School of War Magic 5E Guide | Rules, Tips, Builds, and More

Some Wizards hear of the terrible tragedies that happen to young spellcasters while adventuring. They hear of spells lost, of lives lost, and so some theories have been developed to stop it. The Xanathar’s Guide to Everything offers this course. Practicers of War Magic see their magic as their armor and weapon. They are seen as crucial to the battlefield, though their fellow mages occasionally taunt them for splitting their focus so much. Is there anything to gain for this offensively defensive class? Let’s find out in our War Magic 5E Guide.

Frail No Longer: War Magic 5E

While the flavor of the class tells War Mages as split between two worlds, this is a defensive subclass. And a dang good one! You’ll be a bit low on damage compared to the Evocation School, but there’s no option that can defend your AC quite as well. If your party needs strictly damage or defense, you might want to consider either Evocation or Abjuration… But this is a fantastic middle ground.

Arcane Deflection

Your first ability is a bit different than standard Wizard subclasses… In that you actually get something.

At 2nd level, you have learned to weave your magic to fortify yourself against harm. When you are hit by an attack or you fail a saving throw, you can use your reaction to gain a +2 bonus to your AC against that attack or a +4 bonus to that saving throw.

When you use this feature, you can’t cast spells other than cantrips until the end of your next turn.

Take that, Evocation Savant! Let’s talk about the Bonus to AC, because it’s… Good. This is a reaction that gives you enough AC to avoid some attacks; since this is similar to the Shield spell, you would know that you were hit beforehand. Especially against burly, muscly dudes, you’ll find that giving yourself a +2 can save your life. However, if you’re really worried about getting slammed, consider learning the Shield spell.

What’s really great here is a +4 bonus for saves. Against enemy casters, this is a 20% chance to succeed. As a reaction, that’s absolutely insane! You can see what you rolled, compare it to your own save DC, and make a decision about whether or not it’s worthwhile. And you’ll want to do this for almost any spell; a failed save against Fireball could wipe you off the map, and a Hold Person pins your hands and mouth shut. As a Wizard, you definitely want to be around to cast!

The downside is that this counts as your spell casted for the next turn. Cantrips still do okay work, but if you really need to cast spells next round, make sure you know what you’re saving against. You might be able to eat damage if you’re high on health… But you won’t be casting that spell if it’s a Hold Person or a Hideous Laughter anyways. Might as well save in those cases.

Tactical Wit

Gee Billy, your school lets you have two level 2 abilities?

Starting at 2nd level, your keen ability to assess tactical situations allows you to act quickly in battle. You can give yourself a bonus to your initiative rolls equal to your Intelligence modifier

So, let’s talk about this.

The fact that this ability adds to your Dexterity rather than replacing it is flat-out ridiculous. In most cases, you kinda want high Dex anyways, so you’ll be adding your best stat to your 2nd or 3rd best. That’ll give you a +5 to Initiative early on, and potentially +8 or +9 later. You’ll be quite comfy at the top of the initiative order, waving at the Rogue or Fighter below you.

I probably don’t need to tell you that a Wizard likes being high on the Initiative order. Going first let’s you throw out Save-or-Suck spells, get buffs on your party members, or deal lots of damage to low-level enemies nearby. This is great for you, as long as your party was somewhat in position beforehand. With Alert, you can really turn the tides of battle by going first, even during your enemy’s Surprise round. And then nuking your ambushers.

Power Surge

Your most complicated ability just so happens to be your worst. And it’s your level 6 one too. Ouch. You gain a Power Surge mechanic.

Whenever you finish a long rest, your number of power surges resets to one. Whenever you successfully end a spell with Dispel Magic or Counterspell, you gain one power surge [Maxes at your Int Modifier], as you steal magic from the spell you foiled. If you end a short rest with no power surges, you gain one power surge.

Once per turn when you deal damage to a creature or object with a wizard spell, you can spend one power surge to deal extra force damage to that target. The extra damage equals half your wizard level.

This isn’t… Necessarily awful.

This does one big thing for you; It makes Dispel Magic and Counterspell more compelling. They didn’t need to be more compelling, but… They are now! Whenever you successfully end a spell, you basically deal a tiny bit of damage – You can proc this on a cantrip, after all! So that’s nice.

There’s so many problems, though. The fact that you don’t max your Power Surges every day is super strange. It means that you essentially have a once-per-rest “deal half your level to a target.” The Goblin’s Fury of the Small deals it’s level in damage every short rest. This ability’s damage is pretty mediocre.

