Essence Drain

6th-level necromancy

• Casting Time: 1 action
• Range: 60 feet
• Components: V, S, M (a small vial of blood from a spellcaster)
• Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You create a parasitic link between yourself and a creature you can see within range. The target must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a shimmering cord of energy connects you to the target for the duration.

While the link is active, at the start of each of the target's turns, it takes 4d6 necrotic damage, and you regain hit points equal to the half of the damage dealt. The target's spellcasting ability score is reduced by 2 while the spell is active.

Additionally, whenever the target casts a spell of 1st level or higher, you can use your reaction to absorb some of the spell's energy. The target must make an Intelligence saving throw. On a failed save, you gain one spell slot of a level equal to half the level of the spell cast (rounded down, minimum of 1). If you already have all spell slots of that level, you gain a slot of the highest level available below that.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level or higher, the necrotic damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 6th.