8th-level Necromancy

Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 500 feet (100-foot-radius circle)
Components: V, S, M (a wishbone)
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
Class: Cleric, Warlock, Wizard
Sourcebook: L’Arsene’s Ledger

The ground in a 100-foot-radius circle centred on a point you can see within range is punctured as bony claws, tails, and maws protrude from the ground, snapping, grasping, and raking at all within reach. The ground becomes difficult terrain for creatures other than you. A creature other than you that starts its turn in this area or enters this area for the first time on its turn must make a Strength saving throw. On a failure, it takes 6d6 slashing damage and is grappled by the bony protrusions (escape DC equals your spell save DC). On a success, a creature takes half as much damage and isn’t grappled.

For the duration of the spell, at the start of each of your turns, you can cause 1d4 skeletons to burst from the ground at points you choose within the spell’s area. Skeletons created by this spell have immunity to its effects. On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command all the creatures made by this spell if the creature is within 500 feet of you, issuing the same command to each one. You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move during its next turn, or you can issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no commands, the creature only defends itself against hostile creatures. Once given an order, the creature continues to follow it until its task is complete. When the spell ends, all creatures created by this spell crumble into dust.

If this spell is cast in an area with a lot of buried corpses (GM’s discretion), like a graveyard or battlefield, the saving throw is made with disadvantage and you create 2d4 skeletons instead.