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Suppose Alex is a fighter with the Extra Attacks feature, so each time they take the Attack action they can make two attacks. Alex attacks Sam, a Fighter/Monk with access to the Riposte Battle Master maneuver and the Stunning Strike monk feature.

Here's what happens:

  1. Alex takes Attack as their action for the turn.
  2. Alex makes their first attack against Sam and misses.
  3. Sam uses their reaction and Riposte (spending a superiority die) to attack Alex. Sam hits.
  4. Sam spends a ki point to activate Stunning Strike.
  5. Alex attempts a Con save and fails. Alex is now stunned.

It's still Alex's turn. They are stunned and thus cannot take actions. Can they make their second attack?

On one hand, Alex isn't taking an action to make their second attack; they have already taken their action and still have part of it left to resolve.

On the other hand, the effects of being stunned could be read as meaning that a stunned character stops taking actions, so any in-progress actions don't continue.


Riposte

When a creature misses you with a melee attack, you can use your reaction and expend one superiority die to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. If you hit, you add the superiority die to the attack's damage roll.

(PHB, p. 74)

Stunning Strike

Starting at 5th level, you can interfere with the flow of ki in an opponent’s body. When you hit another creature with a melee weapon attack, you can spend 1 ki point to attempt a stunning strike. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn.

(PHB, p. 79)

Stunned

  • A stunned creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t move, and can speak only falteringly.
  • The creature automatically fails Strength and Dexterity saving throws.
  • Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.

(PHB, p.292)

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3 Answers 3

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I would say that Alex can no longer finish their turn, as they are immediately Stunned and therefore incapacitated.

Stunned

  • A stunned creature is incapacitated (see the condition), can’t move, and can speak only falteringly.

To me, this is no different than if the Monk had attacked normally, without using the Stunning effect, and reduced Alex to 0HP, therefore knocking them unconscious (which incidentally is also incapacitated), which would take effect immediately.

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    \$\begingroup\$ I agree because Reactions specifically interrupt the flow of combat, implying that their effects are immediate. From the DM side of things you pretty much have to say no more attacks as well- it (generally) doesn't make sense to miss, get hit and stunned, then keep swinging before freezing up. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 28, 2016 at 17:05
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No, because they have been stunned and thus incapacitated which carries the penalty of not being able to take any actions.

Interestingly, though, the Stun will last until the end of the Monk's next turn so it will end a lot sooner than if the Stunning Fist had occurred on the Monk's turn.

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    \$\begingroup\$ +1 for pointing out the stun duration. Alex has lost THIS turn, but not the next one (unless Sam stuns again). \$\endgroup\$ Commented Oct 28, 2016 at 20:21
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No, they can't. If we look at the rules for this condition (emphasis mine):

Stunned

  • A stunned creature is incapacitated (see condition), can't move, and can speak only falteringly.

And since it mentions incapacitated, might as well add that in too.

Incapacitated

  • An incapacitated creature can’t take actions or reactions.

The confusion seems to stem from wondering if the Incapacitated condition would stop someone from using their extra attack. This is a moot point since the rest of the Stunned condition specifically says you can't move. Good luck swinging that sword without moving your arm.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. \$\endgroup\$
    – mxyzplk
    Commented Nov 4, 2016 at 21:09
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    \$\begingroup\$ "Can't Move" refers specifically to Movement. Swinging your arm, quaffing a potion, etc. are OTHER TYPES of Actions. However, Incapacited covers everything else pretty nicely and explicitely anyway. \$\endgroup\$
    – Pat
    Commented Jul 26, 2021 at 20:38

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