I've been rereading several portions of the PHB because I just leveled up and I'm adding stuff to my bard. I realized many of the things I read about concerning the bard say ... as a reaction, you may ... and I had an epiphany. I guess for all these things, you have to decide which one you are going to do, because you only get one reaction per round, right? So if I wanted to use Cutting Words to deduct a BI-die from an opponents attack, I would be giving up my ability to use Counterspell that round, right? This reduces the effectiveness of many of the character traits I might want to use, so I want to make sure I'm interpreting this rule correctly. Thanks for your help.
I was considering picking up Defensive Duelist feat later for the AC buff. but this is also ... as a reaction, so I may not want to do this if I'm preparing to use my reaction for these other things.
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Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
You are correct. The reaction requirement is meant to be limiting.
Similarly, casting a bonus action spell also prevents reaction spells like counterspell on the same turn because of the cantrips only rule. For example, if the bard casts healing word then only cantrips can be cast on the same turn so an opponent counter spelling tge healing word can no longer be counter spelled in return.
Concentration and action economy (reactions in this thread) are designed to limit spell casting a lot in 5e.
Similarly, casting a bonus action spell also prevents reaction spells like counterspell on the same turn because of the cantrips only rule. For example, if the bard casts healing word then only cantrips can be cast on the same turn so an opponent counter spelling tge healing word can no longer be counter spelled in return.
Luckily, most uses of Reaction spells are on other people's turns.
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A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell, provided that you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn. You can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.
You can cast a 1 Action spell and use a Counterspell, but if you cast a Bonus Action spell, you can't cast Counterspell on the same turn, which would only apply if someone reacted to your spell and you tried to, as a reaction on your turn, Counterspell their spell.
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Canto alla vita alla sua bellezza ad ogni sua ferita ogni sua carezza!
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OK. Thanks. I found it in my PHB (I only have the hard copies) two hours ago myself. So I can cast a spell on my turn and then cast a Counterspell as a reaction during someone else's turn. But I can't cast two spells on my own turn, one as an action and the second as a bonus action. But also, I could cast a spell and a cantrip on my turn, in either order, provided I have the opportunity to use my bonus action to cast. I believe, ATM (4th level), I can only use my bonus action when TWF.
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Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
That is wrong. Note the word "TURN". A round has several turns. It has my turn, my allies turns, and the enemies turn. I act on my turn, then others act on their turn. You almost always use your reaction on some else's turn.
A bard with the right magical secrets can do all of the following:
Cast a bonus action spell of any level, such as Misty Step.
Use your action to cast a Cantrip spell, such as Vicious Mockery.
Cast a spell such as Counterspell as a reaction.
If you have another action - like from a dip into fighter and using action surge - then you can cast yet a third fully level spell, such as Catnap.
Activate a Contingency spell, by for example, saying the word 'bye' as a free action.
Bonus Actions rarely affect a reaction, with a few notable exceptions.
The most common is:
I try to misty step, using a bonus action.
Bob's friend, counterspells my Misty Step.
I can NOT counterspell John back because I have already cast a leveled spell this turn (Misty Step) preventing me from countering his countering.
That is wrong. Note the word "TURN". A round has several turns. It has my turn, my allies turns, and the enemies turn. I act on my turn, then others act on their turn. You almost always use your reaction on some else's turn.
A bard with the right magical secrets can do all of the following:
1) Cast a bonus action spell of any level, such as Misty Step.
2) Use your action to cast a Cantrip spell, such as Vicious Mockery.
3) Cast a spell such as Counterspell as a reaction.
4) If you have another action - like from a dip into fighter and using action surge - then you can cast yet a third fully level spell, such as Catnap.
5) Activate a Contingency spell, by for example, saying the word 'bye' as a free action.
The rule is no using a bonus action to cast a leveled spell if you have already cast a leveled spell with your action. That's it.
Your Step 4 is incorrect, but everything else is correct. If this is all in one turn then you could Action Surge to cast a Cantrip, but not a leveled spell.
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Canto alla vita alla sua bellezza ad ogni sua ferita ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
Similar to counterspell, if you use your bonus action to cast a spell you can not use a levelled spell as an opportunity attack if you have the war caster feat.
