How many attacks does a fighter get with action surge?

How Many Attacks Does a Fighter Get with Action Surge?

Action Surge is a unique ability available to some characters in Dungeons & Dragons. In this article, we’ll delve into the specific benefits of Action Surge, and answer the question "How many attacks does a fighter get with Action Surge?" in detail.

Answering the Question:

At its core, Action Surge allows a fighter to take an additional Attack action on their turn, granting them more opportunities to deal damage and take action in combat. When paired with the Extra Attack ability, which allows a fighter to take the Attack action multiple times per turn, the benefits of Action Surge can be substantial.

Additional Attack Opportunities:

In most cases, a level 5 fighter can use their Extra Attack ability twice, allowing them to deal two additional attacks in a single turn. When using Action Surge in combination with Extra Attack, this means the fighter can make four attacks per turn, as long as they take the Attack action and use their bonus action to activate Action Surge.

Here’s a breakdown of how this works:

• Take the Attack action normally: 1 attack
• Use Extra Attack and make another attack: 2 attacks
• Take your bonus action and use Action Surge: take the Attack action again

With Action Surge, your total attack count for that turn would be four attacks.

Impact on Combat:

More attack opportunities can have a significant impact on combat effectiveness, particularly in high-powered combat encounters. By having the ability to deal damage in multiple ways, you’ll be able to spread your attacks across multiple foes or take out tougher opponents with increased ease.

In this context, Action Surge acts as a "catalyst" for even more attack opportunities, letting you create complex and impactful combos in combat.

What about Higher Levels?

As a fighter climbs in level, their Attack actions and Extra Attack uses will increase accordingly. Using the example above, we can see how Action Surge plays out at different level increments:

• Level 11: three additional attacks (3 normal + 3 with Action Surge)
• Level 15: four additional attacks (4 normal + 4 with Action Surge)
• Level 20: five additional attacks (5 normal + 5 with Action Surge)

Action Surge with Other Abilities:

In addition to Extra Attack, Action Surge can pair well with other abilities like:

• Two-Weapon Fighting: When using both your primary and secondary hand to attack, Action Surge lets you make additional attacks, creating a chaos of attacks around you.
• Indomitable: When attacked and needing to make an Opportunity Attack, using Action Surge in your bonus action creates an unstoppable force, ensuring you get in two extra attacks despite the external stimulus.
• Rampart of Steel: With Duelist from Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, when a foe misses you while fighting defensively, you get another attack at them as a bonus! This combination is devastating!

In these situations, having the flexibility to make the most of your attack options will lead to insurmountable pressure, putting you at a competitive edge in combat.

In Conclusion:

The short answer to "How many attacks does a fighter get with Action Surge?" is two when combining Action Surge with the Attack action, two more when using Action Surge with Extra Attack at level 5, four at level 11, four at level 15, and five at level 20.

Ultimately, the benefits of Action Surge will depend on how well you can adapt this additional Attack action to your strategy. With practice and imagination, the possibilities are virtually limitless, making Action Surge an incredibly powerful tool to empower your fight.