Solasta 2: Best Cantrips Ranked (Early Access)

Discover the best Cantrips to use in Solasta 2 Early Access – as we explore how cantrips works, which are the best to pick, and how to use them effectively.

Unlike the first game, Solasta 2 utilizes the updated SRD 5.2 (2024 ruleset), meaning Cantrips now scale differently and some, like True Strike, offer brand-new advantages for your casters.

This guide has been updated for the Early Access launch, the initial version of Solasta 2.

Solasta 2 Cantrip Overview

Cantrips are spells that do not consume spell slots. In Early Access, with a max level of four, you will often find yourself without any spell slots left in a combat encounter. This is what makes your cantrip selection critical: it’s a reusable spell that doesn’t deplete.

With the new 2024 ruleset, you can expect many cantrips to be even more powerful due to secondary effects. An example is Holy Conduit, dealing area damage, or Sorcerous Burst, dealing an extra 1d8 on an 8 dice roll.

Whether you’re interacting with the environment, speech checks, or combat, cantrips are vital to your performance early in Solasta 2. Let’s go over the top 10 list, then explanations of each with more detail.

Solasta 2 Top 10 Best Cantrips

The best cantrips in the game prioritize either high-die damage (like Poison Spray), tactical control (like Ray of Frost), or essential party buffs (like Guidance).

Below are the top 10 from best to worst:

Guidance: Still the king of ability checks; essential for lockpicking and dialogue.
Fire Bolt: The gold standard for long-range sniping and lighting environmental hazards (120 ft).
True Strike: Makes any spellcaster a high melee damage dealer.
Spare the Dying: A literal lifesaver when your healer is out of slots.
Sorcerous Burst: Best for versatility; you can choose your damage type to bypass resistances.
Holy Conduit: Incredible for Clerics to chain damage to multiple targets.
Poison Spray: The highest raw damage die (d12) for close-range encounters (30 foot).
Light: Useful to counter darkvision and navigate dark dungeons.
Ray of Frost: Top-tier kiting tool; reduces enemy movement to keep them away.
Shadow Armor: Provides early temporary HP, vital for squishy Sorcerers.

10. Shadow Armor

Shadow Armor is a 1-minute buff, granting you 3 temporary hit points. What makes it effective is, you can cast it prior to combat. Since it lasts one minute, just like Bless, it will stay active if you engage in combat right after casting the cantrip.

The Divine Shield cantrip from the Cleric list is also helpful as it provides a 1d8. However, that shield only lasts until the start of next turn. Thus, making it only useful if you expect an incoming attacker will target you. Shadow Armor makes a decent cantrip early when you have a few seconds before ambushing enemies.

Both the Wizard and the Sorcerer can access Shadow Armor cantrip in character creation. You can also get the origin feat, Magic Initiative Wizard if you desire this on a Cleric or another class. While it ranks 10^th on our list, there are better options to spend your action outside of combat or when combat starts. Thus, Shadow Armor fades in power as you level up.

9. Ray of Frost

The Ray of Frost cantrip deals 1d8 cold damage and inflicts Hindered until the start of your next turn on a target. Hindered is a status effect that lowers the enemy’s movement speed by 10 feet. Ray of Frost has a range of 60 feet and targets one enemy.

This cantrip is helpful when some enemies have 40 feet of movement, and your characters’ default is 30 feet. With a Ray of Frost, followed by a retreat, the enemies won’t be able to reach your squishy spellcaster. They will either peel off to attack another target, or dash to close the distance, expending their action and not attacking you for one turn.

Both Wizards and Sorcerers can learn Ray of Frost and they should if you lack a crowd control option like Sleep or Thunderwave. Keeping enemies at a distance is the easiest way to survive early, but Ray of Frost doesn’t provide the highest damage or the best use of action. Therefore, we rank it as the 9^th best cantrip in Solasta 2.

8. Light

The Light cantrip creates a light source on the target for one hour. Light cantrip also doesn’t require concentration, so you can use it in conjunction with another concentration spell. The main reason to use Light is when you’re playing the Human Ancestry. They lack Darkvision, creating a problem when you enter caves or dark areas.

Clerics, Wizards, and Sorcerers can learn the Light cantrip. You should take this when you are playing a human. The reason we rank Light 8^th is because it’s a helpful cantrip while exploring. However, you can also light areas with a device such as a lantern in your inventory. Plus, some Ancestries have Darkvision making it less useful.

Ideally, you want to cast light on your frontline melee DPS leading the charge into an unexplored environment. Otherwise, save it for a Human lacking Darkvision as a helpful way to counter the one negative to the Ancestry choice.

7. Poison Spray

If you want one of the highest damage cantrips in Solasta 2, then it’s Poison Spray. With a range of 30 feet, targeting one enemy, this cantrip does 1d12 poison damage. That’s higher than the standard Fire Bolts 1d10.

While the damage might seem nice, there are a couple of downsides to Poison Spray. First, the range is only 30 feet, so you’ll need to be close to the target. Second, Poison is often resisted by enemies, and thus you half the damage. Lastly, since its 1d12, the range of outcomes is very wide. It’s not a super consistent damage source, but if you’re feeling lucky on your dice rolls it’s worth taking.