So, it’s balanced around you spending reactions using Dispel Magic or Counterspell. Both of these spells are really strong, allowing you to circumvent traps, weaken enemies, or stop them from dealing damage to you. But… You need spells to dispel. Without enemy spellcasters, you have no way to charge your batteries. And you don’t want to dispel your allies’ low level spells, because that just wastes so. Many. Spell slots. And all for a tiny extra burst. At least it’s force damage?

Learn both Dispel Magic and Counterspell; they’re really great spells, and you have a bit more incentive to use them. But… Just be aware that you’ll likely not use this ability for more than a once-per-rest half-level damage buff.

Durable Magic

Okay, we got the bad stuff out of the way, and it wasn’t even that bad! Only good stuff from here.

Beginning at 10th level, the magic you channel helps ward off harm. While you maintain concentration on a spell, you have a +2 bonus to AC and all saving throws.

Simple, easy, and to the point. Also, wow!

There’s just too many concentration spells out there that are good. Haste, Hold Person, Banishment, Summoning… Create Bonfire. There’s so many reasons to have a Concentration spell up that positively affects the battlefield. Now, when you do that, enemies have a 10% higher chance to miss you with attack rolls, and you have a 10% higher chance to negate spells. That’s crazy! All for holding onto a Concentration effect!

And you can still use this with Arcane Deflection. That could give you a +6 on a Saving Throw, and you’re just spamming Cantrips at this point anyways. That’s a huge boon, though talk to your GM about if you can use the Concentration effect afterwards. Arcane Deflection isn’t too specific about it.

This doesn’t do too much to help you hold Concentration, other than the +2. You may want to consider War Caster, if you have the feat slots. This is a crazy-good addition to an already crazy good class. You’re so tanky for a Wizard!

Deflecting Shroud

Speaking of crazy good additions…

At 14th level, your Arcane Deflection becomes infused with deadly magic. When you use your Arcane Deflection feature, you can cause magical energy to arc from you. Up to three creatures of your choice within 60 feet of you each take force damage equal to half your wizard level.

You know how I complained about Power Surge earlier? It’s because this ability takes the idea of dealing “half level” to damage and kicks it up a notch.

Just in case Arcane Deflection wasn’t good enough for you, you now deal 21 damage if you have 3 opponents. For free. Whether or not Arcane Deflection was or wasn’t successful in avoiding damage.

Why?!

This ability is the only real good offensive ability that the War Mage gets (unless you count Tactical Wit!). At this point, enemies will be apologizing to their allies as you zap three of them after negating a spell with a +4, or dodging a sword swing. Any attack against you will be reciprocated with furious vengeance. You’ll be an unstoppable force! You might even want to step inside of your own spells to use this and Power Surge to deal upwards of 40 damage, just by pure class features!

I’m… I’m joking. 

But, if an ally wants to deck you in the face for 1 damage and then have you shock enemies for 30 – or have that ally toss a Save cantrip at you – then they can. And the scary part? That’s not an awful strategy! Especially if your Rogue or Dexterity Fighter had their weapons taken from them for whatever reason. You can deal legitimately good damage, if you’re willing to sacrifice your defensive Reaction.

The fact that this ability has effectively no limitations, is attached to one of the best level 2 reactions in the game, and has fantastic range is astounding. War Mages can really do whatever they want, huh?

See Also: We ranked the Best Wizard Cantrips in 5E

Best Race for War Magic Wizards

War Mages are still Wizards; boost that Int, yo! Afterwards, your choices are varied. You’ll want good Dexterity so your AC isn’t anything disappointing without Arcane Deflection. But, Constitution is important for your Concentration spells, avoiding Constitution saves (a dangerous save indeed!) and taking hits. Wisdom isn’t as important, since you’re naturally proficient in Wisdom saves.

Hobgoblin

The Volo’s Guide to Monsters is home to many warrior races, including the Hobgoblin. A +2 Constitution, +1 Intelligence means you’ll be investing a lot into Int, but you’ll have a decent health pool to use your abilities with. Hobgoblins also get free proficiencies; 2 martial weapons and light armor. We’re focusing on the Light Armor; this lets you build towards Medium Armor proficiency in the future, if you want your AC to be good without investing in Dexterity. Darkvision is universally good, and Saving Face can let you get a +3-5 to your Saving Throw… On top of the +4 from Arcane Deflection. Just in case you rolled a 2 and feel like saving anyways!

