Can You Cast More Than One Spell with Action Surge?
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The short answer is yes, you absolutely can cast more than one spell in a single turn using Action Surge, but there are important caveats and rules to consider. Action Surge, a powerful feature of the Fighter class in D&D 5th Edition, grants you an additional action on your turn. This extra action can be used to take nearly any action you’d normally be capable of, including casting a spell. However, the nuances of spellcasting and bonus actions create specific limitations that we must explore in detail.
How Action Surge Works With Spells
Action Surge provides a straightforward benefit: another action. This means you can cast another spell that normally takes an action to cast. The key to understanding how this interacts with spells lies within the core rules of spellcasting itself. You cannot use two bonus action spells in the same turn, nor can you cast a non-cantrip spell if you have cast a bonus action spell.
Here’s a breakdown:
- Action Surge grants an extra action: This action can be used to cast any spell that has a casting time of 1 action.
- Bonus Action Spells are Limited: If you cast a spell as a bonus action on your turn, the only other spells you can cast on that same turn must be cantrips with a casting time of 1 action. This rule severely limits the possibility of throwing multiple high-level spells per turn, unless you can convert them to a bonus action.
- No Extra Bonus Action: Action Surge does not grant you a second bonus action. You still only get one per turn, regardless of how many actions you have.
Example Scenarios
Let’s illustrate how this works in practice with common scenarios:
- Two Action Spells: A Fighter multiclassed as a Sorcerer could, for example, cast Fireball (as an action), then use Action Surge to cast another Fireball in the same turn.
- Bonus Action & Cantrip: A character with the Sorcerer’s Quicken Spell metamagic could use their bonus action to cast a spell like Fireball. Then they could use their action to cast a cantrip such as Eldritch Blast and then use action surge to cast another Eldritch Blast.
- Multiple Actions with Attacks: A Fighter could use their main action to attack twice (using the Extra Attack feature), use Action Surge to take another action and attack twice more, for a total of four attacks. Then, they could use their bonus action for a variety of reasons, as long as it is not for a second bonus action spell.
Advanced Spellcasting With Action Surge
While you cannot stack high-level bonus action spells, you can maximize your spellcasting output with careful planning. A savvy spellcaster can use Action Surge to their advantage, especially at higher levels:
- Maximizing Damage: You could use Action Surge to cast two high-level damaging spells in the same turn.
- Strategic Spell Use: Using Action Surge can allow you to quickly set up a battlefield, such as casting a crowd control spell as well as a damaging spell in the same turn.
- Boosting Cantrip Output: Using Action Surge with a bonus action spell in conjunction with a character that gets multiple attacks with cantrips such as Eldritch Blast can make a very high damaging turn.
Remember that the spellcasting rules create a specific framework for using Action Surge. You cannot circumvent the restrictions on bonus action spells or the limitations on having only one bonus action per turn.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions that will help you understand the nuances of Action Surge in combination with spells:
1. Does Action Surge let you cast two spells?
Yes, Action Surge lets you take another action, which means you can cast another spell that has a casting time of 1 action. But as per the spellcasting rules, you can only cast one spell that has a bonus action on your turn, and if you do so, you can only cast cantrips as actions that turn.
2. Can you cast 3 spells with Action Surge?
Potentially yes, with certain restrictions. If you cast a spell with a bonus action (for example, through the Sorcerer’s Quicken Spell), your subsequent spells must be a cantrip. With Action Surge, you can then cast two different action cantrips.
3. Can you Action Surge twice in one turn?
No, you cannot. Action Surge can only be used once per turn. Though, at level 17, a Fighter gains the ability to use Action Surge twice per rest, but still only once per turn.
4. Does Action Surge double attacks?
Action Surge does not double your attacks directly, but it gives you a second action. If you use both actions to take the Attack action, then you make all the attacks that you can normally make with the attack action. For example, a 5th level Fighter gets 2 attacks with one action so with two actions from action surge, the fighter can attack 4 times that turn.
5. How many times can I use Action Surge?
You can use Action Surge once per short or long rest, until level 17, when you can use it twice per rest. In both cases, you can only use it once per turn.
6. Do you get a second bonus action with Action Surge?
No, Action Surge does not grant you an additional bonus action. You are still limited to one bonus action per turn.
7. Does Haste stack with Action Surge?
Yes, Haste and Action Surge can be used together. Haste gives you an extra action, which can be used for one attack, while Action Surge gives you another extra action, which is not limited by Haste.
8. How does Action Surge work with dual wielding?
Action Surge grants 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 actions, but you can’t spend it on both because you only have 1 bonus action to spend.
9. Can you Flurry of Blows twice in a turn?
No, you cannot. Flurry of Blows is a bonus action, and you are limited to one bonus action per turn. Action Surge will not allow you to use Flurry of Blows twice.
10. How many attacks can I make with Action Surge?
Action Surge grants another action. The number of attacks that you make from those actions depends on how many attacks you get with the Attack action. For a 20th level fighter who gets 4 attacks for one attack action, a fighter with action surge would get 8 attacks if he uses both actions for the attack action.
11. Can you Quicken Eldritch Blast?
Yes, you can. The Sorcerer’s Quicken Spell metamagic allows you to cast a spell that has a casting time of one action as a bonus action. Eldritch Blast can be quickened, and can then be followed up with another spell with a casting time of one action using the original action. Additionally, if the caster uses action surge, they can cast a second action cantrip, such as Eldritch blast.
12. Is Eldritch Blast a bonus action?
No. Normally, Eldritch Blast is cast as an action. However, with the right metamagic from a Sorcerer, it can be cast as a bonus action.
13. Can you Quicken Fireball?
Yes, you can use the Sorcerer’s Quicken Spell metamagic to cast Fireball as a bonus action. However, if you do this, you can only cast a cantrip that has a casting time of one action as your action this turn, and you can still action surge to cast another action cantrip.
14. Can you cast Eldritch Blast twice with Action Surge?
Yes, you can cast Eldritch Blast twice in a turn using Action Surge. One Eldritch Blast can be cast as an action, and another can be cast with action surge as another action. You could potentially cast it 3 times in a turn if you quicken one of the eldritch blasts using the Sorcerer metamagic.
15. Does Gloomstalker stack with Action Surge?
Yes, a Gloomstalker’s Dread Ambusher feature can stack with Action Surge. When you take the attack action with action surge, you can use Dread Ambusher again.
Conclusion
Action Surge is a powerful tool for fighters and any character with levels in Fighter. While there are restrictions placed by the base spellcasting rules, you can still use it effectively to cast more than one spell in a turn, especially when strategically combining bonus action spells, cantrips, and the action given to you by Action Surge. By carefully planning and understanding the interplay of actions, bonus actions, and spellcasting restrictions, you can maximize your offensive capabilities and dominate the battlefield. Remember to always check your character’s specific abilities and spells to fully utilize the potential of Action Surge.