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RE: Michael's RPG Shelf: I Gotta Have My Cantrips!, Part Two - "I Have Come Here To Kick Ass And Cast 0-Level Spells..."
The best cantrips depend on the DM and the setting. In the game where I am a player, I have been disappointed by a lack of opportunities to use my non-combat skills. A +6 to history checks has been utterly useless so far, for example. Same goes for non-combat magic, cantrips or not.
To a certain extent, this will always be true, especially if you're playing with a group more focused on combat. But you can't fight all the time! That's why spells like "Minor Illusion", "Mage Hand", and "Druidcraft" are so much fun: you the player get to use them at-will to make your PC a little more interesting and have some fun at the same time, and the DM gets little to no say in the matter as long as you're following the rules. :)
If you haven't already, have a chat with your DM and let him/her know that you enjoy using all those non-combat skills you've put into your character. Your character likes history? That's a chance for the DM to make up some neat backgrounds for people and places in the campaign. Tie one or two of those things directly into the story, and that's an easy way to add memorable bits and pieces to the story you're telling.
Of course, some DMs just want to run war games, which is fine too. But it's also their job to make sure all their players are having fun. Not every minute of every session, but ideally everybody should get to shine once every session or two. :)
A +6 to history checks would be about the most useful bonus possible in the campaigns I run :) I suppose it really is so heavily dependent on the DM's style, I agree with you.