Human

Humans, our favorite Player’s Handbook buddies, are a pretty obvious choice for any class. Try to be a Variant if possible; +1 can go into Intelligence and then either Dexterity or Constitution. You have quite a few feat options; Alert, War Caster, Lightly Armored, Observant… Even Ritual Caster! Completely up to you. I would suggest Alert or War Caster; either really make use of your ridiculous Initiative, or start working towards making Concentration checks legitimately hard to fail.

See Also: The Best Magic Items for Wizards in 5E

Best Feats for War Wizards

Like any self-respecting Wizard, a War Wizard wants nothing more than to get their Intelligence to 20. That improves their spellcasting abilities to their maximum, which boosts their damage and effectiveness. Afterwards, it is completely reasonable to simply boost Constitution, as hitpoints and Constitution saving throws are next on the docket for survivability’s sake.

However, there are a handful of feats that can be useful for a War Wizard’s repertoire. Mainly, these feats can be a surprise tool for casting to impress the DM, or they can be a decent tool to have for emergencies. Let’s talk about a handful of standout feats in these departments.

Cartomancer

Cartomancer is a brand-new feat from the Book of Many Things. This fascinating feat is great for a Wizard whose spellcasting access is limited for any reason or a Wizard simply looking for another way to improve their already absurd spellcasting pool.

To start, the Cartomancer gets a neat version of Prestidigitation that more closely aligns with stage magic. As a result, as long as you have the right tools, you can disguise the verbal and somatic components as just talking with your audience and doing some sleight-of-hand. While not the strongest benefit in the world, Wizards do have slightly more limited access to cantrips than most casters, with their cap of 5. Having access to Prestidigitation slapped onto an otherwise strong feat is worth your time.

The other half of this feat is significantly more enticing. After a rest, a Cartomancer can choose a spell from the Wizard spell list and imbue a card with it. This turns a 1 action spell into a bonus action spell, before the card loses its magical qualities altogether.

It’s not super clear whether or not you spend a spell slot to cast from a card in this manner. But, even if it is, this feat remains one of the best for casters in general. Being able to copy a spell from your spell list, not even spells known, and casting it quickly and easily rewards thinking ahead and learning about what’s coming. Even if you don’t put a really cool and unique spell on your card, putting a spell like Fireball can be a quick and easy solution to dealing a bunch of damage as a bonus action.

Metamagic Adept

Unfortunately, for casters, no feat really does it quite like Metamagic Adept does. Metamagic Adept gives you 2 Sorcery Points, normally locked away to the Sorcerer class. Those 2 points can only be spent on Metamagic, a system of magic specifically for improving or altering spells, and you get two Metamagic options to choose from. While 2 points aren’t many to play with, they can still improve up to two spells per day, forcing your foes to adjust their strategies majorly. 

Metamagic Adept is historically used with Quickened Spell, for good reason. Quickened Spell lets you adjust any spell you can cast and make it a bonus action. That leaves your action open for things like Hide, Dash, or even casting a cantrip. It’s access to the best damage in the game, even if you can’t cast two spells in a round with it like you could in BG3.

The other metamagic option typically changes based on what kind of Wizard you want to be. Distant Spell, for example, adds a lot of range to any magic you cast. Extended Spell can improve the length of buffs, especially useful for ones that last 10 minutes or an hour. Twinned Spell can be a great way to cast Tasha’s Hideous Laughter on two targets. Transmuted Spell is a fantastic way to take your limited damaging options and target a weakness. The sky’s the limit.

We recommend Extended Spell and Quickened Spell for a War Wizard, though Transmuted Spell is absolutely worth considering for a damage-focused build. As many War Wizards are tasked with clearing out trash during the early stages of a fight, being able to pick and choose damage types can be a good step in the right direction.

Resilient (Constitution)

The last feat we’ll consider is the Resilient (Constitution) feat. Resilient is an original feat that boosts a single ability score by 1 and grants proficiency in that feat’s saving throw. For Wizards, the only ability score really worth considering for this feat is Constitution. And, even then, this feat has slightly reduced usefulness for a War Wizard thanks to Arcane Deflection and Durable Magic.

