Using the optional flanking rule, would a Spiritual Weapon on the other side of an enemy allow a character to...












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Using the optional rules on flanking in the DMG on page 251, would a caster who gains access to the Spiritual Weapon spell be able to use said weapon to trigger the advantage from flanking?






dnd-5e spells optional-rules flanking







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    [Related] Use of Mage Hand during combat to gain advantage?
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13












$begingroup$


Using the optional rules on flanking in the DMG on page 251, would a caster who gains access to the Spiritual Weapon spell be able to use said weapon to trigger the advantage from flanking?






dnd-5e spells optional-rules flanking







share|improve this question











$endgroup$












  • $begingroup$
    [Related] Use of Mage Hand during combat to gain advantage?
    $endgroup$
    – SevenSidedDie♦
    2 days ago














13












13








13


0



$begingroup$


Using the optional rules on flanking in the DMG on page 251, would a caster who gains access to the Spiritual Weapon spell be able to use said weapon to trigger the advantage from flanking?






dnd-5e spells optional-rules flanking







share|improve this question











$endgroup$




Using the optional rules on flanking in the DMG on page 251, would a caster who gains access to the Spiritual Weapon spell be able to use said weapon to trigger the advantage from flanking?






dnd-5e spells optional-rules flanking




dnd-5e spells optional-rules flanking






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edited 2 days ago









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HenryWLee1066HenryWLee1066

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  • $begingroup$
    [Related] Use of Mage Hand during combat to gain advantage?
    $endgroup$
    – SevenSidedDie♦
    2 days ago


















  • $begingroup$
    [Related] Use of Mage Hand during combat to gain advantage?
    $endgroup$
    – SevenSidedDie♦
    2 days ago
















$begingroup$
[Related] Use of Mage Hand during combat to gain advantage?
$endgroup$
– SevenSidedDie♦
2 days ago




$begingroup$
[Related] Use of Mage Hand during combat to gain advantage?
$endgroup$
– SevenSidedDie♦
2 days ago










1 Answer
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$begingroup$

By RAW: No, it wouldn't help with flanking.



The flanking rules require that two creatures (specifically allies) are on opposite sides of the creature they flank.




When a creature and at
least one of its allies are adjacent to an enemy and on
opposite sides or corners of the enemy's space, they
flank that enemy [...]




However, a spiritual weapon does not count as a creature or an ally of any other creature, it is simply a floating weapon. It does not occupy space and cannot be attacked.




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.




Additionally, it was confirmed by Jeremy Crawford that Spiritual Weapon does not count as another enemy for sneak attack, which is nearly the same condition.



While many DMs may quite reasonably rule that a floating, spectral weapon would be a sufficient condition to provide advantage, by RAW it does not.






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$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    How do you determine it's not an ally? That's not a defined mechanical term and there are lots of ways a sufficiently creative player could create a character's worldview such that they think of said weapon as an ally.
    $endgroup$
    – the dark wanderer
    yesterday










  • $begingroup$
    You are correct that the term "ally" is not strictly defined in 5e. And I agree that your DM could very reasonably allow it to be used as an ally for flanking. However, 5e uses the English definition of "ally", and a weapon does not constitute a "A person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity." [1: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/129130/… ]. Furthermore, if a Spiritual Weapon does not count as an enemy for sneak attack, then it can hardly be an ally for flanking.
    $endgroup$
    – guest
    yesterday











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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1






active

oldest

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active

oldest

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active

oldest

votes









18












$begingroup$

By RAW: No, it wouldn't help with flanking.



The flanking rules require that two creatures (specifically allies) are on opposite sides of the creature they flank.




When a creature and at
least one of its allies are adjacent to an enemy and on
opposite sides or corners of the enemy's space, they
flank that enemy [...]




However, a spiritual weapon does not count as a creature or an ally of any other creature, it is simply a floating weapon. It does not occupy space and cannot be attacked.




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.




Additionally, it was confirmed by Jeremy Crawford that Spiritual Weapon does not count as another enemy for sneak attack, which is nearly the same condition.



While many DMs may quite reasonably rule that a floating, spectral weapon would be a sufficient condition to provide advantage, by RAW it does not.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    How do you determine it's not an ally? That's not a defined mechanical term and there are lots of ways a sufficiently creative player could create a character's worldview such that they think of said weapon as an ally.
    $endgroup$
    – the dark wanderer
    yesterday










  • $begingroup$
    You are correct that the term "ally" is not strictly defined in 5e. And I agree that your DM could very reasonably allow it to be used as an ally for flanking. However, 5e uses the English definition of "ally", and a weapon does not constitute a "A person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity." [1: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/129130/… ]. Furthermore, if a Spiritual Weapon does not count as an enemy for sneak attack, then it can hardly be an ally for flanking.
    $endgroup$
    – guest
    yesterday
















18












$begingroup$

By RAW: No, it wouldn't help with flanking.



The flanking rules require that two creatures (specifically allies) are on opposite sides of the creature they flank.




When a creature and at
least one of its allies are adjacent to an enemy and on
opposite sides or corners of the enemy's space, they
flank that enemy [...]




However, a spiritual weapon does not count as a creature or an ally of any other creature, it is simply a floating weapon. It does not occupy space and cannot be attacked.




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.




