Spiritual Weapon
- Casting Time: 1 bonus action
- School: Evocation
- Damage/Effect: Force
- Range: 60 feet
- Class: Cleric
- Attack/Save: Melee Spell Attack
- Duration: 1 minute
- Level: 2
- Components: Verbal, Somatic
- Class Levels: Cleric (3), Divine Soul (3), Oathbreaker (5), Bard (10, Magical Secrets)
- Materials Required: None
- Number of Targets: 1
- Number of Dice: 1d8 (increased by 1 for every 2 spell slot levels above the 2nd)
Spell Description:
You create a floating, spectral weapon within range that lasts for the duration or until you cast this spell again. When you cast the spell, you can make a melee spell attack against a creature within 5 feet of the weapon. On a hit, the target takes force damage equal to 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the weapon up to 20 feet and repeat the attack against a creature within 5 feet of it.
The weapon can take whatever form you choose. Clerics of deities who are associated with a particular weapon (as St. Cuthbert is known for his mace and Thor for his hammer) make this spell’s effect resemble that weapon.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for every two slot levels above 2nd.
Spiritual Weapon Damage Table
| 2nd level | 5th level | 7th level | 9th level | |
| Damage Dice | 1d8 + X | 2d8 + X | 3d8 + X | 4d8 + X |
| Minimum Damage | 1 + X | 2 + X | 3 + X | 4 + X |
| Average Damage | 4.5 + X | 8.5 + X | 12.5 + X | 16.5 + X |
| Maximum Damage | 8 + X | 16 + X | 24 + X | 32 + X |
Using Spiritual Weapon in Game
Spiritual Weapon allows the player to manifest a spectral weapon using one Bonus Action and make a melee weapon attack against a creature within 5 feet of the weapon.
Using another bonus action, the player can then move the weapon up to 20 feet and make a melee weapon attack against any creature within 5 feet of it.
Spiritual Weapon is a powerful spell because all of its interactions are bonus actions rather than main actions. Spiritual Weapon can be cast in conjunction with a cantrip such as Sacred Flame for extra damage.
Once cast, its remaining uses are movement and melee spell attacks that do not count as leveled spells, so they can be cast alongside any spell.
Can I cast Spiritual Weapon with another Spell?
As written, a player can only cast one spell with a level above 0 (cantrip) per turn, regardless of what action type they use. It is possible to cast Spiritual Weapon alongside a level 0 (cantrip) spell, and it is possible to maintain and command your already-manifested Spiritual Weapon alongside leveled spells.
But you must cast Spiritual Weapon as a leveled spell and cannot do so if you have already cast a leveled spell on that turn.
When I’m not writing about RPGs, I’m playing Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: the Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh!, X-Wing miniatures, and many other lovingly-crafted tabletop games with the people I love.
