D&D 5E Can Someone Explain Bonus Actions?

[Tony Semana]

I was expecting this kind of post, but not so "swift"ly.

oh twf is up with all these puns lately?

 

[Jester David]

In other words, it would be weird to say you get a normal action and a bonus action, but you can't use the bonus action unless you have a feature or effect that can be used as a bonus action.

That's WAY too complicated, especially for people who haven't played 4e.

I like the way it's written now. Plus, the wording might become even more relevant when we see all the options available in the Player's Handbook.

It's mostly a phrasing thing.

Bonus actions = minor actions. Everyone has one and can take one per turn.
But rather than say "You can take one Action and Bonus/Minor Action each turn" they're saying "You can take one Action each turn. If you have something that unlocks a Bonus Action, you can use it once per turn."
So instead of everyone looking at their Bonus Action and thinking "I need to find some way to use this each turn or it's wasted" people get abilities that unlock the Bonus Action get to use it, while everyone else isn't concerned because it isn't something they have.

 

[TwoSix]

oh twf is up with all these puns lately?

Come now, you can't blame two-weapon fighting for it.

 

[Remathilis]

Ok spell casting time.

I get that my cleric can cast healing word and then move and swing his mace, but could he use healing word and then use sacred flame? Or hw and then cure wounds? What about using healing word twice in a round?

 

[Nagol]

Ok spell casting time.

I get that my cleric can cast healing word and then move and swing his mace, but could he use healing word and then use sacred flame? Or hw and then cure wounds? What about using healing word twice in a round?

Only one spell a round I'm afraid; except for combat cantrips.

BONUS ACTION
A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell, provided that you haven’t already taken a bonus action this turn. You can’t cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.

 

[Jester David]

Ok spell casting time.

I get that my cleric can cast healing word and then move and swing his mace, but could he use healing word and then use sacred flame? Or hw and then cure wounds?

There does not seem to be any rule against that any more. Just another rule that didn't make it out of the playtest.

What about using healing word twice in a round?

This one needs a little clarification. Can you use your action to cast a spell with a casting time of a bonus action.

 

[Umbran]

It's mostly a phrasing thing.

Bonus actions = minor actions. Everyone has one and can take one per turn.

Except that isn't true. *If* you get any options for bonus actions, you can take at most one of them. But you may not have the option - you may not have a bonus action on any given turn. That's why saying "everyone has one and can take one per turn" is confusing - because folks will discover they *don't* have one!

It isn't a "bonus" if you always have it.

In addition, it doesn't seem like bonus actions are "minor" - Rogues can Dash, Hide, or Disengage as bonus actions, they aren't necessarily small things that'd be called minor, free, or swift actions in prior editions.

 

[Umbran]

There does not seem to be any rule against that any more. Just another rule that didn't make it out of the playtest.

There is - Nagol noted it above.

This one needs a little clarification. Can you use your action to cast a spell with a casting time of a bonus action.

Bonus Action
A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You
must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell,
provided that you haven’t already taken a bonus action
this turn. You can’t cast another spell during the same
turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.

Reading it strictly... no. If it takes a bonus action to cast, you must use a bonus action to cast it. With the explicit ban on two spells a round, I don't know when it would matter, though.

 

[Jester David]

Except that isn't true. *If* you get any options for bonus actions, you can take at most one of them. But you may not have the option - you may not have a bonus action on any given turn. That's why saying "everyone has one and can take one per turn" is confusing - because folks will discover they *don't* have one!

It isn't a "bonus" if you always have it.

In addition, it doesn't seem like bonus actions are "minor" - Rogues can Dash, Hide, or Disengage as bonus actions, they aren't necessarily small things that'd be called minor, free, or swift actions in prior editions.

In 3e and 4e swift/minor actions could *only* be used if you had a power or ability that could use them. So everyone had them but not everyone could use them.
In 5e, everyone has them as everyone can pick up a second weapon and unlock said bonus action without taking a special feat or spell or option. But, for the most part, you only get bonus actions if you have a power or ability that uses them.

So, really, the big difference is instead of saying "hey, everyone has this minor action thingy" they're saying "hey, you have this extra action thingy."

 

[Jester David]

There is - Nagol noted it above.



Bonus Action
A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You
must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell,
provided that you haven’t already taken a bonus action
this turn. You can’t cast another spell during the same
turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.

Reading it strictly... no. If it takes a bonus action to cast, you must use a bonus action to cast it. With the explicit ban on two spells a round, I don't know when it would matter, though.

I stand corrected.