D&D 5E Can Someone Explain Bonus Actions?

[essenbee]

What are they and where do they come from? How does 2-weapon fighting work, as this uses bonus actions for the off-hand attack? maybe I'm being dumb, but I cannot seem to get them?

Cheers,

Stu

 

[Agamon]

If you have an ability that gives you a bonus action, you can use it as well as your normal action. But you can only use one bonus action per turn. So if you attacked with the off-hand weapon with 2-weapon fighting, you couldn't use another ability that comes from a bonus action that turn.

Bonus actions are just that, a bonus. They aren't really a part of the standard action economy (you don't need to think about what to do with your bonus action after doing your move and action; it's only there if you need it).

 

[Umbran]

Bonus Actions
Various class features, spells, and other abilities let you
take an additional action on your turn called a bonus
action. The Cunning Action feature, for example, allows
a rogue to take a bonus action. You can take a bonus
action only when a special ability, spell, or other feature
of the game states that you can do something as a bonus
action. You otherwise don’t have a bonus action to take.
You can take only one bonus action on your turn, so
you must choose which bonus action to use when you
have more than one available.
You choose when to take a bonus action during your
turn, unless the bonus action’s timing is specified, and
anything that deprives you of your ability to take actions
also prevents you from taking a bonus action.

 

[essenbee]

Okay, get that, many thanks. WRT 2-weapon fighting then, a fighter normally only get the 1 attack with her 2 light weapons. If you get a bonus action from somewhere, then you can attack with the off-hand? Where might those bonus actions come from for a fighter?

Stu

 

[Thaumaturge]

Okay, get that, many thanks. WRT 2-weapon fighting then, a fighter normally only get the 1 attack with her 2 light weapons. If you get a bonus action from somewhere, then you can attack with the off-hand? Where might those bonus actions come from for a fighter?

Stu

Bonus actions come from the abilities that use them. So the fighter can use a bonus action, every round, to attack with his off hand. He just couldn't also use another ability that gives a bonus action in the same round.

Thaumaturge.

 

[Nagol]

Okay, get that, many thanks. WRT 2-weapon fighting then, a fighter normally only get the 1 attack with her 2 light weapons. If you get a bonus action from somewhere, then you can attack with the off-hand? Where might those bonus actions come from for a fighter?

Stu

If you a re wielding a light weapon, you get a potential bonus action for a second strike.

Two-Weapon Fighting
When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you’re holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you’re holding in the other hand. You don’t add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative.

If either weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon, instead of making a melee attack with it.

 

[essenbee]

Got it! So just using the light weapon in each hand gives you 1 bonus action per round to use for your 2nd attack. But if you got another bonus action from a spell (say), then you can only use 1 bonus action each round.

Thanks all you replied!

Stu

 

[Agamon]

Okay, get that, many thanks. WRT 2-weapon fighting then, a fighter normally only get the 1 attack with her 2 light weapons. If you get a bonus action from somewhere, then you can attack with the off-hand? Where might those bonus actions come from for a fighter?

Bonus actions don't "come from" anywhere. They're always available if you need one.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

Bonus actions don't "come from" anywhere. They're always available if you need one.

Not true according to the rules quoted by Umbran up there. A PC has no bonus action unless they have an ability which allows them to take a bonus action.

I am being slightly facetious here, of course, because the most simple way to think of a bonus action is as you say, a thing you have 1 of, but they do "come from" somewhere, RAW.

 

[Thaumaturge]

Bonus actions don't "come from" anywhere. They're always available if you need one.

My parents told me bonus actions come from under a rock.

Thaumaturge.