A wizard spends her life devoted to researching the arcane. Through extensive study, she is able to unlock the secrets of magic and its uses. Unlike some classes, the wizard's magic doesn't come naturally. It comes through a devotion to the intellectual pursuit of the mystical arts. As such, wizards rely heavily on spellbooks where their notations about the arcane allow them to prepare its use in ways that can be more diverse and powerful than those who instinctively tap into this magical energy.
| Level | Spells Slots Per Day | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |
| 1st | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 2nd | 3 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 3rd | 3 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 4th | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 5th | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 6th | 3 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 7th | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 8th | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 9th | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 10th | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| 11th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- | -- |
| 12th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | -- | -- | -- |
| 13th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 14th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 15th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | -- |
| 16th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | -- |
| 17th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 18th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 19th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 20th | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Level | Combat Proficiency Bonus | New Abilities |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 0 | Spells, Cantrips, Bonus Languages, Bonded Object, Familiar, Specialization, Technique 1, Scribe Scroll |
| 2nd | 1 | Brew Potion |
| 3rd | 1 | Technique 2 |
| 4th | 2 | Arcane Study |
| 5th | 2 | Arcane Shield, New Cantrip |
| 6th | 3 | Bonus Proficiency |
| 7th | 3 | Arcane Study |
| 8th | 4 | Bonus Proficiency |
| 9th | 4 | Technique 4 |
| 10th | 5 | Arcane Study, New Cantrip |
| 11th | 5 | Bonus Proficiency |
| 12th | 6 | Technique 5 |
| 13th | 6 | Arcane Study |
| 14th | 7 | High Arcana |
| 15th | 7 | Technique 6, New Cantrip |
| 16th | 8 | Arcane Study |
| 17th | 8 | High Arcana |
| 18th | 9 | Technique 7 |
| 19th | 9 | Arcane Study |
| 20th | 10 | High Arcana, New Cantrip |
Prime Ability: Intelligence
Hit Points: d6 + Con bonus per level
Skill Points: Low (2 per level)
Knowledge Points: High (6 per level)
Save DC: 10 + Character Level + Int Bonus
Spell Attack: Character Level + Int Bonus
Weapon Proficiency: Club, Dagger, crossbows, quarterstaff
Armor Proficiency: None
Other: Scribe Scroll
At first level, you may choose one of the following bonus languages: Draconic, Aklo, Necril, or Undercommon.
Wizards begin with the ability to scribe scrolls (see the scribe scroll proficiency).
At first level, you may choose to form a powerful bond with an object, and you begin play with one at no cost. Bonded objects can be a ring, staff, wand, or weapon. With the GMs approval, it could also be a miscellaneous item (such as a crystal ball or amulet) that is appropriate to your character. These objects are always masterwork quality. Weapons acquired at 1st level are not made of any special material. Objects must be worn or held to be used. If you attempt to cast a spell without your bonded object worn or in hand, you must make a concentration check or lose the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 20 + the spell's level.
You can add additional magic abilities to your bonded object without the usual item creation proficiency. No magic items check is required to add the abilities, and provided the necessary materials are on-hand, the conversion process takes 8 hours maximum. You must still meet the level prerequisites of the proficiency, pay the item creation cost (usually half the purchase price), and find a way to cast the requisite spells (or hire someone else to do so).
If the bonded object is a wand, it loses its wand abilities when its last charge is consumed, but it is not destroyed, it retains all of its bonded object properties, and it can be used to craft a new wand. The magic properties of a bonded object, including any magic abilities added to the object, only function for you. If you die or the item is replaced with a new bonded object, the old object reverts to an ordinary masterwork item of the appropriate type.
You can cause your bonded object to disappear and re-appear at will. Doing so is a bonus action that transports your bonded object to or from a small non-dimensional space where it can be kept for safekeeping. You do not gain any benefits from your bonded object while it is stored. If you die while the object is in its non-dimensional space, it is lost forever.
If a bonded object is damaged, it is restored to full integrity the next time you prepare your spells. Bonded objects can be replaced or changed in a special ritual that costs 200 gp per wizard level plus the cost of the masterwork item. This ritual takes 8 hours to complete. If your previous bonded item was destroyed, you must wait one week before performing this ritual. Items replaced in this way do not possess any of the additional enchantments of the previous bonded item. You can designate an existing magic item as your bonded item.
