- This article is about the class; for other uses, see Wizard (disambiguation).
Description: Wizards are arcane spellcasters who depend on intensive study to create their magic. To wizards, magic is not a talent but a difficult, rewarding art. When they are prepared for battle, wizards can use their spells to devastating effect. When caught by surprise, they are vulnerable. The wizard's strength is her spells; everything else is secondary. She learns new spells as she experiments and grows in experience, and she can also learn them from other wizards. In addition, over time a wizard learns to manipulate her spells so they go farther, work better, or are improved in some other way. A wizard can call a familiar, a magical creature, small or large, that serves her.
Alignment restrictions: none
Hit die: d4
Proficiencies: armor (robes), weapons (wizard)
Skill points: 2 + int modifier ( (2 + int modifier) * 4 at 1st level)
Skills: concentration, craft armor, craft trap, craft weapon, heal, lore, spellcraft
Unavailable feats:
curse song, divine might, divine shield, extra music, extra turning, lingering song, weapon specialization
These general feats cannot be selected when taking a level of wizard.
Wizard bonus feats: arcane defense, brew potion, combat casting, craft wand, empower spell, extend spell, greater spell focus, greater spell penetration, maximize spell, quicken spell, silent spell, spell focus, spell penetration, still spell
Base attack bonus: +1/2 levels
Spellcasting: Arcane (spell failure from armor is a factor), intelligence-based (a base intelligence score of 10 + the spell's level is required to cast a spell, bonus spells are based on modified intelligence, and the intelligence modifier affects spell DCs), and requires preparation. Wizards begin the game knowing all cantrips and four three + intelligence modifier 1st-level spells.
Special abilities & feats[]
- Level 1 scribe scroll, summon familiar
- Wizard bonus feats: every five levels (up to wizard level 20), the wizard may select a bonus feat, chosen from the metamagic and spell feat lists. This bonus feat is in addition to the feats every character gains for advancing in character level. If the character is an epic character (not necessarily an epic wizard) then the available bonus feats include those in the epic wizard bonus list. This bonus feat (one per five levels) option is replaced by the epic bonus feat progression (one every three levels) once the character reaches epic wizard levels (with the first epic bonus at level 23).
Spells[]
A wizard may choose to specialize in a spell school, gaining one additional prepared spell per spell level but losing the ability to cast spells from the opposed spell school, even spells from scrolls. A wizard does not have to specialize, thus keeping access to all spells.
Level progression[]
Lvl | BAB | Saves | Feats | HP range | Base spells per day | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fort | Ref | Will | 0 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |||||
1st | +0 | +0 | +0 | +2 | summon familiar, scribe scroll, weapon proficiency (wizard) | 2-4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
2nd | +1 | +0 | +0 | +3 | 4-8 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
3rd | +1 | +1 | +1 | +3 | 6-12 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
4th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | 8-16 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
5th | +2 | +1 | +1 | +4 | wizard bonus feat | 10-20 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
6th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | 12-24 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
7th | +3 | +2 | +2 | +5 | 14-28 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
8th | +4 | +2 | +2 | +6 | 16-32 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
9th | +4 | +3 | +3 | +6 | 18-36 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | ||
10th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | wizard bonus feat | 20-40 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | |
11th | +5 | +3 | +3 | +7 | 22-44 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | ||
12th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | 24-48 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | ||
13th | +6/+1 | +4 | +4 | +8 | 26-52 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | ||
14th | +7/+2 | +4 | +4 | +9 | 28-56 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | ||
15th | +7/+2 | +5 | +5 | +9 | wizard bonus feat | 30-60 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | |
16th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | 32-64 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | ||
17th | +8/+3 | +5 | +5 | +10 | 34-68 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
18th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | 36-72 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
19th | +9/+4 | +6 | +6 | +11 | 38-76 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | ||
20th | +10/+5 | +6 | +6 | +12 | wizard bonus feat | 40-80 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Bonus spell slots come from items and high intelligence.
As a rule of thumb, wizards can cast spell levels up to half their class level rounded up.
Epic wizard[]
Knowledge is power and the quest for knowledge never ends. There is an everlasting supply of arcane lore for the epic wizard to discover.
Hit die: d4
Skill points: 2 + int modifier
Bonus feats: The epic wizard gains a bonus feat every three levels after 20th. In other words, at levels 23, 26, 29, 32, 35, and 38.
Epic wizard bonus feats: automatic quicken spell, automatic silent spell, automatic still spell, epic spell focus, epic spell penetration, epic spell: dragon knight, epic spell: epic mage armor, epic spell: epic warding, epic spell: greater ruin, epic spell: hellball, epic spell: mummy dust, great intelligence, improved combat casting
Unavailable epic feats:
bane of enemies,
construct shape, dragon shape,
epic weapon specialization, great smiting,
improved ki strike 4, improved ki strike 5, improved sneak attack,
improved spell resistance, improved stunning fist,
lasting inspiration, mighty rage, outsider shape,
planar turning, terrifying rage, thundering rage, undead shape
These general epic feats cannot be selected when taking a level of wizard.
Epic wizard level progression[]
Lvl | Feats | HP range |
---|---|---|
21st | 42-84 | |
22nd | 44-88 | |
23rd | bonus feat | 46-92 |
24th | 48-96 | |
25th | 50-100 | |
26th | bonus feat | 52-104 |
27th | 54-108 | |
28th | 56-112 | |
29th | bonus feat | 58-116 |
30th | 60-120 | |
31st | 62-124 | |
32nd | bonus feat | 64-128 |
33rd | 66-132 | |
34th | 68-136 | |
35th | bonus feat | 70-140 |
36th | 72-144 | |
37th | 74-148 | |
38th | bonus feat | 76-152 |
39th | 78-156 | |
40th | 80-160 |
Prestige class tips[]
- The pale master is a strong prestige class that builds upon the wizard's magical abilities.
Notes[]
- Wizards learn two new spells at each level-up and from wizard scrolls they find during play.
- At first level (not just when beginning the game), the spell allotment is increased, allowing a wizard to learn all cantrips and a number of additional (level 1) spells equal to three plus intelligence modifier (not a static four, as mentioned in-game). This is still subject to the wizard needing a base intelligence score of 10 + spell level to learn a spell.
- Which spells are memorized on rest are selected using the spell-book (shortcut key B).
External Links[]
- Wizard on the Forgotten Realms Wiki, a wiki for the Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting Forgotten Realms.