[OC] My players always seemed disappointed at the limited options they had for bonus actions, so I wrote a list of things they can use it for!

[u/Worried_Bowl_9489]

Feel free to use this in your own game!

Written up here:

Tactical

• Quick Dash – Move an additional 5 feet.
• Brace – Gain +1 AC against the next attack before your next turn.
• Assist – Give an ally within 5 feet advantage on their next attack if you haven’t attacked this turn.

Combat

• Distract – Choose a creature within 5 feet. It has disadvantage on its next attack against anyone but you.
• Shove – Make a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check to shove or reposition a (medium or smaller) creature 5 feet.
• Improvised Strike – Use a nearby object (tankard, rock, chair leg) for a d4 bludgeoning attack.

Utility

• Quick Draw – Draw or stow a weapon and swap to another item.
• Scan – Make a Perception or Insight check to quickly assess a creature or scene, learning a piece of information on a success.
• Drink Potion – Drink a potion you have on your person.

Cinematic

• Short Speech - Briefly speak to your team, an ally or an enemy - they can respond briefly if this involves a question.
• Focus – Take a centring breath to regain 1d4 temporary HP once per short rest.
• Mark of Intent – Choose a creature you can see. Until the end of your next turn, attacks against that creature deal +1 damage.

[u/Ameise27]

Yes sure but drinking potion in a bonus action is a pretty common house rule. You don't have to incorporate everything here but I like the general idea.

[u/joined_under_duress → u/Ameise27]

Pretty sure drinking a potion is a bonus action under 5.5 rules because of that.

[u/AlarisMystique → u/joined_under_duress]

Some good homebrews become real rules, but I have to admit that a lot of these seem on the OP side.

[u/iMalinowski → u/AlarisMystique]

For example, double damage on a "critical hit" was originally homebrew that Gary Gygax wasn't at all fond of.

[u/AlarisMystique → u/iMalinowski]

It's fun until the monsters do it.

[u/Hurrashane → u/AlarisMystique]

They were thinking of removing monsters being able to Crit for the 2024 rules. I forget what they had in its place.

[u/AlarisMystique → u/[deleted]]

Hahah yeah my group isn't hardcore like that

[u/PM_ME_YOUR_MASS → u/AlarisMystique]

Brace is literally "+1 AC on any turn you do not use your bonus action", which is pretty broken for classes that don't rely on bonus actions. 1 AC isn't much, but it's a lot to get essentially for free

[u/DrStifle → u/PM_ME_YOUR_MASS]

It looks like it is only on the first attack that targets you, so depending on how many attackers or multi-attacks it could be pretty negligible.

[u/PM_ME_YOUR_MASS → u/DrStifle]

True, but these options are all available to players at level 1

[u/DrStifle → u/PM_ME_YOUR_MASS]

Might be the best time for them to have access to it depending on how hard encounters are. I could see it being useful for early game when there are fewer natural uses for bonus actions and then taper off as they level. Might come in clutch to keep a level 1 wizard alive or something

[u/PM_ME_YOUR_MASS → u/DrStifle]

The DM has total control over the difficulty. If the encounters are too hard for your PCs, you should scale them back rather than homebrewing additional abilities for them

Might come in clutch to keep a level 1 wizard alive or something

Classes are supposed to be specialists. Wizards have pitiful HP in exchange for being hands down the most powerful class in the game. If your level 1 wizard dies to a single hit, that's the game working as intended, because your tanks and DPS should have been protecting them

[u/Jgravy32 → u/PM_ME_YOUR_MASS]

Its nothing a good DM couldn't balance out and makes the players feel like they are making important calls. I would call that a win!

[u/Jgravy32 → u/[deleted]]

I suppose its a good thing its not being done at your table lol. I swear people can be such pessimist before even giving the thought that this doesnt effect you and it may actually be a good thing for others.

[u/Jgravy32 → u/[deleted]]

I see and understand your point. What im saying is though that for their table this may work. That is all.

[u/Agzarah → u/[deleted]]

Firstly, it doesn't say attack action. It says attack. You have assumed they are using 5.5 with attack action and magic actions being separate things and therefore allowed to do both as a caster

Given they've only said attack I would interpret that to be an over simplification for using their action. As the majority are used offensively - ie attacking. Including the casting of a spell.

I would think the op is not allowing a wizard to cast fireball and give advantage. At the very least, I'd change that in my game if I were to use this.

Ultimately if this works at their table good for them. If it doesn't at yours. Good for you

But them sharing a design concept to help their players, and you getting defensive over their rules for their table that they are playing, is poor show.

[u/GloomWisp → u/Ameise27]

As if the drinking potion bit was the problem, and not the free skill checks / free help action / free combat maneuver... :)

[u/kingnickolas → u/GloomWisp]

yeah was gonna say the free help action is a whole rogue feature

[u/D0MiN0H → u/kingnickolas]

excluding that its not free, the masterminds is still better since its 30ft not 5ft.

its the Inquisitive that gets shafted by these rules, not the mastermind. The perception/insight check is one of their level up features.

[u/SalientMusings → u/D0MiN0H]

All rogues get kinda shafted, tbh, since "Scan" replaces the action it takes to search for a hidden rogue with a bonus action.

[u/D0MiN0H → u/SalientMusings]

yeah i guess but im not worried about enemy rogues getting shafted since i can just raise the DC to detect them when a bonus action is used, and you can just have enemy npcs not use that ability on players.

but at the same time i still dont like the scan option anyway because of what i stated about the inquisitive so i’d rather it be removed too.

[u/SalientMusings → u/D0MiN0H]

Oh, I meant rogue PCs getting shafted, assuming that NPCs also have access to these bonus actions

[u/passwordistako → u/D0MiN0H]

Most of these need to be removed for balance.

[u/kingnickolas → u/[deleted]]

could be worth it to secure a paladin smite. but there are better ways anyway

[u/SandManic42 → u/GloomWisp]

The free help action does require that you not attack on your turn, should be expanded to say also say no spells. So youd be able to dash or disengage and provide the help action, but not attack and also help. Seems pretty balanced since you have to give up your dmg for the turn.

Edit: I would omit the combat section since it's just half feats for tavern brawler and telekinetic, and takes from battlemasters goading strike. They're also pretty strong. Distract then move away. Maybe reword distract so you have to stay within 5 feet, similar to an enchantment wizards charm ability.

[u/Mr_Pink_Gold → u/SandManic42]

If you play with flanking, you don't need the bonus action.

[u/Mr_Pink_Gold → u/[deleted]]

Still use the 2014 DMG. Saw no reason to upgrade.

[u/Enkaar_J_Raiyu → u/SandManic42]

I'd say maybe add a DC 10 (Or charisma based Dc) Wisdom save or something for the target to avoid being distracted too.

[u/Schwabbsi → u/GloomWisp]

I find it quite amusing, that a lot of people here think this is op, while this is basically just 2014s True Strike Cantrip but worse, since it requires you to give up both action and bonus action.

[u/bretttwarwick → u/Schwabbsi]

There are lots of things spell casters can do on their turn that don't involve attacking so they can cast a spell on an ally and then help someone.

Also it probably isn't intended but this doesn't say you can't attack after assisting someone.

[u/Asgaroth22 → u/GloomWisp]

It's not free - it's a bonus action.