That’s not to say this feat is useless. Resilient (Constitution) is worth the most if your Wizard has an odd number for their Constitution score to begin with. In that case, the feat basically improves your Constitution by the full +2, but has the additional benefit of boosting a commonly-targeted saving throw. Dexterity, Constitution, and Wisdom are the most dangerous types of saving throw, and you’ll be proficient in two of them. That’s not even mentioning that, as a Wizard, keeping your concentration check against chip damage sent your way is quite important. While you can use defenses to teleport away or put up walls, ensuring you keep your concentration can be the difference between and easy victory and potential lethality.

Still, this feat weakens a bit with how defensive War Wizards are. Feel free to pass this over for more generic options, like +2 Constitution or Tough, if you’re looking for more generic durability. However, getting that proficiency for a saving throw remains very enticing for characters like Elves or when built for.

See Also: The Best Feats for Wizards in 5E

FAQ for the War Wizard

What is War Magic?

War Magic refers to a school of magic focused on defense, blending evocation and abjuration into a defensive machine. Utilizing counterspells as an offensive tool, War Mages work alongside other casters as an anti-mage with more potent damage-dealing ability compared to Abjuration Wizards. With access to some of the best armor class and saving throws a Wizard can ask for, these Wizards often perform well while staying next to immune to damage.

How Does Arcane Deflection Work?

Arcane Deflection is a reaction which occurs when you are hit by an attack or when you fail a saving throw — the DM has confirmed that you’ve been hit and the dice has already been rolled. You then add a +2 to your Armor Class or a +4 to the saving throw — you must choose between the two if you somehow have to make both rolls at the same time. Then, until you complete your turn again, you can only cast cantrips, as if you cast a spell as a bonus action beforehand.

What Book is War Magic In?

The War Magic archetype is on page 59 of Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. It is the last class showcased in that section of the book, just after the Hexblade is introduced.

Example War Wizard Build

Building a War Magic Wizard is much like building any other Wizard. But, before we can really break down what a build ends up looking like, we should start by talking with our DM and figuring out what restrictions they have. While they are allowing the Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, they might not be comfortable allowing everything. Our DM is relatively strict.

• No multiclassing. While most Wizards benefit from a level or two of Artificer or Fighter, ours will be reaching level 20 without any aid. That’s more or less fine.
• No lineage rules. This tightens a Wizard build’s belt significantly. There are precious few races with Intelligence bumps, and even fewer that get a +2 to Intelligence. This leaves us with either defensive races with +2s in Dexterity or Constitution, or only choosing between three or four races. If your DM allows for lineage rules, we recommend +2 Intelligence and either +1 Constitution or +1 Dexterity.
• Can use any book for background. While our DM doesn’t wanna deal with lineage rules, we can use other books for our background. That’s nice of them.
• Standard Array for Ability Scores. The most restrictive of the ability score generation methods. 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, and 8 to spread among different stats. Wizards only care about three stats, so this works fine for us.
• Standard Equipment. Wizards don’t care much for their starting equipment, so this is overall whatever. Make sure you have your Component Pouch if you don’t want to be laughed out of the room while casting a spell with a Material Component.
• Our Party consists of a Hexblade Warlock, a Barbarian, and a Bard. A fun party, though one that lacks a bit of area-of-effect damage. That’s where we come in.

Because of the restrictions of our DM, we will have to go with a Gnome if we want to start with high Intelligence. And that’s fine by us. Rock Gnomes come stocked with +2 Intelligence and +1 Constitution, which are perfect defensive stats for our build. They also have Darkvision innately, have Gnome Cunning to defend more readily against magic, and have fun tinker flavor to them. They basically get to cast Prestidigitation for a small cost every day. Of the baseline races, these are the safest way to improve your Intelligence.

In terms of background, we recommend the Investigator background from Van Richten’s Guide to Ravenloft. Investigator has a lot of useful exploring abilities, from Perception to Thieves’ Tools proficiency. We want all of that as a Wizard, just to save us a few spell slots on stuff like Augury. We recommend choosing Investigation and Perception for skills. Then, for your innate Wizard skills, you can take Arcana and Religion, since those are the two most relevant knowledge checks for late-game content.

Our Ability Scores prioritize Intelligence quite highly. Getting a +3 modifier for INT is a good idea, since it’s what your most important class feature utilizes. However, after that, we only really care about Dexterity for initiative and AC, and Constitution for health. We can actually put them both at the same number, which is nice. We’ll be moderately protected from the world like that.

