Wizard
Wizards are supreme magic-users, defined and united as a class by the spells they cast. Drawing on the subtle weave of magic that permeates the cosmos, wizards cast spells of explosive fire, arcing lightning, subtle deception, and brute-force mind control. Their magic conjures monsters from other planes of existence, glimpses the future, or turns slain foes into zombies. Their mightiest spells change one substance into another, call meteors down from the sky, or open portals to other worlds.
Most wizards share a scholarly approach to magic. They study the rules and patterns of the arcane, filling spellbooks with careful notation and hard-won formulae. For a wizard, magic is not raw emotion given form but a discipline of the intellect — learned, refined, and expanded through rigorous practice. The more a wizard knows, the more they can do.
Beyond their spellbooks, wizards choose an arcane tradition that shapes how they practice magic. Some bind their craft to an ancient school of thought such as abjuration or conjuration. Others follow unique orders — traditions that blend arcane power with martial skill, vital essence, or the reverence of the written word. Whatever path they walk, wizards leave their mark on the world through the sheer depth of their magical knowledge.
Building a Wizard
Hit Dice. \(1d6\) per wizard level.
Proficiencies
Armor. None.
Weapons. You gain proficiency with daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, and light crossbows.
Tools. None.
Skills. Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, and Religion.
Saving Throws. Intelligence and Wisdom are your saving throw proficiencies.
Equipment
You start with the following equipment:
- A quarterstaff or a dagger,
- a component pouch or an arcane focus,
- a scholar's pack or an explorer's pack,
- a spellbook.
Spellbook and Preparation
Wizards prepare spells from their spellbook each day after a long rest. You can prepare a number of wizard spells equal to your Intelligence modifier + your wizard level (minimum one spell). You can change your prepared spells whenever you finish a long rest.
Wizard Table:
| Level | Class Features Gained | Cantrips | Prepared Spells | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | Proficiency Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Spellcasting, Arcane Recovery | 3 | Int+1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | +2 |
| 2nd | Choose Wizard Subclass | 3 | Int+2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | +2 |
| 3rd | 3 | Int+3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | +2 | |
| 4th | Obtain Feat | 4 | Int+4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | +2 |
| 5th | 4 | Int+5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | +3 | |
| 6th | Subclass Feature | 4 | Int+6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | +3 |
| 7th | 4 | Int+7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | +3 | |
| 8th | Obtain Feat | 4 | Int+8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | +3 |
| 9th | 4 | Int+9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | +4 | |
| 10th | Subclass Feature | 5 | Int+10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | +4 |
| 11th | 5 | Int+11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | +4 | |
| 12th | Obtain Feat | 5 | Int+12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | +4 |
| 13th | 5 | Int+13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | +5 | |
| 14th | Subclass Feature | 5 | Int+14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | +5 |
| 15th | 5 | Int+15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | +5 | |
| 16th | Obtain Feat | 5 | Int+16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | +5 |
| 17th | 5 | Int+17 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | +6 | |
| 18th | Spell Mastery | 5 | Int+18 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | +6 |
| 19th | Obtain Feat | 5 | Int+19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | +6 |
| 20th | Signature Spell | 5 | Int+20 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | +6 |
Subclasses
At 2nd level, you choose an arcane tradition. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th levels.
Orders
Schools
- School of Abjuration
- School of Chronurgy
- School of Conjuration
- School of Divination
- School of Enchantment
- School of Evocation
- School of Illusion
- School of Necromancy
- School of Transmutation
Class Features
Spellcasting
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells. You use your Intelligence whenever a spell refers to your spellcasting ability. In addition, you use your Intelligence modifier when setting the saving throw DC for a wizard spell you cast and when making an attack roll with one.
Spell save DC = 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Spell attack modifier = your proficiency bonus + your Intelligence modifier
Ritual Casting. You can cast a wizard spell as a ritual if that spell has the ritual tag and you have the spell in your spellbook. You don't need to have the spell prepared.
Spellbook. You begin play with a spellbook containing six 1st-level wizard spells of your choice. Whenever you gain a wizard level, you can add two wizard spells of your choice to your spellbook; these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. Other spellbooks and scrolls you find in your adventures may also contain spells you can copy into your own spellbook. Copying a spell costs 50 gp and 2 hours per spell level.
Arcane Recovery
Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can regain expended spell slots. The spell slots you recover can have a combined level equal to or less than half your wizard level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher.
Spell Mastery
At 18th level, you have achieved such mastery over certain spells that you can cast them at will. Choose a 1st-level and a 2nd-level wizard spell that are in your spellbook. You can cast those spells at their lowest level without expending a spell slot when you have them prepared. If you want to cast either spell at a higher level, you must expend a spell slot as normal.
Signature Spell
At 20th level, you gain mastery over two powerful spells and can cast them with little effort. Choose two 3rd-level wizard spells in your spellbook as your signature spells. You always have these spells prepared, they don't count against the number of spells you have prepared, and you can cast each of them once without expending a spell slot. When you do so, you can't cast them this way again until you finish a short rest.