D&D 5E Action Surge Questions

[maritimo80]

I have some questions about Action Surge.

1) As I understand it you can as a bonus action, make a new action on your turn. Is that so? If so, this action could be to use a spell for example, if I am an Eldritch Knight?

2) In Action Surge not understand this part: ".....top of your regular action and apossible bonus action.". It would be like a bonus action? What would this top?

3) The Class Ability "War magic" of Eldritch Knight would not be the same as an Action Surge, only without usage limits?




FIGHTER
Action Surge
Starting at 2nd level, you can push yourself beyond your
normal limits for a moment. On your turn, you can take
one additional action on top of your regular action and a
possible bonus action.

ELDRITCH KNIGHT
War Magic
Beginning at 7th level, when you use your action to
cast a cantrip, you can make one w eapon attack as a
bonus action.

 

[Eejit]

Action surge does not use up your bonus action, but it doesn't give you an extra bonus action either.

 

[Dausuul]

I have some questions about Action Surge.

1) As I understand it you can as a bonus action, make a new action on your turn. Is that so? If so, this action could be to use a spell for example, if I am an Eldritch Knight?

It's not a bonus action. I'll get more into that in a bit. But you can indeed use it to cast a spell.

2) In Action Surge not understand this part: ".....top of your regular action and apossible bonus action.". It would be like a bonus action? What would this top?

Action Surge is not considered a bonus action. I can see how that would be confusing, though.

The way it works is that normally, you get one action on your turn. You are also allowed to use one ability that gives you a bonus action on your turn. Action Surge allows you to take another action on your turn, and it does not count as a bonus action, so you get:

a) Your regular action.
b) A second action from Action Surge.
c) The option to use one ability that grants a bonus action.

3) The Class Ability "War magic" of Eldritch Knight would not be the same as an Action Surge, only without usage limits?

War Magic is an example of an ability that grants a bonus action. You can use it once per round, with the restriction that you can't use any other bonus actions that round. But, since Action Surge is not a bonus action, you could use War Magic and Action Surge on the same round:

1. (Regular action) Cast a cantrip.
2. (Action Surge) Do something else.
3. (War Magic bonus action) Make one weapon attack.

 

[maritimo80]

Action surge does not use up your bonus action, but it doesn't give you an extra bonus action either.

So what can I do as a bonus action exactly?

And my questions?

 

[Joe Liker]

So what can I do as a bonus action exactly?

And my questions?

First, "on top of" means "in addition to." I hope that helps clear up the language of the rule.

You can only do something as a bonus action if the rules state that it is a bonus action. The second action from Action Surge is not one of those things, but Action Surge allows you to take a second full action, so it's OK.

Be careful about spellcasting and Action Surge. You can never cast two spells in the same turn unless one of those spells is a cantrip. So even with Action Surge, you cannot cast more than one spell of 1st level or higher.

 

[maritimo80]

Action Surge + Extra Attack means double attacks, IE 3 normal attacks + AS equals six attacks, yes?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

1) As I understand it you can as a bonus action, make a new action on your turn. Is that so? If so, this action could be to use a spell for example, if I am an Eldritch Knight?

it isn't a bonus action, it is free to use, and yes you can use it for a spell

2) In Action Surge not understand this part: ".....top of your regular action and apossible bonus action.". It would be like a bonus action? What would this top?

you get an action, a move and a bonus action every round... this takes up none of them... so you could take a move, attack, then action surge to attack again, and still use a bonus action

3) The Class Ability "War magic" of Eldritch Knight would not be the same as an Action Surge, only without usage limits?

no it isn't. I can at that point move, cast a cantrip, use war magic to use a bonus action to attack, then action surge to get another action...

 

[Dausuul]

Be careful about spellcasting and Action Surge. You can never cast two spells in the same turn unless one of those spells is a cantrip. So even with Action Surge, you cannot cast more than one spell of 1st level or higher.

Unless there has been an official ruling on the subject, I disagree with this. There is no blanket rule saying you can't cast more than one spell in the same turn. The only rule is that if you cast a spell as a bonus action, you can't cast another non-cantrip spell on the same turn. Action Surge is not a bonus action, so I would argue you can cast two spells with it.

 

[Joe Liker]

Unless there has been an official ruling on the subject, I disagree with this. There is no blanket rule saying you can't cast more than one spell in the same turn. The only rule is that if you cast a spell as a bonus action, you can't cast another non-cantrip spell on the same turn. Action Surge is not a bonus action, so I would argue you can cast two spells with it.

I stand corrected. The details had gotten muddied in my brain. Sorry!

 

[rjfTrebor]

So what can I do as a bonus action exactly?

And my questions?

depending on your interpretation, you have a few options. Some checks are actions, while others aren't. if you look in the rules for using actions outside of combat, you won't really find much there.

you might ask your DM if you can do some sort of skill check or attack at half-damage.