Spiritual Weapon and Buffs

[Balkoth]

If a PC casts Spiritual Weapon, what buffs increase the attack/damage of the spell's attacks?

For example...

1, does an active Inspire Courage increase attack?

2, does an active Inspire Courage increase damage?

3, does a Heroism cast on the PC increase attack?

4, can you cast Heroism on the "spell" to increase its attack?

5, does a Prayer active when the spell is cast result in increased attack/damage for the spell?

6, does a Prayer cast once the spiritual weapon exists/is active increase the attack/damage for the spell's attacks?

[avr]

You can't target the spell effect with much (certainly it doesn't have a mind), and spiritual weapon doesn't suggest it carries over competence, morale or luck bonuses from the caster. I'd say no to 1-5, and maybe to 6.

[Callum]

Balkoth wrote:

If a PC casts Spiritual Weapon, what buffs increase the attack/damage of the spell's attacks?

The weapon "uses your base attack bonus...plus your Wisdom modifier as its attack bonus", "dealing 1d8 force damage per hit, + 1 point per three caster levels (maximum +5 at 15th level)", so only buffs that affect those things (or that can somehow affect the weapon directly) would affect the weapon's attack or damage.

Balkoth wrote:

1, does an active Inspire Courage increase attack?

2, does an active Inspire Courage increase damage?

No - the weapon is not the bard's ally (so it can't be affected directly), and inspire courage doesn't affect the PC's BAB, Wisdom modifier or caster level.

Balkoth wrote:

3, does a Heroism cast on the PC increase attack?

No - heroism doesn't affect the PC's BAB, Wisdom modifier or caster level.

Balkoth wrote:

4, can you cast Heroism on the "spell" to increase its attack?

No - the target for heroism is "creature touched".

Balkoth wrote:

5, does a Prayer active when the spell is cast result in increased attack/damage for the spell?

6, does a Prayer cast once the spiritual weapon exists/is active increase the attack/damage for the spell's attacks?

No - the weapon is not the cleric's ally (so it can't be affected directly), and prayer doesn't affect the PC's BAB, Wisdom modifier or caster level.

Conversely, an owl's wisdom targeting the PC who cast the spiritual weapon would increase the weapon's attack bonus.

[Balkoth]

Callum wrote:

No - the weapon is not the bard's ally (so it can't be affected directly), and inspire courage doesn't affect the PC's BAB, Wisdom modifier or caster level.

That was my assumption, but then they mention Spiritual Weapon in this FAQ and it seemed confusing.

"For example, a bard's inspire courage says it affects "weapon damage rolls," which is worded that way so don't try to add the bonus to a spell like fireball. However, rays are treated as weapons, whether they're from spells, a monster ability, a class ability, or some other source, so the inspire courage bonus applies to ray attack rolls and ray damage rolls.

The same rule applies to weapon-like spells such as flame blade, mage's sword, and spiritual weapon--effects that affect weapons work on these spells."

[Callum]

I agree, that FAQ is confusing! It doesn't actually specifically say that a bard's inspire courage will affect those spells, though - just that "effects that affect weapons work on these spells." My view is that inspire courage would affect the attack and damage rolls made with a flame blade, as you are wielding the blade yourself. Conversely, inspire courage would not affect the attack and damage rolls made for a mage's sword or a spiritual weapon, as those spells make their own attacks.