Giving Bonus Actions to Tasha-style Servants

[Silpharon]

It struck me today that the Homunculus Servant (HS) rules talk about actions, but not bonus actions. This also applies to the other Tasha servants, like the Wildfire Spirit (WS) or Primal Companion (PC). Now this makes sense given they have no standard bonus actions that they can take, but what if that changed?

For instance, what if they got a Necklace of Prayer Beads? Or if they had a Ring of Spell Storing with a bonus action spell, or one that used bonus actions like Spiritual Weapon?

The intelligence of these creatures would support item use: 10 for HS, 13 for WS, 8 for PC.

For familiars, there are seemingly no limitations:


A familiar can't attack, but it can take other actions as normal.

So if a familiar had enough intelligence to use an item, like a Sprite, it should be able to do so without restriction.

But what about the HS/WS/PC?


It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action.


I see three interpretations:

It cannot ever use bonus actions because the rules provide no means for it to do so.
The use of "action" here is generic, and could mean a standard action or bonus action. Thus, as stated, it can only move and use reactions on its own. You would need to use your own bonus action to command it to take a bonus action.
The use of "action" here is specifically a standard action, written this way because that's all that is available by default to these creatures. Thus, on its turn, it can use a bonus action if it had one, along with movement and reaction, just like any other creature.


Clearly the latter interpretation could open up some interesting opportunities (in line with what's already available to a smart familiar). Obviously this will require DM input, but what are y'all's thoughts on which interpretation is correct?

[T.G. Oskar]

It struck me today that the Homunculus Servant (HS) rules talk about actions, but not bonus actions. This also applies to the other Tasha servants, like the Wildfire Spirit (WS) or Primal Companion (PC). Now this makes sense given they have no standard bonus actions that they can take, but what if that changed?

For instance, what if they got a Necklace of Prayer Beads? Or if they had a Ring of Spell Storing with a bonus action spell, or one that used bonus actions like Spiritual Weapon?

The intelligence of these creatures would support item use: 10 for HS, 13 for WS, 8 for PC.

For familiars, there are seemingly no limitations:

So if a familiar had enough intelligence to use an item, like a Sprite, it should be able to do so without restriction.

But what about the HS/WS/PC?


I see three interpretations:

It cannot ever use bonus actions because the rules provide no means for it to do so.
The use of "action" here is generic, and could mean a standard action or bonus action. Thus, as stated, it can only move and use reactions on its own. You would need to use your own bonus action to command it to take a bonus action.
The use of "action" here is specifically a standard action, written this way because that's all that is available by default to these creatures. Thus, on its turn, it can use a bonus action if it had one, along with movement and reaction, just like any other creature.


Clearly the latter interpretation could open up some interesting opportunities (in line with what's already available to a smart familiar). Obviously this will require DM input, but what are y'all's thoughts on which interpretation is correct?

The third one.

Consider that PCs (and most NPCs) get bonus actions because the game mechanics want to limit additional actions to a single, bonus action. (Exceptions being Fighters with Action Surge, Wizards casting Time Stop, and people affected by Haste, among others from monsters.) When a creature bonds to you because of a class or subclass feature, it effectively counts as a part of you; thus, it "essentially" shares its actions with you. Beastmaster is such a mess because it runs with that same principle - the creature's actions and yours are one, so you must sacrifice some of your actions to allow them to act, in order to have them act during your turn. (Otherwise, you'd have two creatures' worth of actions, and if the creature is as powerful as you, then you'd be effectively playing two characters compared to the others playing one. Note that this "restriction" loosened the moment Tasha's came into play.)

Now, running through that observation I made, if BAs were allowed to companions (not sidekicks, which already have one but count as another party member aside from XP), they'd be able to act twice by spending one of your bonus actions - theirs and their action itself. Hence, that's out of the question. Whether you want them to trigger something requiring a bonus action with their "standard" action is the real question in here.

Consider the Necklace of Prayer Beads. Each bead can be used as a bonus action to cast one of up to six spells assigned to it, determined randomly. Most of these spells require deciding who to affect and how - and in this case, it'd be the companion that makes that decision, though you assume you "guide" it. That's a very generous reading. That said, if the companion were to use that, it couldn't use its typical action - what you're doing is replacing an action, and that's the same as allowing a DM to trigger two bonus actions by sacrificing your "standard" action. (Again, a holdover of 3.5, where that was explicitly possible.) You could do that on your own without affecting the companion, but then the companion would go into auto-Dodge mode instead.

Spiritual Weapon is even worse, since it has a subsequent trigger that requires a bonus action. What will happen is that it loses its action nonetheless, unless the effect isn't triggered; hence, A) it triggers SW but does nothing else, B) it doesn't trigger it but takes its action. If it were to trigger Spiritual Weapon, it'd be effectively the same as if YOU had triggered it, but loses the ability to Auto-Dodge, which is worse.

