Can you make a bonus-action attack from Two-Weapon Fighting before you take your action?

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The rules on Two-Weapon Fighting state:




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.




However, the description of bonus actions states:




You choose when to take a bonus action during your turn, unless the bonus action’s timing is specified




So, can you attack with your bonus action first?










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  • Related: Bonus action before Action for Crossbow Expert?, Shield Master - Can the shield push be taken before an attack?, Can an Eldritch Knight use the bonus-action attack granted by War Magic before casting the spell as an action?
    – V2Blast
    Sep 7 at 18:59










  • One more: Can I use a bonus action before my action?
    – V2Blast
    Sep 7 at 18:59
















up vote
4
down vote

favorite












The rules on Two-Weapon Fighting state:




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.




However, the description of bonus actions states:




You choose when to take a bonus action during your turn, unless the bonus action’s timing is specified




So, can you attack with your bonus action first?










share|improve this question























  • Related: Bonus action before Action for Crossbow Expert?, Shield Master - Can the shield push be taken before an attack?, Can an Eldritch Knight use the bonus-action attack granted by War Magic before casting the spell as an action?
    – V2Blast
    Sep 7 at 18:59










  • One more: Can I use a bonus action before my action?
    – V2Blast
    Sep 7 at 18:59












up vote
4
down vote

favorite









up vote
4
down vote

favorite











The rules on Two-Weapon Fighting state:




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.




However, the description of bonus actions states:




You choose when to take a bonus action during your turn, unless the bonus action’s timing is specified




So, can you attack with your bonus action first?










share|improve this question















The rules on Two-Weapon Fighting state:




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.




However, the description of bonus actions states:




You choose when to take a bonus action during your turn, unless the bonus action’s timing is specified




So, can you attack with your bonus action first?







dnd-5e actions attack two-weapon-fighting






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edited Sep 7 at 22:53

























asked Sep 7 at 18:47









MrHiTech

646121




646121











  • Related: Bonus action before Action for Crossbow Expert?, Shield Master - Can the shield push be taken before an attack?, Can an Eldritch Knight use the bonus-action attack granted by War Magic before casting the spell as an action?
    – V2Blast
    Sep 7 at 18:59










  • One more: Can I use a bonus action before my action?
    – V2Blast
    Sep 7 at 18:59
















  • Related: Bonus action before Action for Crossbow Expert?, Shield Master - Can the shield push be taken before an attack?, Can an Eldritch Knight use the bonus-action attack granted by War Magic before casting the spell as an action?
    – V2Blast
    Sep 7 at 18:59










  • One more: Can I use a bonus action before my action?
    – V2Blast
    Sep 7 at 18:59















Related: Bonus action before Action for Crossbow Expert?, Shield Master - Can the shield push be taken before an attack?, Can an Eldritch Knight use the bonus-action attack granted by War Magic before casting the spell as an action?
– V2Blast
Sep 7 at 18:59




Related: Bonus action before Action for Crossbow Expert?, Shield Master - Can the shield push be taken before an attack?, Can an Eldritch Knight use the bonus-action attack granted by War Magic before casting the spell as an action?
– V2Blast
Sep 7 at 18:59












One more: Can I use a bonus action before my action?
– V2Blast
Sep 7 at 18:59




One more: Can I use a bonus action before my action?
– V2Blast
Sep 7 at 18:59










2 Answers
2






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19
down vote



accepted










You can't take the bonus-action attack before the Attack action, because the bonus-action attack is conditional upon you taking that action.



You can't take the bonus-action attack before the Attack action (in which you attack with a one-handed light weapon), because the bonus-action attack is conditional upon you taking that action.



Jeremy Crawford addresses this on Twitter here (prompted by the wording of the Shield Master feat):




Clarification about bonus actions: if a feature says you can do X as a bonus action if you do Y, you must do Y before you can do X. For Shield Master, that means the bonus action must come after the Attack action. You decide when it happens afterward that turn.




This contradicts a previous ruling by him via Twitter, in which he stated that, "As with most bonus actions, you choose the timing, so the Shield Master shove can come before or after the Attack action." Crawford acknowledges this change here:




In 2017, I changed the ruling on bonus action timing because the old ruling was illogical. The original ruling failed to account for the fact that X relying on Y is a form of timing. The new ruling corrects that oversight.




And further explains his reasoning here:




The old ruling on bonus action timing didn't quiet questions on that timing. Instead, the illogical ruling fueled questions, and it even inadvertently led some fans to think our choice of words like "if" or "when" had super-precise meanings in bonus actions. They don't.





As you quote, the Two-Weapon Fighting rule says:




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.




The bonus-action attack is conditional upon you using the Attack action and attacking with a qualifying weapon. As such, you can't use your bonus-action attack before you've taken the action that qualifies you for it.






