The most literal reading of when you cast a spell using a Bonus Action, it seems to me the RAW state that you can cast a cantrip for your action.At this point, you are done Spellcasting this round.
I see many people saying you can use Action Surge to cast another cantrip.
War Caster allow you to cast a spell, cantrip or otherwise, as an opportunity attack as long as it is 1 action.
Many classes can cast a spell using a Reaction, such as Shield.
Are all these options lost by casting a spell as a Bonus Action?
If you use a bonus action spell, you are limited to cantrip spell(s) on your turn. (Turn being the key word here.)
Action surge will mean bonus, cantrip, cantrip.
War caster opportunity feature: will be a reaction cast on another person's turn, so unaffected by a bonus spell on your turn. Same with standard reaction spells like shield.
The Spellcasting restriction is roughly that you can only cast 1 non-cantrip per round, but as long as you still have the opportunity to you can cast as many Cantrips as you want. I'm not 100% whether this is done by Round or by when you take your turn, someone else will have to tell you that detail, but either way.... Say you cast a Bonus Action Cantrip, an Action Cantrip, and earlier in the Round you used your Reaction to Opportunity Attacked with a Cantrip; you can still Action Surge and Cast a non-cantrip spell.
Casting a spell will not prevent you from casting a Cantrip, the restriction is only to non-cantrip spells.
An Opportunity Attack is a Reaction, so you wouldn't be able to both Opportunity Attack and Shield. That wouldn't be because of any spell rules, but rather because you only get 1 Reaction.
If you use a bonus action spell, you are limited to cantrip spell(s) on your turn. (Turn being the key word here.)
Action surge will mean bonus, cantrip, cantrip.
War caster opportunity feature: will be a reaction cast on another person's turn, so unaffected by a bonus spell on your turn. Same with standard reaction spells like shield.
Just be aware this is only relevant if you're casting using a bonus action spell.
As long as you do not use your Bonus Action to cast a spell - you could use your Action to cast a levelled spell then use the Action from a Haste buff to cast another levelled spell and then Action Surge to cast another levelled spell. As soon as you consider using your bonus action though you can no longer do that.
Just be aware this is only relevant if you're casting using a bonus action spell.
As long as you do not use your Bonus Action to cast a spell - you could use your Action to cast a levelled spell then use the Action from a Haste buff to cast another levelled spell and then Action Surge to cast another levelled spell. As soon as you consider using your bonus action though you can no longer do that.
While this is true for Action Surge, you cannot use the extra Action granted by Haste to cast a spell. Per the spell description, "and it gains an additional action on each of its turns. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action."
Yea that's true (edited the post). Should have checked first. There probably are other abilities like that that would work though.
Though saying that - Use an Object could be used to use a magic item which allows you to cast a levelled spell. It's a bit roundabout but possible I guess?
Unfortunately, under the rules for "activating an item" it specifically calls out that activating a magic item as an action is not a function of the "use an object" action.
Indeed, as Sigvard_Vigrid says, using a magic item requires a full action. I tend to play this by ear as a DM, but I don't think I'd allow a player to use a Wand or something as part of Haste. Depends on the situation really.
All said, my feelings on the "can only cast a Cantrip if you've cast a Bonus Action spell" are rather mixed, especially in early levels. The cost of using 2 spellslots in one turn can outweigh the benefits of casting 2 leveled spells in one turn, particularly for Sorcerers using Quickened spell as they also have to spend 2 Sorcery Points. The main Bonus Action spell I see used early on is Misty Step, which uses a 2nd level spell slot - a big cost for low level players.
Though at later levels, this can allow for some ridiculous damage output if you ignore the rule. Casting 2 say 5th level Lightning Bolts for a total of 20d6 is pretty ridiculous, and at higher levels 2 sorcery points isn't a big drawback. Granted, 10d6 (or more at higher levels than 5th) for one spell and 3d10 or 4d10 (3rd or 4th tier) for a Fire Bolt cantrip is pretty nuts too, so the question is "does the cost of a spell slot balance that?" It's a weird balance mix, but personally I don't tend to enforce this rule for the Casters - particularly the Sorcerer - in my party.
I understand and support what they have intended by restricting leveled spells cast per turn, but I don't like how they revolved it around bonus actions. It would be less complicated, and functionally the same thing, to just say that a character can only cast a single non-cantrip spell per turn (without Action Surge). Full stop.
