Wizard

Wizards are the academics of the magical community. Their strength in magic stems from preparation and litigious study of arcane texts. Most wizards are responsible for the creation of treatments, arcane technology, and scholastic knowledge about arcane traditions. They are able to tap into and understand a wide array of magical information and craft like runes, sigils, and gliphs. Normally a wizard will specialize in some sort of arcane track allowing them to become figures of renoun in their various fields. Some others go the route of being a jack of all trades in order to be able to respond to the most number of situations.  

C r e a t i n g a W i z a r d

Creating a w izard character demands a backstory dominated by at least one extraordinary event. How did your character first come into contact with magic? How did you discover you had an aptitude for it? Do you have a natural talent, or did you simply study hard and practice incessantly? Did you encounter a magical creature or an ancient tome that taught you the basics o f magic? What drew you forth from your life o f study? Did your first taste o f magical knowledge leave you hungry for more? Have you received word o f a secret repository of knowledge not yet plundered by any other wizard? Perhaps you’re simply eager to put your newfound magical skills to the test in the face o f danger.  

Starting Equipment

• (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
 

S p e l l c a s t i n g

As a student o f arcane magic, you have a spellbook containing spells that show the first glimmerings of your true power. See chapter 10 for the general rules of spellcasting and chapter 11 for the w izard spell list.

C a n t r i p s

At 1st level, you know three cantrips o f your choice from the wizard spell list. You learn additional w izard cantrips o f your choice at higher levels, as shown in the Cantrips Known column of the Wizard table.

Sp e l l b o o k

At 1st level, you have a spellbook containing six 1st-level wizard spells o f your choice.

Y o u r S p e l l b o o k

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 level for which you have spell slots and if you can spare the time to decipher and copy it. Copying a 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 o f 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 o f 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 o f notes scrounged together after you lost your previous spellbook in a mishap.  

P r e p a r in g a n d C a s t in g Sp e l l s

The W izard table shows how many spell slots you have to cast your spells o f 1st level and higher. To cast one of these spells, you must expend a slot o f the spell’s level or higher. You regain all expended spell slots when you finish a long rest. You prepare the list o f wizard spells that are available for you to cast. To do so. choose a number o f wizard spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your wizard level (minimum o f one spell). The spells must be o f a level for which you have spell slots. For example, if you're a 3rd-level wizard, you have four 1st-level and two 2nd-level spell slots. With an Intelligence o f 16, your list o f prepared spells can include six spells o f 1st or 2nd level, in any combination, chosen from your spellbook. If you prepare the 1st-level spell magic missile, you can cast it using a 1st-level or a 2nd-level slot. Casting the spell doesn’t remove it from your list o f prepared spells. You can change your list of prepared spells when you finish a long rest. Preparing a new list o f 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.

Sp e l l c a s t in g A b i l i t y

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

R i t u a l C a s t in g

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.

S p e l l c a s t in g F o c u s

You can use an arcane focus (found in chapter 5) as a spellcasting focus for your w izard spells.

L e a r n in g Sp e l l s o f 1s t L e v e l a n d H ig h e r

Each time you gain a w izard level, you can add two wizard spells o f your choice to your spellbook. Each o f 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 (see the “Your Spellbook” sidebar).  

Class Features

Ar c a n e R e c o v e r y

You have learned to regain some o f 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 o f the slots can be 6th level or higher. For example, if you’re a 4th-level wizard, you can recover up to two levels worth o f spell slots. You can recover either a 2nd-level spell slot or two 1st-level spell slots.

A r c a n e T r a d i t i o n

When you reach 2nd level, you choose an arcane tradition, shaping your practice o f magic through one o f eight schools: Abjuration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, or Transmutation, all detailed at the end o f the class description. Your choice grants you features at 2nd level and again at 6th, 10th, and 14th level.

A b i l i t y S c o r e I m p r o v e m e n t

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score o f your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability s cores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

S p e l l M a s t e r y

At 18th level, you have achieved such mastery over certain spells that you can cast them at will. Choose a 1st-level w izard spell and a 2nd-level w izard 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. By spending 8 hours in study, you can exchange one or both o f the spells you chose for different spells of the same levels.

S i g n a t u r e S p e l l s

When you reach 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 o f spells you have prepared, and you can cast each o f them once at 3rd level without expending a spell slot. W hen you do so, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest. If you want to cast either spell at a higher level, you must expend a spell slot as normal.  

Arcane Traditions

S c h o o l o f A b j u r a t i o n

The School o f Abjuration emphasizes magic that blocks, banishes, or protects. Detractors o f this school say that its tradition is about denial, negation rather than positive assertion. You understand, however, that ending harmful effects, protecting the weak, and banishing evil influences is anything but a philosophical void. It is a proud and respected vocation. Called abjurers, members o f this school are sought when baleful spirits require exorcism, when important locations must be guarded against magical spying, and when portals to other planes o f existence must be closed.

A b j u r a t io n Sa v a n t

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy an abjuration spell into your spellbook is halved.

A r c a n e W a r d

Starting at 2nd level, you can weave magic around yourself for protection. When you cast an abjuration spell o f 1st level or higher, you can simultaneously use a strand of the spell’s magic to create a magical ward on yourself that lasts until you finish a long rest. The ward has hit points equal to twice your w izard level + your Intelligence modifier. Whenever you take damage, the ward takes the damage instead. If this damage reduces the ward to 0 hit points, you take any remaining damage. While the ward has 0 hit points, it can’t absorb damage, but its magic remains. Whenever you cast an abjuration spell o f 1st level or higher, the ward regains a number o f hit points equal to twice the level o f the spell. Once you create the ward, you can't create it again until you finish a long rest.

P r o j e c t e d W a r d

Starting at 6th level, when a creature that you can see within 30 feet o f you takes damage, you can use your reaction to cause your Arcane Ward to absorb that damage. If this damage reduces the w ard to 0 hit points, the warded creature takes any remaining damage.

Im p r o v e d A b j u r a t io n

Beginning at 10th level, when you cast an abjuration spell that requires you to make an ability check as a part o f casting that spell (as in counterspell and dispel magic), you add your proficiency bonus to that ability check.

S p e l l R e s is t a n c e

Starting at 14th level, you have advantage on saving throws against spells. Furthermore, you have resistance against the damage o f spells.

S c h o o l o f C o n j u r a t i o n

As a conjurer, you favor spells that produce objects and creatures out o f thin air. You can conjure billowing clouds of killing fog or summon creatures from elsewhere to fight on your behalf. As your mastery grows, you learn spells o f transportation and can teleport yourself across vast distances, even to other planes o f existence, in an instant.

C o n j u r a t io n Sa v a n t

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy a conjuration spell into your spellbook is halved.

M in o r C o n j u r a t io n

Starting at 2nd level when you select this school, you can use your action to conjure up an inanimate object in your hand or on the ground in an unoccupied space that you can see within 10 feet o f you. This object can be no larger than 3 feet on a side and weigh no more than 10 pounds, and its form must be that of a nonmagical object that you have seen. The object is visibly magical, radiating dim light out to 5 feet. The object disappears after 1 hour, when you use this feature again, or if it takes any damage.

B e n ig n T r a n s p o s i t io n

Starting at 6th level, you can use your action to teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see. Alternatively, you can choose a space within range that is occupied by a Small or M edium creature. If that creature is willing, you both teleport, swapping places. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest or you cast a conjuration spell of 1st level or higher.

F o c u s e d C o n j u r a t io n

Beginning at 10th level, while you are concentrating on a conjuration spell, your concentration can’t be broken as a result o f taking damage.

D u r a b l e Su m m o n s

Starting at 14th level, any creature that you summon or create with a conjuration spell has 30 temporary hit points.

S c h o o l o f D i v i n a t i o n

The counsel o f a diviner is sought by royalty and commoners alike, for all seek a clearer understanding o f the past, present, and future. As a diviner, you strive to part the veils o f space, time, and consciousness so that you can see clearly. You work to master spells of discernment, remote viewing, supernatural knowledge, and foresight.

D i v in a t io n Sa v a n t

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy a divination spell into your spellbook is halved.

P o r t e n t

Starting at 2nd level when you choose this school, glimpses o f the future begin to press in on your awareness. When you finish a long rest, roll two d20s and record the numbers rolled. You can replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with one o f these foretelling rolls. You must choose to do so before the roll, and you can replace a roll in this way only once per turn. Each foretelling roll can be used only once. When you finish a long rest, you lose any unused foretelling rolls.

