'Spiritual Weapon' Question

[Falkyron]

Hello everybody.

I recently had a conflict within my group. A player summoned a spiritual weapon and focused it on a witch. The player specifically did so stating "Now she has to deal with this, and can't keep using that invisibility trick!".

On the witch's next turn, she became invisible. At this point, the argument came forth that it could not 'see' the witch, and therefore lost target.
Statements were made that it could attack incorporeal creatures, but it was stressed that this wasn't relevant.

This line was brought up:

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It strikes as a spell, not as a weapon

Also:

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Each round after the first, you can use a move action to redirect the weapon to a new target. If you do not, the weapon continues to attack the previous round's target.

The other side mentioned this:

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If the weapon goes beyond the spell range, if it goes out of your sight, or if you are not directing it, the weapon returns to you and hovers.

I realise that illusions don't typically affect non-creatures unless they have the shadow descriptor, but the question is: if somebody stays in range of the weapon, and in line of effect, but goes invisible, does the weapon stop attacking?

[Cavall]

You can't be invisible and in line of sight.

The target is no longer valid. However rules exist for targeting a square exist.

I see no evidence it overrides invisibility.

[Falkyron]

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You can't be invisible and in line of sight.

The target is no longer valid.

I don't think that's relevant, Cavall. The description requires line of sight to the weapon, not the target.

[Falkyron]

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and in line of sight

I'll change this to 'line of effect' for clarity.

[Savage Wolf]

The weapon is attacking the target you designate. If that target goes invisible, the spiritual weapon will still attack the last known position of the target designated, with the same miss chance as any other targeted attack.

I would rule myself as a GM that if they went invisible but stayed in the same place the SW would keep attacking with the same 50% miss chance for attacking an invisible target, but if they moved it would be unable to follow because it uses your knowledge of the target to keep locked on. You designate the target, but if you can't find the target, it can't either. As a courtesy I would then have it return to the caster rather than keep attacking the same place assuming the invisible target had stayed in the same place.

I would be interested in what the official ruling would be on this, but that is how I interpret it.

Also, when you GM and your players argue with you on something like that, just say "I am ruling it works this way for now, until I find or am presented with evidence otherwise. Get to researching when we are done!" lol