Dragonborn Wizard Build Guide

Levels 1-4

Start by selecting the School of Abjuration at level 2. Your Arcane Ward creates a buffer of temporary hit points that triggers whenever you cast an abjuration spell like Shield or Absorb Elements. This ward takes damage before you do, meaning you don't even have to roll Constitution saving throws to maintain concentration if the ward absorbs the entire hit. At level 4, take the Telekinetic feat. This bumps your 17 Intelligence to 18 and gives you a consistent bonus action to push enemies into your Web spell or pull allies out of opportunity attack range.

Levels 5-10

Level 5 is a massive power spike. You gain 3rd-level spell slots for Hypnotic Pattern and Counterspell, and your Gem Dragonborn heritage unlocks Draconic Flight. You can now pop your wings, ascend 30 feet into the air, cast a devastating crowd control spell, and remain safely out of reach of grounded melee enemies. At level 6, your Projected Ward allows you to shield your allies with your Arcane Ward. At level 8, take your Ability Score Improvement to bump Intelligence to 20, maxing out your spell save DC.

Levels 11-16

At level 11, you unlock 6th-level spells. Mass Suggestion is your go-to controller spell here, as it doesn't require concentration. Level 12 brings another ASI; grab Resilient (Constitution) to bump your CON to 15 and gain proficiency in Constitution saving throws, making it nearly impossible to drop concentration on Wall of Force. Level 14 grants Spell Resistance from the Abjuration school. You now have advantage on all saving throws against spells and resistance to damage from spells, which stacks beautifully with your innate Draconic damage resistance.

Levels 17-20

At level 17, you learn Wish, the ultimate reality-bending tool. Use it to replicate 8th-level spells like Clone or Simulacrum without paying the material costs. At level 18, Spell Mastery lets you cast Shield and Misty Step at will, cementing your unkillable status. For your level 19 ASI, take the Alert feat. As a controller, going first is paramount. Winning initiative means you can drop a Maze or Forcecage on the enemy boss before they take a single turn.

Cantrips

Mind Sliver is your bread-and-butter. Target an enemy's weak Intelligence save, deal psychic damage, and subtract 1d4 from their next saving throw—perfect for setting up your own leveled spells. Minor Illusion provides at-will cover, and Fire Bolt serves as a reliable range attack when you need to target objects.

Level 1-2 Spells

Shield is mandatory to protect your d6 Hit Die, pumping your AC by +5. Absorb Elements is also crucial; just make sure to choose an element you don't already resist via your Draconic Ancestry. Web is your premier 2nd-level control spell, forcing enemies to waste actions breaking out while your party picks them off.

Level 3-5 Spells

Hypnotic Pattern is a combat-ending 3rd-level spell that incapacitates groups. Counterspell is exceptionally potent for Abjuration Wizards, as casting it recharges your Arcane Ward. At 5th level, Wall of Force is an encounter-breaker that traps enemies without offering a saving throw.

High-Level Spells

Forcecage at 7th level functions like an upgraded Wall of Force that doesn't require concentration. Maze is the ultimate single-target removal, bypassing saves entirely and forcing a DC 20 Intelligence check to escape. Finally, Wish at 9th level gives you unparalleled versatility.

Telekinetic

Take this at level 4. Assuming you started with a 17 in Intelligence, this half-feat caps you at 18 while giving you a 30-foot invisible Mage Hand and a bonus action shove. Wizards notoriously lack consistent bonus actions, and pushing a goblin back into your Web spell without expending resources is incredible action economy.

Resilient (Constitution)

Take this at level 12. Proficiency in Constitution saving throws is non-negotiable for high-level controllers. You cannot afford to drop concentration on a Wall of Force because a stray arrow hit you. If you started with 14 CON, this bumps you to 15, setting you up for another half-feat later or just enjoying the massive +4 to +6 save bonus.