E x p e r t D i v in a t io n

Beginning at 6th level, casting divination spells comes so easily to you that it expends only a fraction o f your spellcasting efforts. When you cast a divination spell o f 2nd level or higher using a spell slot, you regain one expended spell slot. The slot you regain must be o f a level lower than the spell you cast and can’t be higher than 5th level.

T h e T h ir d Ey e

Starting at 10th level, you can use your action to increase your powers o f perception. When you do so, choose one o f the following benefits, which lasts until you are incapacitated or you take a short or long rest. You can’t use the feature again until you finish a rest.

Darkvision

You gain darkvision out to a range o f 60 feet, as described in chapter 8.

Ethereal Sight

You can see into the Ethereal Plane within 60 feet o f you.

Greater Comprehension

You can read any language. See Invisibility. You can see invisible creatures and objects within 10 feet o f you that are within line o f sight.

G r e a t e r P o r t e n t

Starting at 14th level, the visions in your dreams intensify and paint a more accurate picture in your mind o f what is to come. You roll three d20s for your Portent feature, rather than two.

S c h o o l o f E n c h a n t m e n t

As a member o f the School o f Enchantment, you have honed your ability to magically entrance and beguile other people and monsters. Some enchanters are peacemakers w ho bewitch the violent to lay down their arms and charm the cruel into showing mercy. Others are tyrants w ho magically bind the unwilling into their service. Most enchanters fall somewhere in between.

E n c h a n t m e n t Sa v a n t

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy an enchantment spell into your spellbook is halved.

H y p n o t i c G a z e

Starting at 2nd level when you choose this school, your soft w ords and enchanting gaze can magically enthrall another creature. A s an action, choose one creature that you can see within 5 feet of you. If the target can see or hear you, it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw against your wizard spell save DC or be charmed by you until the end o f your next turn. The charmed creature’s speed drops to 0, and the creature is incapacitated and visibly dazed. On subsequent turns, you can use your action to maintain this effect, extending its duration until the end o f your next turn. However, the effect ends if you move more than 5 feet away from the creature, if the creature can neither see nor hear you, or if the creature takes damage. Once the effect ends, or if the creature succeeds on its initial saving throw against this effect, you can’t use this feature on that creature again until you finish a long rest.

I n s t in c t iv e C h a r m

Beginning at 6th level, when a creature you can see within 30 feet o f you makes an attack roll against you, you can use your reaction to divert the attack, provided that another creature is within the attack’s range. The attacker must make a W isdom saving throw against your wizard spell save DC. On a failed save, the attacker must target the creature that is closest to it, not including you or itself. If multiple creatures are closest, the attacker chooses which one to target. On a successful save, you can’t use this feature on the attacker again until you finish a long rest. You must choose to use this feature before knowing whether the attack hits or misses. Creatures that can’t be charmed are immune to this effect.

Sp l i t E n c h a n t m e n t

Starting at 10th level, when you cast an enchantment spell o f 1st level or higher that targets only one creature, you can have it target a second creature.

A l t e r M e m o r ie s

At 14th level, you gain the ability to make a creature unaware o f your magical influence on it. When you cast an enchantment spell to charm one or more creatures, you can alter one creature’s understanding so that it remains unaware o f being charmed. Additionally, once before the spell expires, you can use your action to try to make the chosen creature forget some o f the time it spent charmed. The creature must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw against your wizard spell save DC or lose a number of hours o f its memories equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). You can make the creature forget less time, and the amount o f time can’t exceed the duration of your enchantment spell.

S c h o o l o f E v o c a t i o n

You focus your study on magic that creates powerful elemental effects such as bitter cold, searing flame, rolling thunder, crackling lightning, and burning acid. Some evokers find employment in military forces, serving as artillery to blast enemy armies from afar. Others use their spectacular power to protect the weak, while some seek their own gain as bandits, adventurers, or aspiring tyrants.

Ev o c a t io n Sa v a n t

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy an evocation spell into your spellbook is halved.

