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A Cantrip is a magic spell of any kind, or one which reads the same forward and backward. It can also be a witch's trick, or a sham. The word "cantrip", of Scots origin, possibly comes from the Gaelic term canntaireachd, a piper's mnemonic chant. A cantrip is a term with several meanings, although primarily related to magic, tricks, and minor supernatural effects. The word and concept originated in Scotland and has been popularized in various forms of folklore, games, and modern witchcraft practices.

A Wiccan Dictionary defines a cantrip as "a magickal spell".

As mentioned, in Scottish folklore a Cantrip could refer to a trick, a minor spell, or some sort of supernatural effect. That still holds true in today's pop culture. Today, the word Cantrip is most often used when referring to Dungeons and Dragons, a table-top role-playing game, or TTRPG, that has gained massive popularity since its release in 1978. In the context of the TTRPG, Cantrips are small, usually harmless spells that can be cast without expending any spell slots. It is important to note that while all cantrips are in fact magical spells, not all spells are cantrips. Essentially, its a basic, low-power spell that spellcasters can use repeatedly without draining their magical resources. Notable cantrips include spells include Prestidigitation, Guidance, and Mending.

This usage has since spread, influencing other fantasy games, books, and media. In games such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the player starts the game with two basic, low cost spells, flames and healing. These two acts of magic, while not specifically mentioned as cantrips, can be classified as such as they're immediately available, low cost, and low power. In the trading card game Magic: The Gathering, a cantrip is player-jargon referring to a spell that, in addition to any other effect, makes a player draw a card. Another popular example would be Harry Dresden from The Dresden Files. While the protagonist is a proficient mage, he often relies on simple acts of magic that could also be categorized as cantrips such as a small ball of light or creating a few sparks. In the deck-building game Dominion, a cantrip is any Action card that is self-replacing: it both draws one card and gives an Action used to play it.

References

1. Cantrip, Dictionary of the Scots Language (online edition).
2. "definition of cantrip by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia". Thefreedictionary.com. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
3. Cantrip, Dictionary of the Scots Language (online edition).
4. ""Cantrips: minor magic" by Gygax in 1982". "Cantrips. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
5. "Magic systems in games", Misplaced Pages, 2024-04-01, retrieved 2024-12-11
6. "Prestidigitation". D&D Beyond. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
7. "Mending". D&D Beyond. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
8. "Guidance". D&D Beyond. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
9. "Skyrim:Flames - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)". en.uesp.net. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
10. "Skyrim:Healing - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP)". en.uesp.net. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
11. Magic’s Zero-Level Spells, Forsythe, Aaron. Latest Developments
12. "Dominion Wiki". DominionStrategy Wiki. 19 December 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2023.

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