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    up vote
    0
    down vote













    Note that 'Attack' doesn't require you to use the same hand each time. If you want to use the other weapon first, just use that hand for your Attack action and the other for your Bonus action. This works for your example of two simple martial weapons. In the Shield Master example, you'd still need to attack first.






    share|improve this answer




















    • Yes, but then I’d have to add my modifier to the 1st attack, rather than the second attack unless I had two weapon fighting.
      – MrHiTech
      Sep 13 at 22:51










    • Welcome to the site. Take the tour. This should be a comment. Answers are exclusively for answering the original question.
      – MrHiTech
      Sep 13 at 22:55










    Your Answer




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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes








    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes








    up vote
    19
    down vote



    accepted










    You can't take the bonus-action attack before the Attack action, because the bonus-action attack is conditional upon you taking that action.



    You can't take the bonus-action attack before the Attack action (in which you attack with a one-handed light weapon), because the bonus-action attack is conditional upon you taking that action.



    Jeremy Crawford addresses this on Twitter here (prompted by the wording of the Shield Master feat):




    Clarification about bonus actions: if a feature says you can do X as a bonus action if you do Y, you must do Y before you can do X. For Shield Master, that means the bonus action must come after the Attack action. You decide when it happens afterward that turn.




    This contradicts a previous ruling by him via Twitter, in which he stated that, "As with most bonus actions, you choose the timing, so the Shield Master shove can come before or after the Attack action." Crawford acknowledges this change here:




    In 2017, I changed the ruling on bonus action timing because the old ruling was illogical. The original ruling failed to account for the fact that X relying on Y is a form of timing. The new ruling corrects that oversight.




    And further explains his reasoning here:




    The old ruling on bonus action timing didn't quiet questions on that timing. Instead, the illogical ruling fueled questions, and it even inadvertently led some fans to think our choice of words like "if" or "when" had super-precise meanings in bonus actions. They don't.





    As you quote, the Two-Weapon Fighting rule says:




    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.




    The bonus-action attack is conditional upon you using the Attack action and attacking with a qualifying weapon. As such, you can't use your bonus-action attack before you've taken the action that qualifies you for it.






    share|improve this answer
























      up vote
      19
      down vote



      accepted










      You can't take the bonus-action attack before the Attack action, because the bonus-action attack is conditional upon you taking that action.



      You can't take the bonus-action attack before the Attack action (in which you attack with a one-handed light weapon), because the bonus-action attack is conditional upon you taking that action.



      Jeremy Crawford addresses this on Twitter here (prompted by the wording of the Shield Master feat):




      Clarification about bonus actions: if a feature says you can do X as a bonus action if you do Y, you must do Y before you can do X. For Shield Master, that means the bonus action must come after the Attack action. You decide when it happens afterward that turn.




      This contradicts a previous ruling by him via Twitter, in which he stated that, "As with most bonus actions, you choose the timing, so the Shield Master shove can come before or after the Attack action." Crawford acknowledges this change here:




      In 2017, I changed the ruling on bonus action timing because the old ruling was illogical. The original ruling failed to account for the fact that X relying on Y is a form of timing. The new ruling corrects that oversight.




      And further explains his reasoning here:




      The old ruling on bonus action timing didn't quiet questions on that timing. Instead, the illogical ruling fueled questions, and it even inadvertently led some fans to think our choice of words like "if" or "when" had super-precise meanings in bonus actions. They don't.





      As you quote, the Two-Weapon Fighting rule says:




      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.




      The bonus-action attack is conditional upon you using the Attack action and attacking with a qualifying weapon. As such, you can't use your bonus-action attack before you've taken the action that qualifies you for it.






      share|improve this answer






















        up vote
        19
        down vote



        accepted







        up vote
        19
        down vote



        accepted






        You can't take the bonus-action attack before the Attack action, because the bonus-action attack is conditional upon you taking that action.



        You can't take the bonus-action attack before the Attack action (in which you attack with a one-handed light weapon), because the bonus-action attack is conditional upon you taking that action.



        Jeremy Crawford addresses this on Twitter here (prompted by the wording of the Shield Master feat):




        Clarification about bonus actions: if a feature says you can do X as a bonus action if you do Y, you must do Y before you can do X. For Shield Master, that means the bonus action must come after the Attack action. You decide when it happens afterward that turn.




        This contradicts a previous ruling by him via Twitter, in which he stated that, "As with most bonus actions, you choose the timing, so the Shield Master shove can come before or after the Attack action." Crawford acknowledges this change here:




        In 2017, I changed the ruling on bonus action timing because the old ruling was illogical. The original ruling failed to account for the fact that X relying on Y is a form of timing. The new ruling corrects that oversight.




        And further explains his reasoning here:




        The old ruling on bonus action timing didn't quiet questions on that timing. Instead, the illogical ruling fueled questions, and it even inadvertently led some fans to think our choice of words like "if" or "when" had super-precise meanings in bonus actions. They don't.





        As you quote, the Two-Weapon Fighting rule says:




        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.