S c u l p t Sp e l l s

Beginning at 2nd level, you can create pockets of relative safety within the effects o f your evocation spells. When you cast an evocation spell that affects other creatures that you can see, you can choose a number of them equal to 1 + the spell’s level. The chosen creatures automatically succeed on their saving throws against the spell, and they take no damage if they would normally take half damage on a successful save.

P o t e n t C a n t r i p

Starting at 6th level, your damaging cantrips affect even creatures that avoid the brunt o f the effect. When a creature succeeds on a saving throw against your cantrip, the creature takes half the cantrip’s damage (if any) but suffers no additional effect from the cantrip.

E m p o w e r e d Ev o c a t io n

Beginning at 10th level, you can add your Intelligence modifier to the damage roll of any wizard evocation spell you cast.

O v e r c h a n n e l

Starting at 14th level, you can increase the power of your simpler spells. When you cast a w izard spell of 5th level or lower that deals damage, you can deal maximum damage with that spell. The first time you do so, you suffer no adverse effect. If you use this feature again before you finish a long rest, you take 2d12 necrotic damage for each level of the spell, immediately after you cast it. Each time you use this feature again before finishing a long rest, the necrotic damage per spell level increases by 1d 12. This damage ignores resistance and immunity.

S c h o o l o f I l l u s i o n

You focus your studies on magic that dazzles the senses, befuddles the mind, and tricks even the wisest folk. Your magic is subtle, but the illusions crafted by your keen mind make the impossible seem real. Some illusionists—including many gnome w izards—are benign tricksters w ho use their spells to entertain. Others are more sinister masters o f deception, using their illusions to frighten and fool others for their personal gain.

I l l u s io n Sa v a n t

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy an illusion spell into your spellbook is halved.

I m p r o v e d M in o r I l l u s io n

When you choose this school at 2nd level, you learn the minor illusion cantrip. If you already know this cantrip, you learn a different w izard cantrip o f your choice. The cantrip doesn’t count against your number of cantrips known. When you cast minor illusion, you can create both a sound and an image with a single casting o f the spell.

M a l l e a b l e I l l u s io n s

Starting at 6th level, when you cast an illusion spell that has a duration of 1 minute or longer, you can use your action to change the nature o f that illusion (using the spell’s normal parameters for the illusion), provided that you can see the illusion.

I l l u s o r y S e l f

Beginning at 10th level, you can create an illusory duplicate o f yourself as an instant, almost instinctual reaction to danger. When a creature makes an attack roll against you, you can use your reaction to interpose the illusory duplicate between the attacker and yourself. The attack automatically m isses you, then the illusion dissipates. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.

I l l u s o r y R e a l i t y

By 14th level, you have learned the secret o f weaving shadow magic into your illusions to give them a semireality. When you cast an illusion spell o f 1st level or higher, you can choose one inanimate, nonmagical object that is part o f the illusion and make that object real. You can do this on your turn as a bonus action while the spell is ongoing. The object remains real for 1 minute. For example, you can create an illusion o f a bridge over a chasm and then make it real long enough for your allies to cross. The object can’t deal damage or otherwise directly harm anyone.

S c h o o l o f N e c r o m a n c y

The School o f Necromancy explores the cosmic forces o f life, death, and undeath. As you focus your studies in this tradition, you learn to manipulate the energy that animates all living things. As you progress, you learn to sap the life force from a creature as your magic destroys its body, transforming that vital energy into magical power you can manipulate. Most people see necromancers as menacing, or even villainous, due to the close association with death. Not all necromancers are evil, but the forces they manipulate are considered taboo by many societies.

N e c r o m a n c y Sa v a n t

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy a necromancy spell into your spellbook is halved.

G r im H a r v e s t

At 2nd level, you gain the ability to reap life energy from creatures you kill with your spells. Once per turn when you kill one or more creatures with a spell of 1st level or higher, you regain hit points equal to twice the spell’s level, or three times its level if the spell belongs to the School o f Necromancy. You don’t gain this benefit for killing constructs or undead.

U n d e a d T h r a l l s

At 6th level, you add the animate dead spell to your spellbook if it is not there already. When you cast animate dead, you can target one additional corpse or pile o f bones, creating another zombie or skeleton, as appropriate. Whenever you create an undead using a necromancy spell, it has additional benefits: • The creature’s hit point maximum is increased by an amount equal to your w izard level.
• The creature adds your proficiency bonus to its weapon damage rolls.

