D&D: Five Wizard Concepts To Conjure Your Next Character
The Wizard is one of D&D’s most versatile classes; depending on what spells they pick, every Wizard is a whole different character concept.
As long as there have been Fighters in D&D, so too have there been Wizards. They’re one of the original three classes: Fighting Man, Cleric, and Magic User. They’ve come a long way since the days of having no more than 4 or 5 hit points and hoping that they don’t die until they get powerful enough to actually play the game. Wizards these days are a lot more survivable. And because of that, and the sheer amount and variety of spells, every Wizard can be different.
This means that, moreso than many other classes, Wizards can be extremely versatile. One Wizard can play wildly differently from the next. To illustrate, here are five different character concepts that you can use as kindling for the flame of your next D&D Wizard.
The Bulwark
Wizards have a reputation for being the weedy guy who hangs out at the back of a combat. Though, thanks to the 5.5E ruleset, you don’t actually have to be. In fact, since 5th Edition, Wizards have been able to cast spells in armor, provided they’re proficient. But with the right selection of spells (and proficiencies), you can be a defensive bulwark, belied by your appearance as a pointy hatted one.
All you really have to do is pick up armor proficiency (which can be done even without multiclassing, though that’s typically the easiest way to do it) and then pick up spells and feats that beef up your defense. Spells like Shield can help shut down people making attacks, while things like Counterspell or Flame Shield can blunt the impact of powerful spells. There are defensive options at nearly every level that are worth taking.
Screw YOU In Particular
Another thing Wizards are great at is really making someone have a bad day, magically speaking. A Wizard can specialize in the kinds of spells that make a person save or suck. They might be paralyzed, or cursed, or turned from foe to friend, or banished to a pocket dimension while the party cleans up their minions, or put to sleep, or turned to stone, or disintegrated, or turned into a whale (on land) or any number of other horrible things. The key here is that in addition to these spells, you need to invest in options that might impose penalties on saves. This includes things like the Cold Caster Feat, because the key here is you have to keep throwing these kinds of spells at someone until they eventually fail.
You Roll HOW MANY Dice?
Sometimes you just want to roll a lot of dice. And Wizard is a great way to do that. From spells like Fireball and Lightning Bolt which upcast extremely well, to things like Scorching Ray or Magic Missile – there are plenty of options for Wizards that want to either make a lot of attacks or roll a lot of dice. This can feel especially good if you’re able to combine these with spells and feats that add extra dice, like Conjure Minor Elementals or somehow having Hex or Hunter’s Mark.
Knowledge Is Power – And So Is Power
A common adage in D&D is that if the Wizard has time to prepare, they win. And this Wizard is all about knowing what you’re getting into before you get into it. If that sounds like a Divination Wizard, well that’s one good subclass to take for this concept, but it works with anything, really. Because the key here is to pick spells that either let you spy on your enemies or scout out ahead magically. Scrying and Arcane Eye, sure, but even just being able to scout invisibly or through a familiar (or better still, an Invisible Familiar) can tell you exactly what you’re up against.
While spells like Detect Thoughts, Charm Person, or Suggestion can help you pull secrets from the minds of enemies (with the right pressure). Then all you have to do is use that knowledge to your advantage.
Spell Specialist
Finally, there’s the Wizard who specializes in one spell. Or spell combination. This is for Wizards that really want to follow in the footsteps of Wizards like Bigby or Evard and be known for the singular magical effects that they can create. You might talk to your DM about homebrewing your own spell – but even if you don’t, there are plenty of ways to specialize in one spell or a specific combo of spells to bring the house down. It’s just a matter of finding what feels cool.
What are some of your Wizard concepts?
