PF2 Wizard Ancestries and Heritages

Introduction

The Wizard needs very little from their Ancestry and their Heritage. An Intelligence Boost is a must, but otherwise you can be very flexible, allowing you to explore a wide variety of Ancestry options. Boosts to Attributes which support your saves are also helpful since the Wizard’s defenses are poor. If an Ancestry doesn’t provide an Intelligence Boost or provides an Intelligence Flaw, remember that you can use the Alternate Ancestry Boosts rule to choose two Free Boosts instead.

Because wizards are so ineffective with weapons or unarmed attacks, avoid Ancestry and Heritage options which provide or improve those options. No amount of familiarity with unusual weaponry or tusks or claws will solve the Wizard’s proficiency challenges or terrible hit points.

Like other spellcasters, innate spellcasting can do a great deal to diversify your spell options, especially if your innate spellcasting comes from a non-Arcane spell list. The remaster rules updated spellcasting proficiency so that it’s no longer separated by Tradition, but innate spellcasting is almost always Charisma-based, so offensive spells should still be avoided in most cases. Instead, look for buffs, utility options, and other spells that don’t care about your spellcasting ability.

If you want a familiar, but don’t plan to take the Improved Familiar Attunement thesis, many Ancestries provide a way to get a familiar, saving you a Class Feat.

Table of Contents

Disclaimer

RPGBOT uses the color coding scheme which has become common among Pathfinder build handbooks.

  • Red: Bad, useless options, or options which are extremely situational. Nearly never useful.
  • Orange: OK options, or useful options that only apply in rare circumstances. Useful sometimes.
  • Green: Good options. Useful often.
  • Blue: Fantastic options, often essential to the function of your character. Useful very frequently.

Wizards Ancestries

Dwarf (PC1)

Great attributes and very durable, but few interesting feat options. Strongly consider a Versatile Heritage.

Elf (PC1)

Mostly great attributes, but a Constitution flaw is risky on top of just 6 hit points, so strongly consider spending your Free Boost to negate it. Elves also get access to some innate spellcasting via the Seer Elf Heritage and a handful of feats, but beyond that your feat options aren’t fantastic.

Gnome (PC1)

Decent attributes, though the Charisma boost isn’t helpful, and access to some innate spellcasting. You can also get some powerful defensive options like the Sudden Shift feat chain. Animal Accomplice is a great way to get a familiar.

Goblin (PC1)

The Attributes aren’t great, so the Alternate Ancestry Boosts rule is a good idea. Your feat options aren’t amazing, but a few standouts like Burn It! and Goblin Song are worthwhile.

Halfling (CRB)

Excellent attributes, but very few appealing feat options. If Halfling Luck doesn’t appeal to you, consider a Versatile Heritage.

Human (PC1)

Two free boosts and a wide variety of appealing feats.

Leshy (PC1) (Uncommon)

Leshies get an Intelligence Flaw by default, so use the Alternate Ancestry Boosts rule. The Leshy’s feat options are extremely limited, but there are feats for some innate primal spellcasting which may be worthwhile.

Orc (APG)

Two Free Boosts, but not a lot of feat options. Orc Ferocity and Orc Superstition are your best bets unless you take Adopted Ancestry or a Versatile Heritage.

Wizards Versatile Heritages

Aiuvarin (PC1)

The Elf has a few appealing ancestry feats, but not enough to justify your Heritage.

Ardande Geniekin (RoE) (Uncommon)

The only obviously good feat is Springsoul, and your Heritage and a feat for one cantrip is a bad trade.

Changeling (PC1) (Uncommon)

Thematically fantastic, but the only appealing feat is Hag Magic at level 13, and that’s just not enough.

Dromaar (PC1)

The Orc doesn’t offer any feats that are easy choices for the Wizard, and the Dromaar’s unique feats aren’t any better.

Nephilim (PC1) (Uncommon)

Few interesting options at level 1, but higher-level feats offer access to innate spellcasting, damage resistances, and flight.

