Spiritual Weapon questions

[Mistwell]

Should or should not, unless there is a way to stike with the spiritual bow as an improvised weapon, which several people objected to, it looks like the firing into melee penalty does apply. You folks argued it should strike like a bow, so it is like every ranged weapon in the game. You can't have things both ways.

I can. It's a spell, not a bow. It's not actually firing anything, just creating a force effect that looks like a thing. But because you are not actually aimming the thing (the spell is doing that), you don't take a penalty for melee combat getting in the way. Your arrow strikes at the target as if it were a melee weapon for some purposes, and as if it were a ranged weapon for other purposes, and I think the line between the two is apparent with the spell.

As always Frank, I am putting usability and utily of the rules above strict construction of the rules, and you seem to be putting strict construction of the rules above usablity and utility. :\

 

[frankthedm]

As always Frank, I am putting usability and utily of the rules above strict construction of the rules, and you seem to be putting strict construction of the rules above usablity and utility. :\

Both side have the same "utility" of the rules. When you cut the spellcaster slack, you victimize the spell's target.

Now that I have mulled the spell over and my brain is only on a low simmer, I think you are right provided even a ranged spritual weapon has to right in the targeted foes space. As long as the weapon is on the victim, thus at risk of leaving the spells area or LOS being broken, all is well and fine with the weapon not suffering the 'firing into melee' penalty.

 

[atomn]

If your deity's favored weapon is a ranged weapon, does your Spiritual Weapon suffer penalties such as for firing into melee?

I think it should suffer the penalties just like any ranged attack into melee would.