Wizard 5eClass Guide & NPC Generator
Arcane traditions, the full spell list and slots, features by level and the stats that matter — then forge a finished wizard NPC, portrait and all, without typing a thing twice.
A wizard is a scholar of the arcane — spells copied into a spellbook by candlelight, then prepared fresh each morning for whatever the day is going to throw. No armour, few hit points, and an answer to almost everything.
Choose your subclass
Wizard Subclasses — The Arcane Traditions
Eight schools, eight ways to be the smartest and most fragile thing in the room. Choose one; the forge follows.
Damage
School of Evocation
Sculpt raw elemental force. Sculpt Spells lets your Fireball spare the allies standing in it — the reliable blaster.
Full School of Evocation guide →The Forge
Forge School of Evocation Wizard
Everything you have chosen travels with you and arrives pre-filled. Nothing to type twice — just press Generate.
School of Evocation · level 5 · pre-filled for you
Role in party
The Arcane Engine
Wizard = the party’s answer key — battlefield control, burst damage and a spell for every problem, wrapped in almost no hit points.
You want to solve the encounter, not survive it — shut down the battlefield and end fights before they reach you.
Forged this morning
The Archmage
School of Evocation · Level 12 · Neutral Good
Archmage Veylin
Turned a besieging army to ash in one afternoon and has been apologising ever since. Keeps the spellbook open at the page he will not cast again.
Chosen lineage
Best Races for a Wizard
Intelligence drives everything, so the best lineages either raise it or keep your paper-thin wizard alive long enough to cast.
High ElfGUIDE →
Intelligence, a free wizard cantrip and Fey Ancestry — the textbook wizard chassis.
Rock GnomeGUIDE →
The biggest Intelligence boost, plus Gnome Cunning — advantage on all mental saves — and a few more hit points.
Variant HumanGUIDE →
War Caster or Resilient (CON) online at level 1 — the build comes together immediately.
TieflingGUIDE →
Darkvision, fire resistance and a point of Intelligence — durable and flavourful for a fire mage.
Half-ElfGUIDE →
Float the two points into INT and CON and take a fistful of skills — the sociable, adaptable wizard.
Where the points go
Wizard Builds — Where the Points Go
Intelligence is the engine: it drives your attack, your spell save DC and how many spells you prepare. Constitution keeps the engine running once someone hits you.
Blaster / control
Intelligence is everything: attack, save DC and how many spells you prepare. Constitution holds concentration.
Bladesinger (gish)
Dexterity for armour class and finesse attacks while Bladesong is up. Still Intelligence first.
Survivalist
Lean on Abjuration or War Magic. Constitution and Wisdom keep you upright when the save comes.
Top picks
Best Feats for a Wizard
A wizard wins by getting the spell off and keeping it up — so the best feats protect concentration and your action economy.
Multiclass combos
Best Wizard Multiclass Combos
The wizard’s huge list makes it a strong base — a small dip buys the durability it otherwise lacks.
Wizard / FighterGUIDE →
Action Surge casts two spells in a turn, plus Constitution saves and armour — the sturdiest blaster in the game.
Wizard / ClericGUIDE →
Armour and healing bolted onto the biggest spell list — the do-everything toolbox caster.
Wizard / SorcererGUIDE →
Font of Magic and two Metamagics (Quicken, Twin) bending the wizard’s list. High ceiling, high skill floor.
Armory
Best Wizard Equipment by Tier
What to carry as you level — from a first spellbook to the regalia of an archmage.
The Spellbook
Spell List
Wizards prepare from the spellbook each day, from the broadest list in the game. Spellcasting is online from level 1 — collect utility and swap to fit the adventure.
Full caster
Spell Slots by Level
| Wizard level | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Level 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Level 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Level 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Level 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Level 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Level 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Level 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Level 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Level 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| Level 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Level 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Level 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Level 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| Level 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Level 16 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Level 17 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Level 18 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Level 19 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Level 20 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
The Long Study
Features by Level
From the forge
Wizards Made Here
Six schools, six lives. Take any one as your starting point — the whole build travels with it.
Archmage Veylin
Turned a besieging army to ash in one afternoon and has been apologising ever since.
Use this build →
Mistress Corvane
Keeps her old adventuring party close — very close. They still hold the lantern.
Use this build →
Sella Quickmark
Never surprised, never late, and infuriatingly always right about the dice.
Use this build →
Ashwin of the Blade
An elf who answers insults with a rapier and a wall of fire — in that order.
Use this build →
Tobin Underhill
Has never lost a bar bet, a chase, or an argument he could simply pretend to win.
Use this build →
Warden Kessa
The last line. Nothing gets through the ward, and nothing has for eleven years.
Use this build →Counsel
Frequently Asked
What is a wizard in D&D 5e?
The archetypal arcane spellcaster: a scholar who learns spells into a spellbook and prepares a fresh set each day. The broadest spell list in the game, d6 hit points and no armour — wizards win by preparation, not durability.
How do I build a wizard in 5e?
Max Intelligence — it drives your attack, spell save DC and how many spells you prepare. Constitution next, to hold concentration. Take Shield and Mage Armor for defence, and choose your Arcane Tradition at level 2.
What is the best wizard subclass?
Divination’s Portent is arguably the strongest feature in the game; Evocation is the reliable blaster; Abjuration is the most survivable; Bladesinging is the best melee option. Pick by whether you want fate, fire, walls or a sword.
Wizard vs Sorcerer — what’s the difference?
Wizards learn into a spellbook and prepare a different set daily from a huge list — unmatched versatility. Sorcerers know a small fixed list but bend it with Metamagic. Wizard for flexibility; sorcerer for on-the-fly power.
What are the best stats for a wizard?
Intelligence first, always — everything keys off it. Constitution second for hit points and concentration saves, then Dexterity for armour class and initiative. Strength, Wisdom and Charisma come last for most builds.
Can wizards wear armor in 5e?
Not without a feat or multiclass — wizards have no armour proficiency, so armour blocks their spellcasting. They use Mage Armor (13 + Dex) instead, or take Bladesinging, which grants its own AC bonus.
What spells should a wizard take?
Shield and Magic Missile at 1st; Misty Step and Web at 2nd; Fireball and Counterspell at 3rd; Polymorph at 4th; Wall of Force at 5th. You prepare from your book daily, so collect utility and swap to fit the adventure.
Open the Book
Read the rules, choose your school, and forge the wizard — all on one page. Your first is free.
Forge a Wizard NPC