Wizard Subclasses 5e | Ranked By 2023 (Guide) Archetypes Dnd 5th Edition

Bladesinger, War Magician, and Transmuter are some of the roles you can choose to emulate as a Wizard in DnD 5E. Wizards, probably the most powerful class, are the supreme magicians limited only by their spellbook. However, this makes it essential to choose the correct role among to plethora of Wizard Subclasses 5E/ Wizard Archetypes 5E.

At the 2^nd level, your wizard gets an option to choose an Arcane Tradition, which then shapes your magic through 13 DnD 5E Wizard Subclasses or DnD 5E Wizard Archetypes by granting you special features at 2^nd, 6^th, 10^th, and 14^th levels. This makes it hard to choose just 1 subclass. I mean, how can you be sure if the subclass chosen is correct for you? To answer this, let us study all 13 arcane traditions in detail.

What are all the DnD 5E Wizard Subclasses?

There is a total of 13 DnD 5E Wizard Subclasses/ DnD 5E Wizard Archetypes, which this section aims to explain.

Bladesinger

1. Source: Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide, Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
2. Advantage: The ability to use melee attacks and all wizard spell lists simultaneously
3. Feats: Resilient, Magic Initiate
4. Main spell: war song

They are the master magicians who use swordplay and dance in their wizardry. Elves are the original inventor of this wizard dnd 5e arcane Tradition. Furthermore, they are the only one among the dnd 5e wizard subclasses who fight with elegant techniques incorporating beautiful dances.

Bladesinging Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Training in War and Song, Bladesong
6th	Extra Attack
10th	Song of Defense
14th	Song of Victory

Training in War and Song :-

Firstly, at the 3^rd level, you achieve proficiency with:

1. Light Armor
2. Any one type of one-handed melee weapon
3. Performance Skill

Bladesong

Bladesong is an elven magic, which grants you extraordinary focus, agility, and speed, provided you are not wearing armor and shield. Furthermore, you also achieve other benefits for 1 minute with this ability.

1. Your AC increases by a number equal to your Intelligence modifier (which can’t be less than 1).
2. You gain a bonus to your walking speed of 10 feet.
3. You achieve benefit on Dexterity Checks.
4. Lastly, your Constitution saving throw increases by a number equal to your Intelligence modifier (which can’t be less than 1), given that these throws aim to maintain concentration on a spell.

Bladesong can be used only for a particular number of times, which equals your Proficiency Bonus. And only after a long rest, you revive the expended uses.

Extra Attack

Furthermore, you get the ability to add another attack or one of your cantrips on top of the taken attack action.

Song of Defense

When Bladesong is active, you can use this feature to expend one spell slot to reduce the damage made on you. The damage will reduce by a number equal to 5*(the spell slot’s level).

Song of Victory

When Bladesong is active, you can use this feature to increase your melee weapon attack’s damage by adding your Intelligence modifier.

Chronurgy magic

1. Source: Explorer’s guide to Wildemount
2. Advantage: The ability to foresee Future
3. Feats: Alert, Intelligence
4. Main spell: Dunamancy Spells

Secondly, we have chronurgy magic users, and they are one of those dnd 5e wizards subclasses who excel in the manipulation of time.

Chronurgy Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Chronal Shift, Temporal Awareness
6th	Momentary Stasis
10th	Arcane Abeyance
14th	Arcane Abeyance

Chronal Shift

Firstly, at the 3^rd level, you get the ability to force your enemy to reroll, that is, after seeing the results of an Ability check, a saving throw, or an attack roll of a creature.

Temporal Awareness

Secondly, at the 3^rd level, this feature increases your initiative rolls by your Intelligence modifier.

Momentary Stasis

The ability to prison any creature within a magical field. However, the enemy can overcome it by a Constitution saving throw.

Arcane Abeyance

Furthermore, you get the ability to store your casted 4^th level or lower spell in a tiny bead.

Convergent Future

Lastly, you achieve the ability to view possible futures and choose any one suitable one to occur.

Gravity Magic

1. Source: Explorer’s guide to Wildemount
2. Advantage: The ability to manipulate gravity
3. Feats: Resilient, Alert
4. Main spell: Gravity Well

The dnd wizards subclass who excel in controlling gravitational field fall under this category.

Gravity Magic Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Adjust Density
6th	Gravity Well
10th	Violent Attraction
14th	Event Horizon

Adjust Density

Firstly, this dnd Wizards subclass bestows upon you the ability to change the weight of any nearby objects or creatures.

Gravity Well

Secondly, you achieve the ability to manipulate gravity around a creature to move it 5 feet away.

Violent Attraction

The ability to increase attacks velocity or a creature’s falling speed to induce more damage

Event Horizon

Furthermore, at the 14^th level, you get the ability to create a field of strong gravity around a creature pulling everything into it.

