[RPG] How does the damage for Spiritual Weapon work when cast at a higher level

dnd-5espells

The wording on this spell is a little confusing to me.

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.

Does this mean the damage increases when cast as a 3rd level spell, then again at 5th, 7th, etc? Or does it start at 4th, then 6th, and so on?

Best Answer

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.

Spritual weapon is a 2nd level spell. The first part of this description is simply telling you the rules for casting it from a slot higher than it's level, i.e., third level or higher. Many spells have greater effects when they are cast with a higher level spell slot.

The second part tells you specifically what effect casting with a higher slot has and how the spell improves based on which spell slot you use. In other words, casting it from a 3rd level slot doesn't grant any benefit, because that is not two slot levels above second.

The spiritual weapon's damage works out as follows:

  • 2nd level slot: 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
  • 3rd level slot: 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
  • 4th level slot: 2d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
  • 5th level slot: 2d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
  • 6th level slot: 3d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
  • 7th level slot: 3d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
  • 8th level slot: 4d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.
  • 9th level slot: 4d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier.