I am a 5th level cleric in D&D and I am a little unsure about how to use spiritual weapon, which is cast with a bonus action.
The spell says that you create a weapon and then you can attack. It then says that “on your turn” as a bonus action you can move the weapon and hit another person, but spiritual weapon itself is already a bonus action.
Does this mean that you get a bonus action on a bonus action, or does the first bonus action become an action?
This is a little confusing. You only ever get one bonus action on a turn — but this spell lasts a minute, which is ten turns. So, you can attack once with spiritual weapon as part of the casting — that takes the bonus action your first turn. Then, for nine more rounds, you have the option of using your bonus action to attack again.
This spell is spectacular because on those follow-up turns you can use your bonus action to attack with spiritual weapon and also use your regular action to cast other high-level spells, not just cantrips. And it is a very rare ongoing spell effect which doesn’t require concentration — and so doesn’t interfere with spells that do. And even at higher levels, it scales with spell slot level, so it stays relevant and useful.