The Bonus Guide (A Mini-Guide to Bonus Actions)

[odigity]

The Bonus Guide (A Mini-Guide to Bonus Actions)

Sources: Player's Handbook, Plane Shift: Zendikar, Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, Volo's Guide to Monsters, Xanathar's Guide to Everything
See Also: Master of Reactions — A Mini-Guide

Acronyms

• BA := Bonus Action
• BI := Barding Inspiration
• CD := Channel Divinity
• HP := Hit Points
• LR := Long Rest
• SP := Sorcery Points
• SR := Short Rest (or Long Rest)

Color Legend

• Verbatim Text
• Ability / Feat / Spell
• BA Summary
• Conditions
• Cost / Uses
• Sourcebook

General Rules

I only know of one general rule that grants a bonus action.

• Two-Weapon Fighting — "When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative. • If either weapon has the thrown property, you can throw the weapon, instead of making a melee attack with it."

Races

• Aasimar (Fallen) — Necrotic Shroud — dismiss effect • Volo's
• Aasimar (Protector) — Radiant Soul — dismiss effect • Volo's
• Aasimar (Scourge) — Radiant Consumption — dismiss effect • Volo's
• Firbolg — Hidden Step — turn invisible until start of next turn or hostility (1/SR) • Volo's
• Goblin — Nimble Escape — Disengage or Hide • Volo's
• Lizardfolk — Hungry Jaws — your bite attack; if hit, get Con bonus temp HP (1/SR) • Volo's
• Orc — Aggressive — move your speed "towards" enemy (must end closer than where you start) • Volo's

Classes

• Barbarian
  
  • All
    
    • 01 Rage — enter/exit rage
  • Battlerager
    
    • 03 Battlerager Armor — attack with spiked armor for 1d4 piercing (while raging) • SCAG
    • 10 Battlerager Charge — Dash (while raging) • SCAG
  • Beserker
    
    • 03 Frenzy — melee weapon attack (while raging)
  • Storm Herald
    
    • 03/05/10/15/20 Storm Aura : Desert — activate Aura effect (all creatures within 10' take 2/3/4/5/6 fire) (while raging) • Xanathar's
    • 03/10/15/20 Storm Aura : Sea — activate Aura effect (one creature within 10' takes 1d6/2d6/3d6/4d6 lightning, Dex save for 1/2 damage) (while raging) • Xanathar's
    • 03/05/10/15/20 Storm Aura : Tundra — activate Aura effect (chosen creatures within 10' get 2/3/4/5/6 temp HP) (while raging) • Xanathar's
  • Totem Warrior
    
    • 03 Totem Spirit (Eagle) — Dash (while raging and unarmored)
    • 14 Totem Attunement (Elk) — pass through space of (<= Large) creature which makes Str save or falls prone & takes 1d12 + Str bonus bludgeoning (while raging) • SCAG
    • 14 Totem Attunement (Tiger) — melee weapon attack (while raging, after moving 20' in straight line toward (<= Large) creature and making melee weapon attack) • SCAG
    • 14 Totem Attunement (Wolf) — knock creature (<= Large) prone (while raging, after hit creature with melee weapon attack)
  • Zealot
    
    • 10 Zealous Presence — 10 other creatures within 60' get advantage on attacks/saves until start of your next turn (while raging) (uses: 1/LR) • Xanathar's
• Bard
  
  • All
    
    • 01/05/10/15 Bardic Inspiration — d6/d8/d10/d12, 60' (not you), 10m (cost: 1 BI Die)
  • Glamour
    
    • 03/05/10/15 Mantle of Inspiration — Cha bonus creatures within 60' get 5/8/11/14 temp HP and can use its reaction to move its speed without triggering OpAtks (cost: 1 BI Die) • Xanathar's
    • 06 Mantle of Majesty — activate Mantle (unearthly beauty, 1m, concentration, cast Command); charmed creatures autofail Command save (uses: 1/LR) • Xanathar's
    • 06 Mantle of Majesty — cast Command (while Mantle is on) • Xanathar's
    • 14 Unbreakable Majesty — "magically majestic presence", 1m, enemies must Cha save to attack you (if succeed, it gets disadvantage vs your spells next turn) (uses: 1/SR) • Xanathar's
  • Valor
    
    • 14 Battle Magic — weapon attack (if action -> Bard spell)
  • Whispers
    
    • 06 Mantle of Whispers — dismiss disguise • Xanathar's
• Cleric
  
  • Grave
    
    • 01 Circle of Mortality — Spare the Dying with 30' range • Xanathar's
  • Nature
    
