Wizard Subclass Overhaul
Arcane Traditions
The study of wizardry is ancient, stretching back to the earliest mortal discoveries of magic. It is firmly established in the worlds of D&D, with various traditions dedicated to its complex study. The most common arcane traditions in the multiverse revolve around the schools of magic. Wizards through the ages have cataloged thousands of spells, grouping them into eight categories called schools. In some places, these traditions are literally schools; a wizard might study at the School of Illusion while another studies across town at the School of Enchantment. In other institutions, the schools are more like academic departments, with rival faculties competing for students and funding. Even wizards who train apprentices in the solitude of their own towers use the division of magic into schools as a learning device, since the spells of each school require mastery of different techniques.
Tradition Spells
Each tradition has a list of spells — its tradition spells — that you gain at the wizard levels noted in the tradition description. Once you gain a tradition spell, you always have it prepared, and it doesn’t count against the number of spells you can prepare each day. If you have a tradition spell that doesn’t appear on the wizard spell list, the spell is nonetheless a wizard spell for you.
School of Abjuration
The School of Abjuration emphasizes magic that blocks, banishes, or protects. Detractors of 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 of this school are sought when baleful spirits require exorcism, when important locations must be guarded against magical spying, and when portals to other planes of existence must be closed.
Abjuration Tradition Spells
| Wizard Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Sanctuary, Snare |
| 3rd | Arcane Lock, Warding Bond |
| 5th | Nondetection, Remove Curse |
| 7th | Freedom of Movement, Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum |
| 9th | Antilife Shell, Dispel Evil and Good |
Arcane Ward
Starting at 2nd level, you can weave magic around yourself for protection. When you cast an abjuration spell of 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 starts off with hit points equal to twice your wizard level + your Intelligence modifier. Whenever you take damage, the ward takes the damage instead. The ward has the same damage resistances, immunities, and vulnerabilities as you. 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 of 1st level or higher, the ward gains a number of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell. Once you create the ward, you can't create it again until you finish a long rest.
Projected Ward
Starting at 6th level, when a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to cause your Arcane Ward to absorb that damage if the ward has more than 0 hit points. If this damage reduces the ward to 0 hit points, the warded creature takes any remaining damage.
Improved Abjuration
Beginning at 10th level, when you cast an abjuration spell that requires you to make an ability check (such as in Counterspell and Dispel Magic), skill check, or saving throw, you can add your proficiency bonus to the roll. If you would already add your proficiency bonus, it is doubled.
Arcane Bastion
Starting at 14th level, you have advantage on any ability checks, skill checks, and saving throws made against spells. Furthermore, you have resistance against the damage of spells. Once per round, you can either use your Projected Ward feature or cast one abjuration spell with a casting time of a reaction without using a reaction. You can’t cast the same spell twice using this feature. When a creature that you can see within 30 feet of you has to make a saving throw against a spell, you can use your Projected Ward feature to also grant them advantage on any saving throws against the spell, and any damage dealt by the spell is absorbed by your Arcane Ward. If this damage reduces the ward to 0 hit points, the warded creature takes any remaining damage.
School of Conjuration
As a conjurer, you favor spells that produce objects and creatures out of 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 of transportation and can teleport yourself across vast distances, even to other planes of existence, in an instant.
Conjuration Tradition Spells
| Wizard Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Tenser’s Floating Disk, Unseen Servant |
| 3rd | Cloud of Daggers, Misty Step |
| 5th | Call Lightning, Create Food and Water |
| 7th | Dimension Door, Leomund’s Secret Chest |
| 9th | Far Step, Teleportation Circle |
Minor Conjuration
Starting at 2nd level when you select this school, you can use your action to create one nonmagical item of your choice in an unoccupied space within 10 feet of you. The item must appear on a surface or in a liquid that can support it. The gp value of the item can't be more than 20 times your wizard level, and the item must be a nonmagical object that you have seen that is Medium or smaller. The created item disappears after a number of hours equal to your proficiency bonus (minimum of one). Once you create an item with this feature, you can't do so again until you finish a long rest, unless you expend a spell slot of 2nd level or higher to use this feature again. You can have only one item created by this feature at a time; if you use this action and already have an item from this feature, the first one immediately vanishes. The size of the item you can create with this feature increases by one size category when you reach 6th level (Large) and 14th level (Huge).
