So my friends and I just started playing and we are confused on some aspects of the game. I was hoping someone could explain it to us.
- Does everyone get a bonus action? In the PHB189 it said "You can take a bonus action only when a special ability, spell, or other feature of the game states that you can do something as a bonus action. You otherwise don't have a bonus action to take." So, to me, that means we don't have any bonus actions unless something tells us we do, right? But then I read on another forum somewhere that if you have 2 light weapons, you can attack with one, then use your bonus action to attack with the other (minus the modifiers). Is that right? Basically, I just really want to know how we can determine if we have a bonus action to take or not. Sorry if its a dumb question and it has been answered before!
- We used the awesome character creator on here to create our characters. For our weapons, it has the HIT/DC +4 and then the Dmg shows 1d4 + 2 -- those automatically add all the modifiers we can use right? For basic attacks? Or do we still add our ability/proficiency modifiers to it?
- Lastly, (sorry for all the questions!) How do you track the time in game, I see where each round in a battle is 6 seconds, and travelling time is equivalent to such and such, but it gets hard keeping track! Do you guys have recommendations on the best way to keep track of everything??
1. You seem to understand bonus actions correctly. Everyone has a bonus action "slot" on their turn, but they can only use it when some feature (ability, spell, object, etc.) specifically gives you an option of something to do with your bonus action. The only option that all characters start with is the two-weapon fighting bonus attack - when holding two light weapons.
2. It sounds like the the character sheet is building in your modifiers and proficiencies correctly. Your modifier for that weapon would be +2, and proficiency of lvl 1 players is +2, making the +4 hit value you see.
3. There are some tables around that can tell you about travel times, but non-combat time keeping is a bit of a fuzzy art. Personally, I have my "world map" on a grid so travel time is just roughly 4 hours per grid - faster or slower with assorted factors. And when they are social interacting or exploring a dungeon I would scratch a mark any time I think an hour has passed (searching that room took maybe ten minutes, chatting with people in the inn was about half an hour), I announce every 4 hours that the party could take a short rest if they want, and announce time for a long rest after three 4hr sessions. Some DMs let players rest whenever they like - I prefer a more rigid schedule. If the party wants to rest early then they have to waste the rest of the day. In many cases there is no need to track time exactly, and when there is a need you just want to find a method that suits your table.
As far as Im aware, youre right. Unless something specifically states that you can use "it" as a bonus action, you dont really have any.
- Using your off hand weapon WOULD be a bonus action... of course its the same as a normal attack with rolls etc, but you dont add your modifier on the damage (unless its negative). You can only attack with an offhand if its a "lght" weapon though unless youve got a mechanic that tells you otherwise :)
- The character creator has automatically put all your midifieirs in the right places for your attacks and spells etc, so you're good to go with that.
- Each of your players turns lasts 6 seconds, but a round is where every player including the DM has used their actions/movements etc.
1) Everyone can have access to a bonus action, but you can only do things on your bonus action that specifically require a bonus action to do, and only if you have access to those things. Certain spells (like misty step), off hand attacking (if you have two weapons with the "light" property) and the Rogues "Cunning Action" ability are all examples of bonus actions. Look at your class abilities, spells, and items to know if you have bonus actions available (the D&D beyond character sheet is great for telling you what is available to your character. The PHB is a great resource, but you can find a lot of info in Basic Rules regarding certain types of bonus action.
2) the character creator automatically adds your modifiers to your Hit/DC column in the online character sheet (and will adjust as you level up/gain additional proficiency/ASIs)
3) Most games I play track time narratively except when in combat, so the DM should be letting the group know long the thing you are doing is taking and what time it is (travelling, exploring, rummaging around a necromancers bedroom, etc). For out of combat game mechanics, The most important thing for the DM to track is days, as you can typically only take one long rest per day, and certain magic items recharge at dawn. In combat, a round of turns is 6 seconds, and most DMs track rounds by the initiative order and note taking. Some DMs keep the initiative order secret behind the screen, some hang cards on the screen showing the order, its pretty much whatever works for your group.