Talos Geniekin (RoE) (Uncommon)

Poor feat options.

Legacy Wizards Ancestries

Anadi (ME) (Rare)

The Anadi’s only appealing feats revolve around being a spider and fighting in melee.

Android (AG) (Rare)

Perfect attributes and excellent feat options. Artisan Android with the Nanite Surge feat chain is an easy choice.

Automaton (GG) (Rare)

Take the Alternate Ancestry Boosts and you’re ready to go. The Automaton has a large number of excellent feat options available.

Azarketi (ACLO / AG) (Uncommon)

Bad ability scores and bad feats. Nothing worthwhile for the Wizard.

Catfolk (APG) (Uncommon)

Put the Free ability Boost into Intelligence and you have all that you need, but none of the Catfolk’s feats directly support the Wizard’s capabilities. The Cat’s Luck feat chain will help you with saving throws, but that’s no more applicable to the Wizard than to any other character.

Conrasu (ME) (Rare)

Good ability scores, but nearly no appealing feats.

Fetchling (AG) (Uncommon)

Most of the Fetchling’s feats are about sneaking, which isn’t a go-to tactic for the Wizard. There are a handful of innate spellcasting feats, but likely not enough.

Fleshwarp (AG) (Rare)

Only appealing for front-line melee builds, which is not something the Wizard is built to do.

Ghoran (IL) (Rare)

Excellent Ability Boosts, and the Thorned Rose heritage offers a nice defensive option, but almost none of the Ancestry Feats are appealing.

Gnoll (ME) (Uncommon)

The Strength Boost isn’t helpful, but you don’t strictly need the Alternate Ability Boosts. Witch Gnoll is a natural fit. Unfortunately, almost none of the Ancestry Feats are appealing. Hyena Familiar isn’t enough.

Goloma (ME) (Rare)

The Ability Boosts are fine, but the only appealing Heritage is Vigilant Goloma, and there are barely enough Ancestry Feats to get you to level 20. Ambush Awareness, Arcane Sight, and See the Unseen are good go-to options.

Grippli (ME) (Uncommon)

With the Free Boost assigned to Intelligence, the Grippli’s Ability Boosts are perfect, and the Strength Flaw is harmless. The Poisonhide and Snaptongue heritages are both excellent. Unfortunately, the only appealing Ancestry Feat is Long Tongue. You could fix that with a Versatile Heritage, but at that point you’re only here for the Ability Scores, and you can get those from other Ancestries.

Hobgoblin (CG) (Uncommon)

Excellent Ability Scores and a long list of Ancestry Feat options. Elfbane and Smokeworker are great Heritage choices. Be sure to consider the Runtsage Ancestry Feat; Adopted Ancestry (goblin) is useful, and since you also get a free 1st-level Goblin Ancestry feat you can grab Burn It! at the same time.

Kashrishi (IL) (Rare)

Good ability scores, but no appealing Heritages. The Kashrishi’s Ancestry Feats include a few options to get innate Occult Spellcasting. Combined with a Versatile Heritage, the Kashrishi will do fine.

Kitsune (AG) (Uncommon)

Poor Ability Boosts for an Intelligence-based spellcaster, so use the Alternate Ability Boosts. Dark Fields and Empty Sky are both great Heritage options. You can get some Innate Spellcasting from the Kitsune Ancestry Feats, but the options aren’t amazing. You can also get a Star Orb familiar, which may save you a Class Feat.

Kobold (APG) (Uncommon)

Put the Free ability Boost into Intelligence and you have all that you need, but a Constitution Flaw is always hard, especially on a race with 6 hit points (Elvess and Kobolds share this drawback). Strongly consider the Alternate Attribute Boosts rule. The Dracomancer feat chain is a great source of innate spellcasting, and the Kobold Breath feat chain can offer a good area damage option if your spell list doesn’t have enough.