Benign Transportation
Starting at 6th level, the range and duration of all of your Conjuration spells double, and you can use your bonus action to teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see. Alternatively, you can choose a space within range that is occupied by a Small or Medium creature. If that creature is willing, you both teleport, swapping places. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus (minimum of one). Additionally, when you cast a conjuration spell that can teleport a creature, any of your summoned creatures within range of the spell (if the range of the spell is Self, Touch, or is less than 30 feet, the range of this feature becomes 30 feet) can use their reaction to also teleport as if they used the spell.
Focused Conjuration
Beginning at 10th level, when you are conscious and concentrating on a conjuration spell, your concentration can't be broken as a result of taking damage.
Empowered Summons
Starting at 14th level, any creature or object that you summon or create with a conjuration spell gains temporary hit points equal to your Wizard Level + your Intelligence Modifier + your proficiency bonus + the spell’s level (minimum of one), and you add your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one) to any damage they deal. If you would already add your Intelligence modifier to the damage, then it is doubled.
School of Divination
The counsel of a diviner is sought by royalty and commoners alike, for all seek a clearer understanding of the past, present, and future. As a diviner, you strive to part the veils of space, time, and consciousness so that you can see clearly. You work to master spells of discernment, remote viewing, supernatural knowledge, and foresight.
Divination Tradition Spells
| Wizard Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Detect Evil and Good, Detect Poison and Disease |
| 3rd | Locate Animals or Plants, Locate Object |
| 5th | Clairvoyance, Tongues |
| 7th | Divination, Locate Creature |
| 9th | Contact Other Plane, Legend Lore |
Portent
Starting at 2nd level when you choose this school, glimpses of 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 of these foretelling rolls. You can replace a roll in this way only once per round. Each foretelling roll can be used only once. When you finish a long rest, you lose any unused foretelling rolls.
Expert Divination
Beginning at 6th level, the range and duration of all of your divination spells doubles, and casting divination spells comes so easily to you that it expends only a fraction of your spellcasting efforts. When you cast a divination spell of 2nd level or higher using a spell slot, you regain one expended spell slot. The slot you regain must be of a level lower than the spell you cast and can't be higher than 5th level.
The Third Eye
Starting at 10th level, you can use your action to increase your powers of perception. When you do so, you gain 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 short or long rest.
- Darkvision. You gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If you already have darkvision, then this extends it by 60 feet. You can also see through magical darkness that is within your darkvision.
- Ethereal Sight. You can see into the Ethereal Plane within 60 feet of you.
- Greater Comprehension. You can read any language.
- See Invisibility. You can see invisible creatures and objects within 10 feet of you that are within line of sight.
Great Portent
Starting at 14th level, the visions in your dreams intensify and paint a more accurate picture in your mind of what is to come. You roll three d20s for your Portent feature, rather than two. You can also save any unused foretelling rolls. Additionally, you can use your Great Portent feature twice per round, and you can use it on any die roll.
School of Enchantment
As a member of the School of Enchantment, you have honed your ability to magically entrance and beguile other people and monsters. Some enchanters are peacemakers who bewitch the violent to lay down their arms and charm the cruel into showing mercy. Others are tyrants who magically bind the unwilling into their service. Most enchanters fall somewhere in between.
Enchantment Tradition Spells
| Wizard Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Animal Friendship, Command |
| 3rd | Animal Messenger, Enthrall |
| 5th | Catnap, Enemies Abound |
| 7th | Charm Monster, Compulsion |
| 9th | Geas, Modify Memory |
Hypnotic Gaze
Starting at 2nd level when you choose this school, your soft words and enchanting gaze can magically enthrall another creature. As an action, choose one creature that you can see within 30 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 of 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 bonus action to maintain this effect, extending its duration until the end of your next turn. However, the effect ends if you move more than 30 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.
