Action Surge Tactics

[Sirdar]

I'm looking for some great examples of using Action Surge in a tactical way. Using the Trip Attack maneuver and then bashing someone three times in a row with GWM (as a fifth level fighter) is pretty nice, but everyone does that. I want the extraordinary stuff!


No theoretical examples please, just things you actually done in a game.
The greatness of the example should be the tactical use, not the dice rolls that follows.
Extra merit if the character in your example is a single class fighter.

[Corran]

No theoretical examples please, just things you actually done in a game.
The greatness of the example should be the tactical use, not the dice rolls that follows.
Extra merit if the character in your example is a single class fighter.

Gotcha.
Fighter 2/ wizard 18.
Now I haven't seen this in game, but imagine how many dice you will roll when you spam 2 high level fireballs in a single turn, say of levels 9 and 8. Wow, I dont even think I can add that many d4's!

ps: Should I mention hold person + attack? Or it doesn't count since I have never seen it in play??? I wonder how I could think of it in the first play, since it's impossible to understand if it's useful or not if you haven't rolled the dice and see what happens. Must have heard it somewhere then...

pps: On a more serious note, after you hit level 10, any spell with a save paired with an action of attacks works well, because of eldritch strike. Works better for a GWM approach.

[Willie the Duck]

I'm looking for some great examples of using Action Surge in a tactical way. Using the Trip Attack maneuver and then bashing someone three times in a row with GWM (as a fifth level fighter) is pretty nice, but everyone does that. I want the extraordinary stuff!


No theoretical examples please, just things you actually done in a game.
The greatness of the example should be the tactical use, not the dice rolls that follows.
Extra merit if the character in your example is a single class fighter.


Battlemaster2/Bladelock 3 - first round hex+ 2-ray EB approaching enemies, standard procedure. Second round drop them with 2 hexed melee attacks. Used bonus action to switch hex to next opponent and hit them with 2-ray EB. Opponents turned and ran.

Nice and simple, but it just highlights how a 'mere' extra action really helps.

[Malifice]

Battlemaster2/Bladelock 3 - first round hex+ 2-ray EB approaching enemies, standard procedure. Second round drop them with 2 hexed melee attacks. Used bonus action to switch hex to next opponent and hit them with 2-ray EB. Opponents turned and ran.

Nice and simple, but it just highlights how a 'mere' extra action really helps.

How did you get two attacks?

[Naanomi]

It isn't amazing, but we had a fighter/rogue with a dash+dash+dodge to get in the doorway and defend it in a way that saved the day in what would have been a tough encounter otherwise

[Willie the Duck]

How did you get two attacks?

By not being a space cadet and not making typos, and being bladelock 5.

[Sirdar]

I have on several occasions been faced with some variant on the following dilemma: One party member has been dropped to 0 hp and another one is in big trouble facing multiple foes with little hit points left. If he goes down as well (which is very likely since he just had his turn), we are seriously outnumbered. So I really want to bring the unconscious party member back up on his feet before we are overrun, but I also want to rush to my still standing friend before he is lost as well.

Action Surge! First administer a healing potion to the Monk the unconscious party member and then bash the most dangerous enemy to the ground before I place myself as a shield between the remaing attackers and my still standing friend. The feeling is awesome when I end my turn and the guy who where unconscious a moment ago picks up his dice and says: My turn!

[MaxWilson]

I'm looking for some great examples of using Action Surge in a tactical way. Using the Trip Attack maneuver and then bashing someone three times in a row with GWM (as a fifth level fighter) is pretty nice, but everyone does that. I want the extraordinary stuff!


No theoretical examples please, just things you actually done in a game.
The greatness of the example should be the tactical use, not the dice rolls that follows.
Extra merit if the character in your example is a single class fighter.


Two sort-of-nonobvious uses are to:

(1) Use it to double-Dash away from danger if it turns out enemies are too strong. [Has happened only in sim games, not a real game, yet.] Relying on only a single Dash means you can never get away from the enemies, and they kill you--Action Surge provides the extra 30' that keeps you ailve.