5E War Wizard Build

Race: Rock Gnome Ability Scores: STR 8, DEX 14, CON 14 (13 + 1), INT 17, WIS 12, CHA 10 Proficiencies: Arcana, Religion, Investigation, Perception, Disguise Kit, Thieves’ Tools Starting Equipment: Dagger, Component Pouch, Scholar’s Pack, Spellbook, Magnifying Glass, Broken Murder Weapon, Common Clothes, 10 gp Languages: Common, Gnomish

Level	Class Benefits	Choices
1	-Arcane Recovery -1st Level spells	Unfortunately, we’re not quite done yet! A Wizard is nothing without their magic, so let’s get a good baseline. Most Wizards would be able to scribe spells into their spell books to get much better variety into their wallets. Our Wizard won’t be so lucky — we’re only learning the 44 spells known available through leveling up. We’ll have to be careful and learn a good mix of offense, defense, and utility spells.  Cantrips. To start, though, we have to talk about the spells we get to spam. With our high Intelligence, choosing a good offensive spell is important. We like Toll the Dead, since most enemies have better AC than they do Wisdom saving throw. If you prefer guaranteed damage over high dice numbers, try Mind Sliver. Then, our other two cantrips will be Prestidigitation for general utility and Message for providing information to your allies through a relatively secret path.  Spells. We begin play with 6 1st level spells. Not exactly many, but this’ll be one of the most populated spell levels for our scribe-less Wizard. Let’s make the most of it. To start, we should grab some strong rituals. We like Find Familiar and Alarm, both serving good scouting roles. Then, combat spells. Magic Missile is great for dealing guaranteed damage to some targets, Silvery Barbs is fantastic defensive magic which works on a different axis than Arcane Deflection, Mage Armor will give a +3 to AC for most of the game at the minor cost of 1 spell slot, and Sleep can end an encounter by itself if positioned correctly.
2	-Arcane Deflection -Tactical Wit	We are now officially a War Mage. Tactical Wit will consistently kick you to the front of the line. Arcane Deflection is important to have in your back pocket and is the reason why we likely won’t be picking up Shield anytime soon.  Spells. We have two more 1st level spells to select, and these aren’t as obvious as our first few. We’ll grab Tasha’s Hideous Laughter as a potent debuff which stays relevant into late-game conflicts and Protection from Evil and Good for a solid defensive option.
3	-2nd Level Spells	Welcome past the hard part of a Wizard’s life. You’re now at the point of excellent defensive spells and more impactful offensive spells.  Spells. We’re going to get a good mix of offense and defense here. Scorching Ray is a viable single-target spell which scales quite well with spell level. Since we have a limited number of spells known with this build guide, we’re going to make the most of these spells with good scaling. Mirror Images doesn’t have good scaling, but it provides great defense at most points of the game without relying on our concentration.
4	-Ability Score Improvement	We’ve reached our first feat level. Our goal is to get to 18 Intelligence, and we thankfully have a few options to get there.  Feat. Our feat of choice will be Fey Touched, a rarely-picked feat for Wizards but one we can use well. We’ll learn Misty Step and Command from it, two spells with valid utility at all points of the game. We can cast each of them once for free, too, which comes in handy quite often.  Cantrip. Our next cantrip learned will be Mage Hand, an excellent way to manipulate the environment without having to be near it.  Spells. Two more 2nd level picks. Thanks to our feat, we’re not in as desperate of a pickle as we used to be. We can instead spend spells known on options like Maximilian’s Earthen Grasp for a great concentration option and Web for locking down a massive number of enemies at the same time.
5	-3rd Level Spells	Another level of spells for us to explore! As a War Mage, this is the point where we’ll be returning to very often. There are a ton of 3rd level options which work well for our build.  Spells. Our first two spells will be Fireball and Counterspell. Fireball can wipe an encounter with ease and is the most damage-efficient spell in the game until 7th level spells. Counterspell has internal synergy with our school of magic, but also serves an important role in preventing our party from getting hammered by magic. We’re already quite busy with reactions, so choose wisely each turn.
6	-Power Surge	Power Surge is a good ability to keep in mind and spend early. However, try not to focus too hard on it. As fun as the mechanic is, it’ll recharge itself on each rest. Don’t sit around a campfire Dispelling cantrips. The extra damage just isn’t worth it. That being said, remember you have this when you Counterspell.  Spells. We’re not done with level 3 spells, but we only get 2 more before 4th level spell options. Let’s get ourselves Dispel Magic for the innate synergies with War Magic and Fly to help our Barbarian and Hexblade out a bit.
