Leech Leash
Today we give you the 1st-level necromancy spell, leech leash. If you’ve been keeping up with our weekly updates, you’ll see we’ve been on a necromancy spell spree for the last month or so. Embalm and consume memories are the products of that; in their accompanying articles, we talked about the current state of the spell school of necromancy. A problem that was brought up in those articles is the general lack of low-level damaging necromancy spells; a problem that leech leash is here to answer. This spell’s flavor screams necromancy all the way, but its mechanics were actually inspired by the evocation spell witch bolt. Specifically, the version that lives in our head where the spell isn’t bad. We hope that this spell serves as a fun and effective necromancy spell as well as an examination of a different interpretation of witch bolt’s mechanics.
When you cast the spell, you make a ranged spell attack against a creature within 60 feet of you. On a hit, that creature takes 1d8 piercing damage and is unable to move as a thorn tethered by life energy roots them in place. They additionally take 1d6 necrotic damage at the start of their subsequent turns, and you heal for the damage dealt. As an action, the target can try to rip the thorn out using an Athletics check, ending the effect on a success.
This spell fixes a lot of what makes witch bolt a poor combat option in our eyes. The reason why that spell doesn’t work is it expends a valuable resource to guarantee cantrip damage, assuming the target doesn’t simply leave the 60-foot range at any point or knock you out of concentration. Leech leash, on the other hand, lowers the guaranteed damage in favor of giving plenty of buffs to reliability and utility. This spell reduces the opponent’s movement speed to 0, buffing the spell’s consistency as well as providing it some crowd control. In addition, we decided to play to the necromantic theming by allowing the caster to heal the damage the leash deals.
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Leech Leash
1st-level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: S, M (a bloodsoaked spindle)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Classes: Warlock, Wizard
You release a conduit of life force taking the form of a thorned leash. Make a ranged spell attack against a creature within range. On a hit, the target takes 1d8 piercing damage and becomes grappled.
At the start of each of its turns, a grappled target takes 1d6 necrotic damage and you regain hit points equal to the damage dealt. A target grappled by the leash can use its action to make a Strength (Athletics) check against your spell save DC. On a success, or when the target leaves the spell’s range, the leash is torn out, ending the effect.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the piercing damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.