Baldur’s Gate 3 has 12 classes for you to choose from when you create your character. The Wizard is spellcasters trained in a school of magic revolving around one of eight arcane traditions.
Wizards are scholars at heart. They are students who spend countless hours learning about magic and experimenting their findings. As a student of magic, their primary ability score is Intelligence.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about the Wizard class, and see if it’s the class you want to start with.
Wizard class features
Hit Points
- Hit Dice — 1d6
- Hit Points at 1st level — 6 + your Constitution Modifier
- Hit Points at higher levels — 4 + your Constitution Modifier per wizard level after 1st
Cantrips
Wizards start with three cantrips from the Wizard cantrip list.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Wizard Cantrips
| Cantrip | Description |
|---|---|
| Cantrip | Description |
| Acid Splash | Throw a bubble of acid that damages each creature it hits. |
| Blade Ward | Take only half the damage from Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing attacks. |
| Bone Chill | Prevent the target from healing until your next turn. An undead target receives Disadvantage on Attack Rolls. |
| Dancing Lights | Illuminate a 9m radius. |
| Friends | Gain Advantage on Charisma Checks against a non-hostile creature. |
| Light | Infuse an object with an aura of light. |
| Mage Hand | Create a spectral hand that can manipulate and interact with objects. |
| Minor Illusion | Create an illusion that compels nearby creatures to investigate. |
| Poison Spray | Project a puff of noxious gas. |
| Ray of Frost | Reduce the target’s movement speed by 3m. |
| Shocking Grasp | The Target cannot use reactions. This spell has Advantage on creatures with metal armor. |
| True Strike | Gain Advantage on your next Attack Roll. |
Spells
Wizards start with four spells from the Wizard spell list.
Baldur’s Gate 3 Wizard Spells
| Spell | Description |
|---|---|
| Spell | Description |
| Burning Hands | Each flammable target is hit with 3-18 Fire damage. |
| Charm Person | Charm a humanoid to prevent it from attacking you. You gain Advantage on Charisma Checks in dialogue. |
| Chromatic Orb | Hurl a sphere that deals 3-24 Thunder damage and possibly creates a surface on impact. Alternatively, choose a different type of damage. |
| Color Spray | Blind creatures up to a combined 33 hit points. |
| Disguise Self | Magically change all aspects of your appearance. |
| Expeditious Retreat | Gain Dash immediately and as a bonus action on each of your turns until this spell ends. |
| False Life | Gain 7 temporary hit points. |
| Feather Fall | You and nearby allies gain Immunity to Falling Damage. |
| Find Familiar | Summon a familiar, a fey spirit that takes an animal form of your choosing. |
| Fog Cloud | The cloud Blinds and Heavily Obscures creatures within it. |
| Grease | Cover the ground in grease, slowing creatures within and possibly making them fall Prone. |
| Ice Knife | Throw a shard of ice that deals 1-10 Piercing damage. It explodes and deals 2-12 Cold damage to anyone nearby. It leaves an ice surface. |
| Enhance Leap | Triple a creature’s jumping distance. |
| Longstrider | Increase a creature’s movement speed by 3m. |
| Mage Armor | Protect a target from attacks: increase its Armor Class to 13 + its Dexterity modifier. |
| Magic Missile | Shoot 3 magical darts, each dealing 2-5 Force damage. They always hit their target. |
| Protection from Evil and Good | Protect an ally against the attacks and powers of abberations, celestials, elementals, fey, fiends, and undead. |
| Ray of Sickness | Possibly Poisons the target. |
| Shield | When you are about to be hit by an enemy, increase your Armor Class by 5. You take no damage from Magic Missile. |
| Sleep | Put creatures into magical slumber. Select targets up to a combined 24 hit points. |
| Tasha’s Hideous Laughter | Leave a creature Prone with laughter, without the ability to get up. |
| Thunderwave | Release a wave of thunderous force that pushes away all creatures and objects. |
| Witch Bolt | Link yourself to a target with a bolt of lightning. Deal an additional 1-12 Lightning damage each turn by activating it. |
Actions
- Arcane Recovery — Replenish spell slots while out of combat. You cannot restore spell slots above 5th level.