    • 17 Master of Nature — verbally command creatures charmed by CD: Charm Animals and Plants feature
  • Trickery
    
    • 02 CD: Invoke Duplicity — move 1 illusory duplicate 30' (up to 120')
    • 17 Improved Duplicity — move 1-4 illusory duplicates 30' (up to 120')
  • War
    
    • 01 War Priest — weapon attack (if action -> Attack) (uses: Wis bonus/LR)
• Druid
  
  • All
    
    • 02 Wild Shape — revert to normal form
  • Dreams
    
    • 02 Balm of the Summer Court — heal one creature within 120' 1..(1/2 Druid level)d6 + 1 temp HP (cost: 1..(1/2 Druid level) Heal Dice) • Xanathar's
    • 10 Hidden Paths — teleport 60' (uses: Wis bonus/LR) • Xanathar's
  • Moon
    
    • 02 Combat Wild Shape — enter Wild Shape
    • 02 Combat Wild Shape — use spell slot -> heal 1d8/slot level (while in Wild Shape)
  • Shepherd
    
    • 02 Spirit Totem — summon spirit within 60', 30' radius, 1m (uses: 1/SR) • Xanathar's
      
      • (Bear) — 5 + Druid level temp HP, advantage Str checks/saves
      • (Hawk) — advantage Perception, use reaction to grant advantage to attack
      • (Unicorn) — advantage checks to detect creatures; if cast healing spell, chosen creatures also gain Druid level HP
    • 02 Spirit Totem — move spirit 60' (while spirit active) • Xanathar's
• Fighter
  
  • All
    
    • 01 Second Wind — heal 1d10 + Fighter level (uses: 1/SR)
  • Arcane Archer
    
    • 07 Curving Shot — reroll attack against different target within 60' (after miss with Magic Arrow feature) • Xanathar's
  • Battle Master
    
    • 03 Maneuvers : Commander's Strike — grant ally reaction attack (if action -> Attack and sacrifice one attack)
    • 03 Maneuvers : Feinting Attack — gain advantage on next attack against currently adjacent target (+S Die damage)
    • 03 Maneuvers : Rally — grant ally S Die + Cha bonus temp HP
  • Eldritch Knight
    
    • 03 Weapon Bond — summon bonded weapon
    • 03 War Magic — weapon attack (if action -> cantrip)
    • 18 Improved War Magic — weapon attack (if action -> spell)
  • Samurai
    
    • 02/10/15 Fighting Spirit — gain advantage on weapon attacks until end of turn + 5/10/15 temp HP (uses: 1/LR) • Xanathar's
• Monk
  
  • All
    
    • 01 Martial Arts — unarmed strike (if action -> Attack)
    • 02 Flurry of Blows — two unarmed strikes (if action -> Attack) (cost: 1 ki)
    • 02 Patient Defense — Dodge (cost: 1 ki)
    • 02 Step of the Wind — Dash or Disengage, 2x jump distance (cost: 1 ki)
  • Four Elements
    
    • 03 Water Whip — 30', 3d10 + 1d10/extra ki bludgeoning, prone or pull 25' (Dex save for 1/2 damage, no effects) (cost: 2+ ki)
  • Kensei
    
    • 03 Path of the Kensei : Kensei's Shot — ranged attacks using Kensei weapons do +1d4 damage until end of turn • Xanathar's
    • 11 Sharpen the Blade — grant +1..+3 to weapon, 1m (cost: 1-3 ki) • Xanathar's
  • Shadow
    
    • 06 Shadow Step — teleport 60' to dim/dark (when in dim/dark)
  • Sun Soul
    
    • 06 Searing Arc Strike — Burning Hands @ level (ki - 1) (cost: 2..(1/2 Monk level) ki) • SCAG
    • 17 Sun Shield — extinguish/restore the light • SCAG
• Paladin
  
  • Ancients
    
    • 20 Elder Champion — cast Paladin spell with casting time of 1 action (while transformed)
  • Crown
    
    • 03 CD: Turn the Tide — chosen bloodied creatures within 30' heal 1d6 + Cha bonus • SCAG
  • Redemption
    
    • 03 CD: Emissary of Peace — +5 Persuasion, 10m • Xanathar's
  • Vengeance
    
    • 03 CD: Vow of Enmity — 10', advantage on attacks for 1m or until it drops to 0 HP / is unconscious
• Ranger
  
