Does Action Surge Give 2 Extra Attacks?
No, Action Surge does not directly grant you two extra attacks. Instead, it grants you one additional action on your turn. This additional action can be used to perform any action you are normally capable of, including the Attack action. The number of attacks you can make with the Attack action is determined by other features, specifically Extra Attack, not Action Surge itself.
Essentially, Action Surge allows you to perform a second action, which, if you choose the Attack action, would allow you to benefit from your Extra Attack feature again if you have it. Therefore, at level 5 when a fighter gains extra attack, they can attack twice. If they then use action surge they take another attack action and benefit from extra attack again which gives them 2 attacks resulting in 4 total attacks on a single turn.
How Action Surge Actually Works
Action Surge, a core feature of the Fighter class in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, provides a crucial burst of power in combat. At its core, Action Surge allows you to take one additional action on your turn. This is distinct from a bonus action, movement, or reaction. It’s an entire action, just like the one you normally get.
This extra action can be used for virtually anything, including:
- Taking the Attack action.
- Casting a spell (with some caveats, see below).
- Dashing to gain extra movement.
- Disengaging to retreat.
- Using an item.
It’s essential to understand that Action Surge does not alter the rules of your normal actions; it simply provides another one. The number of attacks you make when you take the Attack action is governed by your Extra Attack feature and level.
The Role of Extra Attack
The Extra Attack feature, gained by Fighters at 5th level (and other martial classes later), is what allows you to make multiple attacks with a single Attack action. Instead of making just one attack, you can make two. This number increases to three at 11th level and four at 20th level, for fighters.
Action Surge interacts with Extra Attack by allowing you to perform the Attack action again, triggering the Extra Attack feature a second time. This is how a 5th-level Fighter effectively gains four attacks (two per Attack action, one regular, and one from Action Surge) on a single turn.
Combining Action Surge and Extra Attack
Let’s illustrate this with an example:
- A 5th-level Fighter with the Extra Attack feature has a normal action.
- The Fighter uses their normal action to make an Attack action, which lets them make two attacks.
- Then, they use their Action Surge, which gives them another action.
- They use the new action to make another Attack action, enabling them to make another two attacks.
- Therefore, they have a total of four attacks in a single turn.
This synergy is what makes Action Surge such a powerful combat tool.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions to provide more clarity on Action Surge and its interactions with other game mechanics:
1. Does Action Surge give you a bonus action?
No, Action Surge does not grant a bonus action. It solely provides one additional action. Bonus actions are a separate game mechanic and are not affected by Action Surge.
2. Can you use two bonus actions with Action Surge?
No, you cannot use two bonus actions on the same turn, even with Action Surge. Action Surge only provides an extra action, not extra bonus actions. You are limited to one bonus action per turn.
3. Does Action Surge let you attack twice with two weapon fighting?
When you take the Attack action and are dual wielding, you can make a single additional attack as a bonus action with a light weapon you are holding. Action surge lets you attack again allowing you the option of using a bonus action if you have one available, however it does not give you a second bonus action.
4. How many attacks can I make with Action Surge?
The number of attacks you can make using Action Surge depends on your level and your Extra Attack feature. A 5th level fighter can make four attacks, a 11th level fighter can make six attacks and a 20th level fighter can make eight attacks when using action surge.
5. Can you get Extra Attack twice?
You cannot get Extra Attack twice. Extra Attack modifies the number of attacks you make when you use the Attack action. Action Surge does not give extra extra attacks it only allows another use of the attack action. The number of attacks you make on an attack action is limited to the extra attack amount based on your class level.
6. Can you get multiple attacks of opportunity?
While you can provoke an Attack of Opportunity (AoO) multiple times in a round, you cannot provoke more than once per action that leaves a creatures reach. A full Attack action will only provoke one AoO no matter how many attacks it contains. Using action surge allows another full action allowing another AoO opportunity from the same creature.
7. Can Action Surge let you cast 2 spells?
Yes, Action Surge allows you to cast two spells in the same turn. However, if you cast a spell as a bonus action, your other spells on that turn must be cantrips with a casting time of one action. Action Surge allows for one more full action so you can cast another spell in the same turn.
8. Does Action Surge give you two spells?
Yes, Action Surge effectively allows you to cast two spells, as it grants an additional action that can be used to cast a spell. However, it is not guaranteed that any spells can be cast as it is limited by action casting time.
9. Can you Fireball twice with Action Surge?
Yes, you can cast Fireball twice in one turn with Action Surge as long as you have two spell slots available. Action surge allows another full action which enables another spell to be cast.
10. How does Action Surge work with Two-Weapon Fighting?
Action Surge allows another action that can include the attack action, and two weapon fighting allows a bonus action to make an additional attack. This combination allows the potential of 5 attacks if a bonus action is available and used with either the original action or action surge attack action.
11. Does Haste stack with Action Surge?
Yes, Haste and Action Surge can stack. The additional action granted by Haste is limited to one attack, Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use Object. You can take your regular action and use Extra Attack, then use Action Surge to take another action for an Extra Attack, and then use the Haste action for one additional attack.
12. Can you use Dread Ambusher twice with Action Surge?
Yes, you can use Dread Ambusher twice with Action Surge. Dread Ambusher gives an additional attack if you take the Attack action on your first turn of combat. If you use Action Surge for another attack action, it activates dread ambusher again because you are using the attack action.
13. Can you cast Eldritch Blast twice with Action Surge?
Yes, you can cast Eldritch Blast twice on the same turn by utilizing Action Surge. Since cantrips scale with your character level, when Eldritch Blast fires two or more beams per casting, you can cast it twice when using action surge and also potentially use the quicken spell to cast it a third time in the same turn.
14. How many attacks does a 5th level Fighter get with Action Surge?
A 5th-level Fighter gets four attacks in a single turn by utilizing Action Surge. Two with their action and two with their action surge.
15. Can you Dash on Action Surge?
Yes, a Fighter’s Action Surge allows them to use the Dash action as it’s an additional action. Allowing a double dash by combining the normal action and Action Surge.
In conclusion, while Action Surge does not directly provide extra attacks, it provides an extra action that synergizes with features like Extra Attack to allow a fighter to make a high number of attacks. Understanding this difference is crucial for optimizing the Fighter class and using Action Surge effectively.