A few cantrips

Cantrips were never officially introduced as a part of my favorite editions of D&D (B/X and BECMI) but I'm quite fond of the idea of mages being able to cast some basic, trivial, but potentially useful spells.  Fortunately, one of the great virtues of those systems is the ease of house-ruling them, and cantrips are a pretty simple addition.

The following cantrips shouldn't be too unbalancing, even if you allow them to be cast at will for no cost.

Dazzle

Range: 10'

Area of Effect: 1 cubic foot

Duration: 1 round

This spell creates rapid flashes and bursts of brightly colored lights within a small space.  It has no other effect whatsoever, but is often used as a petty display of power to the easily impressed.

Drowse

Range: 50'

Area of Effect: 1 creature

Duration: Special

This spell instantly makes the target feel sleepy, even if previously well-rested and wide awake. The target may make a saving throw vs. spells to remain awake if he considers it important or desirable to do so – for example, a guard on duty.  (A lazy guard who has no compunctions about falling asleep on duty is another story, though.)  Otherwise, it will doze off within 1-10 minutes. A formerly rested and alert subject will sleep for 4d6 minutes; an already tired one will sleep 2d4 hours. Loud noises or physical force will awaken the sleeper, however.

This spell has no effect whatsoever on characters or creatures engaged in combat or other situations where falling asleep would be harmful or fatal, such as climbing a ladder or swimming. Creatures larger than an ogre are also unaffected.  The most common use is as a remedy for insomnia, and the caster may target himself. 

Dye

Range: Touch

Area of Effect: See below

Duration: Special

By use of this spell, the caster alters the color of an item or creature, or part of one. The total surface area that can be affected by a single casting is equal to about that of an adult human. Thus, the caster could change the color of a piece of fruit, a man-sized statue, a cat, or his own skin, hair, or eyes. On non-living material, the effect lasts for 2d6 days or until dispelled by a Dispel Magic or Remove Curse spell. On living creatures, including the caster himself, the duration is 1d6 days, also subject to dispelling.  Unwilling creatures get a saving throw vs. spells to avoid the effect.

Evaporate/Condense

Range 10'

Area of Effect: A 5' cube

Duration: 1 turn

When this spell is cast, all water within the area of effect begins to evaporate. Within 10 minutes, up to 3 gallons will be vaporized. Evaporate is useful for drying out a character's clothing after a rain or an unexpected swim, preserving herbs and foods, and distilling liquids.  Living creatures are not affected.  The reverse of the cantrip, Condense, will precipitate water vapor out of the air, dampening everything within the area of effect. 

Flame

Range: 10'

Area of Effect: Approximately 1 cubic inch

Duration: 1 round

This spell causes a flame, equal in heat, light, and intensity to a candle flame, to appear at the caster's fingertip. It may either be held on the caster's finger for the duration without harm, or flicked up to 10' away. The flame may be used to light candle or lamp wicks or to ignite flammable materials such as straw, tinder, or oil. The flame is not hot enough to cause damage itself, but blazes ignited by it will. The caster must be able to snap the fingers of one hand in order to cast the spell.

Haunt

Range 50'

Area of Effect: n/a

Duration: 5 rounds

With a Haunt cantrip, the caster produces eerie noises emanating from somewhere within the spell's range. The sounds will be no louder than a soft human speaking voice, and must be relatively simple. Bumps, taps, scratching, groaning, or muttering are possible, but not music or intelligible speech.

Illusory Scent

Range: 20'

Area of Effect: A 10'x10'x10' cube

Duration: 1 turn

This spell causes a scent, chosen by the caster, to fill the air in the affected area. The smell may be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, but is otherwise harmless and does not compel any action on the part of creatures smelling it, though it may certainly influence them. Reactions to any particular scent are at the referee's discretion.

Invisible Servant

Range: 20'

Area of Effect: Special

Duration: 1 turn

This cantrip calls into existence a small, invisible force under the control of the caster. The force can be used to manipulate objects weighing less than 1/2 pound, such as a spoon, a feather duster, a candle, a pen, or a string. The objects levitate as if held by an invisible hand, and can be moved at a maximum speed of 10 feet per round. The caster may designate a simple motion, such as sweeping, stirring, or the like, and the object will continue it until the caster changes or ceases it or the spell expires. The caster may also maintain direct control over the object, if desired. When the spell expires, any object under its influence will fall immediately, and suffers the usual effects – a teacup dropped on a stone floor will shatter, etc. Items carried by a person or creature are not affected by this spell.

Itch

Range: 20'

Area of Effect: One creature

Duration: Special

This cantrip inflicts a mild itching, tickling, or similar minor irritating sensation on a creature within range. The effect is not great enough to cause distraction in combat or other dangerous situation. At any other time, the normal inclination of an affected creature is to scratch the itch, which may distract its attention or cause it to set aside objects held in hand.  Focusing this cantrip on the nose may cause the creature to sneeze if a Constitution check is failed. This is especially inconvenient to someone working with lightweight materials such as powders or papers, or someone trying to hide or move quietly.

Magelight

Range: 0

Area of Effect: A 1'-diameter sphere

Duration: 10 rounds

A magelight cantrip creates a soft light in a 1' sphere centered on the caster's hand. Within the radius, the light is sufficient for reading or seeing similar details. If desired, the caster may transfer the light from his hand to another creature or object by touch, where it will remain for the duration of the spell. Unwilling creatures are not affected.