(2) If there's a must-do maneuver like grappling/proning a Gelugon so it can't attack the squishies or escape, and you fail, Action Surge provides a vital do-over.

In general, Action Surge is best held for a tactically-decisive moment in a conflict, like when you manage to get into range of the enemy wizard and he's not invisible. Habitually blowing it on the first round of combat is a waste.

[Sirdar]

Two sort-of-nonobvious uses are to:

(1) Use it to double-Dash away from danger if it turns out enemies are too strong. [Has happened only in sim games, not a real game, yet.] Relying on only a single Dash means you can never get away from the enemies, and they kill you--Action Surge provides the extra 30' that keeps you ailve.

Yes, or running towards the enemy like Naanomi to block an entrance. A very nice move if you ask me.


It isn't amazing, but we had a fighter/rogue with a dash+dash+dodge to get in the doorway and defend it in a way that saved the day in what would have been a tough encounter otherwise

[Spookykid]

used it to move-dash-attack with a trip, a stupid spell chucker who thought i was to far away to bother him

[MrWesson22]

With 2 levels of rogue, dash, attack, move, then hide. Pretty beastly - especially on a wood elf with 35' movement (and easier hiding).

[Dudewithknives]

At level 5, battle master fighter, getting in a fight on a ship at sea with a pair of brutes, 1 in half plate sword and board, the other full plate sword and board. We were level 5, they had AC of 19 and 20, and lots of HP.

Action 1: grapple guy in plate trying to kill me, move 5 feet, grabbed the guy wearing half plate hitting put cleric.
Action surge, dragged them 10 feet to the edge of the boat, 2 actions to shove both of them off the boat into the ocean, in a storm.

Ignored all that nice ac in favor of their untrained athletics and acrobatics.

Another example with the same guy.

Fighting some kind of master swordsman NPC. Level 7 by now.

Action: attack, maneuver to disarm, interact with object to pick up his rapier, second attack action to throw it down the hallway.
Action surge: grabbed unarmed target, moved to drag him from a hallway into an a joining room, second action to lock the door.

It did not go well after that for him.

[MeeposFire]

With a fighter rogue you could use one action to attack and get SA and then use your second action to ready an action with an easy to use trigger to get an off turn attack and get SA again.

You can do something similar with a single classed rogue and the haste spell by using your haste action to attack and your normal action to ready.

[Specter]

Stuff I've actually done, as a single-classed Fighter:

- Mastermind of a gang was trying to run away from conflict with his Cunning Action. I dashed with AS and finished him.
- Flying enemy was pestering me, so I put two Scorching Rays in his face. Didn't killl him, but 10d6 is enough to remove people from your face sometimes.
- Being attacked by two chain devils (8 attacks a turn), had to Dodge to survive.
- Eldritch Striked another fighter on the first turn, then proceeded to Hold his Person and crit on three attacks, finishing the match.

[Sirdar]

At level 5, battle master fighter, getting in a fight on a ship at sea with a pair of brutes, 1 in half plate sword and board, the other full plate sword and board. We were level 5, they had AC of 19 and 20, and lots of HP.

Action 1: grapple guy in plate trying to kill me, move 5 feet, grabbed the guy wearing half plate hitting put cleric.
Action surge, dragged them 10 feet to the edge of the boat, 2 actions to shove both of them off the boat into the ocean, in a storm.

Ignored all that nice ac in favor of their untrained athletics and acrobatics.

Another example with the same guy.

Fighting some kind of master swordsman NPC. Level 7 by now.

Action: attack, maneuver to disarm, interact with object to pick up his rapier, second attack action to throw it down the hallway.
Action surge: grabbed unarmed target, moved to drag him from a hallway into an a joining room, second action to lock the door.

It did not go well after that for him.

Awesome! I never been interested in playing a grappler, but I may have to reconsider. :-)

[GlenSmash!]

At level 5, battle master fighter, getting in a fight on a ship at sea with a pair of brutes, 1 in half plate sword and board, the other full plate sword and board. We were level 5, they had AC of 19 and 20, and lots of HP.

