Action Surge and Its Limitations

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 86 views

Understanding the Eldritch Knight's War Magic Feature

The Eldritch Knight is a unique subclass of the Fighter class in Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition, offering a blend of martial prowess and magical abilities. One of the key features of the Eldritch Knight is War Magic, a 7th-level ability that allows them to cast spells in a variety of ways. However, when it comes to casting cantrips, the rules can be a bit more complex, especially when Action Surge is involved.

Action Surge and Its Limitations

Action Surge is a feature that allows a fighter to take an additional action on their turn, except for the Magic action. This means that a fighter can use Action Surge to perform an additional action, such as attacking, moving, or using a bonus action, but they cannot use it to cast a spell using the Magic action. However, the question remains: can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight cast two cantrips with War Magic?

The War Magic Feature

War Magic is a 7th-level Eldritch Knight feature that grants the following capability:

When you cast a spell using your War Magic feature, you can cast it as a bonus action.
You can cast a spell using your War Magic feature as a bonus action, even if you've already used your bonus action for the turn.
You can cast a spell using your War Magic feature as a bonus action, even if you've already used your action for the turn.

Casting Cantrips with War Magic

Casting cantrips is a bit different from casting other spells, as cantrips are considered to be "free" spells that don't use up a spell slot. However, when it comes to casting cantrips with War Magic, the rules can be a bit more complex. According to the War Magic feature, you can cast a spell using your War Magic feature as a bonus action, even if you've already used your bonus action for the turn. However, this does not necessarily mean that you can cast two cantrips with War Magic.

The Magic Action and Action Surge

As mentioned earlier, Action Surge allows a fighter to take an additional action, except for the Magic action. This means that a fighter cannot use Action Surge to cast a spell using the Magic action. However, the War Magic feature allows you to cast a spell using your War Magic feature as a bonus action, even if you've already used your bonus action for the turn. This raises the question: can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight cast two cantrips with War Magic?

The Answer

According to the rules, an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight can cast two cantrips with War Magic. Here's why:

When you use Action Surge, you take an additional action, except for the Magic action.
When you cast a cantrip using your War Magic feature, you are casting a spell as a bonus action, not as a Magic action.
Therefore, you can use Action Surge to take an additional action, and then cast a cantrip using your War Magic feature as a bonus action.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight can cast two cantrips with War Magic. This is because the War Magic feature allows you to cast a spell using your War Magic feature as a bonus action, even if you've already used your bonus action for the turn. Additionally, Action Surge allows you to take an additional action, except for the Magic action, which means that you can use Action Surge to take an additional action and then cast a cantrip using your War Magic feature as a bonus action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight cast two cantrips with War Magic?

A: Yes, an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight can cast two cantrips with War Magic.

Q: Why can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight cast two cantrips with War Magic?

A: Because the War Magic feature allows you to cast a spell using your War Magic feature as a bonus action, even if you've already used your bonus action for the turn. Additionally, Action Surge allows you to take an additional action, except for the Magic action, which means that you can use Action Surge to take an additional action and then cast a cantrip using your War Magic feature as a bonus action.

Q: What is the difference between casting a cantrip and casting a spell?

A: Casting a cantrip is considered to be "free" and does not use up a spell slot, whereas casting a spell uses up a spell slot.

Q: Can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight cast a cantrip and a spell with War Magic?

A: No, an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight cannot cast a cantrip and a spell with War Magic. The War Magic feature only allows you to cast a spell using your War Magic feature as a bonus action, not a cantrip and a spell.

Final Thoughts

Understanding the Eldritch Knight's War Magic Feature

Q&A: Can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight cast two cantrips with War Magic?

Q: Can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight cast two cantrips with War Magic?

A: Yes, an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight can cast two cantrips with War Magic.

Q: Why can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight cast two cantrips with War Magic?

Q: What is the difference between casting a cantrip and casting a spell?

A: Casting a cantrip is considered to be "free" and does not use up a spell slot, whereas casting a spell uses up a spell slot.

Q: Can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight cast a cantrip and a spell with War Magic?

Q: Can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight use War Magic to cast a cantrip and then use Action Surge to cast another cantrip?

A: Yes, an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight can use War Magic to cast a cantrip and then use Action Surge to cast another cantrip. This is because the War Magic feature allows you to cast a spell using your War Magic feature as a bonus action, and Action Surge allows you to take an additional action, except for the Magic action.

Q: Can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight use War Magic to cast a cantrip and then use their bonus action to cast another cantrip?

A: No, an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight cannot use War Magic to cast a cantrip and then use their bonus action to cast another cantrip. This is because the War Magic feature only allows you to cast a spell using your War Magic feature as a bonus action, not a cantrip and a spell.

Q: Can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight use War Magic to cast a cantrip and then use their action to cast another cantrip?

A: Yes, an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight can use War Magic to cast a cantrip and then use their action to cast another cantrip. This is because the War Magic feature allows you to cast a spell using your War Magic feature as a bonus action, and Action Surge allows you to take an additional action, except for the Magic action.

Q: Can an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight use War Magic to cast a cantrip and then use their bonus action to cast a spell?

A: No, an Action Surging 7+ Eldritch Knight cannot use War Magic to cast a cantrip and then use their bonus action to cast a spell. This is because the War Magic feature only allows you to cast a spell using your War Magic feature as a bonus action, not a cantrip and a spell.