Wizard
Wizards are arcane spellcasters that learn to harness the magic of the Weave through intensive research and study. This mastery manifests in the form of memorized incantations and gestures which allows them to unleash elemental forces or control the battlefield around them with ease. Every wizard possesses a spellbook filled with notes and esoteric sigils in which they document their arcane knowledge.
Class Features
As a wizard, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per wizard level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per wizard level after 1st
Proficiencies
Armor: None
Weapons: Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows
Tools: Choose one
from Alchemist Supplies, Calligrapher Supplies, or Cartographer Tools
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two
from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, and Religion
Equipment
You start with 160 gp, in addition to the equipment granted by your background. The following are good starting items for wizards:
- A quarterstaff or a dagger
- A component pouch or an arcane focus
- A scholar's pack or an explorer's pack
- A spellbook
- Alchemist supplies, calligraphy supplies, or cartography tools
Level | Features | Studies Known | Cantrips Known | Mana Pool | Max Spell Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | Spellcasting, Arcane Recovery | — | 3 | 2 | 1st |
2nd | Arcane Tradition | — | 3 | 4 | 1st |
3rd | Scholarly Excellence | — | 3 | 8 | 2nd |
4th | Ability Score Improvement, Elective Studies | 1 | 4 | 12 | 2nd |
5th | Signature Spells (1st-level) | 2 | 4 | 15 | 3rd |
6th | Arcane Tradition feature | 2 | 4 | 19 | 3rd |
7th | Spell Study | 2 | 4 | 23 | 4th |
8th | Ability Score Improvement | 2 | 4 | 29 | 4th |
9th | Wizard's Flair | 3 | 4 | 35 | 5th |
10th | Arcane Tradition feature | 3 | 5 | 41 | 5th |
11th | — | 3 | 5 | 47 | 6th |
12th | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 5 | 50 | 6th |
13th | Signature Spells (2nd-level) | 4 | 5 | 54 | 7th |
14th | Arcane Tradition feature | 4 | 5 | 58 | 7th |
15th | Arcane Defenses | 4 | 5 | 62 | 8th |
16th | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 5 | 66 | 8th |
17th | Signature Spells (3rd-level) | 5 | 5 | 71 | 9th |
18th | — | 5 | 5 | 76 | 9th |
19th | Ability Score Improvement, Swift Signature | 5 | 5 | 82 | 9th |
20th | Archmage | 5 | 5 | 89 | 9th |
Level | Features | Studies Known | Cantrips Known | Mana Pool | Max Spell Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
21st | Epic Ability Score Improvement, Arcane Tradition feature | 6 | 6 | 95 | 9th |
22nd | Font of Arcana | 6 | 6 | 98 | 9th |
23rd | Signature Spells (4th-level) | 6 | 6 | 102 | 9th |
24th | Deep Memory | 6 | 6 | 106 | 9th |
25th | Epic Ability Score Improvement, Arcane Tradition feature | 7 | 6 | 110 | 9th |
26th | Spell Mastery | 7 | 7 | 114 | 9th |
27th | Signature Spells (5th-level) | 7 | 7 | 119 | 9th |
28th | Arcane Tradition feature | 7 | 7 | 129 | 10th |
29th | Epic Ability Score Improvement, Improved Arcane Defenses | 8 | 7 | 140 | 11th |
30th | Dominus Magicae | 8 | 8 | 152 | 12th |
Spellcasting
1st-level Wizard feature
As a student of arcane magic, you have a spellbook containing spells that show the first glimmerings of your true power.
Your Spellbook
The spells that you add to your spellbook as you gain levels reflect the arcane research you conduct on your own, as well as intellectual breakthroughs you have had about the nature of the multiverse. You might find other spells during your adventures. You could discover a spell recorded on a scroll in an evil wizard’s chest, for example, or in a dusty tome in an ancient library.
Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find a wizard spell of 1st level or higher, you can add it to your spellbook if it is of a spell level you can prepare and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it.
Copying that spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the unique system of notation used by the wizard who wrote it. You must practice the spell until you understand the sounds or gestures required, then transcribe it into your spellbook using your own notation.
For each level of the spell, the process takes 2 hours and costs 50 gp. The cost represents material components you expend as you experiment with the spell to master it, as well as the fine inks you need to record it. Once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare the spell just like your other spells.
Replacing the Book. You can copy a spell from your own spellbook into another book—for example, if you want to make a backup copy of your spellbook. This is just like copying a new spell into your spellbook, but faster and easier, since you understand your own notation and already know how to cast the spell. You need spend only 1 hour and 10 gp for each level of the copied spell.
If you lose your spellbook, you can use the same procedure to transcribe the spells that you have prepared into a new spellbook. Filling out the remainder of your spellbook requires you to find new spells to do so, as normal. For this reason, many wizards keep backup spellbooks in a safe place.
The Book’s Appearance. Your spellbook is a unique compilation of spells, with its own decorative flourishes and margin notes. It might be a plain, functional leather volume that you received as a gift from your master, a finely bound gilt-edged tome you found in an ancient library, or even a loose collection of notes scrounged together after you lost your previous spellbook in a mishap.