Features
- Gain two level 1 spell slots, which are restored on a Long Rest.
Proficiencies
- Weapons — Daggers, Quarterstaffs, Light Crossbows
- Saving Throws — Intelligence and Wisdom
- Skills — Choose two from Arcana, History, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, and Religion
Wizard subclasses
The Wizard has a total of eight subclasses, which are unlocked at level two. When you reach level two, you’ll choose an arcane tradition that revolves around a school of magic.
Abjuration
The School of Abjuration focuses on protection and banishing. Abjurers protect the weak and exorcise evil spirits. If you choose the Abjuration subclass, you’ll gain two subclass features:
- Abjuration Savant — Learning Abjuration spells from scrolls costs half as much, beocming 25 gold pieces per spell level
- Arcane Ward — The residual magic of your spells forms a ward around you that protects you from harm
Conjuration
The School of Conjuration focuses on creating objects and creatures from nothing, as well as spells of transportation. Conjurers will gain one subclass feature and one action:
- Conjuration Savant — Learning Conjuration spells from scrolls costs half as much, becoming 25 gold pieces per spell level
- Minor Conjuration: Create Water — Call forth rain. It extinguishes exposed flames and forms a water surface.
Divination
The School of Divination uses magic to clearly see the past, present, and future, while also being able to sculpt time itself. Diviners gain two subclass features:
- Divination Savant — Learning Divination spells from scrolls costs half as much, becoming 25 gold pieces per spell level.
- Portent — Your dreams grant you glimpses that let you influence the future. After a Long Rest, you’ll gain two Portent Dice that can be used to change the die of any Attack Roll or Saving Throw.
Enchantment
The School of Enchantment revolves around bending the will of those around you through charms and alterations. Enchanters gain one subclass feature and one action:
- Enchantment Savant — Learning Enchantment spells from scrolls costs half as much, becoming 25 gold pieces per spell level.
- Hypnotic Gaze — Charm and Incapacitate a creature. It cannot attack you. It cannot act.
Evocation
The School of Evocation utilizes elemental energy to create powerful attacks. Evokers gain two subclass features:
- Evocation Savant — Learning Evocation spells from scrolls costs half as much, becoming 25 gold pieces per spell level.
- Scult Spells — Create pockets of safety within your Evocation spells. Allies automatically succeed their Saving Throws against these spells and take no damage from them.
Illusion
The School of Illusion uses trickery to make your wildest dreams seem like a reality. Illusionists gain one subclass feature and one cantrip:
- Illusion Savant — Learning Illusion spells from scrolls costs half as much, becoming 25 gold pieces per spell level.
- Improved Minor Illusion — You can cast Minor Illusion as a bonus action.
Necromancy
The School of Necromancy controls life, death, and undeath. Necromancers can manipulate life energy to seemingly bring back the dead. If you choose to enter the school of Necromancy, you’ll gain two subclass features:
- Necromancy Savant — Learning Necromancy spells from scrolls costs half as much, becoming 25 gold pieces per spell level.
- Grim Harvest — Once per turn, if you kill a creature with a spell, you regain hit points equal to twice the spell slot level used – thrice if it’s a Necromancy spell. Undead and constructs are unaffected.
Transmutation
The School of Transmutation can change the world around you as you know it. Not only can Transmuters transform physical objects, but they can also alter mental qualities. Transmuters will gain two subclass features:
- Transmutation Savant — Learning Transmutation spells from scrolls costs half as much, becoming 25 gold pieces per spell level.
- Experimental Alchemy — You can brew two alchemical solutions instead of one when combining extracts, if you succeed a difficulty class 15 Medicine Check.
For more information on the classes in Baldur’s Gate 3, consult our overviews on the Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, and Warlock classes. If you’re stumped by the choice, consult our guide on what class to start with.