Similar to counterspell, if you use your bonus action to cast a spell you can not use a levelled spell as an opportunity attack if you have the war caster feat.
Nope! As said by Mog_Dracov, you can cast another full level spell out of turn. You can only cast one level 1+ spell on your turn, but you can cast another as a reaction.
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Sorry If I wasn't clear but I was referring to everything beng on your turn, for example if a Hexblade with warcaster feat:
Casts Branding Smite as a bonus action
Uses his action to attack a a bad guy with weapon attack
Moves away from the bad guy provoking an opportunity attack that hits him
The warlock is unable to use his reaction to cast hellish rebuke because it is still his turn and he can't cast another spell (other than a cantrip) because he cast a spell as a bonus action.
Is there a limit on the number of spells you can cast on your turn? There’s no rule that says you can cast only X number of spells on your turn, but there are some practical limits. The main limiting factor is your action. Most spells require an action to cast, and unless you use a feature like the fighter’s Action Surge, you have only one action on your turn. If you cast a spell, such as healing word, with a bonus action, you can cast another spell with your action, but that other spell must be a cantrip. Keep in mind that this particular limit is specific to spells that use a bonus action. For instance, if you cast a second spell using Action Surge, you aren’t limited to casting a cantrip with it.
Is there a limit on the number of spells you can cast on your turn? There’s no rule that says you can cast only X number of spells on your turn, but there are some practical limits. The main limiting factor is your action. Most spells require an action to cast, and unless you use a feature like the fighter’s Action Surge, you have only one action on your turn. If you cast a spell, such as healing word, with a bonus action, you can cast another spell with your action, but that other spell must be a cantrip. Keep in mind that this particular limit is specific to spells that use a bonus action. For instance, if you cast a second spell using Action Surge, you aren’t limited to casting a cantrip with it.
Yes, we're aware of this. That last sentence is referring to the case of casting two leveled spells using Action Surge, it is not talking about a case in which you have cast a Bonus Action spell. That clarification from Sage Advice does not contradict the following rule:
Bonus Action
A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell, provided that you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn. You can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.
If you cast a Bonus Action spell, you can use your action to cast a Cantrip. If you then use Action Surge, you can cast another Cantrip, but not a leveled spell because it is still the same turn in which you cast a Bonus Action spell.
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Canto alla vita alla sua bellezza ad ogni sua ferita ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
I am sorry I don't see what you say in the rules, you could argue Sage advice makes it murkier but I don't think so,
Rules
Bonus Action
A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell, provided that you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn. You can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.
I think that is clear if you cast a spell as a bonus action you can not cast a spell other than a cantrip until your turn ends and it is another players turn. That would include both Actions ands reactions that are on your turn
Sage advise says that the restriction only applies if you cast a spell as a bonus action so for example:
You can cast two spells with a casting time of one action if you have two actions for example using action surge
You can cast a spell with a casting time of an action and a spell with an action time of a reaction (for example a fireball and counterspell)
It does not give an example of a spell with a casting time of a bonus action and a spell with an action time of a bonus action so all you have is the rules themselves.
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I've been rereading several portions of the PHB because I just leveled up and I'm adding stuff to my bard. I realized many of the things I read about concerning the bard say ... as a reaction, you may ... and I had an epiphany. I guess for all these things, you have to decide which one you are going to do, because you only get one reaction per round, right? So if I wanted to use Cutting Words to deduct a BI-die from an opponents attack, I would be giving up my ability to use Counterspell that round, right? This reduces the effectiveness of many of the character traits I might want to use, so I want to make sure I'm interpreting this rule correctly. Thanks for your help.
I was considering picking up Defensive Duelist feat later for the AC buff. but this is also ... as a reaction, so I may not want to do this if I'm preparing to use my reaction for these other things.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
You are correct. The reaction requirement is meant to be limiting.
Similarly, casting a bonus action spell also prevents reaction spells like counterspell on the same turn because of the cantrips only rule. For example, if the bard casts healing word then only cantrips can be cast on the same turn so an opponent counter spelling tge healing word can no longer be counter spelled in return.
