DnD/D20 Necessary Wizard Spells?

[Jhaelen]

For D&D 3.5 the PHB2 has an appendix describing a quick method to create npcs. It also includes prioritized lists of recommended spells for every class and level. They should serve as an ideal starting point.

 

[Malachei]

The suggestions above pretty much cover what spells the archetypical D&D wizard would have.

Within your level limit of 1-5, maybe add:

alarm
alter self
blindness / deafness
glitterdust
mirror image
rope trick
see invisibility
hold person
charm monster
fire shield
improved invisibility
stoneskin
hold monster
dismissal
permanency
wall of stone

And, of course... telekinesis.

 

[erf_beto]

Though they lack some utility spells, anything the wizard and the elf in the arcade game can cast:

magic missile
invisibility
fireball
lightning bolt
haste
firewall
ice storm
projected image
polymorph other
conjure elemental
reverse gravity
flesh to stone
cloud kill
meteor swarm
power word: kill

and if you count some enemy spellcasters:
animate dead
teleport

I'm sure I'm forgetting something... in any case, others in the thread mentioned them.