Action 1: grapple guy in plate trying to kill me, move 5 feet, grabbed the guy wearing half plate hitting put cleric.
Action surge, dragged them 10 feet to the edge of the boat, 2 actions to shove both of them off the boat into the ocean, in a storm.

Ignored all that nice ac in favor of their untrained athletics and acrobatics.

Another example with the same guy.

Fighting some kind of master swordsman NPC. Level 7 by now.

Action: attack, maneuver to disarm, interact with object to pick up his rapier, second attack action to throw it down the hallway.
Action surge: grabbed unarmed target, moved to drag him from a hallway into an a joining room, second action to lock the door.

It did not go well after that for him.

It's easy to forget how cool, thematic, and sometimes very effective Grappling can be. All of my favorite characters have had decent Strength and Athletics Proficiency just on the chance that grappling might come up.

[Dudewithknives]

It's easy to forget how cool, thematic, and sometimes very effective Grappling can be. All of my favorite characters have had decent Strength and Athletics Proficiency just on the chance that grappling might come up.

Grappling is awesome to use in a game, but it can really be shut down quick if you deal with very large enemies or certain ones thay are just immune to grappling.

One game we dealt with quite a few water, air, and fire elementals, the next game it was enemies that were gargantuan sized. That is a grappling off switch.

[GlenSmash!]

Grappling is awesome to use in a game, but it can't really be shut down quick if you deal with very large enemies or certain ones thay are just immune to grappling.

One game we dealt with quite a few water, air, and fire elementals, the next game it was enemies that were gargantuan sized. That is a grappling off switch.

Totally true. In those situations, I would either draw a two-hander or don a shield.

[Dudewithknives]

Totally true. In those situations, I would either draw a two-hander or don a shield.

I carried a shield but mostly I just used a spear.

[Kane0]

With a rogue, action surge and then ready an attack for later so you can get two sneak attacks in one turn. In fact this can also be effective when used against spellcasters, use your action surge to ready an attack for when they cast a spell, possibly forcing a concentration check.

With the Dwarven Resilience UA Racial Feat, action surge to dodge after attacking to get the normal benefits plus a free hit die of healing. Couple with Second Wind for extra healing.

With any spellcasting, action surge is the only way to get around the 'one non-cantrip per turn' thing.

Coupled with any movement dependant ability (Tabaxi doublespeed, mobile or charger feat, arguably ranger whirlwind attack, etc) action surging for a dash can be very rewarding in the right circumstances.

[MaxWilson]

With any spellcasting, action surge is the only way to get around the 'one non-cantrip per turn' thing.

Well, not quite the only way. Action spell + reaction spell works too, even on the same turn.

[Kane0]

Huh. Well, I've never needed to take a reaction during my turn but there you go.

[MaxWilson]

Huh. Well, I've never needed to take a reaction during my turn but there you go.

The most common case is Counterspelling someone who tries to Counterspell you, but you can imagine other use cases too like punishing someone who opportunity attacks you, via Hellish Rebuke, or just blocking their OA with Shield.

Also, Dimension Door (straight up) + Feather Fall is a pretty good panic plan under some circumstances, especially if the Dimension Door is on a Contingency so it doesn't cost an action. (E.g. "Contingency: if I say 'Sadeas Morgul', Dimension Door me 500 feet straight up".) It gives you ten rounds of immunity to non-flying melee monsters, most spellcasters, and many ranged monsters. You can cast your spell with your action (e.g. Wall of Force on the biggest bad guy), then say your trigger phrase to Dimension Door away, then Feather Fall with your reaction, and the party can kill whoever is left behind without having to worry about you losing concentration on your Wall of Force on the big guy.

[Potato_Priest]

How did you get two attacks?

Eldritch blast (unlike the fighter's extra attack) scales by character level, not class level, and his character was level 5.

[Willie the Duck]

Eldritch blast (unlike the fighter's extra attack) scales by character level, not class level, and his character was level 5.

No, he's right. I also said 2 melee attacks. I could have fixed it either way, I had the character at level 5 and at 7 and was doing the same thing with my action surges.