War Mage

A variety of arcane colleges specialize in training Wizards for war. These colleges blend principles of Evocation and Abjuration, rather than specializing in either of those schools. It teaches techniques that empower a caster’s spells, while also providing methods for Wizards to bolster their own defenses.

Followers of this tradition are known as War Mages. They see their magic as both a weapon and armor, a resource superior to any piece of steel. War Mages act quickly and decisively in battle, using their spells to seize tactical control of a situation. Their spells strike hard, while their defensive skills foil their opponents’ attempts to counterattack. War Mages are also adept at turning other spellcasters' magical energy against them.

Arcane Deflection

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 take a Reaction to gain a +2 bonus to your AC or a +4 bonus to saving throws using that ability score until the start of your next turn, including against the triggering effect.

When you use this feature, you can’t cast spells of a level higher than 1 until the end of your next turn. The highest level of spell you can cast after you use this feature increases when you reach Wizard levels 6 (level 2), 10 (level 3) and 14 (level 4).

Tactical Wit

Your ability to assess tactical situations allows you to act quickly in battle. When you roll Initiative, you can add your Intelligence modifier to the roll.

Power Surge

You can store magical energy within yourself to later empower your damaging spells. In its stored form, this energy is called a Power Surge.

• Free Preparations. You always have the Counterspell and Dispel Magic spells prepared.
• Gaining Power Surges. Whenever you successfully end a spell with Dispel Magic or Counterspell, you gain one Power Surge, as you steal magic from the spell you foiled. You also gain one Power Surge when you reduce a creature to 0 Hit Points with a Wizard spell using a spell slot, but only once per casting.
• Number of Power Surges. You can store a maximum number of Power Surges equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one). Whenever you finish a Long Rest, your number of Power Surges resets to one. If you finish a Short Rest with no Power Surges, you gain one Power Surge.
• Spell Empowerment. Once per turn when you deal damage to a creature or object with a Wizard spell, you can spend one Power Surge to add your Wizard level to one damage roll of the spell. The extra damage can be your choice of Force or the spell’s normal damage type.

Durable Magic

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.

Deflecting Shroud

Your Arcane Deflection becomes infused with deadly magic. When you use Arcane Deflection, you can cause destructive magical energy to arc from you. Up to three creatures of your choice within 60 feet of you each take Force damage equal to your Wizard level.