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I'm playing a 5e Wizard/ Monk build. My DM and I are questioning the viability of the cantrip Shocking Grasp. As a monk I can do another unarmed strike as a bonus action after I attack with a melee attack. Being a touch spell, can I punch (touch) with Shocking Grasp and then do my monk's bonus action?

Rubiksmoose
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Mabbott
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1 Answers1

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No. The Monk feature says that you can use the bonus action Unarmed strike after you use the Attack action with a Monk weapon or Unarmed strike. Shocking Grasp requires the Cast a Spell action, which does not qualify.

Lost_in_Hyrule
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  • Could he not cast the touch spell and hold it until his next turn? – LegendaryDude Apr 27 '16 at 16:18
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    That's a separate question. – Christopher Apr 27 '16 at 16:50
  • How about a cantrip like booming blade? Can i do my bonus action's unarmed strike with that? – Mabbott Apr 27 '16 at 18:23
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    Booming Blade is still Casting A Spell instead of taking the Attack action. You still wouldn't be able to do both, for the Answerer's reason. – Eladri Apr 27 '16 at 20:21
  • Well this is a shame. I wanted my Monk to re-enact Batman's electric punches from 'The Dark Knight Returns'. – Liesmith Apr 28 '16 at 07:34
  • @Christopher Sure, in a vacuum that might be a separate question. I'm not actually asking that question though -- I'm bringing up the point that it may be possible in some way for the Monk to deliver the effect of shocking grasp through a melee attack. – LegendaryDude Apr 28 '16 at 19:15
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    @LegendaryDude That wouldn't change anything. Using Ready, there could be a theoretical turn where the Monk uses his reaction to use the Readied Shocking Grasp (if holding Ready until your next turn doesn't cause the spell to fizzle), then Attacks, then Bonus Action attacks. However, Shocking Grasp is still not the Attack action that grants the Bonus Action. – Lost_in_Hyrule Apr 28 '16 at 19:54
  • @Lost_in_Hyrule Guess I missed the point of the question -- I thought it was concerning whether the Monk could ever deliver a shocking grasp through his melee attack. Re-reading it, that seems not to be the case. As for holding the spell, there is no text that indicates it would fizzle for holding it for too long. I don't think spells even "fizzle" in 5e -- that is, that particular terminology isn't found anywhere in the rules. – LegendaryDude Apr 28 '16 at 19:56
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    See this section of the Basic Rules: "To do so, you can take the Ready action on your turn, which lets you act using your reaction before the start of your next turn. [...] When you ready a spell, you cast it as normal but hold its energy, which you release with your reaction when the trigger occurs. To be readied, a spell must have a casting time of 1 action, and holding onto the spell's magic requires concentration. If your concentration is broken, the spell dissipates without taking effect." – V2Blast May 17 '18 at 18:59
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    In other words, if you ready a spell and the trigger doesn't occur before the start of your next turn, the spell slot is wasted without the spell taking effect. – V2Blast May 17 '18 at 18:59