Depending on your specialty, your bonded object might have other abilities. See Specialization, below.
All wizards begin with the Find Familiar spell in their spellbooks. This spell allows them to cast a familiar, a magical pet with extraordinary abilities. Wizards start with a familiar for free, without needing to pay the normal material cost for the spell.
While magic comes intuitively to some spellcasters, wizards develop theirs through intense study. Even though wizards work harder to develop arcane ability, they also have more control over its growth. As wizards advance, they learn to move beyond the study of written arcana and learn magical spells from other sources. Magic items, supernatural creatures, and mystical locations all provide clues about how magical forces can be harnessed to re-shape reality. Regardless of the source, new spells are recorded in your spellbook so they can be prepared each day.
Wizards start with all cantrips in their spell book. They also start a number of level 1 spells equal to 3 + their Intelligence modifier. After that, there are three ways of acquiring new spells.
When learning a new spell from an arcane source or library, you must make an arcana check (DC 15 + spell level) to learn the spell and record it in an arcane shorthand in your spellbook. If you fail this check, you must wait until you gain more ranks in arcana before trying again.
After each long rest, you may spend 1 hour studying your spellbook and choosing which spells you will use for the day. You may prepare a number of spells equal to
To cast your prepared spells, you expend a spell slot of the appropriate level. The prepared spell remains in your repertoire, and you may continue to re-cast the same spell over again provided you have spell slots available. The number of spell slots you get per day is dependent on your character level (see the table above).
See Spellcasting Basics and Spellbooks for more details about wizard spellcasting.
Some spells are so minor or intuitive that they don't require spell slots. At level 1 you start with all cantrips written in your spellbook. Each day you can prepare three cantrips of your choice. At level 5 and every fifth level afterward, you can prepare an extra cantrip each day. Cantrips are cast like normal spells, except they don't require spell slots. You can cast them as many times as you wish. See cantrips.
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 two levels worth of Spell Slots. You can recover either a 2nd-level spell slot or two 1st-level Spell Slots.
When you start out as a wizard, you may choose to be a general mage or to specialize in a particular school of magic. A school is one of nine groupings of spells, each defined by a common theme (abjuration, conjuration, divination, enchantment, evocation, illusion, necromancy, teleportation, transmutation). If you choose to specialize in one of these schools, you become more proficient in casting spells of that type, though you may find it more difficult to handle magic from certain other schools. You will select one opposition school in exchange each specialization school. You gain advantage on all Arcana checks, Magic Items checks, and saving throws made pertaining to spells of your specialization school (including leaning new spells), and disadvantage from those from your opposition school. Divination may never be used as an opposition school.
Instead of specializing in an arcane school of magic, you can also choose to specialize in one of the elemental schools of magic (fire, earth, air, water). All the benefits of school specialization apply to spells that deal primarily with the element of your choice. Unlike arcane specializations, you do not get a choice in your opposition school (air opposes earth, fire opposes water, and vice versa).
Each specialization has a unique type of bonded object and familiar, listed below. Non-specialized wizards (general mages) also gain abilities from their bonded objects and familiars.
A bonded object can be used once per day to cast any one spell that you have in your spellbook and are capable of casting, even if the spell is not prepared or you don't have a spell slot available. This spell is treated like any other spell cast, including casting time, duration, and other effects dependent on your level. This spell cannot be modified by metamagic techniques or other abilities.
At level 6, you gain the enhanced familiar proficiency and may summon an enhanced version of your familiar.
Your bonded object can hold one abjuration spell that typically takes a standard or bonus action to cast. To store a spell, simply cast it into the object. Once per day, you can use the spell from your object as a reaction.
Your familiar is a guardian spirit that has assumed the form of an animal. Regardless of which animal shape it assumes, your familiar has 10 hit points. Any time you take damage, your familiar can transfer some or all of the damage to itself instead. Once it takes 10 hit points, it vanishes, as usual, and must be re-summoned. Your guardian familiar can also function as a guard, emitting a mental "ping" as per the alarm spell to warn you of danger provided you are within 1 mile of it. As an incarnate spirit, your familiar requires no sleep and can also guard you through the night.
