According to Sage Advice, "Taking a bonus action breaks the invisibility of a warlock’s One with Shadows. A bonus action is an action." And according to the rules, it is an additional action. But the rules also refer to a reaction as a special type of action. Yet, the rules state that anything that keeps you from performing an action also keeps you from performing a bonus action, but it doesn't say that for reactions. Instead, everything that robs you of actions seems to coincidentally also rob you of reactions. So do reactions count as actions or not?
EDIT: Edited the title because it was confusing someone. Also, I should clarify that this question isn't really about the warlock's One with Shadows. It was just the Sage Advice that got me thinking about this weird thing about the game, which is that:
a) Bonus actions and reactions are both technically actions.
b) According to a general rule, anything that keeps you from using actions keeps you from using bonus actions.
c) According to the specific rules of seemingly everything that keeps you from using actions, that thing also keeps you from taking reactions.
I mean, it's not a hole in the rules or anything, but why don't they just say "anything that keeps you from using actions keeps you from using reactions" so they don't have to write "the creature cannot take actions or reactions" every time the creature can't take actions? Is there some effect I don't know about that keeps a creature from using actions but NOT reactions?
I imagine the reason bonus actions and actions are grouped together without reactions is that many things that cause you to lose an action occur on your turn by way of an enemy spell/ability. "Reactions are a special type of action" seems like a fair assessment to me. A bonus action is a special type of action to, but with different parameters.
I was expecting a different question from that title. Yes, bonus actions and reactions are both types of actions (the rules are poorly written in a lot of areas).
And no, you can't do anything that normally takes a bonus action or reaction as an action.
Yeah, the common understanding that "every round, you have a Move action, an Action action, a Bonus action, and a Reaction action" is how the rules work, but is not something that the rules actually say or describe in that way. It's just something that we've got to come to grips with, that those all exist and aren't interchangeable despite the fact that the rules more often than not just call Bonus actions "actions" despite them not being interchangeable.
Yeah, the common understanding that "every round, you have a Move action, an Action action, a Bonus action, and a Reaction action" is how the rules work, but is not something that the rules actually say or describe in that way. It's just something that we've got to come to grips with, that those all exist and aren't interchangeable despite the fact that the rules more often than not just call Bonus actions "actions" despite them not being interchangeable.
- you can Move up to your movement rate modified for terrain
During the round ..
- you possibly have ONE Reaction
Reactions and Bonus Actions are types of actions granted if the character has some ability that lets them use them. The most common use of a Reaction would be an opportunity attack. In general, you can not swap the type of action needed for a task. You can't use your Action for an ability that requires a Bonus Action or Reaction (e.g. you can't cast healing word using the Cast a Spell Action - it requires a Bonus Action).
To answer the OP, Actions, Reactions and Bonus Actions are all actions. The "One with Shadows" invocation is so limited as to be almost useless since it requires dim light or darkness and allows you to become invisible as long as you do nothing. At the very least it is extremely situational.
"When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible until you move or take an action or a reaction."
On the other hand, the invisibility spell states "The spell ends for a target that attacks or casts a spell." which allows the invisible creature to have quite a choice of things they can do.
Except “you can move up to your speed on your turn” (while correct) is very misleading when you start figuring in one or more Dashes, standing up, etc which mean that you can actually move much more (or less) than your speed(s)... it’s correct, it’s just that calling it “a move action (which can be broken up and interrupted)” is probably much closer to how most of us really think about it at the table.
Except “you can move up to your speed on your turn” (while correct) is very misleading when you start figuring in one or more Dashes, standing up, etc which mean that you can actually move much more (or less) than your speed(s)... it’s correct, it’s just that calling it “a move action (which can be broken up and interrupted)” is probably much closer to how most of us really think about it at the table.
It is just semantics but your basic move is not an action. Calling it a "move action" invites confusion for newer players who then ask if it is a move action does that mean I can't move if something prevents me from taking an action (it doesn't).
Also, moving up to your movement rate depends on terrain and other effects (e.g. standing up from prone, difficult terrain, climbing, swimming. mounting). The other effects change the cost of moving a certain distance or require the expenditure of movement to achieve a specific change in position but they don't change that you have your basic movement available each turn.
You can also obtain additional movement but the additional movement requires expending an action (e.g. Dash action) or bonus action (bonus action Dash from rogue cunning action or monk by expending ki, or casting the spell expeditious retreat).Thus the extra movement is covered under the available actions but you always have your basic movement unless some effect like grappled or restrained (or other similar effects) have reduced your movement rate to zero.
