There's some debate with my DM on whether or not issuing commands to an accursed specter is an action. Does telling a specter to attack use an action or bonus action of the commanding player?
Since it doesn't specify, it's free. When a Warlock who takes Pact of the Chain commands his familiar to attack the rule states, "Additionally, when you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your own attacks to allow your familiar to make one attack with its reaction.". Crown of Madness specifies that the caster must use your action to maintain control over the target. Summon Greater Demon and Conjure Elemental specify that issuing commands to the summoned creatures does not consume an action on your part. Create Undead specifies that commanding the creatures you create requires a bonus action. Based on that, I'd say that issuing verbal commands doesn't require an action or a bonus action because that cost isn't specified in the class feature.
"Roll initiative for the specter, which has its own turns." That's all you should need to know. It doesn't act on your turn. It acts on it's own turn. If this took an action, it would be the most useless class feature ever. 10 or 3d6 damage to forgo your two attacks, casting eldritch blast, or casting a spell? That's the worse trade off ever even at level 6. The damage doesn't scale so it would be worse than useless at higher levels. Using a bonus action I guess would make it at least useful. But honestly not even then would you use it half the time.
This game is pretty specific. If it doesn't say it costs an action or bonus action, it doesn't cost an action or bonus action.
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There's some debate with my DM on whether or not issuing commands to an accursed specter is an action. Does telling a specter to attack use an action or bonus action of the commanding player?
Since it doesn't specify, it's free. When a Warlock who takes Pact of the Chain commands his familiar to attack the rule states, "Additionally, when you take the Attack action, you can forgo one of your own attacks to allow your familiar to make one attack with its reaction.". Crown of Madness specifies that the caster must use your action to maintain control over the target. Summon Greater Demon and Conjure Elemental specify that issuing commands to the summoned creatures does not consume an action on your part. Create Undead specifies that commanding the creatures you create requires a bonus action. Based on that, I'd say that issuing verbal commands doesn't require an action or a bonus action because that cost isn't specified in the class feature.
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Makes sense, thanks.
"Roll initiative for the specter, which has its own turns." That's all you should need to know. It doesn't act on your turn. It acts on it's own turn. If this took an action, it would be the most useless class feature ever. 10 or 3d6 damage to forgo your two attacks, casting eldritch blast, or casting a spell? That's the worse trade off ever even at level 6. The damage doesn't scale so it would be worse than useless at higher levels. Using a bonus action I guess would make it at least useful. But honestly not even then would you use it half the time.
This game is pretty specific. If it doesn't say it costs an action or bonus action, it doesn't cost an action or bonus action.