Order of Scribes

1. Source: Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything
2. Advantage: They can copy any spell quickly
3. Feats: Resilient, Spell Sniper
4. Main spell: Awakened Spellbook

Order of scribes, probably the most bookish wizards out of all the dnd 5e wizard archetypes, are the discoverer of new magic. Moreover, they are the type of wizard subclasses 5e who travel distant lands for this same purpose, with their most valued companions, their books.

Order of Scribes Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Wizardly Quill, Awakened Spellbook
6th	Manifest Mind
10th	Master Scrivener
14th	One with the Word

Wizardly Quill

The ability to create a magic quill in your free hand, which has many properties such as:

1. You don’t need ink to write with it, you just have to think about the color of the ink, and it will start writing in that particular color. 
2. In just 2 minutes, you can copy a spell to your spellbook.
3. With just the wave of the quill’s feather, you can erase any text within 5 feet.

Awakened Spellbook

Secondly, at the 3^rd level, this feature makes your spellbook alive by awakening an arcane being in it. The alive spellbook, in turn, grants you benefits when you are holding it.

1. The book provides your wizard spells with a spellcasting focus.
2. The book also grants you the ability to replace a casted spell’s damage type with another same level spell from the spellbook.
3. You can also cast a spell as a ritual without the extra 10 minutes of casting time. However, a player can only use it once per rest.

Manifest Mind

The ability to manifest the alive spellbook as a small spectral tool, and this tool mainly provides the ability to scout within 60 feet of you. Furthermore, you can also use it to cast spells from the tool’s space. However, a wizard can only use it once per long rest and by using a spell slot.

There are 5 ways to de-manifest the mind:

1. If the tool moves more than 300 feet away from you.By dismissing it.
2. By dying
3. By destroying the alive spellbook.
4. And lastly, if the enemy cast dispel magic on it.

Master Scrivener

The ability to convert a blank piece of paper by copying a spell of 1^st or 2^nd level from the alive spellbook. You should use this with the wizardly quill, and once done, and it increases the spell level by 1.

One with the Word

At this stage, your soul entwines with your alive spellbook, which then helps you in Intelligence checks. And also take damages made against you as a spectral tool.

School of Abjuration

1. Source: D&D Player’s Handbook
2. Advantage: Less dependency on Constitution modifier as they can gain temporary hit points via Arcane ward
3. Feats: Resilient, Durable
4. Main spell: Counterspell

They are the ultimate protectors in the magic realm. Their purpose of magic is able to dismiss or defend against the magic of other users. Moreover, the followers of this wizard dnd 5e school are called Adjurer.

School of Abjuration Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Abjuration Savant, Arcane Ward
6th	Projected Ward
10th	Improved Abjuration
14th	Spell Resistance

Abjuration Savant

You only need to pay half the cost of copying Abjuration spells, which are the gold and the time.

Arcane Ward

Secondly, you get the ability to project a protective ward around yourself by casting any Abjuration spell. This protective layer can take damage up to a hit point = Intelligence modifier + 2*(Wizard level).

However, you can revive this ward by casting any Abjuration spell, and it will be revived by hit points = 2*(level of the used Abjuration spell). 

Projected Ward

Furthermore, you will achieve the ability to project your protective ward to an ally within 30 feet.

Improved Abjuration

This feature allows you to increase your ability check by adding a proficiency bonus to it, given the check aims to cast an Abjuration spell.

Spell Resistance

Lastly, this feature provides you with resistance against any spell made by your enemy. Furthermore, you also achieve additional benefits on the saving throws against his spell.

School of Conjuration

1. Source: D&D Player’s Handbook
2. Advantage: The ability to teleport, summon, or create objects
3. Feats: Resilient, Ritual Caster
4. Main spell: Focused Conjuration

The practitioners of this school are known as conjurers, and out of all the wizard archetypes 5e, only they excel in producing things and creatures from the plane air. Furthermore, they also have the ability to teleport things through the thin air.

School of Conjuration Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Conjuration Savant, Minor Conjuration
6th	Benign Transposition
10th	Focused Conjuration
14th	Durable Summons

Conjuration Savant

You only need to pay half the cost for copying conjuration spells, which are the gold and the time.

Minor Conjuration

Secondly, at the 3^rd level, this ability will be your first taste of the exotic world of conjuration. You can now conjure up a small nonmagical object of weight less than 10 pounds and dimensions less than 3 feet. You can make it appear anywhere within the empty space of 10 feet around yourself.

