communication — Cantrip
Effect: Send a short message (up to one sentence) on a breeze to a target you can see or know the location of within range. Only the target hears it. Range: 30 ft Duration: Instant
"Secret messages: delivered. No paper required."
Animal Whistle
Nature — Cantrip
Effect: Produce a magical whistle that calls a tiny friendly critter (a mouse, a bird, a butterfly, a frog) to appear briefly and assist with a small task. The critter cannot fight but can carry a small message, scout a short distance, or distract a target. Range: 30 ft (critter appears nearby) Duration: Up to 1 minute, then it departs
"The tiny sparrow arrived, looked at the locked door, looked at you, looked back at the door, and shrugged. It did carry your note, though."
Chill Puff
Cold — Cantrip
Effect: Exhale a small breath of frosty air. Can freeze a shallow puddle (up to 1 ft across), cool a hot drink or surface to the touch, or create a small puff of visible cold mist. Can also deal 1 cold damage on touch. Range: Touch / 5 ft Duration: Instant
"You breathe on the lock and the water inside freezes. You breathe on your hot cocoa and it's suddenly perfect. Versatile."
Petal Dance
Nature — Cantrip
Effect: Colorful flower petals swirl around one nearby creature in a charming display. The target must Sense (DC 10 Keen). On a failure, they are charmed by you until the start of your next turn. Range: 15 ft Duration: 1 round (charm effect)
"It's just flowers. Very, very persuasive flowers."
Dew Drop
Water — Cantrip
Effect: Conjure a cup of clean, drinkable, fresh water. Can also create a small stream to wash something, fill a container, or douse a tiny flame. Range: Self / Touch Duration: Instant (water persists normally)
"Clean water, anywhere, anytime. Hiking with a spellcaster is simply better."
Tink Spark
Lightning — Cantrip
Effect: Create a tiny arc of lightning. Can be used to jumpstart a small gadget or mechanical device, or to deal 1d4 lightning damage to a single target in touch range. Range: Touch Duration: Instant
"The Inventor's gadget sputtered. Tink Spark. The gadget did not sputter anymore."
Glow Mark
Utility — Cantrip
Effect: Leave a glowing rune, symbol, pawprint, or small image on a surface. The mark is clearly magical and visible in low light. Lasts 1 hour, then fades. Range: Touch Duration: 1 hour
"A glowing paw print on the wall. Your team will know you were here. Also it looks very official."
Whiff of Wilds
Nature — Cantrip
Effect: Emit a calming, pleasant scent of forest pine, wildflowers, or warm rain. The magic soothes those nearby. Gain Advantage on your next Persuasion or Animal Handling roll. Range: Self (affects nearby creatures) Duration: Until next roll is made
"You smell like a summer morning in a flower field. Somehow this helps with negotiations."
Dream Puff
Illusion — Cantrip
Effect: Release a soft puff of dreamy mist that shows vague, pleasant dream-shapes — clouds, stars, little animals. One target that sees it must Sense (DC 10 Keen). On a failure, they yawn and lose their Quick Action on their next turn. Range: 15 ft (mist fills a 5 ft area) Duration: 1 round
"You could watch dream animals float by for hours. Actually, that's the problem."
Echo Pop
Sound — Cantrip
Effect: Create a small distinct sound at any point within range — a knock, a voice, a crash, a whistle. The sound comes from the location you choose, not from you. Useful for distraction, signaling, or mild chaos. Range: 30 ft Duration: Instant
"The suspicious guard turned left. That's when the party ran right. Thank you, Echo Pop."
Glimmer Dust
Light — Cantrip
Effect: Scatter a sprinkle of glowing magical glitter around you. Anything hidden, invisible, or masked by illusion within 10 ft is briefly outlined in sparkling light, revealing it. Range: Self (10 ft radius) Duration: 1 round (the reveal lasts until start of your next turn)
"The invisible ghost was suddenly very visible. And very glittery. And not pleased about it."
Leaf Leap
Mobility — Cantrip
Effect: A swirl of leaves gathers beneath your feet and launches you upward. Jump twice as far as normal this turn (both horizontal and vertical distances doubled). Range: Self Duration: Instant (this turn only)
"Across the gap? In one jump? With style? The leaves say yes."
Friend Spark
Support — Cantrip
Effect: A small, warm spark of encouraging light flickers from your hand and lands on an ally. That ally gains +1 to their next roll. Range: 30 ft (must target an ally) Duration: Until used on the next roll, or end of scene
"It doesn't look like much. It feels like someone believes in you. That's always worth something."
Tags
magic cantrips spells tier-0 always-available no-spell-slot