Can You Cast a Cantrip as an Action and a Bonus Action?
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Yes, you can cast a cantrip as an action and another cantrip as a bonus action, as long as the bonus action cantrip is one of the two available bonus action cantrips, which are Magic Stone and Shillelagh. The rules for casting spells state that if you cast a cantrip with a bonus action, you can still cast another cantrip with your action, allowing for a combination of bonus action and action cantrips in the same turn.
Understanding Cantrips and Bonus Actions
To fully grasp the possibilities of cantrip and bonus action combinations, it’s essential to understand the basic rules of cantrips and bonus actions. Cantrips are spells that do not use up spell slots and can be cast at will, with the only limitation being that if you cast a leveled spell as a bonus action, your action must be a cantrip.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can You Use a Cantrip and Bonus Action Attack?
You can certainly cast a bonus action spell, and then use your action to cast a cantrip, but a casting a cantrip with a casting time of “1 bonus action” should still trigger the normal limitations for bonus action spells: you could only follow it up with a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.
2. Can You Cast Two Cantrips in One Turn if One is a Bonus Action?
Yes, the rule for casting any spell with a bonus action says that the only other spells you may cast that turn are cantrips with an action.
3. Are There Any Cantrips that Are Bonus Actions?
There are only 2 bonus action cantrips: Magic Stone and Shillelagh.
4. Can You Use Eldritch Blast as a Bonus Action?
Eldritch Blast is a cantrip that uses your Action, and because it is a cantrip, it does not limit the use of other spells in the same round.
5. Can You Cast Hex and Eldritch Blast?
Eldritch Blast is a cantrip that uses your Action, and because it is a cantrip, it does not limit the use of other spells in the same round, such as Hex.
6. What Are the Rules for Bonus Actions in D&D?
You can take a bonus action only when a special ability, spell, or other feature of the game states that you can do something as a bonus action.
7. Can I Cast a Cantrip While Concentrating?
Yes, you only break concentration if you cast another spell that requires concentration.
8. What Are the Rules for Casting Cantrips?
Cantrips are spells, just like any other spell, with the differences being that cantrips do not use up a spell slot and can be cast on the same turn that a spell is cast using a bonus action.
9. Can You Infinitely Use Cantrips?
Any character can cast any cantrips they know at will and an unlimited number of times, unless the feature that lets them cast it specifically says otherwise.
10. Can You Cast 2 Cantrips if You Have 2 Attacks?
They can cast a cantrip in replacement of an attack that they take during the Attack action, but only one.
11. Can You Action Surge and Cast 2 Cantrips?
No, if you cast any spell (leveled or cantrip) as a bonus action, any other spell you cast on this same turn has to be a cantrip.
12. How Many Cantrips Can You Cast Per Day?
As a Sorcerer, you know 5 cantrips, and you can cast each of those 5 as many times as you want per day.
13. Can You Cast Hex and Eldritch Blast?
Eldritch Blast is a cantrip that uses your Action, and because it is a cantrip, it does not limit the use of other spells in the same round, such as Hex.
14. Do Cantrips Count Against Spell Slots?
No, cantrips do not take up spell slots in 5th edition, and you can cast infinite cantrips.
15. Can You Quicken a Cantrip and Cast Another Cantrip?
Yes, you can use Quicken Spell to cast cantrips, as Quicken Spell requires a spell with a casting time of one action.
By understanding these rules and FAQs, you can maximize your cantrip usage and create complex and effective spell combinations in your D&D games, making your characters more versatile and powerful. Whether you’re a seasoned Dungeon Master or a beginner player, mastering cantrips and bonus actions can elevate your gameplay experience.