D&D: The Best Bonus Action Spells for Spicy Spellcasting Action
In D&D bonus action spells are quick and dirty ways to make magic happen and still take an action. These are the best.
For better and worse, “the action economy” has defined 5th Edition. Every character can take an action, bonus action, and if they have an ability that grants them one, a reaction too. Reactions let you act outside of your turn. But bonus actions fall into this curious category. In D&D, bonus action spells make life interesting.
Because a bonus action spell changes what you can do. You can’t cast a spell as an action (other than a cantrip) when you cast one. But you can do everything else. From attacking to dashing or dodging or well that’s mostly it. And these are five of the best bonus action spells in D&D.
Healing Word
Healing word is hands down one of the best bonus action spells in D&D. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s healing at range. This means you can cure someone from 60 ft away and still have your full action.
Clerics can attack or cast a damaging or buffing cantrip. Bards and Druids can do their own special things, including wildshaping. Even the Alchemist Artificer gets some use out of their action. It’s the best way to revive a comrade who’s down but not out, or to keep someone who’s low from going under.
All for a first-level spell slot.
Compelled Duel
This is one of the most underrated spells in 5th Edition. Most likely because aside from shenanigans, only Paladins have access to it. Even the Magic Initiate feat won’t give you access to this spell.
But Compelled Duel can utterly ruin a target’s day. It’s perfect for locking down a boss. All it takes is a single 1st level spell slot and your bonus action. A creature affected by this spell has to make a Wisdom saving throw to attempt to move more than 30 feet away from you (and if it does, that doesn’t end the spell, only lets them move), and they have disadvantage attacking any creature other than you.
And Paladins, normally, are pretty good at being attacked. They wear heavy armor and can wield shields. So, it takes some doing to harm them. This can drastically swing the direction of a fight with even a high CR monster, by keeping it from focusing down the squishies while you tank its attacks.
Misty Step
This spell lets you teleport 30 feet as a bonus action. That’s pretty good. So good that several elves have developed the ability to do this. And since it only takes a verbal component, you can do this even if you’re wielding a two-handed weapon (or are tied up).
Spiritual Weapon
Spiritual Weapon is another great bonus action spell. This spell grants Clerics (and Oath of Conquest Paladins) a magical bonus action attack. Except it’s better than that because this spell can make an attack against a creature within 60 feet of you.
You have an immaterial, spectral weapon that can move around and make attacks as a bonus action. It deals force damage, scales off of your spellcasting ability modifier, and can deal more damage at higher levels. And, it doesn’t take your concentration. It just lasts a minute.
So while you have it up, you can take a bonus action to make an attack, and every round after the round you cast this spell, you can still cast a whole other spell on your turn. The gift that keeps on giving (attacks to your enemies).
Sanctuary
This spell is one of the few ways you can protect the other party members in your group from any kind of foe. Big or small. A creature affected by Sanctuary is protected against attacks. Any creature who targets them specifically must make a Wisdom saving throw, or they just can’t. And if they can’t attack the creature, they have to pick another target. If they can’t do that, they lose their attack or spell.
Negating a potential attack or spell is extremely good. Especially since this is yet another bonus action spell that doesn’t take your concentration.
What are your picks for best Bonus Action spells?
