Is this “School of the Wyrm” wizard subclass I found balanced

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I found this wizard subclass in [this document] on DMsGuild, and I'd like to know if it is balanced compared to the existing classes.

School of the Wyrm

Knowledge of the Wyrm

Beginning at 2nd level, you gain proficiency with the Arcana
skill, and you can speak, read, and write Draconic. Your
proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make
that uses Intelligence (Arcana).

Additionally, whenever you make a Charisma check while
interacting with dragons, your proficiency bonus is doubled if
it applies to the check.

Spell Research

Choose one of the following classes: Bard, Cleric, Druid, or
Warlock.

Starting at 2nd level, you can learn spells from the chosen
class's spell list. The spell must be of a level for which you
have spell slots.

Any spell you gain from this feature is considered a wizard
spell for you, but other wizards can’t copy non-wizard spells
from your spellbook into their own spellbook.

Draconic Discovery

Starting at 6th level, you gain a number of sorcery points
equal to your Intelligence modifier. You regain all spent
sorcery points when you finish a long rest.

You also gain the ability to twist your spells to suit your
needs. You gain one of the Metamagic options of your choice
from the sorcerer's Metamagic class feature. You gain
another one at 12th (two) and 18th level (three).

You can use only one Metamagic option on a spell when
you cast it, unless otherwise noted. When you use a
Metamagic option, you can use your Intelligence modifier
instead of your Charisma modifier.

Convert Counterspell

Beginning at 10th level, when you see a creature casting a
spell within 60 feet of you, you can use your reaction to try to
magically foil it. The creature must succeed on a Wisdom
saving throw against your spell save DC, or its spell fails and
you regain one sorcery point.

You may use this ability a number of times equal to your
Intelligence modifier (a minimum of once). You regain all
expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Draconic Arcanum

At 14th level, you gain the ability to empower your
spellcasting with draconic magic. As an action, you undergo a
transformation, causing arcane energy to radiate from within
you, pouring out of your eyes and mouth. For 10 minutes, you
gain the following benefits:

  • Creatures cannot gain advantage on saving throws to
    resist spells you cast.
  • You shed bright light in a 10-foot radius and dim light for
    an additional 10 feet.
  • Once on each of your turns, you can deal extra force
    damage to one target when you deal damage to it with an
    attack or a spell. The extra force damage equals your
    Intelligence modifier.

Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you
finish a long rest.

My musings:

I imagine this subclass as a wizard learning from a dragon and said dragon's hoard of magic books.

I worry that this might be stepping on other classes' toes too much:

  • Spell Research allows the wizard to take spells from other classes, but seems like it might be balanced, as it requires access to spells to copy. Answers to this question should note whether it would be too OP to allow spells from the chosen class to be taken on a level-up.
  • Draconic Discovery allows usage of one of the sorcerer's primary features. Note however that sorcerer cannot be chosen for Spell Research, limiting the mimicry slightly.
  • Draconic Arcanum is somewhat like paladin subclass capstones. I think it is probably different enough, though.

Best Answer

This is unbalanced and badly designed

The second level feature of this gives you the option to cast any spell from a cleric or druid spell list. There's no need to look at any of the other features: this in itself is undermining the class balance in such a fundamental way that this subclass is unbalanced.

The selection of spells you have access to is one of the defining features of spellcasting classes. There are ways this may be softened in very limited ways (like the Bards ability to learn a handful of spells of other classes, which is one of its strongest features, or the cleric's domain spell which can in some cases give them access to non-cleric spells). But there is no precedent of giving wizards with their already large spell selection access to all spells of another class in that way, for a reason: its against the game's design to make the classes distinct.

The DMG even advises against this explicitly, on page 283:

Make sure the spell fits with the identity of the class. Wizards and sorcerers don't typically have access to healing spells, for example, and adding a healing spell to the wizard class list would step on the cleric's turf.

This is not adding a healing spell, it is adding all of them, along with raising the dead and all the other things that are the domain of divine casters.

The sixth level feature then goes on to give you metamagic and as many sorcery points as a sorcerer has. These are the main defining features of yet another class, and to balance having them, sorcerers have a much narrower selection of spells known, not the huge wizard list with the ability to prepare any. This also, just by itself would be broken, and in combination with gaining all spells from the cleric lists is utterly ridiculous.

Maybe, when looking at these homebrew subclasses, ask yourself: does this look too good to be true? If it does, it probably is.

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