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Is casting the Spiritual Ally or Spiritual Weapon spells consider an attack on a creature?
Trying to figure this out as both spells don't seem to target an enemy directly and instead list their effects as "Effect: spiritual ally of force" and "Effect: magic weapon of force" respectively. And it is these ally/weapon that is making the attack.
The spell ends if the subject attacks any creature. For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe. Exactly who is a foe depends on the invisible character’s perceptions. Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the spell. Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Thus, an invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, summon monsters and have them attack, cut the ropes holding a rope bridge while enemies are on the bridge, remotely trigger traps, open a portcullis to release attack dogs, and so forth. If the subject attacks directly, however, it immediately becomes visible along with all its gear. Spells such as bless that specifically affect allies but not foes are not attacks for this purpose, even when they include foes in their area.
This seems much closer to a summoning than a magic missile, so I would say it does not break invisibility. But the written rules seem questionable enough that table variation seems likely, so best to ask your GM before you count on this as a tactic.
Neither Spiritual Weapon nor Spiritual Ally are You. The target for both spells is not an enemy, so neither triggers the attack clause, even when you direct them to attack. In that regard, they both act in similar fashion to Summon Monster.
Agreed . . . but check with your GM anyway.
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Spiritual ally is a semi independent force, so it shouldn't break invisibility, but spiritual weapon is actively aimed to someone when called and I feel it should break invisibility.
Relevant text from spiritual weapon "A weapon made of force appears and attacks foes at a distance, as you direct it".
The ally attack a foe, can take AoO, the weapon is directed by you, stop attacking and return to your flank if you lose line of sight to it and it attack as a spell, a spell that you direct.
Spiritual ally instead say: "your spiritual ally can make an attack against a foe within its reach that you designate."
Direct targeting against designating a target.
Summoned creature attack foes but aren't directly controlled and aimed by you when doing that. If you can communicate they will do what you wish, but they are acting independently from you.
Yes, it absolutely is targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe. Unless you summon it to attack a table, you break invisibility.
Spiritual ally is a semi independent force, so it shouldn't break invisibility, but spiritual weapon is actively aimed to someone when called and I feel it should break invisibility.
Relevant text from spiritual weapon "A weapon made of force appears and attacks foes at a distance, as you direct it".
The ally attack a foe, can take AoO, the weapon is directed by you, stop attacking and return to your flank if you lose line of sight to it and it attack as a spell, a spell that you direct.Spiritual ally instead say: "your spiritual ally can make an attack against a foe within its reach that you designate."
Direct targeting against designating a target.
Summoned creature attack foes but aren't directly controlled and aimed by you when doing that. If you can communicate they will do what you wish, but they are acting independently from you.
I’m fairly sure it’s just a different word for the same thing since it’s interchanged with it later.
It strikes the opponent you designate, starting with one attack in the round the spell is cast and continuing each round thereafter on your turn.
While not a definitive case for it (as PFS does mess up rules at times) , one of the evergreen PFS senerios has a cleric that uses spiritual weapon and it does not break his sanctuary.
It uses your base attack bonus (possibly allowing it multiple attacks per round in subsequent rounds) plus your Wisdom modifier as its attack bonus.
The weapon has its own attack bonus, so it isn't you. So it doesn't count as an "attack" for magic purposes.