The wizard is the primary spellcasting class in Dungeons & Dragons, capable of accessing the most powerful spells, and the greatest diversity of magic.
Original D&D: "Magic-User"[]
The magic-user is a class that uses spells and magic items to contribute to a party. Top-level magic users are noted as being the most powerful characters in the game, but they are fragile until high levels, requiring careful play to get to a high level.
Prime Requisite[]
Magic-users use Intelligence as their prime requisite. 2 points of Wisdom count as 1 point of Intelligence for magic-users.
Class Basics[]
Level |
Title |
Hit Dice | To Hit AC 2 | Spells per Day |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Medium | 1 | 17 | 1 |
2 | Seer | 1+1 | 17 | 2 |
3 | Conjurer | 2 | 17 | 3/1 |
4 | Theurgist | 2+1 | 17 | 4/2 |
5 | Thaumaturgist | 3 | 17 | 4/2/1 |
6 | Magician | 3+1 | 15 | 4/2/2 |
7 | Enchanter | 4 | 15 | 4/3/2/1 |
8 | Warlock | 5 | 15 | 4/3/3/2 |
9 | Sorcerer | 6+1 | 15 | 4/3/3/2/1 |
10 | Necromancer | 7 | 15 | 4/4/3/3/2 |
11+ | Wizard | 8+1 | 12 | 4/4/3/3/3 |
Magic Item Use[]
Magic-users can use all magic items, except the weapons and armor of fighters. Magic-users may use daggers only.
Item Creation[]
At 11th level ("Wizard"), magic-users can create potions, scrolls, and other magic items (cost and time to craft vary with the value of the item). For example:
Item | GP Cost | Time Cost |
---|---|---|
Scroll of Spells | 100 GP per spell level for each spell | 1 week per spell level for each spell |
Potion of Healing | 250 GP | 1 week |
Potion of Giant Strength | 1,000 GP | 4 weeks |
20 Enchanted Arrows | 1,000 GP | 4 weeks |
+1 Armor | 2,000 GP |
2 months |
Wand of Cold | 10,000 GP | 6 months |
X-Ray Vision Ring | 50,000 GP | 1 year |
Spell Research[]
A wizard can develop new spells of a level equal to or lower than the level of spell they can cast. Doing so takes the following investment, with the percentages indicating a percent chance of success when spending that amount of GP:
Level | 20% | 40% | 60% | 80% | 100% | Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2,000 GP | 4,000 GP | 6,000 GP | 8,000 GP | 10,000 GP | 1 Week |
2 | 4,000 GP | 8,000 GP | 12,000 GP | 16,000 GP | 20,000 GP | 2 Weeks |
3 | 8,000 GP | 16,000 GP | 24,000 GP | 32,000 GP | 40,000 GP | 3 Weeks |
4 | 16,000 GP | 32,000 GP | 48,000 GP | 64,000 GP | 80,000 GP | 4 Weeks |
5 | 32,000 GP | 64,000 GP | 96,000 GP | 128,000 GP | 160,000 GP | 5 Weeks |
6 | 64,000 GP | 128,000 GP | 192,000 GP | 256,000 GP | 320,000 GP | 6 Weeks |
Spell List[]
1st-Level | 2nd-Level | 3rd-Level | 4th-Level | 5th-Level | 6th-Level | 7th-Level1 | 8th-Level1 | 9th-Level1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Detect Magic | Detect Invisible | Fly | Polymorph Self | Teleport | Stone to Flesh | Delayed Blast Fireball1 | Mass Charm1 | Meteor Swarm1 |
Hold Portal | Levitate | Hold Person | Polymorph Others | Hold Monster | Reincarnation | Reverse Gravity1 | Clone1 | Shape Change1 |
Read Magic | Phantasmal Forces | Dispel Magic | Remove Curse | Conjure Elemental | Summon Invisible Stalker | Limited Wish1 | Power Word: Blind1 | Time Stop1 |
Read Languages | Locate Object | Clairvoyance | Wall of Fire | Telekinesis | Lower Water | Symbol1 | Power Word: Kill1 | |
Protection from Evil | Invisibility | Clairaudience | Wall of Ice | Transmute Rock to Mud | Part Water | Phase Door1 | Permanent Spell1 | Gate1 |
Light | Wizard Lock | Fireball | Confusion | Wall of Stone | Projected Image | Charm Plants1 | Mind Blank1 | Wish1 |
Charm Person | Detect Evil | Lightning Bolt | Charm Monster | Wall of Iron | Antimagic Shell | Mass Invisibility1 | Polymorph Any Object1 | Astral Spell1 |
Sleep | ESP | Protection from Evil, 10' Radius | Plant Growth | Animate Dead | Death | Simulacrum1 | Monster Summoning VI1 | Prismatic Wall1 |
Shield1 | Continual Light | Invisibility, 10' Radius | Dimension Door | Magic Jar | Geas | Monster Summoning V1 | Maze1 | |