Concentration and action economy (reactions in this thread) are designed to limit spell casting a lot in 5e.
Luckily, most uses of Reaction spells are on other people's turns.
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty
To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
Well, don't think of it as limiting. Think of it as flexibility and a lot of choice for different situations.
Where is the Cantrips Only rule? I thought you could cast a spell and use Counterspell in the same turn.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
You can cast a 1 Action spell and use a Counterspell, but if you cast a Bonus Action spell, you can't cast Counterspell on the same turn, which would only apply if someone reacted to your spell and you tried to, as a reaction on your turn, Counterspell their spell.
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty
To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
OK. Thanks. I found it in my PHB (I only have the hard copies) two hours ago myself. So I can cast a spell on my turn and then cast a Counterspell as a reaction during someone else's turn. But I can't cast two spells on my own turn, one as an action and the second as a bonus action. But also, I could cast a spell and a cantrip on my turn, in either order, provided I have the opportunity to use my bonus action to cast. I believe, ATM (4th level), I can only use my bonus action when TWF.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt
That is wrong. Note the word "TURN". A round has several turns. It has my turn, my allies turns, and the enemies turn. I act on my turn, then others act on their turn. You almost always use your reaction on some else's turn.
A bard with the right magical secrets can do all of the following:
Bonus Actions rarely affect a reaction, with a few notable exceptions.
The most common is:
Your Step 4 is incorrect, but everything else is correct. If this is all in one turn then you could Action Surge to cast a Cantrip, but not a leveled spell.
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty
To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
Similar to counterspell, if you use your bonus action to cast a spell you can not use a levelled spell as an opportunity attack if you have the war caster feat.
Nope! As said by Mog_Dracov, you can cast another full level spell out of turn. You can only cast one level 1+ spell on your turn, but you can cast another as a reaction.
Please check out my homebrew and give me feedback!
Subclasses | Races | Spells | Magic Items | Monsters | Feats | Backgrounds
Sorry If I wasn't clear but I was referring to everything beng on your turn, for example if a Hexblade with warcaster feat:
The warlock is unable to use his reaction to cast hellish rebuke because it is still his turn and he can't cast another spell (other than a cantrip) because he cast a spell as a bonus action.
As people keep miss-stating the rule, here is the relevant section from page 13 of the 2020 Sage Advice, downloadable here: (https://media.wizards.com/2020/dnd/downloads/SA-Compendium.pdf)
Casting Time
Is there a limit on the number of spells you can cast on your turn? There’s no rule that says you can cast only X number of spells on your turn, but there are some practical limits. The main limiting factor is your action. Most spells require an action to cast, and unless you use a feature like the fighter’s Action Surge, you have only one action on your turn. If you cast a spell, such as healing word, with a bonus action, you can cast another spell with your action, but that other spell must be a cantrip. Keep in mind that this particular limit is specific to spells that use a bonus action. For instance, if you cast a second spell using Action Surge, you aren’t limited to casting a cantrip with it.
Yes, we're aware of this. That last sentence is referring to the case of casting two leveled spells using Action Surge, it is not talking about a case in which you have cast a Bonus Action spell. That clarification from Sage Advice does not contradict the following rule:
If you cast a Bonus Action spell, you can use your action to cast a Cantrip. If you then use Action Surge, you can cast another Cantrip, but not a leveled spell because it is still the same turn in which you cast a Bonus Action spell.
Canto alla vita
alla sua bellezza
ad ogni sua ferita
ogni sua carezza!
I sing to life and to its tragic beauty
To pain and to strife, but all that dances through me
The rise and the fall, I've lived through it all!
I am sorry I don't see what you say in the rules, you could argue Sage advice makes it murkier but I don't think so,
Rules
I think that is clear if you cast a spell as a bonus action you can not cast a spell other than a cantrip until your turn ends and it is another players turn. That would include both Actions ands reactions that are on your turn
Sage advise says that the restriction only applies if you cast a spell as a bonus action so for example:
It does not give an example of a spell with a casting time of a bonus action and a spell with an action time of a bonus action so all you have is the rules themselves.