All that playDungeons & Dragonsknow it to be a game of near endless imagination. Even the rules themselves tell the players and DMs (Dungeon Masters) to use them as guidelines, but to disregard or alter any rules they don’t like. So, when using spells, it only makes sense to alter their presentation to your character.
Spiritual Weapon is one such spell that leaves itself completely open to having its look and feel altered.The spell’s description states: “You create a floating, spectral weapon within range that lasts for the duration or until you cast this spell again.” This creates so much room for you to decide exactly what that weapon looks like.
If you are a player, it is up to your DMs' discretion how you flavor any spells or other roleplay and combat elements.
9A Symbol That Represents Your Character’s Deity
A, Uh, Holy Symbolm If You Will.
For clerics, there tends to be aGod, Goddess, or other Deity of some kind that your character worships. Even if there’s some other kind of arrangement you’ve come up with, you most likely have some idea of symbols that represent your Deity.
Pelor, for example, is a Sun God in Dungeons & Dragons. So why not make your Spiritual Weapon an Orb of Light? A small replica of the Sun? you may do this for any Deity. If they reign over nature, you can flavor your weapon to be covered in moss or vines. Or just flat-out hit your foe with a rock. Do you worship an evil-aligned God? Then your weapon can look demonic, spewing the fires of the Nine Hells. There are so many possibilities.
8Animals As Weapons
Bacaw-POW
Exploring the nature element a bit further, perhaps there’s an animal that makes sense to conjure. This doesn’t mean this only works for deitites that represent animals or nature, but any that could be represented by the visage of an animal.
One that may come to mind instantly is The Raven Queen. When you summon your Spiritual Weapon, there’s no reason that it can’t take the form of a raven, swooping in from the Shadowfell to lend a temporary hand in your combat. Or it could even be a swirl of raven feathers that slash and cut into your enemies at your command.
7Fists
Punch Some Holiness Into Your Enemies.
Some spells allow you to conjure a hand, like Mage Hand and Bigby’s Hand. So why shouldn’t your cleric get in on the fun? Not to mention, you can easily tell your opponents to catch your hands, if that’s your style, of course.
But to get more serious about why you’d want to flavor your spell this way, if your deity represents strength or wants their worshipers to train their martial skills, having your Spiritual Weapon appear on the field of battle as a pair of clenched or wrapped fists could get the message across well. Bonus points if you want to make a cleric whose subclass is a monk or fighter. Or the other way around.
6Food Items
Did Someone Order This Meal To Go?
If you’re familiar withCritical Role’s Jester Lavorre, you might have heard of her using a giant Spiritual Lollipop to smack bad guys with. There’s no reason that you can’t pick a food item that represents your character or their deity to swing at those in your way.
Is your character’s deity one of abundance or drink? Then you can have your Spiritual Weapon take the shape of a large turkey leg or a stein of ale that bashes into them. Or perhaps your character has a favorite meal or snack you can weaponize. Candy and sweets, savory or meats, as long as it’s something that brings a smile to your face and your DM approves.
5Use The Elements
Recreate Your Favorite Avatar Moments In D&D
There are Gods and Goddesses of the Sea, of the Earth, and depending on the campaign you’re in or any deities your DM has homebrewed, they could represent fire, air, metal, any element out there. Use that to your advantage and spawn a weapon of these elements.
These weapons could look like they are blades made solely of water. You could tell the others around your table or digital meeting place that the ground near you cracks and births an axe made of stone that races toward a nearby bandit. The sky’s the limit.
4Constructs, Modrons, And Clockwork Creatures
Be Sure To Dress In Your Finest Steampunk Attire.
If your Deity is about progress or your character is a mesh of Cleric and Artificer, you’re able to always use Constructs and contraptions as your Spiritual Weapons. This could also be altered to give your character a more steampunk look and feel.
Either your weapon could be mechanical in style, with gears circulating and steam spewing from it, or you can have your weapon take the form of a medium or smaller Construct that appearsfrom your Deity’s plane of existence. No matter which you choose, this could seriously intimidate enemies from smaller towns or villages that have never seen such items, or can really represent your Cleric’s style.
3Use Your Enemy’s Greatest Fear
Scare Your Enemies, And Maybe Your Party Members.
Granted, you may not always known the fear of any random encounters, but if you’re facing someone you’ve been studying or investigating, you may know what scares them most. So why not use that information against them?
Does your foe fear snakes? Have your weapon either take that literal form or have a whip with hydra-like features, hissing and shaking a tail-like hilt as you use it against them. Do they fear thunder? Have your Spiritual Weapon crack and boom with each movement, conjuring the sights and sounds of the coming storm that is your wrath.
Make sure it’s okay with your DM before you use any sounds, but if they allow it… oh, how menacing your weapon will be.
2Your Deity’s Face
Face To Face, For Better Or Worse.
This one may be a bit on the nose, but similar to a rounded mace, you could summon a spectral weapon that resembles your god or goddess’s face. It gives a whole new meaning to having some face time with someone.
If you think this sounds a bit like a meme or joke, think for a moment about holy symbols or shields that have depictions of Deities on them. you may even think of real-life items that depict religious figures. There’s no reason that your weapon can’t either have your deity’s visage on it, or literally take the form of them in this plane dispatching enemies.
1Use Your Environment
Pack More Of A Punch Than Pocket Sand Can
Similar to using the elements, take a look at your surroundings. Well, your character’s surroundings. Are you in a forest with fallen trees and decaying logs? Are you in the middle of desert ruins with half buried pieces of rubble? Draw inspiration from what’s around you.
Even deep down inside a dungeon or in the middle of a temple, you’re able to take note of the things near you that will help you flavor your combat. If a brawl breaks out in your church, your weapon can look like it’s made of stained-glass that is gifted to you in a brilliant spark of light. Or you can use the cobwebs of the long unexplored dungeon you and your party are traveling through. This will also ensure that each time you use your Spiritual Weapon it changes, always keeping this spell fresh.
