You attempt to coat the weapons or spellcasting focuses of a creature within range with an unstable, shifting aura of volatile energy.
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Unstable Ignition (The Startup Downside): When you cast this spell, you must immediately roll a 1d4 to stabilize the volatile fluids.
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On a 2, 3, or 4: The spell succeeds normally.
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On a 1: The spell backfires. The spell fails completely, your action and spell slot are wasted, and the unstable energy erupts onto you. Roll a 1d4 on the Backlash Table below to determine your penalty.
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The Backlash Table (On a Startup Fail)
| 1d4 | Backlash Element | Debuff to Caster (Duration: 1 Round) |
| 1 | Poison Fumes | You are Poisoned until the end of your next turn. |
| 2 | Necrotic Feedback | You take 2d6 Necrotic damage, and you are Blinded until the end of your next turn. |
| 3 | Acidic Sputter | Your defense is compromised; your Armor Class is reduced by 2 until the end of your next turn. |
| 4 | Cryo-Shock | Your limbs freeze up; your movement speed is reduced to 0, and you cannot take reactions until the end of your next turn. |
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On a Success: For the duration of the spell, whenever the targeted creature hits an enemy with an attack, the strike automatically unleashes a burst of volatile essence. The enemy immediately takes an extra 2d6 damage of the rolled type and is automatically hindered by the corresponding status effect on the Catalyst Table.
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Shrugging It Off: The enemy remains afflicted by the status effect indefinitely until they spend an action or roll at the end of their turn to break free. An affected creature can only shrug off the status effect by making a Constitution saving throw and scoring a 13 or higher.
The Catalyst Table
| d6 | Damage Type | Automatic Status Effect |
| 1 | Poison | The target is Poisoned (Disadvantage on attacks and ability checks). |
| 2 | Necrotic | The target is Blinded by necrotic rot clouding their vision. |
| 3 | Acid | The target's armor corrodes; their Armor Class is reduced by 2. |
| 4 | Fire | The target is Ignited, taking an extra 1d10 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. |
| 5 | Cold | The target is partially frozen; their movement speed is reduced to 0. |
| 6 | Bleed (Slashing) | The target begins heavily bleeding, taking an extra 2d6 damage whenever it moves. |
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