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You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
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The most literal reading of when you cast a spell using a Bonus Action, it seems to me the RAW state that you can cast a cantrip for your action.At this point, you are done Spellcasting this round.
I see many people saying you can use Action Surge to cast another cantrip.
War Caster allow you to cast a spell, cantrip or otherwise, as an opportunity attack as long as it is 1 action.
Many classes can cast a spell using a Reaction, such as Shield.
Are all these options lost by casting a spell as a Bonus Action?
If you use a bonus action spell, you are limited to cantrip spell(s) on your turn. (Turn being the key word here.)
Action surge will mean bonus, cantrip, cantrip.
War caster opportunity feature: will be a reaction cast on another person's turn, so unaffected by a bonus spell on your turn. Same with standard reaction spells like shield.
The Spellcasting restriction is roughly that you can only cast 1 non-cantrip per round, but as long as you still have the opportunity to you can cast as many Cantrips as you want. I'm not 100% whether this is done by Round or by when you take your turn, someone else will have to tell you that detail, but either way.... Say you cast a Bonus Action Cantrip, an Action Cantrip, and earlier in the Round you used your Reaction to Opportunity Attacked with a Cantrip; you can still Action Surge and Cast a non-cantrip spell.
Casting a spell will not prevent you from casting a Cantrip, the restriction is only to non-cantrip spells.
An Opportunity Attack is a Reaction, so you wouldn't be able to both Opportunity Attack and Shield. That wouldn't be because of any spell rules, but rather because you only get 1 Reaction.
That makes sense, thanks!
Just be aware this is only relevant if you're casting using a bonus action spell.
As long as you do not use your Bonus Action to cast a spell - you could use your Action to cast a levelled spell then use
the Action from a Haste buff to cast another levelled spell and thenAction Surge to cast another levelled spell. As soon as you consider using your bonus action though you can no longer do that.Edit:
Note to self. Fact check first.
Mega Yahtzee Thread:
Highest 41: brocker2001 (#11,285).
Yahtzee of 2's: Emmber (#36,161).
Lowest 9: JoeltheWalrus (#312), Emmber (#12,505) and Dertinus (#20,953).
While this is true for Action Surge, you cannot use the extra Action granted by Haste to cast a spell. Per the spell description, "and it gains an additional action on each of its turns. That action can be used only to take the Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Use an Object action."
Yea that's true (edited the post). Should have checked first. There probably are other abilities like that that would work though.
Though saying that - Use an Object could be used to use a magic item which allows you to cast a levelled spell. It's a bit roundabout but possible I guess?
Mega Yahtzee Thread:
Highest 41: brocker2001 (#11,285).
Yahtzee of 2's: Emmber (#36,161).
Lowest 9: JoeltheWalrus (#312), Emmber (#12,505) and Dertinus (#20,953).
Unfortunately, under the rules for "activating an item" it specifically calls out that activating a magic item as an action is not a function of the "use an object" action.
Indeed, as Sigvard_Vigrid says, using a magic item requires a full action. I tend to play this by ear as a DM, but I don't think I'd allow a player to use a Wand or something as part of Haste. Depends on the situation really.
All said, my feelings on the "can only cast a Cantrip if you've cast a Bonus Action spell" are rather mixed, especially in early levels. The cost of using 2 spellslots in one turn can outweigh the benefits of casting 2 leveled spells in one turn, particularly for Sorcerers using Quickened spell as they also have to spend 2 Sorcery Points. The main Bonus Action spell I see used early on is Misty Step, which uses a 2nd level spell slot - a big cost for low level players.
Though at later levels, this can allow for some ridiculous damage output if you ignore the rule. Casting 2 say 5th level Lightning Bolts for a total of 20d6 is pretty ridiculous, and at higher levels 2 sorcery points isn't a big drawback. Granted, 10d6 (or more at higher levels than 5th) for one spell and 3d10 or 4d10 (3rd or 4th tier) for a Fire Bolt cantrip is pretty nuts too, so the question is "does the cost of a spell slot balance that?"
It's a weird balance mix, but personally I don't tend to enforce this rule for the Casters - particularly the Sorcerer - in my party.
I understand and support what they have intended by restricting leveled spells cast per turn, but I don't like how they revolved it around bonus actions. It would be less complicated, and functionally the same thing, to just say that a character can only cast a single non-cantrip spell per turn (without Action Surge). Full stop.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.