1st Level Wizard - What Spells Do You Take?

[Nightchilde-2]

Mage Armor + Shield = AC 18 (assuming a Dex of 10).

True Strike.

Magic Missile or Burning Hands

For 0-level spells; detect magic, open/close, mage had and prestidigitation.

 

[Thomas Percy]

sleep - to fight
mage armor - to stay alive
identify - to make money
charm person - to not use torture

 

[krunchyfrogg]

The one area I'll depart from consensus is that Magic missile is a bit overrated. It's good for finishing off opponents, especially when nothing else will do, but it doesn't have alot of bang otherwise. The main reason you want it is for wand crafting. If you aren't going to bother taking wand crafting, don't bother with the spell and take Grease instead.

I disagree. I still don't think MM should be taken at 1st level (I wait until level 3 to start memorizing it), but it's very useful when an enemy casts Mirror Image, and great on any enemy spellcaster for spell disruption purposes.

 

[lukelightning]

I disagree. I still don't think MM should be taken at 1st level (I wait until level 3 to start memorizing it), but it's very useful when an enemy casts Mirror Image, and great on any enemy spellcaster for spell disruption purposes.

Especially since it ignores cover, so you can retaliate against that kobold sorcerer who's been casting spells at you from behind an arrowslit.

 

[Fishbone]

The grappled character has more pressing issues than being stunned for a round, like being in a ginormous creature's maw. Secondly, its a lot more likely for the PC to pass a will save then some dumb as dog turds and twice as ugly grappling hosebeast to pass it.
It seems really stupid and counterintuitive until the Giant Constrictor coughs up the Rogue and gets dope smacked by the raging barbarian.

 

[Fishbone]

Remember, in 3rd edition doesn't reward blasters. Concentrate on divination, transmutation, and enchantment. Evocation is a good banned school.

What about conjuration? I'd take that over divination in a heartbeat.

 

[Voadam]

Yeah, but at first level do you really want to go around hoping someone will fall in a pit? You'd be fairly useless for everything except this once specific instance. Getting rushed by a couple orcs is far more likely...in which case a 5' step plus color spray is a zillion times more useful.

Do you have enough gold to scribe a 1st level spell? This is not a bad one to have handy if there are tricky ledges.

You get int plus 2 for starting spells in your spellbook, you can start with two or three spells prepared. Having one of them be a scroll only spell is not a bad 1st level use IMO.

 

[Celebrim]

What about conjuration? I'd take that over divination in a heartbeat.

My advice was geared more to a low level spell caster. For example, at high level enchantment doesn't have much utility that you can't find elsewhere. But at low level, it gives you your first all important 'save or die spell' - hold person.

Conjuration is a good school. It's the school I use for low level crowd control rather than evocation, but its more of a high level thing. Low level summoning spells suck, but once you get to 13th level or so its both a good combat option and a good utility spell. And of course, teleport is the bomb.

But if I had to choose just three schools, I think divination would be one of them. Knowledge is power. The main thing I try to remember with being a spell caster is to concentrate on doing the things that the fighters just can't do. Especially in 3rd edition, with monsters having high hit points and spells having damage caps, concentrating on damage dealing spells makes you just a weak fighter variant.

Generally I take diviner and give up evocation. I'd consider taking either conjuration or transmutation and giving up evocation and necromancy. Illusion isn't a bad focus either, but at high level you start dealing with alot of immunity/true seeing.

 

[Bardsandsages]

Mount.

Always useful.

Something out of reach? use horse as step stool

Bunch of enemies charging? Not with a horse suddenly appearing in thier path!

Think the corridor is booby trapped? Don't want to bother finding that statue that is suposed to hold down the pressure plate puzzle? Need to hoist the ko'ed fighter in platemale out of the pit?

Mount, the perfect level one spell....

YES! Someone who appreciates that spell too It's always a standard. Why buy a horse and pay for stables when you can just summon one when needed?

Mage Armor is a given as well. At low levels I ignore MM as I do more damage with a staff normally than I would MM anyway (and a staff has reach...useful for mages), so I can save the spell slot for other spells. Grease is a useful spell as well.

 

[painandgreed]

I'd disagree on holding off on Magic Missle. As a non-spell caster, the time I'm usually yelling at the mage to cast a spell instead of use their X-bow at 1st and other low levels is when damage absolutely, positively needs to be done as soon as possible because the fighter is having a hard time hitting at this level and one hit can put him under anyway. The autohit ability is a powerful feature at these levels.