During a game tonight, I had a dm state using an action to do a bonus action is allowed by RAW, I was always taught this isnt the case. I understand its the dms table, but for my own knowledge for my own table is that correct?
You are correct. You cannot use an action to do a bonus action.
As you state, your DM is free to rule their table but it's not RAW.
Only abilities, spells, etc which note they cost a bonus action or another ability which allows you to take certain actions as bonus actions can perform a bonus action.
Characters cannot simply use their bonus action to perform any action as though it were an additional action on their turn, or use something like the "ready action" to ready a "bonus action" ability or spell as a reaction.
Bonus actions also have pre-cursors sometimes, requiring certain movements or actions before a character can use them. Using your action to simply activate an activity that is specified as a "bonus action" does not allow the character to ignore those pre-cursors.
You are correct. You cannot use an action to do a bonus action.
As you state, your DM is free to rule their table but it's not RAW.
Only abilities, spells, etc which note they cost a bonus action or another ability which allows you to take certain actions as bonus actions can perform a bonus action.
Characters cannot simply use their bonus action to perform any action as though it were an additional action on their turn, or use something like the "ready action" to ready a "bonus action" ability or spell as a reaction.
Bonus actions also have pre-cursors sometimes, requiring certain movements or actions before a character can use them. Using your action to simply activate an activity that is specified as a "bonus action" does not allow the character to ignore those pre-cursors.
you cant use his tweets for any sort of debate as they are not RAW, as has been stated by WOTC, hence why the sage compendium exists, couldnt find it there so came here, so thnx
I didn't play much 4th edition, but I think it might have been true then.
However, as ACEspinz points out this is not true in 5th edition. The only way you can do something as an Action or a Bonus Action is if you have two different features that do the same thing with different activation costs.
An example is a Circle of the Moon Druid. As a base Druid they can Wild Shape as an Action. Also because of their Circle of the Moon subclass feature Combat Wild Shape they can also Wild Shape as a Bonus Action.
You are correct. You cannot use an action to do a bonus action.
As you state, your DM is free to rule their table but it's not RAW.
Only abilities, spells, etc which note they cost a bonus action or another ability which allows you to take certain actions as bonus actions can perform a bonus action.
Characters cannot simply use their bonus action to perform any action as though it were an additional action on their turn, or use something like the "ready action" to ready a "bonus action" ability or spell as a reaction.
Bonus actions also have pre-cursors sometimes, requiring certain movements or actions before a character can use them. Using your action to simply activate an activity that is specified as a "bonus action" does not allow the character to ignore those pre-cursors.
you cant use his tweets for any sort of debate as they are not RAW, as has been stated by WOTC, hence why the sage compendium exists, couldnt find it there so came here, so thnx
I was just noting JC's answer on the question. But if you want absolute RAW quoted then Sage Advice Compendium is regarded as Official rules by WotC so:
Can a bonus action be used as an action or vice versa? For example, can a bard use a bonus action to grant a Bardic Inspiration die and an action to cast healing word?
No. Actions and bonus actions aren’t interchangeable. In the example, the bard could use Bardic Inspiration or healing word on a turn, not both.
The problem with the term "bonus action" is that people think it's just a "smaller" action, so it can fit in the "action" space of your turn. But it's not like big & little, it's more like square & round pegs & holes. The Action peg goes in the Action hole, the Bonus Action peg goes in the Bonus Action hole, but the peg for one doesn't fit in the hole for the other.
The problem with the term "bonus action" is that people think it's just a "smaller" action, so it can fit in the "action" space of your turn. But it's not like big & little, it's more like square & round pegs & holes. The Action peg goes in the Action hole, the Bonus Action peg goes in the Bonus Action hole, but the peg for one doesn't fit in the hole for the other.
That is a really good analogy.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
During a game tonight, I had a dm state using an action to do a bonus action is allowed by RAW, I was always taught this isnt the case. I understand its the dms table, but for my own knowledge for my own table is that correct?
You are correct. You cannot use an action to do a bonus action.
As you state, your DM is free to rule their table but it's not RAW.
Only abilities, spells, etc which note they cost a bonus action or another ability which allows you to take certain actions as bonus actions can perform a bonus action.
Characters cannot simply use their bonus action to perform any action as though it were an additional action on their turn, or use something like the "ready action" to ready a "bonus action" ability or spell as a reaction.
Bonus actions also have pre-cursors sometimes, requiring certain movements or actions before a character can use them. Using your action to simply activate an activity that is specified as a "bonus action" does not allow the character to ignore those pre-cursors.
Jeremey Crawford on this exact question: https://www.sageadvice.eu/can-i-use-a-bonus-action-as-an-actual-action/
you cant use his tweets for any sort of debate as they are not RAW, as has been stated by WOTC, hence why the sage compendium exists, couldnt find it there so came here, so thnx
I didn't play much 4th edition, but I think it might have been true then.
However, as ACEspinz points out this is not true in 5th edition. The only way you can do something as an Action or a Bonus Action is if you have two different features that do the same thing with different activation costs.
An example is a Circle of the Moon Druid. As a base Druid they can Wild Shape as an Action. Also because of their Circle of the Moon subclass feature Combat Wild Shape they can also Wild Shape as a Bonus Action.
I was just noting JC's answer on the question. But if you want absolute RAW quoted then Sage Advice Compendium is regarded as Official rules by WotC so:
Can a bonus action be used as an action or vice versa? For example, can a bard use a bonus action to grant a Bardic Inspiration die and an action to cast healing word?
No. Actions and bonus actions aren’t interchangeable. In the example, the bard could use Bardic Inspiration or healing word on a turn, not both.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/sac/sage-advice-compendium#SA116
The problem with the term "bonus action" is that people think it's just a "smaller" action, so it can fit in the "action" space of your turn. But it's not like big & little, it's more like square & round pegs & holes. The Action peg goes in the Action hole, the Bonus Action peg goes in the Bonus Action hole, but the peg for one doesn't fit in the hole for the other.
That is a really good analogy.