WIZARDS NEED NO HELP.
1.) Select a lot of rituals at level 1 so that you can cast them over and over.
2.) The best defense for a low level wizard is not mage armor - it is standing behind the fighters.
3.) You're underpowered at low levels, but are amongst the most powerful at high levels. Once you hit 5th level and get fireball, you'll feel pretty darn solid. Being underpowered at low levels and then a beast at high levels is part of the historical feel of the wizard / magic - user that was lost in 4E.
My wizard has been a solid contributor to the party since day one. He isn't the damage king, but his spells turned key battles. He also provides a lot of magic support through cantrips and rituals that allow the PCs to do things that would otherwise be impossible outside combat. If you're not effective as a wizard, it is because you're not playing them as SMART pcs.
Or maybe Spell Sniper so you can cast shocking grasp at targets within 10 feet of you
Pretty sure this doesn't work. Shocking Grasp's range is "touch", not "5 feet". Crawford was specifically asked about Spell Sniper and touch spells back in June, and his response was "The first benefit of Spell Sniper is intended to double numerical ranges only."
http://www.sageadvice.eu/2015/06/25/spell-sniper-and-touch-spells/
I remember walking fifteen miles in the snow, both ways, uphill, just so that I could play a first level magic user with 2 hit points, a 9 AC, and a dagger.
I'd cast my magic missile, then I'd hide until the next day.
Think he is referring to Distant spell on sorcerer which per the phb pg102
DISTANT SPELL
When you cast a spell that has a range of 5 feet or greater, you can spend 1 sorcery point to double the range of the spell.
When you cast a spell that has a range of touch,you can spend 1 sorcery point to make the range of the spell 30 feet.
Magic Missile is nice, but have you read Chromatic Orb? 3d8 damage for a first level spell! Yes, you have to make a ranged spell attack, but 3d8 damage for a first level spell and you choose the damage type!
Yeah, but you need a 50 gp gem as a material component every time you cast it.
? Simple solution, play Pathfinder instead.