Can You Cast 2 Leveled Spells in a Turn 5e? A Comprehensive Guide

The short answer is: yes, but it’s complicated. Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition has specific rules about spellcasting that can sometimes be confusing. While it’s generally true that you can only cast one leveled spell per turn, certain class features, feats, and specific circumstances can bend or break that rule. Let’s dive into the nuances of spellcasting in 5e to understand how it works and when you can unleash a magical barrage.

Understanding the Core Spellcasting Rules

The foundation of understanding multiple spellcasting lies in the core rules regarding actions, bonus actions, and reactions. Here’s a breakdown:

• Action: Most spells require an action to cast. This is your primary activity on your turn.
• Bonus Action: Some spells require a bonus action. You only get one bonus action per turn.
• Reaction: Reactions occur in response to a trigger, often outside your turn. Counterspell and Shield are classic examples.

The key rule that governs casting multiple spells in a turn is this: If you cast a spell as a bonus action, the only other spell you can cast on that turn must be a cantrip with a casting time of one action. This rule is often referred to as the “bonus action spell” rule.

Circumventing the Limitations: Class Features and Feats

Certain classes and feats allow you to bypass the standard restrictions and cast multiple leveled spells in a turn.

Action Surge (Fighter – Eldritch Knight)

The Eldritch Knight fighter subclass gains the Action Surge feature at 2nd level. This allows you to take an additional action on your turn. Critically, Action Surge doesn’t impose any limitations on what you can do with that extra action. Therefore, an Eldritch Knight can cast one leveled spell as their main action and another leveled spell using the action gained from Action Surge. This is a straightforward and RAW (Rules As Written) legal way to cast two leveled spells in a single turn.

Metamagic – Quicken Spell (Sorcerer)

Sorcerers gain the Metamagic feature, allowing them to modify their spells. Quicken Spell lets you change the casting time of a spell that has a casting time of 1 action to 1 bonus action. However, remember the bonus action spell rule: if you use Quicken Spell to cast a leveled spell as a bonus action, you’re restricted to casting only a cantrip (with a casting time of one action) as your action on that turn. Therefore, while Quicken Spell is powerful, it doesn’t allow you to cast two leveled spells.

Specific Class Features and Spells

Some classes and specific spells grant abilities that can lead to multiple spells in a round:

• The Wish spell: While powerful and versatile, Wish typically only allows one spell to be replicated. Using Wish to duplicate another spell may also subject the caster to unfavorable side effects, depending on the Dungeon Master’s discretion.
• Features that grant additional actions: Certain rare magic items or class features may grant additional actions. If these actions don’t come with any restrictions, they can be used to cast additional leveled spells.

The Importance of Action Economy and Spell Slots

Even if you have the ability to cast multiple spells in a turn, you still need to consider your action economy and spell slots. You must have enough actions (or bonus actions) available and sufficient spell slots of the appropriate level to cast the spells you intend to use. Running out of spell slots or actions will obviously limit your ability to cast multiple spells. The GamesLearningSociety.org community offers a wealth of insights into resource management and tactical gameplay, which can be immensely helpful in optimizing your spellcasting strategy.

Understanding Reactions

While not directly related to casting two leveled spells, understanding reactions is crucial for effective spellcasting. Spells like Counterspell and Shield are reactions, and these can be cast on other people’s turns. This means you could, theoretically, cast a leveled spell on your turn and then use a reaction to cast another leveled spell (like Counterspell) on someone else’s turn within the same round.

Clarifying Common Misconceptions

There are several common misconceptions about spellcasting rules in 5e. It’s important to clarify these to avoid confusion:

• “You can only cast one spell per turn.” This is incorrect. The rule is about bonus action spells; you can cast multiple spells, including leveled spells, as long as you don’t cast a spell as a bonus action (and as long as you have the resources and action economy to do so).
• “Metamagic always lets you cast more spells.” While Metamagic offers powerful spell modifications, it often doesn’t let you cast more leveled spells in a turn due to the bonus action spell rule.

In conclusion

Casting two leveled spells in a turn in 5e is possible, but it requires specific class features (like Action Surge for an Eldritch Knight), careful planning, and an understanding of the spellcasting rules. By mastering these rules and exploring the unique abilities of different classes and feats, you can unlock powerful spellcasting combinations and become a formidable force on the battlefield.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I cast two leveled spells in a turn if one is a ritual?

