Level
Cantrip
Casting Time
1 Action
Range/Area
40 ft.
Components
V, S
Duration
Special 1 Round
School
Necromancy
Attack/Save
Ranged
Damage/Effect
Cold (...)

By hurling negative Negative energy (which is different from and generally less useful than Positive Energy) at an undead creature with a successful ranged spell attack, the caster deals 1d4 cold damage and subjects the target to a one-time magical "repulsion effect" that lasts no longer than the end of its next turn if it is not triggered or dispelled before that point. Targets with a natural movement speed of 0 (such as an undead mimic) are immune to the repulsion effect. The maximum duration of the effect is 1 round, though as the effect cannot persist after the target's turn, this only applies in the event of turn swapping shenanigans skipping the target's turn; in such event, the target instead takes 1d8 radiant damage after 1 round, ending the repulsion effect.

On the target's turn, after automatic, uncontrolled effects (examples: regeneration; auras that inflict automatic damage) but before it can take any actions, spend movement, or choose to do things via effects that do not require actions (example: inflicting damage via Phantasmal Force), the undead can "choose" to move its current speed as far away from the caster as possible. This does not provoke attacks of opportunities, and does not count as taking an action nor use up their movement, but for all other movement purposes is treated as if the undead were spending its own movement, so a prone the creature must either crawl or first stand (their choice), flyers can fly, difficult terrain counts as normal, etc. If instead the undead chooses not to take this special movement, or if the undead is temporarily incapable of moving further away, or if at any point on its turn it moves closer to the target than it started the turn, it immediately and automatically (no rolls or saves take place) takes 1d8 radiant damage and the repulsion effect ends. If the damage is not triggered, the effect ends at the end of the target's turn.

If the attack roll misses, no damage is inflicted and no effect is imposed. 

Contrary to the spell name, this affects all types of undead, explicitly allowing the targeting of undead allies. The magical effect grants even mindless undead the "choice" of either fleeing or taking damage, as this is more of a construct of game mechanics allowing the controlling GM or Player to choose to avoid damage than it is necessarily a conscious decision by the monster. Any target can only be subject to a single instance of the repulsion effect at any given time, with subsequent attacks overwriting any previously existing effect. Undead creatures who are permanently immobile or lack a normal movement (such as a soul jar or an undead mimic) are immune to the magical repelling effect. 

 

Concerning power balance: If the GM is not genuinely free to choose between either moving the undead away from the wizard or eating radiant damage, it had better be due to good planning or special circumstances such as the undead being temporarily restrained or completely surrounded. If the spell feels overpowered or the player finds a loophole to abuse (like if stationary monsters were not explicitly immune to the magical effect), the GM should feel free to change the spell so that the radiant damage is avoided so long as the undead fails to move closer to the caster, but this makes the spell far less useful and is thus not ideal. 

 

Spell Tags: Damage Control Movement

Available For: Wizard

ExplanoiteAgain

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