Instinctive Charm
Beginning at 6th level, the range and duration of all of your enchantment spells doubles, and when a creature you can see within 30 feet of 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 Wisdom 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, you choose which one to target. On a successful save, you can't use this feature on the attacker again until you finish a long rest. Creatures that can't be charmed are immune to this effect.
Split Enchantment
Starting at 10th level, when you cast an enchantment spell of 1st level or higher that can target a creature, you can target an additional creature within range of the spell.
Alter Memories
At 14th level, you gain the ability to make a creature unaware of 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 of being charmed. Additionally, once before the spell expires, you can use your action to try to make the chosen creature forget some of 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 of its memories equal to 1 + your Charisma modifier (minimum 1). You can make the creature forget less time, and the amount of time can't exceed the duration of your enchantment spell.
School of Evocation
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.
Evocation Tradition Spells
| Wizard Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Burning Hands, Chromatic Orb |
| 3rd | Continual Flame, Warding Wind |
| 5th | Daylight, Sending |
| 7th | Ice Storm, Storm Sphere |
| 9th | Flame Strike, Wall of Stone |
Sculpt Spells
Beginning at 2nd level, you can create pockets of relative safety within the effects of 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 your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one). 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.
Empowered Evocation
Starting at 6th level, the range and duration of all of your evocation spells doubles, and you can add your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one) to the damage of any wizard evocation spell that you cast.
Adaptive Spells
Beginning at 10th level, you have learned to adapt your spells to where even those that would have avoided the brunt of the damage are affected. When a creature succeeds on a saving throw against an evocation spell of 5th level or lower that you've casted, they still take full damage (or half if the spell normally does no damage on a successful save), but suffers no additional effect from the spell. Additionally, on a failed save, the spell ignores damage resistances, but not immunities, and the spell does an extra die of damage to creatures that are not resistant or immune to the damage.
Overchannel
Starting at 14th level, you can increase the power of some of your spells. When you cast a wizard spell of 5th level or lower that deals damage and isn't a cantrip, 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 1d12. This damage ignores resistance and immunity.
School of Illusion
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 wizards – are benign tricksters who use their spells to entertain. Others are more sinister masters of deception, using their illusions to frighten and fool others for their personal gain.
Illusion Tradition Spells
| Wizard Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Disguise Self, Silent Image |
| 3rd | Nystul’s Magic Aura, Phantasmal Force |
| 5th | Major Image, Phantom Steed |
| 7th | Hallucinatory Terrain, Phantasmal Killer |
| 9th | Dream, Seeming |
Dual Illusions
Beginning at 2nd level, when you cast an illusion spell that can only create a sound or an image, you can create both a sound and an image with a single casting of the spell.
Malleable Illusions
Starting at 6th level, the range and duration of all of your illusion spells doubles, and during the duration of an illusion spell you casted, you can use your action to change the nature of that illusion (using the spell's normal parameters for the illusion), provided that you can see the illusion.
Illusory Self
Beginning at 10th level, you can create an illusory duplicate of 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 misses you, then the illusion dissipates. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one), and you regain all uses on a long rest.
Illusory Reality
By 14th level, you have learned the secret of weaving shadow magic into your illusions to give them a semi-reality. When you cast an illusion spell, you can choose one inanimate, nonmagical object that is part of 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 of 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.
School of Necromancy
The School of Necromancy explores the cosmic forces of 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.
