Sage Advice Compendium Update 1/30/2019

[Hussar]

Hrm. Could I cast Eldritch Blast and Misty Step between shots? Presuming of course that I’m over 5th level and have multiple attacks?

 

[Ristamar]

Hrm. Could I cast Eldritch Blast and Misty Step between shots? Presuming of course that I’m over 5th level and have multiple attacks?

I'd have to find the citation again, but I'm certain the answer to that is "no".

EDIT: Actually, not entirely certain. I was thinking of movement. You can't move between iterative spell attacks. Not sure about Misty Step at this point, but I still think it isn't legit.

 

[Hussar]

What’s the difference? If I can take bonus actions in the middle of an attack action, why can’t I do the same thing during a cast a spell action?

 

[Maxperson]

What’s the difference? If I can take bonus actions in the middle of an attack action, why can’t I do the same thing during a cast a spell action?

I suppose, because you can only do so in the middle of an attack action if you have multiple attacks. Otherwise there is no middle to do anything in. If you can cast two spells during the one cast a spell action, I suppose they would say you could use a bonus action in the middle.

 

[Hussar]

But you can’t take a bonus action in the middle of an attack action because just like the cast action, actions are not divisible.

 

[Maxperson]

But you can’t take a bonus action in the middle of an attack action because just like the cast action, actions are not divisible.

The attack action is the strange action, though. If you take one of your attacks and the move away from an enemy, that enemy can take a reaction, which if a wizard with the right ability, could be a spell, which could then prompt an ally to cast a counterspell, which could then allow an enemy to counterspell, and then the original attacker to counterspell and keep moving for his second attack.

I wouldn't allow the shield shove before the attack action is begun, but I will be allowing it after the first attack. Even though I agree with you that by RAW it can't happen until after the attack action completes, I don't think that makes sense.

 

[epithet]

Hrm. Could I cast Eldritch Blast and Misty Step between shots? Presuming of course that I’m over 5th level and have multiple attacks?

It would depend on how Eldritch Blast is handled at the table. You can read it to say that all the beams are created at once, even if they are resolved individually. The caster would target all the beams before resolving any of them, and couldn't do anything between beams.

We don't read it that way in my game, and target and resolve each beam one at a time, so that the caster can switch targets if the first beam drops the first target. In that case, sure, why not?

 

[Maxperson]

We don't read it that way in my game, and target and resolve each beam one at a time, so that the caster can switch targets if the first beam drops the first target. In that case, sure, why not?

The only reason I can think why not is that the rules don't allow it. You can specifically only move in-between weapon attacks. Even if the spell has an attack roll involved, it's still a spell attack and not a weapon attack.

 

[Ristamar]

It would depend on how Eldritch Blast is handled at the table. You can read it to say that all the beams are created at once, even if they are resolved individually. The caster would target all the beams before resolving any of them, and couldn't do anything between beams.

We don't read it that way in my game, and target and resolve each beam one at a time, so that the caster can switch targets if the first beam drops the first target. In that case, sure, why not?

There's a real question of whether or not you select all targets before you start resolving the attack rolls. Aside from a tweet from Mearls a year into the life of 5e, I can't find anything definitive. He did reply to Crawford, and Crawford didn't correct him, so take that for what it's worth.

As for for the bonus action timing regarding Eldritch Blast, I have to defer to Crawford's statement that explicit prevents nesting unless an exception is specified:

There's a rule that allows you to insert movement between your attacks (PH, 190). There's intentionally no rule that allows you to nest actions/reactions inside each other. They are meant to have integrity as processes, except when we create exceptions meant to disrupt them.

 

[epithet]

The only reason I can think why not is that the rules don't allow it. You can specifically only move in-between weapon attacks. Even if the spell has an attack roll involved, it's still a spell attack and not a weapon attack.

Nor do they forbid it.

That puts the resolution in the realm of a ruling, not the rules. You're certainly welcome to read the rules in the most restrictive manner, but I don't.

If a character can bamf-zap-zap, or zap-zap-bamf, then zap-bamf-zap seems perfectly reasonable. Similarly, if you can bash-slice-bash, or bash-bash-bash, or slice-slice-bash, then it's bloody ridiculous to take bash-slice-slice off the menu. It's arbitrary and nonsensical. As Mike Mearls says (I'm paraphrasing,) D&D is not a set of rules to tell you what your character can't do, it is a rules framework to see how well your character does what you want to do. When Crawford revises his advice to place way to much importance on semantic structures such, it doesn't add clarity or simplicity to his interpretation of the rules, because arbitrary limitations--even if they simplify your choices with constraint--only serve to add complexity by forcing you into an unnatural or unwanted pattern.