7	-4th Level Spells	4th level magic isn’t as potent as 3rd level, but we want a few options from here which are worth grabbing. And it’s important to have 4th level spells to spend spell slots on.  Spells. Greater Invisibility serves as an excellent in-combat trick. It’s great on defense and offense, so it’s worth considering at nearly any time. Wall of Fire is important for us as an area-of-effect damage dealer, since it carves battlefields in your image and prevents easy targeting through it.
8	-Ability Score Improvement	Another feat level, though this one doesn’t come with a cantrip. Boo!  Feat. Our feat will be a nice and simple +2 Intelligence. Yeah, a bit boring, but we’re now at 20 Intelligence. Considering a Wizard’s spells run off of this tool, having it maxed out will benefit you hugely for the rest of the game.  Spells. Banishment will let us deal with high-priority threats by forcing a Charisma save. Very few creatures have a legitimately good Charisma save. Summon Aberration is a great summon spell with an annoyingly tanky subject, keeping your enemies at arm’s length while you cast spells behind it.
9	-5th Level Spells	5th level spells are where you get somewhat fewer spell slots per level. They’re still important to have, so let’s fill in our spell slots.  Spells. Creation is a great spell for arcane casters which provide for some excellent problem-solving ability. Wall of Stone is one of the best stall spells of all time, forcing unlucky opponents to deal with 2,000 health of rock if placed correctly.
10	-Durable Magic	Durable Magic is a great reason to have a strong Concentration spell in your pocket. Have a good summon spell or buff ready and watch your AC climb to… around 17. That’s pretty good for a caster! And you have options to pump it even higher.  Cantrips. Mind Sliver is starting to look quite good. Toll the Dead for damage and Mind Sliver to target powerful tanks which can become mincemeat thanks to your fellow casters.  Spells. Hold Monster is an excellent way to force a priority threat to make a Wisdom save or, effectively, die. Summon Draconic Spirit is a potent summon with area-of-effect potential. Both of these are great concentration effects worth casting.
11	-6th Level Spells	6th level magic will be a lot slower than you’d want it to be. So, we’re going to learn some 6th level spells alongside other levels of spellcasting.  Spells. To start, Eyebite is one of the best spells you can access, giving you the ability to force someone to sleep each and every turn. Mass Suggestion can force a large number of fights to make a Wisdom save or be chopped in half, and it even has great utility outside of fights. That’s somewhat rare for a single spell.
12	-Ability Score Improvement	We’ve made it to the feat level after we made it to 20 Intelligence. We’re going to have to get a bit more creative from now on.  Feat. We’ll take Metamagic Adept here, for Transmute Spell and Extended Spell. We have several good buffs and summons which Extended Spell can help out with. And, with the right knowledge, Transmute Spell can double the damage of specific magic. That’s legitimately powerful.  Spells. Let’s grab Globe of Invulnerability for the rare but present caster spam fights. Then, let’s dip down to level 3 once again. Remove Curse is a spell our party has trouble with, with only our Warlock having access to the spell otherwise. Let’s give them the chance to swap it around.
13	-7th Level Spells	7th level magic is where some power spikes can be seen. Sadly, you’ll have to be very careful with this strength of magic, since you’ll only ever get 2 slots.  Spells. Simulacrum on your Barbarian will be one of the biggest powerspikes you ever see. Talk about a 5 person party. Plane Shift is a powerful spell, serving as a very valid defensive option alongside a hyper-aggressive option to deal with problems by throwing them into a pool of lava.
14	-Deflecting Shroud	Arcane Deflection remains a good action, but now it comes alongside 21 force damage, buffed up to 30 by level 20. That’s a legitimately impressive reaction, although you need to put yourself in danger to trigger it in the first place. Try to avoid that when you can.  Spells. A few more spells. Forcecage is an excellent lockdown option for most encounters, able to swap between a dangerous target and a group mode. We’ll pop down to 6th level spells here for Contingency, a fantastic Wizard option which lets you set up a reaction to cast any spell. That Fighter will think twice about charging you when you turn completely invisible.
15	-8th Level Spells	8th level magic, much like 7th level, is strong but very limited. When you cast a spell at this spell level, you want it to be extremely impactful — game-winning, when possible.  Spells. Maze locks an opponent away, like Banishment. However, unlike Banishment, this spell doesn’t allow for a save and targets an Ability Check instead. Even the smartest creatures in the game have no safe and easy way out of Maze when it’s cast. And it’s guaranteed to lock away even legendary monsters. And, with your +7 to Initiative, enemies will have trouble interacting positively with you. Illusory Dragon is another impactful spell, spitting out 7d6 damage cones every single turn and offering a decent source of Frightened.