Magic Missile1 | Knock | Infravision | Wizard Eye | Contact Higher Plane | Disintegrate | Extension III1 | Monster Summoning VII1 | |
Ventriloquism1 | Darkness, 5' Radius1 | Slow | Massmorph | Passwall | Move Earth | |||
Strength1 | Haste | Hallucinatory Terrain | Cloudkill | Control Weather | ||||
Web1 | Protection from Normal Missiles | Ice Storm1 | Feeblemind | Legend Lore1 | ||||
Mirror Image1 | Water Breathing | Fear1 | Animal Growth | Repulsion1 | ||||
Magic Mouth1 | Explosive Runes1 | Monster Summoning II1 | Monster Summoning III1 | Monster Summoning IV1 | ||||
Pyrotechnics1 | Rope Trick1 | Extension I1 | Extension II1 | |||||
Suggestion1 | ||||||||
Monster Summoning I1 |
1: Introduced in Supplement 1: Greyhawk
AD&D: "Magic-User"[]
In AD&D, the Magic User continued to be the class most associated with spellcasting, knowing the greatest quantity and diversity of spells in the game. It was introduced with a full 9 levels of spells, including most of hte spells from OD&D, and a few additional spells. This was the intial appearance of many of the "named" spells from characters such as Drawmij, Rary, Mordenkainen, Nystul, and Bigby.
Ability Scores[]
A magic-user has prerequisite Intelligence of 9 and Dexterity of 6. If they have an Intelligence of 16 or better, they gain a +10% XP bonus.
Class Basics[]
Level |
Title |
Hit Dice (d4) | To Hit AC 0 | Spells per Day |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Prestidigitator | 1 | 20 | 1 |
2 | Evoker | 2 | 20 | 2 |
3 | Conjurer | 3 | 20 | 2/1 |
4 | Theurgist | 4 | 20 | 3/2 |
5 | Thaumaturgist | 5 | 20 | 4/2/1 |
6 | Magician | 6 | 19 | 4/2/2 |
7 | Enchanter | 7 | 19 | 4/3/2/1 |
8 | Warlock | 8 | 19 | 4/3/3/2 |
9 | Sorcerer | 9 | 19 | 4/3/3/2/1 |
10 | Necromancer | 10 | 19 | 4/4/3/2/2 |
11+ | Wizard | 11 | 16 | 4/4/3/3/3 |
Spell Book[]
A magic-user possesses a book of spells that records their known spells. They must consult this book to memorize spells.
Magic Item Use[]
May use scrolls, wands, staves, and many miscellaneous items.
Magic Item Creation[]
Brewing Potions[]
At 7th level, a magic-user can brew potions with the help of an alchemist. Brewing a potion requires an adequate laboratory (which itself costs between 200 and 1,000 gp, and a monthly upkeep cost of 10% of that total). The cost of brewing a potion equals XP value of the potion (one without an XP value costs 200 gp), and the time it takes to brew the potion is one day per 100 gp in cost. Various potions require certain special ingredients that often cannot be bought, that the brewer must acquire themselvs.
At 11th level, magic-users may brew potions without the aid of an alchemist. Recruiting one will reduce the cost and time by 50%, however.
Scribing Scrolls[]
At 7th level, a magic-user can scribe scrolls. Scrolls require exotic materials, including expensive papers, unique quills, and elaborately prepared ink, along with a ritual involving candles and magical circles for the actual inscription. The scribing itself takes one day per spell level that is being inscribed on the scroll.
Scrolls can be prepared in error, with a base 20% chance of some mistake in scribing, +1% per spell level, -1% per caster level. Expensive materials can reduce that chance further, while cheap ones may increase it.
You can scribe up to 7 spells on one scroll, though a mistake on one spell brings the whole arrangement to a screeching halt.
Fabricating Other Items[]
At 12th level, a magic-user gains the ability to create almost any magic item, by use of the enchant an item spell (a 6th level spell). A magic-user cannot create books, artifacts, or relics. They also lack the knowledge to craft race-specific items, such as a cloak of elvenkind, and cannot make items usable only by clerics, druids, or illusionists. Items with permanent effects also require a permenancy spell (so wands and charged items do not require that). Creating an item will require rest for at least one day per 100 XP that the item is worth.
