Again, while it is an activated ability, it is a bonus action, not an action. So, I don't expect it to heal as much. It is meant more (IMO) to help keep you alive until you can regroup, not instantly get you back in the fight.
I'm describing its use at level 1, where it does get you back into the fight. And when it is a cool ability.
It really doesn't make it worse. At worst you are losing 1 attack when used during certain levels. My method allows fighter to Dash, Dodge, Help, Use Objects, and other things which can have significant impact in a fight.
Standard action surge caps out at +8 attacks over 2 rounds per short rest.
Yours caps out lower than +7. So no, more than 1 attack.
A fighter who can attack 6 times AND dodge is better off than one attacking 8 times depending on the scenario.
FWIW, it won't help spellcasters as you cannot cast two spells regardless of using Action Surge. The only way you can ever (TMK) cast two spells is the bonus action spell + cantrip option.
That is a houserule.
The rules for casting spells state that when you cast a spell as a bonus action, you can only cast another spell if it is a cantrip.
The rules for casting spells do not prevent you from casting fireball, action surge, and casting fireball again.
It is a common houserule, but the rule "you can only cast 1 leveled spell on your turn" is a houserule and not what D&D 5e says. I prefer it to the D&D 5e rule, as it is simpler and deals with counter-counter spell better.
Yeah, this was a concern of mine. Originally I didn't have maneuvers for fighters until level 3 because of it. The idea was:
Level 1: Fighting Style, Second Wind
Level 2: Action Surge
Level 3: Martial Maneuvers
Level 4: Indomitable
But in discussing it with others moving it to level 2 seemed ok. What do you think about moving it back to 3rd level??
I'm just pointing out that "proficiency bonus uses" runs into that problem.
When you are talking about something that uses up your action, "proficiency bonus" size or uses isn't that bad. When it doesn't use up your action, then "proficiency bonus uses" scales extremely well when multiclassing.
You'll note I chose something that wasn't raw damage (precision). If it was just 1d4 damage proficiency bonus times, that also is multiclassing-safe.
But proficiency bonus uses of action-free resource whose effectiveness scales with character level runs is multiclassing bait; it is far better as a dip ability than it is for the original class when it was gotten.
Yes, I definitely value versatility highly both for gameplay and just allowing more fun by having more options of things you can do or how you interact with things.
Sure.
Hence my thought.
Action Surge:
On your turn you can take the Dash, Dodge, Use an Object, Disengage, Help, or Hide action and make a single attack without using your action on your turn. You must be capable of performing actions of your choice to do this, but this is not an action. You can do this at most once per turn.
If you use your action surge on a turn, your carrying capacity and jumping distance is doubled until the start of your next turn.
You can do this once before completing a short or long rest at level 2, increasing to twice at level 5 and three times at level 17.
Extra Attack
At 11th level when you take the Attack action, you can attack 3 times instead of twice. In addition, when you Action Surge, you can attack twice instead of once as part of the Action Surge.
At 20th level when you take the Attack action, you can attack 4 times instead of twice. In addition, when you Action Surge, you can attack three times instead of once as part of the Action Surge.
This gives you a pile of versatility
along side offensive abilities. On an action surge turn you
get stuff done.
It isn't as quite as good of an alpha strike at level 5+ as the baseline action surge. And it doesn't work with Gloomstalker 3 and some other similar abilities; you'll note you cannot use it to cast even a cantrip.
This also fits the "when the player uses an ability, make it have a big impact" if you can balance it. Instead of "do I choose between dash, jumping further and making an attack", when you use this action surge you attack and dash and jump further. You become an action hero for a turn.
If you see my post upthread about Fighting Styles you'll see our game allows you to upgrade your current style instead of just learning a new one, and we added some styles as well.
Otherwise, it was meant more for being able to switch styles/roles if you just you the base styles. Otherwise I agree the synergy isn't often high. If you have time look at the fighting style improvements upthread and share your thoughts on them. We are still play-testing them.
I'm suggesting you can roll back "extra fighting styles" a bit, and instead have a Superior Fighting style feature of the fighter.
At certain levels, the fighting styles they have get better in a way that matches your "take a fighting style more than once".
This makes the superior fighting styles the domain of the fighter. And more fighting styles is almost pure diversity; in fact, you could limit the fighter to having 1 active at a time to make more fighting styles all about diversity.