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, brute-force mind control, and much more.
Multiclassing
To multiclass as a Wizard, you must have an Intelligence score of at least 13.
The Wizard
| Level | Prof. Bonus | Features | Cantrips Known | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +2 | Spellcasting, Arcane Recovery | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | +2 | Arcane Tradition | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | +2 | — | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4 | +2 | Ability Score Improvement, Cantrip Formulas | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | +3 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6 | +3 | Arcane Tradition feature | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | +3 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8 | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9 | +4 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10 | +4 | Arcane Tradition feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11 | +4 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12 | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13 | +5 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 14 | +5 | Arcane Tradition feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15 | +5 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16 | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17 | +6 | Spell Mastery | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18 | +6 | Arcane Tradition feature | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20 | +6 | Signature Spells | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
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: None
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Religion
Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a quarterstaff or (b) a dagger
- (a) a component pouch or (b) an arcane focus
- (a) a scholar's pack or (b) an explorer's pack
- A spellbook
Spellcasting
As a student of arcane magic, you have learned to wield the cosmos itself through a variety of magical spells. The Spells chapter (see chapter 10 for the general rules, then the Wizard spell list) details all the spells you know and can cast.
Cantrips
At 1st level, 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.
Spellbook
At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing six 1st-level wizard spells of your choice. The spellbook is the repository of the wizard's spells, except the cantrips, which are memorized.
The Wizard table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all spent spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of wizard spells that are available for you to cast. To 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 have spell slots.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest, so long as you spend at least 1 minute studying your spellbook.
Copying a Spell into the Book
When you find a wizard spell on a spell scroll or in another wizard's spellbook, you can copy it into your own spellbook if any of the following conditions are met:
- The spell is of a level for which you have spell slots.
- The spell is on the wizard spell list.
Copying the spell into your spellbook involves reproducing the basic form of the spell, then deciphering the special 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 the 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.
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 or a slender volume inscribed with silver runes, or a leather-bound tome filled with strange sigils and charts. You might even have a few pages torn from an older volume that you found in a lost ruin.
Preparing and Casting Spells
The Wizard table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells of 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot of the spell's level or higher. You regain all spent spell slots when you finish a long rest.
You prepare the list of wizard spells that are available for you to cast. To 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 have spell slots.
You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest, so long as you spend at least 1 minute studying your spellbook.
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 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 you have the spell prepared and the spell has the ritual tag.
Spellcasting Focus
You can use an arcane focus 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 one wizard spell of your choice to your spellbook for free. Each of these spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots. On your adventures, you might find other spells that you can add to your spellbook (see "Copying a Spell into the Book").
Arcane Recovery
You have learned to regain some of your magical energy by studying your spellbook. Once per day when you finish a short rest, you can choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level that is equal to or less than half your Wizard level (rounded up), and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher.
For example, if you're a 4th-level wizard, you can recover up to 2 levels worth of spell slots. You can recover either a 2nd-level spell slot or two 1st-level spell slots.
Arcane Tradition
When you reach 2nd level, you choose an arcane tradition, shaping your practice of magic through one of eight schools, as described in chapter 10. Your tradition feature grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.
| Tradition | Source |
|---|---|
| Abjuration | Player's Handbook |
| Bladesinging | Tasha's Cauldron of Everything |
| Chronurgy Magic | Explorer's Guide to Wildemount |
| Conjuration | Player's Handbook |
| Divination | Player's Handbook |
| Enchantment | Player's Handbook |
| Evocation | Player's Handbook |
| Graviturgy Magic | Explorer's Guide to Wildemount |
| Illusion | Player's Handbook |
| Necromancy | Player's Handbook |
| Order of Scribes | Tasha's Cauldron of Everything |
| Transmutation | Player's Handbook |
| War Magic | Xanathar's Guide to Everything |
| Other subclasses (UA) | Unearthed Arcana |
Cantrip Formulas (Optional)
You have studied the raw fundamentals of a cantrip and know the theory behind its construction. When you finish a long rest, you can replace one cantrip you know with a different cantrip from the wizard spell list. You must study your spellbook for at least 1 minute to do so.
Ability Score Improvement
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.
Spell Mastery
At 18th level, you have achieved such mastery over certain spells that you can cast them at will. Choose a 1st-level wizard spell and a 2nd-level wizard spell that are in your spellbook. You can cast those spells at their lowest levels without expending a spell slot when you have them prepared. You can also cast either spell as a ritual.
Signature Spells
At 20th level, you gain mastery over two powerful spells and can cast them at will. Choose two 3rd-level wizard spells that are in your spellbook. You can cast each of them at 3rd level without expending a spell slot once per short or long rest.
Additionally, you can cast either of those spells at their lowest level without expending a spell slot when you have them prepared.