Table of Contents

Does Action Surge Trigger Extra Attack Again? A Deep Dive into 5e Combat

Yes, Action Surge does trigger Extra Attack again, provided you use the additional action granted by Action Surge to take the Attack action. This is a cornerstone of the Fighter class in Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, allowing for a burst of offensive power in a single turn. Let’s break down why and how this works, as well as address some common misconceptions and related questions.

The Core Mechanic: Action Surge and the Attack Action

The Fighter’s Action Surge feature, gained at 2nd level, grants you an additional action on your turn. The key here is understanding that Action Surge doesn’t inherently do anything. It simply allows you to do something else that normally requires an action.

Now, consider the Extra Attack feature, typically gained at 5th level for Fighters (and available to other classes through different means). Extra Attack states that “Whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, you can attack twice instead of once.” Later levels add even more attacks to this feature.

Therefore, if you use your Action Surge to take the Attack action, you absolutely benefit from your Extra Attack feature again. This is because you’ve satisfied the condition: you’ve taken the Attack action on your turn. The fact that it’s an additional action granted by Action Surge is irrelevant. All that matters is that you chose to use that action for attacking.

Example Scenario: A Level 5 Fighter

Imagine a Level 5 Fighter facing a fearsome Orc.

Action 1: The Fighter uses their standard action to take the Attack action. Thanks to Extra Attack, they make two attacks.
Action Surge: The Fighter uses Action Surge, gaining an additional action.
Action 2: The Fighter uses the additional action granted by Action Surge to take the Attack action again. Because of Extra Attack, this results in another two attacks.

The result? A total of four attacks in a single turn. This demonstrates the significant offensive potential that Action Surge unlocks, especially when combined with Extra Attack.

Tactical Considerations and Optimizations

Understanding how Action Surge interacts with Extra Attack is crucial for effective combat strategy. Here are some considerations:

Nova Damage: Action Surge is perfect for delivering a burst of damage, often referred to as a “nova.” When facing a tough enemy or needing to quickly eliminate a threat, unleashing multiple attacks in a single turn can be decisive.
Action Economy: Even without Extra Attack, Action Surge is incredibly valuable because it provides action flexibility. You can use it to Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or perform any other action you might need in a given situation.
Class Synergies: Certain Fighter subclasses, like the Battle Master, synergize exceptionally well with Action Surge. Maneuvers can be applied to multiple attacks, maximizing their impact.
Resource Management: Remember that Action Surge is a limited resource. You only get one use of it per short or long rest until you reach 17th level, where you can use it twice (but only once on the same turn). Use it wisely!

Common Misconceptions

It’s essential to clear up some frequent misunderstandings about Action Surge and Extra Attack:

Action Surge doesn’t grant attacks. It grants an action, which you can choose to use for attacking.
Action Surge doesn’t grant a bonus action. You still only have one bonus action per turn, regardless of Action Surge.
Action Surge doesn’t change the rules of Extra Attack. It simply allows you to trigger the Extra Attack feature again by taking the Attack action a second time.
Action Surge does not stack with Haste. You still only get one bonus action, and Haste restricts the extra action to specific action types, whereas Action Surge has no restrictions on the additional action.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the interaction between Action Surge and Extra Attack:

Does Action Surge let you attack multiple times? Yes, when a fighter uses action surge, it lets them take an extra action. That action can be used to do anything that requires an action to use, including the Attack action. If you take the Attack action, you can attack as many times as you can normally.
How does Action Surge work with Extra Attack? Example: You’re a Fighter with two Extra Attacks. This means you normally get three attacks in a normal turn. If you use Action Surge, you can make them all again for a total of six attacks.
Do you get a second bonus action with Action Surge 5e? No. The reason this matters is if you were holding 2 light weapons in each hand and wanted to use 2 weapon fighting then you could make a 5th attack as a bonus action, BUT this would not be doubled into 2 bonus action with action surge, as the feature does NOT grant a second bonus action.
Does Action Surge give an extra bonus action? Action Surge does not grant you an additional bonus action. You only ever get one bonus action per turn.
FIGHTER: ATTACK, EXTRA ATTACK, ACTION SURGE, ATTACK, EXTRA ATTACK! (bonus action?) This is a correct sequence, assuming you use your action surge to attack again, however you would still be limited to one bonus action.
Does Action Surge let you cast 2 spells? Yes. Action Surge does allow a second action, so you can cast another spell * but you can’t take a second bonus action so you can not cast another quicken spell.
Can you Fireball twice with Action Surge? You can cast Fireball (a 3rd-level spell) as an action and then use Action Surge to take an additional action and cast Fireball again. Since you aren’t casting a spell with a bonus action, the bonus action spellcasting rules don’t affect you.
How does Action Surge work with Two-Weapon Fighting? Action Surge gives you another action that turn. Two-Weapon fighting allows you to spend a bonus action on an extra attack when you take the attack action. If you take 2 attack actions you can spend your bonus action during either one of those attacks, but can’t spend it on both because you only have 1 to spend.
Can you use Action Surge twice in one turn? Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again. Starting at 17th level, you can use it twice before a rest, but only once on the same turn.
Can you move between attacks when using Action Surge and Extra Attack? Yes, you can move between each attack granted by both your initial Attack action (with Extra Attack) and the additional Attack action granted by Action Surge. For example, a fighter who can make two attacks with the Extra Attack feature and who has a speed of 25 feet could move 10 feet, make an attack, move 15 feet, and then attack again and then use the extra attack action to perform the same steps.
Can you Grapple twice with Action Surge? Yes, a grapple or shove counts as an attack, so when you take the attack action you can shove twice, or grapple once and attack once, or shove someone and then grapple them etc., and Action surge will let you take this action again.
Can you cast Eldritch Blast twice with Action Surge? Since cantrips scale based on CHARACTER level and not CLASS level, at the level Eldritch Blast should be firing two beams at a time, now with quicken and action surge you can use Eldritch Blast twice, meaning you have more attacks in total.
Can you use Dread Ambusher twice with Action Surge? On the tabletop when you have Dread Ambusher (lv3 ranger) you get 1 extra attack when you use your action to attack on your first turn, this means when you use action surge (lv2 fighter) to get another action to attack with you get another extra attack.
Does Gloom Stalker stack with Action Surge? If you use Action Surge as a Gloom Stalker (by having at least 2 levels of Fighter dip) you will get your Dread Ambusher extra attack again in 1st turn.
Does Haste give a bonus action? Haste gives an extra action that can be used to take an attack action that is limited to 1 attack. Notably, you can use your action to cast haste, use the hasted action to make 1 attack, and use your bonus action for PAM in the same turn which is neat. Haste does not give a bonus action.

Conclusion: Mastering the Art of the Surge

Action Surge is more than just a button to press for extra attacks. It’s a versatile tool that can dramatically alter the course of combat. By understanding its nuances and how it interacts with features like Extra Attack, you can unlock the true potential of the Fighter class and make strategic decisions that lead to victory. Remember that the Games Learning Society, and other resources, offer excellent resources for understanding the mechanics behind game strategy and learning. Check them out at GamesLearningSociety.org. Happy adventuring!

Does action surge trigger extra attack again?