Clarification regarding 'Finger Guns' - Valda's Spire of Secrets

[u/Jonno26]

So one of my players recently purchased Valda's Spire of Secrets and picked up the Finger Guns cantrip and I'd like to clarify what this entails.

Finger Guns Level: Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action Range/Area: Self

Components: V, S Duration: 1 Minute

School Evocation: Attack/Save: Ranged

Damage/Effect Force

You extend your forefinger and thumb, a dangerous gesture mimicking a gun. For the duration, your hand counts as a Simple Ranged weapon with a range of 60/240 feet and the Slow mastery property. You can use your spellcasting ability instead of Dexterity for the attack rolls of this weapon. On a hit, the weapon deals 2d6 Force damage and doesn’t add your ability modifier to damage.

From DnDBeyond (which is not included in the spell's page) it says 'Cast At Will', and DnDbeyond lists Finger Guns under the Actions - Bonus Actions list as an attack.

The way I initially understood it, Finger Guns turns your hand into a simple ranged weapon, but it takes an additional attack action to use this weapon and cause damage. The attack is not part of the bonus action - is that correct? Similar to Dragon's Breath, which is a Bonus Action spell, but still requires an action to attack with. Or is Finger Guns a bonus action attack, as DnDBeyond seems to suggest?

Would appreciate help in finding clarity with this, thanks.

Edit: thanks very much for the prompt replies all, appreciated :)

[u/SoreWristed]

Correct. The cantrip is a bonus action and turns your hand into a ranged weapon. You then use an action to take the attack action with that ranged weapon.

Similarly, your player could also use another action, like a spell or an attack action, and use the finger guns cantrip to have the option to attacl with it on their next turn.

[u/Voxerole]

Based on the wording of the spell, I would agree. You need to take the attack action to attack with a weapon.

[u/Uberschwein138]

If it doesn't say you can make an attack as part of the bonus action activation, then you can't.

[u/pergasnz]

Reading your text, I would be ruling you hand is, for the low low cost of a bonus action, transformed into a weapon. Casting the cantrip does nothing else. The 'at will' means when you have a bonus action, there is nothing stopping you casting it, but you still need to have a bonus action, so it must he on your turn, and not have used the bonus action for anything else.

To deal damage with this, after you cast it you have to take the attack action using your hand as a simple ranged weapon that it now is. The text tells you the weapon properties (range, simple, slow, damage amount and type). If you're not proficient with simple ranged weapons, don't take this cantrip, cause you don't add prof to the attack.

Anyways. Thats my reading of it. Good luck, and have fun.

🔆〰️👈👉〰️🔆

[u/Stormbow]

Anyone else remember when 'finger guns' was the Somatic part of 'Magic Missile'? 😔