Necromancy Tradition Spells
| Wizard Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Cause Fear, Inflict Wounds |
| 3rd | Gentle Repose, Ray of Enfeeblement |
| 5th | Animate Dead, Speak with Dead |
| 7th | Blight, Shadow of Moil |
| 9th | Dance of Macabre, Negative Energy Flood |
Grim Harvest
At 2nd level, you gain the ability to reap life energy from creatures you damage with your spells. Once per turn when you damage a creature with a spell, you gain temporary hit points equal to the spell level, or half the damage dealt if it is a necromancy spell or deals necrotic damage.
Undead Thralls
At 6th level, the range and duration of all of your necromancy spells doubles, and when you cast a necromancy spell that creates or summons an undead creature, you can create or summon an additional undead creature, following the effects and restrictions of the spell. Any undead creatures under your direct control gains these benefits:
- The creature's hit point maximum is increased by an amount equal to your wizard level + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus + the spell’s level (minimum of one).
- The creature adds your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one) to its damage. If you already add your Intelligence modifier to its damage, then it is doubled.
Inured to Undeath
Beginning at 10th level, you have resistance to necrotic damage, and your hit point maximum can't be reduced. Additionally, you gain advantage on death saving throws, and the death save DC of all death saving throws decreases by one.
Command Undead
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 of 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, and it is treated as if it was created or summoned by you. Intelligent undead are harder to control in this way. If the target has an Intelligence of 8 or higher, it has advantage on the saving throw. If it fails the saving throw and has an Intelligence of 12 or higher, it can repeat the saving throw at the end of every hour until it succeeds and breaks free.
School of Transmutation
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 of change. You wield the raw stuff of creation and learn to alter both physical forms and mental qualities. Your magic 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 of the gods to make and destroy worlds.
Transmutation Tradition Spells
| Wizard Level | Spells |
|---|---|
| 2nd | Create or Destroy Water, Jump |
| 3rd | Alter Self, Knock |
| 5th | Water Breathing, Water Walk |
| 7th | Fabricate, Polymorph |
| 9th | Passwall, Transmute Rock |
Minor Alchemy
Starting at 2nd level, you can transform materials into simple items. You conduct an hour-long ritual that crafts a nonmagical item: a simple or martial weapon, a suit of armor, ten pieces of ammunition, a set of tools, or another object. The creation is completed at the end of the hour, coalescing in an unoccupied space of your choice on a surface within 5 feet of you. The thing you create can be something that is worth no more than 100 gp and you must have seen it before. As part of this ritual, you must lay out the same type of materials that the item is made of, which can include coins if the item is made out of metal, with a value equal to the creation. The material irretrievably coalesces and transforms into the creation at the ritual’s end, magically forming even parts of the creation that does not include the type of material the rest of the item is made out of. The ritual can create a duplicate of a nonmagical item, such as a key, if you possess the original during the ritual. After using this feature once, you cannot use it until you take a long rest.
Transmuter's Stone
Starting at 6th level, the range and duration of all of your transmutation spells doubles, and 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 the benefits of the stone as long as the stone is in the possession of the wearer. The stone grants the wearer two of the following benefits:
- Darkvision out to a range of 60 feet. If the wearer already has darkvision, then this extends it by 60 feet. They can also see through magical darkness that is within their darkvision.
- An increase to their speed by 10 feet.
- Proficiency in Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma saving throws (your choice whenever you create the transmuter’s stone). If the creature is already proficient in the chosen saving throw, they gain advantage.
- Resistance to acid, cold, fire, lightning, or thunder damage (your choice whenever you create the transmuter’s stone). Each time you cast a transmutation spell of 1st level or higher, you can change the effects of the stone if it is within 30 feet, or the range of the spell (whichever is higher). If you create a new transmuter's stone, the previous one ceases to function. At 10th level, you can choose three benefits, and at 14th level, you can choose four benefits.
Shape Changer
At 10th level, you can cast Polymorph without expending a spell slot. When you do so, Polymorph can transform the target into a beast whose 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.
Master Transmuter
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 of 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 that you have seen of similar size and mass and of 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, material components, 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 3d10 years, to a minimum of 13 years. This effect doesn't extend the creature's lifespan.