Questions tagged [action-economy]
For questions centering around the "action economy", a meta-game term for the inherent limits on the number of things a character can do in a single turn.
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5e Combat economy and darkness
Here's the plan, and I think it's possible..
Move close to my ally Bobby
Bonus action use Metamagic to cast Quickened Spell Darkness on my dagger's blade (or a tennis ball, doesn't matter)
Free ...
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Could a familiar use a Spellwrought tattoo?
The description of a Spellwrought Tattoo states:
Produced by a special needle, this magic tattoo contains a single 1st level spell, wrought on your skin by a magic needle. To use the tattoo, you must ...
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Is a dead creature inside a Shambling Mound still Engulfed?
I was playing in a game where there was a Shambling Mound and after Engulfing a creature and killing it, the creature goes about its turn and Engulfs a second person. The DM didn't specify anything ...
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Are Tucker's Kobolds scarier under 5e rules than in previous editions?
We all know and fear Tucker's Kobolds, a bunch of ragtag CR:1/4 things that hit the party only on a lucky roll but use clever tactics that make a bunch of 10 of them far outstrip their weight class. ...
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Can I do a Performance during combat? Does it cost an action?
I am playing a Drunken Master monk and trying to come up with creative and fun ways to use their abilities.
One of the features every guide says is useless is the proficiency in Performance, so I have ...
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Does a drakewardens companion keep attacking the same creature or must it be told to do so every round?
I have been reading Fizban's Treasury of Dragons and playing Drakewarden. I noticed the wording of the Drake Companion:
It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on ...
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After I finish casting Teleportation Circle, can I prevent the portal from immediately opening?
My party often has my wizard start casting teleportation circle while everyone else is still grabbing treasure. If I finish casting the spell but someone hasn't made it back in time, can I wait to ...
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Can the Sudden Charge and Shielded Stride feats be used together?
Can the Sudden Charge and Shielded Stride feats be used together?
The description of the Sudden Charge feat says:
Two actions
With a quick sprint, you dash up to your foe and swing. Stride twice. If ...
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Can Sleight of Hand be used to retrieve a hidden item or weapon as a free action with a -20 penalty?
My understanding from the Rules Compendium page 7 is that retrieving an item either from a bag or from a pocket is a move action and I have not found any way to make this a swift or free action.
In my ...
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How can you transfer items in battle? [closed]
When I say item, I mean armour, weapon, materials etc. Can you transfer items across distance without using movement or throwing them preferably without using the bonus action of the sender?
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Can a Steel Defender attack in every round with the cost of only one Bonus Action?
In combat, if a Battle Smith Artificer commands a Steel Defender to attack in every round, does he need to use his bonus action in every round or only one command is necessary?
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Does the Aid reaction require the Ready action?
In Pathfinder 2e the term action is used both to define the "currency" of time in battle and to define pretty much everything that require such currency (Strike action, Stride action, ...
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Does Hordemaster epic destiny perk trigger once per ally or once overall?
I want to understand exactly how Dark Sun's "Hordemaster" Level 30 feature works (Dark Sun Campaign Setting, page 100).
Horde Attack (30th level): Once per encounter, when you or an ally ...
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Can I prepare my movement to avoid damage by moving around an opponent on their turn?
So, what I'm asking is based on the (potential) ability to move out of the way of an attack, for example by moving through the target's legs. This example does require the target to be at least one ...
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Can I cast Mind Sliver before a Quickened spell to give the malus to the saving throw? [duplicate]
I am currently building a Aberrant Sorcerer heavily relying on Spells that involve Enemy Saving-Throws. I already planned for the use of Silvery Barbs to reduce the chance of Enemies succeeding very ...
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Can you activate your Extra Attack from the Bonus Action Attack of your primal companion?
As stated in the title, I got curious about the interaction between the Attack action of my beast (which requires my Bonus Action) and the Extra Attack feature.
Beginning at 5th level, you can attack ...
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What are all the ways a monk can benefit from Ki-Fueled Attacks?
The Ki-Fueled Attack optional class feature for monks states (TCoE, p. 48):
If you spend 1 ki point or more as part of your action on your turn, you can make one attack with an unarmed strike or a ...
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What is the casting time of a spell cast using the War Caster feat?