I n u r e d t o U n d e a t h

Beginning at 10th level, you have resistance to necrotic damage, and your hit point maximum can't be reduced. You have spent so much time dealing with undead and the forces that animate them that you have become inured to some of their worst effects.

C o m m a n d U n d e a d

Starting at 14th level, you can use magic to bring undead under your control, even those created by other wizards. As an action, you can choose one undead that you can see within 60 feet o f you. That creature must make a Charisma saving throw against your wizard spell save DC. If it succeeds, you can’t use this feature on it again. If it fails, it becomes friendly to you and obeys your commands until you use this feature again. Intelligent undead are harder to control in this way. If the target has an Intelligence o f 8 or higher, it has advantage on the saving throw. If it fails the saving throw and has an Intelligence o f 12 or higher, it can repeat the saving throw at the end of every hour until it succeeds and breaks free.

S c h o o l o f T r a n s m u t a t i o n

You are a student of spells that modify energy and matter. To you, the world is not a fixed thing, but eminently mutable, and you delight in being an agent o f change. You wield the raw stuff o f creation and learn to alter both physical forms and mental qualities. Your m agic gives you the tools to become a smith on reality’s forge. Some transmuters are tinkerers and pranksters, turning people into toads and transforming copper into silver for fun and occasional profit. Others pursue their magical studies with deadly seriousness, seeking the power o f the gods to make and destroy worlds.

T r a n s m u t a t io n Sa v a n t

Beginning when you select this school at 2nd level, the gold and time you must spend to copy a transmutation spell into your spellbook is halved.

M in o r A l c h e m y

Starting at 2nd level when you select this school, you can temporarily alter the physical properties o f one nonmagical object, changing it from one substance into another. You perform a special alchemical procedure on one object composed entirely o f wood, stone (but not a gemstone), iron, copper, or silver, transforming it into a different one o f those materials. For each 10 minutes you spend performing the procedure, you can transform up to 1 cubic foot o f material. After 1 hour, or until you lose your concentration (as if you w ere concentrating on a spell), the material reverts to its original substance. T r a n s m u t e r ’s St o n e Starting at 6th level, you can spend 8 hours creating a transmuter’s stone that stores transmutation magic. You can benefit from the stone yourself or give it to another creature. A creature gains a benefit o f your choice as long as the stone is in the creature’s possession. When you create the stone, choose the benefit from the following options:
• Darkvision out to a range o f 60 feet, as described in chapter 8
• An increase to speed o f 10 feet while the creature is unencumbered
• Proficiency in Constitution saving throws
• Resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage (your choice whenever you choose this benefit)
Each time you cast a transmutation spell o f 1st level or higher, you can change the effect o f your stone if the stone is on your person. If you create a new transmuter’s stone, the previous one ceases to function.

Sh a p e c h a n g e r

At 10th level, you add the polymorph spell to your spellbook, if it is not there already. You can cast polymorph without expending a spell slot. When you do so, you can target only yourself and transform into a beast w hose challenge rating is 1 or lower. Once you cast polymorph in this way, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest, though you can still cast it normally using an available spell slot.

M a s t e r T r a n s m u t e r

Starting at 14th level, you can use your action to consume the reserve of transmutation magic stored within your transmuter’s stone in a single burst. When you do so, choose one o f the following effects. Your transmuter’s stone is destroyed and can’t be remade until you finish a long rest.

Major Transformation

You can transmute one nonmagical object—no larger than a 5-foot cube—into another nonmagical object o f similar size and mass and o f equal or lesser value. You must spend 10 minutes handling the object to transform it.

Panacea

You remove all curses, diseases, and poisons affecting a creature that you touch with the transmuter’s stone. The creature also regains all its hit points. Restore Life. You cast the raise dead spell on a creature you touch with the transmuter’s stone, without expending a spell slot or needing to have the spell in your spellbook.

Restore Youth

You touch the transmuter’s stone to a willing creature, and that creature’s apparent age is reduced by 3 d 10 years, to a minimum o f 13 years. This effect doesn’t extend the creature’s lifespan.