I just want to drop some praise for accurately understanding how bonus actions work. That's a concept that a lot of new players have difficulty grasping right away. Welcome to D&D!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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.
There is a bonus action rule that is difficult for even more advanced players, and it involves spellcasting: When casting a bonus action spell, you cannot cast another spell on your turn, except for a cantrip that takes one action to cast.
Spells have different casting times, most take your action, some take a bonus action, some take a reaction, and some take longer time periods (multiple actions over multiple turns). I'll use the following spells to illustrate the rule above: fireball (a single action 3rd level spell), fire bolt (a single action cantrip), counterspell (a reaction spell), and misty step (a bonus action spell). You get one action and one bonus action on your turn, and a reaction you can take on your turn or anytime else in that round.
So, if you, on your turn:
Use your action to cast Fireball first, you can cast Counterspell (if you meet the reaction trigger), but you can't cast Misty Step or Fire Bolt
Use your action to cast Fire Bolt first, you can cast Counterspell orMisty Step (but not both), but you can't cast Fireball (you've used your action already)
Use your reaction to cast Counterspell first (not sure how that comes about, but if you met the reaction trigger somehow), you could use your action to cast Fire BoltorFireball (but not both, since they each would use your action), but you can't cast Misty Step
Use your bonus action to cast Misty Step first, you could cast Fire Bolt (cantrip with a casting time of one action), but you can't cast Fireball (not a cantrip) or Counterspell (not a cantrip, not a single action to cast)
All of these sequences are on your turn, so even with casting a bonus action spell on your turn you can cast Counterspell on someone elses turn (just not yours). Certain class abilities may allow you to do additional or different things (Fighter's Action surge, Sorcerer Metamagic), but these rules work in general.
Hey!
So my friends and I just started playing and we are confused on some aspects of the game. I was hoping someone could explain it to us.
- Does everyone get a bonus action? In the PHB189 it said "You can take a bonus action only when a special ability, spell, or other feature of the game states that you can do something as a bonus action. You otherwise don't have a bonus action to take." So, to me, that means we don't have any bonus actions unless something tells us we do, right? But then I read on another forum somewhere that if you have 2 light weapons, you can attack with one, then use your bonus action to attack with the other (minus the modifiers). Is that right? Basically, I just really want to know how we can determine if we have a bonus action to take or not. Sorry if its a dumb question and it has been answered before!
- We used the awesome character creator on here to create our characters. For our weapons, it has the HIT/DC +4 and then the Dmg shows 1d4 + 2 -- those automatically add all the modifiers we can use right? For basic attacks? Or do we still add our ability/proficiency modifiers to it?
- Lastly, (sorry for all the questions!) How do you track the time in game, I see where each round in a battle is 6 seconds, and travelling time is equivalent to such and such, but it gets hard keeping track! Do you guys have recommendations on the best way to keep track of everything??
Thank you for your help in advance!!
- Just 4 noobs trying to learn the game
Good questions.
1. You seem to understand bonus actions correctly. Everyone has a bonus action "slot" on their turn, but they can only use it when some feature (ability, spell, object, etc.) specifically gives you an option of something to do with your bonus action. The only option that all characters start with is the two-weapon fighting bonus attack - when holding two light weapons.
2. It sounds like the the character sheet is building in your modifiers and proficiencies correctly. Your modifier for that weapon would be +2, and proficiency of lvl 1 players is +2, making the +4 hit value you see.
3. There are some tables around that can tell you about travel times, but non-combat time keeping is a bit of a fuzzy art. Personally, I have my "world map" on a grid so travel time is just roughly 4 hours per grid - faster or slower with assorted factors. And when they are social interacting or exploring a dungeon I would scratch a mark any time I think an hour has passed (searching that room took maybe ten minutes, chatting with people in the inn was about half an hour), I announce every 4 hours that the party could take a short rest if they want, and announce time for a long rest after three 4hr sessions. Some DMs let players rest whenever they like - I prefer a more rigid schedule. If the party wants to rest early then they have to waste the rest of the day. In many cases there is no need to track time exactly, and when there is a need you just want to find a method that suits your table.