Additionally, it was confirmed by Jeremy Crawford that Spiritual Weapon does not count as another enemy for sneak attack, which is nearly the same condition.



While many DMs may quite reasonably rule that a floating, spectral weapon would be a sufficient condition to provide advantage, by RAW it does not.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    How do you determine it's not an ally? That's not a defined mechanical term and there are lots of ways a sufficiently creative player could create a character's worldview such that they think of said weapon as an ally.
    $endgroup$
    – the dark wanderer
    yesterday










  • $begingroup$
    You are correct that the term "ally" is not strictly defined in 5e. And I agree that your DM could very reasonably allow it to be used as an ally for flanking. However, 5e uses the English definition of "ally", and a weapon does not constitute a "A person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity." [1: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/129130/… ]. Furthermore, if a Spiritual Weapon does not count as an enemy for sneak attack, then it can hardly be an ally for flanking.
    $endgroup$
    – guest
    yesterday














18












18








18





$begingroup$

By RAW: No, it wouldn't help with flanking.



The flanking rules require that two creatures (specifically allies) are on opposite sides of the creature they flank.




When a creature and at
least one of its allies are adjacent to an enemy and on
opposite sides or corners of the enemy's space, they
flank that enemy [...]




However, a spiritual weapon does not count as a creature or an ally of any other creature, it is simply a floating weapon. It does not occupy space and cannot be attacked.




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.




Additionally, it was confirmed by Jeremy Crawford that Spiritual Weapon does not count as another enemy for sneak attack, which is nearly the same condition.



While many DMs may quite reasonably rule that a floating, spectral weapon would be a sufficient condition to provide advantage, by RAW it does not.






share|improve this answer











$endgroup$



By RAW: No, it wouldn't help with flanking.



The flanking rules require that two creatures (specifically allies) are on opposite sides of the creature they flank.




When a creature and at
least one of its allies are adjacent to an enemy and on
opposite sides or corners of the enemy's space, they
flank that enemy [...]




However, a spiritual weapon does not count as a creature or an ally of any other creature, it is simply a floating weapon. It does not occupy space and cannot be attacked.




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.




Additionally, it was confirmed by Jeremy Crawford that Spiritual Weapon does not count as another enemy for sneak attack, which is nearly the same condition.



While many DMs may quite reasonably rule that a floating, spectral weapon would be a sufficient condition to provide advantage, by RAW it does not.







share|improve this answer














share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer








edited 2 days ago









V2Blast

20.3k357127




20.3k357127










answered 2 days ago









guestguest

72938




72938












  • $begingroup$
    How do you determine it's not an ally? That's not a defined mechanical term and there are lots of ways a sufficiently creative player could create a character's worldview such that they think of said weapon as an ally.
    $endgroup$
    – the dark wanderer
    yesterday










  • $begingroup$
    You are correct that the term "ally" is not strictly defined in 5e. And I agree that your DM could very reasonably allow it to be used as an ally for flanking. However, 5e uses the English definition of "ally", and a weapon does not constitute a "A person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity." [1: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/129130/… ]. Furthermore, if a Spiritual Weapon does not count as an enemy for sneak attack, then it can hardly be an ally for flanking.
    $endgroup$
    – guest
    yesterday


















  • $begingroup$
    How do you determine it's not an ally? That's not a defined mechanical term and there are lots of ways a sufficiently creative player could create a character's worldview such that they think of said weapon as an ally.
    $endgroup$
    – the dark wanderer
    yesterday










  • $begingroup$
    You are correct that the term "ally" is not strictly defined in 5e. And I agree that your DM could very reasonably allow it to be used as an ally for flanking. However, 5e uses the English definition of "ally", and a weapon does not constitute a "A person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity." [1: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/129130/… ]. Furthermore, if a Spiritual Weapon does not count as an enemy for sneak attack, then it can hardly be an ally for flanking.
    $endgroup$
    – guest
    yesterday
















$begingroup$
How do you determine it's not an ally? That's not a defined mechanical term and there are lots of ways a sufficiently creative player could create a character's worldview such that they think of said weapon as an ally.
$endgroup$
– the dark wanderer
yesterday




$begingroup$
How do you determine it's not an ally? That's not a defined mechanical term and there are lots of ways a sufficiently creative player could create a character's worldview such that they think of said weapon as an ally.
$endgroup$
– the dark wanderer
yesterday












$begingroup$
You are correct that the term "ally" is not strictly defined in 5e. And I agree that your DM could very reasonably allow it to be used as an ally for flanking. However, 5e uses the English definition of "ally", and a weapon does not constitute a "A person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity." [1: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/129130/… ]. Furthermore, if a Spiritual Weapon does not count as an enemy for sneak attack, then it can hardly be an ally for flanking.
$endgroup$
– guest
yesterday




$begingroup$
You are correct that the term "ally" is not strictly defined in 5e. And I agree that your DM could very reasonably allow it to be used as an ally for flanking. However, 5e uses the English definition of "ally", and a weapon does not constitute a "A person or organization that cooperates with or helps another in a particular activity." [1: rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/129130/… ]. Furthermore, if a Spiritual Weapon does not count as an enemy for sneak attack, then it can hardly be an ally for flanking.
$endgroup$
– guest
yesterday


















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