As a standard action, your bonded object can create any object that weighs no more than 1 pound per level. The item remains for 1 minute before fading away. If the item leaves your possession, it disappears in a round. You can only create generic versions of the object, though you can create an object with detailed specifications if you have the appropriate craft skill. The object cannot be made of exotic materials, cannot contain moving parts, and cannot be consumable or magical in nature.
Your familiar is a creature created out of thin air and imbued with sentience. As long as your familiar isn't killed, you can dismiss or re-conjure your familiar with a standard action. When you re-conjure your familiar, it can take the form normally allowed to familiars. Once your familiar dies, you must re-cast find familiar to bring it back, as usual.
Since your familiar is conjured, its form can be enhanced beyond the normal bounds of reality. When you conjure your familiar, choose one of the following characteristics to add to the familiar's normal stats and abilities.
Your bonded object can be used for fortune telling or other divination magic. Whenever you cast a spell from the divination school, you may use this focus item instead of the spell's material component, as long as the cost of the material component is no more than 1,000 gp. Using your bonded object, you can also cast detect spells one level lower than normal (i.e. when cast at level 1, you can detect as if it were cast at level 2). You cannot cast at level 0 using this ability.
Your familiar has the uncanny ability to predict the future. Twice per day, as a reaction to something you plan to do, your familiar will indicate whether your choice of action is a good one or bad one. This functions as augury, except that your familiar will reaction in a way typical of its kind to let you know (a cat familiar may hiss when you're about to do something bad, or purr at you when you're making the right choice). Omen familiars are gifted with prescience when it comes to their own welfare and make saving throws at advantage.
When holding your bonded object while casting an enchantment designed to control or influence another creature, the spell's effects function as one level higher than the spell slot you used.
Your familiar is a creature of pure emotion coalesced into physical form. While on your person, your familiar can counteract the effects of emotion-based effects, making you immune to them. This bond is strongest with you, but each round an ally holds your familiar they are granted an additional saving throw against this type of effect too. If you fall asleep with your familiar at your side, they can help you slip into a deep, rejuvenating slumber, automatically doubling your healing rate as if you had an ally tending to your wounds overnight.
Once per day, as a reaction, you can attempt to use your bonded object to absorb and trap an elemental spell effect (a spell that uses fire, earth, air, or water to deal any type of damage). To absorb the damage, make a spell attack against the DC of the caster or effect. If successful, the spell effect is stored in your amulet instead of dealing damage to you. To be absorbed, the effect must be capable of otherwise damaging you. Absorbing an area of effect spell mitigates your damage but doesn't prevent the effect from damaging others. After hit points are absorbed, you can use a standard action to fire them out of the object as a ray-like effect (30 ft), using a spell attack to hit. You can fire all the hit points absorbed at once or break them into smaller rays, but you cannot absorb any new elemental damage until all the hit points have been expended.
You familiar appears to be a normal animal, but at will, it can change into its true shape, one of elemental energy. When you summon your familiar choose its form--fire, water, earth, or air. When in elemental form, it assumes the form of your chosen element (catches fire, turns into water, etc.), but it still retains vaguely the same animal shape. Air familiars gain a fly speed of 20 and have piercing resistance 5. Earth familiars have double the natural armor bonus and acid resistance 5. Fire elementals can throw or spit a ball of fire as a ranged touch attack every 1d4 rounds (1d6 damage, dex save to avoid catching on fire). They also gain fire resistance 5. Water familiars can breathe underwater, gain a swim speed of 20, and have piercing resistance 5.
Once per day, your bonded object can be used to cast any illusion spell appropriate for your level, even if you haven't learned or prepared it. Doing this doesn't use a spell slot.
Your familiar is an illusion made quasi-real through the use of shadow magic. Your familiar has 10 hit points and cannot be healed like a normal creature. When reduced to 0 hit points, the creature is destroyed and must be re-created with the find familiar spell as usual. Provided your familiar is not completely destroyed, though, you can dismiss the spell that holds it together or re-form it at any time, as a bonus action. When dismissed the create simply ceases to exist. When re-formed, it appears at your side with full hit points. Each time you re-form it, you can cause it to re-appear in any form that a familiar usually takes. Aside from these differences, your familiar has all the abilities and stats a normal familiar of its type does.