  • All
    
    • 14 Vanish — Hide
  • Beast Master
    
    • 07 Exceptional Training — command beast companion to Dash / Disengage / Dodge / Help (if it didn't attack)
  • Horizon Walker
    
    • 03/11 Planar Warrior — target one creature within 30'; next weapon attack this turn does force damage, +1d8/2d8 • Xanathar's
    • 07 Ethereal Step — Etherealness for one turn (uses: 1/SR) • Xanathar's
  • Monster Slayer
    
    • 03 Slayer's Prey — target one creature within 60' (until rest or reassign); +1d6 damage on first weapon attack each turn • Xanathar's
• Rogue
  
  • All
    
    • 02 Cunning Action — Dash / Disengage / Hide
  • Arcane Trickster
    
    • 03 Mage Hand Legerdemain — control Mage Hand
    • 13 Versatile Trickster — use Mage Hand distraction to gain advantage vs creature until end of turn
  • Inquisitive
    
    • 03 Eye for Detail — Perception for hidden creatures/objects or Investigation to uncover/decipher clues • Xanathar's
  • Mastermind
    
    • 03 Master of Tactics — Help (for attacks: even if 30' away) • SCAG
  • Swashbuckler
    
    • 13 Elegant Maneuver — get advantage on Acrobats / Athletics check on same turn • SCAG
  • Thief
    
    • 03 Fast Hands — Sleight of Hand / disarm trap / open lock / Use an Object
• Sorcerer
  
  • All
    
    • 02 Font of Magic : Flexible Casting — convert SP to slot / slots to SP
    • 03 Metamagic : Quickened Spell — cast spell with casting time of 1 action
  • Divine Soul
    
    • 14 Otherworldly Wings — summon/dismiss wings • Xanathar's
    • 18 Unearthly Recovery — regain 1/2 max HP if below 1/2 max HP (uses: 1/LR) • Xanathar's
  • Draconic
    
    • 14 Dragon Wings — summon/dismiss wings
  • Shadow Magic
    
    • 14 Shadow Walk — teleport 120' to dim/dark (when in dim/dark) • Xanathar's
    • 18 Umbral Form — enter/exit shadowy form 1m; resistance to all but force/radiant, move through creatures/objects as difficult terrain (cost: 6 SP) • Xanathar's
  • Storm
    
    • 01 Tempestuous Magic — fly 10' without OpAtks (before/after casting level 1+ spell) • SCAG
    • 06 Storm Guide — dismiss rain shield or change wind direction until end of next turn • SCAG
  • Wild Magic
    
    • 01 Wild Magic Surge (43-44) — teleport 20'
• Warlock
  
  • All
    
    • 05 Invocation : Cloak of Flies — summon / dismiss (5' radius, advantage on Intimidation, disadvantage on other Cha checks, Cha bonus poison when start turn in aura (uses: 1/SR) • Xanathar's
    • 05 Invocation : Maddening Hex — Cha bonus psychic damage to curse target (if within 30') and adjacent creatures • Xanathar's
    • 07 Invocation : Relentless Hex — teleport 30', adjacent to curse target • Xanathar's
  • Celestial
    
    • 01 Healing Light — heal 1..(Cha bonus)d6 HP on ally within 60' (cost: 1..(Cha bonus) Heal Dice) • Xanathar's
  • Hexblade
    
    • 01 Hexblade's Curse — curse one creature within 30' for 1m; add prof bonus to dmg, crit on 19, regain Warlock level + Cha bonus HP if it dies (uses: 1/SR) • Xanathar's
  • Undying
    
    • 14 Indestructible Life — regain 1d8 + Warlock level HP & reattach one body part (uses: 1/SR) • SCAG
• Wizard
  
  • Bladesinging
    
    • 02 Bladesong — start Bladesong • SCAG
  • Illusion
    
    • 14 Illusory Reality — make one illusory inanimate nonmagical object real for illusion spell's duration

Feats

• Charger — melee weapon attack or shove (if action -> Dash)
• Crossbow Expert — attack with loaded hand crossbow (if action -> Attack with 1H weapon)
• Great Weapon Master — melee weapon attack (after melee weapon crits or drops creature)
• Polearm Master — melee attack with butt end for 1d4 bludgeoning (if action -> Attack with glaive/halberd/quarterstaff)
• Shield Master — shove with shield (if action -> Attack)
• Tavern Brawler — grapple (after you hit with UAS or improvised weapon)