Level Up (A5E) Mountebank 3rd level feature question

[Sepulchre]

You get a bonus action and a reaction as normal; it only consumes your action.

Because the Rapid Response spell is cast when initiative is rolled before any creature’s turn, it does not occur on your turn, and so you are free to cast a leveled spell as a bonus action (and may always do so as a reaction).

Some spells are cast with a bonus action. A spellcaster can’t cast a spell as a bonus action on the same turn that they cast another spell, unless the second spell is a cantrip with a casting time of one action.

When initiative is rolled, as long as you are not surprised you can choose to cast a spell with a vocalized component and casting time of 1 action. If you do so, the effects of the spell occur at the start of the first creature’s turn, and on your first turn you do not receive an action.

The rules on this point are not ambiguous.

 

[Faolyn]

I don't think it's generally a good idea to try for technical readings of 5e based material... but, I can imagine a case where "actions" refers to the set of all actions, including bonus, free, reactions, etc, while "action" is narrowly defined.

Those were from the Level Up descriptions.

 

[Pedantic]

Those were from the Level Up descriptions.

Right, I was being inclusive of A5E and other 5e derived systems. My point is, I think it's reasonable to read "an action" and "actions" differently, if you're looking for textual support.

 

[Distracted DM]

Just to show folks that can't see why this might be confusing:

Incapacitated
• An incapacitated creature can’t take actions, bonus actions, or reactions.

Here, we see that wording is quite specific. If "take actions" always included bonus actions and reactions, this specificity wouldn't be needed- and because it is specified here, it confuses other points (as below):

Simulacrum
The duplicate is a creature, can take actions, and be affected like any other creature.

Accelerando
When the spell ends, a target can’t move or take actions until after its next turn as the impact of their frenetic speed catches up to it.

We assume with these that "actions" include bonus actions and reactions.

Yes, they get their bonus action and reaction on their turn, but one can see why the question might arise given past confusions and inconsistencies in wording.

Because the Rapid Response spell is cast when initiative is rolled before any creature’s turn, it does not occur on your turn, and so you are free to cast a leveled spell as a bonus action (and may always do so as a reaction).

The rules on this point are not ambiguous.

This was less a question of RAW, than of RAI/game design balance. RAW it's quite clear- but is this an intended hidden feature, or was it overlooked?

 

[Pedantic]

Just to show folks that can't see why this might be confusing:


Here, we see that wording is quite specific. If "take actions" always included bonus actions and reactions, this specificity wouldn't be needed- and because it is specified here, it confuses other points (as below):



We assume with these that "actions" include bonus actions and reactions.

Yes, they get their bonus action and reaction on their turn, but one can see why the question might arise given past confusions and inconsistencies in wording.


This was less a question of RAW, than of RAI/game design balance. RAW it's quite clear- but is this an intended hidden feature, or was it overlooked?

Right, hence my point that 5e derived games are not really amenable to technical reading and get squirrelly when you start tugging at inconsistencies. There simply isn't an answer in most cases, because there isn't a consistent template for what each usage entails.

 

[Faolyn]

This was less a question of RAW, than of RAI/game design balance. RAW it's quite clear- but is this an intended hidden feature, or was it overlooked?

There are more than a few things in the rules that feel like they were accidentally left out, probably as a remnant of D&D, so I'm guessing overlooked.