Official D&D Sage Advice Compendium Updated

5ekyu · Feb 16, 2019

Maxperson said:
Er, I didn't wax on about anything. Or wax off for that matter. No Karate Kid for me. Maybe you should re-read that post.

No point.

Lord Twig · Feb 16, 2019

This is so simple, and people are trying to make it hard. You have an action on your turn. You take your action. You can move before and/or after. If you have a bonus action, like the rogue, you can take your action, then your bonus action or you can do your bonus action and then your regular action. You can move as much or as little as you want between your action and bonus action, but not during your actions. Done. That's the rule. There's an exception, but that's irrelevant.

If you don't have a bonus action, but an action you perform grants you a bonus action, then you take that bonus action after your action. Because you don't have a bonus action before your action, obviously.

You can't dash as a bonus action first and then cast Expeditious Retreat later. You can't order your Unseen Servant to bring you the material components as a bonus action so you can then cast Unseen Servant. You have to do the thing that gives you the the bonus action before you get the bonus action. How is that not common sense?

Of course now we are dealing with the fact that people don't like to be wrong. Once a decision is made people (including me) will stick with it. They'll start making excuses and rationalizations. And the more they do this, the more invested they are in making sure they are right. The more they will refuse to agree that they were wrong. It's embarrassing. "How could I be so wrong, for so long? No. I wasn't wrong. I couldn't have made that big of a mistake. I didn't waste hours of my time and dozen of post defending something that was incorrect."

Of course some of us here has done just that. It may be the side you are on or the other side. Each side of course thinks it's the other side. But please consider. Maybe you're wrong.

Markh3rd · Feb 16, 2019

If I use a lance while mounted, and have the shield master feat, can I use multiattack as I'm closing on my target from 10' away, then close to within 5' to shield bash and knock the target prone, then action surge, moving my mount back to 10' away, then multiattack with the lance at advantage?

FrogReaver · Feb 16, 2019

Ristamar said:
The Attack action ends after you make your last attack or choose to forfeit any extra attacks in order to do something else (e.g. Shield Master bonus Shove attack, cast a spell, etc.)

The Dodge action is instantaneous, the effect lasts until the start of your next turn.

The Disengage action is instantaneous, the effect lasts until the end of your turn (you can move freely given you have movement to spend).

The Ready action is instantaneous, the potential effect (one reaction keyed off a trigger) may last until the start of your next turn.

Can you cite PHB for this info?

Ovinomancer · Feb 16, 2019

Markh3rd said:
If I use a lance while mounted, and have the shield master feat, can I use multiattack as I'm closing on my target from 10' away, then close to within 5' to shield bash and knock the target prone, then action surge, moving my mount back to 10' away, then multiattack with the lance at advantage?

No, because you only get advantage on a prone opponent if you're within 5 feet.

5ekyu · Feb 16, 2019

Lord Twig said:
This is so simple, and people are trying to make it hard. You have an action on your turn. You take your action. You can move before and/or after. If you have a bonus action, like the rogue, you can take your action, then your bonus action or you can do your bonus action and then your regular action. You can move as much or as little as you want between your action and bonus action, but not during your actions. Done. That's the rule. There's an exception, but that's irrelevant.

If you don't have a bonus action, but an action you perform grants you a bonus action, then you take that bonus action after your action. Because you don't have a bonus action before your action, obviously.

You can't dash as a bonus action first and then cast Expeditious Retreat later. You can't order your Unseen Servant to bring you the material components as a bonus action so you can then cast Unseen Servant. You have to do the thing that gives you the the bonus action before you get the bonus action. How is that not common sense?

Of course now we are dealing with the fact that people don't like to be wrong. Once a decision is made people (including me) will stick with it. They'll start making excuses and rationalizations. And the more they do this, the more invested they are in making sure they are right. The more they will refuse to agree that they were wrong. It's embarrassing. "How could I be so wrong, for so long? No. I wasn't wrong. I couldn't have made that big of a mistake. I didn't waste hours of my time and dozen of post defending something that was incorrect."

Of course some of us here has done just that. It may be the side you are on or the other side. Each side of course thinks it's the other side. But please consider. Maybe you're wrong.

"That's the rule."

Fantastic! Great! Finally someone who has seen the rule

Please, give us the rule cite for limiting the bonus action to either before or after the action.

Then we can put this to bed.

Markh3rd · Feb 16, 2019

Ovinomancer said:
No, because you only get advantage on a prone opponent if you're within 5 feet.

Ok, but I could drop the lance and draw my sword then get advantage if I stayed with 5' correct? Not that I would usually want to but it is possible?

Ovinomancer · Feb 16, 2019

Markh3rd said:
Ok, but I could drop the lance and draw my sword then get advantage if I stayed with 5' correct? Not that I would usually want to but it is possible?

Don't see why not, under either argued position.

Maxperson · Feb 16, 2019

5ekyu said:
No point.

The way you've been evading and changing arguments, I suspect that you are right.

Markh3rd · Feb 16, 2019

I think 5ekyu is just wanting further official clarification on some of the obscure wording or details. Nothing wrong with that and I hope you get it. I also think this has been the case, but I feel like my understanding of both sides of the coin has greatly improved after this debate. So I feel good about learning something, and it helps me make better decisions as both a player and DM.