Wizard in Astora | World Anvil

Wizard

A few unintelligible words and fleeting gestures carry more power than a battleaxe, when they are the words and gestures of a wizard. These simple acts make magic seem easy, but they only hint at the time the wizard must spend poring over their spellbook preparing each spell for casting, and the years before that spent in apprenticeship to learn the arts of magic. Wizards depend on intensive study to create their magic. They examine musty old tomes, debate magical theory with their peers, and practice minor magics whenever they can. For a wizard, magic is not a talent but a difficult, rewarding art.   The wizard's strength is their spells. Everything else is secondary. They learn new spells as they experiment and grow in experience, and they can also learn them from other wizards. In addition to learning new spells, a wizard can, over time, learn to manipulate their spells so they go farther, work better, or are improved in some other way. Some wizards prefer to specialize in a certain type of magic. Specialization makes a wizard more powerful in their chosen field, but it denies them access to some of the spells that lie outside that field (see School Specialization). Like a sorcerer, a wizard can call a familiar - a small, magical animal companion that serves them. For some wizards, their familiars are their only true friends.   Wizards recognize each other as comrades or rivals. Even wizards from very different cultures or magical traditions have much in common because they all conform to the same laws of magic. Unlike fighters or rogues, wizards see themselves as members of a distinct, if diverse, group. In civilized lands where wizards study in academies, schools, or guilds, wizards also identify themselves and others according to membership in these formal organizations. But while a guild wizard may look down their nose at a rustic wizard who learned their arts from a doddering hermit, they nevertheless can't deny the rustic's identity as a wizard.   The wizard's role depends somewhat on their spell selection, but most wizards share certain similarities in function. They are among the most offensively minded of the spellcasting classes, with a broad range of options available for neutralizing enemies. Some wizards provide great support to their comrades by way of their spells, while others may focus on divination or other facets of wizardry.  

Alignment

Any.

Hit Dice

1d6

Proficiencies

  • Armor: Wizards are not proficient with any type of armor or shield. Armor of any type interferes with a wizard's gestures, which can cause their spells with somatic components to fail.
  • Weapons: club, dagger, heavy crossbow, light crossbow, and quarterstaff.
  • Class Skills: Craft (Int), Knowledge (all skills, taken individually) (Int), Linguistics )Int), Profession (Wis), and Spellcraft (Int).
  • Skill Points Per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

Wizard class table

Class Features

All of the following are features of the Wizard class.  

Spells

A wizard casts arcane spells which are drawn primarily from the Wizard Spell List. They must choose and prepare their spells ahead of time.   To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, a wizard must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the Spell's Level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a wizard's spell is 10 + the spell's level + the wizard's Intelligence modifier.   A wizard can cast only a certain number of spells of each Spell Level per day. Their base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Wizard. In addition, they receive bonus spells per day if they have a high Intelligence score (see Ability Scores for more details).   A wizard may know any number of spells. They must choose and prepare their spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying their spellbook. While studying, the wizard decides which spells to prepare.   A wizard begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level Wizard Spells (except those from their opposed schools, if any; see Arcane Schools) plus three 1st-level spells of their choice. The wizard also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to their Intelligence modifier to add to the spellbook. At each new wizard level, they gain two new spells of any Spell Level or levels that they can cast (based on their new wizard level) for their spellbook. At any time, a wizard can also add spells found in scolls and other wizards’ Spellbooks to thier own, though such methods are not free. See Learning New Spells for more information on how to do so.  

