Beacon Bolt

You unleash a backlash of your spent magical energy. When you cast this spell, choose Target or Line.

Line. The lightning blasts out from you in a 5-foot-wide, 60-foot line. Each creature in this area takes 2d6 points of lightning damage for every expended spell slot you have, not including the one used to cast this spell. A successful Dexterity saving throw halves the damage.

Target. The lightning lashes out to a creature within 120-feet of you. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 points of lightning damage for every expended spell slot you have, not including the one used to cast this spell. On a miss, the target still takes half damage.

 At Higher Levels. When you use a spell slot of 6th or 9th level to cast this spell, the two modes increase their area of effect. Line. The line increases to 10-feet wide at 6th level, and to 15-feet wide at 9th level. Target. You may target one additional creature within range at 6th level, or two additional targets at 9th level. All of these targets must be within 30 feet of each other.

Jump Start. When you cast this spell, you immediately lose preparation of it. At any time you do not have this spell prepared, you may choose to lose preparation of another non-cantrip spell to cast this spell once, as normal. This can be repeated until you have no prepared spells left. After a long rest, you may re-prepare spells as normal.