The third benefit of the War Caster feat states (PHB, p. 170):
When a hostile creature's movement provokes an opportunity attack from you, you can use your reaction to cast a spell at the creature, ...
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Can a character with the Quickened Spell Metamagic and the War Caster feat theoretically cast three cantrips in one turn?
Say a character has the War Caster feat (PHB, p. 170), and the Metamagic Adept feat (TCoE, p. 80) with Quickened Spell.
Could that character, in theory, cast three cantrips in a turn by casting a ...
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Does the Quick Stow feat allow a Counterfeit Mage rogue to sheathe a wand as a free action?
I am looking at playing a Counterfeit Mage Rogue, and one of their abilities is Signature Wand (Ex) – emphasis mine:
At 4th level, a counterfeit mage can spend 1 hour practicing with a
wand to ...
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Does Accelerated Drinker apply to anything other than potions?
I am trying to make a Drunken Brute Unchained Barbarian, and I came across the Combat Trait Accelerated Drinker. It allows you to drink a potion as a move action, presumably still provoking AOO since ...
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Object Interactions and the location of the object?
Is there a rule or rules clarification about the location (or change of location) of an object during the object interaction / Use an Object action?
E.g.:
stuff some food into your mouth or drink all ...
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Does a Vial of Acid, Oil, Alchemist Fire, or other improvised weapon adventuring gear still require an Object Interaction to 'draw' first?
A specific example being Thief Rogue: If they don't have the vial in their hand at the beginning of combat, would they still need to use Object Interaction to take out the vial, and then use either a ...
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Can someone who uses their action to break free from the Rime's Binding Ice spell's ice formations use their movement on that very same turn?
Someone who fails the save for Rime's Binding Ice is "hindered by ice formations for 1 minute, or until it or another creature within reach of it uses an action to break away the ice. A creature ...
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Can a character draw a potion from another person's backpack and administer it in a single round?
I think it's a common question but nonetheless. If the fighter falls down, can another character move to him, find a potion in his backpack and administer it to him in a single round?
I know that you ...
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Can a bladesinger use vampiric touch with his multi-attack after the initial casting?
During the initial casting it's a levelled spell so I believe he can't at first, but after the spell takes effect you can use the attack without expending a spell slot does that make it count as a ...
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Do monsters need to switch weapons?
Do monsters, like bandits, have to switch their weapon before they can attack with it, like PCs do or is it included in the action?
I am asking as a new DM and I am not entirely sure how to run ...
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As a Magus, does Spellstrike take 3 actions?
I'm level 2 right now. My DM says it takes 1 action to melee with Spellstrike, and 2 actions to cast my spell. Which means that's all 3 of my actions... So I can't move to an enemy to use my skill?
I'...
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Moving, breathing and Striking in the same round with Barbarian
I have an concept in mind, a fire-breathing Kobold Barbarian. For it to be effective, it needs to take advantage of the additional damage of Rage, (so Strike at least once, 1 action) and use breath a ...
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Can I cast a levelled spell (Cure Wounds) as an action, then use Quickened Spell to cast a cantrip (Eldritch Blast) as a bonus action?
Is it legal to cast a non-cantrip 1st-level spell like Cure Wounds with an action, and then use the sorcerer's Quickened Spell Metamagic option to cast a cantrip like Eldritch Blast as a bonus action?
...
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How can a wizard get the most out of being able to cast 2 cantrips a turn?
My DM decided to let any spellcaster cast a cantrip that takes an Action to cast as a Bonus Action or full Action. For now, I have just been using ray of frost twice a turn or using two minor ...
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Am I using my high level spells wrong?
I have been playing D&D 5e for only five months. I play a 5th level wizard. My warlock party member constantly berates me for using spell slots in encounters and says I need to "understand ...
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Can a fighter/Eldritch Knight cast spells between attacks? [duplicate]
Recently been playing an Battle Master in a campaign and was rewarded with some spellwrought tattoos, and one of them was for Silence. A pretty great spell for fighter I figured, since my Athletics is ...
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In dnd-5e adventurers league, how can I cast blade ward and pick a pocket on my turn?