That said, you have to consider a more important question. Is your companion allowed to use the Use an Object action? The term "other actions" seems to support this, but that depends on whether your DM allows Use an Object as one of the "other actions". A Primal Companion with 8 Int probably doesn't have the appendages to use a potion, let alone a Necklace of Prayer Beads or a Ring of Spell Storing. If your DM allows Use an Object as one of the "other actions", then you *could* possibly allow an action replacement, but I'd find it iffy since it means you, as a PC, could also use it, and therefore trigger some unexpected combinations.

[Silpharon]

I think I understand your argument, but that would be interpretation #2 instead of interpretation #3, correct?

Effectively, you're stating that the player's bonus action results in one generic action for the companion, whether that's a standard or a bonus action. Thus, companions are more limited than familiars, even though officially companions still have their own turn.

[T.G. Oskar]

I think I understand your argument, but that would be interpretation #2 instead of interpretation #3, correct?

Effectively, you're stating that the player's bonus action results in one generic action for the companion, whether that's a standard or a bonus action. Thus, companions are more limited than familiars, even though officially companions still have their own turn.

It's interpretation #3, since it's the closest.

What I mean is that the player's BA results in one specific kind of action for the companion. This is one of the actions given to the companion (usually a form of attack, as stated in the "Actions" section) or one of the actions stated in "Actions in Combat", with some exceptions.

Attack is out of the question since the actions you're given on the stat block are essentially attacks.
Cast a Spell requires the Spellcasting or Innate Spellcasting ability. Also, the stat blocks are moving towards giving spell attacks directly on the Actions section.

Thus, in summary, a companion is allowed to Dash, Disengage, Dodge, Help, Hide, Ready and Search - YMMV on Use an Object, since the DM can rule that a companion cannot because of lack of proper appendages and/or Int score. A bonus action is a specific action that can be taken alongside an action - there is no precedent, like in 3.x (to expand: you can take a swift action, the equivalent of bonus action in 3.x, as a standard action, which is the equivalent of your action). This leads to conclusion #3 (your companion can take only an action, since it's what's provided by default), but specifying why a companion cannot take a bonus action (nowhere in its stat block it is given one), hence it is even more restrictive than option #2 (the "action" you give it can either be one of the actions provided or a bonus action if enabled).

This may seem like conflicting with what's written on page 189 of the PHB, which states:

Various class features, spells, and other abilities let you take an additional action on your turn called a bonus action. [...] 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.

...which leads to an interpretation that could give the companion a BA if you somehow give it a way to trigger it (hence, why I mentioned if Use an Object is one of the valid actions interpreted as "other actions".) However, the companions you mention (Homunculus Servant/Steel Defender, Wildfire Spirit, Primal Companion) have this little nugget to point out:


In combat, the [companion] shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some [I]other action.

The part in brackets refers to what's mentioned specifically in the description for the Homunculus Servant and Steel Defender, both of which have reactions.

What you can interpret from this is that a companion is only allowed a move and a reaction, and automatic use of Dodge unless you spend your bonus action during your turn to trigger one of its actions, which can be on its stat block (i.e., its own attack) or one of the "other actions" that I mentioned above.

Up until now, everything points out to companions lacking bonus actions altogether - because they don't have something that allows them a bonus action. However, RAI points out that a companion effectively takes some of your actions, since it won't act on its own unless you are incapacitated, in which case it's allowed its full range of actions. This is the "default" description for "Actions in Combat" given to every companion, including the newest summons which also behave in a similar way. This is also consistent with the language in option #3, at least the first sentence.

The second one is where conflict lies, since there's nothing in their stat block that points out bonus actions given to companions, there's no language detailing them (it's not necessary, hence ignored for expediency), which would seem to default to PHB p.189, which is what leads to the language in the second sentence. However, if taking the above interpretation, then it'd lead to potential action abuse, as you could simply take your own bonus action and have the creature trigger a bonus action of its own (i.e., casting Spiritual Weapon via a Ring of Spell Storing). At best, this is DM ruling, but as I interpret it, I find that you're allowed to spend a bonus action to give them a full action because the game doesn't want you to exploit action economy, so my ruling would be closer to #1 - in fact, more like #1 preceding #3 - they cannot use bonus actions because the only actions provided to them are given by your use of your own bonus action because that's all the actions given to them by default.

