System Reference Document 5.2.1
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ExpandinG and rEplacinG a spEllBook
The spells you add to your spellbook as you gain 
levels reflect your ongoing magical research, but you 
might find other spells during your adventures that 
you can add to the book. You could discover a Wiz -
ard spell on a Spell Scroll , for example, and then copy 
it into your spellbook.
 Copying a Spell into the Book. When you find 
a level 1+ Wizard spell, you can copy it into your 
spellbook if it’s of a level you can prepare and if you 
have time to copy it. For each level of the spell, the 
transcription takes 2 hours and costs 50 GP. After -
ward you can prepare the spell like the other spells 
in your spellbook.
 Copying the Book. You can copy a spell from 
your spellbook into another book. This is like copy -
ing a new spell into your spellbook but faster, since 
you already know how to cast the spell. You need 
spend only 1 hour and 10 GP for each level of the 
copied spell.
 If you lose your spellbook, you can use the same 
procedure to transcribe the Wizard spells that you 
have prepared into a new spellbook. Filling out the 
remainder of the new book requires you to find new 
spells to do so. For this reason, many wizards keep a 
backup spellbook.
 When you reach Wizard levels 4 and 10, you learn 
another Wizard cantrip of your choice, as shown in 
the Cantrips column of the Wizard Features table.
 Spellbook. Your wizardly apprenticeship cul -
minated in the creation of a unique book: your 
spellbook. It is a Tiny object that weighs 3 pounds, 
contains 100 pages, and can be read only by you or 
someone casting Identify . You determine the book’s 
appearance and materials, such as a gilt-edged tome 
or a collection of vellum bound with twine.
 The book contains the level 1+ spells you know. It 
starts with six level 1 Wizard spells of your choice. 
Detect Magic, Feather Fall, Mage Armor, Magic Mis-
sile, Sleep, and Thunderwave are recommended.
 Whenever you gain a Wizard level after 1, add two 
Wizard spells of your choice to your spellbook. Each 
of these spells must be of a level for which you have 
spell slots, as shown in the Wizard Features table. 
The spells are the culmination of arcane research 
you do regularly.
 Spell Slots. The Wizard Features table shows 
how many spell slots you have to cast your level 1+ 
spells. You regain all expended slots when you fin -
ish a Long Rest.
 Prepared Spells of Level 1+. You prepare the list 
of level 1+ spells that are available for you to cast 
with this feature. To do so, choose four spells from 
your spellbook. The chosen spells must be of a level 
for which you have spell slots.
 The number of spells on your list increases as you 
gain Wizard levels, as shown in the Prepared Spells 
column of the Wizard Features table. Whenever that 
number increases, choose additional Wizard spells 
until the number of spells on your list matches the 
number in the table. The chosen spells must be of a 
level for which you have spell slots. For example, if 
you’re a level 3 Wizard, your list of prepared spells 
can include six spells of levels 1 and 2 in any combi -
nation, chosen from your spellbook.
 If another Wizard feature gives you spells that 
you always have prepared, those spells don’t count 
against the number of spells you can prepare with 
this feature, but those spells otherwise count as 
Wizard spells for you.
 Changing Your Prepared Spells. Whenever you 
finish a Long Rest, you can change your list of pre -
pared spells, replacing any of the spells there with 
spells from your spellbook.
 Spellcasting Ability. Intelligence is your spellcast -
ing ability for your Wizard spells.
 Spellcasting Focus. You can use an Arcane Focus 
or your spellbook as a Spellcasting Focus for your 
Wizard spells.
Level 1: Ritual Adept
You can cast any spell as a Ritual if that spell has 
the Ritual tag and the spell is in your spellbook. You 
needn’t have the spell prepared, but you must read 
from the book to cast a spell in this way.
Level 1: Arcane Recovery
You can regain some of your magical energy by 
studying your spellbook. When you finish a Short 
Rest, you can choose expended spell slots to re -
cover. The spell slots can have a combined level 
equal to no more than half your Wizard level (round 
up), and none of the slots can be level 6 or higher. 
For example, if you’re a level 4 Wizard, you can re -
cover up to two levels’ worth of spell slots, regain -
ing either one level 2 spell slot or two level 1 spell 
slots.
 Once you use this feature, you can’t do so again 
until you finish a Long Rest.
Level 2: Scholar
While studying magic, you also specialized in an -
other field of study. Choose one of the following 
skills in which you have proficiency: Arcana, His -
tory, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, or Religion. 
You have Expertise in the chosen skill.
Level 3: Wizard Subclass
You gain a Wizard subclass of your choice. The 
Evoker subclass is detailed after this class’s de -
scription. A subclass is a specialization that grants 
you features at certain Wizard levels. For the rest 