Sorcerers and Wizards can learn Poison Spray. We rank it 7^th best Cantrip on our list because there are more consistent damage options with better range. However, its worth taking if you don’t need a utility cantrip like Light.

6. Holy Conduit

The Holy Conduit cantrip is perfect for a Cleric or Paladin who wants a little splash damage with their cantrip. On melee hit, the target takes 1d6 Radiant damage. Each target within five feet can also take an additional 1d4 radiant damage if they fail a constitution save.

The obvious downside to Holy Conduit is the lack of range. While most cantrips will be up in the fight, having to close the distance and touch a target for possibly 10 damage is high risk. A good replacement option if you crave radiant damage at range is Sacred Flame. Though it only deals 1d8, you can cast it from 60 feet away.

Holy Conduit cantrip can only be learned by Clerics, Paladins, or those who get the Cleric origin feat. Consider this a strong cantrip if you expect to play in melee range and want extra AOE damage. However, a cantrip like True Strike has much more upside if you want a melee cantrip, and that’s ranked higher on this list.

5. Sorcerous Burst

The most versatile damage-dealing cantrip is Sorcerous Burst. With a range of 120 feet, you can select your damage type and deal 1d8 to the target. If you roll a d8, you can roll another d8 and add the damage. While rare, you can outdo any other cantrip in Solasta 2.

Another critical upside of this cantrip is the elemental damage choice. If a target is resistant to fire, simply pick another element. You will find some fights where monsters are vulnerable to one specific element, and this is where the cantrip shines.

While one of the best cantrips in Solasta 2, the downside is it’s only usable by the Sorcerer. Moreover, there is no origin feat Sorcerer Initiative, so it’s locked behind one class only. If it weren’t for that, we would rank Sorcerous Burst higher on this list, but it’s a must have for any Sorc spellcaster.

4. Spare the Dying

You can expect death and dying companions in your Solasta 2 playthrough making Spare the Dying a must have cantrip. Within 30 feet, you can stabilize a dying target. The target stays at zero hit points but doesn’t make a death saving throw anymore.

This cantrip is critical when traveling with Jebfa. If she dies before her quest is completed, your game is over. You can use an action to stabilize her, then a bonus action potion or healing word to get her (or any other target) back on their feet. This cantrip has saved many of my companions from perma-death, and it’s highly recommended.

Spare the Dying cantrip can be used by Clerics and Paladins or Cleric Magic Initiative origin feat. Selecting Human Ancestry and taking the Cleric Magic Initiative feat is a great choice for this cantrip and Guiding Bolt. Giving you the two strongest spells from the Clerics spellbook on any class.

3. True Strike

The True Strike cantrip has been reworked with the 2024 rules, making it a melee spellcasters dream. When used, you attack one melee target using your spellcasting ability for attack and damage rolls. Your damage type is based on your weapon. Quarterstaff produces radiant damage for instance.

Why this is helpful is, it makes any spellcaster a decent melee damage dealer without expending a spell slot. Oftentimes, an enemy will rush you and force you to attack with disadvantage or flee and take an opportunity attack. With True Strike, you can blast it with high melee damage, regardless of your weapon quality or type.

True Strike can be used on Sorcerers or Wizards and should be taken if you have a high spellcasting modifier. Even though you may not intend to play a Gish hybrid melee spellcaster, there is likely going to be a time when attacking melee is a better option than fleeing and taking damage.

2. Fire Bolt

The gold standard in range damage cantrip is Fire Bolt. With a range of 120 feet, it’s one of the best ways to attack a single target. Moreover, it deals 1d10 fire damage, ranking just behind Poison Spray’s 1d12. However, having four times the range, Fire Bolt allows any spellcaster to stay at max range and snipe targets for decent damage.

Fire Bolt is obtained via Sorcerer or Wizard spells or via Magic Initiative Wizard origin feat. Additionally, the High Elf Ancestry can also grant you access to this cantrip. Making High Elf a good choice on a Cleric who wants a reliable ranged cantrip with max distance ranger than melee Holy Conduit.

While Fire Bolt is a great DPS cantrip, there is one on this list we rank higher because we just cannot live without it.

1. Guidance

The best cantrip in Solasta 2 Early Access is Guidance, because of its utility in nearly every conversation or exploration encounter. This cantrip requires concentration, targeting one ally for one minute and grants them 1d4 to ability checks. That means any speech or exploration skill check, you gain an additional 1d4!

It can be confusing to use Guidance, especially if you never played Baldur’s Gate 3. While in an interaction where it can be used, you will notice the light blue cantrip icon at the bottom middle of your screen. You need to click it, and then select your choice you want it to influence. Then, the percentages will increase, and you know Guidance is active on that character.

You can always cast Guidance on a Rogue leading your party through deadly traps. Since it lasts one minute, doesn’t consume a spell slot, it should be a favorite on your bar used frequently.

Clerics and Paladins can learn Guidance or you can obtain this cantrip through Magic Initiative Cleric. Either way, having one party member with this cantrip is mandatory for passing every ability check and having total control in Solasta 2 Early Access.

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Solasta 2: Best Cantrips Ranked (Early Access)

Solasta 2 Cantrip Overview