No. Ritual spells still consume either an action or bonus action, meaning the rule still applies. If you cast a ritual spell as an action, you cannot cast a bonus action spell of any level (cantrip or leveled). If you cast a ritual spell as a bonus action, you can only cast a cantrip as an action.

2. Does the “bonus action spell” rule apply if I use a magic item to cast a spell?

Yes. The rule applies regardless of how you cast the spell, whether it’s through a class feature, a feat, a spell scroll, or a magic item.

3. Can I cast a leveled spell and then use Action Surge to cast another leveled spell?

Yes. The order doesn’t matter. As long as you have Action Surge available and haven’t already cast a spell as a bonus action, you can cast two leveled spells on your turn using the actions granted by Action Surge.

4. If I’m multiclassed, does that change the rules about casting multiple spells?

No, the multiclass rules do not affect these specific spellcasting rules. The bonus action spell restriction applies regardless of your class combination.

5. Can I use the Ready action to cast a spell on someone else’s turn and still cast a leveled spell on my turn?

Yes. The Ready action allows you to prepare a spell and release it as a reaction when a specific trigger occurs. This is considered casting the spell on the trigger’s turn, not your own. Therefore, it doesn’t affect your ability to cast a leveled spell on your own turn, provided you haven’t cast a bonus action spell.

6. What happens if I try to cast two leveled spells in a turn when I’m not supposed to?

The rules are clear that if you cast a spell as a bonus action, the only other spell you can cast that turn is a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action. If you ignore this, talk to your DM! At the end of the day, they are the ultimate decision-maker in the game.

7. Can I cast Counterspell as a reaction if I’ve already cast a leveled spell on my turn?

Yes. Counterspell is a reaction, and the bonus action spell rule only restricts what you can cast on your turn. You can cast Counterspell (or any other reaction spell) on another creature’s turn, even if you’ve already cast a leveled spell on your own turn.

8. Can I cast Healing Word (a bonus action spell) and then cast a different cantrip with my action?

Yes. Healing Word is a bonus action spell. The rule states that if you cast a spell as a bonus action, the only other spell you can cast that turn must be a cantrip with a casting time of one action.

9. Does casting a spell with a casting time of “1 minute” or longer affect my ability to cast other spells on my turn?

No. Spells with longer casting times don’t interact with the bonus action spell rule. You can cast a spell with a longer casting time and still cast other spells on your turn, as long as you follow the bonus action spell rule.

10. Can I use multiple metamagic options on a single spell to bypass the limitations?

Some metamagic options can’t be combined. For example, you cannot use both Quickened Spell and Twinned Spell on the same spell. Read the descriptions of the metamagic options carefully.

11. If I have a feature that lets me cast a specific spell for free once per day, does that affect the spellcasting rules?

No. Free spell casts from class features or feats are still subject to the same spellcasting rules. If you cast a free spell as a bonus action, you are still limited to casting only a cantrip as your action.

12. Does the bonus action spell rule apply to spells cast using spell scrolls?

Yes. If you cast any spell using a spell scroll as a bonus action, the same restrictions will apply, and you will be limited to casting only cantrips using your action.

13. How does Concentration interact with casting multiple spells?

Concentration only allows you to maintain concentration on one spell at a time. If you cast a second spell that requires concentration, you must immediately end concentration on the first spell. However, this doesn’t prevent you from casting multiple spells in a turn as long as only one of them requires concentration at any given moment.

14. What if my DM house-rules a change to the spellcasting rules?

D&D is ultimately a game of collaborative storytelling, and the DM has the final say on the rules. If your DM decides to change the spellcasting rules, follow their guidance. Just make sure everyone at the table is aware of the changes to avoid confusion.

15. Can I cast two cantrips in a turn?

Yes. The rules around casting two cantrips in one turn are that you are able to do it. The only restriction is if you use a bonus action to cast any spell, the only other spell you can cast in the same turn is a cantrip with a casting time of one action. You can cast a slotted spell and a cantrip in the same turn, so two cantrips should be fine.