Arane Bond

At 1st level, wizards form a powerful bond with an object or a creature. This bond can take one of two forms: a Familiar or a bonded object. A Familiar is a magical pet that enhances the wizard’s skills and senses and can aid them in magic, while a bonded object is an item a wizard can use to cast additional spells or to serve as a magical item. Once a wizard makes this choice, it is permanent and cannot be changed.   Rules for bonded items are given below, while rules for familiars are given in the Familiars article.   Wizards who select a bonded object begin play with one at no cost. Objects that are the subject of an arcane bond must fall into one of the following categories: amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon. These objects are always masterwork quality. Weapons acquired at 1st level are not made of any special material. If the object is an amulet or ring, it must be worn to have effect, while staves, wands, and weapons must be held in one hand. If a wizard attempts to cast a spell without his bonded object worn or in hand, they must make a Concentration check or lose the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 20 + the spell’s level. If the object is a ring or amulet, it occupies the ring or neck slot accordingly.   A bonded object can be used once per day to cast any one spell that the wizard has in their spellbook and are capable of casting, even if the spell is not prepared. This spell is treated like any other spell cast by the wizard, including casting time, duration, and other effects dependent on the wizard’s level. This spell cannot be modified by metamagic feats or other abilities. The bonded object cannot be used to cast spells from the wizard’s opposition schools (see arcane school below).   A wizard can add additional magic abilities to his bonded object as if they have the required Item Creation Feats and if they meet the level prerequisites of the feat. For example, a wizard with a bonded dagger must be at least 5th level to add magic abilities to the dagger (see Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat). If the bonded object is a wand, it loses its wand abilities when its last charge is consumed, but it is not destroyed and it retains all of its bonded object properties and 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 the wizard who owns it. If a bonded object’s owner dies, or the item is replaced, the object reverts to being an ordinary masterwork item of the appropriate type.   If a bonded object is damaged, it is restored to full hit points the next time the wizard prepares their spells. If the object of an arcane bond is lost or destroyed, it can be replaced after 1 week 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. Items replaced in this way do not possess any of the additional enchantments of the previous bonded item. A wizard can designate an existing magic item as their bonded item. This functions in the same way as replacing a lost or destroyed item except that the new magic item retains its abilities while gaining the benefits and drawbacks of becoming a bonded item.  

Arcane School

A wizard can choose to specialize in one school of magic, gaining additional spells and powers based on that school. This choice must be made at 1st level, and once made, it cannot be changed. A wizard that does not select a school receives the universalist school instead.   A wizard that chooses to specialize in one school of magic must select two other schools as their opposition schools, representing knowledge sacrificed in one area of arcane lore to gain mastery in another. A wizard who prepares spells from their opposition schools must use two spell slots of that level to prepare the spell. In addition, a specialist takes a –4 penalty on any skill checks made when crafting a magic item that has a spell from one of their opposition schools as a prerequisite. A universalist wizard can prepare spells from any school without restriction.   Each arcane school gives the wizard a number of school powers. In addition, specialist wizards receive an additional spell slot of each Spell Level they can cast, from 1st on up. Each day, a wizard can prepare a spell from their specialty school in that slot. This spell must be in the wizard’s spellbook. A wizard can select a spell modified by a metamagic feat to prepare in their school slot, but it uses up a higher-level spell slot. Wizards with the universalist school do not receive a school slot.   Elemental Arcane Schools: Instead of specializing in a classic arcane school of magic, a wizard can choose to specialize in one of the elemental schools of magic. Like a classic arcane school, an elemental school grants a number of school powers and one bonus spell slot of each level the wizard can cast, from 1st on up. This bonus spell slot must be used to prepare a spell from the elemental school’s spell list. Unlike a classic arcane school, each elemental school requires the wizard to select their opposed element as their opposition school (air opposes earth, fire opposes water). They do not need to select a second opposition school. They must expend two spell slots to prepare a spell from their opposed elemental school as normal.   Focused Schools: Wizards that specialize in one of the schools of magic can instead chose to focus their studies still further. Wizards who choose a focused school retain the bonus spells from their school and must select prohibited schools as normal, but the focused school changes one or more of the powers granted by their school. A wizard must take all of the replacement powers associated with their focused school. Once a focused school is chosen, it cannot be changed.
Wizard Arcane Schools:
 

Cantrips

Wizards can prepare a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells, each day, as noted on Table: Wizard under “Spells per Day.” These spells are cast like any other spell, but they are not expended when cast and may be used again. A wizard cannot prepare a cantrip from an opposition school.  

Scribe Scroll

At 1st level, a wizard gains Scribe Scroll as a bonus feat.  

Bonus Feats

At 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level, a wizard gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, they can choose a metamagic, item creation, or Spell Mastery feat. The wizard must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including Caster Level minimums. These bonus feats are in addition to the feats that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. The wizard is not limited to the categories of Item Creation Feats, Metamagic Feats, or Spell Mastery when choosing those feats.   A wizard may also choose an Arcane Discovery that they qualify for in place of a bonus feat at these levels.  

Wizard Variants

Many variations exist that alter or replace aspects of the Wizard class.  

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