Dungeons & Dragons 5e Best Wizard Builds

In older editions of Dungeons & Dragons, the Wizard class underwent a pretty dramatic power curve. They felt useless at their lowest levels with relatively few spell slots compared to other classes like Sorcerers and Clerics but didn’t have the support spells or gear to fill in the weak points during the character progression stage.

Wizards are the brainiest of the many arcane spell-casting-focused classes. Warlocks make bargains and have patrons, Bards project through music, and Sorcerers are natural-born powerhouses, but Wizards learn their craft through years of intense study. They can also fulfill several different roles in combat, from a blaster with a never-ending supply of fireballs to battlefield control and support.

Updated December 5, 2024 by Kristy Ambrose: After a few years of waiting, the most recent and all-encompassing version of the 2024 D&D Player’s Handbook was released, and it’s an impressive compilation of vintage information that goes all the way back to the 1970s along with a wealth of new and updated information.

The new rules bring the Wizard class into the modern era of TTRGs and video games, with some of the changes prompted and inspired by the success of Baldur’s Gate 3, which was based on D&D’s rules and lore.

Wizards add +1 to their Intelligence scores at levels 4, 8, 12, 16, and 19. They also can choose a Feat at these levels, which is a crucial detail that makes each build even more unique.

Divine Savant

Locate Important Objects Or Lurking Enemies

• Race: Human (Ability scores increase by +1 and walking speed increase)
• Proficiencies: Arcana, History
• Arcane Tradition: School of Divination
• Background: Sage, Insight, Deception

The Divination Wizard is one of the most role-playing heavy classes in the game and yet it still manages to be a broken character build. The class specializes in locating objects or opponents even better than the most honed Rangers.

The biggest selling point in combat is the talent for rolling to start the day. That includes enemy rolls, so starting the day with “bad” rolls can take the best moves away from opponents and force them to miss.

Finally, with the ability to communicate with any creature in any medium, this class doubles as a leader and support to the team. If there is a Divination Wizard in the group, even chatty Bards will have a tough time speaking over their arcane counterparts. Tack on some utility with seeing in the dark, too.

Chronurgist

Damage Dealing And Support Functions

• Race: High Elf (Fire Bolt cantrip)
• Proficiencies: Arcana, Investigation
• Arcane Tradition: Chronurgy Magic
• Background: Haunted One, Religion, Survival

Similar to the Divination Wizard, this build is one of the most accurate in the game, allowing rerolls for misses and hits whether the creature in question is a friend or foe. This can be used for the Chronurgy Wizard if they specialize in damage dealing or help out with allies if they feel like dipping into some support functions.

This build has a unique feature among all spellcasters. The Arcane Abeyance allows the Wizard to convert their spells into beads, letting a familiar or another ally cast a spell on behalf of the Wizard. When comparing all the spellcasters, this gives the Wizard a significant advantage over the competition.

Eventually, the Chronurgy build can guarantee success without rerolls required, but the Wizard will take on some levels of exhaustion. Exhaustion is a big problem for dextrous classes like Rogues or Monks, but it matters little to a Wizard.

War Caster

More Damage, Less Casting Failures

• Race: Asmodeus Tiefling (Thermaturgy, Hellish Rebuke, Darkness, +1 to Intelligence)
• Proficiencies: Athletics, Intimidation
• Arcane Tradition: Conjuration
• Background: Soldier

The War Caster is a build that can function in melee combat as well as ranged combat, which means that Constitution is also an important ability score, second only to Intelligence. Strength, Charisma, or Wisdom can all be used as dump stats in this case depending on the Wizard’s specific roles.

This build is named after the Feat that defines this Wizard’s role, which gives them Advantage on Constitution saving throws, improving their casting ability when being attacked or even struck in combat. The Feats that players choose should focus on making the Wizard hardier and give them either a higher armor class or better evasion abilities.

In this case, Resilient and Lightly Armored improve ability scores and allow the Wizard to equip something other than simple clothing. Observant is handy for both exploration in unknown areas and on the battlefield, and Eldritch Adept is a way to give a Wizard spells from the Warlock class and make them even more overpowered.

Illusionist

Disappearing, Reappearing, And Forcing Enemies To Miss

• Race: Forest Gnome (Dexterity +1, Minor Illusion cantrip)
• Proficiencies: Arcana, Investigation
• Arcane Tradition: School Of Illusion
• Background: Hermit

Illusion is a highly underrated form of magic because its role-playing and combat abilities are nearly without limit. Wizards are prone to getting instantly smashed. There are defense-based Wizard builds, but they fail to reach the glory of a traditional Fighter or Paladin tank while giving up too much power.

The Illusionist takes a different approach, disappearing, reappearing, and forcing the rare successful attacks to miss by hitting illusions. The implications of this style in the heat of battle are clear; enemies will both suffer for targeting the Wizard and likewise suffer for ignoring them since these apparitions can deal immense damage.

Outside of a skirmish, the Illusionist can be anything from a carefree prankster to a serious thief. Distracting guards of any level or triggering traps with a decoy has usefulness written all over it. Even the best-made campaigns will have a difficult time contending with the Illusionist.