As you hold your hand forward, a dark and misty skull explodes in front of you, blasting creatures in decaying energy. Each creature in a 15-foot cone must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes 3d6 necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

A Medium or Small humanoid killed by this damage has parts of its flesh rotted away, counting as either a pile of bones or a corpse for spells such as animate dead.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st.