Alert

Take this at level 16 or 19. A +5 bonus to Initiative ensures you act before the monsters. As a Controller Wizard, dropping a Hypnotic Pattern before the enemies disperse is the difference between a trivial encounter and a total party kill. You also can't be surprised, meaning you always get to cast Shield.

Tier 1 (Levels 1-4)

Your primary goal is survival. Keep a Component Pouch handy so your hands are free for your Breath Weapon or somatic components. Seek out a Wand of the War Mage +1 to boost your spell attack rolls and ignore half cover, ensuring your early Fire Bolts and Ray of Frosts hit their mark.

Tier 2 (Levels 5-10)

Look for a Cloak of Displacement. Imposing disadvantage on all attacks against you pairs incredibly well with your Arcane Ward and Shield spell. Alternatively, an Amulet of Health bumps your Constitution to 19, drastically increasing your hit points and concentration saving throws.

Tier 3 (Levels 11-16)

The Staff of Power is the holy grail for this tier. It grants a +2 bonus to Armor Class, saving throws, and spell attack rolls, while acting as a battery for extra castings of Wall of Force and Globe of Invulnerability. Your Draconic Flight makes it easy to position yourself for optimal staff usage.

Tier 4 (Levels 17-20)

Hunt down a Robe of the Archmagi. It sets your base AC to 15 + DEX modifier, grants advantage on saving throws against spells (which stacks hilariously with Abjuration's level 14 feature), and increases your spell save DC by 2. Combine this with a Staff of the Magi to become virtually untouchable.

As a Controller Wizard, your job is to dictate the flow of battle. You divide enemy forces with Wall of Force, lock them down with Web, and disable them with Hypnotic Pattern. However, you lack consistent, heavy single-target damage, meaning you rely on your party to execute the enemies you've incapacitated.

You pair flawlessly with a Paladin. The Paladin's Aura of Protection grants a massive bonus to your saving throws, virtually guaranteeing you never lose concentration. In return, your Hold Person or Hold Monster spells grant the Paladin automatic critical hits for devastating Divine Smites.

A Rogue is another excellent partner. If you take the Telekinetic feat, you can use your bonus action to shove enemies into the Rogue's melee range, granting them Sneak Attack via ally proximity. The Rogue can rapidly dispatch the targets you trap in your Web without taking return fire.

Artificer 1 Dip

Taking your very first level in Artificer is wildly optimal for a Wizard. It grants proficiency in Constitution saving throws (saving you a feat later), medium armor, and shields. A Dragonborn with half-plate, a shield, and the Shield spell can easily hit 24 AC, making you an absolute tank while retaining full spell slot progression.

Fighter 2 Dip

Taking two levels of Fighter grants Action Surge. In 5e, the rule restricting you to one leveled spell per turn only applies if you cast a bonus action spell. With Action Surge, you can cast two full-action leveled spells on the same turn. Dropping a Sickening Radiance and immediately trapping the enemy in a Forcecage on turn one is an unbeatable combo.

• Forgetting Draconic Flight is limited: Gem Dragonborn can only manifest their wings once per long rest for 1 minute. Don't use it to cross a minor pit trap; save it for a major combat where hovering out of melee range protects your concentration on Hypnotic Pattern.
• Overusing the Breath Weapon in Tier 3: At level 1, a 1d10 AoE breath weapon is amazing. At level 11, spending your action to deal 3d10 damage is a massive waste when you could be casting Mass Suggestion. Retire the breath weapon as an action once you hit level 5.
• Redundant Damage Resistances: If you chose a Red Dragonborn (Fire resistance), do not waste a spell preparation slot on Absorb Elements just to mitigate fire damage. Pick a damage type that covers a gap in your innate defenses.
• Ignoring the lack of Darkvision: Dragonborn do not have native Darkvision. If your party delves into a dungeon, you won't be able to target spells that require you to "see" the target. Keep the Light cantrip or a bullseye lantern handy.