Wizards - standard spell loadout?

[MerakSpielman]

So you have a reasonably high-level wizard, say 14th level. You're going to be heading into a dungeon with a few other people - the standard mix of fighter, cleric, rogue. You have no idea what you're going to be facing in the dungeon - what sort of terrain, what sort of monsters, how long you'll be down there, etc... For some reason, scouting ahead by any means (including divinations) is not possible. You strongly suspect a random mixture of monsters, traps, puzzles, and mundane obsticles.

What loadout of spells do you choose to prepare? For simplicity's sake, let's say you recently used up all of your scrolls and wands and haven't had time to purcase/create any more. As far as your companions' capabilities, you know that the fighters is good at hitten' critters, the cleric is known for his propensity to heal and buff, and the rogue specializes in dungeon-crawling, with lockpicking and sneaking emphasis.

Assume 23 INT (18 at first level, +3 increases, +2 item) , no school specialization, and the only spells in your spellbook are the ones you've gotten for free as you level up (darn scribing costs!).

The reason I'm thinking about this is because every time a thread comes up that mentions a problem, obstacle, or opponent a wizard could concievably face, people start spouting off spells that the wizard could use to great effect. The X-factor is, though, that the wizard might not have that particular spell prepared at the time. I'm trying to get an impression of what you all consider to be the most default, standard, and generic wizard spell loadout.

So your spellbook contains (assuming you took spells of the highest level allowable when you leveled):
0th: all, 1st: 9, 2nd: 4, 3rd: 4, 4th: 4, 5th: 4, 6th: 4, 7th: 4

And you have prepared:
0th: 4, 1st: 4+2, 2nd: 4+2, 3rd: 4+1, 4th: 4+1, 5th: 3+1, 6th: 3+1, 7th: 2+0

With what do you fill your few precious slots?

 

[Epametheus]

That wizard is woefully under-equipped for a L14 wizard, especially considering that he can probably make most of his equipment. A L14 wizard that doesn't have wands or scrolls to cover the low-level utility spells should be punched repeatedly in the face.

0th level; a few detect magic spells and maybe a light spell; the rest will be useless at 14th level.

1st level: Shield, Mage Armor, and a bunch of Magic Missiles

2nd Level: See Invisibility, Extended Mage Armor, Invisibility, other spells are irrelevant by 14th level

3rd level: Fly, Fireball, Dispel Magic, Haste

4th: Improved Invisibility is the only must-have this level, since polymorph is now 5th level. Greater Magic Weapon or Extended Greater Magic Weapon. Charm Monster is good.

5th: Polymorph. Teleport. Cone of Cold. Empowered Fireball.

6th: Many choices, here. Chain Lightning, Disintegrate, and Greater Dispelling are what come to mind without looking at the spell-list.

7th: Power Word Stun. Teleport w/out Error is a must-have, but may be redundant with the normal Teleport.

Blech. A wizard that strapped for spells and items will have to rely on the cleric to keep him alive.

 

[Zappo]

I agree on everything Epametheus said. Maybe I would get one or two more boom-type spells for a dungeon crawl, though if you're so terribly underequipped you could have to take utility spells simply for lack of items. Still, any wizard worth his salt should have at least a bunch of scrolls. There is a reason for which you are given scribe scrolls for free. Not using it makes the character substantially less powerful.

 

[the Jester]

Well, first I'd go hunt down some scrolls.

Then I'd use some divinations to figure out what approach to take.

a 14th-level wizard with only his levelling spells is gonna suck no matter what, especially without any items. Contact other Plane would be a must.

 

[Malcolm]

working with: 0th: all, 1st: 9, 2nd: 4, 3rd: 4, 4th: 4, 5th: 4, 6th: 4, 7th: 4
(using only 3.5 PHb, no Gear, no xp for Permanency, and in a Dungeon setting)
hrmm..
To get the most "bang for your buck" and be both versitile and useful over a 24hr period if need be I suggest:

0th: 4 = Detect Magic, Read Magic, Mage Hand, Light

1st: 4+2 = Color Spray, Feather Fall, Grease, Mage Armor, Mount, Shield

2nd: 4+2 = Giltterdust, Hideous Laughter, Kock, Rope Trick, Touch of Idiocy, Web

3rd: 4+1 = Clairaudience, Dispel Magic, Fly, Slow, Vampiric Touch

4th: 4+1 = Charm Monster, Charm Monster, Illusory Wall, Shadow Conjuration, Stoneskin

5th: 3+1 = Dominate Person, Passwall, Shadow Evocation, Wall of Stone

6th: 3+1 = Analyze Dweomer, Stone to Flesh, Undeath to Death, Veil

7th: 2+0 = Limited Wish, Shadow Conjuration Greater

If you want an explanation of "why" for any of these in a dungeon Merak just ask.
And no, the Wizard you mentioned isn't dependent on the Cleric to save his bacon.