Stronghold[]
A magic-user of 12th level or higher may construct a stronghold and rule an area as a noble by clearing a 10 to 20 mile radius around the site of all monsters, generating 5 silver pieces per month in tax revenue.
Spell List[]
Reversable spells are marked with a *.
1st-Level | 2nd-Level | 3rd-Level | 4th-Level | 5th-Level | 6th-Level | 7th-Level | 8th-Level | 9th-Level |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Affect Normal Fires | Audible Glamer | Blink | Charm Monster | Airy Water | Anti-Magic Shell | Bigby's Grasping Hand | Antipathy/Sympathy | Astral Spell |
Burning Hands | Continual Light | Clairaudience | Confusion | Animal Growth | Bigby's Forceful Hand | Cacodaemon | Bigby's Clenched Fist | Bigby's Crushing Hand |
Charm Person | Darkness, 15' Radius | Clairvoyance | Dig | Animate Dead | Control Weather | Charm Plants | Clone | Gate |
Comprehend Languages* | Detect Evil* | Dispel Magic | Dimension Door | Bigby's Interposing Hand | Death |
Delayed Blast Fireball |
Glassteel | Imprisonment |
Dancing Lights | Detect Invisibility | Explosive Runes | Enchanted Weapon | Cloudkill | Disintegrate | Drawmij's Instant Summons | Incendiary Cloud | Meteor Swarm |
Detect Magic | ESP | Feign Death | Extension I | Conjure Elemental | Enchant an Item | Duo-Dimension | Mass Charm | Monster Summoninv VII |
Enlarge* | Fool's Gold | Fireball | Fear | Cone of Cold | Extension III | Limited Wish | Maze | Power Word: Kill |
Erase | Forget | Flame Arrow | Fire Charm | Contact Other Plane | Geas | Mass Invisibility | Mind Blank | Prismatic Sphere |
Feather Fall | Invisibility | Fly | Fire Shield | Distance Distortion | Glassee | Monster Summoning V | Monster Summoning VI | Shape Change |
Find Familiar | Knock | Gust of Wind | Fire Trap | Extension III | Globe of Invulnerability | Mordenkainen's Sword | Otto's Irresistible Dance | Temporal Stasis |
Friends | Leomund's Trap | Haste | Fumble | Feeblemind | Guards and Wards | Phase Door | Permanency | Time Stop |
Hold Portal | Levitate | Hold Person | Hallucinatory Terrain | Hold Monster | Invisible Stalker | Power Word: Stun | Polymorph Any Object | Wish |
Identify | Locate Object* | Infravision | Ice Storm | Leomund's Secret Chest | Legend Lore | Reverse Gravity | Power Word: Blind | |
Jump | Magic Mouth | Invisibility, 10' Radius | Massmorph | Magic Jar | Lower Water | Simulacrum | Serten's Spell Immunity | |
Light | Mirror Image | Leomund's Tiny Hut | Minor Globe of Invulnerability | Monster Summoning III | Monster Summoning IV | Statue | Symbol | |
Magic Missile | Pyrotechnics | Lightning Bolt | Monster Summoning II | Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound | Move Earth | Vanish | Trap the Soul | |
Mending | Ray of Enfeeblement | Monster Summoning I | Plant Growth | Passwall | Otiluke's Freezing Sphere | |||
Message | Rope Trick | Phantasmal Force | Polymorph Others | Stone Shape | Part Water | |||
Nystul's Magic Aura | Scare | Protection from Evil, 10' Radius* | Polymorph Self | Telekinesis | Project Image | |||
Protection from Evil* | Shatter | Protection from Normal Missiles | Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer | Teleport | Reincarnation | |||
Push | Stinking Cloud | Slow | Remove Curse* | Transmute Rock to Mud | Repulsion | |||
Read Magic* | Strength | Suggestion | Wall of Fire | Wall of Force | Spiritwrack | |||
Shield | Web | Tongues* | Wall of Ice | Wall of Iron | Stone to Flesh | |||
Shocking Grasp | Wizard Lock | Water Breathing* | Wizard Eye | Wall of Stone | Tenser's Transformation | |||
Sleep | ||||||||
Spider Climb | ||||||||
Tenser's Floating Disc | ||||||||
Unseen Servant | ||||||||
Ventriloquism | ||||||||
Write |