You brandish the weapon used in the spell’s casting and make a melee attack with it against one creature within 5 feet of you. On a hit, the target suffers the weapon attack’s normal effects, and you can cause green and black rot infect the target. They take an additional 1d8 acid damage. Then, if they are within 5ft of another hostile creature, the rot links them, dealing damage to both creatures equal to your spellcasting modifier.

This spell’s damage increases when you reach certain levels. At 5th level, the melee attack deals an extra 1d8 acid damage to the secondary target on a hit, and the acid damage to the first creature increases to 2d8. Both damage rolls increase by 1d8 at 11th level (3d8 and 2d8) and 17th level (4d8 and 3d8).