 

[Hjorimir]

Here is what I’d have in my book…
1st: Alarm, Expeditious Retreat, Floating Disk, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Protection From Evil, Shield, True Strike, Unseen Servant
2nd: Glitterdust, Invisibility, Rope Trick, See Invisible
3rd: Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic, Fly, Lighting Bolt
4th: Dimension Door, Invisibility (Greater), Resilient Sphere, Solid Fog
5th: Cloudkill, Cone of Cold, Summon Monster V, Telekinesis
6th: Acid Fog, Chain Lightning, Disintegrate, Repulsion
7th: Limited Wish, Prismatic Spray, Spell Turning, Summon Monster VII


Here is what I’d have prepared…
0: Detect Magic x2, Light x2
1st: Alarm, Expeditious Retreat, Mage Armor, Magic Missile (x2), Shield
2nd: Glitterdust (x2), Invisibility (x2), Rope Trick, See Invisible
3rd: Clairaudience/Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic (x2), Fly, Lightning Bolt
4th: Dimension Door, Invisibility (Greater), Resilient Sphere (x2), Solid Fog
5th: Cloudkill, Cone of Cold, Summon Monster V, Telekinesis
6th: Acid Fog, Chain Lightning, Disintegrate, Repulsion
7th: Limited Wish, Prismatic Spray

A few touches:
Alarm is great for covering your back in a dungeon.
Glitterdust in case the cleric fails to have Invisibility Purge ready to go.
Invisibility plus Summon Monsters is pretty safe business for a wizard.
Rope Trick so you and your group can rest in peace and recoup your spells as needed.
Clairaudience/Clairvoyance…the potential for this spell in a dungeon is staggering.
Lightning Bolt was selected over Fireball due to the indoors element (think long hallways).
Dimension Door…get out jail card (even when grappled).
Resilient Sphere is two fold for removing powerful combatants and protecting yourself.
Solid Fog is one of the best crowd-control spells in the game.
Cloudkill...have to love Con damage.
Summon Monster V…some of those monsters you can summon can cast spells that you cannot.
Telekinesis…given the woefully small spell selection this is a wonderfully adaptable spell.
Acid Fog…Solid Fog plus damage…what’s not to like?
Chain Lightning…often indoors it is difficult to line up area-effect spells.
Disintegrate…not only deadly it has utility use as well.
Repulsion…being indoors means monsters can run up and whack on you…not a healthy lifestyle.
Limited Wish…again I took this for its ability to a great many things.
Prismatic Spray…got to have one big boom.

 

[LGodamus]

I have to disagree with epamatheus on the mage armor a level 14 wiz with no scrolls will never ever ever even use mage armor..he is going to have bracers of armor with a higher bonus than the spell gives anyway....


also heading into a dungeon fireball is much less effective than lightening bolt due to the structure of most dungeons....

my list goes like this
0:detect magic, read magic, light , prestidigitation
1:shield, obscuring mist, ray of enfeeblement, enlarge person,magic missle x2
2:melfs acid arrow, web, knock , spiderclimb, scorching ray, blur
3:lightning bolt x2, magic circle against evil, protection from energy,
clairaudience/voyance
4:stoneskin, E's black tentacles, polymorph, invisibility greater, stone shape
5:cloudkill,wall of stone, dismissal, magicjar
6:disintegrate, planar binding, true seeing, O's freezing sphere
7:limited wish, phase door

 

[Saeviomagy]

So your spellbook contains (assuming you took spells of the highest level allowable when you leveled):
0th: all, 1st: 9, 2nd: 4, 3rd: 4, 4th: 4, 5th: 4, 6th: 4, 7th: 4

And you have prepared:
0th: 4, 1st: 4+2, 2nd: 4+2, 3rd: 4+1, 4th: 4+1, 5th: 3+1, 6th: 3+1, 7th: 2+0

With what do you fill your few precious slots?

For starters I leave one slot at every level empty for future memorisation.

I'll memorise a few of the higher level summon monsters (ie from SM IV onwards) because that means you have an impressive array of spell like abilities to choose from. Additionally, I'd spend points on being able to speak all of the planar languages. It's well worth it.

I'll have some 'message' spells memorised.

I'll have teleport memorised at least twice.

I'll have magic missile a few times

I'll have forcecage memorised

I'll have fireball memorised a couple of times

I'll have polymorph memorised twice

I'll have prestidigitation memorised

I'll have feather fall memorised

I think I'm pretty much covered.

If we meet a solo creature we cannot harm, I forcecage it. Then I can memorise specific spells to deal with it.

If we meet multiple smaller creatures, fireballs take care of them.

In any fight, I can summon a creature appropriate to the situation. I've got a list of monsters to summon which includes everything from healing, to battlefield control. Additionally a great number of those creatures are good for utility situations.

polymorph self is good for a great many things, from flying to stat boosts to swimming or whatever. It's great.

teleport is in there twice so we can potentially retreat, regroup, heal and then return the same day.

Message is very useful for coordinating actions.

Prestidigitation is nice for a great deal of situations, from "the food is plain" to "it smells in here" to "you're slimed"...

Other notable spells that I know
1 comprehend languages

1 feather fall
1 mirror image
1 identify
1 magic missile

2 rope trick
2 glitterdust
2 summon swarm
2 resist energy

3 circle of protection from evil
3 sleet storm
3 fireball

4 charm monster
4 summon monster iv
4 polymorph

5 break enchantment
5 summon monster v
5 teleport


6 contingency
6 greater dispel
6 true seeing
6 summon monster vi

7 limited wish
7 spell turning
7 summon monster vii
7 forcecage


I think I've got it mostly covered. The contingency is most likely a teleport keyed to the front door of the dungeon (or wherever we last safely rested if there are safe resting places inside the dungeon) and triggers if I'm incapacitated.

 

[Sidereal Knight]

From what I've seen of high-level wizard PCs, most of them have a few things set up with the permenancy spell. Detect Magic, Darkvision, a few others too... This could affect your choices.