Can You Use Touch of Death with Spiritual Weapon? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, quite literally, Touch of Death applies to Spiritual Weapon. The Touch of Death feature, often associated with specific cleric domains, typically adds necrotic damage to a melee attack. Because Spiritual Weapon facilitates a melee spell attack, any bonus damage, like necrotic damage from Touch of Death, is indeed applicable. This makes the Spiritual Weapon spell even more appealing for clerics looking to maximize their damage output. Let’s dive deeper into the mechanics and explore related questions to fully understand this interaction.
Understanding the Synergy: Touch of Death and Spiritual Weapon
The beauty of D&D 5e lies in the interplay between different abilities and spells. When considering Touch of Death and Spiritual Weapon, we must examine how they function individually before combining them.
Touch of Death Explained
Touch of Death, generally a domain feature for Death Domain clerics, often provides a bonus to damage when the cleric deals necrotic damage with a spell. It’s crucial to check the exact wording of your Touch of Death ability to confirm its specific effects and triggers. The general gist is that the cleric gets to add extra necrotic damage to one of the attacks.
Spiritual Weapon Deconstructed
Spiritual Weapon conjures a floating, spectral weapon that you can command to attack as a bonus action. Critically, the attack is a melee spell attack. It’s not a weapon attack, but a spell attack, which opens doors for interactions with other features.
Why They Work Together
The melee spell attack nature of Spiritual Weapon is the key. Since Touch of Death (or similar abilities) is triggered by dealing damage with a spell, and Spiritual Weapon deals damage through a melee spell attack, the conditions for Touch of Death are met. Essentially, the extra necrotic damage from Touch of Death is added to the damage roll of the Spiritual Weapon attack.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Spiritual Weapon and Related Mechanics
1. Does Touch of Death work with Inflict Wounds?
Yes. Because Inflict Wounds is a melee spell attack that deals necrotic damage, the Touch of Death feature would apply, adding the extra damage specified by the ability.
2. Can you touch a Spiritual Weapon?
A spiritual weapon cannot be attacked or harmed by physical attacks. However, dispel magic, disintegrate, a sphere of annihilation, or a rod of cancellation affects it. A spiritual weapon’s AC against touch attacks is 12 (10 + size bonus for Tiny object).
3. Can you use Inflict Wounds with Spiritual Weapon?
No, you cannot channel Inflict Wounds through the Spiritual Weapon. While Spiritual Weapon makes its own melee spell attacks, it cannot “deliver” other spells. You cast Inflict Wounds as your Action, and use Spiritual Weapon as your Bonus Action.
4. Can you cast a spell and use Spiritual Weapon in the same turn?
Yes. Casting Spiritual Weapon takes an action, and attacking with it takes a bonus action on subsequent turns. This allows you to cast a spell as your action and use your bonus action to command the spiritual weapon to attack.
5. Is Spiritual Weapon a good spell in D&D 5e?
Spiritual Weapon is generally considered a strong spell, particularly at lower levels. It provides a consistent source of damage as a bonus action, freeing up your action for other spells or maneuvers.
6. Can you have two Spiritual Weapons active simultaneously?
No, you cannot have two spiritual weapons active at the same time from the same casting of the spell. The spell description states “You create a floating, spectral weapon within range that lasts for the duration or until you cast this spell again.” Casting the spell again will dismiss the first spiritual weapon.
7. Can you cast Spiritual Weapon multiple times in the same round?
No, you cannot cast Spiritual Weapon multiple times in the same round. You may only cast one spell with your action, and any additional spells must be cast with either a Bonus Action or Reaction. You also may not cast a Bonus Action spell and another spell with your Action on the same turn.
8. Can I flank with my Spiritual Weapon?
No. The Spiritual Weapon does not count toward flanking. Flanking requires two creatures to be positioned on opposite sides of an enemy, and a spiritual weapon is not considered a creature or an ally for this purpose. The caster is the one targeting with the attack, not the weapon itself.
9. What form can a Spiritual Weapon take?
The weapon can take whatever form you choose. Clerics of deities associated with a particular weapon often make the spiritual weapon resemble that weapon. Examples include St. Cuthbert’s mace and Thor’s hammer.
10. Which is better, Guiding Bolt or Inflict Wounds?
This depends on the situation. Guiding Bolt is a ranged spell attack that gives the next attack against the target advantage, while Inflict Wounds is a melee spell attack that deals more damage. Guiding Bolt is often considered more versatile due to its range and advantage-granting effect.
11. Do you need line of sight to the target when using Spiritual Weapon?
No, the spell description does not require line of sight to the target. You only need to be able to see the spiritual weapon itself to command it.
12. Can you use Spiritual Weapon while paralyzed?
Yes. You can use Spiritual Weapon while paralyzed, as long as you are conscious and can take bonus actions. However, you cannot use it if you are unconscious or otherwise incapacitated.
13. Can Spiritual Weapons fly?
Yes. A spiritual weapon can move freely through the air (or any medium that doesn’t obstruct your view) as you direct it. It’s not subject to gravity like a physical object.
14. What is the best weapon for a Death Domain cleric?
Death Domain clerics often benefit from a mix of ranged and melee options. A bow for ranged attacks, combined with the Spiritual Weapon spell for additional damage, can be a very effective combination.
15. Can Spiritual Weapon deal nonlethal damage?
Yes. According to the rules for Nonlethal Damage, this only requires a melee attack. Because Spiritual Weapon is a melee spell attack, it can deal nonlethal damage.
Maximizing Your Spiritual Weapon
To make the most of Spiritual Weapon, consider these strategies:
- Positioning: Carefully position your spiritual weapon to maximize its effectiveness and minimize its exposure to potential threats (though it can’t be physically attacked).
- Concentration Management: Be mindful that Spiritual Weapon requires concentration. Choose spells that don’t require concentration on your primary action to avoid dropping the weapon.
- Synergy with Abilities: Look for class features or feats that synergize with spell attacks, such as Touch of Death or features that grant bonuses to spell damage.
- Tactical Flexibility: Use Spiritual Weapon to target weaker enemies or to harass stronger foes while you focus on other objectives.
Spiritual Weapon remains a strong choice for clerics of many domains. Its ability to deal consistent damage as a bonus action, especially when combined with damage-boosting features like Touch of Death, makes it a valuable asset in any adventuring party. Remember to consult with your DM regarding specific interpretations of spell interactions, and always prioritize fun and engaging gameplay. Check out Games Learning Society at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ to find more information about collaborative work to use, understand, and improve games and learning.