However, I took a tangent so that you could close that loop without all that hassle - is the companion allowed the Use an Object action? Use an Object is specified as one of two potential activities - either interacting with a second object besides the one allowed for free during your turn, or trigger an object you have at hand (i.e. a magic item). You can extend that interpretation to assume that you can take a Use an Object action as a bonus action IF the action required to trigger that object is a bonus action itself, but that is interpretation. Note that the Thief Rogue can Use an Object as part of the actions allowed by its Cunning Action modification, meaning they can chug potions and trigger wands as their own kind of bonus action. Based on that, if a companion's not allowed to Use an Object, then it can't trigger any object regardless of its action, which closes the loophole. If triggering an object as a bonus action is independent from Use an Object, then you're creating a specific situation which overrides the general rule, but that's the realm of DM ruling instead.

In summary: it's more interpretations #1 and #3 are correct in tandem, but in the end, the DM is the one that chooses. You can ask JC on his Twitter if that ruling could fly, though. IMO, I say it wouldn't, because it counters the intention of limiting PC actions when they have companions.

[sithlordnergal]

The third one.

Consider that PCs (and most NPCs) get bonus actions because the game mechanics want to limit additional actions to a single, bonus action. (Exceptions being Fighters with Action Surge, Wizards casting Time Stop, and people affected by Haste, among others from monsters.) When a creature bonds to you because of a class or subclass feature, it effectively counts as a part of you; thus, it "essentially" shares its actions with you. Beastmaster is such a mess because it runs with that same principle - the creature's actions and yours are one, so you must sacrifice some of your actions to allow them to act, in order to have them act during your turn. (Otherwise, you'd have two creatures' worth of actions, and if the creature is as powerful as you, then you'd be effectively playing two characters compared to the others playing one. Note that this "restriction" loosened the moment Tasha's came into play.)


Ehhh, I would disagree with this basic premise, creatures don't share their actions, bonus or otherwise. The only time it would is if its specifically called out, such as with the Beastmaster Ranger. Outside of that though, a creature's actions are their own. If a Chain Pact Warlock uses their Bonus Action to order their Familiar to Attack, the Familiar still has their Bonus Action when their turn comes around.

This does mean you're getting two creature's worth of actions, but you can't get a creature as powerful as you unless you're using some of the old broken summoning spells, like Conjure Animals or Summon Greater Demon. However, this is limited by things wrapped up in the ability or spell. For example, the Beastmaster's pet can ONLY take the Dodge action UNLESS they're ordered to attack, same with the Steel Defender. Meanwhile a Familiar can't attack at all, though it can use magical items if it has the ability to do so. Undead are a bit of a special case, as they do nothing at all unless they're ordered to do it, and will not stop until their task is complete.

Even Conjure Animals, the most OP of minionmancy spells states "If you don't issue any commands to them, they defend themselves from hostile creatures, but otherwise take no actions." You have to issue a command to get them to do anything at all, unless they're already being attacked. In which case they defend themselves. Though this technical limitation isn't really a limitation since commands don't take any actions, and technically can be as simple or complicated as you like since there's really no limitation on how commands work.

[Silpharon]

The second one is where conflict lies, since there's nothing in their stat block that points out bonus actions given to companions, there's no language detailing them (it's not necessary, hence ignored for expediency), which would seem to default to PHB p.189, which is what leads to the language in the second sentence. However, if taking the above interpretation, then it'd lead to potential action abuse, as you could simply take your own bonus action and have the creature trigger a bonus action of its own (i.e., casting Spiritual Weapon via a Ring of Spell Storing). At best, this is DM ruling, but as I interpret it, I find that you're allowed to spend a bonus action to give them a full action because the game doesn't want you to exploit action economy, so my ruling would be closer to #1 - in fact, more like #1 preceding #3 - they cannot use bonus actions because the only actions provided to them are given by your use of your own bonus action because that's all the actions given to them by default.

Yeah, this is the crux of the issue. Well said. I agree with your assessment, even though I want another bonus action!

A Sprite familiar can absolutely take the Help action and bonus action "use an object" on the same turn, but it appears a companion could not. An owl... probably not, though as an action, feeding a Goodberry to a downed ally could be reasonable, so I don't think the Use an Object action is out of the question.



You can ask JC on his Twitter if that ruling could fly, though. IMO, I say it wouldn't, because it counters the intention of limiting PC actions when they have companions.
Ha, I think JC would vaguely reiterate the rules as written without answering the question. I can't blame him, I'd probably do the same thing. It's worse to be wrong than reiterate what can't be wrong, even if it doesn't help.

[Silpharon]

For example, the Beastmaster's pet can ONLY take the Dodge action UNLESS they're ordered to attack, same with the Steel Defender. Meanwhile a Familiar can't attack at all, though it can use magical items if it has the ability to do so.

Yeah, I think the proper interpretation is that the "only action" besides the dodge action affects bonus actions (a type of genetic action) as well. And to Oskar's point, even if a companion could Use an Object as a bonus action, that would have to be the singular "action" you command on your own bonus action.