Base Class: Wizard
Unwilling to focus on any specific school of magic, or even exclusively on the magic of their class, Arcane Polymaths prize knowledge and flexibility above all other things. They attempt to master as many different disciplines as possible in order to satiate their innate curiosity. Some Polymaths hope to share their fascinating discoveries with the world, while others seek to accrue knowledge for their own satisfaction, collecting arcane secrets like a dragon hoards treasures.
Spellcasting Savant
When you select this tradition at 2nd level, your multitasking mind allows you to keep a larger number of spells prepared than other wizards. After each long rest, you may prepare a number of spells from your spellbook equal to your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus + your wizard level (minimum of one spell). The spells must be of a level for which you have spell slots.
To facilitate your curious mind and increased preparation capacity, you may select one 1st level spell that does not appear on the wizard spell list and add it to your spellbook. It counts as a wizard spell for you.
Improved Prestidigitation
Also at 2nd level, you learn the prestidigitation cantrip. If you already know this cantrip, you learn a different wizard cantrip of your choice. The cantrip doesn’t count against your number of cantrips known.
When you cast prestidigitation, the range of effect increases to 30 feet, and you may alternatively create any effects from the druidcraft or thaumaturgy cantrips, though the duration of these effects will still be limited to a single instant or one minute, respectively. If you cast this spell multiple times, you can now have up to four of its non-instantaneous effects active at a time, and you can dismiss such an effect as an action.
Magical Revelations
At 6th level, you may add two spells of your choice that do not appear on the wizard spell list to your spellbook. A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the Wizard table, or a cantrip. The chosen spells count as wizard spells for you, though cantrips chosen this way do not count against the number of Cantrips Known on the Wizard table.
Exhaustive Bookkeeper
Beginning at 10th level, you can copy any spells from spell scrolls that you find into your spellbook, even if these spells do not appear on the wizard spell list. For each level of a non-wizard spell you copy into your spellbook, the process takes 4 hours and costs 100 gp. This increased cost represents the difficulty of translating other schools of magic into your own personal notation system. Copied spells count as wizard spells for you, and once you have spent this time and money, you can prepare these spell just like your other spells.
Master of All
At 14th level, you may add two more spells of your choice that do not appear on the wizard spell list to your spellbook. A spell you choose must be of a level you can cast, as shown on the Wizard table, or a cantrip. The chosen spells count as wizard spells for you, though cantrips chosen this way do not count against the number of Cantrips Known on the Wizard table.
Hereafter, every time you gain a level in the Wizard class (starting with 15th level), one (but not both) of the spells that you add to your spellbook may come from a different class's spell list, though you are free to learn two wizard spells if you prefer. Your spellcasting is now bounded only by your own interests and imagination.
Its great that this subclass makes the wizard the best at basic spell casting, Thats one of the reasons I think this subclass is perfect. if your playing in a small group and your the only caster or full caster this subclass is amazing, and while the 10th level ability in theory lets the wizard get every spell in the game thats realistically never going to happen, you would be hard pressed to find a wizard in a normal game who even has a forth of the WIZARD spells that exist. In addition I feel that the wizard should be able to prep the most spells out of any casting class, almost every other class has another major ability that allows them to do something extra (bardic inspiration, wildshape, channel divinity, armor and weapon proficiencies, sorcery points, invocations, ect) it feels write that sense the wizard can do nothing but cast unmodified spells it should probably be the best at doing so
I think too many are focusing on theoreticals to focus on the realistic when it comes to this subclass. The rarity of spell scrolls alone makes scribing exceedingly niche; how often are you getting more than a total of 7 spell scrolls in a full length campaign? Almost never, and the ones where you are? Those are AL games, where homebrew exists only as pseudo-official material.
DMs also can limit what spells show up on spell scrolls to begin with; if there is a spell the DM doesn't want you to have, then you aren't getting it, end of story. Even if the DM doesn't limit what spells you can obtain, there is still the issue that spell scrolls are much rarer than normal magic items to begin with; to get a spell on a different class's list that you can cast that you don't already have, you'd basically be playing roulette with 50 more red and 50 more black prongs.
As it currently stands, I think the subclass is fine. Personally, I would limit the 14th feature to 7th level spells maximum.
Take out the level 10ths option, as at that point, it's just every classes spell list and omega op.
Replace with anyone else and it's a wicked good but balanced class I say.
This subclass isn't functional on DNDbeyond, unfortunately, but I loved it too much not to use it for my wizard. I've done a remade version with some tweaks for balance and ease of use! Check it out here if you'd like.
Soooo how do you explain bards then, guess lore bards don't exist? Seems like you just don't want it to be a wizard that casts those spells.
first of all well done. That mimics exactlly what i would want from a generalist wizard down to the predigistation.
But i dont understand all the talk about the OP strengh of this shbclass? Wizards have already the best spells making him a blaster, controller and utility caster. What can other casters do better. Healing?
Even if you ignore the point that 5e has so many alternative options to heal the wizard is still limited with spell slots. I mean a wizard is also better open in opening locks then a rogue but a rogue can open a hundred locks and a wizard may limit his to one important lock a day.
So here its the same shall we waste a spell slot for a second level cure wounds or catch all the enemies in a web spell. Not to mention very high level the wish spell already grants the wizard cast every spell for free once a day.
also since tashas the wizard is no longer the most diverse spellcaster. The new Sorcerer subclasses have now even more spells so why not give the wizard a subclass to get that title back as it is technically his most sognificant feature being the swiss army knife spellcaster.
Yeah same. Nothing's showing up, mate. I think this needs to be updated.
Sounds great and all, but it doesn't work. The features that come in at certain levels don't show up, and I just have the base class features. It's like I didn't choose a tradition at all.
I like how this subclass takes the Wizard back to its core design--a user of magic that casts spells.
I love that it is such a generalist that the definition of "general" changes for them.
No sentient spellbook, no divine intermediary, no outlandish devices. This subclass casts spells. Any of them, with the necessary time to learn, study, and prepare.
By the way, if a Bard or Artificer can learn to cast a certain spell, why can't a Wizard?
i would just exclude the spells from the paladin, cleric and warlock spell lists, as those spells are given trough devotion to a god or entity
While I would love to play this class, it's more than a little OP. With this class you can fill all the spellcasting roles in the party. You can cast any spell, and can prep more spells than anyone. OP Much?
it was just 68 i changed it to a much better number. and it deserves the vote
The only thing I see could be a problem is at 18th level with Spell Mastery. Infinite use Cure Wounds or Healing Word. Also, Healing Spirit and Prayer of Healing would be problematic as well. Other than that this subclass is really cool and well balanced IMO.
I like it and I do not at the same time. While the class is really nice it just kind of screams I want to play a wizard who went to the bard's college of lore, not a real fan when class get dangerously close to what other classes can do, but that just me from a creative standpoint its a very balanced class and id let my players use it.
I'm a huge fan of the idea of wizards being able to learn any and all spells given enough time and money. Overall just a really cool subclass for those who want even more options than what wizards already have. I absolutely love the fact that this doesn't offer any obvious numerical benefits,it just gives you more spells and ability to eventually learn any spell out there.
That's a real shame. I know it's not the creator's fault, rather a limitation in D&D Beyond's program.
The subclass does not actually provide the feats written above in character creation, purely textual.