        The bonus-action attack is conditional upon you using the Attack action and attacking with a qualifying weapon. As such, you can't use your bonus-action attack before you've taken the action that qualifies you for it.






        share|improve this answer












        You can't take the bonus-action attack before the Attack action, because the bonus-action attack is conditional upon you taking that action.



        You can't take the bonus-action attack before the Attack action (in which you attack with a one-handed light weapon), because the bonus-action attack is conditional upon you taking that action.



        Jeremy Crawford addresses this on Twitter here (prompted by the wording of the Shield Master feat):




        Clarification about bonus actions: if a feature says you can do X as a bonus action if you do Y, you must do Y before you can do X. For Shield Master, that means the bonus action must come after the Attack action. You decide when it happens afterward that turn.




        This contradicts a previous ruling by him via Twitter, in which he stated that, "As with most bonus actions, you choose the timing, so the Shield Master shove can come before or after the Attack action." Crawford acknowledges this change here:




        In 2017, I changed the ruling on bonus action timing because the old ruling was illogical. The original ruling failed to account for the fact that X relying on Y is a form of timing. The new ruling corrects that oversight.




        And further explains his reasoning here:




        The old ruling on bonus action timing didn't quiet questions on that timing. Instead, the illogical ruling fueled questions, and it even inadvertently led some fans to think our choice of words like "if" or "when" had super-precise meanings in bonus actions. They don't.





        As you quote, the Two-Weapon Fighting rule says:




        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.




        The bonus-action attack is conditional upon you using the Attack action and attacking with a qualifying weapon. As such, you can't use your bonus-action attack before you've taken the action that qualifies you for it.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered Sep 7 at 19:02









        V2Blast

        15.5k235101




        15.5k235101






















            up vote
            0
            down vote













            Note that 'Attack' doesn't require you to use the same hand each time. If you want to use the other weapon first, just use that hand for your Attack action and the other for your Bonus action. This works for your example of two simple martial weapons. In the Shield Master example, you'd still need to attack first.






            share|improve this answer




















            • Yes, but then I’d have to add my modifier to the 1st attack, rather than the second attack unless I had two weapon fighting.
              – MrHiTech
              Sep 13 at 22:51










            • Welcome to the site. Take the tour. This should be a comment. Answers are exclusively for answering the original question.
              – MrHiTech
              Sep 13 at 22:55














            up vote
            0
            down vote













            Note that 'Attack' doesn't require you to use the same hand each time. If you want to use the other weapon first, just use that hand for your Attack action and the other for your Bonus action. This works for your example of two simple martial weapons. In the Shield Master example, you'd still need to attack first.






            share|improve this answer




















            • Yes, but then I’d have to add my modifier to the 1st attack, rather than the second attack unless I had two weapon fighting.
              – MrHiTech
              Sep 13 at 22:51










            • Welcome to the site. Take the tour. This should be a comment. Answers are exclusively for answering the original question.
              – MrHiTech
              Sep 13 at 22:55












            up vote
            0
            down vote










            up vote
            0
            down vote









            Note that 'Attack' doesn't require you to use the same hand each time. If you want to use the other weapon first, just use that hand for your Attack action and the other for your Bonus action. This works for your example of two simple martial weapons. In the Shield Master example, you'd still need to attack first.






            share|improve this answer












            Note that 'Attack' doesn't require you to use the same hand each time. If you want to use the other weapon first, just use that hand for your Attack action and the other for your Bonus action. This works for your example of two simple martial weapons. In the Shield Master example, you'd still need to attack first.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered Sep 13 at 20:19









            MarkTO

            1496




            1496











            • Yes, but then I’d have to add my modifier to the 1st attack, rather than the second attack unless I had two weapon fighting.
              – MrHiTech
              Sep 13 at 22:51










            • Welcome to the site. Take the tour. This should be a comment. Answers are exclusively for answering the original question.
              – MrHiTech
              Sep 13 at 22:55
















            • Yes, but then I’d have to add my modifier to the 1st attack, rather than the second attack unless I had two weapon fighting.
              – MrHiTech
              Sep 13 at 22:51










            • Welcome to the site. Take the tour. This should be a comment. Answers are exclusively for answering the original question.
              – MrHiTech
              Sep 13 at 22:55















            Yes, but then I’d have to add my modifier to the 1st attack, rather than the second attack unless I had two weapon fighting.
            – MrHiTech
            Sep 13 at 22:51




            Yes, but then I’d have to add my modifier to the 1st attack, rather than the second attack unless I had two weapon fighting.
            – MrHiTech
            Sep 13 at 22:51












            Welcome to the site. Take the tour. This should be a comment. Answers are exclusively for answering the original question.
            – MrHiTech
            Sep 13 at 22:55




            Welcome to the site. Take the tour. This should be a comment. Answers are exclusively for answering the original question.
            – MrHiTech
            Sep 13 at 22:55

















             

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