Lizardfolk (CG) (Uncommon)

Take the Alternate Attribute Boosts and strongly consider a Versatile Heritage. The Lizardfolk has a few appealing feats providing skill bonuses or innate spellcasting, but none of the Heritage options are fantastic. Frilled Lizardfolk is okay, but not great.

Nagaji (IL) (Uncommon)

The Nagaji offers access to poison resistance, innate spellcasting, Scent as an impecise scent, plus cool options like Hypnotic Lure and Disruptive Stare. You will want to take the Alternate Attribute Boosts.

Poppet (GB) (Rare)

You will want the Alternate Attribute Boosts, but otherwise the Poppet is fantastic. Feats and Heritages offer access to move speeds, damage resistances, innate spellcasting, and some other unique options.

Ratfolk (APG) (Uncommon)

The ability boosts are perfect, and while you still only get 6 racial hit points, you don’t get a Constitution Flaw like the Elf and the Kobold. Unfortunately, nearly none of the Ratfolk’s Ancestry Feats cater to the Wizard’s capabilities. Rat familiar is nice, but not enough. Consider Adopted Ancestry or a Versatile Heritage.

Shisk (ME) (Rare)

Quill Spray and Fountain of Secrets are neat, but not good enough to make this a great choice.

Shoony (PF #153) (Rare)

Steadfast Ally and Sodbuster are both appealing, but not good enough to make this a great choice.

Skeleton (BotD) (Rare)

A few good options like Collapse, but not good enough to make this a great choice. Watch out for Negative Healing.

Sprite (AG) (Rare)

Perfect ability scores, and you can get both innate spellcasting and flight. The only problem is the 20-foot speed and possible Tiny size.

Strix (AG) (Rare)

Access to flight, but not much else of note. Consider a Versatile Heritage.

Tengu (APG) (Uncommon)

Two Boosts, 6 hit points, and none of the feats cater to the Wizard’s capabilities. There are a few spellcasting options like Storm’s Lash and some limited flight options, but you can solve those problems magically.

Vanara (IL) (Uncommon)

A few options for innate spellcasting, but nothing else really appeals to the Wizard.

Vishkanya (IL) (Rare)

Nothing appealing to the Wizard. Vishkanya are all about poisoned weapons and performance, and wizards are about neither of those things.

Legacy Wizards Versatile Heritages

Beastkin (AG) (Rare)

Beastkin feats offer some interesting utility options including senses, move speeds, and some shapeshifting. Pack Tactics is exceptionally good, but you may not be making enough attack rolls for it to be worthwhile.

Dhampir (APG) (Uncommon)

Feed on Pain is excellent if you have an easy source of mental damage (many spells will deal mental damage). Watch out for Negative Healing unless that’s the whole reason that you’re here, in which case you should consider Undead Companion.

Duskwalker (APG) (Uncommon)

A few of the feats provide innate spellcasting.

Ganzi (AG) (Uncommon)

Unpredictable, but still very tempting. Damage resistance plus some innate spellcasting.

Ifrit Geniekin (AG) (Uncommon)

Fire resistance, plus you can get innate spellcasting and some other cool stuff from the feats. If you want to play a blaster, strongly consider Charred Remains.

Oread Geniekin (AG) (Uncommon)

Not a ton of good options, but you can get both Tremorsense and a Burrow speed.

Reflection (DA) (Rare)

Warped Reflection is really good for debuffing a target prior to hitting them with a spell.

Suli Geniekin (AG) (Uncommon)

Scholar’s Inheritance is great on any Intelligence-based character, Elemental Bulwark is great on anyone, and you can get some Innate Spellcasting that provides utility spells that won’t care about your spellcasting attribute.

Sylph Geniekin (AG) (Uncommon)

Combining Smoke Soul and Cloud Gazer with spells that produce fog or smoke can put you at a huge tactical advantage. Higher-level feats offer some innate spellcast and permanent non-magical flight.

Undine Geniekin (AG) (Uncommon)

Very similar options to the Sylph, but the Innate Spellcasting feats provide offensive spells which will suffer due to your lack of Charisma.