Are the arrows from Swift Quiver usable for normal attacks, too?

Question

The swift quiver spell (PHB, p. 279) makes more non-magical ammunition as it is being used, but is confusing as to when it makes them:

On each of your turns until the spell ends, you can use a bonus action to make two attacks with a weapon that uses ammunition from the quiver. Each time you make such a ranged attack, your quiver magically replaces the piece of ammunition you used with a similar piece of non-magical ammunition.

The confusing part is such a ranged attack may be referencing only bonus action to make two attacks.

Or it may be just stating that you can't use arrows for other purposes than making ranged attacks (like using them as trail markers, to cast conjure volley, or to just fill a pit trap with arrows to cross over).

Valeera the huntress is hidden high atop [evil deity] temple's tower. The mages in the courtyard are about to begin the ritual, as the moon and stars begin to reach optimal alignment. If that Tanar'ri lord is released the kingdom is doomed, but her allies are still far below, climbing the narrow, steep, enemy ridden path. She fears they won't make it in time. Looking at her quiver, she finds a lone arrow tumbling inside. Who knew those tower guards would be so tough, she thinks. She lets a sigh and her lips whisper an ancient elvish curse. Deciding to act on her own even if it costs her life, she moves to an arrow slit with a clear view of the courtyard, casts swift quiver and begins to rain down death on the mages.

Is the intention of the spell (besides giving two extra ranged attacks) to allow the ranger to have an endless supply of ammunition to make ranged attacks with for the duration of the spell?

Answer 1

Based on RAW: No, the ammo cannot be used for normal attacks

On each of your turns until the spell ends, you can use a bonus action to make two attacks with a weapon that uses ammunition from the quiver. Each time you make such a ranged attack, your quiver magically replaces the piece of ammunition you used...

Emphasis mine. As I read this description, it seems clear to me that the "such a ranged attack" refers to the two attacks as a bonus action granted by the spell. Otherwise there would be no point in writing "such a ranged attack" as opposed to "a ranged attack".

Is this the intended interaction? Hard to say.

On the one hand, the wording is such that it would be very easy for WotC to have written "a ranged attack" if they intended for the spell to replace all ammo used during the duration. On the other hand, the first paragraph reads:

You transmute your quiver so it produces an endless supply of nonmagical ammunition...

This seems to suggest an intention to replace all expended ammo, not just that of the bonus attacks. Personally, I'd lean towards the RAW based on the sentence structure, but I could see a DM houseruling in the other direction.

Answer 2

If your question is simply, can ammo in the quiver be used to make standard ranged attacks? Then the answer would be yes. The rules say what they say and nothing more so if you could otherwise use this quiver for that purpose, then there is no text in the spell that prevents you from using it in that way.

However, if your question is focused on the arrows being replaced by the spells effects in interactions other than the 2 attacks granted by the spell through the use of a Bonus Action, the answer would be no. Again, don't read anything additional into the words.

Each time you make such a ranged attack, your quiver magically replaces the piece of ammunition you used with a similar piece of non-magical ammunition.

"Such a ranged attack" here refers to the two attacks granted by the spell through the Bonus Action and nothing more.

In conclusion: 1 quiver with ammunition (using arrows for this example), arrows drawn and fired for the purpose of a standard attack are expended as usual, arrows drawn and fired in the interaction of the spell are replaced.

In both cases the arrows must be there to start with as the spell does not create new arrows upon casting but simply replaces the ones spent in the interaction with the spell. So if you have only 2 arrows to start you would want to keep at least 1 arrow in the quiver in order to continue using swift quiver as emptying the quiver through mechanics other than the spell interaction would effectively cause the spell to be lacking the necessary components for its casting to persist.