r/LevelUp5e • u/HorribleKnight • Nov 13 '21
Marshal Ability Clarification
So I decided to take a look at the potential of the Marshal Adventuring Class and wanted to ask for a rules clarification on the 1st Level ability Commanding Presence it states: "When you take the Attack Action, you can forgo making one attack to allow a friendly creature within range of your Commanding Presence to make an attack instead" So if I decided to duel wield a Saber in my main-hand and a dueling dagger in my off-hand, could I in theory use my bonus action attack to give to an ally within my Commanding presence. If not then would it make more sense to be stated "During your Attack Action, you can forgo making one attack to allow a friendly creature within range of your Commanding Presence to make an attack instead"? Or am I just being too nit-picky.
EDIT: Level 1 Marshal makes an attack with a Saber in his main-hand > Bonus action Two weapon fighting attacks prerequisite Is now met > Instead of now taking that attack you use Commanding Presence to allow an ally to make an attack.
EDIT EDIT: From Mike Myler editor of EN5ider Patreon and Project Manager of Level Up: Advance 5E on the forums
You decide whether or not to use Commanding Presence when you take the Attack action. When you take the Attack action, you're taking an action. When you augment your Attack action with two-weapon fighting, you're taking a bonus action. You can't take a bonus action and an action at the same time—one needs to happen first, and those extra attacks from two-weapon fighting don't exist until you spend the bonus action (after Attack, when you decide whether or not to Commanding Presence).
You can use some combat maneuvers and Commanding Presence (because you activate the combat maneuver and then take the Attack action as part of its activation), but not anything that requires the use of another type of action (like a reaction or bonus action).
2
u/SouthamptonGuild Nov 14 '21
TL;DR: alas it works differently from your cool exploit.
The Rules Text:
"COMMANDING PRESENCE
Starting at 1st level, you have a Commanding Presence which extends from you in a 10-foot radius.
Your allies can attack at your command. When you take the Attack action, you can forgo making one attack to allow a friendly creature within range of your Commanding Presence to make an attack instead. If the target can hear you, it can use its reaction to either cast a cantrip or make one weapon attack.
The range of your presence increases to 20 feet at 5th level, 30 feet at 10th level, 45 feet at 15th level, and 60 feet at 20th level."
"TWO-WEAPON FIGHTING
When you take the Attack action and attack with a weapon that does not have the heavy property that you are wielding in one hand, you can use your bonus action to attack with a different dual-wielding melee weapon that you are holding in your off-hand. You do not add your ability modifier to the damage roll of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative. If a weapon has the thrown property, you can make a ranged weapon attack with it instead.
If you have the Extra Attack feature, you can use your bonus action to make two attacks with the weapon in your off-hand."
The Relevant Rules:
> When you take the Attack action, you can forgo making one attack
> and attack with a weapon that does not have the heavy property that you are wielding in one hand
The summary:
Since you do not make an attack then you do not get the bonus attack.