Cantrips
You know three
cantrips of your choice from the Wizard Spell List. You learn additional wizard cantrips of your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Wizard table. In addition to these, you also know the prestidigitation cantrip.
Cantrip Formulas
At 3rd level, you have scribed a set of arcane formulas in your spellbook that you can use to formulate a cantrip in your mind. Whenever you finish a long rest and consult those formulas in your spellbook, you can replace one wizard cantrip you know with another cantrip from the wizard spell list. However, you cannot replace prestidigitation using this feature.
Spellbook
You have a spellbook containing six
1st- level wizard spells of your choice. Your spellbook is the repository of the wizard spells you know, except your cantrips, which are fixed in your mind.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Wizard table shows how much mana you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend mana from your mana pool. You regain all expended mana when you finish a long rest. The mana costs for spells can be found on the mana cost table.
You prepare the list of wizard spells that are available for you to cast. When you do so, choose a number of wizard spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your wizard level (minimum of one spell)
. The spells must be of a level for which you can cast.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list of wizard spells requires time spent studying your spellbook and memorizing the incantations and gestures you must make to cast the spell: at least 1 minute per spell level for each spell on your list.
Spellcasting Ability
Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for your wizard spells, since you learn your spells through dedicated study and memorization. You use your Intelligence whenever a wizard 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.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus or your spellbook as a spellcasting focus for your wizard spells.
Learning Spells of 1st Level and Higher
Each time you gain a wizard level, you can add two wizard spells of your choice to your spellbook for free. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots, as shown on the Wizard table. On your adventures, you might find other spells that you can add to your spellbook.
Arcane Recovery
1st-level Wizard feature
You have learned to regain some of your magical energy by studying your spellbook. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you may recover mana equal to half your Wizard levels
, rounded up.
Arcane Tradition
2nd-level Wizard feature
You choose an arcane tradition from the list of available traditions, shaping your practice of magic. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, 14th, 21st, 25th, and 28th level.
Runecrafter | As in Unearthed Arcana. |
Theurgist | As in Unearthed Arcana except Divine Inspiration and Arcane Initiate have been combined |
Scholarly Excellence
3rd-level Wizard feature
You have a particular set of skills that sets you a cut above a novice mage. Choose one of the following:
Academic
Choose two from Arcana, History, Nature, and Religion. You gain proficiency in the chosen skills. If you are already proficient in them, you gain expertise that skill instead.
Argumentum Verbosum
Through a combination of unmitigated logic and indecipherable diction, you can always dominate a conversation. You can always choose to use Intelligence when making Intimidation checks.
Additionally, when you make an Intimidation check against a creature whose Intelligence score is 5 or more points lower than yours, add twice your proficiency to the ability check.
Thesis Defense
You are an expert at speaking with the erudite, and are a natural conversationalist with your fellow scholars. You can always choose to use Intelligence when making Persuasion checks.
Additionally, when you make a Persuasion check against a creature whose Intelligence score is 20 or higher, or that is no more than 4 points lower than yours, add twice your proficiency to the ability check.
Ability Score Improvement
4th-level Wizard feature
When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can't increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.
You may also replace one of your skill proficiencies with a skill proficiency offered by this class at 1st level. The proficiency you replace does not need to be from this class.
Lastly, you may do one of the following, representing a change of focus in your magical studies:
- Replace the option you chose for your Scholarly Excellence feature with one of that feature’s other options.
- Replace the option you chose for your Spell Study feature with one of that feature’s other options.
- Replace the option you chose for your Arcane Defenses feature with one of that feature’s other options.
Elective Studies
4th-level Wizard feature
Your study of magic has uncovered unique ways to explore the world. You gain one elective study of your choice. Elective studies are detailed on the Elective Studies page. The Studies Known column of the Wizard table shows when you learn more elective studies. Unless otherwise noted, you can gain each study only once.
Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the Elective Studies you know and replace it with another Elective Studies that you could learn at that level.
Signature Spells
5th-level Wizard feature
You have developed your spellcasting skill and honed it into spells that you consider to be your Signature Spells.
Choose one 1st-level wizard spell that is in your spellbook. You always have this spell prepared, it doesn’t count toward your maximum prepared spells, and you can cast this spell at its lowest level without expending a spell slot. If you want to cast it at a higher level, you must expend a spell slot as normal. Once you have cast a Signature Spell in this way, you must finish a short or long rest before you can do so again.
At higher levels, you gain additional Signature Spells, each of which you can cast once between rests. At 11th level, you can choose one 2nd-level Signature Spell. At 17th level, you can choose one 3rd-level Signature Spell. At 23rd level, you can choose one 4th-level Signature Spell. At 27th level, you can choose one 5th-level Signature Spell.
Each time you gain a level in this class, you can replace one of your Signature Spells with another of the same level.
Spell Study
7th-level Wizard feature
You learn to hone your magic and spells to new power levels thanks to your dedicated studies. Choose one Spell Study that reflects what you have dedicated your arcane studies to.