However, the object will disappear if:

1. You take damage
2. Another object conjure up
3. It has been conjured up for time more than 1 hour.

Benign Transposition

Next, you achieve the ability to teleport yourself within 30 feet of empty space. However, if the space is occupied by a small or medium creature, you can use this ability to swap each other’s place with the creature’s consent. You can only use it once per long rest, but there is a way to use it more than once per long rest by casting any conjuration spell.

Focused Conjuration

The unparalleled focus on your conjuration spell that can’t be broken, even by inducing damage to you. 

Durable Summons

Lastly, you get the feature that provides durability to your conjured pieces by giving them 30 non-permanent hit points

School of Divination

1. Source: D&D Player’s Handbook
2. Advantage: reduced cost of using Divination spells
3. Feats: War Caster, Sentinel
4. Main spell: Portent

Divines, as their name suggests, are one of those dnd 5e wizard archetypes who seek to unravel the true essence of this world. They excel in magic containing foresight, supernatural knowledge, and other such spells.

School of Divination Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Divination Savant, Portent
6th	Expert Divination
10th	The Third Eye
14th	Greater Portent

Divination Savant

You only need to pay half the cost for copying the Divination spells, which are the gold and the time.

Portent

Secondly, at the 3^rd level, you get your first taste of foretelling begins at this stage. You gain the ability to swap any saving throw, attack roll, or ability check made by a visible creature or by you yourself with the number rolled on two d20 Dice. You can only use it after a long rest and only once in every turn.

Expert Divination

This makes you a more prominent diviner by giving you the ability to regain expended spell slots. Whenever you cast a 2^nd level or higher divination, you revive one lower-level spell slot.  

The Third Eye

Furthermore, you achieve an ability that increases your power of perception. You get many options for this ability, out of which you can only use one at a given time.

1. Darkvision
2. Ethereal Sight
3. Greater Comprehension
4. See Invisibility

Greater Portent

The foretelling power increases. You can do it by rolling 3 d20 dice instead of 2.

School of Enchantment

1. Source: D&D Player’s Handbook
2. Advantage: The power to double the spell output via Split Enchantment
3. Feats: Actor, Spell Sniper
4. Main spell: Instinctive Charm

Enchanters, among all the d&d wizard archetypes 5e, are the sole masters of bewitching people using their enchantment spells.

School of Enchantment Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Enchantment Savant, Hypnotic Gaze
6th	Instinctive Charm
10th	Split Enchantment
14th	Alter Memories

Enchantment Savant

You only need to pay half the cost of copying the Enchantment spell, which is the gold and the time.

Hypnotic Gaze

Secondly, you get the ability to hypnotize people through your words and gaze. You can only use this to a visible creature within a range of 5 feet. However, they are ways to break free from this hypnotization.

1. By making a successful Wisdom saving throw.
2. By moving out of the range of 5 feet.
3. By taking damage

Furthermore, a creature broken free of hypnotization can’t be hypnotized again until a long rest is finished.

Instinctive Charm

The ability to charm your enemy to divert their attack to another creature instead of you. However, the enemy can overrule this by conducting a successful Wisdom saving throw.

Split Enchantment

The ability to enchant two creatures by a spell that should only work on one creature.

Alter Memories

Lastly, you achieve the ability to delete a creature’s memory, and you can use this to make someone forget that they were ever under your enchantment. The creature will lose memories = Charisma Modifier + 1. However, it can be resisted by conducting a successful Intelligence saving throw.

School of Evocation

1. Source: D&D Player’s Handbook
2. Advantage: The ability to protect allies from air attacks
3. Feats: Resilient, Durable
4. Main spell: Empowered Evocation

This dnd wizards subclass consist of magicians who are the true master of elements. They can summon shivering cold, thundering lighting and other such elemental magic.

School of Evocation Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Evocation Savant, Sculpt Spells
6th	Potent Cantrip
10th	Empowered Evocation
14th	Overchannel

Evocation Savant

You only need to pay half the cost for copying the Evocation spells, which are the gold and the time.

Sculpt Spells

Secondly, at the 3^rd level, you get the ability to protect your allies from the damage of your evocation spell. However, you can protect only 1 + the spell’s level number of allies. The chosen ally will then suffer 0 damage.

Potent Cantrip

This allows your damaging cantrips to overrule the resistance of any creature made by rolling a successful saving throw.

Empowered Evocation

This increases your wizard evocation spell’s damage roll by adding your Intelligence modifier.

Overchannel

And lastly, you get the ability to induce maximum damage while using a 5^th level or lower-level spell.

School of Illusion

1. Source: D&D Player’s Handbook
2. Advantage: The ability to use improved minor illusion spell, which has ample use in the game
3. Feats: Resilient, Spell Sniper
4. Main spell: Simulacrum

Illusionists, as the name suggests, are the master of illusion. Most importantly, they are the only one out of 13 d&d wizard archetypes who spend their training perfecting the illusion spells.