The "Quick-Fingered" feat from Unearthed Arcana adds +1 to dexterity, proficiecy in sleight of hand with a sleight of hand bonus action. This seems to do what I want to do, but I can not ...
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Can the Gloom Stalker Ranger's Stalker's Flurry feature be used with the Attack action from the Haste spell?
The haste spell states:
Choose a willing creature [...] it gains an additional action on each of its turns. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only) [...] action.
...
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Can a Temporally Shunted character use any remaining actions for its turn?
As an example of the sort of action I'm talking about, at 7th level, when an Arcane Archer misses an attack, they can spend a bonus action to redirect their arrow with Curving Arrow:
[...] you can ...
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Does the Swift Quiver spell let you make 2 extra attacks with a bonus action on the same turn you cast it?
Swift Quiver takes a bonus action to cast, then it lets you use a bonus action to make two attacks. So the turn you cast it, you use your bonus action just to cast it, then you need another bonus ...
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How to get a ranged bonus action attack before/without attacking or using a combat manoeuvre?
I want to use Maneuvering Attack to move my mount, and then make an attack action on the creature I move towards. However I want the weapon attack that triggers this combat manoeuvre to be made as a ...
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Mini-dash as a general bonus action: what value would be balanced?
I'm considering adding the following homebrew bonus action. It's a general action, so it would be available for free to all players (not enemies):
Stride. You gain extra movement for the current turn....
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Can I change grip on a two-handed weapon if it's not my turn? [duplicate]
Picture this scenario: I am standing in front of an enemy, brandishing my massive, two-handed greataxe. I expect the enemy to flee, and am already salivating at the opportunity attack I shall unleash.
...
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If the Haste spell is cast on a Bladesinging wizard, can the Bladesinger cast three cantrips in a turn using the Extra Attack feature?
If the haste spell is cast on a Bladesinging wizard, can the Bladesinger cast three cantrips in a turn using the Extra Attack feature?
For instance, say I'm a level 6 Bladesinging wizard, with haste ...
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Can a legendary monster/NPC use a "free object interaction" as part of a legendary action?
By the book (PHB p.190):
You can also interact with one
object or feature of the environment for free, during either your move
or your action. For example, you could open a door during your move as
...
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If a target affected by the Slow spell uses the Metamagic option Quickened Spell when casting a spell, does that spell take effect on the same turn?
The Slow spell affects spellcasting:
If the creature attempts to cast a spell with a casting time of 1 action, roll a d20. On an 11 or higher, the spell doesn’t take effect until the creature’s next ...
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Can a Familiar cast Summon Animal?
If my Familiar has the Spellcasting ability, is it limited to spells with 2 actions or less?
The ability make it sound like the only limitation is that it is 5 levels lower than your highest-level ...
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Does activating a magic item that does not specifically require an action still require an action?
So for example Eversmoking Bottle states:
Smoke leaks from the lead-stoppered mouth of this brass bottle, which
weighs 1 pound. When you use an action to remove the stopper, a cloud
of thick smoke ...
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How does Melf's Minute Meteors interact with another spell with a casting time of 1 action on subsequent rounds of combat? [duplicate]
The Melf's Minute Meteors spell states (XGE, page 161, emphasis mine):
[...] When you cast the spell—and as a bonus action on each of your turns thereafter—you can expend one or two of the meteors, ...
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Is it possible to gain the benefits of lying prone without incurring disadvantage on attacks? If so, is this broken?
PHB p. 190 says:
You can drop prone without using any of your speed. Standing up takes more effort; doing so costs an amount of movement equal to half your speed... You can't stand up if you don't ...
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On which page of the Player's Handbook are the rules for object interactions located?
On which page of the Player's Handbook are the rules for object interactions located ? I mean the whole "one free object interaction" thing ? Where is it stated ??
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Can the Dual Wielder feat be used to free a hand for casting somatic spells, while two weapon fighting?
Dual Wielder Says:
You can draw or stow two one-handed weapons when you would normally be able to draw or stow only one.
Use an Object Says:
You normally interact with an object while doing ...
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Is there a reason for Searing Blade to have a standard action as an initiation action?
Both Inferno Blade (stronger) and Burning Blade (weaker) have a swift action as the initiation action, which make sense, as the boost only lasts until your turn ends, however, Searing Blade stands out ...
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