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Animate Object Says:

As a bonus action, you can mentally command any creature you made with this spell if the creature is within 500 feet of you.

This command can be an attack. In effect you are using your bonus action to indirectly attack.

Spirit Shroud Says:

any attack you make deals 1d8 extra damage when you hit a creature within 10 feet of you.

If I command animated objects attack within the 10' limit of spirit shroud at your direction, do they benefit from spirt shrouds extra damage?

In this case I am hung up on the language. I am making the attack, without me there would be no attack. But it might be more literal?

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You are not attacking, the object is.

Animate Objects specifically states:

Each target animates and becomes a creature under your control...

[...]

If you command an object to attack, it can make a single melee attack against a creature within 5 feet of it. It makes a slam attack [...]

You may be commanding the animated object to attack but it is its own entity, its own creature so you are not the one making the attack.

Page 194 of the PHB also states:

If there's ever any question whether something you're doing counts as an attack, the rule is simple: if you're making an attack roll, you're making an attack.

You are not making an attack roll, the animated object is, so you are not making an attack.

Therefore Spirit Shroud doesn't apply to the attack made by the animated object.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ But I am using my bonus action to cause the attack. \$\endgroup\$
    – Sam Lacrumb
    Jul 1, 2021 at 4:14
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    \$\begingroup\$ @SamLacrumb You aren't using your bonus action to cause the attack, you are using your bonus action to give orders. The actual attack for the animated objects doesn't happen on your turn. \$\endgroup\$
    – Allan Mills
    Jul 1, 2021 at 5:40
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    \$\begingroup\$ And even if the attack did happen on your turn, it is explicit that the object is making the attack, not you. \$\endgroup\$
    – Andrzej Doyle
    Jul 1, 2021 at 10:31
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    \$\begingroup\$ @SamLacrumb it's probably out of the range of this question. But spiritual weapon is worded very differently and YOU make the attack roll. While the summon spell doesn't explicitely says it the same way. But says that YOU only give order and the summon is a different creature. \$\endgroup\$
    – 3C273
    Jul 1, 2021 at 12:23
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    \$\begingroup\$ It's really annoying that every spell is worded slightly differently and every spell works slightly differently. But that's 5e for ya. \$\endgroup\$
    – 3C273
    Jul 1, 2021 at 12:24

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