It is just semantics but your basic move is not an action. Calling it a "move action" invites confusion for newer players
Depends which game system they came from before. 5e's action system is at its core very similar to 3e or 4e, just with some simplification names changed
5e 'action' = 3e/4e 'standard action'
5e 'move' = 3e/4e 'move action', though unlike previous editions, you can break up your move without a special ability.
5e 'bonus action' = 3e 'swift action'/4e 'minor action'
5e 'reaction' is a combination of 3e/4e opportunity and immediate actions.
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According to Sage Advice, "Taking a bonus action breaks the invisibility of a warlock’s One with Shadows. A bonus action is an action." And according to the rules, it is an additional action. But the rules also refer to a reaction as a special type of action. Yet, the rules state that anything that keeps you from performing an action also keeps you from performing a bonus action, but it doesn't say that for reactions. Instead, everything that robs you of actions seems to coincidentally also rob you of reactions. So do reactions count as actions or not?
EDIT: Edited the title because it was confusing someone. Also, I should clarify that this question isn't really about the warlock's One with Shadows. It was just the Sage Advice that got me thinking about this weird thing about the game, which is that:
a) Bonus actions and reactions are both technically actions.
b) According to a general rule, anything that keeps you from using actions keeps you from using bonus actions.
c) According to the specific rules of seemingly everything that keeps you from using actions, that thing also keeps you from taking reactions.
I mean, it's not a hole in the rules or anything, but why don't they just say "anything that keeps you from using actions keeps you from using reactions" so they don't have to write "the creature cannot take actions or reactions" every time the creature can't take actions? Is there some effect I don't know about that keeps a creature from using actions but NOT reactions?
I imagine the reason bonus actions and actions are grouped together without reactions is that many things that cause you to lose an action occur on your turn by way of an enemy spell/ability. "Reactions are a special type of action" seems like a fair assessment to me. A bonus action is a special type of action to, but with different parameters.
I was expecting a different question from that title. Yes, bonus actions and reactions are both types of actions (the rules are poorly written in a lot of areas).
And no, you can't do anything that normally takes a bonus action or reaction as an action.
Yeah, the common understanding that "every round, you have a Move action, an Action action, a Bonus action, and a Reaction action" is how the rules work, but is not something that the rules actually say or describe in that way. It's just something that we've got to come to grips with, that those all exist and aren't interchangeable despite the fact that the rules more often than not just call Bonus actions "actions" despite them not being interchangeable.
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I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
Movement is not an action, but I otherwise agree.
Just to clarify a bit more ..
On your turn ..
- you have one or more Actions
- you possibly have ONE bonus action
- you can Move up to your movement rate modified for terrain
During the round ..
- you possibly have ONE Reaction
Reactions and Bonus Actions are types of actions granted if the character has some ability that lets them use them. The most common use of a Reaction would be an opportunity attack. In general, you can not swap the type of action needed for a task. You can't use your Action for an ability that requires a Bonus Action or Reaction (e.g. you can't cast healing word using the Cast a Spell Action - it requires a Bonus Action).
To answer the OP, Actions, Reactions and Bonus Actions are all actions. The "One with Shadows" invocation is so limited as to be almost useless since it requires dim light or darkness and allows you to become invisible as long as you do nothing. At the very least it is extremely situational.
"When you are in an area of dim light or darkness, you can use your action to become invisible until you move or take an action or a reaction."
On the other hand, the invisibility spell states "The spell ends for a target that attacks or casts a spell." which allows the invisible creature to have quite a choice of things they can do.
Except “you can move up to your speed on your turn” (while correct) is very misleading when you start figuring in one or more Dashes, standing up, etc which mean that you can actually move much more (or less) than your speed(s)... it’s correct, it’s just that calling it “a move action (which can be broken up and interrupted)” is probably much closer to how most of us really think about it at the table.
dndbeyond.com forum tags
I'm going to make this way harder than it needs to be.
It is just semantics but your basic move is not an action. Calling it a "move action" invites confusion for newer players who then ask if it is a move action does that mean I can't move if something prevents me from taking an action (it doesn't).
Also, moving up to your movement rate depends on terrain and other effects (e.g. standing up from prone, difficult terrain, climbing, swimming. mounting). The other effects change the cost of moving a certain distance or require the expenditure of movement to achieve a specific change in position but they don't change that you have your basic movement available each turn.
You can also obtain additional movement but the additional movement requires expending an action (e.g. Dash action) or bonus action (bonus action Dash from rogue cunning action or monk by expending ki, or casting the spell expeditious retreat).Thus the extra movement is covered under the available actions but you always have your basic movement unless some effect like grappled or restrained (or other similar effects) have reduced your movement rate to zero.
Depends which game system they came from before. 5e's action system is at its core very similar to 3e or 4e, just with some simplification names changed