School of Illusion Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Illusion Savant, Improved Minor Illusion
6th	Malleable Illusions
10th	Illusory Self
14th	Illusory Reality

Illusion Savant

You only need to pay half the cost for copying Illusion spells, which are the gold and the time.

Improved Minor Illusion

Certainly, this will be your first step at being a master illusionist as at this stage, and you study the minor illusion cantrip.

Malleable Illusions

The ability to alter the nature of an illusion spell provided that the spell lasts for at least one minute.

Illusory Self

As the name indicates, this is the ability to create an illusory duplicate of yourself, which you can use to fool enemies into attacking the illusion instead of you. 

Illusory Reality

The ability to give life to your illusion that is making them real. However, they remain real for one minute only.

School of Necromancy

1. Source: D&D Player’s Handbook
2. Advantage: The ability to make living minions your zombies or to borrow their hit points.
3. Feats: Resilient, Spell Sniper, War Caster
4. Main spell: Undead Thralls

Necromancers, as the name suggests, are the manipulators of life energy who are closely associated with the dead. And due to this association, other Wizard subclasses 5e consider them evil.

School of Necromancy Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Necromancy Savant, Grim Harvest
6th	Undead Thralls
10th	Inured to Undeath
14th	Command Undead

Necromancy Savant

You only need to pay half the cost for copying the Necromancy spells, which are the gold and the time.

Grim Harvest

Secondly, at the 3^rd level, you gain the ability to harvest hit points by killing someone via your spells. The hit points = 3*(level of necromancy spell used to kill) are harvested. However, if you use a spell belonging to another school for killing, you will only gain twice the spell’s level of hit points.

Undead Thralls

The ability to create a zombie that has additional benefits such as:

1. The hit point of the zombie increases by a number = your wizard level.
2. The zombie weapon damage rolls increase by adding your proficiency bonus.

Inured to Undeath

Furthermore, this feature makes you immune to necrotic damages.

Command Undead

The ability to command zombies, even if the zombie belongs to another wizard. However, the zombie can overcome this by making a successful Charisma saving throw.

School of Transmutation

1. Source: D&D Player’s Handbook
2. Advantage: The power to gain different buffs and exchange some unwanted feats
3. Feats: Resilient, Durable
4. Main spell: Master Transmuter

Transmuters are one of those dnd 5e wizard subclasses who excel in manipulating the energy and matter around them.

School of Transmutation Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Transmutation Savant, Minor Alchemy
6th	Transmuter's Stone
10th	Shapechanger
14th	Master Transmuter

Transmutation Savant

You only need to pay half the cost for copying the Transmutation spells, which are the gold and the time.

Minor Alchemy

Secondly, you get the ability to change the material of any one object.

Transmuter’s Stone

This stone, which takes 8 hours in creation, grants benefit to anyone who is holding it. The benefit can be one of the following:

1. 60 feet of Darkvision
2. 10 feet increase in speed
3. An advantage in Constitution saving throws
4. Immunity to cold, fire, thunder, or lighting attacks

Shapechanger

Furthermore, you achieve the ability to transform yourself into a beast.

Master Transmuter

Lastly, this feature allows you to use all the stored transmutation energy in transmuter stone. Furthermore, you can use this energy for:

1. Major transformation
2. Panacea
3. Restore life
4. Restore Youth

War Magic

1. Source: Xanathar’s Guide to Everything
2. Advantage: The power to use Arcane Deflection
3. Feats: War Caster, Resilient, Durable
4. Main spell: Power Surge

The last of wizard archetypes 5e. The wizards belonging to this subclass are known as war mages. Furthermore, their main purpose is to study magic for wielding it in wars. They combine parts of both evocation and Abjuration to achieve this.

War Magic Features

Wizard Level	Features
2nd	Arcane Deflection, Tactical Wit
6th	Power Surge
10th	Durable Magic
14th	Deflecting Shroud

Arcane Deflection

This provides you with the ability to defend against an enemy attack, even after a failed saving throw.

Tactical Wit

Secondly, at the 3^rd level, you can now increase your initiative rolls by your intelligence modifier.

Power Surge

A power surge is the magical energy that you store in yourself, which you can use to boost your damaging spells.

Durable Magic

Furthermore, you unlock the feature, which provides you resistance against damages by casting spells.

Deflecting Shroud

The ability to induce damage to creatures within 60 feet range by using Arcane Deflection.

What is the best wizard subclass 5E?

Divination is the best subclass out of all the 13 DnD 5e Wizard Subclasses/ Wizard Archetypes 5e. Although it depends upon the individual’s playing style, we have still given our opinion about this wizard dnd 5e world. Furthermore, war magic is at the bottom of our ranking for the dnd wizard subclass.

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