Wizard

Clad in the silver robes that denote her station, an elf closes her eyes to shut out the distractions of the battlefield and begins her quiet chant. Fingers weaving in front of her, she completes her spell and launches a tiny bead of fire toward the enemy ranks, where it erupts into a conflagration that engulfs the soldiers.
Checking and rechecking his work, a human scribes an intricate magic circle in chalk on the bare stone floor, then sprinkles powdered iron along every line and graceful curve. When the circle is complete, he drones a long incantation. A hole opens in space inside the circle, bringing a whiff of brimstone from the otherworldly plane beyond.
Crouching on the floor in a dungeon intersection, a gnome tosses a handful of small bones inscribed with mystic symbols, muttering a few words of power over them. Closing his eyes to see the visions more clearly, he nods slowly, then opens his eyes and points down the passage to his left.

Wizards are supreme magic-users, defined and united as a class by the spells they cast. Drawing on the subtle weave of magic that permeates the cosmos, wizards cast spells of explosive fire, arcing lightning, subtle deception, and brute-force mind control. Their magic conjures monsters from other planes of existence, glimpses the future, or turns slain foes into zombies. Their mightiest spells change one substance into another, call meteors down from the sky, or open portals to other worlds.

Scholars of the Arcane

Wild and enigmatic, varied in form and function, the power of magic draws students who seek to master its mysteries. Some aspire to become like the gods, shaping reality itself. Though the casting of a typical spell requires merely the utterance of a few strange words, fleeting gestures, and sometimes a pinch or clump of exotic materials, these surface components barely hint at the expertise attained after years of apprenticeship and countless hours of study.
Wizards live and die by their spells. Everything else is secondary. They learn new spells as they experiment and grow in experience. They can also learn them from other wizards, from ancient tomes or inscriptions, and from ancient creatures (such as the fey) that are steeped in magic.
Many of the Arcane Traditions seek specific Schools of Magic. Students of the arcane either can learn in the myriad of Magic Academies in the world or in the Towers of Magic.

The Lure of Knowledge

Wizards’ lives are seldom mundane. The closest a wizard is likely to come to an ordinary life is working as a sage or lecturer in a library or university, teaching others the secrets of the multiverse. Other wizards sell their services as diviners, serve in military forces, or pursue lives of crime or domination.
But the lure of knowledge and power calls even the most unadventurous wizards out of the safety of their libraries and laboratories and into crumbling ruins and lost cities. Most wizards believe that their counterparts in ancient civilizations knew secrets of magic that have been lost to the ages, and discovering those secrets could unlock the path to a power greater than any magic available in the present age.

Arcane Traditions

School of Abjuration

The School of Abjuration emphasizes magic that blocks, banishes, or protects. Detractors of this school say that its tradition is about denial, negation rather than positive assertion. They understand, however, that ending harmful effects, protecting the weak, and banishing evil influences is anything but a philosophical void. It is a proud and respected vocation.
Called abjurers, members of this school are sought when baleful spirits require exorcism, when important locations must be guarded against magical spying, and when portals to other planes of existence must be closed.

Known Wizards: ?

School of Conjuration

Conjurers favor spells that produce objects and creatures out of thin air. They can conjure billowing clouds of killing fog or summon creatures from elsewhere to fight on their behalf. As their mastery grows, Conjurers learn spells of transportation and can teleport themself across vast distances, even to other planes of existence, in an instant.

Known Wizards: ?

School of Divination

The counsel of a diviner is sought by royalty and commoners alike, for all seek a clearer understanding of the past, present, and future. Diviners strive to part the veils of space, time, and consciousness so that they can see clearly. They work to master spells of discernment, remote viewing, supernatural knowledge, and foresight.

Known Wizards: ?

School of Enchantment

Members of the School of Enchantment have honed an ability to magically entrance and beguile other people and monsters. Some enchanters are peacemakers who bewitch the violent to lay down their arms and charm the cruel into showing mercy. Others are tyrants who magically bind the unwilling into their service. Most enchanters fall somewhere in between.

Known Wizards: ?

School of Evocation

Evocators focus their study on magic that creates powerful elemental effects such as bitter cold, searing flame, rolling thunder, crackling lightning, and burning acid. Some evokers find employment in military forces, serving as artillery to blast enemy armies from afar. Others use their spectacular power to protect the weak, while some seek their own gain as bandits, adventurers, or aspiring tyrants.

Known Wizards: ?

School of Illusion

Illusionists focus their studies on magic that dazzles the senses, befuddles the mind, and tricks even the wisest folk. Their magic is subtle, but the illusions crafted by keen mind make the impossible seem real. Some illusionists—including many gnome wizards—are benign tricksters who use their spells to entertain. Others are more sinister masters of deception, using their illusions to frighten and fool others for their personal gain.

Known Wizards: ?

School of Necromancy

The School of Necromancy explores the cosmic forces of life, death, and undeath. As Necromancers focus their studies in this tradition, they learn to manipulate the energy that animates all living things. As they progress, they learn to sap the life force from a creature as magic destroys its body, transforming that vital energy into magical power they can manipulate.
Most people see necromancers as menacing, or even villainous, due to the close association with death. Not all necromancers are evil, but the forces they manipulate are considered taboo by many societies.

Known Wizards: ?

School of Transmutation

Transmutators are students of spells that modify energy and matter. To them, the world is not a fixed thing, but eminently mutable, and they delight in being an agent of change. Transmutators wield the raw stuff of creation and learn to alter both physical forms and mental qualities. Their magic gives you the tools to become a smith on reality's forge.
Some transmuters are tinkerers and pranksters, turning people into toads and transforming copper into silver for fun and occasional profit. Others pursue their magical studies with deadly seriousness, seeking the power of the gods to make and destroy worlds.

Known Wizards: ?

Bladesingers

Bladesingers are elves who bravely defend their people and lands. They are elf wizards who master a school of sword fighting grounded in a tradition of arcane magic. In combat, a bladesinger uses a series of intricate, elegant maneuvers that fend off harm and allow the bladesinger to channel magic into devastating attacks and a cunning defense. Usually, only elves and half-elves can choose the bladesinger arcane tradition. In the world of Tethys, elves closely guard the secrets of bladesinging.

Known Wizards: ?

War Wizards

A variety of arcane colleges specialize in training wizards for war. The tradition of War Magic blends 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 fast 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.
In great battles, a war mage often works with evokers, abjurers, and other types of wizards. Evokers, in particular, sometimes tease war mages for splitting their attention between offense and defense. A war mage's typical response: "What good is being able to throw a mighty fireball if I die before I can cast it?"

Known Wizards: ?