You have an undead familiar raised from the corpse of a dead animal. You must have the corpse on hand when casting Find Familiar, and it must be one of those typically allowed for familiars. The animal is raised as a zombie or skeleton-like version of the creature. Your familiar functions like a normal familiar with the following changes.
Once per day, your bonded object can capture the soul of a dead person, as if you cast soul bind. In this case, your object functions as a soul gem in every way. You can use your object to do this even if you aren't normally able to cast soul bind, and doing do doesn't expend a spell slot.
As a bonus action, you can detect whether a creature in view is living, non-living, or undead. This sight lasts one round.
Instead of using find familiar, you have learned to use your summoning spells to acquire a familiar. In essence, the summoning spell's duration becomes permanent and the summoned creature forms a connection to you like a normal familiar would. Summoned familiars gain the normal abilities a summoned creature of their type would get, but they only get limited access to normal familiar abilities (share spells, share senses, and deliver touch spells). Like normal familiars, you can only have one summoned familiar at a time. Summoning spells can be cast at any level to find a familiar, but familiars cannot be larger than small size and cannot be swarms.
Your bonded object functions as a home for your summoned familiar. As a bonus action, you can magically cause your familiar to enter or leave your bonded object, appearing or disappearing from a space adjacent to you. Inside your bonded object, the familiar is kept in an environment it finds natural and comfortable. It is protected from all harm, does not age, and does not need to eat, drink, or sleep. If your bonded object is lost or destroyed, your familiar is instantly and harmlessly unsummoned.
You have access to summoning spells usually reserved for druids and rangers. These include: Creeping Doom, Elemental Swarm, and Summon Animal.
Your bonded object manifests the power of one transmutation effect. When holding or wearing the object, you automatically gain the benefits of the effect, as if you had cast the associated spell on yourself. On a short rest, you may change the spell effect to one of the following: Adhesive Blood, Barkskin, Bloodhound, Countless Eyes, Darkvision, Jump, Long Arm, Monkey Fish, Savage Maw, Stone Fist, or Twisted Innards. You do not need to know the spell in question to make your bonded object manifest its effect.
As a bonus action, you can polymorph your familiar from one form to another. Your familiar can take the form of any animal form typically allowed when re-casting the find familiar spell, without having to cast it. In addition, you can also transform your familiar into a mundane, everyday object worth less than 20 gp. The exact item is up to you but subject to the GMs discretion. The item cannot be magical, consumable, or exotic in nature.
At level 2, wizard's gain the ability to brew potions (see brew potion proficiency).
At first, you primarily learn spells from written sources (libraries, spellbooks, and scrolls). As you progress, you can learn magic from other sources as well. At level 4 and every three levels afterward (levels 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19) pick one of the following magical sources below. You are now able to learn magic from these sources as well.
Any failure to learn a spell from one source of magic makes it impossible to learn the same spell from any other source until you've gained knowledge in Arcana. Regardless of the source, you can only learn spells on the wizard spell list.
Wizards may also learn spells by making deals with magical creatures who have a connection to arcane power of some sort. Traditionally, this is done by high-level wizards who summon and bargain with dangerous outsiders. Usually, such endeavors are very risky and involve some sort of trade in exchange for the power requested. Those who seek arcane power through outsiders in a steady conduit of magical power usually end up as witches or warlocks instead of wizards.
Starting at level 5, you can channel your magical energy into a protective shield. As a reaction, you can sacrifice an unused spell slot and gain a shield bonus to AC equal to 2 + the level of spell slot sacrificed. This shield lasts for one minute. Unlike the shield spell, the arcane shield does not require concentration or a prepared spell, and eventually it can create more powerful shields.
At levels 6, 8, and 11 you gain a new proficiency that you have managed to pick up in the course of your studies. These proficiencies are free and do not require any training cost, though they cannot be combat-related proficiencies (like armor or weapon proficiencies).
At level 12 you gain an extra attack that you can make when making a full attack. In a full attack, all attacks except for your first are made at a -5 penalty.
At levels 14, 17, and 20 you have the option of learning archmage-level powers called high arcana. To learn one of the high arcana, you permanently eliminate one existing spell slot that you currently have available. Each of the high arcana have a minimum spell slot level required, though you may choose to eliminate a spell slot higher than the base requirement as well. You may choose from the following high arcana.