Have fun with it all.
As far as Im aware, youre right. Unless something specifically states that you can use "it" as a bonus action, you dont really have any.
- Using your off hand weapon WOULD be a bonus action... of course its the same as a normal attack with rolls etc, but you dont add your modifier on the damage (unless its negative). You can only attack with an offhand if its a "lght" weapon though unless youve got a mechanic that tells you otherwise :)
- The character creator has automatically put all your midifieirs in the right places for your attacks and spells etc, so you're good to go with that.
- Each of your players turns lasts 6 seconds, but a round is where every player including the DM has used their actions/movements etc.
Hope that helps mate!
I'll try to answer your questions:
1) Everyone can have access to a bonus action, but you can only do things on your bonus action that specifically require a bonus action to do, and only if you have access to those things. Certain spells (like misty step), off hand attacking (if you have two weapons with the "light" property) and the Rogues "Cunning Action" ability are all examples of bonus actions. Look at your class abilities, spells, and items to know if you have bonus actions available (the D&D beyond character sheet is great for telling you what is available to your character. The PHB is a great resource, but you can find a lot of info in Basic Rules regarding certain types of bonus action.
2) the character creator automatically adds your modifiers to your Hit/DC column in the online character sheet (and will adjust as you level up/gain additional proficiency/ASIs)
3) Most games I play track time narratively except when in combat, so the DM should be letting the group know long the thing you are doing is taking and what time it is (travelling, exploring, rummaging around a necromancers bedroom, etc). For out of combat game mechanics, The most important thing for the DM to track is days, as you can typically only take one long rest per day, and certain magic items recharge at dawn. In combat, a round of turns is 6 seconds, and most DMs track rounds by the initiative order and note taking. Some DMs keep the initiative order secret behind the screen, some hang cards on the screen showing the order, its pretty much whatever works for your group.
Awesome! Thank you very much!!
I just want to drop some praise for accurately understanding how bonus actions work. That's a concept that a lot of new players have difficulty grasping right away. Welcome to D&D!
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.
There is a bonus action rule that is difficult for even more advanced players, and it involves spellcasting: When casting a bonus action spell, you cannot cast another spell on your turn, except for a cantrip that takes one action to cast.
Spells have different casting times, most take your action, some take a bonus action, some take a reaction, and some take longer time periods (multiple actions over multiple turns). I'll use the following spells to illustrate the rule above: fireball (a single action 3rd level spell), fire bolt (a single action cantrip), counterspell (a reaction spell), and misty step (a bonus action spell). You get one action and one bonus action on your turn, and a reaction you can take on your turn or anytime else in that round.
So, if you, on your turn:
Use your action to cast Fireball first, you can cast Counterspell (if you meet the reaction trigger), but you can't cast Misty Step or Fire Bolt
Use your action to cast Fire Bolt first, you can cast Counterspell or Misty Step (but not both), but you can't cast Fireball (you've used your action already)
Use your reaction to cast Counterspell first (not sure how that comes about, but if you met the reaction trigger somehow), you could use your action to cast Fire Bolt or Fireball (but not both, since they each would use your action), but you can't cast Misty Step
Use your bonus action to cast Misty Step first, you could cast Fire Bolt (cantrip with a casting time of one action), but you can't cast Fireball (not a cantrip) or Counterspell (not a cantrip, not a single action to cast)
All of these sequences are on your turn, so even with casting a bonus action spell on your turn you can cast Counterspell on someone elses turn (just not yours). Certain class abilities may allow you to do additional or different things (Fighter's Action surge, Sorcerer Metamagic), but these rules work in general.