16	-Ability Score Improvement	We’re at the point where Wizards don’t really care much for feats. We’ll at least consider one we don’t have quite yet.  Feat. Our feat will be Tough. Tough keeps our Wizard on their feet, an important part of fighting. More specifically, it will now be slightly easier to take a hit in combat and reflect some damage. 24 guaranteed damage is definitely worth a reaction, after all! We just need the health to use this reaction reliably.  Spells. We’ll get one more spell, Dominate Monster. This spell lets us control a target, though careful when using them in combat. Make sure you control a war god with high AC or something that can make powerful attacks from a long range. We’ll be heading back to lower levels for Teleport, a great spell for moving across countrysides. As you get higher and higher level, being able to travel quickly can become more and more important.
17	-9th Level Spells	And, at long last, you’ve made it to the Wizard’s highest honors. 9th level spellcasting is a rare feat, so you’d best make it count.  Spells. With any luck at all, there’s one spell that matters most. Wish is the best spell in the game. There’s a reason you’ll only be able to cast it once per day, and there’s honestly not a better spell to cast in this category. Because we’re stuck for spells known, we’ll spend more time on lower level, situational spells. Rary’s Telepathic Bond is a great ritual spell which will let you communicate with allies easily.
18	-Spell Mastery	This is a feature you rarely get as a Wizard, so it’s fun to think about it.  Spell Mastery. We recommend choosing Silvery Barbs and Mirror Images as your 1st and 2nd level spells. Silvery Barbs will let you constantly force rerolls, saving lives and forcing enemies to roll saving throws twice. Mirror Images is an excellent buff to have active at all times, so you can never have to worry about spending a slot on it. You can save those juicy level 2 slots for Misty Steps instead.  Spells. Let’s get Programmed Illusion and Mirage Arcane for our spells. These are the two strongest Illusion spells in the game, offering a strong level of problem solving and misdirection for any high-ranking Wizard.
19	-Ability Score Improvement	What a strange level for a feat. We’re going to recommend a boring path, but feel free to consider niche options like Resilient or potent options like Cartomancer.  Feat. +2 Constitution is good enough for me. That gives you a bit of a durability shield while also offering some Constitution saving throw. Considering you can get up to a +6 to Constitution saves through your reaction and Durable Magic, you can afford to skip out on Resilient if it wouldn’t improve your modifier.  Spells. As for spells which work well for you, True Seeing is likely a bit old at this point, but serves a Wizard well into an endgame full of invisibility and mirror images. Scrying becomes more important as infiltrating enemy locals can be dangerous without having information first.
20	-Signature Spells	Level 20! The Wizard gets a very fun feature at this point which, in my opinion, is a bit weaker than Spell Mastery. Oh well!  Signature Spells. We recommend Counterspell and Dispel Magic. They work quite well with our build and are overall very effective into lategame. Dispel Magic is definitely the weaker of the two, but serves a good role even at this point. Feel free to take an aggressive option like Fireball or learn another 3rd level spell which fits more into your group’s playstyle, like Haste, if you find either of these options a bit underpowered for you.  Spells. Our last two spells. We’ll scoop up Mental Prison as a decent aggressive spell which can deal 15d10 damage with some teamwork and take Power Word Stun as an option to lop the head off of potent spellcasters like Liches early on.

Conclusion – Our War Magic 5E Guide

The War Magic school has so much power. Arcane Deflection by itself is perhaps the best multiclassing tool a Wizard can offer; take that on a Fighter or Barbarian and scoff at the limitation as you beat your enemy down afterwards. Durable Magic literally gives you +2 AC and saves for almost free, and Deflecting Shroud is frankly too good to be true. I would have thought it would spend a Power Surge or something, but… Nope! Speaking of, Power Surge is the only lackluster ability on this list, and it still gives you more reasons to use some of the best anti-mage spells in the game. How bad can that be?

If you want a Wizard who’ll live past level 2, and eventually become a damage-dealing brick wall, this is a great choice. Be sure to check out our Wizard 5E Guide for more tips on designing your character.