Verdict
The strongest class in the game once you know your spells, and the hardest to learn. Your spellbook grows by two spells every level, you can change your prepared list every long rest, and from level 5 you can swap a spell after a short rest. With a d6 hit die and no armor, though, a careless wizard goes down fast.
Class basics
| Hit die | d6 |
|---|---|
| Primary ability | Intelligence |
| Saving throws | Intelligence and Wisdom |
| Armor | None |
| Weapons | Simple |
| Spellcasting | Full caster, Intelligence-based, prepares from a spellbook |
Features by level
| Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 1 | Spellcasting, Ritual Adept, Arcane Recovery |
| 2 | Scholar |
| 3 | Wizard subclass |
| 4 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 5 | Memorize Spell |
| 6 | Subclass feature |
| 7 | No new class feature |
| 8 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 9 | No new class feature |
| 10 | Subclass feature |
| 11 | No new class feature |
| 12 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 13 | No new class feature |
| 14 | Subclass feature |
| 15 | No new class feature |
| 16 | Ability Score Improvement |
| 17 | No new class feature |
| 18 | Spell Mastery |
| 19 | Epic Boon |
| 20 | Signature Spells |
Spell slots by level
The columns 1 to 9 are spell levels. A blank means you don't have slots of that level yet. Sorcerers, clerics, druids and bards use the same slot table, but a wizard prepares more spells than any of them by level 20.
| Level | Cantrips | Prepared | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | ||||||||
| 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | |||||||
| 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 3 | |||||||
| 5 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||||||
| 6 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | ||||||
| 7 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |||||
| 8 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |||||
| 9 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | ||||
| 10 | 5 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||||
| 11 | 5 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
| 12 | 5 | 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
| 13 | 5 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 14 | 5 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 15 | 5 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 16 | 5 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 17 | 5 | 22 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18 | 5 | 23 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | 5 | 24 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20 | 5 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Your first spellbook
Your book starts with six level 1 spells, and at level 1 you prepare four of them. Here's the set we'd hand a new wizard. The trick is Ritual Adept: you can cast any ritual spell straight from your book without preparing it. So put rituals in the book and keep your four prepared slots for combat.
| Spell | Why | Prepare it? |
|---|---|---|
| Shield | A reaction that adds 5 to your AC until your next turn. It saves your life more than any other level 1 spell | Always |
| Magic Missile | Darts that never miss. Good for finishing off a wounded enemy | Usually |
| Sleep | Can put a clump of weak enemies to sleep if they fail two saves in a row, but it needs Concentration | Early levels |
| Mage Armor | Eight hours of better AC for one slot, cast before you leave camp | Usually |
| Find Familiar | A ritual, so you can cast it from the book without preparing it. A familiar scouts for you | No, cast as a ritual |
| Detect Magic | Another ritual. You'll use it in every dungeon | No, cast as a ritual |
Good swaps: Thunderwave if enemies keep reaching you, Feather Fall if your campaign has a lot of cliffs, and Grease or Hideous Laughter for control. Your book grows by two spells per level, and you can copy spells you find on scrolls or in other books. Copying costs 2 hours and 50 GP per spell level, so ask your DM to put scrolls in the treasure.
The features that matter
Arcane Recovery (level 1)
Once per long rest, after a short rest, you get back spell slots with combined levels up to half your Wizard level, rounded up. None can be level 6 or higher. At level 6 that's three levels of slots, for example a level 3 slot for another Fireball.
Scholar (level 2)
Expertise in one knowledge skill, like Arcana, History or Investigation. You'll be the party's lore expert, so this gets used.
Memorize Spell (level 5)
After a short rest, swap one prepared spell for another in your book. If you prepared for undead and meet a dragon, you can adjust.
Spell Mastery and Signature Spells (levels 18 and 20)
Pick a level 1 and a level 2 spell to cast at will. At 20, two level 3 spells are always prepared and each can be cast once per short rest for free.
Subclasses
You pick your subclass at level 3.
| Subclass | Plays like | Pick it if |
|---|---|---|
| Abjurer | A protective mage with a magical ward that soaks damage | You want a wizard who doesn't drop in one hit |
| Diviner | Sees the future and can replace rolls with ones made in advance | You like controlling the dice |
| Evoker | The artillery mage: blasts that spare allies and cantrips that always hurt | You want big damage numbers |
| Illusionist | Illusions cast without spoken words, phantom beasts and fey, and a duplicate that turns aside an attack | You enjoy creative problem solving |
Evoker is the one in the SRD. At 3, Potent Cantrip means your damage cantrips still deal half damage on a miss or a passed save, and you add two free evocation spells to your book. At 6, Sculpt Spells lets you protect allies inside your Fireball. At 10 you add Intelligence to one damage roll of your evocation spells. At 14, Overchannel lets you deal maximum damage with a spell of level 1 to 5, at a painful cost if you use it again before a long rest.
Building one
- Ability scores: Intelligence first, Constitution second, Dexterity third for AC with Mage Armor.
- Cantrips: Fire Bolt or Ray of Frost for damage, Mage Hand and Prestidigitation for utility. You can swap one cantrip on each long rest.
- Level 3 to 5 spells: Misty Step to escape, then Fireball, Counterspell and Fly.
- Feats: Intelligence first. Resilient (Constitution) or War Caster helps you hold Concentration.
Questions
Can a Wizard wear armor?
Wizards have no armor training, so they can't cast spells in armor without it. Use Mage Armor instead, or take a feat that grants armor training.
What happens if I lose my spellbook?
You can write your prepared spells into a new book at 1 hour and 10 GP per spell level. Anything else is gone until you find it again. Many wizards keep a backup book for this reason.
Corin Ashdown is the pen name of the editor who writes and checks every guide on Vorbelutrioperbir. How we write and check guides.