Detective Spell Study
You are adept at sensing magic and its effects. If there are active magical effects near you, such on an object or in the area, you automatically sense its presence. You don’t know what spell effects there are or where they are, but you can automatically sense the effect of magic in a 20-foot radius around you.
In addition, you have honed your detection spells. Add detect magic and detect thoughts to your spellbook if they weren’t already there. When you cast these spells, their effective ranges are increased to 60 feet.
Mystic Psychometry
When you touch a magic item, either willingly or when hit by it, you are immediately aware that it’s magical. If you hold such an item in your hand, you can cast identify on it as an action without spending a spell slot, even if you don’t have the spell prepared.
In addition, when you cast identify using a spell slot or as a ritual, you also learn if the item is cursed, and the GM will give you a hint as to the curse’s effects (which may be cryptic and vague, but must not be a lie).
Ritual Efficiency
When you cast a spell as a ritual, it only takes you a number of minutes equal to the level of the spell to cast it.
Wizard's Flair
9th-level Wizard feature
You have created a flair that you use when casting spells. Choose a flair from the options below. When you finish a long rest, you may replace your flair with another.
Whenever you cast a spell of 1st level or higher, you can choose to cast it with your flair. You can do so again when you finish a short or long rest.
Arcane Defenses
15th-level Wizard feature
Your training has granted you certain protections against magic. Choose one of the following:
Mental Discipline
Your mind is sheltered from intrusion. You have resistance to psychic damage, and you are immune to magic that allows other creatures to read your thoughts, determine whether you are lying, know your alignment, or know your creature type. Creatures can telepathically communicate with you only if you allow it. Additionally, when you fail an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throw, you can choose to succeed instead. You can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.
Mystic Mantle
Magic layers upon you into a defensive ward that you can extend to even protect your allies. You have resistance against the damage of spells. If you already have this resistance, creatures within 10 feet of you gain it as well.
Superior Countermagic
When you cast an abjuration spell that requires you to make an ability check as a part of casting that spell, you add your proficiency bonus to the roll. In addition, when you cast counterspell or dispel magic, treat the spell slot level of the spell as one level higher than the actual slot you spent.
Swift Signature
19th-level Wizard feature
You’re especially efficient with your Signature Spells. When you cast a Signature spell that has a casting time of 1 action, you can cast it as a bonus action instead.
Archmage
20th-level Wizard feature
You have achieved a rare level of achievement and prestige, gaining the following features.
- Magesight. Your eyes become attuned to the supernatural. You cannot be blinded, you gain darkvision to a range of 120 feet. If you already have darkvision from another source, its range increases by 90 feet. You can see normally in darkness, both magical and nonmagical, in your darkvision.
- True Magician. When you cast Wizard spells at 1st- and 2nd-level, you can do so without spending mana.
Epic Level Wizard: Epic Ability Score Improvement
21st-level Wizard feature
When you reach 21st level, and again at 25th and 29th level, you gain the benefits of an Ability Score Improvement, but your ability score increase can bring an ability score above 20, to a maximum of 24.
Epic Level Wizard: Font of Arcana
22nd-level Wizard feature
You can regain even more of your magical energy by studying your spellbook. You may use your Arcane Recovery class feature whenever you finish a short rest.
Epic Level Wizard: Deep Memory
24th-level Wizard feature
Using a Bonus Action, you can exchange one spell you have prepared for one you don’t have prepared. The new spell you prepare must be available to you in your spellbook.
You can use this feature twice. You regain all expended charges when you finish a long rest.
Epic Level Wizard: Spell Mastery
26th-level Wizard feature
You have achieved mastery over your signature spells. Your signature spells cost half the normal mana (rounded down) when you cast them with mana.
Epic Level Wizard: Improved Arcane Defenses
29th-level Wizard feature
Your training has granted you greater protections against magic. Choose a second option from the Arcane Defenses class feature. You gain the benefits from it.
Epic Level Wizard: Dominus Magicae
30th-level Wizard feature
You’ve mastered the arcane and gain the following features.
- Arcane Superiority. You gain a +1 bonus to your save DC and spell attacks. This can stack with similar abilities, to a maximum of +3.
- Archmage’s Will. You make Intelligence saving throws with Advantage.
- Might of the Ages. When you target a creature with a spell that forces it to make a saving throw, you gain a +10 bonus to your spell save DC. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest.
- Spellbook of Ages. Your unmatched knowledge of the arcane allows you to conjure forth a Spellbook of the Ages, a massive weightless tome that doubles as a spellcasting focus, which can be opened only by you. Should the book be destroyed or lost, you can conjure it back into existence as a Bonus Action. You can also store the book safely in a demiplane or pull it back to you as a Bonus Action. The book disappears in a flash of elemental light if you die.
The book magically holds all your known spells when you acquire it. Copying new spells into the book requires you to spend only 1 minute and 1 gp worth of fine inks for each level of the spell. In addition, preparing new spells with your Spellbook of the Ages takes only 1 minute regardless of how many spells you prepare or what their levels are.