Miniscule Transmutation

Range: Touch

Area of Effect: One item or creature

Duration: Special

With this cantrip, the caster causes one small item or creature, weighing no more than 1/2 pound, to change form. The transformation must be within the same kingdom, i.e. animal to animal, vegetable to vegetable, or mineral to mineral. A sheet of parchment might be changed to a handkerchief, a nettle to a rose, a mouse to a frog, or a ring to a coin, for example. If the change is from non-living material to living, such as turning a leather glove into a bird, the duration is one minute. Otherwise, it lasts one turn.  An item or creature bearing an enchantment of any sort may not be affected.

Minor Illusion

Range: 5'

Area of Effect: A 1'-diameter sphere

Duration: Concentration

This spell creates a simple illusion within the area of effect. For example, the caster could make butterflies appear to stream from his mouth, a rainbow appear in the palm of his hand, or a hat on his head. The effect lasts as long as the caster concentrates on it – he cannot fight, cast other spells, or move more than half speed. Anyone viewing the illusion may attempt a Wisdom check to recognize it as such. 

Prestidigitation

Range: 0 (Caster only)

Area of Effect: Special

Duration: Instantaneous

Prestidigitation enables the caster to conjure a small item from anywhere on his person to appear in his hand. A coin, a dagger, or a key, for example, may be brought to hand in this way, provided that they are carried by the caster, either in his clothing, a container such as a belt pouch or backpack, or even his own body. A swallowed item may be easily retrieved in this way, so long as it is a discrete unit – for example, a marble could be retrieved, while a shot of liquor or a mouthful of sand could not.

Puff of Smoke

Range: 20'

Area of Effect: A 5' diameter sphere

Duration: 1 round

This spell conjures a burst of thick smoke, about 5' across and of any color the caster desires. For the first second or two of its duration, the smoke is completely opaque, obscuring anything within or behind it. It thins quickly and dissipates entirely at the end of the 1-round duration. A Puff of Smoke is most commonly used for the purpose of misdirection, and for theatrical entrances and exits.

Sense Magic

Range: 0 (Caster only)

Area of Effect: A 10' radius sphere, centered on the caster

Duration: 1 round

This spell enables the caster to sense the presence of magical enchantments within range. Only the presence and general direction of the enchantment is sensed, not the specific kind or exact sources. Enchanted items, active personal and area-effect spells, and magically summoned, created, or sustained creatures can all be sensed by this spell. For example, a mage casting the spell in a chamber where there is a sentry statue guarding a chest which contains a potion of healing, while in the presence of a fighter carrying an enchanted sword and a cleric under the influence of a bless spell will sense magic coming from the direction of each of them. However, he will not sense whether the chest, its contents, the statue standing beside it, or all three are the source of the magic coming from that direction, nor whether the fighter and cleric are radiating magic because they are carrying magic items or are under the effect of spells, or both. Despite its imprecise results, the cantrip is often useful for quick assessments of treasure hoards and the like.

Sorting

Range: 5'

Area of Effect: Special

Duration: 1 round per level

By means of this spell, the caster may quickly sort small objects weighing no more than 1/2 pound. The criteria for sorting must be able to be discerned by the caster's unaided senses; for example, gold may be sorted from silver because the difference is easily seen, or grains of salt from grains of sugar because they may be distinguished by taste. Sorting gems by value or separating magic items from non-magical ones is not possible, because those properties cannot be determined by the senses alone. About 100 items may be sorted per round, so a pile of 1,000 coins of mixed type would require 10 rounds to separate into piles of gold, silver, and copper. 

Warm/Cool

Range: Touch

Area of Effect: One item or container

Duration: 1 turn

This spell causes an object to either become warmer or cooler, according to the wishes of the caster. Temperature may not be raised above the boiling point of water, nor lowered below freezing. The volume affected is a maximum of one gallon per five levels of the caster, rounded up.  The caster must concentrate to maintain the spell - in this case, the pot must be watched for it to boil!  A full turn is needed to achieve freezing or boiling; the time required for lesser changes is at the DM's discretion.  The object or liquid then gains or loses heat at a natural rate until it once again matches the ambient temperature. The spell is quite useful for cooking and brewing teas and infusions where a fire is impossible or impractical. Living creatures may not be directly affected by the spell, though they may be subsequently affected by boiling or freezing liquids. 

Whisper

Range: 10' per level

Area of Effect: One person or creature

Duration: Instantaneous

Through the use of this spell, the caster may send a whispered message of five words or less to another creature within range. The whisper cannot be heard or intercepted by anyone other than its intended recipient.

Zephyr

Range: 50'

Area of Effect: A 5'x5'x5' cube

Duration: 1 round per level

By means of this spell, the caster calls a soft breeze to blow across the area of his choosing. The breeze is not strong enough to cause damage to structures or creatures, but it will blow out candles, stir up dust, and scatter papers or parchments. The caster may choose the direction of the breeze; if prevailing winds in the area blow in another direction, they are negated within the area of effect, but anything blown out of the spell area may be blow back in once the spell expires. If there is a source of fresh air within 50', the breeze will be fresh; otherwise it will be no fresher than the air in the caster's vicinity. Mages of all levels sometimes use this spell for relief on hot or muggy days, or to whisk away the fumes of alchemical experiments.