Control Flames: Prestidigitation, but with Fire
Usable By: Druid, Sorcerer, Wizard
Spell Level: Cantrip
School: Transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Duration: Instantaneous or 1 hour
Components: S
You choose nonmagical flame that you can see within range and that fits within a 5-foot cube. You affect it in one of the following ways:
You instantaneously expand the flame 5 feet in one direction, provided that wood or other fuel is present in the new location.
You instantaneously extinguish the flames within the cube.
You double or halve the area of bright light and dim light cast by the flame, change its color, or both. The change lasts for 1 hour.
You cause simple shapes—such as the vague form of a creature, an inanimate object, or a location—to appear within the flames and animate as you like. The shapes last for 1 hour.
If you cast this spell multiple times, you can have up to three of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.
Review by Sam West, Twitter: @CrierKobold
“As the tiefling lit his cigar, impish visages danced in the brilliant flames on top of the match. The smoldering ends of the cigar burned a hotter red than you’d ever seen; this is certainly the arsonist you’ve heard rumors of.”
Cosmetic spells are the spells I categorize as predominantly being useful for establishing your characters fantasy. The PHB gave us Thaumaturgy, Prestidigitation, and Druidcraft as three tools to create magical sensory effects that line up with this idea. The Elemental Evil Player’s Companion brought four new element based options to the table with Control Flames, Gust, Mold Earth, and Shape Water. If you’re in the market to play a character that wants the ability to do one of those things, these cantrips are for you.
Beyond just the fantasy it can help facilitate, Control Flames has some neat use cases that establish it as a supportive spell that aids world exploration. Expanding flames quickly and without chance of fail can be a way to block off a path with fire to dissuade enemy advancement or just get the burning of a building done a bit faster. Extinguishing flames within a five foot cube can quell attempts at arson or instantaneously snuff out a campfire that could save the party from notice. Doubling the area of light given by flame makes torches a bit better, and acts as a tool to empower the items as opposed to replacing them, which I love. None of these effects are so powerful you’ll find yourself wanting this outside of the cosmetic reasons, but each brings a bit of extra utility that can incidentally be nice in the right circumstances.
The caveat of affecting non-magical flames only is kind of a bummer, as being able to control magical flames from a bonfire you make with Create Bonfire could be sweet. It likely could get messy, sure, but it would be a nice feature here.
As is, this isn’t going to be a cantrip you’re constantly using, nor a cantrip most characters will want. None of the effects are going to be constants save possibly the light effect in groups delving into the underdark. If you want a character that has finite control over flames to sell their fantasy, Control Flames is a way to do it. If you just want to ooze magic and look magical, Prestidigitation is more likely where you want to be.
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