with the new battle smith you can command your steel defender to do a force empowered rend you can use either your extra attack or bonus action? or is it both . it reads kind of weird.
I think it is either. You can technically do both in the same turn, but the Steel Defender only has one action so no matter how many times you command it, it will only attack once.
It is two different command options.
As a Bonus Action, you can command the Steel Defender to take any available action (attack with Force Empowered Rend, Help, or something else).
As part of your Attack action (leaving your Bonus Action free), you can command the Steel Defender to use Force Empowered Rend. Other actions are not options.
This question has come up a bunch in the context of the Beast Master Ranger, which has some similar mechanics, and it doesn't seem like there's a solid official answer or a community consensus. (I'm guessing TarodNet can link us to those threads if they happen to drop in here.)
My instinct is that it's supposed to work the way SmiteMakesRight described, but I can definitely see the argument the other way.
I don't know if TarodNet slums in the Artificer forums, but Ranger, Beast Master's Primal Companion Actions is similar. It did get me thinking that a Hasted Steel Defender would have two actions available and would either Dodge (no commands), Dodge + Attack or Action (one command received), or Attack + Action (two commands received).
with the new battle smith you can command your steel defender to do a force empowered rend you can use either your extra attack or bonus action? or is it both . it reads kind of weird.
I think it is either. You can technically do both in the same turn, but the Steel Defender only has one action so no matter how many times you command it, it will only attack once.
It is two different command options.
How to add Tooltips.
My houserulings.
This question has come up a bunch in the context of the Beast Master Ranger, which has some similar mechanics, and it doesn't seem like there's a solid official answer or a community consensus. (I'm guessing TarodNet can link us to those threads if they happen to drop in here.)
My instinct is that it's supposed to work the way SmiteMakesRight described, but I can definitely see the argument the other way.
pronouns: he/she/they
I don't know if TarodNet slums in the Artificer forums, but Ranger, Beast Master's Primal Companion Actions is similar. It did get me thinking that a Hasted Steel Defender would have two actions available and would either Dodge (no commands), Dodge + Attack or Action (one command received), or Attack + Action (two commands received).
How to add Tooltips.
My houserulings.